Investments are the businesses, resources and background that give a lot of the characters at Concord their power. This helps reflect the power of the important characters at each Summit. Investments come in a variety of forms but there are a few core rules.

A character only has one investment at a time.

Characters gain a Tier 1 Investment at character creation. It must be in a region held by their Realm, unless it is a Naval Investment.

Characters can exchange their current investment for a different investment of Tier 1 for a fee of 2 Locks, paid to the Exchange.
- This cost is not required for players wanting to re-write their character after their first summit, which is free, but can only be done once.
- Characters who are moving Realms may gain a new Tier 1 Investment in their new Realm for no fee. This reflects the encouragement for free movement passed by the Senate in 222. Simply communicate this to the Player Support Team when you begin moving Realm.
- This also applies even if you have a higher Tier investment in a different realm, your new investment in a new realm will always be Tier 1.

Through additions (such as events from Winds of the World, enchantments, artisan crafts, or simmilar), an investments functional tier (be it for specific actions or in general), cannot be increased by more than twice its level, or to tier 3, whichever is higher.
- Some additions that grant additional specific bonuses (such as bonus strength for a military or naval investment) are not restricted by this limitation as they don't explicitly grant tiers. This would include Winds of the World effects that grant 'slightly more' or 'slightly less' and other such inspecific effects.

If a territory where a character's Investment is lost, that investment is also lost.

Players may not trade investments.

There are some circumstances where a character may gain a new investment. This replaces the old.

If a player controls an investment in Region not held by their Realm, it functions at half its regular quantity.

If an Investment is ever 'Damaged' (likely by events in the Winds of the World or during play) it will no longer function. Damaged investments can be repaired by giving the 'Damaged Investment' tag and Locks equal to double to tier to the Exchange Master.

Damaged investments cannot be upgraded, and must be repaired first.

If an Investment has multiple standard actions, the first option listed is the default. This action will be undertaken automatically for new characters with that investment type, or characters who do not submit downtime instructions.

If an investment is ever 'Destroyed' (likely by events in the Winds of the World or during play) it will no longer function. A new investment must be purchased from the exchange as standard. A destroyed investment cannot be repaired. Until a new investment is purchased, the character will have no investment.

If a character has no investment, they may not submit a downtime action.

Investments come in nine different forms: Military, Naval, Leyline, Congregation, Business, Farm, Wilderness, Herb Garden and Mine.

Military

A Military Investment represents the captaincy or control of a unit of soldiers. This may be a small cohort of skilled veterans, a vast mob of up to a hundred recruits or something in between.

Military Strength: A Military investment starts with a military strength comparable to 100 Soldiers, for comparison a Concordian Army has a standard strength of 5,000. The military strength of an investment determines how much assistance it grants to campaign actions that it supports.
Upgrading: A Military Investment can be upgraded by using Mithril. Each time a Military Investment is upgraded it increases its Military Strength by 50. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade. Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 wains of Mithril.

Downtime Actions

During a downtime, a Military Investment can perform one of five actions:

Paid Work: Paid Work could be defending businesses, raiding the frontline or delving into the wilderness of the Concord. It is the only downtime action that provides an income by default and this income is of a random set of resources/currency with a quantity determined by your military strength.
Support Army: Instead of acting independently, you may offer your support to a General of a Concordian Army, adding your military strength to the overall strength of that Army as it completes its campaign actions during downtime. This does not automatically provide any income and does put you in line for an amount of risk, but may be the only way for the Concord to complete its goals, providing you with the clout that includes.
Defend Fortification: Much like supporting a fleet, you may instead opt to garrison your forces in a Fortification held by The Concord, adding your strength to that of the Garrison (which average at about 3,000). This does not automatically provide any income and does put you in line for an amount of risk, but may be the only way for the Concord to complete its goals, providing you with the clout that includes.
Scout The Frontline: Your forces can push beyond the Concord in an attempt to gain information about hostile forces using subterfuge, night raids and other underhanded tactics. This action targets an enemy territory that is adjacent to The Concord and generally requires at least 3 Tiers of Military Investment (either one upgraded or multiple working in coordination) to be successful. Success will result in information presented to the investments that went in their character packs next summit.
Redeploy: Your military forces seek out a new permanent barracks. Pay Locks equal to your investments tier and select a new region to base you Military Investment in (understanding that if it is outside your Realm it will incur the standard penalty). During the coming season your troops will redeploy to be based at this location. They will count as having taking the 'Paid Work' action at half strength during this season.

Naval

Naval investments represent the ownership of a single good ship or a few smaller boats. These ships could be fishing boats, trading cogs or even an armed and armoured war sloop suited for piracy and privateering.

Military Strength: A Naval investment starts with a military strength comparable to 100 Crew (be that 100 green sailors or 20 veteran seadogs), for comparison a Concordian Fleet has a standard strength of 5,000. The military strength of an investment determines how much assistance it grants to campaign actions that it supports.
Upgrading: A Naval Investment can be upgraded by using Thunder Oak. Each time a Naval Investment is upgraded it increases its Military Strength by 50. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade. Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 wains of Thunder Oak.

Downtime Actions

During downtime a Naval Investment can perform one of four actions:

Profitable Work: Profitable Work could be raiding hostile shipping, trading through the ports of the Concord or even seeking out sunken treasure. It is the only downtime action that provides an income by default and this income is of a random set of resources/currency with a quantity determined by your military strength.
Trade with Foreign Ports: If there are any foreign ports open to ships flying Concordian colours, you could travel the seas towards them in hopes of trading. The exact resources will vary from port to port and season to season. Be warned it may not result in anything! Or could give you a great windfall.
Support Fleet: Instead of acting independently, you may offer your support to an Admiral of a Concordian Fleet, adding your military strength to the overall strength of that fleet as it completes its campaign actions during downtime. This does not automatically provide any income and does put you in line for an amount of risk, but may be the only way for the Concord to complete its goals, providing you with the clout that includes.
Find new anchorage: You seek out a new home port for your Naval Investment, locating good shipwrights to repair it, warehouses to store goods and a decent supply of replacement crew. Pay a Locks equal to your investments tier and select a coastal region that The Concord holds to be the new anchorage for your investment (if the region contains a port it can be held by any Realm and will not incur penalties, if not it must be held by your Realm or it will incur the standard out-of-realm reductions). During this season your Naval Investment will count as having taken 'Profitable Work' action at half strength during the season.

Leyline

Leylines are magically suffused locations spread throughout The Concord. These locations can be tended to like groves of trees in order to produce Crystal Mana, an incredibly important resource for mages and priests to work their spellcraft. As such Leylines tend to be operated by mages and priests, but this has not stopped enterprising traders getting involved as well.

A Leyline produces 8 crystal mana.

A Leyline can be upgraded by using Mithril. Each time a Leyline is upgraded it produces 4 additional mana crystals. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade. Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 Mithril.

Congregation

A Congregation represents a religious organisation or settlement that your character leads or champions. This could be a secluded monastery, a circle of druids or perhaps it is simply the belief of a village. Congregations are flexible in their production, but still deeply related to religion, charity and Sphere magic.

A Congregation provides its owner 5 votes in the Church of Divine Spheres.

A Congregation can be upgraded by using Arcstone. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 Arcstone.

Downtime Actions

During downtime a Congregation Investment can perform one of three actions:

Tithing: The Congregation grants its owner locks equal to its Tier. In addition, a matching amount of locks are provided to the Church Treasury.
Conviction: Your Congregation departs on a Conviction (special downtime action) defined by the Council of Six, if one is available. Doing so may also expose them to danger and/or glory. Doing so provides you additional sway in the church, granting bonus votes equal to Tier X 2. Even if a conviction is not available, you will still gain bonus votes.
Mysticism: The Congregation grants its owner crystal mana equal to its Tier X 4. In addition, the Church Treasury is granted 1 Essencite and 1 Hartswood.

Business

A Business represents an extremely wide breadth of enterprises such as smithys, trading posts, taverns, stage troupes and more. It could even simply be you, traveling the lands of the Concord between events, selling high and buying low.

Each game a Business produces 3 Locks.

A Business can be upgraded by using Arcstone. Each time a Business is upgraded it produces an additional 15 Keys. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 wains of Arcstone.

Businesses can also be diversified so that they retain some of the same resources as a Mine. Select a mineral produced by a Mine investment, this business produces 4 of that mineral but 15 less Keys. A business must always produce at least 3 Locks.

Farm

Farms represent worked agriculture ranging from fields of crops, to orchards and underground mushroom farms. They are places that feed the people and earn their owners a steady income of coin.

Each game a farm produces 3 Locks.

A farm can be upgraded by using Thunder Oak. Each time a farm is upgraded it produces an additional 15 keys. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 wains of Thunder Oak.

Farms can also be diversified so that they produce some of the same resources as a section of Wilderness. Select a resource produced by a Wilderness investment, this farm produces 4 of that resource but 15 less keys. A farm must always produce at least 3 Locks.

Wilderness

Wilderness represents large areas of unrefined land that your character controls, harvests or owns. These places may be dense forest, wild coastline or even a mountain valley. Useful for harvesting rare resources from the natural world or dangerous creatures.

Upon choosing a wilderness, select one of the following resources:

Hartwood - Beastbone - Black Sap - Shimmering Scales

Your Wilderness produces 10 Measures of the chosen Resource between each game.

Wildernesses can be funded to increase their income at the cost of 3 Locks. This increases a wildernesses income by 5 measures and can only be performed once per game. Doing so increases their production for the following Season.

Wilderness’ may be upgraded using Arcstone. Each time it is upgraded, a Wilderness’ income will increase by 5 Measures. The cost of the upgrade is equal to the Investments new tier, so upgrading from Tier 1 to Tier 2 will cost 2 Wains.

Herb Garden

Herb Gardens are attempts to cultivate and harvest the powerful herbs used by surgeons and apothecaries within The Concord. Ranging from small farmstead gardens to complex arcane horticulture, these investments produce the important medical supplies for the Concord.

Herb Gardens produce 5 Thrones Boon, 2 Beggars Root, 2 Rakoric, 2 Green Sunleaf , & 2 Stonestem .

Herb Gardens can be funded to increase their income at the cost of 3 Locks. This increases a Herb Garden’s income by 1 for all herbs and can only be done once per Summit. Doing so increases their production for the following Summit.

A Herb Garden can be upgraded using Thunder Oak. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade. Investments start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 wains of Thunder Oak. Each time it is upgraded, it increases the production of each herb by one.

Note: Herb Gardens in Resinderholz do not produce Stonestem, but instead produce an additional measure of Green Sunleaf and Rackoric.

Mine

Mines are purposeful operations to extract minerals and useful stone from the earth. Profitable and extremely useful to artisans and the realm at large. They vary in size and intensity from massive strip mines to primitive panning operations.

Upon choosing a mine, select one of the following resources:

Forgesteel - Sun’s Iron - Bloodglass - Essencite

Your mine produces 10 ingots of the chosen mineral between each game.

Mines can be funded to increase their income at the cost of 3 Locks. This increases a mines income by 5 Ingots and can only be performed once per game. Doing so increases their production for the following Summit.

Mines may be upgraded using Mithril. Each time it is upgraded, a mine's income will increase by 5 ingots. The cost is equal to the level of the upgrade. Mines start at level 1, so upgrading to level 2 will require 2 wains of Mithril.

A note on inheritance and wills

There have been numerous circumstances where individuals have acquired or grown powerful investments over the course of their characters career and either wanted to safeguard them through a will or other characters have wanted to take them up after a character has died. As it stands, Concord is opposed to the transfer of Investments.

Investments that could be passed through wills would result in high-tier investments continuing on throughout the life of the game, generally collecting at the top of the economic ladder. Even if some players are charitable and give their investment to a poorer character, the vast amount would flow upwards and stay upwards. We want to disrupt this where possible, as such when a character dies, their investment goes with them. From an IC perspective, this reflects the investment being broken up among friends and family or perhaps falling on mismanagement following the death of the proprietor.

It is worth noting that characters do no have a monopoly on the theme or concept of their investment following their death. So the concept of their investment could be reused. For example, a character who owns a notable tavern may not be able to pass on their Tier 4 Business on their death, but another character could pick up a Tier 1 Business and theme it after that same tavern.