> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.asphodel.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.asphodel.io/prologue/asphodel/economics.md).

# Economics

Prologue is an onchain world, and in our eyes this means it's an economic system as much as a game. 

Prologue's economic system is fixed, transparent, and described in full on this page. Every fee, split and prize is coded into our contracts, visible onchain, and the same for everyone. The rules are always the same. 

Prologue is designed to drive its own rewards and incentives. In practice, this means that **90%+ of all ONYX that enters the game returns to players as rewards.**

Here's how it works.  

<figure><img src="/files/rmxYb1teE4YcedXUQk8u" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

## Playing the Game

### Starting Up

It costs 9 ONYX to mint a Taruchi. This cost is always the same, and will be frozen forever. There are no discounted mints or alternative options. This is the flat price of playing the game; 8 of this ONYX goes into the budget for Festival rewards, and 1 ONYX goes to the team to fund development.

A Taruchi is essentially your ticket to play the game. Each Taruchi can progress through Duels and Festivals, until it either Ascends or loses a Festival and Dies. Death is permanent. You may only have one Taruchi per-wallet at a time.&#x20;

If you don't like your Taruchi, you can reroll them for 3 ONYX. This will randomly generate a whole new Taruchi. You can do this as many times as you like. 2.7 ONYX will go to fund the Jackpot pool each time, increasing the reward for players who win the game. 0.3 ONYX from rerolls goes to the team.

*Note: The reroll cost increases in later leagues (6 then 9 ONYX), if you really want to reroll a high-level Taruchi! The additional cost goes to refill the Festival reward pools the Taruchi already got rewards from.*

### Festivals

Duels, the normal matches which level up your Taruchi, are free, only costing a small amount of gas. Festivals, the special tournaments available at levels 11, 22, and 33, cost a fee in ONYX to enter - 5, 10, and then 15 ONYX each.&#x20;

Each time, 80% of Festival fees go to rewards, 10% goes to the Jackpot pool, and 10% as a protocol fee.&#x20;

Winning Festivals is how you win ONYX! Each Festival pays out more than it takes in, and each Festival kills at least half of the losing participants. In other words, if you can survive and win, you can take more ONYX out of the system than you used to play. &#x20;

The Festival of Buds, at level 11, takes in a total of 40 ONYX and pays out 64 ONYX to the 4 winners.&#x20;

The Festival of Flowers, at level 22, takes in a total of 80 ONYX and pays out 112 ONYX to the 2 winners.&#x20;

The final Festival, at level 33, takes in a total of 120 ONYX, and gives a grand prize of 160 ONYX and 10% of the current Jackpot pool to the sole survivor. This is the ultimate incentive for players; but only 1/64 Taruchi will ever claim it.&#x20;

*These numbers have been adjusted carefully to allow the game to run forever; ideally, as long as Ethereum does. The Jackpot pool will fluctuate based on activity, but the main payouts are hardcoded and will always be available.*&#x20;

### The Jackpot

<figure><img src="/files/Z53y1cFMzMDapKaLTAxD" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

The Jackpot is the arena's crown prize, and it's engineered to never empty:

* **In:** 10% of every festival pool, plus the lion's share of every reroll.
* **Out:** each Ascender takes **10% of the balance**. The other 90% stays and keeps growing.

Because the payout is a percentage, the pool mathematically cannot hit zero, and every era of players inherits the pot the last era built. The balance is public: watch it grow, and know exactly what stepping into the Festival of Ascension is worth.

## The Team

The team's cut is fixed and public: 1 ONYX per mint, a 10% rake on festival pools, and a 10% cut of rerolls, with referral rewards deducted from the team's share. The team's fee is used to fund further development; you can track how we utilize funds on Eth, if you really want.&#x20;

There is no treasury, no token emissions, and no lever anyone can quietly pull. Player funds, the jackpot, prize budgets, and referral rewards sit in protected reserves the team cannot withdraw.

## Boring guarantees

* Battles are **deterministic**: same fighters, same seed, same result, verifiable by anyone.
* Entry fees sit in a reserved balance until your tournament resolves. Cancelled tournament, full refund.
* Every payout is formula-based. There is no discretionary spending from player pools.
* Referral rewards come out of the team's cut, not out of any player's pocket.