Soul coins, or demon money, or something...

[Wonger]

I recently saw some little reference in some sourcebook or something about souls being used as currency in some lower planes. They had some name for it and it seemed the souls would actually be bound in some sort of token.

Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find this reference amongst my piles of geek books - thought it was Eberron or Iron Kingdoms, but can't find it. Anyone know what I am talking about and where I can find it again, or have a similar concept in their campaign?

 

[Wombat]

I think that shows up in White Wolf's old game Wraith, but I don't know about anywhere else...

 

[Piratecat]

Sure. Ever since 1e, larvae (the wormlike souls of evil people) have been currency for liches and night hags.

 

[shilsen]

I think that shows up in White Wolf's old game Wraith, but I don't know about anywhere else...

Don't remember a reference, but I created something like that for my last campaign. The PCs were evil SOBs working as part of an elite strike force for Bel, ruler of the 1st lvl of Baator, and they discovered that all their trade currency was in soul gems, which were gems linked to souls currently owned by Bel or some other powerful lower planar power. Soul gems varied in value and power, and besides being used for trade could be directly used to power certain magical rituals, for crafting not-so-nice magic items, etc.

 

[devilish]

Hmmm....away from my books right now but I
think it might be in Book of Hell -- I think I remember
rules about souls there as currency, statuary, etc.

 

[jester47]

Find the The Book of Vile Darkness for within lie the answers which you seek!

(Its still fairly usable even though its not 3.5)

Aaron.

 

[Monte At Home]

If it was a pretty recent book, it might be the sidebar in Beyond Countless Doorways about Hell Money.

 

[Couchbob]

there is also mention of something similar in a neverwinter nights module called demon. it takes place on the outlands and on a few other planes. more info here: http://adamandjamie.com/nwn/

 

[Aaron L]

Ase Piratecat said, since 1E larvae have been used as currency, traded by nighthags among lower planar beings and used as food by liches and demonlords. The pic in the 1E MM always freaked me out too. A guide to lower planar economy would make a good article in Dragon, actually.

 

[hexgrid]

Beyond Countless Doorways has "Hell Money," which fits your description.

It's even in a BCD preview:

http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff76.html

EDIT- oops, Monte beat me to it.