Economics & Currency

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Economics & Currency

What is Currency?

There are four forms of currency in L&L, each more valuable than the last.

① Copper Coins
Copper is the most common currency. Worth very little, it is carried by most everyone, and accepted by all shops.

② Silver Coins
Silver is the next step up from Copper. A single silver coin is worth 100 copper. Somewhat less common as a result, these are still carried by many people, mostly merchants and the like.

③ Gold Coins
The next step up from Silver is Gold. Gold coins are highly valuable, being worth 100 silver, or 10,000 copper. These are generally only carried by wealthy merchants and nobles.

④ Platinum Coins
The rarest and most valuable currency of Mundus Verden is Platinum. A single platinum coin is worth 100 gold, 10,000 silver, or 1,000,000 copper. Owning even one of these coins is a sign of incredible wealth. It is unlikely to meet anyone carrying these coins.  

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How do I gain money?

There are several ways to attain money. The simplest is to perform missions given by the various guilds and individuals around Midgard. Most missions will have a monetary reward. Hunting monsters is another good way to get money. While most monsters don't carry money on them, some carry items that can be sold, and you could even sell parts of the animal itself to the right buyer to get some quick cash. Other players are another good source of money. Trading between players is allowed and encouraged. If you have something another player wants, you could sell it to them, and even set your own price rather than whatever an NPC buyer might give you. Of course, you could also just kill them and take all their money for yourself as well. If you get lucky, you might even find valuable items or even coins just lying about while exploring. Go ahead, treasure hunting is a valid occupation!  

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How do I trade with players?

There are two main ways of trading with other players. The quickest is to simply find another player in game, and see if you have anything they want. Trading in this instance is as simple as transferring items and money between you.

The second way is to set up a market stall. Most cities will contain market threads, where you can set up a stall to sell your items in bulk to other players. This method has the advantage of you being able to set a price for your goods, and walk away while other players peruse your stock. While set up as a stall, your character basically becomes an NPC seller, or buyer if you set up to buy goods, and other players can just buy and sell from your character as they please, within the limits you set. Whoever owns the market however, can set a tax on any items sold, which will be collected when you leave the thread. You can try to leave without paying, but it's unlikely that that will end well. Setting up a stall requires use of a special post format, which will be available in every market thread. The format will display every item you are selling, or buying, how many you have for sale or want to buy, and if you're buying, how much money you have to spend. You will be expected to keep this updated for as long as your stall is open, and any falsifications will be penalized.

A third way of trading with other players is to buy yourself a thread and set up your own shop. The taxes from the market wouldn't apply, though the kingdom leader might still decide to tax you. All other rules would still apply, tracking your stock and so on. You could however leave the shop and still have it active if you hired an NPC to run it for you.  

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How do I trade with NPCs?

Trading with NPCs is as simple as can be. Certain threads will be marked as shops, and sell certain goods. Buying from them is as simple as going in, taking what you want, paying up, and leaving again. Selling is a bit harder, as NPCs still have limited funds to buy with, and will most likely only buy goods they are interested in. When selling, PM or quote an NPC operator to come and run the NPC for you to complete the sale. If the NPC has the items in question listed as things they want to buy, or requested them specifically as a mission or quest, the NPC operator is unnecessary, and you can proceed normally, within the limits of the NPC's funds.  

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Can I buy threads and buildings?

Yes! As referenced several times above, you are allowed to purchase threads and use them as you like, or purchase the right to make an entirely new thread. Threads are purchased from whoever currently owns them. If that is a player, they will likely set the price. If it is owned by an NPC, the price will be set by a crew member.

When you buy an existing thread, there are a few things to keep in mind. One, the thread's description. Despite the change of ownership, the location itself does not change. Anything you intend to do with that thread has to work with, or around, what is already there. If you buy a cave for instance, you can build a mine around it, and dig for minerals. A forest might make a good lumber mill. If you try to go against the thread however, such as trying to build a home in a swamp, you'll find yourself fighting nature to keep that location up and running. Threads outside of cities are particularly difficult to retain control of, as besides other players, or natural troubles, you have monsters to contend with, as they don't tend to like having their land taken away by civilization.

Creating an entirely new thread can only be done within a city. To do so, one must purchase the rights to the “Land” from whoever owns the city. The price will vary according to size and quality of land. What you then do with that land is up to you. You can build on it, either purchasing a building for it from the city, or gathering/buying the materials and building it yourself. Or you can leave it an empty lot, if that's your thing. Anything goes.

Besides just buying threads, existing threads can be stolen, or conquered by powerful players. Threads in the wild can be raided, the monsters exterminated, and buildings built. But, as mentioned above, the monsters will eventually try and take them back. Claiming the land is only effective if you leave something behind to keep the monsters out, and mark your claim. You can steal locations from players too, but like the monsters, a player is unlikely to go out without a fight.