Coins
The Starstone is the heart of Absalom, but commerce is its blood. Nowhere does that blood flow more freely than in the Coins. Carts full of goods, busy vendors, and merchants dressed in their finest clothes crowd the district from daybreak until well after dark, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the Coins can be overwhelming to out-of-town visitors. The Grand Bazaar in the center of the district draws shoppers from throughout the Inner Sea region in search of surprising bargains, one-of-a-kind services, and rare commodities. Much of Absalom’s trade and economic policies are discussed over fine meals at the Grand Dance Hall of Kortos or formalized in the tidy offices of the Hall of Commerce. Thousands of eager students learn their trades here, either from the city’s talented craftspeople or from academies such as the mysterious Clockwork Cathedral. Also notable in the Coins is the huge wealth disparity on display. The most important trading and economic activities in the Inner Sea region—carried out by the wealthiest merchants and lords in the city—take place within blocks of some of Absalom’s most squalid slums.
The streets of the Coins are patrolled by a district watch known as the Token Guard. While members of the guard claim that the name refers to the glinting round copper buttons on their uniforms, the moniker’s true origin was a derogatory nickname for the inefficient and all-too-often corrupt force. Even today, most of those arrested by the guards can pay a “token” fee at the Bail House to be released. While the Token Guard would argue that they keep peace on the streets and ensure that commerce in the district is safe and fair, the truth is that the clash of upper- and lower-class neighborhoods in the Coins encourages extensive criminal activity. Many of the poorer sections of the district rarely see a guard presence, and even legitimate businesses are more likely to request “assistance” from a contact in one of the district’s many criminal gangs than from its official watch.
Much of the crime in the Coins is concentrated in the slums of Mudhaven, in the district’s southwest corner. Home to some of the city’s most impoverished residents, the neighborhood has a reputation for crime and danger that is not necessarily fair. While life in Mudhaven is hardscrabble, and many criminals do operate out of the neighborhood, the majority of residents live ordinary lives and go about their business in the same way as other citizens. In the mercantile spirit of the Coins, some locals offer walking “misery tours” for rich people looking to experience the lower-class lifestyle, but these are usually shams filled with staged events and the occasional arranged pickpocketing, as most Mudhaven residents would have harsh words, in the least, for anyone who tried to make a spectacle of their daily lives.
Above all else, the Coins serve as the hub of commerce in Absalom, offering services for all tastes and budgets. Whether a visitor is looking for a lawyer or a loan shark, a pawnbroker or a portrait painter, the Coins has what they seek and more.
The streets of the Coins are patrolled by a district watch known as the Token Guard. While members of the guard claim that the name refers to the glinting round copper buttons on their uniforms, the moniker’s true origin was a derogatory nickname for the inefficient and all-too-often corrupt force. Even today, most of those arrested by the guards can pay a “token” fee at the Bail House to be released. While the Token Guard would argue that they keep peace on the streets and ensure that commerce in the district is safe and fair, the truth is that the clash of upper- and lower-class neighborhoods in the Coins encourages extensive criminal activity. Many of the poorer sections of the district rarely see a guard presence, and even legitimate businesses are more likely to request “assistance” from a contact in one of the district’s many criminal gangs than from its official watch.
Much of the crime in the Coins is concentrated in the slums of Mudhaven, in the district’s southwest corner. Home to some of the city’s most impoverished residents, the neighborhood has a reputation for crime and danger that is not necessarily fair. While life in Mudhaven is hardscrabble, and many criminals do operate out of the neighborhood, the majority of residents live ordinary lives and go about their business in the same way as other citizens. In the mercantile spirit of the Coins, some locals offer walking “misery tours” for rich people looking to experience the lower-class lifestyle, but these are usually shams filled with staged events and the occasional arranged pickpocketing, as most Mudhaven residents would have harsh words, in the least, for anyone who tried to make a spectacle of their daily lives.
Above all else, the Coins serve as the hub of commerce in Absalom, offering services for all tastes and budgets. Whether a visitor is looking for a lawyer or a loan shark, a pawnbroker or a portrait painter, the Coins has what they seek and more.
Type
District
Location under
Included Locations
- Al’Hakam Estate
- Bail House
- Clockwork Cathedral
- District Courthouse - Coins
- Eternal Shackle
- Free Union Headquarters
- Gallery of Innovation
- Grand Dance Hall of Kortos
- Guildhall of the Union of Carpenters, Stonemasons, and Metalworkers
- Hall of Commerce
- Humbolt’s Outfitters
- Javelin Gallery
- Misery Row
- Mudhaven
- Prophet’s Academy
- Saucy Wench
- Second Labyrinth
- Taurean Embassy
- Temple of Lost Coins
- Wachail Estate
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
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