Currency

All of Western Maesia uses the gold/silver/copper currency system (whereas 100 coppers equal one silver, and 100 silvers equal one gold). Several locations in Eastern Maesia still use the barter system (normally smaller tribes, but the entire country of Kaiske operates its economy on this principle). Though they do accept coin due to its inherent value in other locales, it is generally of little use to those not travelling and interacting with other, non-bartering Maesians.

Overall, however, a magic cell is the largest and most valuable piece of accepted currency in all of Maesia. Their worth fluctuates based on supply and demand, but at its absolutely lowest a magic cell has an equivalency of approximately 100 gold.

Coin System
The basic coin currency system adopted by the majority of Maesia is as follows:

100 coppers = 1 silver

100 silvers = 1 gold

Therefore, 10000 coppers = 100 silvers = 1 gold.

Each country tends to have their own terminology for their coins, but in concept they are the same three denominations and possess the same value. Therefore, frequent international travellers tend to call the coins by their standard names of copper, silver, and gold, which is a universal way of referring to the coins based on their composition.

It is not believed that the coins are pure copper, silver, or gold, but are likely laced with various other metals (such a nickel, bronze, etc) and in the end merely retain an appearance of their given metal. Even when impure, however, they still retain value (though not as much as a pure, refined piece of such a substance).

Barter System

 * Main article(s): Kaiske/Traders' Markets

There are many small villages and tribes scattered throughout Eastern Maesia that conduct their business through the barter system. In Western Maesia, where the coin system has been established for centuries, the barter system is less common but still appears from time to time. In it's grandest occurence, the barter system is the primary economic layout of the entire coastal country of Kaiske.

Since Kaiske is located in a relatively central spot (and is a safer port than the ports of nearby Siontru), many travellers go out of their way to make stops on their way to countries located more inland, such as Mithra and Delkeeps. While docked at port, they are expected to pay their docking "fees" through bartering with the local Kaiskens running the portside Traders' Markets, and are then free to barter with all others in the market, whether they be local or fellow travellers.

Since no coin is lost dealing in Kaisken barters (only supplies and occaisionally a few days of their time if they offer labour as opposed to items), it is often beneficial to stop in Kaiske to obtain hard-to-find items at relatively low overall costs. A skilled trader could come to Kaiske with an item worth a few coppers and in a few days leave with an item would several gold. Unfortunately black-market items often end up in the Kaisken markets, and due the frequest trading that occurs it is all but impossible to track when the original item entered the market and at whose hand. This obvious flaw in Kaiske's economy often generates much scrutiny from other countries.

Magic Cells

 * Main article: Magic Cells

Magic cells are ancient power cores once used by the Elder races to power their vast Cities with magical power, granting them the ability to create vast civilizations with advanced technology powered by magic. In modern Maesia these magic cells are crudely used in place of electricity, powering lights throughout settlements as well as occaisional appliances. Since the majority of the Elder races either abandoned their Cities or were eradicated due to the Elder Wars, the knowledge (and technology) needed to create more magic cells has been lost for centuries. For this reason magic cells are limited in number based on how many are secreted away in Elder City ruins. Also as years drag on the magic cells currently in use by Maesians burn out, since each has a limited capacity (a single cell can last anywhere from ten to one hundred years when fresh from an Elder City ruin, less time when sold secondhand).

This steadily decreasing supply and the ever-increasing demand is continually driving up the price of magic cells, and as such they are often used in high-value transactions in place of coin or traditional bartering items.