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I'm designing a role playing game set in a Lovecraft-inspired world, and I need some kind of currency in it. The obvious one that comes to my mind is just gold, but since in rpgs atmosphere plays a very important role, I'd rather find something more original — or at least have some background story as to why gold is considered valuable by cultists and such.

In other words, if you were a Shub-Niggurath worshipper, what would you pay with for a copy of Necronomicon?

Is there anything in the mythos (Lovecraft stories, or Lovecraft-inspired stories) that is of particular value to cultists? Maybe something abstract like vitae? I'm open to any ideas.

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closed as primarily opinion-based by K-H-W, Stan, The Fallen, John O, phantom42 Mar 18 '14 at 13:19

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

  • I assume you're referring to a setting inspired by Lovecraft's Dreamlands, rather than the ones set in (then-)modern day USA, right? Since if it's the latter, than the US Dollar is probably used by cultists too. – Avner Shahar-Kashtan Mar 18 '14 at 13:07
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    Shubcoin? Just forking now, gimme a minute. – Paul D. Waite Mar 18 '14 at 13:11
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    On-Topic: "Is there a currency used in the HP Lovecraft mythos?" Off-Topic: "Help me come up with a new currency." – phantom42 Mar 18 '14 at 13:19
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    To those saying this question is opinion-based: I'm not asking for answers like Shubcoin, I'm just asking if there's anything of particular value to cultists, aside from simple gold and dollars. Maybe orbs, stones or something abstract like the already mentioned vitae, or life essence. I'm asking because I've only read a dozen or so of Lovecraft's stories, and almost none Lovecraft-inspired ones. So maybe someone here has a better knowledge of Lovecraft mythos. – Dunno Mar 18 '14 at 13:25
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    The real difficulty in finding a sensible motivation for a Lovecraft cultist is that they are mad by definition. So they might really want a tome of arcane knowlege, but rather than save up shekels they would invoke a night terror to steal it. – Oldcat Mar 19 '14 at 19:17

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