The Attempted Robbery of Chalker Jackson
Chalker and Frederick arrive in Dolyena that night and they met at the royal palace the next morning. The audience included the King, the princes and the royal dukes. In front of the audience are a table and in front of table is one chair. The royal dukes (Kenlaw, Bowind and their sons Lawher and Windgo are upfront at the table. This is an unusual setup. Frederick takes his seat in the audience. I take chair in the front of room.
King Trexall: Chalker, the royal dukes have issues with some of your activities in the empire. They came to Melcro and I to request this hearing about those activities. The dukes allege you are enriching yourself in power, money and property at the Crown’s expense. Chalker, how do you answer these allegations? Chalker: I disagree with all the allegations. I have not done anything to harm the Crown. King: Dukes you proceed with your case.
Kenlaw: Chalker wields a lot power in that he owns and controls gates in Dolyena and Sapphire. He alone controls who goes through the gates and when they can pass through the gates. This is too much power for a mere envoy. Chalker: What is your remedy to this problem created by this mere envoy. Kenlaw: I think the Crown should seize the gate in Dolyena and move the gate to the capitol and be controlled by the King and used by others. Chalker: Will the Crown pay me for the gate? Kenlaw: The gate is in Dolyena so the gate is owned by the King, so you aren’t owed anything. Chalker: So, you take my property with no compensation? Your Highness does this sound fair? King: No. Not really. Chalker: How will you access the gate? Kenlaw: The same way you access the gate. Chalker: No, you won’t. Kenlaw: We will force you to give us the method to access the gate and then we, I mean the King will control. Chalker: What do you have planned for the gate. Kenlaw: We will be able move our troops anywhere and increase the treasury by transporting rich and important people throughout the Empire. Chalker: The reason seizing my property won’t work is because the gates are owned by me and two other people. They own the map and have the spell to use the gate properly, and they are in Sapphire and cannot be forced to do anything by the Crown. Kenlaw: We can force you to order them to do our bidding. Chalker: These are my friend and partners. They are not my servants or employees. I cannot and will not try to force them to do anything.
Chalker: Duke Kenlaw, if you had come to me instead of trying this power grab, I would have explained the gate system and why what you want is not possible and your ideas are dangerous to the Crown. I will start with my ownership of the gates. I technically own the two gates since the gates are on my property, but, the gates are managed by 3 people. The 3 people are Rory, Trace and myself. There are reasons for this arrangement. My ownership of the property secures access to the gates. The gates are part of a gate system. To go to the gate, you want you to need the address. Rory is a mapmaker and he mapped many gates. He found most gates are deep underground or closed for some reason. To access a gate, you need a key which is in the form of crystals. I know of two sets of keys. I have a set and Trace has a set. A non-mage can open the gate, but to close the gate behind you a mage is necessary, and the mage must know how to close the gate. I know of two people who know how to close the gates and Trace is one of them.
We control two gates, but we don’t control the gate system. I don’t know who else is using the gates, but I do know at least one powerful mage can monitor gate usage. We have had confrontation with this mage and he is still trying to find us. The possibility of confrontation increases the longer the gate is open. Any significant troop movement would end in a fight with this mage and the other mages at his disposal. Since most of the gates are underground or close, I don’t see a market for transporting people and if the King wants someone move to a place that can be accessed, he should ask me and I will make it happen.
The plan to move the gate to the capitol is dumb, short-sighted and dangerous. If the gate is in the capitol, anyone who can use the gate can march an army directly into the capitol. Kenlaw: You just said it was dangerous for us to use the gate to move troops. Chalker: I said it was dangerous because our troops could be attacked by a group that can detect the opening of a gate. We don’t have the ability to detect the opening of a gate. An army could be in the capitol before we know they’re in the capitol.
King: Kenlaw, thank you for looking out for the Crown, but I have kept a close eye on the gate since Chalker informed me of the gate existence in Dolyena and we already had this conversation about the ownership and moving the gate Chalker’s stewardship of the gate has been stellar, so your involvement with the gate is not necessary. Kenlaw: Yes, my King. Melcro: Bowind, what is your issue. Bowind: There is a suspicion at the Royal treasury that you are not paying the full amount you should pay. Chalker: What are you talking about? Bowind: We believe you are holding out of the money you should contribute to the treasury. Chalker: How much have I sent to the treasury since I have been traveling and how much does the treasury estimate I should have given. Bowind: As of yesterday, you have contributed 250g. The King, Melcro, Kruger and Hermes all mouthed “wow”. Bowind: The treasury estimates you should have contributed a least 500g. Chalker: How did you come to that amount? Bowind: You are not known for your honesty, so we assume you should have paid double of what you gave. Chalker: That is the whole of your analysis of the treasury is “we don’t trust you so give us more money”? Bowind: Well, that’s not all, but we think it’s a good starting point. Our sons will go into the property that you own, and have not contributed on to the treasury on. Chalker: Have other ambassador or envoys or contributed more? Bowind: No. Chalker: how much have these individuals contributed to the treasury? Bowind: They have not contributed to the treasury? Chalker: That’s because contributing to the treasury is not our primary duty. These positions cost the crown, not enrich the crown in gold. Our duty is to promote commerce, peace and cooperation. That I can generate any monies is a plus. I have no duty to give any funds to the treasury in my role as a diplomat. I give out of loyalty and love for Dolyena. Melcro: Bowind, your argument doesn’t reflect fairness to Chalker or a grasp of the reality that couriers and diplomats do not generate gold for crown. The Treasury’s for 250 gold more from Chalker is deny and should be removed from the Treasury’s records. Bowind: Yes, my Prince.
Kruger: Lawher, you are up. Lawher: Our records show you have significant properties in Dolyena that you have not paid taxes. You own two properties in Dolyena. The property located in Sanoram (where the gate is located) and you house in the capitol. You also large stash of mithril and a larger stash of unknown metal at the local Empire Bank. We are not sure of the amount but rumor is the mithril amount is 75 pounds and 100 pounds of the unknown metal. If these quantities are true, the mithril is worth 75,000 gold and the other metal is worth 10,000 gold. We don’t know the actual amount because the bank will not tell us. The bank will not also not tell us the amount of the gold and jewels you have deposited in the bank. Will you tell us you balance of gold and jewels at the banks in Dolyena and Sapphire and the quantities of mithril and the unknown metals? Also, in Sapphire you own the Envoy Manor and at least three building. You have not paid taxes to Dolyena for the properties. You also did not pay taxes on the embassy while you were an ambassador. Chalker: No. I will not tell you my balance at the Empire Bank because it is none of your business. No citizens of Dolyena is required to give out that information. I will tell you that my balance at the Bank of Dolyena is 252 gold which is known to the Treasury. The metal is in its raw form and could only be taxed when the metal is converted (sold) into gold and silver or cooper. I paid taxes of my properties in Dolyena. I know you have records of my payments. My properties in Sapphire are not subject to Dolyena taxes. I pay the Empire taxes on the properties. The embassy is the property of the Empire, so is not subject to Dolyena taxes and is in Sapphire. Kruger: Lawher, your argument makes little sense. You want Chalker to reveal information to you for paying more money. No one would do that. You presented no evidence he is hiding something subject to tax. Having money is not a reason to tax someone in Dolyena. Chalker is correct. We can’t tax property in another country just because a citizen owns the property and the attempt to collect taxes on an embassy another brings me to the question “What were you drinking when you came up with this idea”? Lawher, your attempt to collect taxes is denied and you are erase this embarrassing argument from the records. Lawher: Yes, Prince Kruger.
Hermes: Windgo? Windgo: Well, I was going to discuss taxing Chalker’s ships, but after hearing these conversation, I withdraw my request. Hermes: Good decision.
King: Chalker, you and Fredrick can return to Sapphire. We will have a serious talk with the dukes.