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Government & Currency
Updated: 01-26-05
Rulership
The Zuberi are ruled by a Padishah.
Currency
The Zuberi have no ridged currency system. There are no mints or standard
notes, because trade is all but ignored by the Zuberi. Goverments, individual
banks and wealthy merchants have devised their own systems for buying and
selling. The gold coin is a traditional currency; however, often merchants will
pay for goods with salt or other precious goods. Larger Zuberi banks have even
gone so far to issue their own notes to investors although this is usually
controlled through merchant guilds.
Though gold is a quite popular currency in Arjat its rarely used in the Shaula
Tribes. Currency is usually only necessary when trading with other Shaula tribes
(as few are large enough to need an internal system) and this is usually done by
herds of goats. Ajami often find it difficult to adapt to Zuben's loose system
and many are astonished of the level of order Zuberi trade remains in. As
mentioned trade and the issuing of bank notes is not controlled by Sultans and
Khans but rather by guilds and harsh honor codes between merchants.
In the history of Zuben there have been few instances where this honor has been
broken, although one in particular comes to mind. It was two hundred years ago
during the great drought that swept Zuben. When the merchants turned to the
Dyrlings for assistance they were paid in bonds from wealthy banks. This action
lead to the Zuberi's survival but when the bank that had issued the notes found
themselves in debt Dyrling traders found their bonds worthless. The Dyrlings,
angry about this, turned to the Sultan. The sultan was unwilling to abandon
traditional Zuberi beliefs and systems so rather than seizeing more power he
developed a "Blind Eye Policy." With this Policy the Sultan greatly expanded
the merchant councils powers even to the level of assassinating dishonorable
merchants.
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