GLOBAL STORYLINE UPDATE: The Jarl's Counsel
Aug 26, 2016 21:12:47 GMT -8
AK_Brickster, Sir Caelan Munro, and 5 more like this
Post by crazycrownieguy on Aug 26, 2016 21:12:47 GMT -8
Within a high tower in the Royal Keep of Mikithdar, several people had gathered around a spearhead shaped table. A few braziers cast faint glows upon the darkened faces. Jarl Eindrik sat upon his high topped chair carved from a rich blue stone as he looked upon the people and parchment before him. The parchment bore the Royal lion head seal of the King.
Arrayed around the table were the members of the Jarl’s council. The large man to his left, with a beard the color of unpolished copper, that matched the Jarl's own, was the Northern Regional leader Lord Bjørn Hjelmstad, Baron of Skraborg. Next to him sat the beautiful yet fiercely cunning Lady Astrid the Fair, Baroness of Rothburg. The final man to the Jarl’s left was the young Thane of Mikithdar Yoren Cranford.
To the right of the Jarl were Lord Aurane Locke the Master of Coin, Ser Ottyn Stonefist the Master of War and Lord Raymond of Orevale, the Master of Whispers.
Jarl: “Before us lies a problem that must be resolved in a decisive manner.”
Bjørn: ”Aye, the problem is that young king Chartes has shown he does not hold equal favor towards Garheim. Lenfel lumber warms our hearths. My common folks must choose between freezing and starving because of the bloody tariffs!”
Yoren: “ You are a fool my good sir. Garheim has timber reserves and a new flow of timber comes from Andarheim. So Lenfel timber is not as precious as it once was.”
Bjørn: “ Maybe to the southern cities, but the North would bleed our timber reserves dry in but a year.”
Astrid: “ Must you focus only on the small picture? Yes the price of wood will increase substantially. Yet there are solutions to negate the effects. Lord Aurane can you please enlighten these oafs?”
Aurane: “ As it pleases my lady. I have discussed the tariffs with many prominent merchants throughout the region. With their assistance we have decided upon requesting that King Chartes provide Garheim and Loreos with 9/10ths of the collected tariff income for each province, split evenly between us, while the Crown keeps the remaining tenth to pay for tariff enforcement. The portion of the taxes collected from Lenfel merchants that we receive will be used to regulate the price of timber within our territories until we are able to better sustain our own supply.”
Yoren: “This plan sounds quite feasible, yet we must also remember that our timber reserves must be protected, along with our meager forestry reserves. And I may have a solution. We will put a call out to older rangers and trackers to form a group to do just that. We shall call them the "Forest Wardens". The mainland must not be our only concern though. Grimfell in the new lands must be a part of this. They must aid in keeping our timber reserves at a healthy level. We need more expeditions and settlers in order for this to work. I propose an incentive for people to move to Andarheim. With these steps we can increase our timber production and preservation.”
Bjørn: “This plan may work well but what of possible outlaw attacks on our trading ships?”
Ser Ottyn: “We can allocate a portion of the tariffs we receive toward improving our defenses and our fleets against the Outlaw scum. The fleets and defenses will require more than just timber though. Our mineral extraction must be given renewed vigor to keep up with the demands that will arise.”
Astrid: “Now this sounds like a wonderful declaration, yet Lord Raymond you have yet to speak on the matter. What would your network like to bring to us?”
Raymond: “Well my lady, the plan is quite practical, and it would serve the province well. I can use my network to locate smuggler coves that we can… liquidate. Once secured, the dens can be used to store our reserves and as a waypoint for those trying to avoid the tariffs.”
The Jarl had been sitting quietly since his opening statement but now he rose from his chair, raised a hand and looked at those around him.
Jarl: “I think we can deem this matter officially settled. Raymond, summon the steward so he can begin drafting our new request for the King, and the new decree for our people.”
And with that Eindrik dismissed the council and allowed himself a moment of rest. As he looked around he realized the braziers had died down and the first threads of light had begun to creep through the windows heralding a new day. With a sigh, he stood and departed the chambers through another door towards his personal suite to recover as much as he could for the coming day.
To the right of the Jarl were Lord Aurane Locke the Master of Coin, Ser Ottyn Stonefist the Master of War and Lord Raymond of Orevale, the Master of Whispers.
Jarl: “Before us lies a problem that must be resolved in a decisive manner.”
Bjørn: ”Aye, the problem is that young king Chartes has shown he does not hold equal favor towards Garheim. Lenfel lumber warms our hearths. My common folks must choose between freezing and starving because of the bloody tariffs!”
Yoren: “ You are a fool my good sir. Garheim has timber reserves and a new flow of timber comes from Andarheim. So Lenfel timber is not as precious as it once was.”
Bjørn: “ Maybe to the southern cities, but the North would bleed our timber reserves dry in but a year.”
Astrid: “ Must you focus only on the small picture? Yes the price of wood will increase substantially. Yet there are solutions to negate the effects. Lord Aurane can you please enlighten these oafs?”
Aurane: “ As it pleases my lady. I have discussed the tariffs with many prominent merchants throughout the region. With their assistance we have decided upon requesting that King Chartes provide Garheim and Loreos with 9/10ths of the collected tariff income for each province, split evenly between us, while the Crown keeps the remaining tenth to pay for tariff enforcement. The portion of the taxes collected from Lenfel merchants that we receive will be used to regulate the price of timber within our territories until we are able to better sustain our own supply.”
Yoren: “This plan sounds quite feasible, yet we must also remember that our timber reserves must be protected, along with our meager forestry reserves. And I may have a solution. We will put a call out to older rangers and trackers to form a group to do just that. We shall call them the "Forest Wardens". The mainland must not be our only concern though. Grimfell in the new lands must be a part of this. They must aid in keeping our timber reserves at a healthy level. We need more expeditions and settlers in order for this to work. I propose an incentive for people to move to Andarheim. With these steps we can increase our timber production and preservation.”
Bjørn: “This plan may work well but what of possible outlaw attacks on our trading ships?”
Ser Ottyn: “We can allocate a portion of the tariffs we receive toward improving our defenses and our fleets against the Outlaw scum. The fleets and defenses will require more than just timber though. Our mineral extraction must be given renewed vigor to keep up with the demands that will arise.”
Astrid: “Now this sounds like a wonderful declaration, yet Lord Raymond you have yet to speak on the matter. What would your network like to bring to us?”
Raymond: “Well my lady, the plan is quite practical, and it would serve the province well. I can use my network to locate smuggler coves that we can… liquidate. Once secured, the dens can be used to store our reserves and as a waypoint for those trying to avoid the tariffs.”
The Jarl had been sitting quietly since his opening statement but now he rose from his chair, raised a hand and looked at those around him.
Jarl: “I think we can deem this matter officially settled. Raymond, summon the steward so he can begin drafting our new request for the King, and the new decree for our people.”
And with that Eindrik dismissed the council and allowed himself a moment of rest. As he looked around he realized the braziers had died down and the first threads of light had begun to creep through the windows heralding a new day. With a sigh, he stood and departed the chambers through another door towards his personal suite to recover as much as he could for the coming day.
Ser Ottyn Stonefist looks familiar; you sure he's not a Njordson? 
