Banks and how to deal with them

[Vincent Blackwater]

I'm running a game where players need to start banking items/money. Now it's not a largely magical world, especially in this area. This world doesn't have magic shops.

Now for banking purposes, players aren't keen on receiving/carrying around a lettered document so they can withdraw from the bank when they need to.

A player suggested using Arcane mark on the lockbox in the bank and on them to identify that the lockbox belonged to them. I would like to stay away from using magic especially in everyday services such as banking.

Now if you have a place of residence you can keep it there. But they don't. So does anyone have any solutions for creating a bank system without the use of magic and not using a lettered document?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Crothian]

Is this going to be a completely safe place or as DM do you think that their money needs to have some risk? How realistic are you wanting this to be? You could just say that banks work, the money is safe and not worry about it. Or you can have banjks use a lettered document. Just because they don't like that doesn't mean the world is going to change to fit their needs and wants. They could always invest in gems and other portable wealth.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I'm running a game where players need to start banking items/money. Now it's not a largely magical world, especially in this area. This world doesn't have magic shops.

Now for banking purposes, players aren't keen on receiving/carrying around a lettered document so they can withdraw from the bank when they need to.

A player suggested using Arcane mark on the lockbox in the bank and on them to identify that the lockbox belonged to them. I would like to stay away from using magic especially in everyday services such as banking.

Now if you have a place of residence you can keep it there. But they don't. So does anyone have any solutions for creating a bank system without the use of magic and not using a lettered document?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Not sure what is the problem with the document?

Historically banks issued letters of credit against the funds you had on deposit (or the funds they were willing to loan t you). So if say, you had funds on deposit with the De Medici in Florence and travelledto Paris with a De Medici letter of credit you could draw funds in Paris from their agents there to the limit of the letter.

If the are just using the bank as a strongbox/vault then you could go the Harry Potter route and issue them a key with a numbered code that corresponds to a strongbx in their vaults. If you want to be totally mundane about it.

 

[LurkMonkey]

One of the big players in ancient banking in the real world was actually various temples. The fear of divine retribution was an added layer of security. Temples also often had large reserves due to tithing and donations, often displayed in the temple as religious items crafted by precious metals. Priests were considered holy men and therefore 'trustworthy'.

Now, if the players are well-known, they can arrange for money to be made available to them at a temple in a distant city just by discussing it with the local temple. They would need to give the transaction some time, since it would take time for an acolyte to travel to the other temple to arrange the transaction. Then, if the players have either a unique signet ring or some other token (maybe given to them by their local high priest) they could show it at the temple at a distance and retreive money on a 'line of credit' tied to the monies they have deposited at the local temple.

Now, there are always risks. A scheming thief could attempt to impersonate them at the distant locale and take their money. The token would have to be guarded well, and be something truly unique. Anyway, some thoughts.

 

[Saeviomagy]

If you don't have a ton of magic available, then a strongbox with a guarantee from someone with money and power is the best you can get.

The safety against being ripped off isn't that the strongbox is locked or magically secured, and it's not that it's heavily guarded.

It's that whomever runs the bank has enough money to scry-and-die you in your sleep, and enough money to send a small army after you.

Alternately they could just cast secret chest with a ludicrously huge chest as the focus. Instant long-range banking that comes with YOU as the security detail.

 

[Vartan]

I'm running a game where players need to start banking items/money. Now it's not a largely magical world, especially in this area. This world doesn't have magic shops.

...

A player suggested using Arcane mark on the lockbox in the bank and on them to identify that the lockbox belonged to them. I would like to stay away from using magic especially in everyday services such as banking.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that your PCs are "above the curve" in your world as far as how much magic is available to them, and they're probably fairly powerful hero-types. My advice is for you to reconsider allowing them to use the "Arcane Mark" system they came up with, but make it fit into the context of your less-magical setting. For instance:

1. They need to find a banker willing to enter in to such an arrangement with them. This might require some bank-shopping on their part and even an extra fee for making such an unorthodox arrangement.

2. Even if the bank had "branches" in an isolated/rural area where magic is regarded as especially strange or evil, trying to make a deopsit or withdrawal in such an area might attract unwanted attention, or be refused altogether, so the PCs would need to do be selective about where they do their banking.

3. The use of such an unusual method of identity verification might attract good attention, too. A merchant who saw or heard of them invoking the Arcane Mark might try to hire them to take care of an adventure-worthy problem for him.

Letting them use the Arcane Mark rewards their ingenuity, makes them feel more "special" when compared to the rest of the people in your world (they are, aren't they?) and actually gives you a chance to play up the rarity of magic in your setting. It could even be the source of several plot hooks, if you like. It's like having a stone wit Continual Light cast on it: it can be cool for the PCs to have, and it's within their capabilities, but their use of the stone doesn't mean that the things will end up lighting every street in your campaign world. Give it some thought.

 

[Verdande]

Sad enough to say, but if they can't be bothered to actually carry around a note, then they're going to need another way to carry about their cash. It's not like people had government-issued picture IDs, you know.

They should really consider just hiding it somewhere, like people did in real life. They could bury it, stick it in some cave, put it on a personal alternate dimension, use Mordenkainen's Awesome Abode and put it in the chest of drawers in that, or something else.

 

[Umbran]

Now if you have a place of residence you can keep it there. But they don't. So does anyone have any solutions for creating a bank system without the use of magic and not using a lettered document?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Well, it depends upon what they intend to do.

If they are trying to just store their cash, and have no desire to recover it except by showing up where they deposited it, then they don't need to carry a document with them - they'd only need such a document at the time of withdrawal. Bank the cash, stow the document somewhere (or with someone) safe and reliable, and pick it up when you need it.

Since they probably deal face-to-face with the banker, they probably don't even strictly need the document. They are violent hero types, and the banker is probably not going to shaft them unless he feels extremely physically secure from retribution. A verbal agreement may be all that's required.

If they wish to access their money on the road, they need to use a commonly accepted form of documentation. They can deposit cash in Florence, and withdraw it in London only if the guys in London recognize the documentation - a unique arcane-mark document won't mean much to the folks in London.

Now, note that the documentation doesn't need to be on paper. It can be a large stamped coin ("The bearer of this coin is entitled to..."), a graven stone, an engraved sheet of metal - anything can be the standard. A stamped gold bar might represent several times it's own value in metals, for example.

 

[anest1s]

If you give bank notes, then the forgery skill will suddenly be more appealing to every rogue anywhere (and to every banker too).

The church of Waukeen (or similar God maybe) would be my first thought as a banker...then again, you can have the local thieves guild as bankers- who would steal from them? And if they get a good reputation they may have more profit than actually stealing the players money.

Also, maybe some local lord can serve as a bank. They already have too much money to protect, few more isn't really a problem.

However if you PC's decide to leave their money somewhere, then they are bound to return to that place. This means that someone searching for them can just wait there to find them.

 

[Tonguez]

It is possible that the PCs don't need banks nor money and instead rely on a network of favours, gifts and influence.
ie The PCs have status and whereever they travel they are able to get things they want either by barter or 'on account', with those providing goods or services accepting that at some future point they are going to benefit from the gift of a golden goblet, a rescued child or a defeated orc raider. (Think of it as a wealth score base n reputation)


That being said IMC I usually have Banking attached to Merchant Guilds mediated by means of Credit Notes.

The largest city IMC sits on top of a dragons lair and is ruled by the resident ancient dragon who allows adventurers to deposit treasure into his hoard and in return issues arcane Dragon-marks which are widely redeemable.