Like many of the provinces in the Lundenian Confederation, Rimewater Vale continues to use the currency of the old empire, mostly for simple ease-of-use with existing systems. Imperial coinage was based on the weight of silver, with a handful of coins being minted as alloys or whole productions of copper or gold.
Piece. A piece, or a “piece of eight”, is literally a piece of a silver penny that has been physically cut into eight sections. These coins aren’t directly minted; rather, it is expected that the people will cut pennies into pieces as needed. A single piece is approximately the value of a sparrow or a few pieces of bread. Whole quarters of a penny (worth two pieces) are sometimes called “fourthings” or “farthings”, while whole halves of a penny (worth four pieces) are often called “halfpennies”.
Penny. A penny is a common diamond-shaped coin made of silver and weighing one dram, or 1/256 of a pound. Their value is tied directly to the value of their material, and so fluctuates with the price of silver, though the metal has held quite steady for a few decades now. All other currencies are directly based off the value of a penny; a piece is 1/8th of a penny, a shilling is worth 16 pennies, and a castle is worth 256 pennies. A penny is approximately the value of a pound of bread, or a quarter pound of butcher’s meat. A labourer can expect to earn between four and eight pennies per day, though Confederation law requires that no wage worker be paid less than three.
Groat. The groat, or “fourpence”, is an uncommon diamond-shaped silver coin worth four pence. Fourpence coins are still in circulation, especially in cities, but the Lundenian Council of Lords has ordered the cessation of minting for these coins, leaving their future uncertain.
Shield. The shield, or “eightpence”, is a common diamond-shaped silver coin stamped with an iconic kite shield symbol on the front. The coin is worth eight pence, as its name suggests. Shields are the most valuable coinage most low-class workers carry on a day-to-day basis, usually used for bulk purchases of food or occupational supplies.
Shilling. A shilling is a common diamond-shaped silver coin that is equivalent in value to one ounce of silver (16 drams, 1/16th of a pound). The poorest people in society never see a shilling in their lives, while professionals conduct much of their purchasing of quality goods, such as artisan foods, furniture, and clothes, in shillings. A labourer can expect to earn two or three shillings per week, while a factory worker might earn as many as twenty shillings each week (or 3-4 shillings a day), and professionals such as skilled artisans, barristers, and engineers often earn as much as forty (or 6-8 shillings a day).
Tail. The tail, or “halfcastle”, is a rare round bronze coin with a distinctive diamond-shaped hole in the centre encircled by a dragon’s tail. It is worth 8 shillings, or 1/2 of a castle. The tail is a coin that is in part ceremonial, and was minted specifically to be used as wage payment for the Imperial Order of Cuirassiers, hence the heavy draconic symbolism on its faces.
Castle. The castle is the highest denomination of imperial currency, so called because they feature a relief of the imperial palace on one side, though folk etymology attests it’s because these coins “aren’t seen outside nobles’ castles”. The coins are minted in gold with a quatrefoil shape, featuring the profile of Emperor Lundetio on the front, and the imperial palace on the reverse. Since the dissolution of the empire, mints have taken to replacing the design of the palace with some other landmark emblematic of the province they are struck in. A castle is tied to the value of one pound of silver. Labourers usually make 10-15 castles every year, while professionals can make anywhere from 50-150 castles a year depending on their occupation.
Enforcement of Valish law is fairly simple. Throughout the vast majority of the province, local branches of the Watchful Order keep the peace. The Watch, as it is often shortened to, is only somewhat centralised as a police force. Ultimately, local constables are answerable to the Chief Watchmaster in Kirkwall, but in practise, the order of each shire is independent, with the authority to self-regulate.
The reliability of the Watch varies heavily by locality, but they are always recognisable. They wear gambesons in the colour of their shire, tall nickel helmets that have earned them the nickname "Nickels" with some, and are armed with steel-banded clubs and pistols. Watchmen patrol settlements and major roads regularly, sometimes accompanied by magistrates, shire officials identifiable by their black robes. Magistrates are the criminal judges of the Vale, and are endowed with extremely broad discretion on when and how they can carry out judgements. Normally, people charged by the Watch wind up in jail cells at a Watch post until they are brought to court for a trial, but if a magistrate witnesses a crime, they have the authority to judge and sentence the wrongdoer on the spot.
Punishments that can be expected as a sentence for crimes vary. Most crimes less severe than murder can be expected to be punished by a fine paid to the state or damages paid to the injured party, caning, or forced labour, usually on "penitentiary farms" owned by the shire. Magistrates have leeway on what kinds of punishments they may impose for most crimes. The exceptions to this are sentencings of death or exile, which are limited to the most severe crimes, including murder of nobility, espionage and treason, arson, and poisoning of wells.
The Templar Guard of the Luminary Church are permitted to undertake limited law enforcement activities pertaining to crimes against the Church. What this means again varies based on the location; the Templar of Kirkwall are strictly curtailed, for example, while the Templar of Yorving have very broad discretion, effectively functioning as a private police force for the whole city.
Much of the Lundenian Confederation abides by a practise of trade guilds and guild law that allows master tradespeople to establish local controls and effective or partial monopolies over their area of expertise. The majority of guilds are restricted to cities and their surrounding lands, with very few exceptions, meaning a guild is fundamentally a local power structure.
The sole exception of note in Rimewater Vale to the “guilds are local institutions” rule of thumb is the Valish Guild of Merchants Regular, which governs the operations of specifically travelling general merchants that carry their goods between communities and shires. Rather than most guilds, which typically require direct involvement with the guild in some capacity for full members, the Guild of Merchants Regular has very little input from most members, instead being subject to the whims of the Merchants’ College, headquartered in Kirkwall. Thus, while it is legally a guild, it functions more like a state-run monopolistic company instead.
The Guild of Merchants Regular is entitled by the Lord Protector of Rimewater Vale to issue licenses of regularity to travelling merchants that successfully apply with the guild. Those who hold these licenses are called “merchants regular”, and receive a number of benefits from their membership, including waiving of any base entry taxes for cities, unrestricted operating hours, access to solicitors under the guild’s command should legal complications arise, and no upper limit on revenue collected. In return, licensed merchants regular are expected to maintain an accuracy of advertisement, meaning the quality of their goods must not deviate from their claims, file a schedule of operations and stick to it rigidly, and pay a licensure tax, which is a percentage of the revenue collected from goods sold, to the guild and government of the Vale. Members of the Watchful Order, the province’s police, are required to enforce merchant law, and normally keep guild inspectors on staff in each shire capital in order to ensure compliance with regulations.
Merchants without licenses are referred to as “merchants irregular”, and are still able to conduct operation as a travelling merchant. However, merchants irregular are subject to a number of penalties not levied against guild members:
However, merchants irregular are not subject to guild inspection or regulation. Because of this, merchants irregular have a reputation of participating in the black market or being fences for criminal elements. In reality, merchants regular are just as likely as their unlicensed counterparts to partake in illegal activities, but merchants irregular are more likely to be prosecuted for their crimes.