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As we went over some of the trade goods previously we get to that natural second part of any trade transaction, whih is ofcourse payment. Any realm large enough would have it's own currency, and the Nagassa were no exception and our source graciously provided us with some samples of the Zsil, the main currency of the capitol, aparently also referred to as Scales or Glint the latter also happens to be the name of the currency used by some of the serpent tribes and the bird folk today. There were five coins used and a sixth would have been introduced apparently had the Nagassa capitol not fallen.
To start there was the lowest value coin made from copper, curiously similar with many currencies around Eidon, which was the oldest coin still in use and had a loop on one end so they could be carried on a string and these coins were called "coils" because of the coils closing the loop.
Next was a newer brass coin introduced to fill a gap inbetween due to an incrase in prices and wages. This coin was closer to an actual coin with it's star shape, and which looks nearly identical to the Glint used by the serpent tribes making us wonder if perhaps there is a link between the Nagassa and the Sathris... These coins were commonly referred to as "wings".
Then there is the second oldest currency, the silver coins, these weren't exactly coins as they were oddly shaped like the coils, and is aparently a remnant of older times when these silver coins were the highest value and this had to be kept hidden for safety. Thus the hooked shape allowed them to be hooked behind belts or specially made lining inside a coin purse or clothing so that these coins wouldn't clink to entice would be thieves. These coins were typically called tails because of their shape and had given rise to the Nagassa saying of "Two wings to a tail", unfortunately at the time we neglected to inquire about the exact meaning. We do know about the meaning of the other name of this coin, a "hook", since even the Nagassa practiced the oldest profession of all and the typical price for such services was between one to three hooks which introduced the term "hooker" to Nagassa vocabulary as one would hook these coins onto the clothing of the service giver as advance payment and claim to the service.
Next up are the gold coins and one which most of the middle class would barely ever get to use in their day to day lives and would often require taking a loan from the bank to purchase property or land. These coins were called "scales" because of their vague resemblance.
Finally there was the platinum coin which was only used by the wealthy elite and were called "crest" due to the imperial crest engarved on them. If you were often paying in scales and crests then you surely made it in Nagassa society.
As for the value of each coin it was 100 coils for 1 wing, 2 wings for 1 tail, 500 tails for one scale and 1000 scales for one crest.
Now you might be wondering how the Nagassa carried around such large amounts of coins, and the answer is they did not, at least not physically. Once again their advanced magic and technoly came into play. Though in a way similar to a so caled bag of holding which uses pocket dimensions to store things the Nagassa used thin plates of blood crsytal encased in a metal frame which could be easily carried in a pocket or purse and this plate was enchanted to form a portal link between two pocket dimensions with one in the bank where one had their actual money stored and the other inside the plate itself. thus one could transfer Zsil from the bank to their plate's pocket dimension using a transfer point and then one could retrieve the coins from their plate to pay in cash. Or if one should chose to the Zsil could be transferred directly to the merchant's plate or bank by sliding one's plate into a magical device which allowed a temporary reroute of the dimensional link to draw the funds from the payer's plate or bank's pocket dimension to the recipient's bank in the correct amount input in the device.
Another interesting that was learned from our source was that a sign language was developed to communicate prices in the often very loud central market place. On one hand one would show which coins were required with each digit corresponding to a specific coin from copper to platinum, and on the other hand one would signal how many of each coin for larger sums. So for exmple if a middle finger was shown on both hands that meant the price was 20 silver. There were additional signs for higher values ofcourse as this was merely an example given at the time.
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Made in Hero Forge
Characters/Nagassa belong to me
Chakat_Blackwater
To start there was the lowest value coin made from copper, curiously similar with many currencies around Eidon, which was the oldest coin still in use and had a loop on one end so they could be carried on a string and these coins were called "coils" because of the coils closing the loop.
Next was a newer brass coin introduced to fill a gap inbetween due to an incrase in prices and wages. This coin was closer to an actual coin with it's star shape, and which looks nearly identical to the Glint used by the serpent tribes making us wonder if perhaps there is a link between the Nagassa and the Sathris... These coins were commonly referred to as "wings".
Then there is the second oldest currency, the silver coins, these weren't exactly coins as they were oddly shaped like the coils, and is aparently a remnant of older times when these silver coins were the highest value and this had to be kept hidden for safety. Thus the hooked shape allowed them to be hooked behind belts or specially made lining inside a coin purse or clothing so that these coins wouldn't clink to entice would be thieves. These coins were typically called tails because of their shape and had given rise to the Nagassa saying of "Two wings to a tail", unfortunately at the time we neglected to inquire about the exact meaning. We do know about the meaning of the other name of this coin, a "hook", since even the Nagassa practiced the oldest profession of all and the typical price for such services was between one to three hooks which introduced the term "hooker" to Nagassa vocabulary as one would hook these coins onto the clothing of the service giver as advance payment and claim to the service.
Next up are the gold coins and one which most of the middle class would barely ever get to use in their day to day lives and would often require taking a loan from the bank to purchase property or land. These coins were called "scales" because of their vague resemblance.
Finally there was the platinum coin which was only used by the wealthy elite and were called "crest" due to the imperial crest engarved on them. If you were often paying in scales and crests then you surely made it in Nagassa society.
As for the value of each coin it was 100 coils for 1 wing, 2 wings for 1 tail, 500 tails for one scale and 1000 scales for one crest.
Now you might be wondering how the Nagassa carried around such large amounts of coins, and the answer is they did not, at least not physically. Once again their advanced magic and technoly came into play. Though in a way similar to a so caled bag of holding which uses pocket dimensions to store things the Nagassa used thin plates of blood crsytal encased in a metal frame which could be easily carried in a pocket or purse and this plate was enchanted to form a portal link between two pocket dimensions with one in the bank where one had their actual money stored and the other inside the plate itself. thus one could transfer Zsil from the bank to their plate's pocket dimension using a transfer point and then one could retrieve the coins from their plate to pay in cash. Or if one should chose to the Zsil could be transferred directly to the merchant's plate or bank by sliding one's plate into a magical device which allowed a temporary reroute of the dimensional link to draw the funds from the payer's plate or bank's pocket dimension to the recipient's bank in the correct amount input in the device.
Another interesting that was learned from our source was that a sign language was developed to communicate prices in the often very loud central market place. On one hand one would show which coins were required with each digit corresponding to a specific coin from copper to platinum, and on the other hand one would signal how many of each coin for larger sums. So for exmple if a middle finger was shown on both hands that meant the price was 20 silver. There were additional signs for higher values ofcourse as this was merely an example given at the time.
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Made in Hero Forge
Characters/Nagassa belong to me
Chakat_Blackwater
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fantasy
Species Snake / Serpent
Size 1024 x 1024px
File Size 1.32 MB
FA+
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