HGd10PHB - Equipment - Monetary Systems

Monetary Systems
Economics can make for an interesting part to any game for those who are interested in such things as I am. The standard gold piece system is certainly effective, but here we have added a bit more depth to those systems and talk about how they might interact with one another.

This page is purely about the vehicle for exchange of goods. It is not meant to cover actual economic systems and governments. For more on those in the Player's Handbook, see Chapter 9: Social and Movement Skills. An even deeper look at game-wide economics can be found in the HGd10 Economics Encyclopedia.

Real Money Systems
Real money systems are systems of exchange that use a vehicle with real wealth behind them, a physical commodity with intrinsic value. There have been a number of items throughout history that have been used as real money, but precious metals are by far the most prevalent.

The advantage of a real money system is almost non-existent inflation and a steady valuation of wealth, even across nations. Rarity is global and work is required to add real money to the supply. Since labor goes into adding to the supply, adding to the supply does not devalue the money.

Below are monetary systems that use real money based on worlds in the Hero's Guild continuity.

Loar
Loar uses a base 1000 or three decimal system (instead of the typical base 100 system most are familiar with) because it's precious metals are far more rare. 1 Nekoril is equivalent to a copper piece, but 1 Arguril is roughly equivalent to 10 Silver and 1 Chrusil is roughly equivalent to 100 Gold as seen on Majarcania and in most fantasy or medieval systems.
 * 1000 nekoril = 1 arguril
 * 1000 arguril = 1 chrusil
 * 1000 chrusil = 1 tethril

Majarcania

 * 100 copper = 1 silver
 * 100 silver = 1 gold
 * 100 gold = 1 platinum

Earth-Terra
Pre-Demon War (in US Dollars) Post-Demon War
 * 1 oz Copper = (0.16$)
 * 1.65oz Copper = 1oz Nickel (0.26$)
 * 105.55oz Copper = 1oz Silver (16.69$)
 * 63.89oz Nickel = 1oz Silver (16.69$)
 * 56.08oz Silver = 1oz Platinum (936.17$)
 * 79.09oz Silver = 1oz Gold (1320$)
 * 1.41oz Platinum = 1oz Gold (1320$)
 * 1 oz Gold = (1320$) [as of June 12, 2017]
 * 20 Copper Pennies = 1 Nickel
 * 50 Nickel = 1 Silver Dollar
 * 100 Silver Dollar = 1 Gold Freedom

Soteria

 * 100 nekoril = 1 arguril
 * 100 arguril = 1 chrusil
 * 100 chrusil = 1 tethril

Barter Systems
Barter systems are more fluid and freer (little to no government regulation or oversight) than real or fiat money systems. There is no middle vehicle for exchange and taxation becomes next to impossible on transactions. However, bartering can be cumbersome and even problematic for adventurers trading in commodities they found out in the ruins/dungeon/far country at the local market. The demand for their commodities isn't as high and so a straight trade likely won't happen unless they can find a large city and a rare commodities dealer to exchange with.

There is no set system in barter, and Social Skills are generally required more in this type of system. Having a barter system tossed in every now and then is a good way to stir up a relatively mundane part of the game, to limit the "Monty Hall" effect, and to provide necessary plot points.

Fiat Systems
Fiat systems go hand in hand with big government, banks, or big business control of economic systems. Fiat money is money that has value simply because the entity that issues the money says it has value. The intrinsic value of the money is virtually nothing. This can either be in the form of paper or even digital money. This system has rampant regulation, inflation, and has the primary purpose of transferring wealth and power to the elite in power.

Below are monetary systems that use fiat money based on worlds in the Hero's Guild septiverse.

Loar
Loar, during the events portrayed in the Islands of Loar original quartet, had just introduced a fiat money system. The Aeromancer Council was looking for ways to control a society that was rejecting their authority because of the society of Bards. The paper money was based on the Arguril and was called the Loarin.
 * 1 Loarin = 1 Arguril. (~10$)

Majarcania
Majarcania has never used a fiat monetary system in any of its nations to date.

Earth-Terra
Earth had a number of fiat monetary systems before the events in the Demon War saga. The Dollar, Euro, English Pound, and a host of other fiat currencies existed, as many as there were nations in the world. After the demons invaded and were subsequently vanquished, Terra turned to a real money system that was planet-wide.

Soteria
Soteria has not had a fiat money system that lasted for more than a few decades in any nation. Aletheia's Nine Kingdoms and diverse government system could never agree on one, Korvair's strict utilitarian society saw it as dangerous and crippling for their economy. Dovanion-Eld attempted it a couple of times, but the benevolent rule of its monarch did not need the extra control and the fiat money never gained in popularity so it was abandoned.

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 * Hero's Guild Players Handbook Home
 * Chapter 1 - Creature Kinds
 * Chapter 2 - Base Characteristics
 * Chapter 3 - Skills
 * Chapter 4 - Traits and Foibles
 * Chapter 5 - Physical Combat Skills 
 * Chapter 6 - Mystical Skills
 * Chapter 7 - Equipment
 * Chapter 8 - Crafting
 * Chapter 9 - Knowledge Social and Movement Skills
 * Chapter 10 - Optional Classes
 * Chapter 11 - Rules of Engagement