Hârnic Money

The main unit of currency in Hârn is the silver penny (1d). Larger sums of money are grouped into shillings (1 s = 20 d) and pounds (1 £ = 240 d), although shilling/pound coins are not actually minted. The Khuzdul (Hârn's Dwaves) mint gold coins, but few humans ever see one. Mercantylers also issue promissary notes for large sums of money.

In Orbaal/Jara, coins are sometimes used, but hacksilver is also common. Trade in kind is still dominant in rural areas.

Home and Away on Hârn

The Home and Away section of the BWG rules (p. 368-369) indicates that characters far away from their lands, businesses, families or other sources of wealth should be given a +1 Ob. on Resources tests.

In Hârn, kingdoms can be used to define the 'home turf' of a character's Resources base. (A Thardan will not suffer this penalty while in Tharda-- but a Melderyni would.)

Outside of Hârn, higher penalties are appropriate. (+1 Ob is still fine for an Orbaalese Ivinian in Ivinia, or for a Melderyni in Emelrene, but for Harnians elsewhere in northwest Lythia, a +2 Ob to Resources may apply.)

The above rules only apply to characters whose Resources are significant enough (e.g. Exponent of 3+) to even have a "home base". Poor PCs who carry all they own with them do not suffer such penalties.

Other Resources Modifiers

Other Resources modifiers may also apply in Hârn, at GM/group discretion.

+1 Ob. when using Rethemi pence outside of Rethem (due to Rethem's well-known currency debasement)

This penalty is cumulative with the Home and Away rule above.

Hârnic Prices & BW's Resources

Woodcut of BankersBurning Wheel uses an abtract mechanic, called Resources, to represent a character's buying power. In BW, when a PC wishes to purchase something s/he tests Resources against an appropriate target obstacle.

A character's Resources attribute reflects more than just 'cash on hand'. It represents broader factors, such as a character's possession of property, capital goods, income, reputation, and ability to call in favors or seek other financial help from family and friends.

Setting Target Obstacles for Resources Tests

The Resources obstacles on pp. 366-367 of the BWG rules can be used for Harn with relatively little modification. (I would recommend boosting the costs of armor and horses by +1 Ob. from what is suggested, as these items are a bit scarcer on Hârn; very fine armor and weapons might even be +2 Ob. higher.)

The chart below provides some suggests on setting Resource obstacles for some additional items, as well as guidelines on what sort of 'price range' (in Hârnic pence) correspondences to each level of obstacle.

Cost in Hârnic Pence

Resources Ob.

Examples

8d or less

Ob.1

Common room lodgings; a canvas sack/pouch, a bridge/gate toll, alms to a beggar, a small bribe, a prostitute, a quart of ink, tallow candles, leather sandals, a pewter/plate or cup, ragged used garments.

8d - 80d

Ob.2

A private room & bath at an inn, a linen/leather garment, a piece of kurbul armor, an ounce of perfume, commoner weapons (daggers, spears, reinforced clubs, handaxes, bows, a dozen arrows), simple furniture.

80d - 200d

Ob.3

An ox or mule, an evening with a courtesan, most chivalric weapons (swords, lances, battleaxes, maces, etc.), an ounce of dye, a piece of quilt armor, a plate halfhelm.

200d - 500d

Ob.4

A riding/plough horse, a common slave, ring hauberk or leggings, a plate great helm.

500d -1500d

Ob.5

Chain mail, a warhorse, a highly skilled slave, a compass or fancy cross-staff, a mill, a hovel or urban house in a slum.

1500d - 3000d

Ob.6

A middle-class house/shop.

3000d - 5000d

Ob.7

A grant of arms, a lucrative guild francise, a wealthy urban house.

5000d - 10,000d

Ob.8

A wooden manor house, or very wealthy urban house/estate.

10,000d - 20,000d

Ob.9

A stone manor house or fine villa.

20,000 + d

Ob.10

A keep or castle.

For guidelines as to typical prices (in Hârnic pence) for other items, one can consult Fenhorn's downloadable PDF price list for Hârn at his Hârn webpage, Fenhorn's Hârnpage.