Currency Writing Contest
Contest Details
Just like Americans have quarters, Japanese have yen coins, and Europeans have euros, so do the different kingdoms across Hollows have their own denomination of gold pieces.
Would the gold coins of Xalious be embossed with the dragons that first called the lands home, or be marked with the iconic Mage's Tower or Xalious Tree? Do dwarves of Craughmoyle use hexagonal coins for optimal space? Are the gold pieces that pixies carry magically imbued to make them portable for the tiny beings that suddenly turn giant in the hands of a frost giant?
The world of Hollow is your gold mine in this contest... literally!
Things to keep in mind:
- All areas use the gold, silver, copper standards of metal. (This is so that our world building will stay in line with our system.)
- You may choose four regions (so you can have up to four entries)
- This contest our winners will be decided by anonymous voting.
- Areas with active leaders may submit their own ideas, or waive the right to participate in submitting an idea for their area exchange for the opportunity to choose between the two most highly voted upon entry for their area.
Prizes:
You will be allowed 4 entries max and will earn 1,500 gold per entry.
Winners will get 10,000 gold for winning entries and a collectable version of their entry. And of course, their currency will become the official coin of whatever region they've chosen!
Winners
1st Place Tie
Vhys
Gold Coin: Black Grail
Description: This coin measures one and a quarter inch in diameter (32mm), round with a slightly raised edge, and is made of very high quality gold alloy with a slightly blackened finish. On the obverse side, a black grail takes up the center, adorned with engraved gems made of colorful Vhysian glass. It is common to discover coins missing these tiny 'gems' whether through vandalism or natural wear. On the reverse side of the coin, a detailed portrait of Lich-Queen Ryeanna Drakenheart takes the center, beautiful and stern.
History: Commonly referred to as "Golden Grails", the Black Grail was minted during the reign of Queen Ryeanna Drakenheart, who was known for her mastery of dark rituals and magic. This coin symbolizes the era’s prosperity under her rule, despite the ominous methods she employed to maintain control. The grail is a common symbol of opulence, though the truth of its symbolism hints to a much darker past, one rarely spoken of even by those forsaken elves that remember the Queen's reign. To this day, local merchants and nobles alike use Golden Grails for the most expensive purchases.
Silver Coin: Silver Dagger
Description: Measuring one inch in diameter (25mm), this coin is round with a milled edge and made of a high quality silver alloy. Its obverse design features Governor Morvious' bloodlust dagger in the center, intricate blade patterns adorning it. On the reverse side is a portrait of Governor Morvious himself, the cityscape of Elimdor in the background. Underneath him reads the words "Thand Ui Brûn" translated: "Order Through Strength".
History: The Silver Dagger coin was introduced by Governor Morvious, a strategic leader celebrated for bringing order and structure to the city of Elimdor as Queen Ryeanna Drakenheart's right hand man. The bloodlust dagger represents his authoritative, sometimes ruthless, approach to governance. This coin became the standard for daily trade and commerce, embodying the stability and control Morvious established during his tenure. To this day the Silver Dagger is the most commonly traded coin for the majority of citizens in Vhys.
Copper Coin: Copper Branches
Description: This coin is one inch (25mm) in diameter, round with smooth edges, and made of copper alloy. It features two redwood branches with intricately detailed bark and needle textures that curve around the edges of the coin. On the reverse a towering redwood tree takes the focal point, reaching towards the sky, surrounded by smaller trees and forest undergrowth.
History: A tribute to the prized redwood forests of Vhys, the Copper Branches were minted during the reign of Queen Ryeanna Drakenheart, symbolizing the unity of the realm's inhabitants with the forest. The redwood branches on the obverse represent the kingdom's natural wealth and prosperity, while the towering tree on the reverse represents the resilience and majesty of the forest. To this day, Copper Branches can be found not only in Vhys, but all across Lithyrdel and Rynvale Island.
Written by Quintessa.
Port Rynvale
Port Rynvale's natively coined currency isn't actually seen so much. It isn't that surprising, being a port town. Every sailor and traveller is bringing coin from all corners of the mainland, and all money spends.
It does however exist. An oft ignored plaque near the bank lays out an explanation of their names and images.
The COPPER CRAB is named after one of the island's most industrious creatures, an example to all.
The SILVER SHOULDER is named after the strong shoulders of our navy and guard, who protect us all.
The GOLDEN LADY is named after our esteemed ruler: [here, some angry citizen had ground the words out decades ago.]
This is, of course, complete bull dreamed up by some official trying to make things look respectable.
The names are old dockside slang terms for the copper, silver, and gold coins of any land, based on the rough prices of things mariners bought in port. A copper got you a crab dinner. A silver got you a shoulder, which is a type of liquor bottle. As for gold, prostitution was one of Port Rynvale's most lucrative industries. The values obviously don't hold after inflation--good luck getting the time of day for one gold--but old timers still use the words sometimes.
Written by Hanan.
2nd Place Tie
Veloren
Gold – A ‘gorgon’s eye’ is an old gold pirate doubloon re-stamped with the stylized image of a sea- gorgon’s head on both sides.
Silver – A ‘silver siren’ is a large silver coin, stamped with the image of a bird with a woman’s face one side, and stylized mermaid amid waves on the other.
Copper – A ‘triton’ is an irregular copper coin featuring a conch shell on one side, a trident on the other.
Written by Mcracken.
Cenril
As one of the oldest regions of Lithyrdel, Cenril’s currency has gone through several designs. The first of which was simple copper with no standardized shape or official symbol. It wasn’t unusual to find previously circular coins cut down to more octagonal shapes, the telltale markings that dishonest folk had previously clipped and shaved the coins down in effort to forge additional copper pieces. The phrase “copper pinching” or “copper-pincher” is often credited to this archaic grift.
The modern Cenrili coin is made purely from gold, silver or copper. Any and all found substandard when passed through the bank are quickly taken out of circulation. Additionally, the edges of each coin are slightly raised and ridged in an effort to make forgeries and “pinching” more difficult for would-be counterfeiters, as well as making attempts easier to spot by employees of the Cenrili treasury and bank offices.
Gold: Perfectly round in shape, the gold coin is the largest of Cenril’s currency, though still small enough to fit inside the hand of a child. The face of the coin is the profile portrait of a woman looking to the right, her hair curled up in a long forgotten fashion. A sword is crossed with an olive branch behind her. The back of this coin is possibly the most detailed to be minted, the image of a fleet of imposing warships at sea.
Silver: Also round in shape, the silver coin of Cenril is the most recent to have gone through a design change. Through every election year, the people of Cenril are given the option to vote upon a new image and the most recent election of the Mayor brought a more inclusive front face to the silver coin, the people choosing symbolism that honored the large feline and witch population of the South End. The simple outline of a large feline paw print in sand, surrounded by a laurel wreath, decorates the front. The back of this coin is adorned with the symbol of a wand crossed over a broom.
Copper: The most aged artwork of Cenril currency, the copper piece is octagonal in shape rather than round. The history of the shape chosen are linked to the aforementioned practice of pinching. The front face of the coin has a simple design of an olive branch, a homage to the many groves that thrive upon the coastlines. The back of the coin is marked with parallel, horizontal wavy lines in the background, with a fish in the foreground. These are the combined symbols of Selene and Zaytor.
Written by Valrae.
3rd Place Tie
Frostmaw
Metal Makeup/Appearance/Dimensions: The metals used for Frostmaw’s currency are actually small, nonuniform chips of black ice or blue iron. Each one has been stamped by a blacksmith with the letter representing their type, and each letter gilded in their associated metal. As it’s rather obvious where the coins are from, there are no engravings of the Frostmawian flag on them. Unlike the black ice that’s used for weapons and armor, these small chips are severely lacking in quality, and upon determining this, they are sent to a blacksmith in Frostmaw designated for preparing the currency for circulation. Despite their low quality, each chip of black ice or blue iron still retains their cold properties, though just not as strongly, and it’s recommended that those that do not have the cold resistance that Frostmawian residents do keep their Frostmaw monies in pouch to keep from getting frostbite over time.
Backstory: Frostmaw would not seem like the type of place interested in recycling, but materials like the region’s black ice and blue iron are extremely rare, as they are found in Frostmaw alone. Due to this, they are very careful about what they toss out, making use of every single piece that they can. Those that are not used for weapons, armor, or building materials are used to create art or in the case of the small chip, in their currency. So much care is put into protecting these metals that each person that has an account at the Bank of Frostmaw is given a climate-controlled coin purse to keep their Frostmaw currency in, that both wards from the aforementioned frostbite, as well as keeping the heat-susceptible coins cold, all of which is done by elemental enchantments via frost giant shamans that have dedicated their lives to perfecting their skills so the bags are not flawed.
Written by Lhyrin.
Xalious
Once a humble mountain village, Xalious had no official currency. While the local tavern, now known as the Dancing Destrier, would accept all manner of coin the village often practiced bartering for goods and services amongst themselves and travelers.
The Mage’s Guild, once established, made no hurry to create or mint their own coins. The oldest among them, often more preoccupied with the collection of ancient arcane magics and relics, saw money as trivial and preferred to operate within the barter and trading system that had been established. Oftentimes, they would trade magical feats or spells for the more mundane needs of a mortal body, such as food or clothing.
Possibly the youngest currency system within Lithrydel, it wasn’t until the Mage’s Guild became governed by a council that Xalious began minting their own coins. The decision was a popular one, though in typical fashion of mages the chosen currencies are unusual in creation, magical in nature, and not always considered the most practical.
While the realm standard of metals can be found in each coin, they are all imbued with arcane magics which sometimes react to each other in mysterious ways, such as slightly altering the designs upon each coin if stored too closely to one another.
Gold:
Oddly, the gold coin of Xalious is square in shape and pulses with a deep indigo light. The front face of the coin is decorated with the faces of previous and current Archmages, though it depends upon the time of day or possibly the weather which Archmage you might see. They move as if their very essence was somehow captured within the metal and have been known to make disapproving or cheerful faces when spent. The symbol of the god Xalious himself dominates the back of the coin, a staff of wood topped with the intricately detailed image of Arh'Nuk resting atop.
Silver: Triangular in shape, the silver coin of Xalious can often be found glowing with a mystical light that recalls the silvery boughs of the fabled Xalious tree. The design is fanciful in nature, the swirling patterns on the front face of the coin sometimes shifting into something new when away from prying mortal eyes. The back of the coin is wreathed in esoteric symbolism, the center a singular but watchful eye.
Copper: The only round coin of Xalious, the copper coin emanates with the gentle glow of the Mage’s red moon. Upon the front face of the coin, a dragon can be seen endlessly in flight. The serpentine shape circles the confines of the coin perpetually. The back of the coin is stamped with the proud outline of the Xalious mountain range with the outline of the Mage’s Tower in the distance. The seasons of the tiny but intricately detailed forests have been known to change to reflect the current weather that each owner inhabits.
Written by Valrae.
Honorable Mentions
Craughmoyle
Metal Makeup/Appearance/Dimensions: All three coin types are true to their name, their actual metals pure and freshly dug from the earth. Within the mines deep underground, even below Craughmoyle itself, the earth is plentiful with all three metals, allowing for them to be in their purest form, as well as allowing the government of Craughmoyle to use it in their trade routes. Every piece of copper, silver, and gold are different sizes from the rest of their kin. Taken directly from the mines, they are left mostly in their nugget form, aside from two small sides smoothed out, and weighed so that they can be marked accordingly. One flattened side is for engraving the Craughmoyle sigil, while the other is for the approximate number in gold coins that the nugget is worth.
Backstory: It has long since been believed that the dwarves sprung from the ground itself, their bodies once the very same as the stone they made their homes from. No one piece of Craughmoyle’s currency is the same, just as no one dwarf is the same. Their rigidity in their own society mirrors that of the many ridges and corners of metal nuggets, though the softness of the metals speaks of the softness and love they have for certain things like mining and the goddess Loda.
Written by Lhyrin.
Schezerade
Metal Makeup/Appearance/Dimensions: All three types of coin are an alloy of the metal they’re named after and mithril, which gives them their “light as a feather” weight. The alloy percentages in each are specifically balanced to not only retain the main metal’s color as much as possible, while also maintaining its lightness. While the gold and copper specifically are much lighter in color than normal gold and copper coins, the silver is just as silver as can be, each one of the coins shined to a mirror-like finish. On all of them is an imprint of a feather, each feather decorated in shades befitting the color of the coin itself (copper has shades of brown, silver is painted in shades of blue, and the gold with reds and oranges). They all seem to be hand painted, but that surely can’t be the case as there’s a massive amount of each coin in circulation. Each coin type is all perfectly circular, uniform with one another, and of very specific measurements. They are 1.5in in diameter, their approximate weight 1g, and their thickness 2mm.
Backstory: Known to be militaristic, haughty, and viewing themselves as above the other races, the avian society puts those same traits into the things they create. High up on their pedestal in the sky, the avians silently reflect on their failures, always remembering the cities that fell because of their pretentiousness. This is reflected in art of all kinds, but especially their currency, the objects kept on their person at all times, a daily reminder. It has been dubbed The Four Signs of Hubris. The first sign was Zealotry, their unwillingness to accept or delight in anything that is not aviankind, represented by the total uniformity of the coins. The second sign is Vainglory, their love for themselves eclipsing rational thought, portrayed by the mirror finish on the coins. The third sign was Avarice, their need to claim the skies entirely for themselves, depicted by the lightness of the coins, to allow for more to fill their coffers unhindered. And finally, the fourth sign was Arrogance, the ultimate downfall of their race, represented in the beautiful, falling feathers carefully painted on each individual coin. The act of painting the feathers themselves is a punishment for those that truly want to understand and repent.
Written by Lhyrin.
Gualon
Metal Makeup/Appearance/Dimensions: Each metal used for Gualon’s coins are true to their name. Mined from the rockier areas of the desert, they are melted down and pressed into the coins, the molds of which are made by Gualon’s resident blacksmith. On copper coins, one would find the imprint of a totem pole; on the silver a rose, representing the Black Rose Shrine in Methany Manor; and on the gold, is the broken, bloodied tusk of Rothik, Orc God of Conquest and Destruction. On the flip side of the coins, there is a large firefly on each. After each coin has been formed, they are taken in small batches in bags made of gauze, and left to soak in the swamp, in the same manner of leaving crab pods in the ocean. After sitting in the murky waters for one full moon cycle of Valaane, they are brought out and polished, leaving each with a pale, sickly green aura, while the aforementioned lightning bugs glow yellow when tilted just right in the moonlight. Of the three types of coin, the gold is the smallest in size, with copper the largest, while the silver is in between the two. This is due to scarcity of gold in the desert and the surplus of copper.
Backstory: Gualon’s swamp is not just a body of water--it’s the lifeblood of the entire region. Deep within the ground, floating in the air, and swirling about in the water is the swamp’s magic, with each and every living creature in Gualon connected to it. To further this connection, albeit with their currency, the orc witchdoctors have found a way to infuse the currency with the magic of the swamp, so that everyone might experience it for themselves, even if they cannot get to Gualon. With the combination of swamp water and monthlong ritual of devotion, the coins are reborn, and with it, the firefly etching on all are able to light one’s way in the darkness back to the swamp, with the firefly’s glow getting brighter and brighter as the swamp is neared. Due to the nature of magic, and how it is wont to fade over time, the ritual is performed several times during the year, when the green aura begins to fade.
Written by Lhyrin.
Vailkrin
The Dark Lands, City of the Dead, and home to a mass of wealth thanks to the unnaturally long un-lives of its inhabitants. The history of Vailkrin’s treasury and coin is, typically, one soaked in blood and shadows. While control of the official coin of Vailkrin was contested and hard fought among the oldest vampire covens, the claim of any one house was long stripped away when the general population grew weary of the infighting and frequent style changes, often due to the vanity of a coven leader.
Today, the official coins of Vailkrin are controlled by the treasury and the bank. The images were settled upon by a council of elected nobles from each house and have been in circulation without change for centuries save for the gold coin. Its most recent update saw the addition of the Forsaken Tree added to the gold coin.
The gold, silver, and copper found within all coins follow the standard of Lithrydel, however they are often enforced with adamantite to protect the intricate artwork of each coin.
Gold: Round in shape, with deep ridges along the outline of each, the gold coin is decorated on the front face with the jagged Crown of the Damned. The back of the coin is marked with a finely and lovingly detailed image of the graveyard, the black and vile outline of the Forsaken Tree and its twisted boughs standing proud among the crooked teeth of tombstones.
Silver: Also the typical round shape and deeply ridged. The front is stamped with the flag of Vailkrin, the outer design variations of vampire coven mottos, both fallen and those still standing, circling the clawed hand. The back of the coin is marked with the fabled dagger of Eilan, mother of vampires, blood dripping from the sharpened edge.
Copper: While also round in shape, the copper coin has a stamped and hollow center. Around the front circle of the coin there are the twisted and rotting faces of ghouls and skeletons, their expressions mournful or seemingly trapped in an eternal scream of pain. The back of the coin is fashioned with the ominous and imposing impression of the Dark Forest.
Written by Valrae.
Chartsend
Perhaps the youngest region of Lithrydel, Chartsend’s treasury was founded so recently that the first acting chairman still consults for both the local bank and minting departments. This is also thanks to the remarkably long lives of the elves.
While the original artwork that was chosen to be placed upon each coin remains unchanged despite the years, it was within the last decade that the metal construction of each piece was brought up to the realm-wide standard in order to be recognized as an official currency. Previously, the gold and silver coins were made predominantly of platinum, making them much more valuable than the standard. Experts on the history of the region claim this was due to the favorable trade agreement they’d managed to secure with dwarves of Craughmoyle as well as an attempt at showmanship.
Today, the currency from Chartsend contains only the metal for which each coin is named, allowing them to be used for goods and services outside of Chartsend itself without the hassle of conversion.
Gold: The gold coin of Chartsend is recognizable for its remarkably stubborn luster more so than artistic flair. While the exact cause of it’s refusal to tarnish is a closely guarded secret, rumor is that their favorable alliance with their dwarven neighbors is as much to thank as the actual minting process. The front of the coin is stamped with the proud silhouette of an elf, a call back to the founding of the region, the branches of tall oak trees surrounding them. The back holds the image of the University of Chartsend.
Silver: Also remarkably adverse to the effects of tarnishing, the silver coin boasts the image of Chartsend’s hot springs, the geyser caught mid burst as water rushes up to meet a clear and sun filled sky. The back of the coin depicts a fisherman pulling up a days catch of squirming eel, the predominate catch of the region and their most notable export.
Copper: Though less shimmering, the copper coin of Chartsend is no less resistant to the wear of time. The front of this coin is designed to showcase the coastline of the sea-side region, while the back is a picturesque moment in time caught on metal of Chartlane. The towering trees that line the city street lean gently over the cobbled path, a boy and his dog trotting along after a woman dressed in decidedly old fashioned finery.
Written by Valrae.
Voting
Click here to vote. Voting will be open until July 1st.