Library

For the Bronze Dawn equivalent of this building, refer to Town Centre.

The Library handles fundamental groundbreaking research, which then feeds into new technologies, buildings and of course new units. Generally, each new game begins with a Library already set up, so all that is required is to obtain resources required to buy the research the Library has to offer.

There are five paths of research in the Library: Science , Commerce , Civic , and Military , as well as three trunk technologies. Each one of them is a prerequisite for further research, which in turn might contribute towards bettering your units and even the stylistic appearance of your faction's buildings!

Trunk technologies

The Bird of Time has but a little way
To flutter--and the Bird is on the Wing. — Omar Khayyam, Rubaiyat

Trunk technologies allow your faction to grow and mature as a civilisation, and are required to access Reforms and Research which enhance your faction vis-à-vis others. They replace the former Age or Epoch techs of other games.

RESEARCH LEVEL	NAME	GRANTS ACCESS TO	COST
1	Early Mediaeval Era	— an axe age, a sword age — shields are riven — a wind age, a wolf age — before the world goes headlong... —The Eddas Basic tech level	None, basic.
2	High Mediaeval Era	The best fortress which a prince can possess is the affection of his people. —Niccolò Machiavelli Low-level technologies and units	500 500
3	Late Mediaeval Era	"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." —Matthew 5:14 Advanced tech level and units	1,000 1,000

Scientific research

"We know not a truth without knowing its cause." — Aristotle

Science research increases line of sight for many of your units (including buildings), makes new Resource technologies available so you can increase gather rate, permits construction of new types of buildings, and decreases the cost of all other technology research incrementally.

RESEARCH LEVEL	NAME	GRANTS ACCESS TO	COST	UNLOCKS
1	Classicism	"A prudent man should always follow in the path trodden by great men and imitate those who are most excellent." —Niccolò Machiavelli Medium-level metallurgy research at Foundry Medium-level knowledge upgrades for University. Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) +56 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 120 : 50
2	Natural Law	"The vicar of the Almighty." —Geoffrey Chaucer Medium-level metallurgy research at Foundry Medium-level knowledge upgrades for University. Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) Gain +82 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 120 : 80
3	Mathematisation	"He who is ignorant of mathematics cannot know the other sciences nor the affairs of this world." —Roger Bacon Transport of land units by sea Temple. Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) Gain +108 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 200 : 160
4	Chemistry	"All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison." —Paracelsus, 16th century Swiss surgeon and scientific philosopher Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) Gain +134 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 300 : 300
5	Biology	"No form of Nature is inferior to Art; for the arts merely imitate natural forms." —Marcus Aurelius Medium-level crops and lumber upgrades in Granary and Sawmill Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) Gain +160 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 500 : 500
6	Optics	"Who looks out with my eyes? What is the soul? I cannot stop asking." —Rumi Low-level knowledge upgrades for University Granary Sawmill. Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) Gain +186 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 900 : 900
7	Empiricism	"He who perceives, has knowledge thereby ." —Anselm of Cantebury, 12th century bishop Foundry Low-level crops and lumber upgrades in Granary and Sawmill. Research cost cheaper and research speed improved by 10% Increased LOS for Scout and Buildings ( only) Gain +212 resources instead of +20 from Ruins	: 1,500 : 1,500

Commerce research

"He understands where, when, and how much to take in and pay out." — Leonardo Bruni

Commerce research will cost you Timber and Knowledge at the Library. When you complete Commerce research, your Commerce Cap goes up for all Resources you gather: Food, Timber, Metal, and Wealth. You can gather more of them only up to the Commerce Cap; surpass the cap and any excess is simply lost to you. Commerce research along with Civics research is also required to gain access to a variety of military units as well.

RESEARCH LEVEL	NAME	GRANTS ACCESS TO	COST	UNLOCKS
1	Caravan Train	"A journey of many miles begins with a single step." —Taoist saying ;  Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources.	60 60
2	Cartography	"[He] has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy." —The Qur'an (2:22) Trading resources at market Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources.	: 140 : 60
3	Linguistics	"Stick to your own grammar, my lord, for it is much better." —Richard I Lionheart Trade with allies and peaceful factions Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources	: 260 : 100
4	Compass	"In losing me, you might yourselves be lost." —Dante Alighieri, Paradiso (Bk II) Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources.	: 500 : 150
5	Guilds	"Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart." —Rumi Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources	: 900 : 250
6	Banking and Finance	"We are in need of money, and without money, nothing of what should be done, can be done." —Anna Comnena, Alexiad, Cap I Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources	: 1,300 : 500
7	Mercantilism	"Better to be cheated by the price than by the merchandise." —Baltasar Gracián, 17th century Spanish priest and author Increased Tradesman limit Increased Commerce Cap for all resources.	: 1,800 : 1;200

Civics research

"Believers, be steadfast and guard your borders."— The Qur'an

Civics research allows you to build one new city with each completed round, and increases your national borders. If your borders abut other nations' borders, then you'll gain strength in the pushing match. If you don't touch territories yet, the diameter of space around your Cities simply expands.

Civics research is also vital for various upgrades, most notably those related to Religion and Taxation at your House of Worship.

RESEARCH LEVEL	NAME	GRANTS ACCESS TO	COST	UNLOCKS
1	Manorial System	"He made safe his castle that was upon a high hill, and he gathered in his flocks." —Ferdowsi, Shahnameh Increased  city limit. increased borders low-level attrition research at Tower.	120
2	Bureaucracy	"Kings are wont to create as many eyes, ears, arms and legs for themselves as they see fit." —Aristotle, Politics Increased  city limit. increased borders low-level religious and taxation research at House of Worship.	160
3	Law Enforcement	"A just city should favour justice and the just, hate tyranny and injustice, and give them both their just deserts." —al-Farabi Increased  city limit. increased borders medium-level taxation research at House of Worship.	160 160
4	Jurisprudence	"They who do not mix their belief with injustice will have security, for they are rightly guided." —The Qur'an (6:82) Increased  city limit. increased borders medium-level attrition research at Tower.	300 300
5	Political Theories	"I am a lover of liberty. I will not and I cannot serve a party." —Erasmus  Increased  city limit. increased borders required to build Nobles' Court in [2], along with Level 5 Commerce (Guilds) researched. medium-level religious research at House of Worship.	500 500
6	Sovereignty	"Be of one mind and one faith, that you may conquer your enemies and lead long and happy lives." —Genghis Khan Increased  city limit. increased borders. high-level taxation research at House of Worship high-level atrition research at Tower	1,000 800
7	Divine Right	"I am the King of Rome, and therefore am above grammar." —Sigismund of Luxemburg, Holy Roman Emperor (r 1433-1437) Increased  city limit. increased borders. High-level religious research at House of Worship	1,500 1,500

Military research

"Any man clad in armour and bascinet is as noble as any prince or king."

Completing Military research increases your file:population cap and also allows you to start upgrading your units at your military structures. Additionally, the cost of units and unit upgrades is lowered with each successive level researched.

RESEARCH LEVEL	NAME	GRANTS ACCESS TO	COST	UNLOCKS
1	Feudal Levy	"To win a boar’s head one must sacrifice the hounds." —Wolfram von Eschenbach Increased Population Cap	120	;
2	Mercenaries	"...they spent well-nigh all that they had, both in the sojourn that they had made there and in the great payments that they had made for the fleet." — Robert de Clery, On the Conquest of Constantinople (Cap 16) Increased Population Cap -5% production cost for units of previous ages per level ahead -10% upgrade cost for units of previous ages per level ahead	100 100	;
3	Heraldry and Code of Honour	"See that you come Not to woo honour, but to wed it." —William Shakespeare, All's Well that Ends Well (Act 2 scene i) Increased Population Cap -5% production cost for units of previous ages per level ahead -10% upgrade cost for units of previous ages per level ahead	200 160	; ;
4	Standing Army	"Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people." —2 Samuel (24:2) Increased Population Cap -5% production cost for units of previous ages per level ahead -10% upgrade cost for units of previous ages per level ahead	360 250
5	Conduct of War	"For not by numbers of men, nor by measure of body, but by valor of soul is war to be decided." —Belisarius, 7th century Byzantine general Increased Population Cap -5% production cost for units of previous ages per level ahead -10% upgrade cost for units of previous ages per level ahead	650 400
6	Linear Tactics	"Fighting men are the city's fortress." —Alcaeus of Mytilene, classical Greek poet Increased Population Cap -5% production cost for units of previous ages per level ahead -10% upgrade cost for units of previous ages per level ahead	1,300 500
7	Military Science	"Wars begin when you will, but they do not end when you please." —Niccolò Machiavelli Increased Population Cap -5% production cost for units of previous ages per level ahead -10% upgrade cost for units of previous ages per level ahead	1,800 1,200

Population Limits

Players normally start the game with a Population limit of 50, and every successive level of Military research attained will increase that amount by the same, allowing a player a normal maximum pop cap of 400. With the Serbian population bonus, the Porcelain Tower Wonder and a Peacocks resource patch, you can raise your Population Limit to 590.

See also

• The Unravelling :– "Techs and Upgrades"
• The Southeastern Dragon :– "Town Centre"
• Swords of the Prophets :– "Library".