02 - Iron Kingdoms W.. - Captain Spud Is Amazing

108.1.141.197
the note and embossed with the bank’s seal, these
safeguards are not foolproof. When a banknote is
“cashed in,” the holder of the note is required to
countersign the note in front of a bank official who
then verifies the holder’s signature. The easiest way to
“forge” a banknote is for a skilled individual who has
gained an official banknote through illicit means to
forge the holder’s signature in front of a bank official.
Of course, this requires a deal of skill and practice but
is not uncommon.
More complicated is the production of forged
banknotes. Due to the process involved in creating
them, forgery is very difficult without the use of
stolen embossing tools and bank vellum. While forged
signatures are much more common than outright
forged banknotes, several of the larger banking
concerns held a summit during the summer of 603
AR to address the issue of developing more complex
banknote designs to make forgery more difficult.
Some of the proposed solutions that the largest and
most progressive holding companies are beginning to
implement include specially formulated alchemical
inks and intricate designs printed on the notes with
in-house printing presses.
Bullion
As part of the Corvis Treaties, standard coin
sizes and weights were established in an attempt to
streamline commerce between the kingdoms of western
Immoren. Part and parcel of this standardization was
the incorporation of the gold standard into modern
usage. Coin weights and values are actually based on
the value of raw gold or silver bullion.
Each country mints it own coins from raw gold
or silver bullion. Most is acquired through the Leryn
Bullion Exchange, the same organization that also
handles the conversion of bullion to coins for the
banks of western Immoren. The Exchange also
converts coins to bullion for sale to the mints of the
Iron Kingdoms, and according to the Corvis Treaties
the Leryn Bullion Exchange is the only legal entity
authorized to melt minted coins. Agents from each
country’s mints come to the Exchange to purchase raw
bullion by weight for making coinage. This requires
heavily armed caravans to transport the bullion back
to the mint safely, and of course, Khador is no longer
welcome to trade since the onset of war.
rumor has it...
brigandry has struCk in northern Cygnar along the great
northern tradeWay. CoaChmen and shaken travelers tell
of harroWing enCounters With a group of Well-armed,
masked highWaymen Who have hit nearly a dozen CoaChes and
several small Caravans on the tradeWay betWeen Corvis and
meryWyn. if the Current round of rumors Can be believed,
the last CoaCh hit by these sWaggering pistoleers Carried
bullion bound for Corvis. the gold Was meant to alleviate
pressure on merChants advanCing supplies to refugees and
ever-inCreasing garrisons as Well as help finanCe merCenary
reinforCements for the kingdom’s beleaguered military.
agents of the CroWn are aCtively seeking information
leading to these irksome highWaymen.
Major Trade
Organizations
The economies of western Immoren have become
quite reliant upon its major trade organizations. The
Modern Era has bred a corporate society. After all,
there is a measure of security in association. Voluntary
brotherhoods of workers and able-bodied tradesmen
support and protect one another, enjoy both physical
and economic security, and generate profits more
easily. Especially during turbulent times such as
those currently taking place in western Immoren do
coalitions profit more than individuals.
Industrialization has quickened in recent
generations and has allowed some groups to hire
dozens or even hundreds of workers to courier
or manufacture goods faster than ever before.
Communities throughout the Iron Kingdoms are
virtually bursting at the seams due to the infusion
of trade organizations, mercantile guilds, mills, and
factories.
The first corporation of note is perhaps the
Mercarian League—a massive trading partnership with
anonymous owners throughout western Immoren.
Requiring surplus capital to fund their efforts, the
League’s administrators and owners buy and sell
shares to fund their numerous voyages. Throughout
the years, the League has acquired licenses from
Cygnar not only to trade, but also to make war on
those who interfere with its practices. This sometimes
World Guide 69