Lord Mercat
LCC- Lenfald- GC VI- Enter The Tax Minister
My second build for LCC, this one is for the GC VI restricted scene category. Sorry for the lengthy story- quite a bit lighter in tone than the last one, as the Minister in question is, well, you'll see. C&C are most welcome, as always!
Only 15 Draken! Mercenary tax, indeed. 16 men and a boy had died for that money; 17 lives all told, and he hadn't even received a Draken a head! Blood silver, that was, and the blasted Queen had taken more than her fair share. Reparations due the nobility!?! Ha! As if the greedy blaggards needed more coin with which to line their bloated pockets!
Hans Zarkan continued on his path through the forests of Eastern Lenfald, silently fuming over the injustice of it all. It had been a simple job from the outset, 50 silver draken for the permanent removal of a band of undesirables that had taken up operations in the area. Broken men they were too, naught more than husks of whatever they had been in years prior; yet more lost souls driven to thievery and madness by the cruelty of the world. He had done his part, and spent three weeks tracking them down to a man. The boy had been the last of them. Tragic, perhaps, but Hans Zarkan was not a man to entertain such inane distractions. The world was harsh and unfair; a fact that ought be learned by those that inhabit it, lest it prove fatal sooner rather than later. That same fact had once again reared its ugly head and left Hans short on money, and high on expenses.
Lacking enough draken to purchase food at a local tavern after paying off a myriad of recently accrued debts, Hans had left town to search for a bit of game. He had been trekking through the forest for a good six hours without much luck when he heard a distant rustling, as though some form of animal may be nearby. Hans silently cloaked himself in the nearest thicket and drew his boot knife. He had never been much of an archer, but why use an arrow where a knife will do?
What came through the woods shortly after however, was one of the last things Hans would ever have expected.
A small procession consisting of nine men were making their way through the forest. They seemed to be trying to pass through with as little fanfare as possible, but this goal was rendered just short of impossible thanks to the heroic efforts of a portly, absurdly overdressed man riding in a litter. The man in question was loudly proclaiming his utter distaste for Lenfald in general, interspersed with insults directed at the unfortunate peasants carrying his litter.
"I say, Captain Zhael, is it not soon that we shall arrive at our destination? I do so tire of all this incessant greenery, and as you know, staying in this litter too long gives me the- watch those branches you miserable bufoons, lest I have you executed for neglect!- the lumps. It is MOST uncomfortable let me assure you." The man spoke with the kind of pretentious, high pitched whine normally reserved for precocious children and government officials. The kind of voice that expanded beyond the region of unpleasant, and into the realm of being offensive to the sensitivity of any unfortunate enough to find themselves within earshot.
"Perhaps your grace would prefer to walk, should the litter continue to be such a burden." The man walking beside the litter, presumably Captain Zhael, responded.
Hans thought to himself for a minute, Zhael- where have I heard that name before...
Hans' train of thought was broken however, as the group neared his location, and he was able to look at them more clearly. 9 men in total, two peasants, the pompous git, a Lenfel pathfinder of some sort that seemed to be guiding the company, and...
Hans narrowed his eyes as he recognized the emblem on the armor of the other 5 men. These were no ordinary travelers. They bore the emblem of the queen on their cloaks, but ordinary soldiers they were not. Hans had seen such characters once before, and it was not an encounter he remembered fondly. These were soldiers of the Queensguard. Unlike the rabble that made up the bulk of the Queen's armies, these were elite warriors trained for the sole purpose of protecting the queen and her most important retainers. It was said that each man of the guard had to prove capable of slaying a score of men single-handedly to even be considered for induction into the ranks. Grim men indeed.
Hans held his position, and his breath, as the company stalled right in front of the thicket he had taken up temporary residency in.
"Walk? You expect me, a man of unfathomable importance to even consider the thought of walking? Absurd!" The man continued as he took a large gulp from the bejeweled goblet he was holding. "You should know better than to make such insolent and ill-informed recommendations Captain Zhael! You had best speak more respectfully when addressing your betters!"
"Of course, Minister Lowe, please forgive my trespass, I meant no harm by the remark." Captain Zhael replied, rolling his eyes when the Minister bent over to take a closer look at something off to the side of his litter.
"Aha! You see here, those Loreesi were right! This is the 2nd frog I've found in two months in this blasted country! It's practically an epidemic! Which reminds me..." The soldiers and the guide stared on in utter disgust as the minister proceeded to bring the poor frog to his mouth and lick it. He smacked his lips and pondered the taste for a moment, then continued his bizarre activity. "Not bad, actually, not bad at all! The Loreesi Ambassador told me of this Lenfel delicacy while I was visiting on business in Balmunatha! It's a bit odd at first, but it seems to be an acquired taste, yes quite pleasant indeed. Almost takes the mind off these horrid lumps!"
Hans nearly choked on the air he was witholding. Minister Lowe? As in Tax Minister Humbert Lowe, the top financial magistrate appointed by Queen Galanir to oversee all new financial regulations and changes made to Roawia? This was the very blaggard who was at the core of these ridiculous overtaxations and fees over the whole of Roawia! Although, seeing him in person, the rapid decline in sanity of the nobility's tax policies suddenly made sense. But what could he possibly be doing here?
"Your grace, as you well know, I am a native of Lenfald, and frogs are not at all considered...." Captain Zhael ceased talking and sighed to himself as the Minister completely ignored him, happily licking his frog and talking to his litter carriers about the various side effects of his lumps.
"Captain Zhael sirrah! I'd rekon we's about only 2 days souf of Crumford, sah! It'll be tougha goens from here on out, this bit of the paff's not been used in decades, so its a bit ovahgrown, sah." The guide had finished cutting enough space for the litter to move through the brush and turned to inform the dour guard captain.
"Very well, then, lead on, I'm not familiar with this part of Lenfald, but I'll be damn glad to be able to pawn him off on someone else for a few days once we get to Crumford." Captain Zhael remarked, the first bit to the guide, the second under his breath. He waved on the rest of the company to move forward with the guide. Just as he was turning to continue on with the rest, he happened to glance over at the thicket where Hans was hiding. He narrowed his eyes, and for a brief second it seemed as though he might investigate further, but it was at that moment the whine of Minister Lowe once again broke the silence of the forest.
"Look at that! A fresh frog- that makes three! Blast it all, three frogs in 2 months, this is quite the epidemic, quite the epidemic indeed! Do you know Captain Zhael, I should instill a frog tax! A frog tax, isn't it brilliant? Captain Zhael? Where has he gone?" The captain sighed, his face twisted into an expression of sheer disgust as he exited the area to attend to the oafish minister.
Hans relaxed, and silently left the thicket. Crumford? Hans thought. Of course the Tax Minister would have to stop at Crumford, it's one of the wealthiest cities in Lenfald! Maybe this day wasn't turning out too badly after all- information on the whereabouts of one of the most hated officials in Roawia should prove quite valuable to the right channels....
LCC- Lenfald- GC VI- Enter The Tax Minister
My second build for LCC, this one is for the GC VI restricted scene category. Sorry for the lengthy story- quite a bit lighter in tone than the last one, as the Minister in question is, well, you'll see. C&C are most welcome, as always!
Only 15 Draken! Mercenary tax, indeed. 16 men and a boy had died for that money; 17 lives all told, and he hadn't even received a Draken a head! Blood silver, that was, and the blasted Queen had taken more than her fair share. Reparations due the nobility!?! Ha! As if the greedy blaggards needed more coin with which to line their bloated pockets!
Hans Zarkan continued on his path through the forests of Eastern Lenfald, silently fuming over the injustice of it all. It had been a simple job from the outset, 50 silver draken for the permanent removal of a band of undesirables that had taken up operations in the area. Broken men they were too, naught more than husks of whatever they had been in years prior; yet more lost souls driven to thievery and madness by the cruelty of the world. He had done his part, and spent three weeks tracking them down to a man. The boy had been the last of them. Tragic, perhaps, but Hans Zarkan was not a man to entertain such inane distractions. The world was harsh and unfair; a fact that ought be learned by those that inhabit it, lest it prove fatal sooner rather than later. That same fact had once again reared its ugly head and left Hans short on money, and high on expenses.
Lacking enough draken to purchase food at a local tavern after paying off a myriad of recently accrued debts, Hans had left town to search for a bit of game. He had been trekking through the forest for a good six hours without much luck when he heard a distant rustling, as though some form of animal may be nearby. Hans silently cloaked himself in the nearest thicket and drew his boot knife. He had never been much of an archer, but why use an arrow where a knife will do?
What came through the woods shortly after however, was one of the last things Hans would ever have expected.
A small procession consisting of nine men were making their way through the forest. They seemed to be trying to pass through with as little fanfare as possible, but this goal was rendered just short of impossible thanks to the heroic efforts of a portly, absurdly overdressed man riding in a litter. The man in question was loudly proclaiming his utter distaste for Lenfald in general, interspersed with insults directed at the unfortunate peasants carrying his litter.
"I say, Captain Zhael, is it not soon that we shall arrive at our destination? I do so tire of all this incessant greenery, and as you know, staying in this litter too long gives me the- watch those branches you miserable bufoons, lest I have you executed for neglect!- the lumps. It is MOST uncomfortable let me assure you." The man spoke with the kind of pretentious, high pitched whine normally reserved for precocious children and government officials. The kind of voice that expanded beyond the region of unpleasant, and into the realm of being offensive to the sensitivity of any unfortunate enough to find themselves within earshot.
"Perhaps your grace would prefer to walk, should the litter continue to be such a burden." The man walking beside the litter, presumably Captain Zhael, responded.
Hans thought to himself for a minute, Zhael- where have I heard that name before...
Hans' train of thought was broken however, as the group neared his location, and he was able to look at them more clearly. 9 men in total, two peasants, the pompous git, a Lenfel pathfinder of some sort that seemed to be guiding the company, and...
Hans narrowed his eyes as he recognized the emblem on the armor of the other 5 men. These were no ordinary travelers. They bore the emblem of the queen on their cloaks, but ordinary soldiers they were not. Hans had seen such characters once before, and it was not an encounter he remembered fondly. These were soldiers of the Queensguard. Unlike the rabble that made up the bulk of the Queen's armies, these were elite warriors trained for the sole purpose of protecting the queen and her most important retainers. It was said that each man of the guard had to prove capable of slaying a score of men single-handedly to even be considered for induction into the ranks. Grim men indeed.
Hans held his position, and his breath, as the company stalled right in front of the thicket he had taken up temporary residency in.
"Walk? You expect me, a man of unfathomable importance to even consider the thought of walking? Absurd!" The man continued as he took a large gulp from the bejeweled goblet he was holding. "You should know better than to make such insolent and ill-informed recommendations Captain Zhael! You had best speak more respectfully when addressing your betters!"
"Of course, Minister Lowe, please forgive my trespass, I meant no harm by the remark." Captain Zhael replied, rolling his eyes when the Minister bent over to take a closer look at something off to the side of his litter.
"Aha! You see here, those Loreesi were right! This is the 2nd frog I've found in two months in this blasted country! It's practically an epidemic! Which reminds me..." The soldiers and the guide stared on in utter disgust as the minister proceeded to bring the poor frog to his mouth and lick it. He smacked his lips and pondered the taste for a moment, then continued his bizarre activity. "Not bad, actually, not bad at all! The Loreesi Ambassador told me of this Lenfel delicacy while I was visiting on business in Balmunatha! It's a bit odd at first, but it seems to be an acquired taste, yes quite pleasant indeed. Almost takes the mind off these horrid lumps!"
Hans nearly choked on the air he was witholding. Minister Lowe? As in Tax Minister Humbert Lowe, the top financial magistrate appointed by Queen Galanir to oversee all new financial regulations and changes made to Roawia? This was the very blaggard who was at the core of these ridiculous overtaxations and fees over the whole of Roawia! Although, seeing him in person, the rapid decline in sanity of the nobility's tax policies suddenly made sense. But what could he possibly be doing here?
"Your grace, as you well know, I am a native of Lenfald, and frogs are not at all considered...." Captain Zhael ceased talking and sighed to himself as the Minister completely ignored him, happily licking his frog and talking to his litter carriers about the various side effects of his lumps.
"Captain Zhael sirrah! I'd rekon we's about only 2 days souf of Crumford, sah! It'll be tougha goens from here on out, this bit of the paff's not been used in decades, so its a bit ovahgrown, sah." The guide had finished cutting enough space for the litter to move through the brush and turned to inform the dour guard captain.
"Very well, then, lead on, I'm not familiar with this part of Lenfald, but I'll be damn glad to be able to pawn him off on someone else for a few days once we get to Crumford." Captain Zhael remarked, the first bit to the guide, the second under his breath. He waved on the rest of the company to move forward with the guide. Just as he was turning to continue on with the rest, he happened to glance over at the thicket where Hans was hiding. He narrowed his eyes, and for a brief second it seemed as though he might investigate further, but it was at that moment the whine of Minister Lowe once again broke the silence of the forest.
"Look at that! A fresh frog- that makes three! Blast it all, three frogs in 2 months, this is quite the epidemic, quite the epidemic indeed! Do you know Captain Zhael, I should instill a frog tax! A frog tax, isn't it brilliant? Captain Zhael? Where has he gone?" The captain sighed, his face twisted into an expression of sheer disgust as he exited the area to attend to the oafish minister.
Hans relaxed, and silently left the thicket. Crumford? Hans thought. Of course the Tax Minister would have to stop at Crumford, it's one of the wealthiest cities in Lenfald! Maybe this day wasn't turning out too badly after all- information on the whereabouts of one of the most hated officials in Roawia should prove quite valuable to the right channels....