12. Foreign Expeditions and Investments

Foreign Expeditions

1. Those that have the money, can borrow the money, or can otherwise scrape together 1000 Ducats may invest money in a Foreign Expedition. The hope is that they will earn more upon the return of the ships, but there is also a chance they will lose part or all of their investment.

2. In the last month of each season the Keeper of the Papal Purse decides whether to send ships on a Foreign Expedition. An NPC will do so on 5+ on d6.

3. Investors can put multiples of 1000 Ducats into a Foreign Expedition, either individually or collectively.

4. The first character to invests 1000 Ducats or more by himself in a Foreign Expedition has the option of appointing the Captain of a vessel (cost 500 Ducats). An investor who appoints the captain of a vessel which returns safely gets a 100% greater return than he would otherwise have done.

5. If the Foreign Expedition encounters storms, then the expedition does not return and all investors lose their stake.

6. If pirates are encountered, the ships of the expedition come under pirate attack and any returns on investments for that voyage are halved.

7. If the expedition is not lost through storms then the returns on investments are assessed in accordance with the Foreign Expeditions Table.

8. If 2 consecutive Foreign Expeditions fail to return, the Pope dismisses the Keeper of the Papal Purse from office.

Textile, Finance and Commerce Investments

9. Characters may invest money in various ventures in order to gain more money. The return on each of these investments is determined by the Missions as shown in the Investments Table any intervention by the Delegation Bursar or Keeper of the Papal Purse. Textiles investors gain money when more Clerics are sent. Finance investors lose money when large numbers of Clerics are sent. The return received by Commerce investors is based upon the overall MR of the Mission.

10. Investments in Textiles, Finance and Commerce may only be made in Mar, Apr and May. Payouts are always made in the following September.

11. Investments are made in blocks of 1000 Ducats.

12. Either or both of the Delegation Bursar and the Keeper of the Papal Purse may choose to Embezzle investment funds. In addition, at any time before the start of the Summer season, the Delegation Bursar may nominate a Textiles supplier and the Keeper of the Papal Purse may manipulate funds on behalf of a Finance investor. Once a choice has been made it cannot be changed.

13. When consulting the Investments Table, if a + appears, that is the amount that the investor receives as a percentage of his capital investment as a dividend; if a - appears, that is the amount that the investor must pay by the next month to make his investment solvent. If any payment due is not paid in time, the entire investment is lost; if it is paid, the investment becomes solvent at its original level.

Foreign Expeditions

Investments Table