Currency
Currency on I'athos, as with most things, is calculated on a base 9 system, making it a rather confusing form of currency. There are two primary types of currency, Drops and Draws. Their names are entirely in reference to their forging, and there is no imprint upon them. There is no formal measurement that determines the 'appropriate size' of a Drop or a Draw, it's value being determined by it's relative weight in relation to the metal used. An ounce of gold is worth the same value, regardless of whether or not it is comprised of six Drops or one large one. That said, each Drop and Draw tend to be uncannily similar in size and weight, as each forging aims to replicate the same value, for ease of trade.
The purity on the other hand, is an issue, as some individuals will attempt to cheat the system by coating led in their precious metals. However, being so frequently handled, most traders worth their salt are able to tell simply by feel whether or not a Drop or Draw has had it's weight tampered with, and if in doubt, there is usually a Treasurer in any significant market or town who periodically inspects people's currency to ensure that it is fair, and if found to be false, will confiscate the metal, providing a real version of lesser value, as a form of fine for owning an 'impure' Drop or Draw. The Treasurers are always employed by the ruling Lords or Kings, and answer directly to them. This does not ensure their honesty, but if found to be fraudulent, usually results in a gruesome execution.
Onto their construction, Drops are forged by smelting ore down to it's purest form, and then filling a syringe like container which is submerged under water and small beads are gently dropped into the pool, cooling and hardening into a 'Drop' by the time it reaches the bottom of the container. These are usually gathered up and kept in a 'Drop Pouch', which is tied to their 'Draw Belt'.
Draws on the other hand are more difficult to forge, but far more convenient to carry. They are forged by first treating a string and piece of wood. The string is tied to a shaped wooden stick, and then has the other end tied to a metal ring of the desired metal. The treated string and metal ring is dipped into the molten metal and 'drawn up' creating a thin covering around the whole structure. Once the first dip cools, what remains of the string is burned away, leaving a small tube of the metal. This is then dipped eight more times into the molten metal, and submerged so that the metal can be 'drawn in' to the hole made by the burnt string. Once nine draws have been accomplished, what remains is a stick of metal with a ring attached to one end, and a somewhat charred piece of wood on the other. It is quite common for the wood to be decorated and further charred by fire as ornamentation. The Draw is then tied by the metal ring to the 'Draw Belt', which usually sits a little higher on the waist than a usual belt.
Now that the forging method has been explained, one must naturally understand how the currency is calculated. Firstly, Drops are written as '●' and Draws are written as '┴'. There are four primary metals from which the currency is forged cheapest to the most valuable: Copper, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each metal is nine times as valuable as it's previous metal, meaning 1 Platinum Drop is as valuable as nine Golden Drops. Same goes for the Draws, three copper Draws equals one Silver Draw. The next differentiation, is that value between a Drop and a Draw. One Draw is worth Nine Drops of it's same metal. 9 copper Drops equals 1 copper Draw. Below is a somewhat complicated conversion.
1 copper
9 copper●(1c┴) = 1 Silver●
81 copper●(9c┴) = 9 silver●(1s┴) = 1 Gold●
729 copper●(81c┴) = 81 Silver●(9s┴) = 9 Gold●(1g┴)
6561 copper●(729c┴) = 729 Silver●(81s┴) = 81 Gold●(9g┴) = 1 Platinum●
59049 copper●(6561c┴) = 6561 silver●(729s┴) = 729 Gold●(81g┴) = 9 Platinum●(1P┴)
531441 copper●(59049c┴) = 59049 Silver●(6561c┴) = 6561 Gold●(729g┴) = 81 Platinum●(9P┴)
The purity on the other hand, is an issue, as some individuals will attempt to cheat the system by coating led in their precious metals. However, being so frequently handled, most traders worth their salt are able to tell simply by feel whether or not a Drop or Draw has had it's weight tampered with, and if in doubt, there is usually a Treasurer in any significant market or town who periodically inspects people's currency to ensure that it is fair, and if found to be false, will confiscate the metal, providing a real version of lesser value, as a form of fine for owning an 'impure' Drop or Draw. The Treasurers are always employed by the ruling Lords or Kings, and answer directly to them. This does not ensure their honesty, but if found to be fraudulent, usually results in a gruesome execution.
Onto their construction, Drops are forged by smelting ore down to it's purest form, and then filling a syringe like container which is submerged under water and small beads are gently dropped into the pool, cooling and hardening into a 'Drop' by the time it reaches the bottom of the container. These are usually gathered up and kept in a 'Drop Pouch', which is tied to their 'Draw Belt'.
Draws on the other hand are more difficult to forge, but far more convenient to carry. They are forged by first treating a string and piece of wood. The string is tied to a shaped wooden stick, and then has the other end tied to a metal ring of the desired metal. The treated string and metal ring is dipped into the molten metal and 'drawn up' creating a thin covering around the whole structure. Once the first dip cools, what remains of the string is burned away, leaving a small tube of the metal. This is then dipped eight more times into the molten metal, and submerged so that the metal can be 'drawn in' to the hole made by the burnt string. Once nine draws have been accomplished, what remains is a stick of metal with a ring attached to one end, and a somewhat charred piece of wood on the other. It is quite common for the wood to be decorated and further charred by fire as ornamentation. The Draw is then tied by the metal ring to the 'Draw Belt', which usually sits a little higher on the waist than a usual belt.
Now that the forging method has been explained, one must naturally understand how the currency is calculated. Firstly, Drops are written as '●' and Draws are written as '┴'. There are four primary metals from which the currency is forged cheapest to the most valuable: Copper, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each metal is nine times as valuable as it's previous metal, meaning 1 Platinum Drop is as valuable as nine Golden Drops. Same goes for the Draws, three copper Draws equals one Silver Draw. The next differentiation, is that value between a Drop and a Draw. One Draw is worth Nine Drops of it's same metal. 9 copper Drops equals 1 copper Draw. Below is a somewhat complicated conversion.
1 copper
9 copper●(1c┴) = 1 Silver●
81 copper●(9c┴) = 9 silver●(1s┴) = 1 Gold●
729 copper●(81c┴) = 81 Silver●(9s┴) = 9 Gold●(1g┴)
6561 copper●(729c┴) = 729 Silver●(81s┴) = 81 Gold●(9g┴) = 1 Platinum●
59049 copper●(6561c┴) = 6561 silver●(729s┴) = 729 Gold●(81g┴) = 9 Platinum●(1P┴)
531441 copper●(59049c┴) = 59049 Silver●(6561c┴) = 6561 Gold●(729g┴) = 81 Platinum●(9P┴)
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