Buying; Henchmen; Mesmers

Hi,

I was going to buy some dye on Old Ascalon the other day but it wouldn't let me. It said it cost around 240 gold, which I had, but there was another symbol to the left of the gold. I needed two of these. It was a little silver rectangular thing, which apparently I didn't have. This also happened when I went to buy some rare materials -- I had the gold, but not this other substance which apparently I needed with the gold. Does anyone know what this is?

Also - do henchmen in the party reduce XP gained from killing enemies?

Lastly - in Old Ascalon, I haven't noticed any Mesmers or Mesmer-specific quest, although I have noticed elementalist quests and one necromancer quest. Does anyone know where the mesmer quests are in Old Ascalon, or where the Necromancer quests are?

Thanks.

Let me guess you wanted to buy black dye? the reason you could no buy it is because it cost two platinum and 240 gold. Those strange bars are platinum and a platinum is 1000 gold.

Any yes henchmen reduce exp gain, same if you had other people in grp.

Do you remember the Ashford Abbey in the Kingdom of Ascalon? In Ruins of Ascalon, that's where the Mesmer trainer hangs out.

Also, your gold is automatically upgraded to 1 platinum when your gold reaches 1000.

There is also a Mesmer Trainer in Serenity Temple in the the Pockmark Flats.