Currency & Character Wealth

by

Finley Vorden


My travels through Ilhdeinia have taught me one universal truth: while locals may reject your accent, question your fashion choices, or mock your inability to pronounce their village name, they’ll never turn down good money.

That being said, a word of caution about carrying massive quantities of coins: they’re heavy, noisy, and will lure every cutpurse between here and The Jungle of Goldowa. For practical purposes, assume 50 coins of any type weigh approximately one pound. Most travelers can comfortably carry 100-200 coins distributed across various pouches without looking like a walking treasury or jingling festival dancer.

Wealthy travelers typically carry a modest amount of physical currency supplemented by letters of credit from reputable banking houses. These documents allow access to their wealth at branch locations in major cities while reducing the risk of robbery.



Currencies

Each major kingdom mints its own coins, often leading to pouches full of mixed currency among travelers. You can find a list of currencies below:


Ārdmerian Talents

Ārdmerian TALENTS feature a square hole in their center, allowing them to be strung on cords for easy carrying. Made of a distinctive red-gold alloy, the standard Talent bears the King’s profile on one side and the Russenan Lighthouse on the other.

Denominations:

  • Silver Piece (1/4 Talent): Buys a loaf of bread or mug of common ale
  • Full Talent (gold): Covers a night at a modest inn
  • Royal Mark (5 Talents): Large octagonal coins used primarily by merchants

Epeithian Sovereigns

Epeithian SOVEREIGNS are in regular circulation as much as their Talent based brother to the north. These hexagonal coins, minted from silver mixed with tiny amounts of sky-iron (*giving them a faint blue sheen*), feature the Māltinōr family crest on one side and the Beaucona Mountains on the reverse.

Denominations:

  • Bronze Shield (1/2 Sovereign): Buys a simple meal
  • Silver Sovereign: Pays for quality lodging
  • Golden Crown (10 Sovereigns): Roughly a decād's common wages

Esreahan Florins

Esreahan FLORINS come in various denominations, each shaped like a different flower; from the small, daisy-shaped copper bits to the rare, orchid-shaped gold standards. These ornate coins from the island nation often find secondary use as jewelry or decorative elements, leading to the peculiar situation where women's necklaces might contain more spending power than some merchants’ strongboxes.

Denominations:

  • Daisy (copper): Worth a simple meal or drink
  • Tulip (bronze): Common wage coin for daily laborers
  • Lily (silver): Standard Florin, pays for quality goods
  • Orchid (gold): Worth 10 Florins, favored by nobility

Bairoran Trade Discs

Bairoran TRADE DISCS feature no royal imagery whatsoever, instead displaying intricately rendered trade goods. The Bairorans mint these thick, heavy coins from durable bronze alloys specifically to survive their merchants’ long journeys.

Denominations:

  • Fish (bronze): Worth a simple meal or drink
  • Grain (silver): Standard Trade Disc, pays for quality goods
  • Ship (gold): 15 Trade Discs, used for significant purchases

Tide Stones

No discussion of Ilhdeinian currency would be complete without mentioning Tide Stones. These ancient coins originated in The Kingdom of Srane, once a prosperous coastal civilization connected to mainland Ilhdeinia by twin bridges now known as the Pillars of Srane. When catastrophic floods swallowed the kingdom approximately seven centuries ago, its treasury sank beneath the waves.

Now, after particularly violent storms, the sea occasionally returns these lost treasures. Beyond their considerable value as historical artifacts, Tide Stones serve a unique role in inter-kingdom relations. The major powers recognize them as diplomatic challenge tokens, essentially, markers of diplomatic debt. Presenting a Tide Stone to a royal court obligates the monarch to grant a reasonable request.

This tradition dates back to the early days after Srane’s fall, when neighboring kingdoms honored the Sranic refugees’ needs when presented with their homeland's currency.

Finding a genuine Tide Stone can transform a commoner's fortunes overnight. During my stay in coastal Epeithia a fisherman's daughter purchased her own boat with funds acquired selling a fragment of a Tide Stone she’d happened upon. Kingdoms pay handsomely for Tide Stones not primarily for their historical value, but to remove these powerful diplomatic tokens from circulation. Royal treasuries reportedly hold hundreds of these coins, locked away precisely to prevent their use as leverage.



Exchange Rates & Converting

Village money-changers typically display exchange rates on slate boards outside their establishments, but you can find a link to a handy currency converter above.


Currency Ārdmerian Talent Epeithian Sovereign Esreahan Florin Bairoran Trade Disc
Ārdmerian Talent 1 2 4 1.5
Epeithian Sovereign 0.5 1 2 0.75
Esreahan Florin 0.25 0.5 1 0.5


Character Wealth

Wealth in Ilhdeinia represents not just how much you can spend, but your social standing, preparedness for misfortune, and ability to influence others.

Once you've established your wealth, I suggest distributing it across multiple currencies based on your planned travels. For example, if you expect to journey through Bairora, one might convert a quarter of their Sovereigns to Trade Discs, while keeping the rest for broader trade possibilities.


Background Wealth Roll
Destitute Wanderer 1d6 x 2 Sovereigns
Common About Folk Folk
Skilled Professional 4d6 x 6 Sovereigns
Minor Noble/Merchant 8d6 x 5 Sovereigns
Wealthy Elite 10d6 x 10 Sovereigns