SKAVEN ECONOMICS
By Garett Lepper - glepper@earthlink.net
This material was taken from the Book of the Rat

Skaven economics is pure and simple, the strong take what they want. Whenever a Clan comes into wealth, the highest leader of a Clan, whether a Clan Warlord or Clan Chieftain, get first choice of the loot. Then their Clan Guard and then Clanrats get to choose. Anything left over is passed down the line. Food is distributed only a little more fairly, and countless numbers of times hungry Clans have revolted against the reigning tyrant and sated themselves on the fat corpses of the Clan Chieftains and his Clan Guard. In allegiance to the Clan Chieftain, the lesser Skaven are given baubles and gifts to ensure their loyalty, the Clan Guard receive the best food and weapons, and possibly entrance to the breeding warrens. The enticements given to keep the Clanrats quiescent are weapons, armor, and prestige over the rest of the masses. For the artisans and others, it is security from random and unpredictable acts of cruelty from the Chieftain and his guard.

On the Clan level, great quantities of weapons and slaves change hands. This whole system of exchange simply cannot rely upon barter. Instead, every Clan seeking to be recognized by the Council of Thirteen surrenders ten percent of their Warpstone Reserves to the care and protection of the Council of Thirteen. This act of giving Warpstone to the Council is known as a Warpstone Tithe. A Clan does not have to tithe, but then the Council will refuse to hear any motions from the Clan, essentially ignoring the Clan, yet still expect the Clan to obey Council Decrees. These Warpstone Tithes are put in the Warpstone Reserves maintained by the Council of Thirteen. Each Clan tithing Warpstone receives in exchange large enchanted tokens called Warpstone Tokens due to their representative value of that amount of Warpstone that they placed in the reserves. A Clan may always tithe more than ten percent, and receive even more Warpstone Tokens. Any Clan that holds the Warpstone Token literally holds the deed to that amount of Warpstone in the Council Vaults. The Warpstone Tokens are created and enchanted by Grey Seers, and therefore cannot be counterfeited. These Tokens are used in exchanges for large number of slaves, for grain imports or exports, or for the hiring of mercenaries. The Warpstone Tokens are so valuable that only under these or in treaty or diplomatic exchanges are they used. They are a currency only used on a large macro-economic scale.

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