Silver Worth

Silver and Gold

The Geats live predominantly in a barter economy. In general goods change hand without the mediation of any sort of currency. No coins are struck and any that come into circulation from more southerly parts are valued simply for the weight and purity of their metal content. However, hack silver is almost universally accepted as a medium of exchange and has a roughly consistent value.

Silver is highly valued by lords and warriors since it is relatively portable and may be worn as a sign of wealth and status. It is common practice for silver to be melted down and reforged into arm-rings and other adornments which make convenient gifts for lords to give to followers and guests (a smith will typically ask one tenth of the silver weight as a fee for his time and skill). Even poorer folk value it for its durability as something to be hoarded against a rainy day (of which they see many). The values given in the “price guide” below are a reflection of the purchasing power of silver.

Gold is worth roughly 20 times as much as silver. Other valuable, durable and portable commodities – amber, jet, polished stones, ivory, high quality furs and other clothing etc. – are less consistently and more subjectively valued.

The basic unit of silver is the Sceatta (literally shard), ten Sceattas make a Mark and ten Marks make a Geatish Pound which may be considered roughly equivalent to an imperial pound in weight. ¹

Trade

Most settlements large enough to support a specialist blacksmith will trade commonplace weapons or replenish arrows for silver. At a pinch they might buy surplus weapons (typically at about half “list price”) but their internal economies are mostly barter based and they are unlikely to have that much silver to offer. Markets are few and far between and tend to be brief seasonal affairs like the Folkmoot. The only semi-permanent markets you know of are the Isle of the Weather Geats, which is a year round trading depot except when under siege by the ice, and Stokeney on the Baltic coast where ships draw up in the lagoon there and trade throughout the summer. The Geatburh in West Geatland serves a similar purpose on that coast. There are local fairs too, mostly in summer. You may in the course of the game encounter other trading points or places where particular types of produce are sourced and are available for trade.

Shopmen are pedlars who travel around with goods to sell – and who might buy or barter for something they see the value in carrying. Shopmen may travel by boat or horse or even on foot with nothing but a large pack. They might carry a single product from its source (e.g. salt), or a range of high value, relatively low bulk products. Shopmen are protected by custom (though this may not always save them from the attentions of outlaws or wights). As a valued source of news and tales of the wider community and they are usually guested very willingly.

Gift-giving

Larger settlements with a thegn’s hall (or perhaps a reeve) will expect gifts from itinerant warriors seeking their hospitality (unless you want to lurk at the back and do the chores). This may attract a counter-gift from a generous and friendly host. At the simplest level this may just come down to an exchange of arm-rings, but a lord who wishes to impress you with his wealth and generosity may choose to give you a gift of greater value than you gave him (or her). Alternatively, they may simply accept your offering at face value as a guesting gift.

Equally, the presentation of your gift is a chance to impress upon your host your wealth and status. It is also an opportunity for flyting – a sort of ritualised boasting where the guest proclaims his deeds and his antecedents. Flyting may be challenged. Some great men retain a thyl, an adviser part of whose role is precisely to challenge a guest and find out whether they are who they say they are and have done the things they claim. Thyls are paid to be well-informed. Supporting ones flyting with a gift of note, and being able to speak eloquently as to its origin and the deeds associated with winning it is a good way to enhance your reputation. However, there is always a risk of embarrassing a host if the gift is too puissant and outstrips the receiver’s ability to reciprocate.

If a group of warriors arrive together they have the option of giving gifts individually or lining up behind one gift-giver. Note that in the latter case it will be assumed that the gift-giver is the leader of the group and the others simply retainers.

Gift-giving may also play the part of a crypto-trade if handled carefully (the trick is to let the host know what it is you seek without looking too grasping or desperate, and give a gift of appropriate value).

Price Guide

Prices in this guide are indicative and do not take into account market pressures that might be in force in a particular location at a given time or place.

Weapons and armour commonly found in any settlement:

Scramasaex (10s); Daroth (10s); Light Shield (10s); Helmet (20s); Leather armour (30s)

Weapons and armour commonly found in a larger settlement with a smith:

Langasaex (40s); War Spear (30s); Angon (40s); Franca (30s); War Axe (40s); Bow (30s); Arrow (2s); War Shield (30s); Studded Leather (100) may be made to order.

Weapons and armour only found in a major settlement with a weaponsmith:

Sword (20m); Mail Byrnie (50m); Helm (10m)

Decorated weapons, inlaid with gold and silver are generally worth 1-6 marks more than the base price.

Fine weapons attract a +1 attack bonus and cost around ten times base price.