WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK 0020 0020
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khitan coinage
Most cities minted their own copper, silver, and gold
coins during less troubled times, and a good supply
of those remains the accepted currency among the
world’s humans and Pachyaur. One gold coin buys 10
silvers or 100 coppers.
However, Khitan coins show their age and the desperation of their times, most having been shaved and
scraped down again and again, then beaten flat until
they are thin, misshapen things. Whatever symbols or
writings graced them at their minting are now pounded, squashed, and unrecognizable. On average, Khitan
coins are 100 to the pound.
Most business and exchanges are done by barter.
items but, as one of the few sources of these, charges
exorbitant fees. The house also connects sellers of enchanted items to buyers for a facilitation fee. Seekers
of Crystal Bridge always have the task of finding exotic
materials, enchantment-ready goods, artifacts, or talented wizards.
Few truly know anything beyond that public face of the
trading house. In truth, the Crystal Bridge Trading House
is the largest supplier of mercenary wizards on Khitus.
This is also, by far, their most profitable venture. Crystal
Bridge always searches for new trainees, and their vetting process ensures that recruits can handle themselves
professionally and manage any sorcerous backlash before
being put to work. Affiliate wizards owe the house loyalty
and better than half of their earnings, even though they
never publicly acknowledge these ties.
Recently, Crystal Bridge has petitioned the Merchants’ Council for a place in its membership. The two
most recent petitioners to join the Council gained their
strength in part with Crystal Bridge’s magical aid, and
Tzim expects his favors returned now. The vote is yet
to happen, but if Crystal Bridge is denied, interesting
times may lie ahead for the mercantile communities
around Torqal and beyond.
The Kretch Consortium
The Kretch Consortium is a great merchant house based
out of Pharanor. Like the other Merchant Council houses,
the Consortium trades in a wide array of products, but it
specializes in spices, oils, art, and other compact goods.
Because its goods tend to be small items, the Consortium
only operates one caravan of its own, renting space on
18
other caravans as needed. Ownership and control of the
house passes down to the shrewdest scion of the Kretch
family as it has for several generations. Competition
among the family is vigorous, to say the least, and a few
bloody feuds occur in each generation.
Amdar Kretch, the Consortium’s current leader, is a
hawk of a businessman. Amdar used small weapons
trades (and, some hint, virulent poisons) to bring local
bandit tribes to his side. Once his protections were in
place, he and his caravans could safely move spices and
salt throughout the region, a profitable venture for the
tribes and more so for Amdar. It was so lucrative that
Amdar became the most successful Consortium merchant by his early twenties and easily earned the leadership of the house after his mother’s passing.
Amdar’s standing orders have many seekers scouring
the wasteland for new trade routes, specialty goods from
the artisanal villages, or lost art to bring to market. At
Units of Measurement
on khitus
These common units are used across Khitus’s human
cultures:
• Weights are measured in pounds and
2,000-pound tons.
• Volumes are measured in pints, cubic inches,
feet, and yards.
• Distances are measured in inches, feet, yards,
and miles.
• Time is measured in minutes, hours, days, and
365-day years.
Other traditional or non-standard units:
• Cubit(usedinconstruction):One cubit is equal to
18 inches or 1.5 feet.
• Pace (used in military formations): One pace is
equal to one yard. One double pace is equal to
two yards.
• League: One league is equal to 10,000 paces or
roughly six miles.
• Brick (used in construction and transportation):
In weight, one brick is equal to 10 pounds. In volume, one brick is roughly 150 cubic inches, derived from the basic 10-inch by 5-inch by 3-inch
clay brick.
• Block(usedinconstructionandtransportation): In
weight, one block is equal to 270 pounds. In volume, one block is roughly 2.5 cubic feet, derived
from a 3x3x3 pile of bricks.
