With the peace of the last five decades, communities within the Hrim Confederacy, and between communities within the Confederacy and the Empire, have developed trade agreements. Enterprising individuals can find ways to turn a profit off trade, or can influence communities by impacting trade flowing between regions. If war should break out, new sources of trade and supplies may be essential to the survival of some of the smaller communities.
Other metals outside the primary currency metals
Many other metals have value, either for their use in magical research, metallurgy, or in crafting items other than weapons and armor. Most of Vandalmál has adopted the Dwarven practice of rendering these metals from ore into standard ingots called trade-bricks for storage and transport. These ingots are 3" x 3" x 6"; each trade-brick is usually stamped with the thane-mark where it was forged. Imperial forges and the authorities within Hrim have also adopted this marking practice, leading to a number of different marks (and counterfeit marks). The standard pricing of all manner of trade-bricks is normally done in silver pieces.
Miners and other entrepreneurs may wish to deal in the unprocessed ores for these metals. As a rule of thumb, it normally requires 100x the weight of the trade-brick in ore to generate sufficient metal for casting, and therefore that quantity of ore would have a similar value to the trade-brick. Thus, as an example, it would require 11,000 lbs (5.5 tons) of tin-containing ore to generate a tin trade-brick. For the rare and very rare metals, ore weighing at least 1000x the weight of the trade-brick is required. Very rare trade-bricks purposefully do not have prices listed.
Spices
Spices are broken into four broad categories:
The examples are not all-inclusive, and prices may fluctuate depending on seasons and location of purchase/sale. Some spices and herbs can be used in medicines and magic, and thus might fetch a higher price from specific buyers as a result.
Grains
Wheat, barley, milt, and other common grains are sold per bushel (60lbs). These grains usually fetch around 1CP per pound, so 6SP per bushel.
Wine, Ale, and Spirits
Alcohol is readily available in Vandalmál. Dwarven thanes are known for their ales and spirits, while human villages, towns, and cities can produce any of the the three. Imperial lands, being further south, often produce wines and spirits, although Dwarven enclaves within the Empire do brew ales.
Grades of ales, wines, and spirits (price per bottle in GP)
Volumes of sale:
Timber/Lumber
Many regions across Vandalmál produce timber, and there is a trade market for unprocessed timber and lumber that crisscrosses Hrim and the Imperial territories. Wise merchants have arrangements with capable lumberjacks and transportation to move more valuable timber to trusted mills before looking to move the lumber to other cities.
Firewood lumber is usually sold in cords or portions thereof, while building timber is usually dealt with in board-feet.
The species examples are not all-inclusive, and prices may fluctuate depending on seasons and location of purchase/sale. Some lumber can be used in magic item creation, and thus might fetch a higher price from specific buyers as a result.
Hides and fur
The forested and mountainous regions of Hrim provide plentiful opportunities for trapping a variety of animals. The warmer climates of the Empire also have their share of beasts prized for their pelts. The examples provided are not all-inclusive.
Common animals - badger, bear, beaver, boar, deer, elk, mountain goat, jackal, muskrat, panther, tiger, weasel, and wolf
Fancy animals - ape, bulette, cockatrice, displacer beast, drakes, girallon, griffon, owlbear, winter wolf, worg, wyvern, and yeti
Truly exotic animal hides or pelts would require negotiation - the guidelines above would not cover such animals. Examples include the jólakötturinn, basilik, behir, chimera, purple worm, and remorhaz.
Textiles
Weavers through Vandalmál turn naturals fibers into thread and finally into fabric. Fabrics are sold in bolts measuring 2 yards in width and 40 yards in length (80 sq yards).
Livestock
Ranching is uncommon, but farmers do occasionally sell animals at market. Such animals are sold by the head.