The Power Behind the Throne

For the banks of Greyhawk I have tried to use the Medici family model. This Italian family were the bankers of europe and the first proper bank to exist.

When a PC has alot of cash freshly wrenched fro the clutches of a hoarding dragon or tight fisted Orc he/she has to do something with it. At later levels the player may amass a fortune in gps. What is the PC to do with all that money? Their may well be enough to actual fill a house to over flowing. A prime target I think you will agree for any thief or group of bandits. So the PC must place it somewhere secure.

Bankers exist for this reason. Opening an placing account and depositing money costs nothing. However the PC will have to expose himself to the Tax collector, a bank must operate with the consent of the Leige Lord and hence must obey the laws of the land. The tax should not be cutting, definitly not more than 25%, and this figure only if the Kingdom is at war or something. In any case the PC will know in advance how much is expected.

Once the money is deposited it is secure. Any theft is the banks burden to bare not the PCs. Any bank relies on its good name to keep making money and operating so fraud is not possible ( in a reasonable campaign ). The banks charges 5% on any withdrawel. This may seem like alot but consider the security and the piece of mind the bank provides.

No King in his right mind would pillage a bank knowingly. To do so would spell disaster. Kingdoms rely on banks to transport and transfer money between kingdoms. A banks spanning more than one kingdom, which thay all do, would instruct funds to be released to one King after being deposited by another. Banks also extend loans to Kingdoms and merchant guilds at agreed interest rates. They can issue promisary notes, which are better than can when travelling or doing business. Two merchants for instance trading masses of goods for considerable cash will use this method. The note carries the seal of the bank, the merchants seal and the Merchant will be known to the bank. Also the note may only be exchanged for hard currancy if a bank official is at hand. for large amounts of money the note will be carried by an official who will act as a sign of good faith and travel with the merchant, exchanging sides with the note. The note may only be cashed by the official at a designated bank where he is known. The actual transfer of money may not take place in public at all, but in a bank where the money simlpy changes accounts. larger customers will of course pay far less ( 1% ) for services.

What is a bank? Who is the Banker? A bank is not a place as such, rather the Banker ( a wealthy merchant ) will have the client visit his estate. He controlls agents who run operations from other smaller locations for smaller clients. The money is kept in a number of secure vaults guarded by a large private force and/or magic. Much money may also reside in the royal treasury, both aas a sign of good faith and a credit limit for the regent, although an agent of the bank will be at hand to administer it. The use of royal treasury rooms may be a favour extended by the Leige as a sign of his willingness to do business and keep in good relations.

It should be realised that Merchants of this size are amazingly wealthy and have no need of theft to further their status. Infact it would be a terrible thing to be implicated in any wrong doing because a good reputation is literally as good as gold.