This Ancient Gem, "The Dragon's Eye Emerald" has been passed down from one Elder of the High Table to the next, for countless generations. He who possesses this stone, along with the other trademarks of the Elder, carries with him the power of Ordo Imperatum, granting him supreme durisdiction over all affairs above or below the High Table organization.
One of the most ancient games among the ancient order of assassins, even long before the formation of the High Table, was for the members of the Brotherhood to compete over who could steal the Dragon's Eye Emerald, whilst both evading detection, and without having to resort to murdering its current holder. This practice was held as a way for the members of the brotherhood to keep each other sharp, alert and on the ball.
But once the High Table formed and all the original members of the Brotherhood had passed on, this playful practice became a deadly competition over who would have supreme authority and final say over the affairs of the High Table and its members.
Blood Oath Markers are an ancient right of "One's Word is One's Bond" however the word leaves not a mark - your blood does. For hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, the world of assassins used Blood Oaths to keep their word to one another. One you do a great deed for someone, you can present them with a Marker, representing their intent to return the favour at a later date, no matter what the task may be.
The one receiving the gidt of another's word marks their blood inside the Marker, and unpon repayment, the giver of the gift and the Marker marks their own blood, completing the contracted Blood Oath.
The Continental Hotels were established to observe and distribute responsibility in a top down manner from the 12 members of the High Table. Though they do reserve a certain amoung of autonomy and durisdiction over their own locations, members and holdings. They are left t operate independently, save only from the discernment of the High Table Adjudicators.
These gold coins are produced exclusively for the commerce surrounding the Continental Hotels and their members, and are carefully manufactured, counted and accounted for by the Continental Hotel managers. However, following the events of John Wick: Chapter 4, the original coin press that produced these coins was lost in the skirmish of power between the Continental Hotels and the High Table members. The press is said to have been destroyed along with the New York Continental. In our story, now only a small and very exclusive number of coins are in circulation, and are highly sought after by all assassins under the High Table, due to their very limited supply.
Ancient Continental Coin Press
Following the destruction of the New York Continental during the war of the Rebels taking on the High Table, it was thought unanimously after many years of searching that the coin press had been lost or destroyed. And following the defeat of the Rebels, the remaining Continental Hotels and their managers were de-consecrated, their managers murdered and their holdings are now controlled directly by the High Table and its emissaries.
By maintaining a strict scarcity of the remaining coins in circulation, the High Table has been able to exact a tyrannical grip over the lives of those serving under the table... until one day, a rumor begins to spread that the Ancient Coin Press may still be out there... though no one can say where exactly.