Money and wealth

“Having wealth isn’t the be all and end all of life, its just a major part of making that life bearable.” - Corin Hayes

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Everyone needs to have money to survive and nowhere is that more true that under the oceans, living in a world controlled by the Corporations. Whether the money is held in your bank account or you’ve got a few credits on a transferable card, you need to have the ability to buy what you need. In the Boxes you might be able to barter for an item, you might seek out a loan shark, or you might have a friend who can loan you enough to pay your air bill. You might be lucky enough to work for a company who will pay you a decent wage, your medical bills and even some of your rent. Inequalities still exist, and there is still large gulf between those who have and those who do not.

Debtor’s prisons have returned with a vengeance. If you can’t pay your bills, you can be put to work. The algae vats in the big cities are staffed by many who fell into debt and couldn’t find their way out - they’re the lucky ones. For the rest, it is the waste barges which take all the materials the city can’t recycle and transports it far away to dump it in great undersea caverns and caves. The work is hazardous and life expectancy is low; a combination of disease, accident, and radiation exposure.

The World Bank Corporation exists to facilitate trade across the world and was set up by the Corporations, in a rare moment of cooperation, to regulate and ensure confidence in the markets. If history is teaches us anything, and we actually listen, its that confidence is as an important factor of any economy as wealth.

In order to provide some guidelines for the use of credits, the accumulation of wealth, the following information may be useful to GMs. It is worth noting that these are guidelines only and a monthly “living cost” is given at the end to illustrate the worth of credits.

Dwellings (each cost is monthly)

Box 
Lower levels
    Apartment (2 person) - c1,000
    Apartment (4 person) - c2,000
Higher levels
    Apartment (2 person) - c2,000
    Apartment (4 person) - c3,000

Dome
    Small - c5,000
    Medium - c10,000
    Large - c20,000+ (prices increase rapidly from here)

Office Space
Box
    Small - c3,000
    Larger - c5,000+
Dome
    Small - c8,000
    Medium - c15,000
    Large - c25,000

Weapons and Armour
Handguns (based upon quality)
    Low - c400
    Medium - c800
    High - c1,000+
Armour (based on quality and protection)
    Low - c300
    Medium - c1000+
    High - c3000+

Submarines
Every small company would like to own its own submarine, and some do. However, these are expensive vehicles to buy and operate. The following prices are given as a guideline.

A Worker Bee, short range, one person - c30,000
A Personal Sub, medium range, four person - c80,000
A Personal Sub, medium range, six person - c100,000
A Passenger Sub, long range, 40 capacity - c600,000

In addition, should the players want weapons, armour, and other upgrades the prices can quickly rise.

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Monthly living cost, an example
The following costs suppose a single person, living a basic life, in a lower level Box apartment, someone just above the poverty line. Again all costs are monthly.

Small apartment - c1,000
Basic Food - c100
Clothing - c20 (c240 a year)
Water bill - c50
Air bill - c100
Power bill - C100
Total monthly cost: c1,360
 

As with all such information, GMs should feel free to alter and change to make their game economy work for the story.