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The World of Teréth End - Equipment & Money - Currency |
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"The space beyond is lit only by what light enters through the doorway. The far side of the chamber is shadowy which explains, in part, why you don't see his shape at first. A moment later his form comes into view; a massive Uren sitting on three (maybe more) chairs sits before you. Legs like pillars splay over the chairs from beneath his monstrous body. Giant hands mounted on the end of tree trunk arms and bearish shoulders hold a slim ceramic vase. The creautre smiles pleasantly as you enter. When he speaks you find his voice deep and resonant and engaging. "`From Taládan,' he says appreciatively. `Late empire porcelain, intricate brushwork, good condition, a fine vessel' he says glancing from the vase to yourself. `What would you pay for such a piece? Five, six thousand?' He smiles. `If you could, you would be cheating me.' He sets the piece down reverently in a blanket-lined crate, before collecting himself back onto his chairs. `I don't get many callers asking for me by name.' He nods his head, which more slides into the confines of his neck and chin, rather than making an independent motion. `Worron said you had something of a, personal nature to discuss?' " Oth. Fourteen. 29 Jun 1995  |
Dekàlan Money Most economies in the World of Teréth End use the "silver piece" as the standard unit for trade. In the realms of the Old Empire, the Audàra (though no longer in general circulation) remains the reference standard in determining the value of other coins. Coins are often sized, shaped and weighted differently, adding or subtracting from their value relative to the coins of neighboring realms. For this reason, it is easiest to calculate rates of exchange based on the weight and material of coins. C&S: Coin valuations and equipment pricing are based on the "Chivalry & Sorcery: The Rebirth" system (see C&S:CRp1:95). The coins most commonly used in the Old Empire were the Pûl (copper), the Audàra (silver), the Tal (gold) and the Dágul (platinum). Other denominations were available at different periods throughout the centuries, but there four were the most constant across almost 1300 years of Dekàlan rule. The silver Audàra is mostly unchanged from olden times. The Audàra (aud, d) could be divided into halves (1/2aud, 1/2d) or farthings (1/4aud, 1/4p, Pûl). Rather than cutting silvers into farthings, copper coins were introduced. The Tal (tal, cr) was rarely used (or minted) except for trading and large transactions. 240 Audàra equalled one Tal, whereas 6 Tal equalled one of the even more rare Dágul. Dágul and "Temple coins" were only minted for special ocassions and accounting. All references to copper, silver and gold refer to Dekàlan Pûla, Audàra and Tal respectively, unless otherwise noted. Table 1-1a: Dekàlan Coin Values
Table 1-1b: Azàlari Coin Values
Table 1-1e: Jadthàri Coin Values
Table 1-1g: Othic Coin Values
Table 1-1i: Taládan Coin Values
Dekàlan Denominations
The lowest denomination coin of Dekàlas was the Pûl, or copper coin. 303 Pûla equal a weight of 1 pound. Each Pûl weighs approximately .05 toz; a weight known as "silverweight" as it a weight common to all Dekàlan silver coins. There is greater variation among copper and tin (see Azálari and Othic) coin weights than any other types. 8 Pûla = 1 Audar Many farmers have found one or more Audara in their fields. These mysterious silver coins are small reminders of a people that once lived in this place. Inscribed with small runes, a dragon image on one side, and a portrait of a king or queen on the reverse, the silver coins are easily distinguishable from newer coins. Each Audar is a treasure and carried as luck charms, wish coins, or saved for tithes. Some are perforated and strung into bracelets. Although recognized and valued as standard coins, to use one for purchase carries the stigma of a desperate action, especially trading away one's "lucky piece" for food. Each coin tells the story of a time and place long gone. Most Audara are similar in size, weight, and appearance. Each coin is marked with a city-state's particular dragon seal and the portrait of the reigning ruler at the time of minting. When new rulers came to power, coins of that city-state were recycled into pieces with the new ruler's portrait. Each coin is inscribed on the edge with the name of the ruler, the year of minting, and the name of the City of origin. This information is stamped in miniature characters that are often difficult to read. Audara are larger than Pûla, and typically consist of 90% silver 10% tin to make for a stronger coin and cover minting costs. Approximately 129 Audara equal a weight of 1 pound (each silver coins weighs .00771 lb); a fraction equal to their value. The value of 1 Tal was sometimes referred to as a silver Pound. 1 Audara = 10 Pûla The prized Tal is a coin of legend. Treasure chests and Dágul hoards are always described as overflowing with Dekàlan Tal. Each Tal weighs approximately 2.5 drams which requires 102 for a gold Pound. Tal emblems varied from time to place. Some Tal bore the portraits of the reigning monarch, while others bore likenesses of the city-state's patron god or the god's aspects. Choice of emblem was left up to the High Lord, who often chose on the basis of whether he felt the need to ingratiate himself with the Temple. For this reason, many god-bearing Tal were called "sinner golds". 1 Tal = 240 Pûla Dágul are the rarest of the Dekàlan coins (other than Temple coins, see individual listings for each city-state below). Variations of the Dágul coins were minted in different city-states, but the Dágul emblem remained the same. Dágul coins eventually gave way to the Temple coins of the late 9th century HK, which still bear the emblem on their reverse. 1 Dágul = 4800 Pûla Jadthàri Coins The Jadthàri currency consists has four pieces. The lowest monetary unit of Jadth is not a coin at all, but rather a coin-sized seashell called a Dthala. The Dthala were originally used by the Sha'al for currency, and later adopted by Humans for the same purpose. Dthala are found on the shores near Jadth, encouraging scores of beachcombers to scour the sands daily in search of the `money'. Within the City of Jadth, it is forbidden to purchase items with more than one handful of Dthala. Likewise, moneychangers will not exchange coins for the iridescent shells. 10 Dthala = 1 Aurala The standard unit of currency in Jadth is the Aurala. The Aurala is a small silver coin, roughly half the size of the Dekàlan Audara on which it's based. The Aurala are simple coins bearing the sigil of Sudul on one face and the sigil of the High Lord on the reverse. Different editions of the Aurala are stamped into different shapes; circles, squares, and triangles are common. The shapes confer no additional value being no more than a matter of preference for the reigning High Lord. 1 Aurala = 10 Dthala The Tala is the coin of business. One of the largest gold coins of the post-Dekàlan era, the Tala is a prized piece. Each Tala bears the profile of a Jadthàri High Lord on its face. On the reverse of each Tala is a fragment of Sudulite scripture. Many priests and prosagers use the coins as instruments of fortune, casting them to a table and reading the scripture formed from the fragments. Coins lying face-up offer no fortune. 1 Tala = 400 Dthala The highest valued coin of the Jadthàri realm is the Chor'r. A Chor'r is a medallion sized cabochon of dream-jade. These fragile coins contain slowly shifting swirls and colors, unnoticeable to the watching eye. Chor'r that are placed out of sight and reviewed can be seen to have undergone startling changes of color and design. The coins bear no symbols or images and are crafted by Sudulite lapidarists. Chor'r jade is used frequently in jewelry by the faithful of Sudul. Othic Coins There are five types of Othic coins. The most numerous monetary unit in the City of Oth is the kudom. The kudom is a copper coin of little value, ten equalling one Aurad. Older kudom are minted in commemoration of the Iron Crown's spouse. A rare subset of kudom (637 DR) were minted by the Othic Merchants Guild carrying the depiction of Guild council members, rather than the proper heads of knights and noblemen. These coins were in short circulation due to the Kudom War of 637 DR where Lord Rott ended their production. Following the Kudom War the Merchant Guild were pemitted to continue minting kudom but the new composition remained changed, devaluing them. The new kudom are half the weight of older coins, which the Merchant Guild exchange one for one. Many merchants regard the old kudom as worth double that of the new. The reverse of the kudom bears an engraving of the Temple of Roth. 10 New kudom = 1 Aurad The only coin worth less than a kudom is the seldom used Wir which is minted with tin. Ten wirrin equal one new kudom. The wir was introduced by the Merchants Guild in 622 with little fanfare. The success minting (or more to the point, lack of resistance to minting) these coins encouraged the Guild to mint new aurad and kudom in 637. The standard monetary unit in Oth is the Aurad. The aurad is a silver coin equivalent to ten kudom or one-tenth of a Talas. All aurad are minted by order of the Lord of the City Lord Rott. All attempts by the Merchants Guild to mint their own aurad have met with disaster at the hands of the Lord's Men. In 637, the Merchants Guild had begun flooding the market with their own lesser valued coins, when the Lords Men attacked their mints, and confiscated all available copper, silver and apparatus. This started a brief series of violent skirmishes between the Lords Men and the Merchant Guard dubbed the Kudom War. The war ended quickly following Lord Rott's order to being burning the Guild's treasure houses to the ground. The Merchants Guild refrained from further attacks. In the weeks to follow three assassination attempts were made on Lord Rott's life. Before morning, following the third attempt, four of seven members of the Guild's High Council were hanging above the gate at Kry Shurulm. All Merchant Aurad were shortly confiscated, but the New Kudom is still used by some in Oth. Aurad bear the portrait of Lord Rott (as a younger man) on their face, and a stylized image of his Iron Crown on the reverse. 1 Aurad = 10 New kudom The Talas are the coins of the noble and wealthy. Commoners seen purchasing with these gold coins may be judged thieves by unscrupulous merchants, and punished as such. The gold of Oth is of high quality, having been brought from Dwurden mines. Each Talas is marked with a portrait of Lady Dayla, Lord Rott's long dead wife. It has been customary in Oth for almost 300 years to portray the woman ruler on the gold, and the man on silver. The reverse of the Talas is a shield with a rampant stag on one side and three stars on the other. 1 Talas = 200 New kudom An old law in the City of Oth allows the Temple of Roth to mint a coin of its own. This coin is meant to allow the Temple to purchase necessities, and maintain the Temple itself. It was thought when the law was passed that the Temple would create a coin that would represent wealth held by the priesthood, be worthless by itself. The Temple created the Orm, now the most valuable coin in all the lands of the ancient Empire. Orm are formed by unknown means from a metal found deep beneath the world. Attempts to forge other items from the coins has left a trail of frustrated blacksmiths, weaponsmiths, and alchemists. The metal seems indestructible. This startling quality, and the fact that no one has been able to find where the metal comes from, has made the orm the most valued metal coin in the Empire. 1 Orm = 4000 New kudom
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Coins The coins of different realms are detailed with their exchange rates Dekàlan Goods & Services Equipment and services are divided by suppliers from which goods may be purchased Apothecary Exchanges Dek.
(8c > 240s > 6g) Sar. (10c > 24s) |
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Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast; C&S:CR (Core Rules), © Britannia Game Designs, Ltd.  |
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