Currency - Eastern Azure Great World

The common currency of Eastern Azure Great World is the 'Spirit Stone'.

### Basic Currency

The basic currency throughout the continents of Eastern Azure for most exchanges of items and valuations below a single spirit stone tends to be based off of several qualities of of qi-infused metal talisman and coin. The majority of these 'Qi Talisman Currencies' are underwritten by major world powers, with the most dominant and widely accepted being those provided by the Imperial Court and the Civil Bureau of the Azure Astral Authority. Other large influences that control large regions can and do issue their own currency, however mostly these attach themselves to either the Imperial Court or Civil Bureau values.

#### Yin Eclipse Sub-Continent

The basic currency of Yin eclipse for all transactions less than one spirit stone are issued by the provincial bureaucracy, largely controlled by the Civil Authority Bureau based in Blue Water City. The basic denominations are specially crafted, qi-infused copper, brass/bronze, iron, silver and gold talisman coins.

The exchange rate is roughly 100 copper in 1 brass/bronze. 10 brass/bronze to one iron. 100 brass to 1 silver = 10 iron.

100 silver = 1 gold = 1 Pure Spirit Stone.

Qi copper and brass are largely used for everyday expenses. Iron is the most valuable of the *common* talismans. Silver is only used for large transactions or storage and iron talismans are generally preferred in most exchanges as they are easier to spend and exchange. Gold talismans tend to be used predominantly for storage and as an 'in-kind' benchmark to keep parity between talisman currencies and spirit stones. In most every day transactions where gold talismans might be used, spirit stones are largely preferred by most sellers.

### Spirit Stones

Spirit stones are the common currency used for more expensive items and are the general currency used internationally throughout Eastern Azure. They come in a variety of forms but such is the ubiquity of their common usage that most types in circulation are largely of the same worth. the terms used vary a little from continent to continent - 'pure spirit stones', 'spirit crystals' and 'spirit stones' are basically interchangeable terms for the same thing.

Spirit Stones were traditionally mined from spirit veins, but most of those in circulation are condensed artificially by influences using special formations, ensuring a standard quality.

Spirit stones are also considered to be a valuable cultivation resource for those below the Immortal realm.

### More Valuable Currency

While the spirit stone is the basic unit of currency, several more valuable versions exist. The high-value currency widely used in transactions and as a cultivation resource below the Immortal realm is the 'Spirit Jade'. Earthly Jade is the quality above this and is, generally speaking, the highest value currency in general circulation on Eastern Azure. It is also the standard cultivation resource for those within the Immortal Step. Heavenly Jade's are usually only used as a storage currency or or as a cultivation resource for those above Ancient Immortal. Dao Jade, the highest grade 'currency' with a standard worth on Eastern Azure is largely used in bulk transactions, large scale formations and as a cultivation resource for Dao Eternals and Dao Ascendants.

The exchange rate with spirit stones is as follows, generally.

1 spirit stone = 1 gold = 1/100th of a Spirit Jade.

**Spirit Jade:** 100 pure spirit stones = 1 Spirit Jade. High-value currency used below immortal.

**Earthly Jade:** 1000 Pure spirit stones = 10 Spirit Jade = 1 Earthly Jade – highest value currency in general circulation.

**Heavenly Jade:** 10,000 pure spirit stones = 100 Spirit jade = 10 earthly jade – storage currency akin to gold coins for most folks.

**Dao Jade:** Generally worth 1,000,000 spirit stones.

**Attuned Dao Jade**: A special type of Dao Jade that has been attuned using natural law comprehensions. For general exchange their worth is similar to an unattributed Dao Jade

**Celestial Jade:** Generally worth 1000 Dao Jade.

**Luminary Jade:** One is generally worth 1000 Celestial Jade. Luminary Jade are among the most valuable spiritual currency available throughout the entire Martial Axial region.

### Herbs and Beast Cores

Spirit herbs and beast cores are frequently used in barter exchanges rather than spirit stones, especially in Yin Eclipse where there are few spirit stone mines but a near inexhaustible supply of both spirit herbs and beast cores thanks to the mountain range and its forbidden zone. Valuation tends to be based on qi purity and density, as well as through rare properties and so on (much like buying and selling livestock on earth).

The shadow market, especially for spirit herbs is so influential that in certain quarters that there are 'market standards' for many common herb types, regulated by grade and quantity and it is not uncommon for things like spirit herbs to be used as collateral in loans.

Golden Core (grade three) beast cores are generally taken to be the equivalent in day to day exchange as a spirit stone. Good quality cores can actually be refined into spirit stones with the right expertise and even poor quality ones can be traded *in kind.* Exceptional cores or ones with special qualities may, however, be valued much higher.