So you’ve conquered a few fiefdoms and are ready to start building a family. Well, first you need to get married! Don’t worry — we’ve gathered all the info you need on how to get married in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord.

How to Get Married in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord

Wooing a Partner

Before you get married, you need to find a worthy candidate! You can’t marry anyone you want in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, so you must find a noble. Specifically, a noble who isn’t already married and is of the opposite sex. These are the game’s rules and settings by default. However, you can always use mods to switch things up. The right mods can allow you to marry leaders of clans, companions, or members of the same sex. If you’re having trouble finding a marriage-worthy noble, you can always open the encyclopedia. This shows you whether or not a noble is married and their most recent location. When you’ve found the noble you wish to court, you’ll have to converse with them. If you’re playing as a male character, you can say, “My lady, I wish to profess to you my most ardent admiration,” while female characters can say, “My lord, I notice you have not yet taken a wife.” With this, your courtship has begun! When you end that initial conversation, you’ll also want to ensure you pick the flirtiest option: “So… I’m glad to have the chance to spend some time together.” You'll start a Charm skill check when you use this to close your conversation. As with all skill checks, your character’s attributes affect the following speaking bits. Different potential partners will have different responses to your attributes. Each response weighs your stats. Choose your words wisely! If you don’t have the attributes you need to win your preferred partner’s heart, you can look at these optional responses and return when you’ve tweaked your stats. You must let several in-game days pass once you’ve passed this first skill check. Absence makes the heart grow fonder! Revisit your beloved one time has passed, and speak with them to start a second Charm skill check. If you’re successful this time, then huzzah! They’ve agreed to marry you!

Asking for (or Buying) Permission

Unfortunately, war is the reality of Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord marriage. As a result, running away with your beloved isn't an option. What happens next is meeting the parents. Or, at least the people who rule over your future partner’s clan. Luckily, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord is set in ancient times, so your partner’s parents don’t mind if you have an uninteresting personality. Bring enough money to the table, and your marriage will be secure. Of course, you don’t need to pay a flat rate for your marriage. You can barter with the clan leaders to get your spouse for a steal. Make sure you have loads of money, because marriage dowries aren’t cheap. Additionally, your spouse’s clan is now yours! They’ll move into a fief you currently control, and you’ll have heaps of additional units at your disposal. However, remember that these new clan members will hurt your profit margins. A whole bunch of new salaries to pay and mouths to feed come with costs.

Siring Heirs

So long as you spend time with your spouse, a pregnancy will eventually take place. It’s easier to pass this time if your spouse is a warrior by keeping them in your party. Otherwise, just spend time with them in whatever settlement they stay in. With enough time gone, you or your spouse will be pregnant, and a newborn will arrive within a few in-game seasons. Naturally, your child won’t be able to do much when they’re a child. However, teenagers can head into battle! Yet another way you can continue to add soldiers to your army. Now, there are two main reasons you would want to get married and have children in Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. First, neither spouses nor kids take up the party slots that Companions do. As a result, your spouse or offspring can function as an additional soldier and strengthen your party. Second, you can play as your offspring or spouse if your main character dies. Name them as your heir, and your story passes to your next of kin. This is primarily a role-playing element, but it’s a great way to keep a Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord playthrough going.