CURRENCY IN ERYTHIA

Methods of payment vary across the continent of Erythia - in some places, there is a barter economy, where two sheep are equal in value to a cow, or a dozen eggs to a jar of pickles. In others, the concept of money has been used for a very long time, based largely around the use of precious metals such as platinum, gold, silver, brass and copper. Other metals are less common, but even so, coins of bronze and even steel are accepted in some more out of the way places, although at a heavily marked up price.

Other items can also be classed as precious, and use for the acquisition of other items by methods that do not involve five fingered discounts. Gemstones are highly regarded, especially diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies and a multitude more, although at varying degrees of acceptability. Quality also determines value, as a flawed gem is worth a fraction of a perfect specimen.

Art is another area where many can make money, for, despite the cultural outrages in the past millenia or so that have left Erythia with barely fragments of her history, there remains to the world a substantial number of paintings, sculptures and other artwork by a large number of respected and admired artists, which will fetch a pretty penny when sold if an interested buyer can be located. Obviously, the more unique the item, the more valuable it is.

Coins are the most usual form of currency however. The table below indicates their values in relation to one another.

These refer to the Imperial monetary system - when dealing with the coins of other nations that have their own mints, one must weigh the coin to assess it's value (a practice which also cuts down on the many attempts to cheat by carving pieces from the coins to create new ones). Typically, a coin from Solarol will be worth slightly less than an Imperial coin, thus it takes ten Lunarol Sovereigns (gold coins) to equate to eight Imperial Eagles (the Imperial equivalent).

The table below lists the names of specific coins and other notable methods of payment used in the various countries of Erythia.

The Wastelands have no known form of currency, as no-one in their right mind enters there to trade...

Recently there was an attempt to use paper money in the Empire, which did not really become as popular as it could have done. The notes can be viewed as promissory notes, which will be replaced with their equivalent in coin if taken to an Imperially recognised broker. Such notes are easier to carry than coins, but also far easier to forge and destroy, so brokers may be less than delighted to see an adventurer with a pocketful of them...

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