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Post by Kortelan on Feb 5, 2007 22:58:46 GMT -5
"No I think I will do it. As far as I can tell this government works like clockwork. I wouldn't want to change that so I will run it so everyone else can claim they did not know."
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 6, 2007 0:20:13 GMT -5
"Galan do we have any news from the ship building companies yet?" Kortelen asked seemingly out of the blue.
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 7, 2007 0:27:44 GMT -5
Galan says, "Yes, your excellency. We heard from Delfan & Company. They have sent a representative who has an appointment to meet with you tomorrow."
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 7, 2007 0:52:00 GMT -5
"Good. I was hoping for the head of their company but I guess a representative is better then nothing. Do you think a small fast ship that has archers with flaming arrows would be better then those in the Imperial Navy?"
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 9, 2007 23:52:52 GMT -5
Galan says, "I don't know much about naval matters, your excellency. I'm afraid I have no idea which is better. But our visitor from the shipbuilding company probably will. Also, I have been informed that a representative from Verronia Shipyards will be coming to visit you as well."
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 10, 2007 0:04:15 GMT -5
"Good good. I would like a meeting with them as soon as possible but separately. Also how is setting up a meeting with the Verron Rond coming along?"
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 10, 2007 0:18:10 GMT -5
Galan says, "Also, I have some other matters to bring to your attention. First, the first census data is coming in. Because you asked for so much detail, this will take longer than a census that just counts the number of people, but it should be finished soon. The preliminary numbers are showing the population of the province to be approximately what we estimated. Somewhere around 250,000.
Dalan, the provincial treasurer, is here with some information you requested.
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 10, 2007 12:12:08 GMT -5
Kortelan nods. "Good good, send Dalan in with the information. I just got a disturbing letter from the capital....we need to discuss it after Dalan has given me this information."
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 10, 2007 16:16:30 GMT -5
Dalan, the treasurer reports, "Your excellency, I understand that you want certain financial information. Here is a list of the different types of taxes we collect and the approximate amount of each. As you know, we don't have reliable records on these matters:
Trade Tax 50,000 Farm Tax 360,000 Salt Tax 110,000 Penalty Taxes (Fines) 3,000 Road Tolls 500 Bridge Tolls 400 Dock Taxes 145 Court Taxes 300
I realize these figures add up to more than the revenue reported in the budget. As I believe you know, the revenue figure in the budget is understated.
Also, you asked about our remittances to the Empire. We remit one fifth of all revenue we collect to Zekran. The other provinces do the same. Of course, the sums we pay to support the local Imperial Army garrison come out of the revenue we keep, not the portion we remit to Zekran. By the way, that reminds me, Ekanor Falan Tylifon came to visit me to complain that we were behind in payments to the garrison. I told him I had instructions from Galan not to pay it and I thought the order came from you. He was furious and stormed out vowing to report you to Zekran. He didn't say who in Zekran.
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 10, 2007 21:36:44 GMT -5
"Well good luck Zekran is rioting. Stop sending payments to Zekran as well. Also call Galan and the Capitan of the Guard in as you leave. I need to talk to them. But first before you go please tell me how much our expenses are."
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 11, 2007 6:05:32 GMT -5
Dalan looks shocked, "As you command, your excellency."
He fumbles for a scroll and reads from it, our expenses... well, it's a lot less without payments to the garrison or to Zekran. Let's see.... um... I calculate 258,509 baylo per year."
Realizing the Ulor was finished with him, Dalan departed.
Shortly, Galan and the Captain of the Guard entered, as requested.
"You sent for us, Ulor?" Galan asks.
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 11, 2007 12:57:29 GMT -5
"Yes, yes I did. I have recently received news that two provinces on the frontier have declared independence, also the Lord Chancellor has declared himself regent after being locked out of the imperial palace. He suspects an assassination plot against the emperor and has removed the head of the Imperial Army and placed his son in command after naming his son Crown Prince. He also sent me and I am assuming other Uloro letters telling us to take command of the imperial garrison in their provinces, shortly after he fled Zekran. As you know I have stopped payments to the garrison and now in light of these events I have stopped payments to Zekran as well. Ekanor Falan Tylifon came to the palace to harass Dalan about my stopping the payments to the garrison. Because of that and the new orders to take control of the garrison," He looks at his captain of the guard, "I am ordering you to go arrest Ekanor Falan Tylifon under the charge that he supports the coup attempt in Zekran and I am appointing you the new Ekanor Falan. I want you to place your best and most trusted men at the head of each unit and whip them into a fighting force that would rival the Verronese armies of old. Recruit more people and I will be giving weekly inspections to see your progress, and how you do at those inspections will dictate how much baylo I give you. Is this clear?" he pauses to look at their reactions, "These are troubling times we live in, I just hope we can make it through alive."
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 11, 2007 14:53:41 GMT -5
The Gurikan ya Rizad (Captain of the Guard) was a large man as were all members of the Rizado Kajakan Tros (North Bearland Guards). His name, as Ulor Kortelan had recently learned, was Ersolan.
The Ulor saw a grim expression come over Ersolan's face as if he were surveying a battlefield before a difficult fight. Just a glimpse of that expression brought to Kortelan's mind the thought of what might happen if the Imperial garrison, with well over a thousand troops, resisted this order and attacked the North Bearland Guards who numbered only a hundred.
"I shall carry out your order at once, your excellency, so that there is no time for word of it to reach Tylifon before I do."
With that, Ersolan departed.
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Post by Kortelan on Feb 11, 2007 15:13:50 GMT -5
Kortelan watched him go. "Lets hope that is not a dead man walking. Ersolan seems to be a good commander." He looked to Galan "If this goes bad we are screwed. Well so much for staying neutral. We are now firmly in the Reformist camp. Ersolan is making that happen but we are following the orders of the Regent. Galan see to it personally that Tylifon is arrested as quickly as possible and bring him before me. We will hold a trial and I am sure he will be found guilty. Before that though bring him to me first thing after you arrest him so he can hear the charges and plea.
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Post by Gamemaster on Feb 11, 2007 16:16:08 GMT -5
Galan says, "I suggest he be brought to the Imperial magistrate for a regular trial. You have the authority to intervene in the case if you need to, even to change an acquittal to a conviction. It would look better, though, if he is tried and convicted in a regular court. On the other hand, are you sure he's really against the Lord Chancellor? He complained about you cutting off funds, but who wouldn't? He said he would complain to Zekran, but unless he got word of events there before we did, he wouldn't have known of any unusual events there."
Galan pauses for a moment, "Then again, guilty or not, he's not your man and not to be trusted. He's a Slythian, after all."
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