Gear - Armor

Armor
Armor is a a type of basic gear, meaning that every character has one armor gear slot. Each character only gets one armor slot, and can fill it with any armor that matches their Arms Rating or below.  Each sub-type of armor in order provides more protection but requires a higher Arms ability to wear. Robes are the least protective but can be worn by everyone, and Scale is the highest protection but too heavy and cumbersome for almost anyone but Commander characters. Armor only protects characters from physical damage, magical protection will need to be acquired through spells and various bonuses throughout the game.

Robes - Robes are the easiest armor to wear, providing the lowest level of protection. Most Robes have an arms rating of E or E+, with the top two ranks of robe rated at D. Mages and Clergy will find themselves more comfortable in a traditional robe than trying to cast and tend the poor in bulky armor. To craft Robes, an armor-crafting building will need Linen, reinforced by patches of Leather. More affectation than armor, each Robe increases it's wearer's Mettle and Reason attributes.

Leather Armor - Leather is the first really protective type of armor available. It's ratings range from E to C, meaning a combat-minded caster could find themselves a piece of Leather armor that wouldn't slow them down too much. It should be noted that the highest rank of E-rated Robes are more protective than the low-rank E-rated Leather armor pieces. Crafting Leather armor requires Leather and Tinctures to treat the leather. Each piece of Leather armor increases your character's Toughness but lowers their Acumen attributes.

Fur Armor - Fur Armor is slightly more protective per-rank than plain Leather Armor, the fur adding an extra level of protection against both fur and physical damage. Crafting Fur armor, unsurprisingly, requires Furs and Leather together in an armor crafting building. These pieces of armor are rated from D through B, leaving the lowest ranked Wool Shirt and Coat available to any chilly Clergy characters. Walking around in the slightly barbarian-looking Fur armor will raise your effective Toughness attribute, but lower your character's Charm.

Ringmail Armor - Ringmail armor also ranges from Arms ratings D through B and provides the exact same amount of protection per-rank of item. Each piece of Ringmail armor requires Iron Ingots and Leather to craft and looks pretty darn snazzy. This recent form of turning away arrows and daggers is relatively appealing way to stay alive. Where Ringmail really beats Fur Armor is the Attribute bonus. Each rank of Ringmail increases your natural Toughness more than it's same-rank item of Fur Armor. Unlike Fur armor, Ringmail reduces your Acumen instead of your Charm.

Studded Leather Armor - Studded leather armor is more refined than the ringmail, creating metal resistance in your armor that is less likely to break off in bits and leave scattered metal rings over your battle fields. Each rank of studded leather armor increases a character's Toughness but all that metal is heavy, taxing your Celerity. Crafting Studded Leather armor naturally requires Iron Ingots and Leather. In order to wear any of this quite protective armor, your character mus have an Arms Rating of C or higher. The highest ranked pieces of Studded armor are rated for nothing lower than A.

Scale Armor - Scale Armor requires not iron but Steel Ingots bound by Leather in order to craft the most protective type of Armor. Scale has an Arms Rating requirement of  B to A, meaning only the most combat-capable can support wearing these pieces of equipment. To put things in perspective, a ranked 4 piece of Scale armor is more protective than a ranked 7 Robe or a ranked 4 piece of Ringmail.or Fur armor. Each piece of Scale armor increases your character's toughness but lowers their Celerity with it's weight.

Sovereign's Life: Borough (Rank 6)

Rank 6
Your city has become both large and respectable. The power you've collected is more than any one person could maintain or effect on their own. Your community is probably a large part of your power structure and might even influence your decision making process. In order to progress into Rank 6, you must build a Firehouse to found your Service Sector. Cities that grow too large without a fire-fighting system have burned down and had to rebuild many times in the past. Your Service Sector will prevent you from that wasted effort of rebuilding and allow you to continue to grow from city to empire.

Service Sector

In order to build any of the buildings in the Service Sector, you'll need to research Science. The Firehouse requires Engineering. This building reduces upkeep for all Main buildings in the settlement, provides a universal Health bonus, crafts Carts and processes Boards. It also requires Oil and Bricks to construct. Hospitals require Biology research, Glass and Tinctures. They provide a settlement-wide Health bonus and process Tinctures. Aqueducts can be built anywhere and also provide a settlement-wide Health bonus as well as increasing all effective housing space for NPCs.

Siege Works

Constructing both your Siege HQ and your Siege Workshop require knowledge of Science and Engineering. The Siege HQ requires Beer and Magnets to build. It provides a few free Engineers in the garrisons with every building level, trains Siege units, increases local Education and processes Lumber into Boards. The Exclusive Siege Workshop takes Boards and Ingots, increases Settlement Education, recruits free Catapults and decreases training costs inside the Siege Works. Sawmills are most efficient here but can be built anywhere and have no pre-requisite research.

Merchant's Quarter

The Merchant's Quarter is about turning a lot of money into even more money. These buildings are somewhat expensive and their effects profitable in that subtle indirect way. The main building is the Counting House, Requiring Silver Drachma and Wine and Mathematics research to build and improve. It increases your revenue for transportation and settlement taxes. It also processes ores into coinage like a Mint. The Exclusive Exotic Imports requires Linguistics knowledge along with Pearls and Gold Florins. Each Exotic Imports improves Shipping revenue and settlement Prosperity.

Entertainment District

To build your Entertainment District and further levels of the central Opera House, you'll need to research Aesthetics. The Opera House also requires Pearls and Linens to build and upgrade. Each level of it sells more concessions to Players and Peers and decreases training cost for Peer troops throughout the settlement. The Exclusive Race Tracks improves Cavalry training speed and causes a few Lancers to join up free of charge.

Park

The Park district is a fairly fancy way to dedicate more of your land to naturalism. In order to build and improve it you'll first need to study Science, then Botany. Every level of the Naturalist Center offers a valuable bonus to all Harvesting buildings, decreases Leather requirements for all settlement constructions and processes Fledglings into Pet Birds. The Exclusive Ranger Stations increases experience rewards for the entire settlement and storage within the Park district.

Department of Defense

Department of Defense
Ministers in the Department of Defense don't always have absolute control over the Garrisons and standing Armies. These powers are controlled by the Civic Systems and individual laws between settlements. On the other hand, simply being permitted to manage the defense districts gives them control over most the buildings that provide Security, Security Rating and the Training of Troops for both civic and private use.

R1 Palisade Line

This is your first opportunity to add a seat to the Department of Defense. The Palisade Line is nothing more complicated than a large ring of sharpened Lumber. While simplistic, this kind of defense is useful against other early-ranked settlements with limited ability to attack each other. The Palisade handles training for all Peasant Units, leaving the Heyward as the first minister to control the production of troops. Be careful, it is definitely possible to train more troops than your settlement can support in upkeep. The buildings of the Palisade also serve to increase local Security and slow the Attributes of various attacking unit types. The district action Basic Patrol allows players to intercept attacks on any default district for a while. Building a Palisade will provide a small Overwatch rating for external districts.

R2 Main Gate

The Main Gate is your second optional Defense district. The district is centered around the Barbican, a huge gate / gatehouse that spans all of the wall and tower types, controlling the main access to your settlement. You can't build the Barbican without Masonry, so start researching  Mathematics early. Every level of the Barbican can process more Bricks and  reduces attribute power of Infantry and Cavalry units, increases settlement Security and decreases settlement Prosperity. Security and Prsoperity are directly opposed to each other so most Security buildings will lower Prosperity and visa versa. The exclusive Guardpost handles settlement Security, creates Prison Cells and can train all Infantry units. This means the Bailiff can can also recruit units, and in greater mass than the Heyward as more than one Guardpost can be built in the Main Gate if nowhere else. Weaponsmiths are most efficient here, so the Heyward may also find themselves responsible for producing much of the settlement's Melee Weapons. This district allows players to increase it's own Defense Rating (up to max) for a whole upkeep cycle. The Main Gate will also provide some Overwatch rating for internal and defensive districts.

R4 Military Port

Studying Mathematics, then Carpentry and Masonry will prepare you to construct the buildings of the Military Port. The main Harbor can assemble Boats and store 3 of them per building level. The building also functions as a sawmill, producing Boards from Lumber. This is handy, all the Harbor requires for construction and upgrades is Boards. The Floating Docks can be built with Lumber and provide storage for both Boats and Ships. They are a powerful local Prosperity source and increase the training speed for Boats in the Military Port. Finally, the linked Light House increases Ship luck while auto-trading and raiding and is also a powerful lcoal Prosperity source. The Admiral will be able to build Boats for their settlement but can only store Ships without being able to craft/recruit them. They may find themselves renting out much of Boat and Ship storage space. Players who visit a Military Port will be able to investigate the Economic status of nearby settlements. During Blockades, the Military Port can contribute some Overwatch to the blockade combat events.

R4 Field of Mars

The Field of Mars is primarily a training district. It's main building the Piazza Navona provides a rare Prosperity bonus to the settlement and increases housing capacity for all NPCs in all districts. It also processes Sandstone into Bricks. The exclusive Praetorian Assembly makes Commander taxes more efficient and supports two free Legionaire units to defend the Field of Mars. The most powerful building connected to the Field of Mars is actually it's linked building the Training Grounds, which are capable of training all available Unit types. Building the Piazza Navona requires a knowledge of Masonry and the Praetorian Assembly needs you to have spent a little time researching Tactics.

R5 Inner Walls

The Inner Walls are the second settlement-wrapping defense district available to your settlement. The Inner Walls are part of the several lines of defense against invasion of your internal districts. Building your Keep and the Walls that spread from it require a knowledge of Masonry, but the Moat and Guardhouse have no research prerequisites. Every level of Keep is home to 10 more free Guards to defend the district, provides Prison Cells and increases settlement Security. The exclusive Moat penalizes the Might and Celerity of attacking Peer units and increases settlement security. The linked Guardhouse provides a powerful local security bonus. This combination makes the Castellan the first member of the Department of Defense with no inherent recruitment/training abilities. Players who visit an Inner Walls can improve the district Defense Rating and Security for a day by Walking the Wall. The Inner Walls provide a high Overwatch rating for internal and defensive districts.

R7 Ranged Towers

The Ranged Towers require Masonry to begin but by the time your settlement is Rank 7, you've probably researched up to level 1 Masonry. This will allow you to build a Defensive Tower. Another powerful recruitment building, the Defensive Tower handles can train any available unit. It also is home to a few 'free' Archer units per building level that defend any attacks on the Ranged Tower district. The exclusive Ballista Tower requires Engineering research and is home to a couple free Ballista units which will pitch in should anyone attack the Ranged Towers. As a part of the ringing settlement defense, these towers will be hit before internal districts, giving these units plenty of opportunity to fight back against invaders. The Fletcher building is most efficient in Ranged Tower lots, so the Magister Inflectum may end up handling Ranged Weapon production as well as the troops they can train in the Defensive Tower. The sparse raised vantages of the Ranged Towers provide a modest Overwatch rating for the entire settlement.

R8 Militia Compound

A brief study of Tactics is all the preliminary Research you need for the Militia Compound. this centralized training district is great for training Peasant and Infantry units. The Militia HQ trains all types of available Infantry units and can reduce the Canvas cost for building upkeep throughout the settlement. The Mustering Hall reduces the cost to train Peasant Units settlement-wide and increases Peasant training speed within the Militia Compound. This makes the Magister Militum a powerful training Minister and capable of influencing the functioning costs of their fellow ministers as well. The linked building is the Armorer, so the Magister Militum may also find themselves in charge of producing the Melee Weapons for their settlement.  The Militia Compound produces an Overwatch rating for combat in the internal districts.

R9 Outer Walls

The Curtain Wall lies outside the Inner Walls but behind the Palisade. Like most walls, this sturdy structure requires a knowledge of Masonry to build, maintain and potentially improve. Each level of Curtain Wall increases Security and decreases Prosperity for the entire settlement. It also processes Bricks. The exclusive Postern Gate detracts from Outer Wall security but increases all defending Infantry unit's Celerity scores per level of each gate. The linked Machiolations improve their home-districts' max Defense rating by a lot per building level. They can be built in any district but are most efficient in the Outer Walls. These fairly static buildings leave the Captain of the Guard with less influence than most members of the Department of Defense. It also leaves them with more lots to experiment with, rather than being stuck to expected behaviors. The Outer Walls provide Overwatch to external and defensive districts only.

R10 Shipyard

This is the Deparment of Defense's first access to Ship construction. The Naval HQ assembles and recruits crew for new Ships but cannot itself store the ships it makes. It also increases Ship Luck and settlement Respect. Everyone is impressed by a huge ship. Of course, building ships that don't sink and come back takes a lot of knowledge. Settlements must research Science, then Physics then Navigation to start their Naval HQ. The Exclusive Dry Docks also increase Ship Luck and are each an additional Ship construction slot per level. These require research into Science, then Engineering. Finally, the linked Boathouse has no research prerequisites and can store one Boat and Ship per level. These are incredibly useful linked buildings. Together, this building pack ensures the Secretary of the Navy a powerful seat on the Department of Defense. They will be the primary source of Ships in the Department and in fact the entire settlement.

R10 Esquiline Hill

This is by far the least military member of the Department of Defense. The Esquiline Hill may have originally been dedicated to training cavalry troops, but it is now mainly a party district. The Domus Aurea is a notoriously luxurious palace that provides a bonus to all Happiness buildings in the settlement. Wineries can technically be built anywhere in the settlement, but work best in the Esquiline Hill. The Exclusive Wine Cellars enhance the production of all Wineries in the Esquiline HIll and increase the rate Peers move in in all districts. Even the district action is Attend Grand Ball, raising local Respect with each player attendee. This leaves the Magister Equitum at a loss in Defense matters but probably the best socially connected of their comrades. Building the Domus Aurea requires Masonry research but we assume you have that by now.

R11 Defensive Tunnels

The Defensive Tunnels are built completely underground. They are not visible on the settlement map and can only be reached by residents who know about them. Eventually they will be connected to the other underground districts like the Sewers, Catacombs, and half the Steamworks districts. Building both the main Armory and the exclusive Bunkers require Engineering research. The Armory is a great hidden place to keep all your weapons and weapon-crafting materials. It has tons of natural Storage and technically increases the Prosperity of the Defense Tunnels by being available to distribute. The Armory also reduces all Equipment Upkeep costs in the settlement. The Bunker also has a lot of storage and increases local Security. Each level of Bunker is protected by several Troops that will help defend the tunnels. Trenches are most efficient in the Defensive Tunnels but can technically be built anywhere. The Chief Inspector is more likely to manage items than troops with this building arrangement.

R12 Artillery Towers

Artillery Towers is the highest ranking district that provides Overwatch, but they do so for the entire settlement. They also require a ridiculous amount of Research to unlock. Every single building in the Artillery tower is behind three layers of sciences. The Ordnance Storage building at the center of the Artillery Towers relies on the Explosives Science which stems from Chemistry which stems from Science. It decreases Training costs and Health in the district and processes like a Foundry. The exclusive Cannon Towers are defended by free Gunners per level, increase settlement Security and decrease local Health. They also rely on Ballistics research which stems from Trig which stems from Mathematics. Finally, the Gun Tower can be built in any district, but only if the settlement has studied Optics which stems from Physics which stems from Science. Each Gun tower increases settlement Security but decreases it's district's Health. The Master Artillerist may not have innate recruiting ability but theirs is certainly a position of educated strength.

R13 Star Fortifications

Star Fortifications are some of the most impressive defensive constructions every produced. This rather beautiful fortifying method has worked for many city states and castles in the past. The district is managed from it's main building the Command Center. This is the final universal training building. It also provides several Prison Cells and increases local Security with every upgrade. Building and upgrading your Command Center requires the research of Tactics, which by Rank 13 is probably already taken care of. You probably also have the Engineering and Masonry researches required for the exclusive Bastion and the linked Detached Forts. Bastions are each defended by several free Spearmen per building level and increase settlement security. Detached Forts can be built anywhere and increase the Toughness of defending units. The minister of the Star Fortifications is the Chief of Staff and will be the highest ranking Minister in the Department of Defense.

Unit Spotlight - Huscarl

Huscarl
These are the traditional household troops of the northern kings and lords. Not servants but willing subjects and friends of those they protect, the Huscarl is an honored position in your personal army. These simple troops require little in the way of tending and serve just as well in local garrisons as in someone's household guard. Huscarls are granted with the special ability of Mass Warcry, raising the Celerity of friendly units in the same battle.

Base Social Class

Huscarls are recruited from the Yeomen of your settlement. They continue to live in housing and require things that local Yeomen residents require. However, while they are serving as Huscarls, these Yeomen cannot take jobs. As Yeomen, when hired and paid they prefer to take home packets of Silver coins over the near-worthless Litra or the far-too-heavy gold Florins that Peers prefer.

Base Character Class

Huscarls, like many of the non-magical or monstrous units is based on the Soldier hero model. This means their combat attributes will level faster than the others and they will not spend time focusing on things that are useless to a military troop such as commerce and social standing. These sturdy units come from respectable backgrounds and expect to spend most of their lives in good plain physical defense of a person or cluster of buildings.

Training Resources

As the tradition of Huscarls goes back well before the tradition of equipping your troops well, they only require Fur and Beer to trian. The Fur is for their armor (and general cold resistance) and the Beer is what you use to settle them down and get them into a steady training habit. Each upkeep cycle they will require more Furs and yet more Beer.

Equipping Gear
Huscarls, like many northern originated troops, prefer the use of the Axe. Thus their favored (in fact only) equippable weapon are axe types of melee weapon. Allowed to go into battle with more than furs and an Axe, these cold-faring troops prefer to wear tattoos and are not above purchasing and making use of a vs Magic Blessing spell.

District Profile: Entertainment District

Entertainment District

The people love to gather and cheer. Give them a place to do so with the Entertainment District. In the eyes of a Sovereign, this district is mainly a source of Income and an extra supply of lots if you don't want to fill them Racetracks and Spellcrafters. Housing units in the Entertainment garrison (silly as that sounds) will allow them to soak up the passive troop bonuses offered by the buildings.

Action - Work as Actor
Players visiting the Entertainment District can literally become players in the old sense of the word. At no material cost, your character can join the actors on stage and try their hand at performing for the public. Everyone has lines to say but on everyone can say them well. You will earn an amount of Silver Thalers according to your apparent talent (Charm and Creativity).

Main - Opera House

The Opera House is there for actors to put on plays and people to come see them. These plays aren't yet announced or individually represented but when you visit the Opera House, know that they're probably working on something. Every day this building tries it's best to sell Oysters to Peers and Exemplars, but they only sell Wine to Peers. The Entertainment District will always have a high natural Education, as this building generates a large amount of it locally. Finally, the Opera House somehow decreases training costs for Peer units housed in the Entertainment garrison. This building requires Linen and Pearls to build upkeep and upgrade.

Exclusive - Race Track

The Race Track, while a popular entertainment with the people, mainly provides set of military bonuses. Each level of each track will recruit one completely free Lancer unit to defend the Entertainment District. These probably come from local obsessives who race up and down the track until they've actually got some applicable combat skills. These buildings also increase local training speed and provide a comfortable Prosperity bonus for the district. In order to keep the races constant, this building needs Horses and Hounds to construct, tend and improve.

Linked - Spellcrafter

While the Spellcrafter can be built anywhere (but the wilderness and lots you don't own) but they work most efficiently in the Entertainment District. The Black Pearls and Familiars required for this building are not simple to get your hands on but this is also one of your few opportunities to craft Spells before the late ranks of district. This building also, incidentally, provides a significant local Education bonus and could benefit any district suffering from low Education.

Minister - Master of Revels
As the Minister of the Entertainment District, the Master of Revels is responsible for ensuring the show goes on. Plays continue to be performed in the Opera House and races continue to be run around the Race Tracks.  They they have rather free discretion when it comes to building on the rest of their lots.

Characters in your Account

Game Account
The first step to most online games is to log in. This gives you access to all your collected game efforts that make you separate and unique from other players. Often this will include data for a single Character but Brunelleschi will help players to play as many characters as they can support. The first 3 are completely free and each additional character slot consumes a small in-game subscription. Accounts are based on an email address and/or social media account.

Lord Characters
Every account comes with a free Lord character slot. Lord characters are allowed to found settlements and have a much easier time ruling and managing settlements and districts. They have three additional Attributes compared to Hero characters and gain access to the unique Secondary Lord class abilities and gear slots. We hope by giving every player a Lord character to encourage them to seek power and influence in their favorite cities.

Hero Characters
Every account comes with two free Hero characters. These characters were not born to rule but to rack up experience in their favored classes. Heroes have a much wider class variation and have access to a lot of abilities Lords will never see. There is so much of the game to be explored with Hero characters that we thought everyone should be able to have two right off the bat. This will let players double up on their favorite classes or play two different ends of the class spectrum.

Additional Characters
If three just isn't enough for you, any player can spend a little Platinum to maintain additional character slots. The additional Lord and Hero slots are priced to encourage a multitude of Heroes and a few powerful Lords. These extra accounts must be paid for weekly in Platinum Hyperpyrons, usually taken from the first Lord or Hero character inventories.


Character Transfers
Transferring characters has recently become possible. The PH cost of transferring characters is based on their current level. Heroes will be about half as expensive as Lords to transfer. After you transfer a particular character, they can't be transferred again for 30 days. Pledges of the transferred character do not suffer Oathbreaker bonds during the transition period.

Gear - Blessing

Blessing Spells
Every character can equip a single blessing spell and will probably never gain a second blessing gear slot. This is one of three spell types, meaning characters can equip three spells, but only one of each gear-type. Each Blessing costs MP each round of battle in order to provide their combat bonus. Each sub-type of Blessing Spell provides a different kind of protection, the amount of protection depending on the rank of the item. Even magic-deficient Commanders will be able to equip the lowest magic rated Blessing spells, but will not be able to cast (or support the AP cost) of the higher rated, more protective spells.

'vs Melee' Spells

These are the lowest Magic Rated spells, ranging from E to D. All characters will be able to equip most 'vs Melee' Blessings. These handy little spells allow a character to put up a little more resistance to all Melee damage for as long as their MP lasts. Nothing really bad happens if you run out of MP, but your equipped spells will stop working during combat. Each 'vs Melee' blessing also increases the caster's Toughness and Celerity in and out of combat for as long as it's equipped. Crafting 'vs Melee' blessings in a spell crafting building requires Meat and Magic.

'vs Magic' Spells

Characters with magic ratings of E and higher can hope to equip a 'vs Magic' blessing. The highest magic Rating of this spell type is C, meaning most Trader classes will all be able to equip this type of spell. As you might have guessed, 'vs Magic' Blessings help your character to resist Magic damage during combat. They also provide a steady bonus to Mettle. Unlike other Blessing types, 'vs Magic' provides a penalty to it's second attribute, Judgement. Both bonus and penalty increase with the rank of the spell. Crafting a 'vs Magic' spell takes Cut Gems and Magnets.

'vs Ranged' Spells

The 'vs Ranged' Blessings provide protection against Ranged damage for as long as your MP lasts. With or without magic, these spells provide their caster with a steady Judgement and Celerity bonus which in itself should help them spot and dodge a few ranged attacks. In order to equip a 'vs Ranged' spell, characters will need a Magic Rating of D or higher. The highest magic rating of a 'vs Ranged spell is B, meaning most Clergy characters will be able to cast theses. Dyes and Magnets can be used to produce 'vs Ranged' Spells.

'Dmg Absorb' Spells

As the second half of the center Blessings, the 'Dmb Absorb' spells also range from D - B in magic rating. These handy spells help the caster soak a certain amount of all physical damage directed at them in battle. This can be particularly useful to the somewhat squishy classes that will be able to cast 'Dmg Absorb' Spells. In order to craft them, building owners will need Glass and Magnets and they provide a steady Mettle and Toughness bonus per rank of item. Glass and Magnets are needed to craft any new 'Dmg Absorb' spells.

'vs Damage' Spells

These higher level spells offer the caster active protection against all damage. The strength of this protection is, of course, based on the rank of the spell you equip. The magic ratings for 'vs Damage' spells range from C to A, leaving the lower ranks of spells available to the somewhat less than magically gifted. Crafting a 'vs Damage' spell requires Pearls and Magnets in a spell crafting building. Each of these spells also provides a static bonus to your character's Toughness and Acumen attributes

'Dmg Reversal' Spells

Only the highest skilled casters can equip and manage the "Dmg Reversal' spells. These range in Magic Rating from B to A, meaning even Clergy can only cast the lowest two ranks of 'Dmg Reversal'. These powerful spells not only protect your character from a certain amount of all damage, but turn that damage back on the sender by a percentage that is higher with each rank of spell. Crafting a 'Dmg Reversal' spell requires the ominous use of Black Pearls and Magnets.

Sovereign's Life: Burg (Rank 5)

Rank 5
Rank 5 settlements are really getting somewhere. Sovereigns who have reached Rank 5 themselves have got their world locked down. There is a steady flow of Importance from their pledges and bonds and they put a lot of personal effort continuing the improvement of themselves and their settlement. In order to move your settlement to Rank 5, you must build the Road Infrastructure of the Internal Roads. This requires the Masonry science which is behind Mathematics so starting this research chain is advisable.

Internal Roads

Building your Internal Roads requires not only Masonry (and Internal Roads) research but a supply of Bricks and Pack Animals. Fortunately these items are in common enough demand you should already have infrastructure to produce them. The Road Infrastrcture increases building storage and decreases Brick upkeep for every building in the settlement. It also crafts new Carts. The exclusive Rest Stop requires Furs and Groceries to build but increases Toughness for every settlement citizen. The Post Office is most efficient in the Internal Roads but serves it's best purposes increasing Prosperity in suffering districts.

Inner Walls

This district also requires Masonry in order to build the Keep, it's main building. Each level of Keep inspires free Guards to join, provides a couple Prison cells and increases settlement security. But it will require more Mathematics, Masonry and then Keep research. The Moat and Guardhouse on the other hand don't require any research but their own to build and upgrade. Exclusive Moats will increase settlement Security and decrease attacking Peer Celerity and Might. Guardhouses are powerful local Security providers that are most efficient in the Inner Walls but probably more useful scattered throughout your district.

Champaign Faire

Constructing the Grand Pavilion, main building of this district, you will need Slabs, Gold Florins and to research Aesthetics. This fortunately shallow science allows you to build pretty things. This is a district of wealth and play. The Grand Pavilion offers a bonus to Commerce districts, processes Grapes into Wine and sells Canvas as if it were an Art Gallery. The Exclusive Trading Tent produces silver Thalers for every Trade conducted in the settlement and can store carts. Vineyards can be built anywhere but are most efficient in the Champaign Faire.

Parade Grounds

Constructing and improving your Minstrel Stage will require knowledge of Carpentry, which requires the science of Mathematics. To upgrade the main building/ district, you'll have to research Mathematics, Carpentry and the Minstrel Stage itself. The Minstrel Stage itself increases the Encounter success chance and increases the Education of the entire settlement. It also sells various items as an Income building. The Exclusive Stocks & Pillory provide prison slots and a bonus to Settlement Security. The Linked Stables process Livestock into Horses.

Poor Quarter

Building and upgrading your Poor Quarter doesn't require any research at all. Sovereigns have been cramming the poor into large rickety buildings for a very long time. The central Slums trains Peasant units, decreases settlement training costs for peasant units and houses a ridiculous number of Peasants per building level. Watch out for the settlement Health penalty. It's small but wide-spread. The Exclusive Co-Op is a healthier solution to Peasant housing and produces Groceries from Produce. Tenements are most efficient in the Poor Quarter but can be built anywhere. They require Carpentry knowledge and provide several hundred Peasant housing spaces per building level.

Unit Spotlight - Battle Mage

Battle Mage
Battle Mages don't waste their time on healing spells and special rituals. These magic wielding badasses have decided that Ranged Spells are the only way to go. They'll hurl all sorts of dangerous unnatural forces at their enemies, competing with each other for who can produce the most pairs of near-perfectly-preserved smoking boots. These units move as infantry and have a particular fondness for the devastating effects of Chain Lightening.

Base Social Class

Battle Mages must have sharp minds in order to burn their enemies and not themselves. Due to this strenuous mental requirement, the recruitment buildings always select Peers to train into these elite Units. This means that Battle Mages expect Florins upon hiring an pay-days. It also means that they require 3 types of material to train them and they can equip 3 kinds of gear on top of their 'weapon' slot.

Base Character Class

Concerned with nothing but slinging dangerous spells, the Battle Mages are based on Wizard heroes and when they level up, their Creativity, Reason and Judgement grow more rapidly than their other attributes. Many Magical type units level up as if they were Wizards and this helps to distinguish them from the non-magical units which are mainly based on Soldier heroes.

Training Resources
Battle Mages use a lot of magical energy and therefore require several magical sources to train and upkeep them. The first of these is Pearls, a natural source of magic that can be hauled up out of the ocean and stolen from Oysters. The second is Tinctures, which help to keep the mage's minds strong and their bodies relatively healthy. The last is Familiars. It's unfortunate that these mages go through familiars so quickly as to need them in the upkeep cycle, but combat is dangerous and not every familiar makes it out alive.

Equipping Gear
The Battle Mage has no use for a melee or ranged weapon. Instead in their weapon slot you can give them a specific Ranged spell, making these caster units especially powerful. On top of this offensive gear, they can also equip a Buff Spell, a Belt and Ring Mail. This is particularly useful in keeping your Battle Mages alive. Military leaders in the past have had trouble holding on to these otherwise rather squishy troops.