Questions about Alternate Worldline Design.

[vierasmarius]

If copper and its alloys are available, they are likely to see use as weapons and tools. I suspect that gold and silver were used so frequently as currency is because they were largely useless in practical roles. If you want stone and obsidian to be used for weapons, you'll need to limit copper as well. What little of it that's available would likely show up in the hands of the richest warriors, as Good-quality daggers, spears and axes.

[Rowan]

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

If copper and its alloys are available, they are likely to see use as weapons and tools. I suspect that gold and silver were used so frequently as currency is because they were largely useless in practical roles. If you want stone and obsidian to be used for weapons, you'll need to limit copper as well. What little of it that's available would likely show up in the hands of the richest warriors, as Good-quality daggers, spears and axes.

That's a good idea. Does this marginalization apply only to copper, or would I need to do likewise to tin and zinc? I'm wondering what these folks might use for coinage if their isn't a dearth of available metals.

[Idiosyncratic]

Bronze will definitely not be used for normal stuff. Remember, bronze was expensive. The whole reason that iron was such an advantage was that it's extremely common - Far more so than tin and copper.

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Rowan

That's a good idea. Does this marginalization apply only to copper, or would I need to do likewise to tin and zinc? I'm wondering what these folks might use for coinage if their isn't a dearth of available metals.

As far as I know, tin and zinc are less useful for tools and weapons on their own. They might be used as coinage. However, I also like the idea of using small gemstones as a currency.

Something else you should consider is whether you'll include fantastical elements. For example, if Adamant (Fantasy pg 22) or similar "Essential" stone is available, either naturally or through magic, then stone weapons could become much more resilient. The exact effects are up to you of course, but it could justify making Good-quality blades without an armor divisor, and potentially full-length stone swords. Stone Armor (Low Tech pg 106) would also benefit greatly from Adamant. Of course, such weapons and armor will be far more expensive than their metallic counterparts; Fantasy recommends x30 cost (CF +29).

[Rowan]

Originally Posted by Idiosyncratic

Bronze will definitely not be used for normal stuff. Remember, bronze was expensive. The whole reason that iron was such an advantage was that it's extremely common - Far more so than tin and copper.

So, even with a lack of extremely common iron, you feel bronze and perhaps later brass would not be used because of expense? Even in the face of a lack of other viable metals? If that's so, then are you saying it's still a viable option to have say bronze and brass hanging around, but still have the societies making more common use of stone, bone and obsidian materials for tools and weapons?

Originally Posted by vierasmarius

As far as I know, tin and zinc are less useful for tools and weapons on their own. They might be used as coinage. However, I also like the idea of using small gemstones as a currency.

Something else you should consider is whether you'll include fantastical elements. For example, if Adamant (Fantasy pg 22) or similar "Essential" stone is available, either naturally or through magic, then stone weapons could become much more resilient. The exact effects are up to you of course, but it could justify making Good-quality blades without an armor divisor, and potentially full-length stone swords. Stone Armor (Low Tech pg 106) would also benefit greatly from Adamant. Of course, such weapons and armor will be far more expensive than their metallic counterparts; Fantasy recommends x30 cost (CF +29).

Originally, the setting included some fantastic elements, but I tossed them in favor of a more mundane setting as I've several other settings with Fantastic elements.

As to small gemstones. Could those be viable as wide scale currency? I know the ancient Chinese used to deal with shells, but had some difficulty in keeping up with the availability of the shells.

What about bone? Porcelain? Bamboo?

[vierasmarius]

Originally Posted by Rowan

As to small gemstones. Could those be viable as wide scale currency? I know the ancient Chinese used to deal with shells, but had some difficulty in keeping up with the availability of the shells.

What about bone? Porcelain? Bamboo?

One common way to set a value for currency was to use a material that is naturally rare (but not too rare) such as gold or silver. However, many cultures, including "primitive" ones, have used arbitrary counters for wealth, backed by social contract rather than inherrent rarity. Carved stones, beads and shells were all used by pre-metallic cultures, and our own paper currency has long since been divorced from the bullion that it orginally represented. In your fictitious society, as long as the currency is consistent it shouldn't spark much disbelief. And of course, currency is something that you can spend a lot of time thinking about, but players tend to gloss over; they want to know if they can afford a better sword, not how to convert from Eastern-tribe carved seashells to Western-tribe beaded feathers.