Rink

**Rinks** (rɪŋk) are the primary currency of Aerill. Rinks are pressed metal coins made from pure silver.

A rink is approximately the equivalent of $3.50 USD/€3.28. Half-rinks are 3.6g/.16oz coins worth about $1.75/€1.64.

Each nation mints their own rinks based on a standard weight, a "coin" equal to 7.2g/.25oz.

The standard weight of a coin is based off an artifact discovered in Windward in the Bridge Era. The artifact, now called the Silver Totem, was a small, pure silver statuette of a mythical animal found near a large silver ore vein. It was interpreted as a sign from the gods to use silver as the monetary standard, and to use the exact weight of the statuette as a basis for value.

Most governments will pay civilians well for found silver. In Arsink, it is illegal to possess items made from more than 50% silver, and any such items will be seized by the government. Additionally, it is a crime to trade or sell objects or ingots made with 50% or purer silver. Arsink's government takes great efforts to control all the available silver.

It is worth noting that coins are sometimes made from other materials, but only silver coins are known as rinks. "Rink", linguistically, is used in the same manner as "dollar".

Silver is mined across Aerill, but Arsink is particularly rich in silver ore. Limestone, used in the silver refining process, is most prevalent to the Windward region.

Silver purity is tested by "bleeding" - mixing a small sampling of silver with acid, which turns brighter red the purer the silver.

Gold is not made into coins in Aerill, and is very rare. Any discovered gold immediately becomes the property of the nation's government where it was physically discovered; failure to turn discovered gold in is a serious crime. Gold is used in machinery, mostly in the nation of Arsink, for its high electrical conductivity and low metallurgy whiskering.

### Value

A rink is approximately the equivalent of $3.50 USD/€3.28. As of 2016, the pure silver value of one rink would be worth about $4.50 each on Earth.

#### Example Prices

* 2-3 small fruit at a Windward market (or 1 larger fruit) - ½r ($1.75)
* A mug of really good hot chocolate, coffee, or alcohol - 1r ($3.50)
* A bottle of decent ale at a small-town tavern, or a hot meal at a decent small restaurant - 2r ($7)
* Passage by train (normal class) across Arsink - 4r ($14)
* Monthly rent in a Cressent apartment for one - 8r ($28)
* A jewel pendant necklace - 17r ($60)
* A very fine, custom-made high-quality sword - 100r ($350)
* A baby sailwing bred from good stock with no health problems - 100r /1kr ($1,000)
* A brand new skyship - 2.8kr ($10,000)

### Production

Silver ore is prevalent throughout Aerill, particularly the Arsink region. It is mined by laborers and carted out along with copper, zinc, lead, and rarely, tiny amounts of gold.

**Quicklime** is obtained by burning limestone. Limestone is mostly found in the Karst topography of Windward. Quicklime is used in the silver refining process to alkalize raw, crushed silver ore.

Saltweed, a plant native to the salty beaches of Windward, is burned and the ashes used to produce **soda ash** used to also make glass. The materials are each poured through darkwritten filters to trap impurities. Soda ash is then mixed with quicklime to produce **lye** (sodium hydroxide).

Liquid **"blue acid"** (hydrogen cyanide) is obtained from spadenut, a pitted tryma stone fruit prevalent in temperate regions containing 25% amygdalin. The "nut" is crushed and soaked in lukewarm water with citric acid, then allowed to evaporate as part of reflux extraction. Darkwritten glass equipment is used to collect and treat the resulting condensation.

Lye and blue acid are then mixed to produce **deathpowder**, solid sodium cyanide. Cyanide is the most commonly used substance in poisoning murders in Aerill.

Crushed silver ore is allowed to sit on a sloped bed of clay for several days. Deathpowder is then mixed with water and combined with the silver ore. This separates the silver from the surrounding ore by leaching, combined with Darkwritten filters.

Zinc dust (mined alongside silver ore) is then used to separate the silver particles from the liquid. Additional quicklime is added to correct the acidity. The pure silver is then melted into ingots, ready to be minted into rinks.

The by-product **ghost silver** (silver cyanide) is collected and used in silver-plating, and is so named for its luminescent glow.

The purity of the resulting rinks is dependent upon every step of the process. If a darkwrit is fading or under-powered, equipment requires adjustment, or chemicals are used in incorrect volumes, the resulting silver will not be as pure.

The **Ars**ink Silver Refinery is the largest in Aerill and produces the finest silver rinks.

### Storage

Tarnished rinks are called "rotten", due to both the foul smell of tarnish and the blackish gooey texture of the tarnished surface. It is illegal to scrape tarnish off a rink - the only acceptable way to remove tarnish is to electrochemically reverse it by boiling the coins in water with aluminum and salt. Silver that cannot be used to produce rinks is destroyed or buried secretively.

Nobility often have their rinks polished with lemon juice or sodastone (sodium bicarbonate). Aerillian wealthy also often have their rinks re-smelted into a shape with their family crest upon it, as both a security measure and method of controlling money.