“Everything has a value to someone, and so of course everything has a price. Even Monsters. Especially Monsters. Money greases the wheels of the Arena - it's what makes sure everyone can get something to eat without having to farm or hunt for themselves. With money, you can get what you need without having to do it yourself. With a lot of money, there's power.”
- Junior Executive Ada, Economics 101
As the old saying goes, money can be exchanged for goods and services. Commonly agreed as valuable across Bastion (and sometimes even further afield), money is used as a token of exchange, allowing a little more sophistication than crude bartering.
Outside the Arena, a currency called Kyat is used. The Arena, however, uses its own currency called Riel. Riel is considered to be more valuable than Kyat, since it is easily recognisable, impossible to counterfeit, and extremely stable. Wastelanders generally prefer to use bartering between themselves, but may use either Kyat or Riel when trading with Bastion citizens.
The average Trainer has rather a lot of money compared to regular folk, courtesy of the Network who pay Arena competitors handsomely. Of course the average Trainer also has a lot more to spend it on. In addition to gambling it away, the services of the best Bastion has to offer rarely come cheap, and there are plenty of interesting and useful items being offered for sale that might boost your Monster's chances in a fight, or help with some other task.
“I'd sell my left arm to meet Volcanosaurus.”
“…Really? Because I might know somebody.”
- Overheard in the Arena
There are many ways to make money if you need it. Everyone's got something to sell, whether it's an item, a skill or trade, time, or even information and contacts.
A popular way to make money is to get involved with the business of the Arena. Trainers are paid well by the Network; the desperate or dangerous might even grab a spear and jump in themselves – it pays well, if you survive. Bookies can rake it in if they judge the odds right, while Commentators and Rules Lawyers observe each fight, keeping the audience entertained and making sure that the rules are closely followed.
Supporting the Arena are a variety of roles that anyone could feasibly be paid for, provided that they have the right skills. Medics, maintenance workers, entertainers, artists, caterers, managers, reporters, vendors… if you have a talent and the confidence to demand payment for it, you can find a way to make a living around the Arena. And then there's the Wasteland, with Archaeotech treasures and rare Monsters found by the brave or foolhardy commanding a high price to the right buyer.
“They say the best things in life are free…”
“Well, I guess. If you don't count the cost of joining the convoy and your Monster-catching equipment.”
- Overheard in the Bastion slums.
No Champion of the Arena, Executive of the Network, or successful Archaeotech expedition entrepreneur ever made it by hoarding. Investment is the path to success in many fields; Trainers always need to upgrade their gear, secure favours from friends, and buy trouble for enemies. There are always people willing to give you a helping hand in exchange for the right price, and the success the money buys invariably leads to more money.
Out in Bastion it's easy to spend money, but the most exclusive (and arguably) best deals are to be found at League Conferences. There are many traders who frequent the Vault, sporting weird and wonderful wares for the right buyer. For those who fancy their luck, betting on Fights can leave you rich after backing the right horse-shaped behemoth. There are also plenty of opportunities to recruit experts in various fields to give you a helping hand.
Lastly, bribing members of the Network for a more favourable match or interpretation of a rule is of course completely forbidden. Somehow that doesn't stop the persistent rumours that certain Executives are happy to abuse their positions for the right price.
Money in UMBA is physically represented by Riel and Kyat (small metal coins, property of OURPGSoc). Riel is Arena Currency and Kyat is currency outside the Arena. You will be given your money at the start of each session, and will be asked to return it at the end. Please do not keep the coins between sessions.
In addition to money saved from previous sessions, every player will receive 90 Riel at the start of the game unless you have a Quirk that modifies this.
It is also possible to spend or acquire money in downtime actions. Selling items for a good price, or making money through your Skills, will usually require an Action. If you want to give money to another character in downtime, please specify the recipient and how much you are giving them as a Minor Action.
Standard living costs are trivial compared to the sums of money that are typically exchanged during Arena bets, bribes and Battles, and will therefore not influence the amount of Riel that your character has.