As the healing and subsequent chat is going on, Talus walks over to Tartessos. "I had mentioned the possibility of inventing a version of Touch of Midas," he says. "And I was told that you already know the spell. If I provide the vis, would you be willing to cast it for me? I know I'm limited to using only £2 a year, but in these tight times, that'll cover the cost of maintaining my laboratory with a little bit left over. It seems like we could use all the income we can get until we've established some solid sources."
Antonius will add his opinion, impressed by Talus' idea:
"I am not sure if I remember the ruling correctly, but I think it is 2 pounds per magus per year and per tribunal. We are fortunately located at the crossroad of the Iberian, Provencal, Roman, Theban and the Levant Tribunals. If we make it so that our merchant operation spend the maximum of conjured silver per year in all of these different locations, that might just increase our yearly net income by fifty pounds of silver while demanding very little additionnal efforts! Great idea Talus !"
"Well," Talus replies to Antonius, "we have to be as creative as we can to keep afloat until some of the more long-range plans come to fruition."
Then he sees the paper that Tomas has brought forth. "Is that the town charter?" he asks. He just can't bring himself to call the place a city, not when it has barely enough people for a respectable village.
Annoyance cross's Terra's face. She sighs and launches into an explanation annoyance in her voice "Ah yes, I was attempting what I thought would be an effective mystery initiation for house Merinita. I obviously can't go into too much detail about why I thought it would work, but there's vitality in blood. Didn't turn out that way, and now I've lost a lot of blood, have a gash on each arm and am annoyed with myself." Terra shakes her head, and says in a gentler tone "Sorry, I'm light headed. If that came off as harsh, I'm mentally berrating myself. Its no ones fault but my own. "
Antonius acquiese:
"Yes this is the town charter. We already discussed the terms with the Al Faquesh, we might as well make it official now. That could save us trouble later on. What do you think of it ? Anything you want to add, remove or change?"
"I've only just seen it for the first time," Talus replies. "But I have a few suggestions."
"In the second paragraph we should say who will administer justice for high crimes - presumably the count. Also, do we want to call ourselves the Covenant of Domus Aureus on a document that will be seen by mundanes? Couldn't we call ourselves the 'Regents of the Hospital at Domus Aureus,' and just make the Regents' Council consist of the magi of the covenant?"
"In paragraph three, it should say 'his or her status.'"
"In paragraph four we're exempting all trade in town from taxes? Is that wise. Won't people use that as a dodge to avoid paying taxes by having all trade conducted in the city?"
"In paragraph eight, you've left the income threshold blank."
"Also, what are the provisions for amending the charter, should that become necessary?"
"Finally, I note that it provides that all taxes will go to the charter lord - I assume that's the count. Is that wise? I presume we'll have to deal with upkeep, defense, and the like. Do we want to walk into this with no income at all from the town? Or was that a requirement of the grant?"
GM note:
All trade in the town is exempted from taxation by the count - it was specifically enumerated that the town council could levy their own taxes under their powers to regulate trade.
a major source would be anything that provides 40 pounds of silver or more to the town, exempting taxation spread over the whole of the citizenry. For example, the shipping income provided by the ship if employed for this would be an income which would be subject to the 10% tax. If the town opens a mine, or starts selling water rights to their excessive "spring", or starts a vellum industry for export these might also qualify.
OOC: From now on, I will only be editing this post.
Antonius will transcribe the city chart on another piece of paper.
"There, I removed the prohibition against building places of worship inside the inner wall. Gone is the free land as well and the interdiction to sell city land. The covenant will own the land encircled by the inner walls; we will do as we wish, and this way, we get rid of a prohibition that could raise some eyebrows. And there are no mentions of the covenant anymore, but we will still be in charge, won't we councilors ? In any case, with this charter in hand, it will be easier to convice minorities to settle here.
Also, it might be a good idea to attach citizenship to the ability to speak latin. We will be want to be able to deal easily with citizens, and that will somewhat restrict citizenship at the same time."
"Does anyone have anything more to add to the charter ? If not, we will have covered everything that was on the agenda."
"What about covenant resources?" Talus asks. "We still ought to address current resources and potential sources if income for the future. To that end I want to share what I'm planning to work on this coming season. I'm working to devise a spell that will allow me to turn hides into vellum, and finished bifolds into books. Given the writing proclivities of our members, I think that may be a wise way to save on expenditures. And if we can get a solid supply of hides - say, convince some sheepherders to come and stay - we might even be able to sell the excess in Sicily or Italy for some much-needed coin."
"It will definityively save the covenant aconsiderable ammount of silver each year, as we consume copiuous ammount of vellum each year. I, however, that glassware could be a better export; it is rarer, more expensive, and you are capable of crafting some of the most excellent pieces I have seen. I doubt it would be wise to invite herders as we don't have much land for their animals to graze and we could probably get sheep skins from Sardinia or Apulia at a reasonable price."
"In any case, we need to find a merchant to run our trading business first. Finally, as this initiative will result in savings for the covenant each year, I think you deserve to be paid two pawns of vis for you trouble, as our covenant charter recommends. Does everyone agree?"
"I can easily manage both glassware and vellum," Talus replies. "The spells themselves take very little time to cast. Once I've invested the effort in learning the spells and developing my finesse to the point where I can use them well, it's no great burden to cast them. And I was thinking that if we could acquire sufficient hides that I was able to make a surplus, we might as well try and sell that surplus. But I take your point that we don't want to put too many irons in the fire at once. Perhaps it will be best to focus on glassware and only expand to vellum when the glass trade is established."
The 10% tax on income applies to the city itself, not citizens, in the charter. So if a citizen has a business that brings in 400 lbs a year, and you tax it at 10%, you would owe Al Faqueem 4 pounds of silver from what you collected on the taxation of the business.
On the other hand if 100 people own businesses that bring in 40 lbs of silver apiece which you tax at 10% (presumably on the trade) you will have 400 lbs of silver none of which is due to Al Faqueem
OOC: Does anyone what to discuss something else ?
Tartessos will answer Talus with a hearty laugh. "No need to waste vis on something. as common as silver or gold. I did so once when I was a young man, newly guantleted. I've been lugging that heavy lump around for the past few decades and have only managed to get rid of a bit of it. In fact, I still have about sixty pounds of it left (600 mythic Pounds), and Domus Aureus is welcome to It as long as we agree to strictly adhere to the 2 lb rule.
OOC, has everyone claimed a lab-sanctum? Does anyone even want a Paphos lab?
I thought there was a huge wait for one of those. I'd have been happy to have one but for the long wait.
Count me in! I´m intresed.
I do believe Terra has claimed the top of one of the pyramids. Although its not claimed as her sanctum, that would be some rooms on the floor below. If I'm interpreting apprentices right when its set up it will be able to run two projects at once. Of course its outside the Aura of ten.
OOC: Remind me, is this the place with a level ten aura surrounded by a level five? Or is it just a level ten?
Just level 10
Where exactly are the two pyramids?