Schem

Schem is the dominant currency of Estaria, minted by royal families with images of King Edwyn the Holy stamped into silver, rectangular plates. As such, its value fluctuates with the value of silver.
Schem is widely distributed in trade with Estaria's neighbors, and to the markets of Estaria's colonies in distant lands. Since its inception, Schem has become the dominant currency in Vildrel.

Description

Schem is made of a solid sheet silver weighing two ounces. The silver sheet is stamped into a rectangle, 1.2 inches wide, 0.6 inches tall, and 0.05 inches thick. Every 0.4 inches along the width is a perforated line where the metal is thinner. These lines are made to be cut so that the coin can be split into halves or fourths. A Schem cut in half is called two Ha-Schem. A Schem that is cut into fourths is called four bits.

Value

Schem are accepted all across Estaria for their value in silver. Their value fluctuates, but currently, in the year 2167, a single day laborer such as a miner or farmer will earn about ten schem per day. A skilled laborer like a scribnir, blacksmith's assistant, or sailor will earn andywhere between fifteen to fifty schem per day; and a highly skilled laborer such as a merchant, blacksmith, or ship captain will earn forty to one hundred schem per day. This is the best way to reference the price of goods, since schem's buying power is based on the needs and supply of the local workforce.
(As an out-of-universe cheat reference, a schem is worth the equivalent of four modern day dollars. So a bit is one dollar and a ha-schem is two dollars.)

Examples

Here are examples of what can be bought for one schem. A single schem could buy:

• two pounds of apples or common fruit
• one pound of citrus or uncommon fruit
• two paper cartridges for muskets and rifles
• a cheap drink at a low-end pub

Item type

Currency & Deeds