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Author Topic: Currency in Layonara  (Read 1318 times)

Alatriel

Currency in Layonara
« on: February 14, 2012, 02:21:18 pm »
Just as in the real world, there are two main types of currency in Layonara.  Some people value one over the other.  Some people have a lot of one and not so much of the other.  So, what are the two types of currency that Layonara has?

The first one is fairly simple:  Money, and in this case True Weight Coins, or "Trues."  This one is how much your character has in monetary worth, whether it be actual coins, or what he/she has in trade value (furs, potions, metal, etc.)  
Can money equal power?  Absolutely.  It means that your character can likely buy whatever gear he/she needs or buy passage through things, and possibly bribe people who are willing to be bought.  It's the ability to quickly and easily press a coin in someone's hand and not have to look back and wonder if you'll be able to eat tomorrow.  It means being able to offer large sums of money to charity at will if your character is so inclined, and it is the means to offer loans to those who need it.  

The other kind of currency in Layonara is something that is not as easily measured as the number of coins in the bank.  This is Political or Social Currency.  This is the number of contacts that your character has, the ability to have sway because you "know a guy" in the right situations.  Social currency is infamy.  Sometimes social currency is positive in some places and negative in others.  A character with a lot of power in Arnax might not be as powerful in Westerngate or Huangjin (where they might be hunted or arrested), but might be revered as a demigod in Katherian.  Social currency may be world-wide, or it may be only valued in certain locations.  World Leaders who complete their WLDQ successfully end with a reward of social currency.  It's the unstated reward, but it's probably one of the most powerful things, if not the most powerful thing, that is attained by a successful WLDQ.  But WL's are not the only PC's with social currency, and it's not really that difficult to achieve.  It takes a different sort of work to gain social currency than it does to gain monetary currency.  Sometimes you have to sacrifice one for the other.

So the question, then, is:  Do you feel that your characters have one or the other type of currency, or both, or do you value one more than the other?
 
The following users thanked this post: RollinsCat

RollinsCat

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2012, 02:26:11 pm »
I think social has more rp value by far, although the frustration of watching really cool stuff go to people with tons of True can be a needle sometimes.  but Andrew definitely has more social currency than gold, thanks to the gms and opportunities over the last couple years. IMO in the long run it's far more valuable if you want to make a lasting change regardless of your wl status.
 

miltonyorkcastle

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2012, 02:33:24 pm »
Quote
really cool stuff go to people with tons of True


Get your hands on some social currency with those rich people. ;)
 

Aerimor

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2012, 02:50:17 pm »
Currency?

How about debt?  Man, it stinks to be in debt to either.

The loan sharks might come for your knee caps...
but the other one might lead to....

"So we are calling in your debt, we need some shock troops to storm the dragon guarding the Blood Pool.  You'll lead that group, see you there."
 

miltonyorkcastle

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2012, 03:30:13 pm »
Quote
"So we are calling in your debt, we need some shock troops to storm the dragon guarding the Blood Pool. You'll lead that group, see you there."


Hehehe, I love those kinds of debts!
 

Dremora

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2012, 04:57:13 pm »
Hah, yeah agreed. I think in the case of my character, probably has more monetary influence than anything else and thats only at like 60k in the bank. Says little for his social currency. He can always call in a 'loan' from Ni'haer but interest rates are probably quite cutthroat.

Rollins got it right though, social is the most valuable in RP, but monetary value is valuable in RP as well, and infact the more social standing you have, the more likely you can increase your wealth. This is inversely true as well. The richer you are, the more pull you can have in certain situations (most commonly seen in merchants/Trade Guilds).
 

davidhoff

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2012, 05:47:19 pm »
Probably influence is more valuable than coin...you can get coin with influence, but you can't always buy influence with coin.  Or you could live in a small village, living off the land, trying to rise above the plagues and famine and happy to have what you got and not really caring about either coin or influence.
 

Dremora

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2012, 06:43:43 pm »
It depends on what sort of influence you have, they are interchangeable. A priest of a certain faith may have the influence to sway the minds of a ruling government to do something about some dire threat if they are highly ranking and respected but that doesn't necessarily mean it'll make them rich.
 

drakogear

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2012, 09:39:53 pm »
Geez... what is it with things in this forum... and my constantly thinking of new characters? *sighs* I wanna make a charismatic rouge now. :p

Favoring both gold and influence.
 

Alatriel

Re: Currency in Layonara
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2012, 10:08:09 pm »
Might be better to make a charismatic rogue *wink*  Rouge usually just sits on cheeks.