The exact technological level of Concord is a general magical-medieval level. While the extent of this varies from place to place, it is generally assumed that any medieval-late medieval technology could be present in any character's story. However, there are some elements that are present that are slightly out-of-time or are entirely fantastical in nature, generally as an explanation for real-world technology.
It is important to note that Concord is not a game of technological exploration. While the growing understanding of magic, alchemy and some crafting disciplines are parts of the world, Concord is not a story of the discovery of great new technologies such as electricity or a world undergoing an industrial revolution. As such, attempts to accomplish this will fail.
Glowshards
Glowshards are a waste product that occurs with the refinement of Essencite. When Essencite is treated with alchemy to remove stubborn stone and grit, the smallest shards will separate off and react with the process. This produces small glassy-stones which when polished glow without producing heat in a wide variety of colours.
The exact shapes and qualities of the stones vary, and there is a large industry still based around their refinement, with the greatest of their artisans being able to produce and bind larger glowshards. However, it is generally assumed that there is an inverse relationship between the shard size and the amount of light given off, with smaller shards tending to be brighter than larger ones.
While not the only form of artificial light in The Concord, glowshards are quite common, particularly with those wealthy enough to afford them.
Glowshards in play
Glowshards are a justification to use modern lighting in Concord. Modern LEDs are very useful for getting around and set dressing for a game. While bright dolphin torches are not appropriate (as are most directional torches in general) LED lanterns, fairy lights, and similar items are allowed, represented as Glowshards. Ideally, you will modify the lights even further to diffuse their glow and hide their more modern elements.
Printing Press
The first printing press arrived in Artebazzan nearly ninety years ago and revolutionised the written word. In a particularly daring series of heists, the plans for such devices were stolen and replicated, spreading across the Empire with great speed. Having an Artebazzani Press was a mark of extreme wealth, and whole merchant families were born on the backs of a single press.
Over the interceding near century, refinements have been made to the design, ranging from simple screw presses at the simple end, through to complex and miraculous moveable-type printing presses in places of great commerce.
It has become somewhat commonplace to see the measured and replicated text of a press across much of the world, but the paper used remains fragile, an aspect of the pressing process. As such printed documents are commonly less than twenty pages and are often in the style of a pamphlet rather than a full tome. Bound books are still most commonly hand written and remain objects of great wealth and respect.
Printing Presses in play
The printing press exists to allow players to use word processors and printers rather than doing everything by hand. Producing a pile of pamphlets, fliers, or posters is something anyone can do. Printed books, on the other hand, are not common - they exist but they tend to be slim volumes rather than thick novels, and tend to have a limited print run. This reflects the fact that it is much easier for players and plot-writers to produce a short pamphlet than an entire book.
Literacy and Numeracy
Be it charity of the Artebazzani noble houses, small homeschools in rural Resinderholz or Windholme, academies for noble scions in Bordevar or church run-classrooms anywhere in Esterra, almost all grown adults have experienced the essential drudgery of formal schooling of some kind. To the point where it is odd to meet someone who has not experienced this particular purgatory.
Literacy and Numeracy in play
All characters in Concord are assumed to know how to read, write and do arithmetic, to a far higher extent and quality than would be expected by the technological level of the setting.
Spectacles, Spyglasses and Lenses
Refining glass and crystal for medical and observational purposes is a skill not unknown to The Concord. While the exact particulars of artisanal traditions vary from Realm to Realm, seeing commonfolk wearing spectacles to correct their sight is not uncommon and there is many fine crafts folk producing lenses and frames in a wide variety of styles with hundreds of years of learning behind them. Some alchemists are testing herbal concoctions which can temporarily affect eyesight to correct near and farsightedness.
Non-medical lenses are far less common as they often require far higher power than can be easily or reliably produced. Items such as magnifying glasses or spyglasses are present but are items of considerable worth.
Spectacles, Spyglasses, and Lenses in play
Anyone can wear glasses or spectacles. Aspirationally, something that looks a little archaic is ideal but modern glasses are a suitable physrep for Concord spectacles. Likewise, anyone can own a spyglass or magnifying glass - although such items are not common in the general population, people who attend Passage are assumed to be rich or influential enough to bring what they please with them.
Contact lenses do not exist, but there are alchemical treatments that produce a similar effect. This can explain while a character may wear glasses at one point and then not at another.
Microscopes and binoculars are not present in the world of Concord and should not be pursued, in line with the previous statements of technological level.
Sunglasses worn for medical reasons are allowed but we request that players who do not need them for medical reasons do not wear them for the sake of our photographers and IC decorum.
Clocks, Clockwork and Time
The tinkering of gears and the slow tick of sand through an hourglass is a slowly advancing discipline throughout the world. Not one prone to dramatic upheavals, the clockworkers discipline has produced a world where every village worth a name would feature a townsquare and the clock that overlooks it. Places of great wealth would feature numerous examples, with wealthy homes containing their own examples. Recently, a particular pattern of pocket-clock has become common, minimising the form down to fit in hand.
Clockwork in play
Clockwork is mostly employed for making clocks and one-of-a-kind, luxurious toys. Ideally, clocks should be bulky and try to capture the aesthetic of the appropriate realm - for example an Iron Valley clock should be a solid object carved with verdant wilderness scenes, while a Bordevarian clock may include heraldry or a coat of arms, and Andashi clock may make use of visible sand and glass. Pocket clocks (pocket watches) likewise should ideally look more archaic than the traditional Victorian or Edwardian model. Wristwatches as not appropriate for in-character use at Concord.
Cosmetics
Cosmetic traditions across the world are thousands of years old, ranging from warpaint through to tattooing and up to the modern understandings of alchemical dyes and pastes. In wealthy areas of the world, some cultures see a fine face of cosmetic makeup as a sign of wealth and prestige, whereas perhaps others might see it as gaudy. It is not uncommon to see brighter colours of hair or facial flare during times of celebration across The Concord, or as styles change.
Cosmetics in play
While Concord uses a standard fantasy level of what is the normal use of cosmetics, hair dye and other similar effects are common enough in the world that players should not feel a need to obscure bright hair colours and the like. Similarly, players are welcome to use cosmetics to style their characters and reference the fact that they are wearing makeup in character rather than just pretending that it's what they look like. The styling of your makeup should fit within the world and within the culture your character is a part of.
We do request that you don't use makeup to pretend to have scars or brands (that your character is faking), since by nature of LARP as a medium we have to represent scars and brands that characters actually have with out-of-character makeup and this can quickly become confusing.