Economics of Qirsyllviar

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Qirsyllvian economics are diverse and complicated.

Basic Principles

While all forms of minted currency have a set face-value, the "actual-value" of any currency is dependent on the market-value/price of commodities, so prices tend to fluctuate regularly, usually weekly if not daily. The market-value of goods, measured in points, changes in accordance of supply and demand, which reflectively increases or decreases the price of what people are buying. When the price of a certain product rises or falls, it can cause prices of similar products to change with it. This also means that the exchange rate between most currencies is also constantly fluctuating; although some currencies have a set-in-stone exchange rate with each other, usually by law or treaty.

When people buy a certain good from a market, it effectively increases the price due to the lack of supply to meet the demand, but if the demand is still high the sudden increase of the supply will not reduce the price. The opposite is also true; when people sell a good to a market, it decreases prices due to rising supply with lack of demand, but if there's still little demand for it a sudden loss of supply will not raise the price.

Shortages of Goods and the increase of prices as a result of supply and demand can sometimes cause inflation, the rapid decrease in the value of a currency; this can sometimes cause economies to become unstable. In the event of inflation, governments will sometimes counter it by taking a large amount of currency out of circulation and destroy it before minting new currency; but this has varying effects and can either end inflation for a time or do nothing to fix it.

One way that people make purchases in constantly fluctuating economies is by buying on credit. When someone buys on credit, they agree to buy then but pay later; meaning that they would pay the price of what the goods were that day at a later time, in the event that the market price of a product rises or drops over the intervening time. However, this can cause huge debt for the buyer in the event the price of the bought product drops exponentially, or if the market for the product crashes completely.

Alternatively, merchants can issue purchase agreements, or futures contracts; the gist is that they would pay in advance to purchase a product that will take some time to produce, such as crops or a large mount of weapons and armor, or even buildings, allowing people to sell what they don't yet have. For example; if a buyer pays in advance for the next season of crops, the farmer needs to produce the crops by the appointed time no matter what. This allows a buyer to buy a product in advance at the current price without worrying about the possibility of prices rising due to a bad season, allowing them obtain their products at lower prices. However the opposite is also true; if prices were to fall, they will have obtained the product at a higher price, which can in turn cause debt.

Currency

Many forms of currency exist across Qirsyllviar.

Coinage

Coinage is the oldest form of official currency, and by far the most common. Coins are typically made of one of three precious metals: gold, silver, and copper. Gold is the most valuable and is most often used as the standard of base currency; silver and copper are usually used for smaller denominations, unless the currency isn't minted in gold.

Metal coins are minted usually using gold, silver or copper, but a few currencies use iron alongside, or instead of, one of the three main precious metals. Regardless, copper is usually considered more valuable than iron. In the past, some cultures issued a currency made of a valuable mineral such as jade, jasper, obsidian, turquoise and the like, but this practice is not common. The actual-value of coinage also depends on the purity of the coins minted, as they're usually mixed with small amounts of other metals such as tin, lead or zinc, for the purpose of making more coins.

Despite gold coins being the most valuable, the majority of market products are normally priced with silver coins; hence, silver is the most often exchanged coin of any currency, sub-unit or otherwise. Unless gold coins are the only coins in circulation, gold is usually reserved for the purchase of higher value products like livestock, buildings, plots of land, mercenaries or large orders of crops; copper or iron coins are usually used for lower value items such as small amounts of food or condiments.

Known Circulating Coinage

Currencies here are listed from base denomination to the lowest fractional sub-unit, and the value between them.

Multi-coin currencies:

These currencies have several coins, each less valuable than the main one.

It should be noted that many coins of the multi-coin systems are minted with several values. With coins that are minted in multiple materials (i.e the Florin, which is the first denomination of the Sequin, is minted in both gold and silver), the higher value coins are normally minted with the higher value metal while the lower values use the lower value metal.

Single-coin multi-denomination currencies. These currencies have a common-name coin, with denominations established with differing metal.

Coin		Minted Values	shape	Exchange rate	Circulating Nation(s) & Territories
Name	Metal
Aieg	gold	1, 5, 10, 20	oval	1 Gold Aieg = 20 Silver Aiegs 1 Silver Aieg = 40 Copper Aiegs
	silver	1, 5, 10
	copper	1, 5, 10, 20
Cruzado	gold	1, 5, 10, 20	circle	1 Gold Cruzado = 12 Silver Cruzados	Lusitania
	silver	1, 3, 6, 9
Grimbuk	gold	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	rectangle	1 Gold Grimbuk = 25 Silver Grimbuks 1 Silver Grimbuk = 50 Copper Grimbuks
	silver	1, 5, 10, 20
	copper	1, 5, 10, 25
Grzywna	gold	1, 5, 10, 20, 50	rectangle	1 Gold Grzywna = 25 Silver Grzywnas 1 Silver Grzywna = 50 Copper Grzywnas	Lechia
	silver	1, 5, 10
	copper	1, 5, 10, 25
Leu	gold	1, 5, 10, 20	circle	1 Gold Leu = 30 Silver Leus 1 Silver Leu = 50 Copper Leus
	silver	1, 2, 5, 10, 15
	copper	1, 5, 10, 25
Magicred	gold	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	circle	1 Gold Magicred = 35 Silver Magicred 1 Silver Magicred = 25 Copper Magicred
	silver	1, 5, 10, 15
	copper	1, 5, 10, 15
Nanak-Shahi	gold	1, 5, 10, 20	square	1 Gold Nanak-Shahi = 30 Silver Nanak-Shahi 1 Silver Nanak-Shahi = 45 Copper Nanak-Shahi
	silver	1, 5, 10, 15
	copper	1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25
Reck	gold	1, 5, 10, 20, 50	circle	1 Gold Reck = 15 Silver Recks 1 Silver Reck = 10 Copper Recks 1 Copper Reck = 30 Iron Recks
	silver	1, 2, 5
	copper	1, 2, 5
	iron	1, 3, 5, 10, 15
Rupee 7qU~V	gold	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	long hexagon	1 Gold Rupee = 50 Silver Rupees 1 Silver Rupee = 50 Copper Rupees	Hylar
	silver	1, 5, 10, 20, 25
	copper	1, 5, 10, 20, 25
Xictre	silver	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	six point star w/ a circle hole	1 Silver Xictre = 25 Iron Xictres
	iron	1, 5, 10, 15

Multi-coin multi-denomination currencies

Main Coin				Subunit Coins				Circulating Nation(s) & Territories
Name	Metal	Shape	Values	Metal	Shape	Values
Arany	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Ezüst	silver	octagon	1, 5, 10, 25	Magyarhaza Kingdoms
				Réz	copper	rectangle	1, 5, 10
				Vas	iron	triangle	1, 2, 3
				Exchange Rate	1 Arany = 50 Ezüst 1 Ezüst = 10 Réz 1 Réz = 5 Vas
Askiya	gold	rhombus	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Sonni	silver	square	1, 5, 10, 25, 50
				Za	copper	circle	1, 2, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Askiya = 50 Sonni 1 Sonni = 25 Zas
Aureus	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Denarius	silver	circle	1, 2, 3, 5	Rome & dependencies
				Sestertius			1, 2, 3
				Dupondius	copper		1
				As			1
				Exchange Rate	1 Aureus = 25 Denarii 1 Denarius = 4 Sestertii 1 Sestertius = 2 Dupondii 1 Dupondius = 2 Asses
Balt	gold	hexagon	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	Cug	silver	six-point star	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Salrin states
				Nute	copper	hexagon w/ circle hole	1, 2, 3
				Exchange Rate	1 Balt = 20 Cugs 1 Cug = 5 Nutes
Claymore	gold	knife	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Rapier	silver	knife	1, 2, 5, 10, 25,	Drakyncia
				Athame	copper		1, 2, 3, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Claymore = 50 Rapiers 1 Rapier = 25 Athames
Daric	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Siglos	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10
				Exchange Rate	1 Daric = 20 Siglos
Dinar دينار	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Dirham درهم	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10
				Fals فلز	copper		1, 2, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Dinar = 20 Dirhams 1 Dirham = 10 Fulus
Dok Chan	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Pod Duang	silver	circle	1, 3, 5
				Namo	copper		1, 3, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Dok Chan = 15 Pod Duang 1 Pod Duang = 35 Namo
Doubloon	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Escudo	silver	circle	1	Hispania & dependencies
				Reale			1, 2, 4, 8
				Picayune	copper		1
				Exchange Rate	1 Doubloon = 2 Escudos 1 Escudos = 16 Reales 1 Reale = 2 Picayunes
Dragon	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	Lion	gold	circle	1, 5	Talmyrnia
				Kraken			1, 3, 5
					silver
				Wolf			1, 2, 5, 10
				Badger	copper		1, 3
				Turtle			1
				Exchange Rate	1 Dragon = 10 Lions 1 Lion = 25 Krakens 1 Kraken = 20 Wolves 1 Wolf = 13 Badgers 1 Badger = 5 Turtles
Guilder	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Stuiver	Stuiver	circle	1, 2, 4, 5, 10
				Duit	Duit		1, 2, 4
				Exchange Rate	1 Guilder = 20 Stuivers 1 Stuiver = 8 Duits
Grim	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Pheo	silver	circle	1, 2, 5	Garvis
				Exchange Rate	1 Grim = 10 Pheos
Jinlong 金龍	gold	sycee, or circle w/ square hole	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	Yinhu 銀虎	silver	sycee, or circle w/ square hole	1, 5, 10, 25	Tianchao, Dongbalian, Miaogui
				Tongying 銅鷹	copper		1, 2, 5
				Tiegui 鐵龜	iron	circle w/ square hole	1, 2, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Jinlong = 50 Yinhu 1 Yinhu = 25 Tongying 1 Tongying = 75 Tiegui
Koban 小判	gold	oval	1, 5, 10, 50, 100	Nibuban 二分判	silver	rectangle	1, 2, 5, 10	Fuso & Yamato dependencies
				Ichibuban 一分判			1, 2, 5, 10
				Tsuho 通寳	copper	circle w/ circle hole	1, 2, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Koban = 20 Nibubans 1 Nibuban = 20 Ichibubans 1 Ichibuban = 10 Tsuhos
Livre	gold	circle	1, 5, 10, 50, 100	Ecu	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10	Gallia & dependencies
				Denier	copper		1, 2, 5, 9
				Exchange Rate	1 Livre = 20 Ecu 1 Ecu = 18 Denier
Mark	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Thaler	silver	circle	1, 2, 5	Starkland
				Kreuzer			1, 3, 5
				Groschen			1, 2, 5
				Pfennig	copper		1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
				Exchange Rate	1 Mark = 10 Thalers 1 Thaler = 25 Kreuzers 1 Kreuzer = 10 Groschens 1 Grochen = 12 Pfennigs
Mun 문	silver	circle w/ square hole	1, 5, 10	Yang 양	copper	circle	1, 3, 5	Goryeo
				Won 원	iron		1, 2, 5, 10
				Exchange Rate	1 Mun = 25 Yangs 1 Yang = 20 Wons
Noble	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Sceat	silver	circle	1, 2, 5
				Styca	copper		1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Noble = 10 Sceats 1 Sceat = 30 Stycas
Obrin	gold	circle	1, 5, 10, 50	Titian	silver	circle	1, 2, 4, 8
				Siztyr	copper		1, 3, 6, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Obrin = 16 Titians 1 Titian = 33 Siztyrs
Odin	gold	circle	1, 5, 10, 15	Thor	silver	octagon	1, 2, 5, 10	Asgard
				Freyja		six-point scallop	1, 2, 3
				Loki	copper	rhombus	1, 2, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Odin = 20 Thors 1 Thor = 5 Freyjas 1 Freyja = 10 Lokis
Oir	gold	circle	1, 5, 10, 50	Airgid	silver	circle	1, 3, 5, 10	Hibernia
				Chopair	copper		1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Oir = 25 Airgids 1 Airgid = 30 Chopairs
Ossis	gold	long octagon	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	Piscis	silver	rhombus	1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15	Bestiauris
				Glande	copper	pentagon	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30
				Exchange Rate	1 Ossis = 30 Piscis 1 Piscis = 50 Glandes
Pagoda	gold	circle	1, 5, 10, 20	Mohar	gold	circle	1, 3, 5
				Rupiya			1, 2, 4, 8
					silver
				Dam			1, 2, 5, 10
					copper
				Shivrai			1, 2, 3
				Exchange Rate	1 Pagoda = 15 Mohars 1 Mohar = 16 Rupiyas 1 Rupiya = 20 Dams 1 Dam = 5 Shivrai
Qirsh	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Para	gold	circle	1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20
				Akce			1, 2
					silver
				Exchange Rate	1 Qirsh = 40 Para 1 Para = 3 Akce
Riksdaler	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Ortug	silver	circle	1, 2, 4, 6, 10, 15, 17	Sverige & Noregr
				Koppar	copper		1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 25, 30
				Exchange Rate	1 Riksdaler = 34 Ortugs 1 Ortug = 55 Koppars
Ruble	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Kopek	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Merzlota
					copper
				Denga			1
				Polushka			1
				Exchange Rate	1 Ruble = 100 Kopeks 1 Kopek = 2 Denga 1 Denga = 2 Polushka
Scarab	gold	oval	1, 5, 10, 20, 50	Cobra	silver	rhombus	1, 3, 5, 10, 15	Kemet
				Scorpion	copper	triangle	1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Scarab = 25 Cobras 1 Cobra = 30 Scorpions
Sequin	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Florin	gold	circle	1, 2, 5	Firenze, Toscanelli, New Valencia, Verona
					silver
				Paolo			1, 2, 5, 10
				Gigliato			1, 2, 5
				Cavalo	copper		1, 2, 5, 10
				Exchange Rate	1 Sequin = 10 Florins 1 Florin = 20 Paolos 1 Paolo = 10 Gigliato 1 Gigliato = 20 Cavalli
Shekel	gold	octagon	1, 5, 10, 20	Zuz	silver	circle	1, 2	Canaan
				Prutah	copper		1, 2, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Shekel = 4 Zuz 1 Zuz = 25 Prutah
Solis	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Luna	silver	circle	1, 2, 5	Soleil
				Sidus	copper	eight-point star	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25
				Exchange Rate	1 Solis = 10 Luna 1 Luna = 50 Sidus
Sovereign	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Crown	gold	circle	1, 2, 3	Britannia & dependencies
					silver
				Shilling			1, 2, 3
				Farthing	copper		1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Sovereign = 5 Crowns 1 Crown = 5 Shillings 1 Shilling = 30 Farthings
Strigoi	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50	Liliac	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25	Ardeal
				Dinte	copper	triangle	1, 3, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Strigoi = 50 Liliacs 1 Liliac = 25 Dints
Talent	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	Mina	silver	circle	1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30	Spitixira
				Drachma			1, 2, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35
				Obol			1, 2, 3
				Exchange Rate	1 Talent = 60 Minae 1 Mina = 70 Drachmae 1 Drachma = 6 Oboloi
Talon	gold	triangle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100	Scale	silver	half-oval	1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25
				Fang	copper	triangle	1, 3, 5, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Talon = 50 Scales 1 Scale = 25 Fangs
Tangka	silver	circle	1, 5, 10, 20	Srang	silver	circle	1, 3
				Skar			1, 2, 5
				Exchange Rate	1 Tangka = 6 Srang 1 Srang = 10 Skar
Tcho	gold	circle	1, 2, 10, 20, 50, 100	Gjor	silver	circle	1, 2, 4, 6, 12
				Hro	copper		1, 3, 10, 15
				Exchange Rate	1 Tcho = 24 Gjors 1 Gjor = 33 Hros
Unicorn	gold	circle	1, 2, 5, 10, 20	Merk	silver	circle	1, 2, 5, 10
				Groat			1, 2, 3
				Bodle	copper		1
				Exchange Rate	1 Unicorn = 20 Merks 1 Merk = 5 Groats 1 Groat = 2 Bodles

Single-coin currencies:

These currencies are minted only in one metal with no denomination

Coin	Metal	Shape	Circulating Nations/Territories
Bloom	iron	eight-point scallop
Erniga	gold	trapezoid
Kahavanu	gold	circle
Karshapana	silver	irregular, usually square
Quachtli	gold	square frustum
Quechua	gold	cube
Tornesel	silver	circle
Van	iron	round with square hole
Yyrdilren	silver	round	Alfheim

Paper Currencies

Banknotes, more commonly known as cash, have started to come into fashion as legal tenders over the last couple centuries; yet they're not as popular since they're so easy to counterfeit, and only a handful of countries circulate them. Face-value-wise, they start out at the same value as the highest value coin of the base currency, and then make into higher values.

Like gold, banknotes are usually reserved for exceptionally large transactions; most people try to avoid them otherwise.

As mentioned above, only a few countries print paper banknotes alongside coinage. The following currencies are the only monetary units known to have printed banknotes.

Main			Exchange Rate	Circulating Nation(s) & Territories
Currency	Printed Values
Balt	1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100			Salrin states
Címlet	1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 50, 100			Magyarhaza Kingdoms
Dragon	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100			Talmyrnia
Jiaozi 交子	1, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200		1 Jiaozi = 20 Guanzi 1 Guanzi = 10 Huizi 1 Huizi = 5 Jinlong	Tianchao, Dongbalian
	Denominations:
	Currency	Printed Values
	Guanzi 關子	1, 5, 10 & 20
	Huizi 會子	1, 5 & 10
Hansatsu 藩札	1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000		1 Hansatsu = 10 Koban	Fuso & Yamato dependencies
Leu	1, 5, 10, 50, 100
Magicred	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 1000
Mark	1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100			Starkland
Ruble	1, 5, 10, 50, 100			Merzlota

Other Currencies

A select few countries circulate other things as their official currency, or partially for use as commodity money.

• Gold Nugget: In a few pre-colonial Nekcrozii cultures, rather than a set coinage, simple unrefined nuggets of gold are circulated as currency, with prices being based on weight. This practice has since fallen out of use, mostly.
• Seashells: The use of seashells as currency is one of the earliest monetary methods on Qirsyllviar and remains in use in many places today; however, it has been falling out of use over the last few centuries. Cowries are the most common, but Olive shells, Bivalve halves, auger shells, conch shells, tusk shells, land snail shells, and many more, are used as well. The value of shells is determined by how complete and clean they are; dirty or broken shells are not usually accepted in most transactions. These days, shells only fully circulate amongst the undersea nations Bivalvia and Cnidaria; but there is great use of shells all over Maritymir, as well as parts of Ingdjiva and Nekcroz.
• Strings: In countries like Tianchao & Dongbalian, it's common practice for many coins to be strung together in strings. Often as many as fifteen thousand coins would be strung together at once, but are segregated by the metal the coin is made of.

The terms used for strings depend on how many coins are on them

Number of Coins	Term
10000+	Guan 貫
5000 → 10000	Chuan 串
1000 → 5000	Suo 索
100 → 1000	Diao 吊
100 or less	Min 緡

• Gem: Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires etc. gems are another precious substance used as a currency on Qirsyllviar. Instead of denominating them by value, Gems are instead valued by weight; this means that any number of gems, no matter the type, could be used to meet the priced weight, as different sized gems would have different weights. Uncut gems that are freshly mined hold no value as currency, they only enter circulation once they are properly cut to a valuable shape. Gems are often used as a pseudo currency when regular money is unavailable; but, the Empire of Atlantis is different. Being the largest producer of gemstones than anywhere else on Qirsyllviar, the Empire of Atlantis uses Gems as its full circulating currency.
• Jade: Jade is the material used to make the currency cocajade, a currency used by a couple countries in Nekcroz, as well as a tradable stone in countries like Tianchao and Dongbalian.
• Wood: Some ancient stateless cultures, particularly nomadic peoples, used wooden coins or plaques as currency when trading with each other or with established nations. However, this method of legal tender fell out of use several centuries ago.

Defunct Currencies

Every so often a currency will fall out of use or will be taken out of circulation until it becomes obsolete. This can happen for a multitude of reasons:

• When a country changes its currency, such as its name or appearance, or adopts a currency used by a neighboring country.
• When it is no longer trusted by the populace (this instance can often force the above action).
• A country ceases to exist via a national collapse or conquest.
  • In the latter instance, the conquering state will often impress its currency on the conquered state's economy.

Currencies that are no longer in circulation include:

Currency	Metal	Shape	Former Circulator
Koson	gold	circle	Amurgine Empire
Troni	silver	square w/ circle hole	Avatron
Zen	copper	square w/ square hole	Maldrazik (now Rondar)

Counterfeiting

Counterfeiting is the illegal production of money, or anything that isn't officially endorsed by a government. Counterfeiting has been a problem since money was first invented and remains a problem today. Counterfeiting can cause inflation, the rapid decrease in the value of a currency, as well as cause people to lose trust in a currency.

A common anti-counterfeiting measure for paper currency is that official banknote is stamped with an official seal before it enters circulation. Such marks show that the note is real and notes without them are generally illegal. This attempts to dissuade counterfeiters from trying to replicate it, since such a feat is not easily achieved and a well-trained eye is able to spot the fakes. Regardless, that hasn't stopped many counterfeiters from trying.

Trading

Economics through trade and barter rather than commodity currency is not a new thing anywhere on Qirsyllviar. When merchants take products instead of money for payment, usually at the amount equal to the price of what they're selling (at least what it is at the time of exchange), they usually do so with the intention of getting a bigger profit by reselling what they were given at a better price. They sometimes trade on credit (buying then and paying later), but this can cause massive debt in the event a following trade deal falls through or the market for the product collapses. Trade between nations is one of the biggest sources of income on Qirsyllviar, and free trade zones produce the most revenue.

Despite being the biggest method of profit and revenue, trading has its limitations and risks because of certain trade barriers imposed by nations. Most goods usually have a tariff, a tax for transporting goods across national borders, placed on them, and cannot be taken in or out of a country unless it is paid. Additionally, nations often place smaller taxes on many goods for transporting them through towns within their borders. Not paying attention to these taxes can lead to a loss of profit or even debt. Other trade restrictions include import/export licenses, import quota, embargoes, currency devaluation, etc., and are the biggest blocks to merchants trying to make a profit. It is for these reasons that some merchants turn to smuggling (the illegal transport of goods via other means), either to avoid taxes or if the goods are prohibited in the area they're entering. They may hire professional smugglers to do it for them, or take the risk and try to smuggle the goods themselves.

Another issue that makes trade risky is the possibility of the transported goods being stolen.

The Black Market

Despite any and all trade restrictions, most goods are still valuable, or even more valuable, if sold a different way. This is where the black markets comes in.

Black markets are hidden markets that specializes in goods that are either illegal or simply can't be brought into open market legally because of taxes. These goods are brought in via illegal means, often by smuggling, mainly because they're often illegal where they're being sold. Such things include poached animals, poisons, drugs, stolen valuables, and items of similar nature. Alternatively, if the goods are actually in fact legal in the area they're being sold, it is simply because bringing them in illegally to avoid taxes makes it impossible to sell them in the open market.

Black market dealers are often criminals or secret employees of trading companies that can't get certain goods in legal ways.

Because of the risks involved in illegal trade, the black market tends to make more money than the open market.

Trading Companies

Merchants often travel and peddle alone or in small groups, but sometimes they will take jobs from trading companies or work directly for them. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of trading companies operating around Qirsyllviar, which deal in products ranging from wheat to weapons to slaves.

The largest and most well-known are listed here.

Trading Company	Headquaters	Areas of Operation	Other notes
Angevin Trading Company	Jamesburg, Angevin	Angevin and across Coilagbein	The largest trading company in Nekcroz.
Craddock Trading Company	Camelot, Camelot	Camelot and parts of Britannia
Cuvillier Trading Company	Echange, Soleil	The Vieillesse Peninsula	The largest trading company in the Vieillesse.
Fortuna Trading Company	Rome, Rome	Rome & Dependencies	The largest trading company in the Roman Empire.
Martyniak Brothers' Trading Company	Afacere, Ardeal	Northern Eurodysia	A vampire-run trading company headquartered in, and operating out of, Ardeal. It was founded by two vampire brothers, Costache & Jadranko Martyniak (hence the guild's name), and is one of the biggest trading guilds in northern Eurodysia.
Mamiya Trading Company 間宮商社	Goshi, Yamatai	Fuso & Yamato dependencies	The largest trading company in Fuso.
Northwest Ingdjiva Company	Capsonville, Edwardia	Ingdjiva	The largest trading company in Ingdjiva. Operates out of Edwardia and stretches across the continent.
Otto Trading Company	Handelburg, Starkland	Central Eurodysia	The largest trading company in the Starkisch Empire.
Pritchard Trading Company	Orskaydd, Talmyrnia	Talmyrnia	The largest trading company in the Talmyri Empire.
Tatre Trading Company	Syfas, New Hylar	East Ingdjiva coast and across Maritymir	A maritime trading company.

Banking

Banks are institutions for depositing and lending money.

Banks charge interest when giving loans, especially when lending to governments. When banks give loans, usually demand something of comparable value to the loan as collateral, such as one's home or a piece of property. The longer it takes for a debtor to pay back the loan, the more the interest piles up. If borrowers are late or default their debts they usually put pressure on the borrower to get the money back. This may include, as the first, refusal to lend any more money, or, as a last resort, backing enemies of the defaulters, but usually they take the agreed upon collateral. Oftentimes the debtor is jailed when he can't pay, but tn extreme cases the debtor may be sold into slavery.

All countries have their own banks, but smaller ones are usually overlooked by the larger more powerful ones. The largest and most well-known are listed here.

Bank	Headquaters	Other Notes
Bank of New Albion
Bank of Avolcraz
High Bank of Hylar	Jicrano, Hylar	Based in the Empire of Hylar, the bank is one of the richest and most influential in southern Aquilonis.
Bank of Livonia
Bank of Markaydia
Bank of Talmyrnia	Orskaydd, Talmyrnia
Imperial Bank of Rome	Rome, Rome	The largest and most powerful bank in Eurodysia. Based in the Roman Empire (hence the name). Many national economies of Eurodysia live under its influence, whether they know it or not.
Bank of Merzlota
Bank of Shogyo	Goshi, Yamatai	The primary bank of the Yamato Empire.

Notes & Trivia:

• In the currency section of country listings of the continents, currencies are listed from base denomination to the lowest fractional sub-unit.
• The currency Cocajade, being made from a stone rather than a metal, is carved rather than minted.
• Most currencies listed are based of real historical currencies, while others are unique to Qirsyllviar. Some of those that are based off real historical ones, have had their values adjusted or revamped.
• The obverse and reverse images of the coins and notes are not listed, since multiple countries that use the same type of currency would – and often do – have differing obverses and reverses, and the images often change with the times. That said, countries that use the same currencies will often accept each other coins for payment, as they are still the same coin despite originating in different countries.
  • On that note; the obverse of coins often depict the faces of current or former rulers, certain gods or goddesses, or other national symbols. The reverse often depicts a building or historical scene of particular importance or another national symbol. Well used mottoes, sayings or acronyms, as well as the value of the coin, are also often set onto currencies as well.
• The terms "Commodity money" and "Commodity currency" have two different meanings.
• On Qirsyllviar, "Stocks" simply refer to the amount of a product a single person or entity has in supply.
• While the concept of credit exists, Bonds do not exist on Qirsyllviar. The concept was too complicated for the author to shape to Qirsyllvian standards.
• For coins listed as shaped "scallop", it's another way of saying flower.