Stoneheart/Culture

For playing the game:

The base currency are Keels which are commonly traded in multiples of 6 called Flats. Always check your money! Swindlers can easily "shortstack" you!

Formal contracts are written and sealed within a special block called an isokeel. If you find an isokeel you can prove is unclaimed, locate the escrow holder for the contract and you are entitled to half of the contract value.

Do favors for people to earn Tack, spend Tack to request favors. Holding a lot of Tack is regarded highly. Tack and Keels are not exchangeable.

The Lengthy Details

Economics

The base currency are Keels, small triangular coins which can link together into hexagonal discs by strong magnetic grip along their edges. These hexagonal coins are called Flats. Similarly, flats weakly magnetize towards one another and a set of 12 flats is called a Stack. Multiple stacks can be arranged in long Rods or in Blocks of varying values. Rods are uncommon since flats do not strongly magnetize together on their faces and rods tend to split apart easily, however they have niche uses. Blocks are far more common and easier to handle.

Since handling money is modular, the inhabitants of Stoneheart generally count them by the smallest unit and scale up to higher denominations. Keels are also commonly traded in multiples of 6 as whole flats, however small goods are often traded in multiples of 2 and 3. Keels are symbolized by a single slash ( / ), flats are symbolized as a double slash ( // ), and Stacks are symbolized by a triple slash ( /// ). Rods and Blocks are not standardized and do not have written denominations.

It is common for swindlers to "Shortstack" someone usually by trading an incomplete stack (usually 10 or 11 flats). Carefully "notching" keels out of a stack (making a stack of incomplete flats that only have 4 or 5 keels) and then arrange the notched stacks so the missing keels are hidden inside a block. Notching requires a skilled hand, since incomplete flats will pull on each other and can cause a sudden and dramatic scattering of Keels until the notched block is assembled. Once assembled, notched blocks are stable and the primary indication of fraud is the altered weight.

Contracts

A special form of Keel, known as an isokeel are twenty keels forming an isocahedron (d20).

This currency is reserved for forming contracts, where a copy of the contract is contained within the isokeel and the contracted keels are held by a 3rd party. All three members are present for signing, closing, and opening the isokeel. Since isokeel are physically small, contracts are generally short and direct, and on very rare occasions ancillary information about the contract may be held by the 3rd party signer. The 3rd party signer usually collects a closing and opening commission for the isokeel calculated from the size of the contract. The contract is considered broken if the isokeel is opened by anyone other than the designated parties, who must both be present with the 3rd party holder.

If an isokeel is opened and claimed, and the original contract holders make an appeal, the 3rd is liable forr paying back the terms of the contract, in full, to both parties (as in, the 3rd party pays out twice the original contract's value). These escrow holders go through great effort to ensure isokeels are opened properly. Escrow holders can range from small independent to large trade guilds, or even organized crime syndicates with legitimate isokeel holdings. These larger entities have tremendous capital to invest and use, but isokeel fraud remains a great risk, so they often employ enforcers to ensure isokeels are not fraudulent.

Opening an unclaimed isokeel (if it can be proven as unclaimed), will reward the obtainee with half of the contract's escrow holdings, while the escrow holder claims the other half. The burden of proof lies with the holder of the isokeel, not the 3rd party signer, and the 3rd party signer determines their satisfactory criteria. Because fraud potential is high, isokeels are generally considered private and held descreetly to avoid theft or mugging. Proving both signers of an isokeel are dead is often satusfactory.

Social Trade

Exchanging favors and gratitude are facilitated through the exchange of Tack. Tack is culturally known by different names, but are all traded in similar fashions.

Tack are crafted of bone, and generally carved with personal symbols, icons, or skilled carvers depict simple scenes on the bone coins. Each piece of Tack is generally unique, so people collect them and trade them in a loose barter system.

Selling Tack with keels is widely considered taboo; Tack is meant to be earned/given freely by helping and working with others on tasks important to them. Generally, the more Tack you have means you are a well-liked person or a person of renown, it means you've done a lot of other people. If you have a lot of Tack to trade, it becomes easier to compel others to aid you.

Art

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History

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Related Pages

Stoneheart Main Page

Setting Information	Stoneheart Canyon	Factions	Locations	Culture
Adventure Hook	Adventure Hook	Characters	Worldbuilding