World States are one of the more interesting elements of Kenshi. Players can manipulate the world of this post-apocalyptic adventure in many ways. With all of the different factions in the world, there’s a lot to do and battles to fight. As you explore and uncover more lore, you might notice the world shifting around you. Kenshi makes no bones about allowing the player to alter the world to their liking. World states are the primary way to do that. For the purposes of this guide, we’re going to focus on Holy Nation World States in Kenshi.
As one of the more powerful factions in Kenshi, the Holy Nation has a very corrupting and oddly stabilizing influence on the world. As they spread their zealotry to the wastes, they also came to view themselves as superior. The inevitable wars against the Shek Kingdom and United Cities have spread their influence even further. As the Holy Nation has all but destroyed the Shek Kingdom, the UC stands alone in checking HN influence. The player can change the tides of war by taking out a few key Holy Nation figures.
You might also want to check out our guide on Shek Kingdom states. The Holy Nation triggers listed below depend on many of those as well.
What are the major Holy Nation World States?
There are two classes of world triggers for the Holy Nation, minor and major. Most of them deal with cities changing hands, or certain NPCs dying. To make this easier to manage, we’ll break up each section for the NPCs that it affects. We will also include a note if any cities change hands. There are three main NPCs that affect direct spawns and town states. The outcome of these NPCs being killed or captured hinges on other factions as well.
Also, keep in mind that Seta, Valtena and Lord Phoenix are all tied together. If you take out Seta and then Valtena, various World States will trigger together or have more intense effects. This is most noticeable in which towns get ruined, and which zones have enemy spawns. For example, if you kill or imprison all three, all the Holy Nation Army spawns will be replaced with much weaker units.
Holy Lord Phoenix
Various Town overrides occur, dependent on other factors, if Phoenix is out of the game. There are only a few triggers directly associated with the death or capture of the Holy Lord. As for NPC spawns, there’s only one that we can find. The Paladin and Inquisitor spawns in Holy Nation zones will also be reduced. Most of the Phoenix World States rely on the state of Seta and Valtena first, and then are conditional to the state of other faction leaders. Notably, the existence of Esata, Flying Bull, Emperor Tengu and other UC NPCs.
The Holy Mines and Farms around the territory can fall. Depending on which faction leaders are active, the following factions can take these over: Shek Kingdom, Kral’s Chosen or Slave Traders. Each one relies on a certain leader to be active. Slave Trader triggers rely on United Cities leaders, just for clarity.
- If Holy Lord Phoenix is inactive, but Seta remains, Bad Teeth will revert to a partially ruined state.
- If Holy Lord Phoenix is inactive, Blister Hill will turn to a Ruin.
- both Holy Military Bases will become ruins and be overtaken by Fogmen. This will also trigger Fogmen spawns inside Okran’s Gulf.
- If Valtena is also killed/imprisoned, Okran’s Fist will turn over to the Cannibals.
High Inquisitor Seta
They can be turned over to the Shek Kingdom, United Cities, or Flotsam Ninjas for a sizable Bounty of 40,000 Cats. If you kill them or them in, the following World States trigger:
- Stack and Bad Teeth will fall to the Shek if Esata the Stone Golem is still around. Kral’s Chosen will take it if they are the dominant Shek faction. If both Shek states are impossible, both towns fall into ruin.
- Hundred Guardians and Shek Warrior patrols will start spawning at Border Zone, Okran’s Gulf and Okran’s Pride regions. This assumes Esata is active.
- Kral’s Chosen patrols to start spawning in Border Zone, Skinner’s Roam, Okran’s Gulf and Okran’s Pride regions. This assumes Flying Bull is active.
- Shek Berserkers will also spawn in Okran’s Gulf if Ghost is alive.
- Holy Nation Army units are less numerous in their controlled zones.
High Inquisitor Valtena
- Okran’s Shield – Can fall under the control of many different factions. It can fall to the United Cities, Shek Kingdom, Reavers or spawn a ruin. This will depend on if the leaders of the listed factions are active. So for example, if Okran’s Shield is under the control of United Cities and Emperor Tengu and Lady Tsugi are both inactive while Valamon is alive and free, Okran’s Shield will fall under the control of Reavers.
- Drin – If Drin has been taken thanks to the player eliminating Emperor Tengu and Lord Inaba, then killing Valtena will turn to a ruin.
- Okran’s Fist – Will turn over to a partial ruin if Valtena is killed.
- Holy Nation Army Patrols will be less frequent in Okran’s Valley and Bast regions.
- Holy Nation Army Patrols will be removed from Skimsands
There are also some World States that rely on both Seta and Valtena, but not Phoenix, being taken out.
- If both Seta and Valtena are taken down – If both Emperor Tengu and Longen of the United Cities are still alive, then the United Cities will take over Bad Teeth, provided Esata is also not active. Flotsam Ninjas will also spawn in Okran’s Gulf and Okran’s Valley.
All Three NPCs Taken Down
There are a few Holy Nation World States that rely on all three of the above NPCs being gone. The various other world states listed above still trigger, but may be overridden in some cases.
- Flotsam Ninjas will take over Blister Hill and Rebirth (If Moll is dead or imprisoned, Holy Nation Outlaws take it instead)
- If Flying Bull is active, Kral’s Chosen patrols will start spawning at Okran’s Valley and Skimsands.