Find herein, in the form of a dialogue, a gentle and introductory correction of some Common Misconceptions. More advanced information on these topics is to be found at the Church of Abadar, Whose clerics are expert students of these matters, and Whose servants fulfill His desire to see the nature of Trade and Wealth understood by distributing classes at No Cost.

Simplicio: What is a Loan?
Fiducia: A Loan is when one party gives another a sum of money all at one time, to receive back greater than that sum, but not all at once.
Simplicio: To what end would someone procure a Loan?
Fiducia: A Loan is most useful when it can be used to obtain something which will create more Wealth. For example, a farmer, using one to purchase Land, can make a return on that purchase year upon year, and thus pay back the Loan, ending ultimately with the land fully in his possession and no remaining debt.
Simplicio: To what end would someone proffer a Loan?
Fiducia: An issuer of a Loan seeks to receive a return in wealth by the investment of Patience. The lender to the above farmer, for example, ends with more money than he had to begin with by some percentage, but has waited years for this to come to fruition. By issuing many Loans, over many years, he may make a satisfactory income off this percentage.
Simplicio: What if the Percentage is too high?
Fiducia: Do not accept the loan.
Simplicio: What if the Percentage is too high, and yet I am in sore need of a great deal of money all at once?
Fiducia: Presuming that you are too honorable to turn to theft, it is presently an unsolved problem to come by a great deal of money all at once without any inconvenience nor expense to oneself.
Simplicio: What if the Percentage is fair, but then I am mistaken about how much Return I can derive from the use of the Loan?
Fiducia: This is understood to happen at times. A purchase of an Insurance Policy can soften this risk for the savvy purchaser. The Loan could also or instead be written to allow for certain possible problems to be at the Lender's risk; for instance, a year without adequate rain could be permitted by the terms of a loan to delay repayment by a year in the above example of the Farm.

Simplicio: What is a Price?
Fiducia: A Price is that sum of money which makes parting with an item or providing a service attractive to one who considers selling it.
Simplicio: What should I do if a Price is too high?
Fiducia: Do not make the purchase.
Simplicio: What if the Price is too high, and yet I am in sore need of the item or the service?
Fiducia: Seek another seller, one who offers a lower Price. By this means, the man who offers what you need at a lesser charge will prosper, and the one who asks too dear an amount will be forced to lower it or sell nothing.
Simplicio: What if someone else pays the high Price, and the seller prospers?
Fiducia: That is no business of yours. You may spend your money where you choose, but you are not entitled to spend others', nor to withhold it from Expenditures they choose.
Simplicio: I have seen a Price which filled me with great anger.
Fiducia: Prices are not responsible for your emotional problems.
Simplicio: What if I myself would sell something for want of coin, but cannot find someone who will pay me the amount I desire?
Fiducia: Do not sell it.
Simplicio: What if I cannot find someone who will pay me the amount I desire, but am in very dire need of even a smaller quantity?
Fiducia: You may choose to sell in this case, but know that you have also, in so choosing, made that price the true price of what you have sold. If you feel the true price should be otherwise, it is your responsibility to find someone who will offer that amount.

Simplicio: Who is the Pharaoh of Osirion?
Fiducia: The Ruby Prince Khemet III.
Simplicio: Is that the same person as Inquisitor Shawil, Archduke of Longmarch and Conde d'Egorian?
Fiducia: No; the Ruby Prince is Inquisitor Shawil's brother-in-law by way of the Osirian princess Nebetah, Archduchess of Longmarch and Condessa d'Egorian.
Simplicio: I have heard otherwise!
Fiducia: Both of these gentlemen are powerful servants of Abadar and both hail from that blessed nation that He protects, but they are distinct individuals.

Classes about these and related topics may be joined at the Church of Abadar at fourteenth bell each evening. They are free.

Outside of those hours, consultation with individual priests of Abadar is also available for purchase.

If the price quoted is odious to you, do not pay it.