what do you think they'd research?

[draconis]

I've been reading recently about the Riverbank Laboratories, a 350-acre facility owned by an almost-unbelievable wealthy man who wanted to further human knowledge. He set up facilities and hired people to research all sorts of things -- acoustics/properties of sound waves, genetics (both plant and animal), and cryptography, among MANY other things.

This got me to thinking -- dangerous, I know. ;-)

Picture a medieval fantasy setting, your typical D&D type of thing. What sorts of things (magical or otherwise) might a wealthy patron in this sort of setting want researched?

Some that I can think of:
*more effective components for spells
*interdimensional/planar studies
*better designs for sailing ships (faster, more maneuverable, more stable in storms, etc)
*getting more crop yield from a given plot of land
*better animal husbandry/training practices
*improvements to armor design
*how to make bows/crossbows shoot further/more accurately
*more effective siege engines
*better castle defenses
*better ways to navigate
*better ways to tell time


What else can you think of?

Comments

[thewayne]

If you're building better siege weapons and castle defenses, you can also study better castle design, construction techniques, and architecture to improve light, ventilation, waste disposal, mortaring, stone transport. Those potentially bring mining and quarrying techniques. Now you're in to a Lest Darkness Fall scenario.