Worshipers of Halea often refer to The
Golden Bargain; this bargain, as taught by her priestesses, promises
abundant wealth to all who follow its tenets. Though not every adherent is able
to maintain the strict financial regimen subscribed, those who do, amass great
wealth. Even those who falter often achieve wealth through these efforts.
The Golden Bargain is often described in one
of three ways. Depending upon the level of wealth of the adherent, it may be
taught as The Seven Coins,
Seven Cures for a Lean Purse, or The Seven Laws
of Gold.
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The Seven Coins
The seven coins is a teaching tool used by the Halean temples to ensure the
wealth of their adherents. In a way they are the financial tenets of the
religion. The concept is a simple budgeting technique. The priestesses teach
the adherents to divide their income into seven equal parts (or Seven Coins)
and spend them according to a basic plan.
- Halea's Coin
- Tithe thy first coin to the Goddess. All wealth flows from the maiden.
(The 1 in 7 tithe of income is sometimes referred to as "the first bargain".)
- The Magic Coin
- Keep the second coin in thy purse. Spend it not. Put thy magic coins to
work.
- The Debtor's Coin
- Give the debtor's coin to thy creditors. Soon this coin will be thyne own
to keep. (This coin is sometimes referred to as Sardura's coin. Sardura -
Halea's "left hand" collects against the mistresses bargains. The wise debtor
pays creditors.) The debtor's coin is also special in that it encourages the
follower in practices of wise borrowing. It promises the indebted follower that
by paying off debt now, in the future the debtor's coin becomes "thyne own",
giving two coins in seven for the pursuit of pleasure. In cases where debt is
significant, the worshiper may need to spend two in seven toward debt reduction.
This unpleasant practice is referred to as "paying Sardura with both hands."
- The Kings Coin
- Keep the Kings coin safe, that when the tax collector comes thyne own
wealth will be beyond his reach.
- Two Coins for Thy Necessary Expenses
- For thyne own and thy families necessary expenses spend but two coins.
- Thyne Own Coin
- The last coin is thyne to spend so that thou will always know wealth and
pleasure. Give thy last coin to Dulcia, Galopea, or Tania for thyne own or a
loved ones pleasure.
Note: The plan at first may provide what appears to be a repressed
lifestyle; it ensures, however, future wealth through stringent savings and
investment and satiates the wealth of the worshiper through permission to spend
the seventh coin for pleasure.
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These Seven Cures are taught to initiates once they have learned the Seven
Coins. The cures serve as a gentle reminder of the original seven coins, while
providing additional elements and instruction in the investment of wealth. The
priestesses realize that the temples wealth is dependent upon the wealth of the
laity, and thus they work diligently to see that these tenets are followed.
- Begin thy purse to fattening
. This is the magic coin. The dominant
principle of wealth in Haleanism is the importance of investment.
- Control thy expenses
. Haleanism is about wealth and excess, but the
priestesses know that even excess must be taken in moderation. The bargain (actually
the key principle of The Golden Bargain) is that thrift and abundance in
combination produces great wealth.
- Put thy magic coins in Elomia's palm
. Elomia, the princess of enterprise,
represents the bargain of investment. The church knows that wealth wisely invested
grows rapidly. To this end, the priestesses often work with reputable investors to
establish investments for temple followers. In a sense, the church acts as a broker
to leverage and diversify the wealth of Halea's followers. Temple adherents gain
access to a safe investment with a moderate return, the investors have a steady source
of capital, and of course, the temple earns a small return for its services. This
practice is commonly called the Ralathina's bargain.
- Ward thy magic coins
. Selina, princess of abundance, guards Halea's
treasures. The church teaches its laity to guard its wealth carefully. The
priestesses go so far as to recommend safe, moderate return investments--such as
those they have arranged with known investors.
- Own thyne palace
. The value of home ownership is not lost on the
Halean church. Many temples work with the investors among their laity to provide
loan guarantees to their congregations for the purpose of buying a residence. The
guarantees usually result in discounted interest rates. Defaults on such loans
are rare, but when they occur the church forecloses on the property, and will
re-sell the real estate to another parishioner, often at a substantial discount.
These guarantees are often referred to as a "Lord's Bargain."
- Insure a future income
. The church encourages the practice of diverse
investments in competent investors as a source of future income. While such matters
are minor during major religious festivals, the discussion of investments is a daily
occurrence within Halea's temples.
- Increase thyne own worth
. Halea's lust for wealth is insatiable, as is
that of her followers. The church teaches the wise practice of constantly improving
ones earning potential. Almost as common as discussion of investments, the practice
of trades is also discussed among the church's followers.
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The Seven Laws are taught to those who have mastered the Seven Coins
and the Seven Cures. These go beyond basic budgeting, saving and safe investing,
to the powerful wealth building tools of investment and entrepreneurship.
Wealth cometh in abundance to anyone who keeps the magic coin.
The magic coin multiplies even as the flocks in the field for the
shepherd who makes of it a profitable bargain.
The magic coin clingeth to the wise bargainer or to one whose bargains
are made with advise of the wise.
The magic coin slippeth through the fingers of those whose bargains
are made in unfamiliar industry, or without the counsel of competent bargainers.
The magic coin flees the bargainer who would force its impossible
growth or bargain with schemers and tricksters.
Thalia loves men of action.
Elomia loves men of skill.
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Original author was
J. Patrick McDonald,
but has been edited by Avathar Valcana
for campaign reasons.
1. The wise reader will recognize the similarity of
the seven cures and the seven laws to the work of George S. Classon's
The Richest Man in Babylon Signet Publishing, 1988. This book
is as valuable to merchants and mercantylers in Hârn as it
is to their players and GM's in their daily routine of Papers and
Paychecks.