Subject: Essay #2 - Currency COPYRIGHT 1986, SKYREALMS PUBLISHING This essay is a collection on design notes intended for inquiring garners. This material is not in its final form, and may appear significantly altered if and when eventually published. We provide these essays to give interested parties an opportunity to see what goes on behind the scenes at SkyRealms publishing and to get a look ahead upon our coming releases. CURRENCY.ORG BY: Andrew Leker FOR: Mark Wallace ABSTRACT: Currency on Jorune and wages. The currency of Burdoth is gem based. Different grades of gems have different values. Uncut, un-scultped gems are beautiful, but do not constitute currency. Only those stones which bore the Dharsage's seal were used for exchange. After the Energy Weapon's war, and the discovery of Earth-Tec, the Dharsage slowed down the manufacture of metal coins in favor of drilling narrow, clean holes through gems with the newly acquired laser-torches. This system is virtually impossible to duplicate by any other means; nothing but a laser-torch can cut as fine or as clean a hole. The most common gems used in Burdoth are: Bits: The smallest unit of currency. Equivalent to about a penny in Burdoth. Twenty bits make a gemule. Physically, bits are crude, ugly crystals with rough exteriors. Bits are not considered currency in quantities greater than 100 because they lack dharsage marks. Gemules (yules): Gemules are the most common unit of exchange. They have the buying power of 20 bits (about 20 cents). Although they are well formed crystals, their interior is white and milky. Old gemules are patterned, new ones have laser holes in them. One hundred gemules make one gemlink. Gemlinks (links): Gemlinks differ from gemules in that their centers are considerably less milky and light blue in color. A gemlink has in this society the equivalent buying power of a twenty dollar bill in late 1980's U.S. currency. Ten gemlinks are equal to a single *gem." Gemlinks are about the size of a fifty cent piece. Gems: The beginning of the nice gems. Center is completely clear of milky color but sparkles with blue, green and yellow. Ten gems form a gemcluster. GemCluster: Similar to gems, but the color in their centers is clustered into small, bright bursts of color. Ten gemclusters make a single gemstar. Gem Stars: The finest gems. Completely clear except for the colorful starburst pattern that emerges radially from their centers. This is the highest unit of Burdothian currency. It is important to have a grasp on the buying power of each of these units of currency. Knowing the value of gemlinks in terms of gemules is not enough; here are some basic equivalences: A reasonable lunch in the center of Ardoth is going to run about 2 yules (gemules). Fast food (thivin kiosks) will cost less, usually between 20 and 30 bits (that's between 1 and 1.5 yules). A medium priced dinner is going to run about 3 gemules, while a good meal will run as high as 20 to 30 gemules (higher if drinks are included). Here are some sample rates of pay for different occupational types: Beggars: Scrounge two to three gemules each day in a large city. Durlig pullers: 13 gemules/day Movers 11 gemules/day Miner 8 gemules/day Harvester 10 gemules/day Digger 8 gemules/day Sailor 7 gemules/day (at sea) Fisherman 16 gemules/day (self employed) 10 gemules/day (employed) Carpenter 13 gemules/day (on a team) 20 gemules/day (building cabinets, woodwork) Butcher 20 gemules/day (self employed) Butcher 14 gemules/day (apprentice) Tanner 12 gemules/day Trainer self employed: paid for animals, not day-by-day 13 gemules/day (employed) Cook 12 gemules/day (kiosk, food included) 16 gemules/day (small restaurant) 25 gemules/day (nice restaurant) 50 gemules/day (fine restaurant) Clerk 15 gemules/day Secretarial 20 gemules/day 45 gemules/day (competent) Garment maker 9 gemules/day (making cloth) 11 gemules/day (making nice clothing) 20 gemules/day (making very nice clothing) 25 gemules/day (designing) Beverages 14 gemules/day (making rusper) 20 gemules/day (winery) 15 gemules/day (serve drinks in an illidge) 22 gemules/day (shast in a shenter) Oils 10 gemules/day (extracting oils, smells bad) Perfumer 10 gemules/day (simple, hard labor) Rug maker 12 gemules/day People groomer 14 gemules/day (hair, nails, etc.) Animal groomer 6 gemules/day (cleaning thombos and bochigons) Shoe maker 13 gemules/day Tapestry 11 gemules/day Gardener 12 gemules/day (friendly neighborhood gardener) 16 gemules/day (for kesht or dharsage) Jeweler 20 gemules/day Weaver 12 gemules/day Trader 18 gemules/day (thivin trader clears this much) Flower seller 8 gemules/day Food vendor 6 gemules/day (a thivin working in a kiosk) 25 gemules/day (owner of a thivin kiosk) City guide 15 gemules/day (arranged position with chell) City Yord 20 gemules/day (under the chell) Private yord 15 gemules/day (hired guard) Archer 24 gemules/day (under the dharsage) Patroller 25 gemules/day (under dharsage, exterior patrol) Daijic 45 gemules/day (daij-meat daijic, very few) 20 gemules/day (crystal daijic) Soldier 30 gemules/day (real combat soldier for Khodre) Dancer 5 gemules/day (working in the streets) 9 gemules/day (in a troop) Crafts maker 12 gemules/day (display of goods) Musician 6 gemules/day (working in the streets) 10 gemules/day (in a troop of musicians) Singer 15 gemules/day (not on the streets, royal events) Administrating 16 gemules/day (small business) 20 gemules/day (medium business) 75 gemules/day (fairly substantial business) Kim member 5 gemules/day (minimal pay) Beaster not a paid position (self employ only) Caji guard illegal to hire caji in the city as guards 30 gemules/day (expedition, few dyshas) 50 gemules/day (expedition, somewhat useful) 1 gemlink/day (expedition, useful) 2 gemlinks/day (expedition, many colors, dyshas) Hishtin 1 gemlink/day (boccord only) Teacher 15 gemules/day (simple subject) 25 gemules/day (competent teacher) 25 gemules/day (thriddle fadri, 5/day per person) Healer 30 gemules/day (in own enclep) Thriddle calc 14 gemules/day (mathematical grindouts) Iscin 20 gemules/day (mathematical grindouts) 20 gemules/day (translation) 60 gemules/day (expedition) Yordeh 30 gemules/day (beginning) 80 gemules/day (experienced) 150 gemules/day (very professional) Translator 5 gemules/day (decent speaker) 18 gemules/day (fluent speaker) Aid to Council 1 gemlink/day (wild fluctuation) ABSTRACT: Food on Jorune (durlig on Jorune). What do the people of Jorune eat and how do they eat? When out doors, Ardothians eat mainly sandwiches and fried food. Durlig leaves are often used to pick up food, and the fried durlig chunks called "bryits" are crispy on the outside, making them neat enough to be eaten by hand. Meals eaten in the home are served primarily in wooden bowls (fine brynk hardwood is preferred) and are eaten with spoons. Although plates and forks are available in most homes, a typical Ardothian meal doesn't require them. Meats are usually cut up into small pieces before being served. The basis for this style of eating is very old. When Burdothians came to understand durlig's importance in the human diet, there was great impetus to introduce this bad tasting vegetable. Children especially, were urged to eat durlig with every meal. Eventually, people started cooking more casseroles and stews that used diced durlig heart as a base. As a result, most Ardothian food served in the family setting involves durlig either in the form of a casserole or stew, or for children who are especially bad, boiled or baked. Under such harsh circumstances, forks and knives are provided. Of the fast food available, the thivin control more than 65% of the market. Their little kiosks, booths and stands liner Ardoth's streets. Although only involved in the food industry for thirty or forty years, they have come up with some strikingly original means of preparing durlig. Although rumor has it that they use questionable meats (beagre and rat), people continue to eat thivin food with broad smiles. And although very greasy, it tastes good and contains enough durlig to keep a body healthy. The thivin klades in Ardoth keep their techniques as secret as possible. For a yule you can purchase a bag of bryits, a mug of squaum, and three crisps. They called it the food deal of the century. What makes it possible to enjoy these same plates over and over again is tly changing thivin recipe. They aren't trying to hit the perfect formula, nor are they capable of it - thivin don't eat the food they prepare... u