Value
Value is a rough measure of what a thing is worth in trade — not a price tag. Rhune's economy runs on barter, favors, and debts (see 04-world/setting-truths.md), so Value is a yardstick for comparison, not a fixed cost. Coins are for outsiders; most trades are settled in goods, labor, and favors.
Use Value when a move or an improvement asks for it — Trade & Barter (special items), Have What You Need, and steading improvements.
The scale
| Value | Roughly worth |
|---|---|
| 0 | A purse of copper coins · a single silver coin · a favor · a few days of unskilled labor · a common, mundane item |
| 1 | A handful of silver coins · a season (or so) of unskilled labor · a few days of skilled labor · a unit of trade goods (sack of grain, pouch of salt, stack of pelts) · a bit of finery (richly embroidered cloak, silk scarf, silver comb) |
| 2 | A purse of silver coins · a Surplus · a single gold coin · a year (or so) of unskilled labor · a season (or so) of skilled labor · a cartload of trade goods · an item of luxury or status (gold ring, artful silver torc, gemstone) |
| 3 | A handful of gold coins · a year (or so) of skilled labor · a good, trained horse or mule · a precious item (ruby ring, gold torc) |
| 4 | A purse of gold coins · a dozen or so good horses · a "priceless" item (huge flawless gemstone, gold statuette, bejeweled scepter) |
Exotic trade goods — silks, spices, and the like — are +1 Value.
Using Value
- Common items (from a household, or anything you'd find in the steading) have no Value worth tracking — you just have them, or you trade a favor for them.
- Special items (short supply, crafted goods, rare materials) have a Value. Trade & Barter uses it: the GM rolls a number of d6 equal to Prosperity minus the item's Value (min 0), taking the highest.
- Unique or truly exceptional items don't use Value at all — those go through Make a Plan or a seasonal trade opportunity.
Notes
- A Surplus is worth about Value 2. That's the anchor between the steading's stores and personal trade.
- Value is comparative, not exact. "A season of unskilled labor" is a feel, not a ledger. When two things are close, they're close.
- Value can shift with scarcity. A sack of grain is Value 1 in a good year and worth far more in a famine. The GM can adjust.