Thornmouth is a young kingdom grappling with the emergence of capitalism and a need to adapt to rapid growth and change. It facilitates nearly all trade between the east and the west, its economy dependent upon the relations it maintains from both sides of the continent. A lucrative port of trade and kingdom of innovation, the capital city deals in a wide variety of goods. While bartering still exists among individuals and smaller settlements, the kingdom is host to an evolving market economy.
Thornmouth's currency is created from a local form of 'quartz' that grows at an unnatural pace in the many caves across Hy-Brazir. Their growth is thought to be linked to the natural magical saturation of the land and/or the influence of Aetheros. The approved money of the kingdom is made in heavily guarded mines by placing small slithers of metal in the shape of the troll cross inside the crystal as it grows. These mines are very well fortified both above and below ground, sure to be the death of any would-be robber or saboteur.
The local system of fiat currency was developed out of necessity. While an attempt was made to use human coinage, a metal standard proved difficult to maintain due to the melting pot of cultures and immigration from other worlds. In time there was citizenry who could create their own precious metals and additional importation from travelers meant the scarcity of any given material could not be guaranteed. So alternatives were sought and a solution found in the fast-growing crystals of the region.
Shards (equivalent to dollars) come in the form of small crystalline rods that fit in the palm of your hand. They are typically carried in soft leather pouches or containers with slots to prevent chipping or too much noise. Their values are marked by coloration and the metal the troll cross trapped inside: with each higher value the metal also increases in value, from iron, to copper, to silver and lastly gold. There are four main types of shard:
Iron Shard - 5s
Copper Shard - 10s
Silver Shard - 50s
Gold Shard - 100s
At 100s, if bands are added inside the shard, each band represents 500s, therefore a shard with two bands inside it = 1000s. These are called 'banded golds' and go from 'one banded gold' all the way up to a 'five banded gold'. This is a way of storing large currency efficiently within a smaller medium.
Pebbles: Pebbles (equivalent to cents) work in a similar way to shards. They are small rounded byproducts from the harvesting process tumbled into smaller currency and usually kept in a secondary pouch separate from the rods. There are five types of pebble:
Iron Pebble - 5p
Copper Pebble - 10p
Silver Pebble - 25p
Gold Pebble - 50p
Banded or Royal Pebble - 1s
While Thornmouth produces much in the way of material goods, there is a shortage of open land due to the nature of the isthmus - too far north and one risks dragon fire, too far west and one finds nature unmanageable, too far east and one runs into arid, rocky ground and predators. What towns and cities host fields tend to be closer to the capital and middle of the region, with more being fished and hunted than grown or raised. While the crops the kingdom produces are not insignificant (especially in regards to fungi and fruits), it still imports a lot of other foodstuffs (especially grain).
The isthmus is rich in ore and hosts a number of mining operations, primarily out of Crystal Town and settlements within the Sleeping Mountains. While more of a rural agricultural village, Arakho Valley plays host to many a miner and merchant passing through.
There is ample copper all around the volcanic central region and the more mountainous areas are host to not just copper, but iron, tin, gold, and a not insignificant amount of other minerals (including lead, silver, cobalt, manganese, zinc, and uranium). There is said to be a great deal of gold within and around the central sea, a claim supported by the fact the metal seems somewhat more abundant in this world and region in particular.
The Central Region is also host to a variety of crystals both magical and mundane found throughout its mountain ranges, in particular the multicolored quartz used to mint shards.
In general, trade is facilitated by businesses and wealthy merchants through trade licenses and district charters. A traveling merchant is expected to pay fees when crossing borders or entering ports. This includes those traveling directly into the kingdom through magical means, who must apply for a specialized merchants license in order to do business.
The Merchant’s Guild
Thornmouth does business with both sides of the continent and acts as neutral ground, maintaining peace while facilitating trade - they make good money through the taxation of goods passing through the kingdom.
While the port is ‘open to all’, the kingdom engages in minimal serious trade with other worlds due to the level of risk and difficulty involved. There are few reliable moon gates and the reliance upon magical items questionable. It has already proved a struggle to maintain a stable economy (or even ecosystem) with the unexpected goods that immigrants and merchants often bring with them, so an effort is made to minimize the damage by limiting such imports.
The major difference between ‘other world’ and local trade agreements is that most merchants pay a toll at border crossings - if someone is traveling another way, such as a moon gate or by personal means, they bypass this and therefore have to pay monthly ‘portal fees’ for their license even if they haven't done business recently.
The lucrative nature of trade in Thornmouth led to a demand for expanded financial services and so the banking industry was born, lending their services to money exchanges as well as financing merchants in their endeavors.
It is notable that gold and silver are devalued in the central region and one may not receive quite as much in local currency as they might expect (when making an exchange of foreign currency or ingots).
Thornmouth produces some highly sought after articles and materials, such as moon glass, gold, magic retaining crystals, fruits, ores, and reagents. It imports a decent amount of foodstuffs from the east to supplement what would largely be fish and reptiles otherwise, as arable land in the kingdom is limited to the portlands. The larger livestock is largely kept for work purposes despite a growing demand for red meat, farm animals most commonly consisting of goats and poultry. A large herd of cattle is difficult to find a place for as well as more likely to attract predators (read: dragons) and harder to protect.
Thornmouth imports coal, aluminum, timber, sugar and spices from the southeastern rainforests. It also imports beef, cloth, wool, grain, livestock, leather, and various exotic goods from a range of nations. They still primarily trade with nations in the west, but are seeing increased business with traders from the east as time marches on.
Thornmouth exports crystals (both magical and mundane), reagents, glass, sand, oil, pearls, copper, iron, gold, fungi, and fruit (esp. olives). A demand for trade in crafts such as metalworking and tailored goods has also been on the rise, the elves in particular finding interest in certain fashions coming from the mixing pot of cultures.
Local Currency
Thornmouth's currency is created from a local form of 'quartz' that grows at an unnatural pace in the many caves across Hy-Brazir. Their growth is thought to be linked to the natural magical saturation of the land and/or the influence of Aetheros. The approved money of the kingdom is made in heavily guarded mines by placing small slithers of metal in the shape of the troll cross inside the crystal as it grows. These mines are very well fortified both above and below ground, sure to be the death of any would-be robber or saboteur.
The local system of fiat currency was developed out of necessity. While an attempt was made to use human coinage, a metal standard proved difficult to maintain due to the melting pot of cultures and immigration from other worlds. In time there was citizenry who could create their own precious metals and additional importation from travelers meant the scarcity of any given material could not be guaranteed. So alternatives were sought and a solution found in the fast-growing crystals of the region.
Shards (equivalent to dollars) come in the form of small crystalline rods that fit in the palm of your hand. They are typically carried in soft leather pouches or containers with slots to prevent chipping or too much noise. Their values are marked by coloration and the metal the troll cross trapped inside: with each higher value the metal also increases in value, from iron, to copper, to silver and lastly gold. There are four main types of shard:
Iron Shard - 5s
Copper Shard - 10s
Silver Shard - 50s
Gold Shard - 100s
At 100s, if bands are added inside the shard, each band represents 500s, therefore a shard with two bands inside it = 1000s. These are called 'banded golds' and go from 'one banded gold' all the way up to a 'five banded gold'. This is a way of storing large currency efficiently within a smaller medium.
Pebbles: Pebbles (equivalent to cents) work in a similar way to shards. They are small rounded byproducts from the harvesting process tumbled into smaller currency and usually kept in a secondary pouch separate from the rods. There are five types of pebble:
Iron Pebble - 5p
Copper Pebble - 10p
Silver Pebble - 25p
Gold Pebble - 50p
Banded or Royal Pebble - 1s
Agriculture
While Thornmouth produces much in the way of material goods, there is a shortage of open land due to the nature of the isthmus - too far north and one risks dragon fire, too far west and one finds nature unmanageable, too far east and one runs into arid, rocky ground and predators. What towns and cities host fields tend to be closer to the capital and middle of the region, with more being fished and hunted than grown or raised. While the crops the kingdom produces are not insignificant (especially in regards to fungi and fruits), it still imports a lot of other foodstuffs (especially grain).
Mining
The isthmus is rich in ore and hosts a number of mining operations, primarily out of Crystal Town and settlements within the Sleeping Mountains. While more of a rural agricultural village, Arakho Valley plays host to many a miner and merchant passing through.
There is ample copper all around the volcanic central region and the more mountainous areas are host to not just copper, but iron, tin, gold, and a not insignificant amount of other minerals (including lead, silver, cobalt, manganese, zinc, and uranium). There is said to be a great deal of gold within and around the central sea, a claim supported by the fact the metal seems somewhat more abundant in this world and region in particular.
The Central Region is also host to a variety of crystals both magical and mundane found throughout its mountain ranges, in particular the multicolored quartz used to mint shards.
Local Trade
In general, trade is facilitated by businesses and wealthy merchants through trade licenses and district charters. A traveling merchant is expected to pay fees when crossing borders or entering ports. This includes those traveling directly into the kingdom through magical means, who must apply for a specialized merchants license in order to do business.
The Merchant’s Guild
The local association of merchants involved in broader exchanges of currency and goods. They work closely with the craft guilds as a matter of business, but are mostly registered caravans and bankers. The guild works to regulate commerce and protect merchants through the distribution of licenses and control of certain commodities. They also track shipments coming in and out of the city as a legalized institution part of the Trade and Immigration offices.
International Trade
Thornmouth does business with both sides of the continent and acts as neutral ground, maintaining peace while facilitating trade - they make good money through the taxation of goods passing through the kingdom.
While the port is ‘open to all’, the kingdom engages in minimal serious trade with other worlds due to the level of risk and difficulty involved. There are few reliable moon gates and the reliance upon magical items questionable. It has already proved a struggle to maintain a stable economy (or even ecosystem) with the unexpected goods that immigrants and merchants often bring with them, so an effort is made to minimize the damage by limiting such imports.
The major difference between ‘other world’ and local trade agreements is that most merchants pay a toll at border crossings - if someone is traveling another way, such as a moon gate or by personal means, they bypass this and therefore have to pay monthly ‘portal fees’ for their license even if they haven't done business recently.
Banking
The lucrative nature of trade in Thornmouth led to a demand for expanded financial services and so the banking industry was born, lending their services to money exchanges as well as financing merchants in their endeavors.
It is notable that gold and silver are devalued in the central region and one may not receive quite as much in local currency as they might expect (when making an exchange of foreign currency or ingots).
Imports and Exports
Thornmouth produces some highly sought after articles and materials, such as moon glass, gold, magic retaining crystals, fruits, ores, and reagents. It imports a decent amount of foodstuffs from the east to supplement what would largely be fish and reptiles otherwise, as arable land in the kingdom is limited to the portlands. The larger livestock is largely kept for work purposes despite a growing demand for red meat, farm animals most commonly consisting of goats and poultry. A large herd of cattle is difficult to find a place for as well as more likely to attract predators (read: dragons) and harder to protect.
Thornmouth imports coal, aluminum, timber, sugar and spices from the southeastern rainforests. It also imports beef, cloth, wool, grain, livestock, leather, and various exotic goods from a range of nations. They still primarily trade with nations in the west, but are seeing increased business with traders from the east as time marches on.
Thornmouth exports crystals (both magical and mundane), reagents, glass, sand, oil, pearls, copper, iron, gold, fungi, and fruit (esp. olives). A demand for trade in crafts such as metalworking and tailored goods has also been on the rise, the elves in particular finding interest in certain fashions coming from the mixing pot of cultures.
