Currency and Trade of Andrus
Currency & Trade
AX.GAN.09.04
Historical Context
For two full eras, the peoples of Andrus conducted commerce through barter, material exchange, territorial agreement, and the enforced obligations that became the predecessor to modern Compact Writs. The Anima had no unified currency, and no need for one. The Kin traded elemental compounds and services. Territory, passage rights, and oral-recorded obligations constituted most economic value.
The World Gate changed this. When the Ekhari arrived approximately seventy to ninety years ago, they brought not just Consortium Arcanism but a commercial infrastructure: accounting systems, standardized documentation, and the prototype of what became the Iron Mark. Within forty years of the Gate opening, the Ekhari Merchant Council had established the Mark as the dominant currency in every settlement with meaningful Ekhari commercial presence.
The older systems did not disappear. Outside Ekhari-influenced territory, Anima and Kin cultures still prefer barter and material exchange. In the Blasted Reach, where Marks are difficult to spend, Kyne Daas operate on service-for-service and Compact Writ systems. But the Mark has become the reference point, even cultures that prefer barter describe the value of trade goods in approximate Mark equivalents.
The Standard Mark System
The Ekhari Merchant Council issues three denominations under the collective name Standard Marks. Each denomination bears a House seal on one face and the Council authentication mark on the other. Forgery is legally treated as an act against the Council itself; House-specific forensic authentication techniques make forgery technically difficult.
Denominations
Iron Mark (IM) The base denomination. A stamped iron disk approximately thumb-width in diameter. Used for everyday transactions: meals, lodging, labor, small goods. The most common currency in settled Andrus.
Silver Mark (SM) Ten Iron Marks in value. A silver-alloy disk, slightly larger than the Iron Mark, bearing dual authentication (issuing House seal + Council seal). Used for significant purchases: weapons, armor, professional service contracts, extended travel. The Silver Mark is the negotiating unit for most commerce between settled parties.
Covenant Seal (CS) One hundred Iron Marks in value. Not a coin, a sealed document issued by a Merchant House, stamped with both the House seal and the Council's authentication cipher, and signed by a House senior member. Covenant Seals are legal tender at any House-recognized commercial location. Used for major transactions: heavy armor, ships, building rights, long-term contracts. Possessing an unsealed or improperly authenticated Covenant Seal is a commercial crime under Merchant Council law.
Conversion
| Denomination | Value | Physical Form |
|---|---|---|
| Iron Mark (IM) | Base unit | Stamped iron disk |
| Silver Mark (SM) | 10 IM | Silver-alloy disk |
| Covenant Seal (CS) | 100 IM | Sealed document |
Alternative Exchange Systems
Standard Marks are not universal in Andrus. Three alternative systems remain active, each appropriate to specific cultural and geographic contexts.
Compact Writs
Written obligations backed by the Voren Stewardship Compact. A Compact Writ records a specific obligation, labor, passage, goods, services, and is enforceable at any Compact outpost. The value of a Writ is whatever the parties agreed it was worth; there is no fixed denomination.
Compact Writs are trusted in inter-lineage territories where Marks may not reach or where Ekhari commercial authority is not recognized. Calri information brokers accept them. Daza memory consultations are sometimes conducted under Writ. In Blasted Reach adjacent territories, Writs frequently substitute for Marks entirely.
Practical use: A character with Compact affiliation can issue Writs worth up to their established standing in the Compact. Exceeding that standing or defaulting on a Writ is a serious institutional offense.
Elemental Compounds
Kin-produced materials with practical applications command significant value wherever they are not locally available. Elemental compounds are not standardized, their value varies by purity, quantity, and the destination market, but rough equivalencies have emerged over decades of trade.
| Compound | Source | General Value |
|---|---|---|
| Fire-salts (unit) | Ashari | 15–25 IM |
| Earth-compound shard (unit) | Durakai | 20–40 IM |
| Pure-water concentration (vial) | Mirelen | 25–50 IM |
| Wind-charged crystal | Zephari | 30–60 IM |
Elemental compounds are accepted as trade goods by most Anima cultures, by Kyne Daas in the Reach, and by any merchant who understands their application value. They are not accepted as formal currency by the Ekhari Merchant Council but function as high-value barter goods.
Knowledge and Access Trade
Several Andrus cultures trade in goods that cannot be monetized by weight or material: information, historical records, territorial access, and specialist consultation.
Memory Coil consultation (Daza): One session with a Memory Keeper accessing relevant Coil records. Value: 50–150 IM equivalent, negotiated per inquiry.
Ustara celestial chart (current year): A Chronicler-Legate's current astronomical record, produced on demand. Value: 100–300 IM equivalent.
Kyne Daas Reach passage (per guide, per day): Safe transit through monitored Reach territory with active fissure avoidance. Value: 30–80 IM equivalent.
Yusk archival access: Access to the Yusk long-memory archives for one research inquiry. Value: 80–200 IM equivalent; may require reciprocal knowledge exchange rather than currency.
Calri information: Current-intelligence on a specific target or situation. Value: highly variable (20–500+ IM depending on sensitivity and exclusivity of the information).
Regional Trade Patterns
Economic activity in Andrus divides roughly along the three lineage family lines, with the Ekhari mercantile network as the connecting tissue between regions.
| Region / Culture | Primary Exports | Primary Imports | Preferred Exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ekhari (commercial towns) | Marks, documentation, arcanism services, Ekhari-manufactured equipment | Raw materials, Kin compounds, territorial access | Marks; formal documentation required for major transactions |
| Voren territories | Mediation, Compact enforcement, lodge-forged goods | Provisions, information, travel support | Mix of Marks and Writs |
| Sereindal ports | Maritime transport, ocean goods, naval skills | Land provisions, forge metals, Ekhari documents | Marks accepted; Silver Marks preferred for ship-scale transactions |
| Daza ranges | Historical consultation, memory records, archival research | Writing materials, physical goods, information access | Mostly barter; Marks accepted for material goods |
| Calri urban networks | Intelligence, identity services, information brokerage | Anything operationally useful | Marks strongly preferred; also accepts high-value barter |
| Kyne Daas (Reach margin) | Safe passage, scar-mapped route access, fissure monitoring data | Provisions, medical supplies, equipment resupply | Writs and barter; Marks rare and difficult to spend |
| Ustara enclaves | Celestial records, draconic consultation, pattern analysis | Research materials, construction supplies, Kin compounds | Marks and specialized arrangement; True Dragon transactions are non-monetary |
| Ashari territories | Heat-working, forge services, Hearth-Worked armor and weapons | Food, textiles, information from settled areas | Mix; fire-salts serve as supplementary currency within Ashari networks |
| Durakai lodges | Stonework, fortification construction, Earth-worked goods | Food, textile goods, information | Lodge-bonds (structured obligations, functionally equivalent to Writs) |
| Mirelen communities | Water purification, healing compounds, flowing-current treatments | Food, durable goods, shelter materials | Highly flexible; pure-water concentrations as de facto currency within Mirelen networks |
| Zephari drift-circles | Weather prediction, communication relay, aerial courier | Ground-produced food and goods | Barter and service exchange; Marks rarely held long |
| Aedyn territories | Aerial survey, altitude access, elevation-locked route finding | Ground provisions, ground-crafted goods | Barter; Marks only in Ekhari-adjacent Aedyn settlements |
| Kasia territories | Toxins, antidotes, jungle compounds, environmental expertise | Metals, textiles, Marks, outside-territory information | Jungle compounds as internal currency; Marks for outside-trade |
| Misa territories | Hunting guide services, jungle transit, territorial rights | Marks, durable goods, metals | Barter; guide services traded for equivalent goods |
| Kerroshi cities | Social facilitation, contact networks, urban access | Employment, comfortable lodging, Marks | Marks strongly preferred; most urbanized Anima economy |
| Yusk territories | Archival access, long-memory consultation, territorial knowledge | Food, territory respect, reciprocal knowledge | Barter; knowledge exchange standard; Marks for material goods only |
Cost Reference
All costs given in Iron Marks (IM). Convert to Silver Marks (÷10) or Covenant Seals (÷100) as appropriate.
Note on pricing: These are baseline costs in regions with access to the item. Cultural variants command a 25–100% premium in non-origin markets. Kyne Daas survival equipment is cheap in Reach-adjacent towns; expensive or unavailable elsewhere. Misa articulated plate is expensive everywhere, the craft cost is high regardless of where it is purchased.
Labor and Services
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Day's unskilled labor | 1–2 IM |
| Day's skilled labor (craft, medicine, translation) | 5–10 IM |
| Day's specialist labor (arcanism, legal, scholarly) | 20–50 IM |
| Modest meal and lodging (per night) | 2–5 IM |
| Comfortable meal and lodging (per night) | 10–25 IM |
| Stabling (horse or equivalent large animal, per night) | 2–4 IM |
| Guide service (per day, local knowledge) | 5–15 IM |
| Compact Warden consultation (formal) | 20–60 IM |
| Ekhari legal documentation (one document) | 30–100 IM |
| Passage (ship, per day per passenger) | 5–15 IM |
Weapons
| Weapon | Cost |
|---|---|
| Short Blade | 15–25 IM |
| Calri Concealable | 35–60 IM |
| Kasia Groove-Blade | 30–50 IM |
| Aedyn Dive-Talon | 25–45 IM |
| Kerroshi Flicker | 20–35 IM |
| Sereindal Cutlass | 45–80 IM |
| Boarding Axe | 40–70 IM |
| Walking Staff | 15–30 IM |
| Misa Paired Blades | 80–140 IM |
| Hearthblade | 60–100 IM |
| Yusk Jaw-Hook | 50–90 IM |
| Stoneholder Maul | 100–180 IM |
| Great Mattock | 80–150 IM |
| Voren Lodge-Polearm | 90–160 IM |
| Aedyn Dive-Bow | 80–140 IM |
| Precision Crossbow | 120–200 IM |
| Kyne Daas Longbow | 100–170 IM |
| Sereindal Bolt-Caster | 130–220 IM |
Armor and Shields
| Armor | Cost |
|---|---|
| Wind-Treated Leather | 60–110 IM |
| Salt-Cured Leather | 50–90 IM |
| Calri Costume Armor | 90–160 IM |
| Kerroshi Concealment Wrap | 70–120 IM |
| Kyne Daas Reach-Coat | 80–140 IM |
| Misa Articulated Plate | 280–450 IM |
| Voren Lodge-Marked Mail | 180–300 IM |
| Ashari Hearth-Worked | 200–350 IM |
| Ekhari Merchant Guard | 150–250 IM |
| Sereindal Fleet Plate | 190–320 IM |
| Durakai Stone-Set Plate | 700–1,200 IM |
| Voren Ironback | 650–1,100 IM |
| Standard Shield | 30–60 IM |
| Aedyn Wing-Buckler | 40–70 IM |
| Sereindal Boarding Shield | 50–90 IM |
Kits
| Kit | Starting Modifier | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Fortitude Kit | +2D | 20–40 IM |
| Endurance Kit | +2D | 20–40 IM |
| Acrobatics Kit | +2D | 25–50 IM |
| Healing Kit | +2D | 30–60 IM |
| Toxin Kit | +2D | 40–80 IM |
| Diplomacy Kit | +2D | 35–60 IM |
| Contacts Kit | +2D | 25–50 IM |
| Tactics Kit | +2D | 30–55 IM |
| Analysis Kit | +2D | 20–40 IM |
| Observation Kit | +2D | 35–65 IM |
| Attunement Kit | +3D | 80–150 IM |
| Survival Kit (Reach) | +2D | 60–120 IM |
| Healing Kit | +3D | 70–130 IM |
| Disguise Kit | +3D | 75–140 IM |
| Infiltration Kit | +3D | 90–160 IM |
| Documentation Kit | +3D | 80–150 IM |
| Archive Kit | +3D | Not for sale, Daza Coil only |
| Lore Kit | +3D | 70–130 IM |
| Research Kit | +3D | 65–120 IM |
| Formation Kit | +3D | Not for sale, Consortium Arcanism only |
General Gear
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Day's rations | 1 IM |
| Waterskin | 2 IM |
| Bedroll | 5–10 IM |
| Rope (15m) | 3–8 IM |
| Torch | 1 IM |
| Lantern | 10–20 IM |
| Lantern oil (per fill) | 2 IM |
| Climbing gear | 15–30 IM |
| Tarpaulin | 5–12 IM |
| Writing materials (basic) | 5–15 IM |
| Writing materials (formal) | 30–80 IM |
| Cipher notebook | 20–50 IM |
| Sealing wax (5 uses) | 3 IM |
| Blasted Reach ash filter | 15–30 IM |
| Fissure-detection rod | 80–200 IM |
| Flight harness | 100–300 IM |
| Hearth-ash (per application) | 3–8 IM |
| Deep-pattern camouflage wrap | 25–60 IM |
| Fleet identification token | 5–15 IM |
| Compact documentation set | 40–100 IM |
| Formation anchors (set of 4) | 60–150 IM |
| Memory-binding materials | 20–50 IM |
GM Notes on Economy
Starting funds: Characters begin play with their profession's Starting Equipment already in hand; they do not need to purchase it from starting funds. If the GM provides starting funds for additional equipment, a reasonable baseline for a standard (9D) generation package is 50–80 Iron Marks.
Price negotiation: The costs above are baseline prices in regions where the item is available. GM discretion on adjustment: - Items in the culture that produces them: 25–50% lower - Items far from their origin culture: 25–100% higher - Items associated with power traditions (Hearthblade, Formation Kit) outside tradition culture: may not be available at any price - Market conditions (active conflict, Reach disruption, siege): multiply by 2–5×
The Ekhari commercial threshold: Any transaction above 50 Iron Marks in Ekhari commercial territory generates a formal documentation record. Transactions above 5 Silver Marks (50 IM) may trigger Merchant House scrutiny if they involve unusual goods or unestablished parties. Characters conducting significant commerce anonymously in Ekhari territory face an additional obstacle.
Reach economy: The Blasted Reach is effectively outside the Mark system. Kyne Daas guide services, scar compound access, and passage rights are negotiated through Compact Writs, service exchange, or direct barter. Attempting to pay for Reach services in Iron Marks is possible but signals unfamiliarity with how the Reach operates, a minor social signal the GM can use.