Ghynzuan Beads Currency

One of the more peculiar currencies of Ealdwyll can be found in Ghynzua. It is based on an old merchant currency that used beads to handle transactions. When it became time for the ghynzuan government to mint their own currency they simplified the merchant beads system. The minting of their own currency brought the empire more stability and a better economy.

What's with the beads. Can't they mint coins like everyone else?

— Often said by foreigners

The Beads

The process of making the beads is a carefully guarded secret. The beads are round, slightly flattened and clear as glass with no particular color to them. However each bead has a colored symbol in its center which tells it apart from those with a different value. To allow people to still string together the beads, a small hole can be found in the ghynzuan beads.

Silver Thunderbird

With a diameter of 20mm it is the largest bead. At its center it holds a silver colored symbol depicting a thunderbird. It has the same value as ten flamebirds.

Red Flamebird

With a size of 17mm it is slightly smaller then the silver thunderbird. It has a red symbol of a flamebird in its center. It has the same value as five grey eagles.

Grey Eagle

The grey eagle has a 15mm size. Because its symbol is grey it depends on the shape of its symbol and its smaller size to set itself apart from the silver thunderbird. It has the same value as twenty blue owls.

Blue Owl

One of the more common beads, with a diameter of 15mm. It has a blue owl symbol at its center and the same value as ten black ravens.

Black Raven

The most common bead is the black raven. It has a diameter of 14mm. As its name suggests a black raven symbol can be found at its center. Its value is the same as five white finches.

White Finch

The lowest valued bead with a size of 14mm. It has a white finch symbol which is not always easy to see. It is one of the more common beads as many prices for food and everyday items are made up of ravens and finches.

What? Four ravens for a cup of rice? That is ridiculous!

— words overheard at a market

Economic Influence

The minting of their own currency has been an important step towards complete independence for the empire. It gave them a more stable economy. And an easier way of taxing its population.

Cultural Influence

While most people carry a pouch holding their beads and bead-strings, members from the upper class can sometimes be seen wearing them on necklaces and bracelets. It is an impractical way of carrying your money however, therefor it is seen as an unnecessary display of wealth.
Most people have a lockable bead-box at home to store the beads they don't carry around. To carry beads in a pouch people often string together larger quantities of the same type of bead. This is most often done for the finches and ravens.

Item	Value
One cup of rice	2 black ravens
Steamed bun with filling	7 white finches
Basic linen pants	10 blue owls
Basic crossbow	1 red flamebird

Item type

Currency & Deeds

Current Location

East Eghea

Manufacturer

Ghynzua

Owning Organization

Ghynzua

Rarity

Common

History

Bartering

At the time of Ghynzua's founding the people of East Eghea had to make due with what they had or barter for it. It is important to remember that in those days the world was still recovering from The Pulse. Fertile land was hard to come by, and those holding ownership over them had an important advantage over everyone else. In East Eghea the Clans were at constant war with each other. Land switched sides faster than anyone could keep up with. For the common people this meant there was hardly any economy. What was a safe place to sell goods one day could very well be enemy territory the next.

Commodity Currency

In the following decades the ghynzuan empire expanded, driving back the Clans. For those living under the rule of the empire life was much safer, allowing a beginning economy to grow. As time went by the world recovered from the cataclysm. More farmland became available and the empire grew gained much needed resources. The system of using beads as a currency was first developed by merchants. The beads value depended on the gemstone they were made off. Merchants used these beads among each other as an easy and trustworthy method to exchange merchandise. As time passed by however even commoners started to collect these beads, until eventually it became an often used currency.

Symbols

The symbols found within the beads are a stylized colored line depicting each bird. They are similar in design to symbols found on ancient sites of The Forgotten.