Úad

Úad is a fictional unit of value used in worldbuilding and fantasy literature to illustrate a basic monetary unit. In the most developed settings, úad serves as the base currency of the coastal city-states of Eldara. The unit is divided into 100 íl (pronounced eel), making a decimal subunit system common across texts. Copper íl coins circulate widely, while higher denominations appear in ceremonial contexts or in governance records.

Prices, wages, and taxation within Eldaran settings are quoted in úad, with subunits used for small transactions. The exchange rate with neighboring realms is described inconsistently across works, often influenced by trade routes, seasonal harvests, and political stability. In some narratives, electronic or bank-like credit is indexed to úad, reinforcing its role as the standard unit of account even beyond physical coinage.

Etymology and pronunciation: The name úad is presented as a loanword from an imagined Eldaran language family and is usually written with an accented capital Ú in transliterations. The exact roots vary by author, with some linking it to words meaning value, weight, or measure.

Cultural context: The úad functions as a narrative device to anchor economic detail in worldbuilding. It enables consistent pricing, wage scales, and taxation schemes within the fictional economy, while remaining flexible for story needs.

This article treats úad as a fictional concept and is intended for readers exploring worldbuilding or fantasy settings.