Page 19 - Dungeon Master's Guide

each is ruled by a council of drow high priestesses who COMMERCE
answer to Lolth, the Demon Queen of Spiders.
Even small villages can provide characters access to the
Meritocracy. The most intelligent and educated
gear they need to pursue their adventures. Provisions,
people oversee the society, often with a bureaucracy
to handle the day-to-day work of government. In the tents, backpacks, and simple weapons are commonly
available. Traveling merchants carry armor, martial
Forgotten Realms, scholarly monks preside over the
weapons, and more specialized gear. Most villages have
fortress-library of Candlekeep, overseen by a master of
lore called the Keeper. inns that cater to travelers, where adventurers can find
Militocracy. Military leaders run the nation under a hot meal and a bed, even if the quality leaves much to
be desired.
martial law, using the army and other armed forces. A
militocracy might be based on an elite group of soldiers, Villages rely heavily on trade with other settlements,
an order of dragon riders, or a league of sea princes. including larger towns and cities. Merchants pass
olamnia, a nation ruled by knights in the Dragonlance through regularly, selling necessities and luxuries to the
vil,Iagers, and any successful merchant has far-reaching
campaign setting, falls into this category.
Monarchy. A single hereditary sovereign wears the contacts across the region. Traveling merchants pass
on gossip and adventure hooks to the characters as
crown. Unlike the autocrat, the monarch's powers are
they conduct their business. Since merchants make
limited by law, and the ruler serves as the head of a
their living traversing roads that might be menaced
democracy, feudal state, or militocracy. The kingdom
by bandits or wandering monsters, they hire guards to
of Breland, in the Eberron campaign setting, has both
keep their goods safe. They also carry news from town
a parliament that makes laws and a monarch who
to town, including reports of situations that cry out for
enforces them.
the attention of adventurers.
Oligarchy. A small number of absolute rulers share
These merchants can't provide the services normally
power, possibly dividing the land into districts or
found in a city. For instance, when the characters are in
provinces under their control, or jointly ruling together.
need of a library or a dedicated sage, a trainer who can
_.\group of adventurers who take control of a nation
handle the griffon eggs they've found, or an architect to
together might form an oligarchy. The Free City of
design their castle, they're better off going to a large city
Greyhawk is an oligarchy composed of various faction
than looking in a village.
leaders, with a Lord Mayor as its figurehead.
Plutocracy. Society is governed by the wealthy. The
CURRENCY
elite form a ruling council, purchase representati"on at
rhe court of a figurehead monarch, or rule by default The straightforward terms "gold piece" (gp), "silver
because money is the true power in the realm. Many piece" (sp), "copper piece" (cp), "electrum piece" (ep),
cities in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, and "platinum piece" (pp) are used throughout the game
including Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate, are plutocracies. rules for clarity. You can imbue these denominations
Republic. Government is entrusted to representatives with more interesting descriptions in your game
of an established electorate who rule on behalf of the world. People give coins specific names, whether
electors. Any democracy in which only landowners or as plain as "dime" or lively as "gold double-eagle." A
certain classes can vote could be considered a republic. country typically mints its own currency, which might
Satrapy. Conquerors and representatives of another correspond to the basic rules terms. In most worlds, few
government wield power, ruling the settlement or region currencies achieve widespread distribution, but nearly
as part of a larger empire. The satraps are bureaucrats all coins are accepted worldwide-except by those
and military officers, or unusual characters or monsters. looking to pick a fight with a foreigner.
The cities of High port and Suder ham in the Greyhawk
campaign setting are satrapies controlled by agents of a ExAMPLE: THE FoRGOTTEN REALMS
,·icious gang of marauders known as the Slave Lords. The world of the Forgotten Realms provides an
Theocracy. Rulership falls to a direct representative extensive example of currencies. Although barter,
or a collection of agents of a deity. The centers of power blood notes, and similar letters of trade are common
in a theocracy are usually located on sacred sites. In enough in Faerfin, metal coins and trade bars are the
the Eberron campaign setting, the nation of Thrane is everyday currency.
a theocracy devoted to the Silver Flame, a divine spirit Common Coinage. Coins appear in a bewildering
that resides in Thrane's capital of Flamekeep. variety of shapes, sizes, names, and materials. Thanks
to the ambitious traders of Sembia, that nation's oddly
SAMPLE HIERARCHY oF NoBLE TITLES shaped coins can be found throughout Faerfin. In
S embia, square iron steelpence replace copper coins.
Rank Title Rank Title
Triangular silver pieces are ravens, diamond-shaped
1st Emperor/Empress 7th Viscount/ electrum pieces are harmarks (commonly called "blue
2nd King/Queen Viscountess eyes"), and five-sided gold pieces are nobles. Sembia
3rd Duke/Duchess 8th Baron/Baroness doesn't mint platinum coins. All coinage is accepted
4th Prince/Princess 9th Baronet in Sembia, including copper and platinum pieces
5th Marquess/Marquise lOth Knight from abroad.
6th Earl or Count/ In Waterdeep, the bustling cosmopolitan center
Countess of trade, coppers are called nibs, silvers are shards,

CHAPTER 1 I A WORLD OF YOUR OWN
19