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Contents 1 Canon 2 Proposed Canon 2.1 Value 3 Speculation 4 Real-World References

[edit] Canon

The Rand is a unit of currency used in the Magic Kingdom. It is not a physical coin or treasure, but a barter credit. Casters in the Magic Kingdom can offer their services or created scrolls to other casters in exchange for Shmuckers, but more often it is done for Rands.

[edit] Proposed Canon

Rands are only used between casters.

Rands were developed as a way to limit the power of Moneymancers in the Magic Kingdom; by existing outside their sphere of influence, Moneymancers can't alter the market of Rands in their own favor.

[edit] Value

List of values in Rands used in the comic:

• Sizemore promised Janis 8 Rands for teaching him Hippiemancy, and gave her twenty. The twenty seemed to be intended as an especially generous gift, because he didn't expect to survive.^Erf-b1-p011
• Janis promised any Master-class Thinkamancers 50 Rands each for unraveling the Maggie-Wanda-Sizemore. Thinkmancers did unravel the link but declined the reward. ^Erf-b1-p140

[edit] Speculation

[edit] Real-World References

• Possible reference to Ayn Rand. If so, this might be a sign that the Magic Kingdom operates under meritocratic principles.
• May also be a reference to the real-world currency of South Africa of the same name (though the pluralisation is different).
• Could also be tied into a Janice Rand^[1] (from Star Trek) reference, since the first use of the currency was when Sizemore paid Janis for hippiemancy lessons.
• May be a reference to Rand Holmes^[2], an underground comic book artist who lived on Lasqueti Island (notable as a counterculture enclave) and who designed a cannabis-themed currency^[3] ($10 Canadian) for the island.
• May be a reference to James Randi, who famously debunks the existance of magic-types.
• May also be a reference to the leading character of Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series, Rand^[4]al'Thor.
• May be random, pun intended.