Currency has an interesting history within the Shattered Realm. At one point there were dozens of different currencies, each with their own weights, denominations, conversion rates and cultures behind them. Now, the majority of the Shattered Realm barters with just one form of currency; Shard. <br> ___ ### Currency Listed below are the three major denominations of currency used within the Shattered Realm as well as their conversion rates. | Denomination | Symbol | Exchange to ![[bit.png]]: | Exchange to ![[shard.png]]: | Exchange to ![[credit.png]]: | | :----------: | :-------------: | :-----------------------: | :-------------------------: | :--------------------------: | | **Bit** | ![[bit.png]] | 1 | 10 | 10,000 | | **Shard** | ![[shard.png]] | 0.1 | 1 | 1,000 | | **Credit** | ![[credit.png]] | .0001 | .001 | 1 | The primary currency of the Shattered Realm is named "Shard". Shard is a dark, thin, nonagonal coin, made up of 10 sections; each of it's nine sides, and a centre piece. All 10 sections of each coin are roughly the same size, and are separated by break-points where the metal is pressed thinner than the rest of the coin. With a bit of pressure, each section of can be snapped off, creating 10 individual "Bits", which serve as a lower currency to Shard. Once a Bit has been snapped off, there is no way to bind it back onto a coin save for re-forging it; a task that can only legally be done by banks. Originally Shard worked in a similar way; It too was flaked off of a larger bar, called a "Credit". This flaking was originally a mistake with the smithing process of Credits, but people preferred to deal in the smaller Shards, rather than a bulky credit. In time, communities decided to exclusively deal in Shard rather than Credit, and most transactions are still performed this way. The banks however still prefer storing Credit to Shard. So in addition to minting new Shard coins, they also continue to mint Credit bars, using the same amount of material it would take to mint 1,000 Shard. A bar of Credit ends up being a similar dark colour, but about 2 inches in height and width, by 8 inches long. Both Shard and Credit are properly stamped by the local bank that mints them in order to ensure authenticity. The exact alloy used in Shard and Credit is a closely guarded secret, though criminal organizations often experiment with similar metals in order create counterfeit Shard. <br> ___ ### Lifestyle Even in a fantastical world, people require basic necessities such as shelter, sustenance, and clothing. These things cost money, although some lifestyles cost more than others. At the start of each Lifestyle Period, choose a lifestyle from the following table and pay the price to sustain that lifestyle. Your lifestyle might change from one period to the next, based on the funds you have at your disposal, or you might maintain the same lifestyle throughout your character’s career. Your lifestyle choice can have consequences. Maintaining a wealthy lifestyle might help you make contacts with the rich and powerful, though you run the risk of attracting thieves. Likewise, living frugally might help you avoid criminals, but you are unlikely to make powerful connections. | Lifestyle | Shard per Lifestyle Period | | :---------: | :------------------------: | | Poor | 4 ![[shard.png]] | | Modest | 10 ![[shard.png]] | | Comfortable | 300 ![[shard.png]] | | Wealthy | 1,000 ![[shard.png]] | ¹ *- a Poor lifestyle can be maintained for free through [[#Self-Sufficiency]]. <br> ###### Poor You might live in a leaky stable, a mud-floored hut just outside town, or a vermin-infested boarding house in the worst part of town. You have shelter from the elements, but you live in a desperate and often violent environment, in places rife with disease, hunger, and misfortune. You are beneath the notice of most people, and you have few legal protections. Most people at this lifestyle level have suffered some terrible setback. They might be disturbed, marked as exiles, or suffer from disease. Living a Poor lifestyle confers the following effects: - You are almost always ignored by characters living a Comfortable or nicer lifestyle. - You are barred from entering most Comfortable or nicer businesses and homes (at owner's discretion). - You don't need to pay anything to eat, drink or lodge at Poor businesses. - [[Conditions#Exhaustion|Exhaustion]] (1-2) requires a long rest to restore. - When travelling, you have [[Adventuring Gear#Supplies|Food and Water]]. <br> ##### Modest A Modest lifestyle means going without the comforts available in a stable community. Simple food and lodgings, threadbare clothing, and unpredictable conditions result in a sufficient, though probably unpleasant, experience. Your accommodations might be a room in a flophouse or in the common room above a tavern. You benefit from some legal protections, but you still have to contend with violence, crime, and disease. People at this lifestyle level tend to be unskilled laborers, costermongers, peddlers, thieves, mercenaries, and other disreputable types. Living a Modest lifestyle confers the following effects: - You are almost always ignored by characters living a Wealthy or nicer lifestyle. - You are barred from entering most Wealthy businesses and homes (at owner's discretion). - You don't need to pay anything to eat, drink or lodge at Modest or lower class businesses. - When travelling, you have [[Adventuring Gear#Supplies|Basic Supplies]]. <br> ##### Comfortable Choosing a Comfortable lifestyle means that you can afford nicer clothing and can easily maintain your equipment. You live in a small cottage in a middle-class neighbourhood or in a private room at a fine inn. You associate with merchants, skilled tradespeople, and military officers. Living a Comfortable lifestyle confers the following effects: - You don't need to pay anything to eat, drink or lodge at Comfortable or lower class businesses. - When resting, you are immune to the [[Conditions#Exposed 🛠|Exposed]] condition. - When travelling, you have [[Adventuring Gear#Supplies|Good Supplies]]. <br> ##### Wealthy Choosing a wealthy lifestyle means living a life of luxury, though you might not have achieved the social status associated with the old money of nobility or royalty. You live a lifestyle comparable to that of a highly successful merchant, a favoured servant of the royalty, or the owner of a few small businesses. You have respectable lodgings, usually a spacious home in a good part of town or a comfortable suite at a fine inn. You likely have a small staff of servants. Living a Wealthy lifestyle confers the following effects: - You don't need to pay anything to eat, drink or lodge at Wealthy or lower class businesses. - When resting, you are immune to the [[Conditions#Exposed 🛠|Exposed]] condition. - Taking a long rest always restores 2 levels of [[Conditions#Exhaustion|Exhaustion]] - When travelling, you have [[Adventuring Gear#Supplies|Excellent Supplies]]. <br> ###### Self-Sufficiency >The expenses and lifestyles described assume that you are spending your time between adventures in town, availing yourself of whatever services you can afford — paying for food and shelter, paying townspeople to sharpen your sword and repair your armor, and so on. Some characters, though, might prefer to spend their time away from civilization, sustaining themselves in the wild by hunting, foraging, and repairing their own gear. > >Maintaining self-sufficiency doesn't require you to spend any Shard, but it is time-consuming. Once per lifestyle period you must spend an 8-hour [[Downtime ⚙#Self-Sufficiency|downtime]] period working towards your lifestyle. No check is required for this. If you complete this [[Downtime ⚙#Self-Sufficiency|downtime activity]], you can eke out the equivalent of a Poor lifestyle, which begins during the next lifestyle period. Proficiency in the [[Abilities & Skills#Survival|Survival]] skill lets you live at the equivalent of a Modest lifestyle if you perform this activity. <br> ___ ### Common Expenses & Services The following tables describe expenditures for common services and consumables. <br> | Beverages | Cost | | :------------------- | :---------------- | | Mug of Ale | 1 ![[bit.png]] | | Keg of Ale | 2 ![[shard.png]] | | Pot of Coffee or Tea | 2 ![[bit.png]] | | Bottle of Wine | 1 ![[shard.png]] | | Bottle of Fine Wine | 10 ![[shard.png]] | | Meals | Cost | | :---------- | :---------------- | | Poor Meal | 1 ![[bit.png]] | | Square Meal | 3 ![[bit.png]] | | Fine Dining | 10 ![[shard.png]] | | Lodgings (1 Day) | Cost | | -------------------- | :----------------- | | Floor Space | 3 ![[bit.png]] | | Bed (for 1) | 1 ![[shard.png]] | | Private Room (for 2) | 8 ![[shard.png]] | | Extravagant Suite | 100 ![[shard.png]] | | Hirelings | Cost | | --------- | :--------------- | | Unskilled | 1 ![[shard.png]] | | Skilled | 5 ![[shard.png]] | | Transportation (per hour) | Cost | | ------------------------- | :---------------- | | Public Transport | 3 ![[bit.png]] | | Private Hovercraft | 2 ![[shard.png]] | | Submersible or Skiff | 10 ![[shard.png]] | | Void Transport (Per Day) | Cost | | ------------------------ | ------------------ | | Poor Lodgings | 9 ![[bit.png]] | | Modest Lodgings | 3 ![[shard.png]] | | Comfortable Lodgings | 24 ![[shard.png]] | | Wealthy Lodgings | 300 ![[shard.png]] | | Fuel (Per Thruster) | Cost Per Jump | Cost to Fill | | :------------------: | :---------------: | :----------------: | | 1 Thruster, Crude | 5 ![[shard.png]] | 20 ![[shard.png]] | | 1 Thruster, Basic | 5 ![[shard.png]] | 30 ![[shard.png]] | | 1 Thruster, Enhanced | 5 ![[shard.png]] | 60 ![[shard.png]] | | 2 Thruster, Crude | 10 ![[shard.png]] | 60 ![[shard.png]] | | 2 Thruster, Basic | 10 ![[shard.png]] | 120 ![[shard.png]] | | 2 Thruster, Enhanced | 10 ![[shard.png]] | 240 ![[shard.png]] | | 3 Thruster, Crude | 15 ![[shard.png]] | 180 ![[shard.png]] | | 3 Thruster, Basic | 15 ![[shard.png]] | 360 ![[shard.png]] | | 3 Thruster, Enhanced | 15 ![[shard.png]] | 720 ![[shard.png]] | <br> ##### Spellcasting Services Spellcasting services, are uncommon. Having a spell cast for you requires finding a spellcaster who knows and is willing to cast it. It’s hard to find someone who can cast higher-level spells, and uncommon spells typically cost at least double, if you can find someone who knows them at all. Spells that take a long time to cast (over 1 minute) usually cost 25% more. You must pay any cost listed in the spell in addition to the price on the table. If a spell has expensive [[Spellcasting#Components|components]], add the cost of those components to the cost listed in the Spellcasting Services table. | Spell Level | Where to Look | Cost | | :---------: | ----------------------------- | :------------------: | | Cantrip | Anywhere | 15 ![[shard.png]] | | 1st | Small settlements and larger | 40 ![[shard.png]] | | 2nd | Small settlements and larger | 100 ![[shard.png]] | | 3rd | Medium settlements and larger | 225 ![[shard.png]] | | 4th | Medium settlements and larger | 500 ![[shard.png]] | | 5th | Large settlements and larger | 1,000 ![[shard.png]] | | 6th | Large settlements and larger | 2,000 ![[shard.png]] | | 7th | Huge settlements | 4,500 ![[shard.png]] | | 8th | Huge settlements | 8,500 ![[shard.png]] | | 9th | Huge settlements | 15 ![[credit.png]] |