Mercenary Bank: Difference between revisions

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After fighting off an attempt by a group of warlords to capture the vault of the Institution, Johann's grandson, Laurens König, decided their organisation needed an overhaul. They moved the entire treasury to a secret vault they constructed far away from the ruins of the old world. They also changed their name from the Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection to a simpler 'Mercenary Bank'. They however did stay at their old headquarters. This worked, and the Bank continued to earn money as the warlords continued to fight over their princedoms and faux kingdoms.  
After fighting off an attempt by a group of warlords to capture the vault of the Institution, Johann's grandson, Laurens König, decided their organisation needed an overhaul. They moved the entire treasury to a secret vault they constructed far away from the ruins of the old world. They also changed their name from the Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection to a simpler 'Mercenary Bank'. They however did stay at their old headquarters. This worked, and the Bank continued to earn money as the warlords continued to fight over their princedoms and faux kingdoms.  


As Richard Viromaro returned to Attica and began the conquest that would eventually earn him the title of Great, he  
As Richard Viromaro, heir to the Kythiran throne, returned to Attica and began the conquest that would eventually earn him the title of Great, he ultimately became the most important client of the Bank.  He, his son Francis and his grandson Henry II would borrow vast sums in order to establish what would become the Kythiran Empire. Emperor Richard II Viromaro tried to establish a national currency and bank, the Green Dragon Emerald and the Imperial Central Bank, but these both failed, being unable to match the sheer wealth of the Mercenary Bank. Imperius tried to do the same, establishing the Reichsmark, but this too failed. In response to this, Richard II Viromaro, the Imperius Kaiser and Marcus König came together to discuss the establishment of a new, international currency, issued by the Mercenary Bank. This would eventually result in the Treaty of Gold, establishing the Florynt as the sole recognised currency in Minecraftia. 


Today, the Mercenary Bank's headquarters and hidden Vault are officially considered, as part of the Treaty of Gold, to be part of no nation. The König family have since become respected citizens of the Kythiran Empire, living in a modest city mansion within Helmira, and having a small fortune of 650,000 Florynts in their private account. Their Mercenary Bank however, aside from holding most of the wealth of Minecraftia in her vaults, also still has a reserve of 1,588,252,000 Florynts. 


 
Their unwillingness to allow Emperor Louis Viromaro to lend the money he needed to pay reparations to the Imperius Reich after the Grand War, whose government they considered unstable, ultimately resulted in the Reforma Carta, and the forced abdication of Emperor Louis.  
'''The History of the Mercenary Bank''' 
 
'''Origins in the Ashes of War'''
 
The Mercenary Bank traces its origins to the aftermath of the '''Great Grief''', a cataclysmic conflict that shattered the old world and brought ruin to the three great kingdoms: '''Helmsia, Kythira, and Redstonia'''. Among the many who fled the destruction, the '''Redstonian people''', under '''King Von Roterstein''', sought refuge in the west. However, not all Redstonians followed their king into exile.
 
One such dissenter was '''Johann König''', an officer in the Redstonian army. As the refugees passed the ruins of '''Helmsia''', König saw an opportunity amid the devastation. Rather than venture into an uncertain future, he and a band of loyal Redstonian soldiers deserted and established themselves within the ruins of the '''Helmsian royal palace'''. Armed with superior weapons and military discipline, they secured the palace and, in doing so, discovered its greatest secret—the '''Helmsian Treasury''', a hidden vault containing the immense wealth that had once made Helmsia the richest of the three fallen kingdoms.
 
With this newfound fortune, the '''König family''' became the wealthiest in the world during the '''Minecraftian Dark Ages''', a period marked by lawlessness, warlords, and the collapse of centralized governance. But rather than hoard their wealth, the Königs devised a bold new strategy: '''financing warfare itself'''.
 
'''The Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection'''
 
Recognizing that power in this new world belonged to those who could afford to '''hire soldiers''', the Königs established the '''Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection'''. The concept was simple yet revolutionary—warlords, city-states, and aspiring rulers could borrow gold to fund their private armies, securing their rule in exchange for '''interest payments'''.
 
This model allowed the Königs to remain '''neutral''' in the endless conflicts of the Dark Ages. Rather than take sides, they '''funded all factions''' willing to pay, ensuring that wars raged indefinitely while their fortune multiplied. As the Institution’s influence expanded, it became known simply as the '''Mercenary Bank'''—a name that struck both fear and admiration into the hearts of Minecraftia’s warlords.
 
'''The Rise of the Bank and the Return of Empire'''
 
The Mercenary Bank’s reach continued to grow, but a turning point came with the '''return of Richard I the Great Viromaro''', a descendant of the Kings of Kythira. Emerging from '''Attica''', Richard assembled an army and '''reclaimed Kythira''', restoring the kingdom to its former glory. But war required financing, and so Richard '''turned to the Mercenary Bank'''.
 
The Bank’s Director saw an opportunity in the ambitious young ruler and extended '''millions in gold''' to fund his campaigns. With this financial backing, Richard waged a series of conquests that culminated in his '''coronation as Emperor of Kythira'''.
 
Not long after, a new power emerged in the east—the '''Imperius Reich''', founded by '''Kaiser Borous Von Dragestein'''. As the first '''Imperians''' sought to expand their domain, they too relied on '''the wealth and connections of the Mercenary Bank''' to finance their wars and establish vital trade routes. The Bank, ever pragmatic, ensured that it profited from both '''imperial expansion''' and '''the resistance against it'''.
 
'''The Creation of the Florynt'''
 
As Kythira solidified its rule, its government sought to establish a '''universal currency'''—the '''Green Dragon Emerald'''. However, the attempt failed due to '''regional resistance and instability'''. Realizing the need for a more stable alternative, the Kythiran rulers turned once again to the '''Mercenary Bank''', which proposed a solution:
 
The Bank introduced the '''Florynt''', an '''international currency''' backed by its vast '''gold reserves'''. Unlike previous attempts at a state-controlled currency, the Florynt was '''trusted by merchants, warlords, and rulers alike''', as it was directly tied to the financial power of the Bank rather than any single kingdom.
 
In time, the Florynt became the '''dominant currency of Minecraftia''', recognized across the known world. This cemented the Mercenary Bank’s status not just as a '''financial institution''', but as '''the true power behind nations''', shaping the course of history from the shadows.
 
'''Legacy and Influence'''
 
From its origins in the ruins of Helmsia to its role in financing '''wars, empires, and economies''', the Mercenary Bank has remained a '''pillar of power''' throughout the ages. While kings and emperors rise and fall, the Bank endures—silent, neutral, and ever-profitable.
 
Its influence stretches beyond mere wealth; through loans and financial backing, it dictates the '''winners and losers of wars''', determines the '''strength of nations''', and controls the '''flow of Minecraftia’s economy'''. Some say that behind every great ruler, there stands not an army, but the '''gold of the Mercenary Bank'''.
 
 
fter the Treaty of the King's Keep was signed in the early Third Era, trade issues arose. Wheras before the Great Grief people generally traded with goods, such as gold bars, now a more formal currency was being issued. In the Kythiran Empire, the Green Dragon Emerald saw some adaptation, whilst in the newly founded Imperius Reich, the Reichsmark was issued. Meanwhile, in the newly added territory of Ardoragh, people used the locally minted Roters as their preferred currency.
 
In order to solve this, members of House Viromaro, House Von Dragestein and several important business tycoons united by the Redstonian König family, came together to form a single, universally accepted currency, and a bank that would be able to issue and regulate it. Thus, the Mercenary Bank was born. 
 
Its headquarters has always been in the city of Helmira, in the old Sverdpalass, the former royal palace of the Kings of Helmsdeep. Since its founding the Mercenary Bank, named after King Mercenary Hurdræber, has always been led by members of the prestigious and unscrupulous König family. 
 
It's logo is a golden circle on a white mountain, the gold representing their immense value, and the white mountain representing the location of their headquarters, high atop the white marble stairs of Helmira.  


== The Florynt (ƒ) and its value ==
== The Florynt (ƒ) and its value ==

Revision as of 15:01, 16 January 2025

Coat of Arms of House König and the Mercenary Bank

The Mercenary Bank, established in the Minecraftian Dark Ages by House König as the Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection, often just called The Bank or The Institution is an incredibly powerful supranational financial institution that plays a pivotal role in the global economic landscape. During the late Third Era it emerged as the primary internationally recognised bank, wielding significant influence over the world's financial systems. Although other private banks still exists, the vast majority of all wealth in Minecraftia is kept by the Mercenary Bank.

History

After the Great Grief destroyed the old world and plunged Minecraftia into darkness, the peoples of Redstonia knew their kingdom would soon fall. Wanting to escape the chaos of this new world, King Von Roterstein took his army and the majority of the population of Redstonia, and engaged on a long and difficult journey west, past the Mediori Sea, into a land no-one had explored before.

As they passed the ruins of the Kingdom of Helmsia, once the wealthiest of the three kingdoms, Colonel Johann König, together with a the majority of the Redstonian soldiers under his command, decided to desert the Redstonian forces, preferring to stay in the ruins rather than go into the vast unknown west.

Due to their superior arms, they managed to capture the former royal palace of Helmsia, establishing it as their new base of operations. Under the palace, they discovered the vaults of Helmsia. Opening these uncovered the Helmsian Treasury, still intact, instantly making König the wealthiest man in Minecraftia at that time.

Instead of keeping the vast fortune for himself however, he decided to keep this great fortune a secret, using parts of it to renovate the palace and gather arms and soldiers to protect it. Having done so, he established the Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection, offering the countless warlords and aspiring rulers the means to finance their mercenary armies. As the Dark Ages continued, the Institution grew wealthier and wealthier. The concept was simple; The Institution was neutral, any party could borrow money to finance their wars, and, if successful, not only had to pay interest over their own loans, but also the loans of those they had defeated. If one refused to pay their debt, they would simply pay another group of mercenaries to destroy the indebted party, seizing all their assets.

After fighting off an attempt by a group of warlords to capture the vault of the Institution, Johann's grandson, Laurens König, decided their organisation needed an overhaul. They moved the entire treasury to a secret vault they constructed far away from the ruins of the old world. They also changed their name from the Institution for Financing Mercenary Protection to a simpler 'Mercenary Bank'. They however did stay at their old headquarters. This worked, and the Bank continued to earn money as the warlords continued to fight over their princedoms and faux kingdoms.

As Richard Viromaro, heir to the Kythiran throne, returned to Attica and began the conquest that would eventually earn him the title of Great, he ultimately became the most important client of the Bank. He, his son Francis and his grandson Henry II would borrow vast sums in order to establish what would become the Kythiran Empire. Emperor Richard II Viromaro tried to establish a national currency and bank, the Green Dragon Emerald and the Imperial Central Bank, but these both failed, being unable to match the sheer wealth of the Mercenary Bank. Imperius tried to do the same, establishing the Reichsmark, but this too failed. In response to this, Richard II Viromaro, the Imperius Kaiser and Marcus König came together to discuss the establishment of a new, international currency, issued by the Mercenary Bank. This would eventually result in the Treaty of Gold, establishing the Florynt as the sole recognised currency in Minecraftia.

Today, the Mercenary Bank's headquarters and hidden Vault are officially considered, as part of the Treaty of Gold, to be part of no nation. The König family have since become respected citizens of the Kythiran Empire, living in a modest city mansion within Helmira, and having a small fortune of 650,000 Florynts in their private account. Their Mercenary Bank however, aside from holding most of the wealth of Minecraftia in her vaults, also still has a reserve of 1,588,252,000 Florynts.

Their unwillingness to allow Emperor Louis Viromaro to lend the money he needed to pay reparations to the Imperius Reich after the Grand War, whose government they considered unstable, ultimately resulted in the Reforma Carta, and the forced abdication of Emperor Louis.

The Florynt (ƒ) and its value

The Florynt (ƒ) is the globally recognised currency in Minecraftia. It is printed exclusively by the Mercenary Bank, and most of the world's Florynts are stored safe within the Bank's secret vault, hidden somewhere in Minecraftia. In order to prevent inflation, only a finite amount of Florynts were ever pressed, exactly 7 billion.

In general, 1 Florynt is enough to buy a loaf of bread, with 5 Florynts generally being able to pay for a night in most inns. 12,500 Florynts is enough to buy an average middle class single family homes in a modest city. The average annual income of a working middle class family is 17,500 Florynts before taxes. Meanwhile, an upper middle class townhouse in a city like Helmira would cost around 95,000 Florynts. Palaces or castles are much more expensive. For instance, Radenór Castle, the summer residence for the Kings of Ardoragh, was estimated to have cost around 2,2 million Florynts to construct. House Viromaro paid around 4 million Florynts for their hunting lodge in western Ardoragh. As another example, the Mediori Fleet, with her 62 ships, cost the Kythiran crown around 18 million Florynts to construct, at around 290,000 Florynts per ship, not including the docks.

The White Gold Tower, although priceless due to its historical value, cost around 158 million Florynts to erect, and is the most expensive building ever constructed in Minecraftia. The Kythiran Invasion of Imperius, although relatively brief, still devastated the Kythiran economy, costing the crown upwards of 840 million Florynts, plunging the Empire into economic turmoil which ultimately resulted in the Reforma Carta, which effectively ended the absolute monarchy, reforming it into a constitutional one.

Bank Statements

Reserves of the Mercenary Bank:

Total: ƒ1,588,252,000

Kythiran Empire

Noble Families, Wealthy elites: ƒ347,390,000

Other individual bank accounts: ƒ489,000,000

Kythiran Crown: ƒ176,000,000

Imperial Treasury: ƒ980,000,000

Kingdom of Ardoragh Treasury: ƒ326,000,000

Kingdom of Alcanzar Treasury: ƒ290,000,000

Kingdom of Attica Treasury: ƒ319,000,000

Kingdom of the Heartlands Treasury: ƒ126,000,000

Kingdom of Camuria Treasury: ƒ23,000,000

Kingdom of Redstonia Treasury: ƒ36,000,000

TOTAL: ƒ3,112,390,000

Raggisar Republic

Wealthy elites: ƒ170,390,000

Other individual bank accounts: ƒ348,000,000

Republican Government: ƒ93,760,000

Federal Reserves: ƒ1,730,000,000

TOTAL: ƒ2,342,150,000

The Aqumis Republic

Wealthy elites: ƒ43,562,000

Other individual bank accounts: ƒ6,570,000

Republican Government: ƒ1,776,000

Reserves: ƒ5,300,000

TOTAL: ƒ57,208,000

META

For the ease of everybody involved, and to ensure a sense of realism, 5 Florynts, the price of a stay at a simple inn, would be around 160 euros in 2023, the price of a decent hotel room for a night. Most of the calculations above have been based off of this standard.