IMPORTANT NOTE: This document has not been finalized yet and may change in the future
A small glowing bead, sometimes found in the sands and starlight river of the midnight desert of Zulithan. They are commonly collected into clear glass bowls and used to light homes, workshops, and importantly, crop fields. Given the importance of artificial light to Zulithan, each Fostep is worth several Palmae. Over many years the light flickers out, becoming junk.
Glass beads, sometimes created from spent fostep or crafted from local sand, used for more everyday transactions and usually tied to enough flour to bake a single meal's loaf.
144 Maaje = 1 FostepDerirved from a system of ships' merits, the jadara is the primary currency of Umerail. Umerick ships are happy to use local currencies for trade deals, but their sailors are primarily paid in jadara, meaning most shore leave destinations are at least familiar with them. The jadara is a small bronze coin with the first letter for 'jadara' on one side, and the number one on the reverse. A single jadara is typically meant to cover a single meal and a bed on shore leave, so pay and goods often use higher denominations.
On the mainland Hizma are paper certificates of a "bundle" of jadara. The Admiral-princes also mint silver coins for the hizma so it will be accepted at ports of call as well. In coin form the profile of the king is on the face, and the coat-of-arms of the minting admiral on the reverse. It is considered a mark of prestige for an admiral if a rival's trade ship discovers a new port but finds a hizma with their mark upon it.
1 Hizma = 8 JadarasTypically only used in home ports for matters of property and bulk trade, each lulu is a small ornate coin of gold and pearl. Each is hand crafted by jewelers, with a variety of decorative themes. The lulu represents the typical pay for a single sailor for an entire distant voyage, and so is supposed to symbolize the uniqueness and value of an Umerick seaman.
1 Lulu = 80 JadarasSilver coin first minted by the historical Romalian Empire meaning "victory" or "prize", it originally represented the pay of a soldier after a five day march. Soldiers could count on the fingers of a single hand when the next pay day was expected, and then expect the coin to be placed in their palm. Though they were replaced for a time by other currencies to deal with debasement and inflation, after the fall of the empire this basic unit of currency found common use across the regions Romalia touched, minted both by successor states and private groups. Palmae often depict a ruler with state or religious slogans on the face, with a palm tree, victory laurel, or other iconography on the reverse.
Large copper coins valued at a tenth of a palma and officially called an aes, spicae get their name as the going rate in urban Malia to hire a man armed with a dagger (affectionately termed a "spike") for the evening, either for protection or for chosen target. Post-imperial spicae often depict local kings on the face with public works projects or other marks of prosperity on the reverse.
10 Spicae = 1 PalmaSmall bronze coins used for change making and trivial purchases, "quarters" are cheaply made and often only decorated with a simple cross or sunburst.
40 Quadrantes = 1 PalmaA thin but long "plate" of gold, originally ornamental gold swords used as gifts of patronage among Romalian generals and aristocrats. Over time the decorative fittings were omitted and the shape became less recognizable as blades and standardized for easier stacking. Modern examples are only stamped with a marking for intended weight, but those crafted in Romalia's glory days were often intricately embossed with beautiful landscapes of the empire's many conquered lands.
1 Lamina = 100 PalmaeA gold coin originally minted in standard units from melted treasure for easy division among looting armies. Genuine Romalian Aurei typically depict a legion emblem on the face with either an eagle, the unconquered sun, a fasces, or other imperial symbol on the reverse. Successor coins often retain depictions of historical legions that occupied their region, but either adapt or replace imperial symbols with local ones.
1 Aureus = 25 PalmaeLiterally "coin of the city" - polikon are silver coins minted by a city-state for typical commercial trading. To allow for easy conversion between cities polikon are usually valued by the intrinsic value of the weight of the silver. A multitude of designs exist, but the ubiquitous Agolos polikon features an eagle on the face to represent the Synkletos, and a dragon on the reverse to represent the Basileus.
Thin, poor quality copper coins - common among poorer arthenians and useful for small everyday purchases.
100 Noumi = 1 PolikonA small gold coin also known as a "queen" or "arthenian". It features a likeness of the legendary queen Arthenia on the face and a seven pointed star of Eleytheria on the reverse. A black pun is told that an ethnic arthenian's worth as a slave "is not worth one arthenian" due to their supposed laziness.
1 Basileiakon = 12 PolikonAn abstract global currency.
Official tender of the 39 shards. A gold-rimmed silver coin with an image of a Dovin Stone on the face, and a half-built tower on the reverse.
A thick copper coin used for petty expenses. An image of a loaf of bread on the face and a cup of wine with grapes on the reverse.
60 Kreutzers = 1 TalerMeaning "trade shard" - a small, faintly glowing crystal. One is given as a gift of the state to every new merchant when they receive their trading license.
1 Handelscherbe = 100 Talers