The Coins of Kypolston

The country of Kypolston lies in the south of the continent of Aitella.

The government is arranged in small sections with a ‘master’ over each section. Each Master has his own symbol, the sun, the moon, the sea, fire, and even things like a bear, a cougar, an eagle, etc.

Most of the sections contain between a thousand and three thousand people on them. Each Master has a coin made for his people, with his symbol imprinted on it and their name at the bottom. At the birth of a new baby, the parents arrange a meeting with the master to tell him the name of their new son or daughter. A week later, the master visits their house to bless the baby and give them a coin for their new baby. The coin has a string strung through a hole at the top of it which is slung around the neck. Losing the coin is considered a sign of bad luck and the person is no longer allowed to leave their section.

Visiting and trading with the various sections requires the coin to enter neighboring stores, pass through the various gates along the way and be able to visit any friends in the other sections. The people themselves mingle considerably with the different sections, as long as they are carrying their coin.

If a person is found not carrying their coin, out of their own section, they are taken to the master of that section who chooses how to deal with them. Some masters have them sent to prison, while the kind ones send them back to their own masters to request a new coin. Some masters refuse to make new coins for their subjects, while others are willing to make a new one.

The coin is a symbol of who a person serves under and shows that they are a part of the country. Forgeries have been attempted in several areas by neighboring countries, but for the most part, the designs that each master has are so elaborate and delicate that it is extremely difficult to do more than a cheap imitation. The consequences for being caught forging a coin are immediate and required.

First, the offender must face the master who’s symbol they were copying. He then decides if the person should die or not. If he says they don’t have to die, they are required to be his slave for thirteen years, as they were attempting to serve under him anyway. When the thirteen years are up, the master must again decide if they should die. If not, they are free to go, but if they are ever seen in the country again, it is a requirement for them to die. If the master dies before the thirteen years are up, the offender is required to continue his servitude under the new master with the same rules applying.