Primary references: 16th-century England and DND.
1. Monetary System:
Copper Leaf. Purchasing power anchor: 1 Copper Leaf = 1 pound of coarse rye bread.
Silver Moon. 1 Silver Moon = 12 Copper Leaves.
Golden Sun. 1 Golden Sun = 20 Silver Moons = 240 Copper Leaves.
Original Blood Crystal (The de facto currency of the Extraordinary):
1 gram of standard Original Blood Crystal = 5 Golden Suns.
1 gram of powdered Original Blood Crystal = 1.5 Golden Suns.
2. Annual Income by Social Class:
Serfs/Slaves: Virtually no cash income.
Yeoman Farmers/Small-scale Artisans: 2 - 4 Golden Suns (480 - 960 Copper Leaves).
Skilled Artisans/Urban Laborers/Low-Tier Mercenaries (Levels 1-3): 5 - 10 Golden Suns (1,200 - 2,400 Copper Leaves).
Guild Masters/Small Merchants/Sergeants: 15 - 50 Golden Suns. (The ceiling for a commoner's aspirations).
Landless Knights/Junior Scribes/Priests: 60 - 240 Golden Suns.
Land Knights/Junior Court Officials/Senior Mages: 150 - 900 Golden Suns.
Lesser Nobles (Barons/Viscounts): 800 - 4,000 Golden Suns. A well-managed, medium-sized barony has an annual surplus of approximately 200 Golden Suns. This is the lord's discretionary income after deducting all expenses: domain maintenance, servant salaries, equipment upkeep, social expenditures, royal taxes, and so on.
High Nobles (Counts)/Top-Tier Merchants: 5,000 - 20,000 Golden Suns. A well-managed Earl's Domain has an annual surplus of approximately 3,000 Golden Suns. This represents the family's discretionary strategic capital after paying for: the administrative costs of a vast domain and multiple towns; the enormous expense of a standing private army and a Knight Order; a lavish court life and diplomatic functions; the energy supply and regular maintenance of the Ethereum Tower; the salaries and research grants for the Royal Mage Corps (including the chief Mage, apprentices, and researchers); the "bloodline awakening" and advancement rituals for core heirs (which typically involve large quantities of Original Blood Crystals); and finally, substantial taxes owed to the crown.
Paramount Nobles (Marquises): 10,000 - 100,000+ Golden Suns. A well-managed marquisate has an annual surplus of approximately 7,000 Golden Suns. This is the remaining capital after funding: the bureaucracy; public works and infrastructure; a courier corps of several hundred riders; a standing army of a thousand soldiers; grand banquets to display the family's honor and wealth; the finest education and bloodline cultivation for core family members; the Ethereum Tower network; a Royal Mage Corps; the upkeep of strategic-level Magic items and rituals; and political patronage for lesser nobles.
3. Market Prices
1 pound of coarse rye bread: 1 Copper Leaf (the primary consumer price anchor).
1 pound of cheese: 3 Copper Leaves.
1 gallon of cheap ale: 3 Copper Leaves.
1 pound of beef/mutton: 6 Copper Leaves.
A common draft horse/packhorse: 8 - 15 Golden Suns.
Handaxe/Dagger: 50 Copper Leaves.
Common enchanted battleaxe (Green Quality): 150 Golden Suns.
Common enchanted chainmail (Green Quality): 300 Golden Suns.
Full plate armor (non-magical, masterwork): 150-300 Golden Suns (approx. 6-12 months of a Knight's income).
Common enchanted full plate armor (Green Quality): 600 Golden Suns.
1 Low-Tier Magic Scroll (Levels 1-3): 5 - 50 Golden Suns.
1 Middle-Tier Magic Scroll (Levels 4-5): 50 - 200 Golden Suns.
1 High-Tier Magic Scroll (Levels 6-7): 200 - 1,000 Golden Suns.