The Value of Water

( is a lot easier to understand after you read this)

 

A days worth of water ration
129 oz per day
16-8oz glasses
Water tiles are not in glasses but they function as trade items from existing stock.
A daily water tile is an unusual trade, being without water in a desert environment begins to tell physically very quickly.
A daily water ration get things that have more than a daily value. Two dozen eggs (6 meals worth of food), two nice big steaks (rare extravagance), a four pack of the most popular cantrip items, a nice pouch of prasad weed, five days to a week of commoners food, a set of high quality clothes, a musical troupe to entertain at your party, something someone wants badly enough to trade water instead of what they normally produce on the side.

A weeks worth of water, a full ration
903 oz
29 quarts (approx.)
7.25 gallons
This water tile is the way 90% of Hopeless gets their water. It is most likely that someone will die without their weekly ration, hence water is life.
A full ration is not a good trade. It peaks the interest of the Water Caste. Not that it isn't done. Most people trading in rations of water do so with the Admin. Caste approval... but that doesn't mean that the Water Caste won't kill you anyway. If you are dealing with things of a water rations value you are dealing with things that are worth someone's life. It is truly rare that someone can buy their way out of being Taken (that fate is predetermined). Other things are more possible. A whole host of Admin. Caste problems can be solved with water, certain caste business, as well as powerful magic, assassins, property, and the like. Big ticket items one way or another. A great deal of finesse and confidence in one's power (personal, hired and owned) are required to go openly trading in water ration tiles. But people do.

The black market
Since the officials in Hopeless are so corrupt, there are ways to buy most everything... it's said everything has a price. Official water ration 'change' is daily rations. It usually takes a bribe to get a good rate of exchange. But the black market trades heavily in this and usually provides better exchange rates. Someone can go without water for a day without too much trouble, so the trade flourishes... at a risk. The Water Caste does everything to control who has water, how much and what it,s used for. As far as everyone is concerned the Water Caste wants to make sure that everyone in the lower castes has the absolute minimum they need to survive and still work their farms or professions.
The ultra secret black market trades in counterfeit water tiles. The Water Caste likes to do things with these people like drawing and quartering, compelling them to commit sepicu, among other hideous things, all in public with as much blood and gore as possible. They usually top off the show by pouring the water they taken with their counterfeit over the dead body, something people hate because they are wasting someone else,s water. But when someone has water debt, a sick child and other life threatening situations, black market daily ration tiles look real good.

On a side note:
Most people bank their water with their caste who protects it and administrates it in the name of the Water Caste. If someone goes into water debt the caste scrupulously pays attention because they have an opportunity to take the debt as a slave which in turn can be sold at a profit to the upper castes or even the Water Caste. Otherwise people keep their own cisterns, usually neighborhoods so they can afford the magic protections and guards which are necessary.

 

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