# Economy of Corvel — Reference Document

**Purpose:** Canonical reference for currency, pricing, wages, and economic context in the world of Corvel. Consult this file when writing any scene involving money, prices, payments, or financial stakes.

**Last updated:** Ch13 final (2026-03-07)

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## 1. Currency Denominations

| Denomination | Material | Notes |
|-------------|----------|-------|
| **Copper** | Small copper coin | Base unit. Common in daily transactions. |
| **Half-silver** | Thin silver coin, half-width | = 5 coppers. Real denomination, not slang. |
| **Silver** | Standard silver coin | = 10 coppers. Primary unit for goods and services. |
| **Gold** | Larger gold coin | = 100 silvers = 1,000 coppers. Wealth-class transactions only. |

**Exchange rates:**
- 10 coppers = 1 silver
- 2 half-silvers = 1 silver
- 100 silvers = 1 gold

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## 2. Cost of Living — Reference Table

### Food & Drink

| Item | Cost | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Street meal (bread, cheese, apple, dried meat) | ~4–5 coppers | Ch04 (Phelan's first non-austerity meal) |
| Tavern meal (hot, with ale) | ~8 coppers | Extrapolated |
| Proper sit-down meal | ~1.5 silvers | Extrapolated |
| Month of food (eating properly) | ~1.5 silvers | Ch04 (monthly expense calculation) |
| Month of food (austerity) | ~1 silver | Implied pre-guild |
| Ale (tavern) | 2–3 coppers | Extrapolated |

### Lodging

| Item | Cost | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Dockside shack (Phelan's) | 2 silvers/month | Ch04 (monthly expenses) |
| Decent room above a shop | ~5 silvers/month | Extrapolated (Leon's likely range) |
| Comfortable quarters | ~8–12 silvers/month | Extrapolated |
| Noble-district housing | 30+ silvers/month | Extrapolated |

### Herbs & Supplies

| Item | Cost | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Common herbs (chamomile, feverwort) | 1–3 coppers/bundle | Extrapolated from Gavren's shop |
| Specialty herbs (thornwell root, sweetbalm) | 5–15 coppers | Extrapolated |
| Refined/rare (silverthorn, powdered) | 1–5 silvers | Ch01 (Mere's purchase, premium product) |
| Hand-ground silverthorn (4x powdered price) | 4–20 silvers | Extrapolated |

### Magical Goods

| Item | Cost | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Focusing rods (retail, overpriced) | 2 silvers each | Ch02 (noted as 40% overpriced) |
| Focusing rods (fair price) | ~1.2 silvers | Ch02 (implied) |
| Ward-resistance compound | 3 silvers/vial | Ch06 (Carter's price); guild price 6 silvers |
| Binding salts (bulk) | 2–5 coppers | Extrapolated |
| Binding salts (refined) | 1–2 silvers | Ch01 (Mere's purchase) |
| Calibration-grade runestones | 3–8 silvers | Extrapolated |

### Equipment

| Item | Cost | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Rope (quality) | 4 silvers | Ch06 (guild catalogue) |
| Medical kit | 8 silvers | Ch06 (guild catalogue) |
| Light source (ceramic rod) | 2 silvers | Ch06 (guild catalogue) |
| New boots | ~3–5 silvers | Ch05 (purchased, amount unspecified) |
| Full guild equipment loadout | 20 silvers | Ch06 (guild catalogue total) |
| Carter's equivalent loadout | 7 silvers | Ch06 (including bonus ward-resistance vial) |
| Focusing ring (custom, Carter) | 12 silvers (materials after store credit) | Ch13 (store credit from Ch09 applied) |

### Services

| Service | Cost | Source |
|---------|------|--------|
| Licensed warding work (full property) | ~200 silvers | Extrapolated from house cost breakdown |
| Self-sourced warding | ~140 silvers | Extrapolated |
| Healing magic (minor) | 5–15 silvers | Extrapolated |
| Healing magic (serious) | 50+ silvers | Extrapolated |

### Daily & Miscellaneous

| Item | Cost | Source |
|------|------|--------|
| Common clothing | 3–8 silvers | Extrapolated |
| Horse hire (day) | 5–8 coppers | Extrapolated |

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## 3. Income Brackets

| Social Class | Monthly Income | Notes |
|-------------|---------------|-------|
| Unskilled laborer / dockworker | 5–8 silvers | Subsistence level |
| Skilled tradesperson / shop worker | 12–20 silvers | Phelan's Gavren's pay was likely in this range |
| Guild specialist (Tier One) | 15 silver retainer + job fees | Ch04 — Phelan's starting tier |
| Established merchant | 30–80 silvers | Comfortable, growing savings |
| Minor noble income | 1–5 golds/month | Land rents, investments |
| Major noble / trade house | 10+ golds/month | Political-class wealth |

**Guild economics (Tier One):**
- Monthly retainer: 15 silvers
- Job fees: variable (40 silvers for field retrieval, Ch07)
- Commission: 20% of job fees (retainer is not taxed)
- Minimum: 2 engagements per quarter
- Net from first job: 32 silvers (40 minus 20%)

**Guild Tier System:**

| Tier | Retainer | Job Fees | Access | Expectations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier One | 15 silvers/month | 40+ silvers, variable | Standard guild resources, assigned handler | 2 engagements/quarter minimum. Standard reporting. |
| Tier Two | 22 silvers/month | 80+ silvers, variable | Archives access, intelligence priority, expanded safe house network | Higher-profile cases. Detailed debriefs. Guild alias formalized. Methods subject to review. |
| Tier Three+ | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Referenced but undefined. Senior operatives, institutional leadership. Ledger likely operates at this level. |

**Commission:** 20% of job fees at all tiers (retainer untaxed).

**Promotion criteria:** Not published. Assessed by guild leadership based on case outcomes, reliability, discretion, and institutional value. Ledger's assessment carries significant weight.

**Tier Two practical effects for Phelan:**
- Archives access (previously "senior investigators only")
- Guild intelligence network responds to his requests with priority
- Cases assigned are higher stakes with higher fees
- "The Locksmith" formalized as guild alias — on record, searchable by other guild members and, potentially, by the Compact
- Debriefs are more thorough — Ledger asks harder questions

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## 4. Magic's Effect on Pricing

- **Mass-produced magical goods** undercut artisan equivalents in some markets, creating tension between traditional craftspeople and licensed enchanters.
- **Licensed magical services** carry an Arcane Compact tax (~15–20% premium), which is why guild catalogue prices are steep (e.g., ward-resistance compound at 6 silvers vs. Carter's 3).
- **Unlicensed work** is 30–40% cheaper but carries legal risk — practitioners can lose their license, clients can be fined.
- **Healing magic cost** is why infection still kills — most people can't afford magical treatment. Herbalism and trained surgeons handle the majority of medical care.
- **Magical construction** is a luxury: guild halls, noble estates, public works. Phelan's house estimate includes 200 silvers for warding alone.

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## 5. Financial Anchor Points

These are key reference values for calibrating new prices:

| Anchor | Value | Context |
|--------|-------|---------|
| Phelan's starting wealth | 12 coppers + 1 shaved half-silver | Ch01 — "two to three meals" |
| Phelan's monthly expenses (basic) | ~4.5 silvers | Rent 2s + food 1.5s + incidentals 1s (Ch04) |
| Phelan's house goal | ~1,300 silvers (13 golds) | Ch01 — 800 materials, 60 permits, 200 warding, 300 labor |
| Leon's Mallory crystal sale | 1,200 silvers (12 golds) | Ch05 — "windfall" benchmark, life-changing sum |
| Tier One job fee (field retrieval) | 40 silvers gross / 32 net | Ch07–09 — moderate-risk solo job |
| Guild equipment (full loadout) | 20 silvers (guild) / 7 silvers (Carter) | Ch06 — price comparison shows guild markup |
| "Forty silvers would keep the rent current and leave enough to actually eat" | Phelan's internal framing | Ch08 — shows 40s = several months of security |
| Compact bribe (refused) | 2,500 silvers (25 golds) | Ch13 — institutional money, pre-approved. Would have covered house (1,300s) + Mere's independence (~1,200s). Refused on principle. |

**Cross-reference:** See `/world/story-summary-book1.md` Section 5 (Phelan's Financial Ledger) for chapter-by-chapter income/expense tracking.

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*Update this document when new prices, wages, or economic details are established in prose. All values stated in published chapters are canon.*
