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The economy of the Rohan Territories is tattered and primitive, suffering from the alienation of the Rohani to many of the necessities of life in Creation and the fact that they have no infrastructure to build upon that couldn't be crammed through a large golden door. Rohan life is marked by profound shortages, huge fluctuations in price and supplies, and the occasional overabundance of some luxury item imported from a fallen civilization.
Even so, the progress that the Rohani have made is remarkable. Especially given both their great numbers and their lack of experience in the adjustments necessary when separated from the First Age infrastructure that made life in Del Roh possible, that the Rohan Territories have succeeded at all is nothing sort of remarkable. This is largely due to the influence of a number of heroic individuals.
The first, and arguably most important, of these is the Circle itself. Much of the initial bureacratic machinery of the Rohan Territories was forged by Mnemon Merkan itself prior to his betrayal, most especially within the Orile Family and in overall economic matters. On the other hand, the overall bureaucracy of the Rohan Territories was forged by Johann Illhousen with a bit of influence from the High King Venlo-Reborn. This results in a government with a notable influence from the Realm, and a strong resembalance in particular to the Legions.
Nearly as important has been a number of important individuals with the Family structure that has long formed the center of Rohan life. In particular, the most important mortals among the Rohani are Azenath Zeshalla, Delano Isisia, and the Founders. The Zeshalla are probably the family that have adapted the best to the changing world of the South, working to adjust their practices and incorporate natives who could assist them in adapting to their new enviroment. This willingness to change has made the Zeshalla a powerful buisness family and given them a great deal of wealth, most of which Azenath invests back into the development of Nei Roh. The Isia, on the other hand, have been the most instrumental in developing the methods needed to feed the people of the Rohan Empire. While there was a heavy initial emphasis on Agriculture, largely due to the historical influence of the Kalx, the key to feeding the Rohan populations in the South is cattle. In particular, it was Cattle that was largely liberated from the lands of Harbourhead. The Kalx still makes much of its recovery, but they will never again be stronger than the new Cattle Lords of the Family Isisia. Lastly, the Founders efforts have been described elsewhere, but their importance in Rohani society cannot be understated. In particular, much of what does not derive from the Realm or the older First Age society of the Families comes from the Council.
The last heroic influence upon the development of the Rohan Territories has long been in the shadows of the culture. The Nine Oaks Lord joined the Rohani as a refugee to this land, and he still regards his pact with the Solar Schuyler as vitally important, and has done a good deal to assist and aid the Rohans in various methods. Currently, the Forest Gods' efforts are mostly aimed at assisting the Kalx in developing new methods of agriculture and in growing the food stores of the Territories. However, the God has also been extremely important in the spiritual and even political lives of the Rohani. The patronage of the old Forest God is quite clear and he is given an ever increasing amount of respect among the people.
There is no real Rohani monetary system, and no real banking system. The strongest and most stable currency within the Rohan Territories is Realm Script. This paper money passed into the territories through the aegis of its now-closed Southwestern trade routes and its conquered territories. Large amounts of the currency circulates, though there is unlikely to be any continued influx of script into the market unless some manner of trade is re-opened with the Southwest or even with the Blessed Isle itself. None the less, trade with script is generally preferred and everyone prefers it to any other currency.
There is, by contrast, only a small amount of silver currency on the market, most of which came from Harbourhead. The Guild had withdrawn from extensive trade in the South since before the arrival of the Rohans, and has seemed loathed to return. Silver is not quite as stable as Realm script, largely because its so uncommon and has never really been as backed. When the trade routes were open, script was preferred, and thus the Rohani gained more comfort with that currency.
The Rohans, however, do have a few currencies of their own. This, in fact, is a large part of the problem. These currencies tend to be nearly worthless, often not backed by anything other than the collected wealth of scavenged artifacts of Del Roh. Most of the powerful families maintain their own currency, including some of the examples below.
Currencies of Nei Roh
Many buisnesses only accept one kind of currency, but in all honesty, most Rohans have lost all faith in anything other than barter. This is especially apparent in trade, which almost always involves the Rohans giving away some relics from their fallen home. Only the chit has any value outside of the Rohan Territories.
Just as noted above, the Guild had long since drawn out of the South as trade became largely untendable following the invasion of Chiaroscuro and the overall climate of Chaos in the South that followed that horrible event. Only Harbourhead retained close ties with the Guild, and that died off even before the Solars invaded and conquered that land. It wasn't so much that the Guild wished to starve the new Anathema Kingdom...
Deathlords, Anathema, and the Wyld Hunt simply make for poor buisness parnters, and the Guild simply couldn't afford to get caught up in such matters until it could more closely determine just where the chips would ultimately fall. Most of the Directorate by this point is well aware of the anti-Guild prejudice among the Ruling Circle of the Rohan Territories, which renders them even more reluctant to send resources to restablish ties with the South.
Even so, the Guild is very eager to re-open trade with these wealthy lands and is constantly on the look out on ways to do so.
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