The Money Machine

7 posts / 0 new
Last post
Kay
Kay's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2006-09-20
The Money Machine

"The sinews of war are infinite money." - Cicero

Introduction

The Dustmen have discovered a most hideous crime: Someone is faking their money. This is a serious delict, even in the Cage, where money from countless worlds and unknown origin change their owner every minute, and the worth of any currency is but subjective. But the coins of the Dustmen enjoy a special position among all means of payment in this town: They are the money of the poor, the unprivileged, the dirty, rotten sods that call the Hive their home – and they are the only reliable currency. The worth of gold and steel, labour, food and even your soul can change from day to day, therefore having such a source of stability is crucial to the life of a trade-centre like Sigil. The Dustmen fabricated, or better "circulated" their coppermade coin ever since they maintain The Mortuary, some say even before. Although no one knows (maybe except for them) where the money comes from, somehow it was never hit by the tides of inflation and deflation that strike the markets and trade-lanes of the Outer Planes as well as the City of Doors. Mainly used in the Hive, all Cagers who know the ways of the Multiverse stock a few of them save for harsh times. The forgery of these little treasures is a crime, and serious indeed, for it will be punished with death.

Now, as I said, the Dustmen took notice of the occurrence of this dastardly crime, as they identified a copper that looks likes theirs – but is not! They even traced back its origin to the Lotus Blossom District by what means a Dustman can employ. There, the hints got blurred. Or so they’ll say.

The Lotus is somewhat of a city within a city. Unpleasant words of mistrust and despair rose against its people after Extevan announced the failure of his dialogs with the headsup, with only weak attempt to disguise his frustration on the uncooperative nature of his partners. To the Planarists this was the final ‘prove’ of the inability of the mainly prime population of the ward to integrate itself into the community of planesfolk. (Truth is, there are many people in The Lotus that deal with outside merchants, but the Planar Trading Consortiums doesn’t have a good reputation among them. Truth is also that the ward possesses its own culture, language and customs, which are considerably distinctive from the rest of Sigil. Few people find interest in the Factions or Guilds outside their district and it is not uncommon not to be able to communicate with a passenger – she simply does not speak the Planer Trade).

Kay
Kay's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2006-09-20
The Money Machine

This is some sort of extended adventure hook I came up with last night, so I wanted to ask if it is any good, worth to be developed - or dumped. It might be developed to a short campaign, although I won't garuantee anything (time is, like money, not infinite, plus I don't know if I've got enough creative energy left after I'll have my essay finished).

The story, of course, reflects my point of view on the Lotus District, the Planarists and on the role of money in Sigil. And I don't know if that "Dustermoney" is even canon or if i've been mislead.

So far, any critics or ideas? Dump or develop?

Squaff's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2007-03-03
The Money Machine

Well if forged money is showing in the streets than it is bound to aggitate some people in factions that run sigil (if advevture is set in pre-faction war):
Lawful Factions (Fatrenity of Order, Harmonium and Mercykillers) would want to stop forgers just becaouse of criminal act. Fated on other hand who handle taxes would also want to stop this.
Free League who reside in Grand Bazar would be pressed by warious merchants to put the end to this.
Merchant sect and titan Zadara would not be to happy about this matter.

On the other hand if adventure is set in post- faction war money forging would be lot easier to pull since there is no more factions in city that would be bothered with such organised crime (in fact I think that crime flourishes in post- faction war era).
Also in chaos that followed the war it would be easy for the forgers to obtain original coin molds from what ever faction they wanted, after all factions are wealthy and influential so I guess that many had they own money forges, like guilds do.

__________________

One-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater says: "Monsters are nature's way for keeping XPs fresh."

Kay
Kay's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2006-09-20
The Money Machine

That's why I'm using the Dustmen's money they're giving for corpses and such. That is, if I'm not mislead, as I said.

I don't think that money forgering would even be considered as a bother if it weren't for the Dustmen's or any other with special properties like I described above, since, well, money comes from all over the planes, and who cares. As long as it is gold or platin, diamonds (or souls, bodys..), the form does not matter. It would be too just much truble to bother.
What you said about pre and post Faction War situation is true I think. Another reason to use the Dusties. Also for hiring the PCs to investigate (could be a continuing of Desire and the Dead). THe City Guard and the Sons of Mercy might care, and I think they could get involved at some stage of the adventure, but since the Dusters are directly offended by these activities they want to find out who's responsible and expose them before the Guard can do any harm (like, spreading the word that someone's forging their money, with the effect that they'll move to some prime world where they couldn't be traced).

Squaff's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2007-03-03
The Money Machine

My bad. :oops:
Somehow I slipped from my mind that Sigil is part of multyplanar economy, and in Sigil jink is jink in what ever form it shaped or from what world is coming, and tracking, say, forged steelpieces from Krynn would be waste of time for such city (unless astronomical sums are involved).
But forged faction money that is another buisnes. I think that would be considered serious crime no matter what faction inwolved, becaouse that money would be one of symbols of faction power and influence, and more importantly of faction credibilty. So forging faction money would be something of an insult to faction (they are liars and fakers, or they are so poor they have to forge they money).
Not to mention that forging "Dustmoney" is either most foul crime (steeling money from poor) or act of alturisam (creating money for the poor).

Either way this idea has lot of potential.

__________________

One-eyed, one-horned, flying, purple people eater says: "Monsters are nature's way for keeping XPs fresh."

Kay
Kay's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2006-09-20
The Money Machine

'Squaff' wrote:
Either way this idea has lot of potential.

Thanks, I hope so.

The Dark

I have a few ideas in mind that are far from being a real compositional framework at this point. So far I have:

- There is a smouldering conflict among two clans (triad, mafia, what you want) in The Lotus. One of these clans is responsible for the fake Dustmen coins. Cliché but convenient.
- They ain’t stupid, of course, and do extensive money laundering in the Lower Ward, The Lotus, and, to a lesser extend, the Market Ward. Throw in any amount of Chinese Restaurants you want.
- The illegal forgery is hidden beneath a huge brothel. Those who watched the respective episode of Samurai Champloo know this is cool. (I must also admit that this episode inspired my story greatly.)

Other actors

- Estevan tried to establish business with some individuals in the district, but has been given the run-around at several occasions. He never pierced through the complex relationships and dependencies of The Lotus, but he knows that there are some high-ups that didn’t want him in. Now he’s pissed and if he ever gets to know about the foundry and the laundering, he’ll happily use it against them. In this case this might simply mean letting the word pass to the Guard, newspapers, and Planarists, without exposing himself directly. This will most definitely lead to lots of trouble in the district.
- The Planarists, well, don’t like primers. Most inhabitants of the Lotus Blossom District are primers. A nice and quiet sandbag to punch, and even harder if anything unpleasant will be heard about it.
- The Factions do not have any special interest or position in this conflict, set aside the Dustmen of course.

Armoury99's picture
Offline
Namer
Joined: 2006-08-30
The Money Machine

'Kay' wrote:
(could be a continuing of Desire and the Dead)

Seems I can't possibly not comment on any thread that has even the most tenuous link to my work...

"Dustmoney" sounds like a great idea and a nice addition to the setting. Given the ubiquitous 'gp' that adventurers work in, most players will probably say "there's different kinds of money?" when they hear about it, but the idea is subtle enough that its perfectly plausible they were simply unaware of it previously. The premise of the adventure is also interesting and different. It just feels... Planescapey, you know? Nice.

I can easily imagine dustmoney coming from copper pieces laid over the eyes of the deceased, 'Day of the Dead' style festival sacrifices (which crop up in various religions), gravegoods, and other treasures interred with their owners. I'm not necessarily saying that the Dusties are stealing here, but once the incubant has "moved on to the Beyond" it's only natural that the Faction should make use of those resources. As to its reputed powers, there are several options. I think these are best left in the realm of rumour and speculation than define as rules per say.

Suggestions

Some people believe that the coins of a dead man are unlucky, and some paranoid thieves might even prefer not to steal "dead man's gold" in case they are cursed by it. Certain beliefs (and the Dustmen themselves in particular) might well not consider it unlucky at all however, quite the reverse.

Dustmoney could also effectively be the same as chinese 'hell money'

Coins that have been "drained of all life" by their long-term exposure to the Dustmen might be thought to not provoke greed. Since coinage is often part of the portfollio of various wealth deities, 'dead' money like this might be more acceptable to an Athar.

Such coins might also have some small value in necromantic magic: Perhaps coins laid over the eyes of the dead are a suitable component for Feign Death, etc.

Planescape, Dungeons & Dragons, their logos, Wizards of the Coast, and the Wizards of the Coast logo are ©2008, Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro Inc. and used with permission.