The following is an informative guide to all things commerce related in Shattered Isles. Those who are unfamiliar with the way business is done in the world of Archai would benefit from reading through this guide before committing to a character.

Select one of the categories below for specific information, or scroll down through the guide in its entirety.

• Archai Economy 101

• Buying & Selling

• Gathering & Crafting

• Owning Property

• Becoming a Merchant

Intro to Archai Economy

     The main currency in Archai is the gold doubloon. Its name originates from a time just after the silver coin was taken out of circulation by all the major Houses in Archai. Silver had become more valuable as a material for weapons and armor. With only one widely accepted currency, the gold piece doubled the price of many things automatically. The newly stamped gold coins signifying one world currency quickly became known as the "doubloon" because of how fast it blossomed in value.

     Other regions still circulated their own currency, but they eventually surrendered to the more popular and widely accepted doubloon. After the Shattering, the doubloon was adopted by the Archai Trading Company. This continues to be the currency used throughout Archai with the exception of the Isle of Kaleith. After a long naval battle against the ATC, they started trading in their own currency and no longer accepting the doubloon.

Buying & Selling

Shopping in Archai consists of five basic commands that will help ensure you are buying and selling exactly what you want. More information is available on each of these via the help files.

• Appraise - This is used to find out how much an item currently in your possession is worth. This is a great way to make sure you aren't selling something valuable by mistake.

• Sell - Once you've appraised your loot, it's time to sell it. It's important to be descriptive when selling objects. Use a unique keyword from the item name, or use most or all of its name to avoid confusing it for something else.

• List - Now that you've made some money for yourself, it's time to spend it. To see what a shopkeeper is selling, 'List' their inventory. This will give you a list of available items, and how much they cost.

• View - Once you've found something you think you want to purchase, ask to 'View' it. This is a great way to make sure you are getting the right item. It also gives you additional information about the item, like its weight.

• Buy - You've found an item you want and you've viewed it to make sure it's exactly what you're looking for. It's time to close the deal. 'Buy' the item you are interested in, but remember to be descriptive! You don't want to end up with the wrong item by mistake. The shopkeeper will accept your money and give you the specified item, thus concluding your transaction.

Gathering & Crafting

     No matter your profession, everyone has the opportunity to learn trade skills. Whether it's a hobby or a way of life, everything you need is provided by the land and hard work.

Gathering skills:

• Foraging - Works best in wooded areas. Gather fruits and vegetables as well as some other random edible things that can be used to cook your favorite dishes.

• Wood Chopping - Requires an axe. Chop down a nearby tree to provide the wood needed for building fires, carving wooden items, and fletching arrows.

• Digging - Requires a shovel. Dig up sand needed for glass blowing, or clay needed for pottery.

• Skinning - Required a dagger or small blade. Skin dead animals to salvage their hides, meat, and bones.

• Mining - Requires a mining pick. Mine rock and metal ore from mountain surfaces and caves. The stone is used for stone sculpting and the metal is used in jewelry crafting and blacksmithing.

• Fishing - Requires a fishing pole. Fish both freshwater and saltwater for a wide variety of sea-life. Great for cooking!

• Gem Extracting - Requires a mining pick. A bit more delicate work than mining for rocks and metals. Extracting works best in caves and is used to gather precious stones used in jewelry crafting.

• Speculating - A great skill that assists you in your search for resources. Scans the area for anything of value.

Crafting Skills:

• Cooking - Requires a fire and a container to cook in, plus ingredients. New ingredients are unlocked as you advance in skill.

• Wood Carving - Requires a fire and a specific amount of wood per item. Carve wooden trinkets, containers, and even furniture.

• Glass Blowing - Requires a fire and a specific amount of sand per item. Shape glass into figurines and containers of all sizes.

• Pottery - Requires a fire and a specific amount of clay per item. Mold clay into a variety of containers and objects.

• Stone Sculpting - Requires a fire and a specific amount of rock per item. Sculpt stone into small trinkets to large pieces of furniture and artwork.

• Bone Carving - Carve bone into detailed trinkets, jewelry, and other schrimshaw worthy objects.

• Blacksmithing - Requires a fire and a specific amount of metal per item. Before one can forge armor, they must master the art of working with metal.

• Jewelry Crafting - Requires a fire and often times a metal and precious gem. Craft a wide assortment of jewelry, both with and without gemstones.

• Fletching - Requires wood. Fletch arrows for ranged weaponry. A great skill for those who prefer to live off the land.

• Distilling - Requires a fire and a container to brew in, plus ingredients. Tired of spending all your hard earned doubloons at the local tavern? Brew your own alcohol!

• Cobbling - Requires an animal hide of some kind. Cobble your own footware out of the hides of your own kills. Or buy the leather if you have a weak stomach.

• Tailoring - Requires a cloth material or animal hide. Stitch a wide variety of clothing options. New items are unlocked as you advance in skill.

• Leather armor - Not implemented

• Steel armor - Not implemented

• Dragonscale armor - Not implemented

• Blacksteel armor - Not implemented

Owning Property

     There are two ways to own property in Archai. You can buy a home and you can buy a shop. Homes must be built in an official housing zone, either inside a city or in designated areas outside the main cities. Shops must be located within the commerce area of the city you purchased it from. Pricing for both are subject to change. The merchant in charge of selling property will have the most up to date figures, as well as a list of what can and can't be added to your home or shop.

Becoming a Merchant

     Those who express an interest in becoming a merchant of the Archai Trading Company may do so after meeting a series of qualifications required by all who serve under the ATC's domain.

• You must submit a document outlining what your trade will be and how it will best serve the ATC and the community. Is this something unique that Archai has never seen before, or just another apprentice blacksmith looking to peddle shoddy weapons? If you are the latter, you need not apply.
  
  

• You must host a series of events to prove your showmanship It is not enough to have an eye for quality items. You have to know how to sell them regardless of quality. A minimum of two (2) custom order events and two (2) events of your own design.
  
  

• An undisclosed fee must be paid before you are to be sworn in as a representative of the ATC. If you have to ask how much, you probably aren't ATC material.
  
  

• A final vote will be held by ranking merchants within the Archai Trading Company. A majority vote is needed to confirm your admission into the ATC.