The Four Lands - The Colony

Scotley · Feb 29, 2008

Alvar

Sensing that the others are already thinking as if they have committed to the project, Alvar speaks, "The colony will need to be frugal in spending those loans or find itself strangled with high taxes after only five years. I would suggest that the first group to arrive be fairly small, both to make it harder to detect and so that once we find out what sort of resources are there to exploit we can call for more specialized equipment and people. Reliable, rapid communication with the agents here will be supremely important as well."

J. Alexander · Feb 29, 2008

The Colony

"The location and defensese are up to you, that is why we have brought together such a diverse and talented group. As for your concerns about the river, we just do not know..the D'shai are on the North side of the continet we think so that should be one of the first tasks when it is established." pausing briefly he pours himself a glass of wine and continues "On the issue of independence you must understand while the colony is to be self govering it will be owned by the treatied countries." taking a drink from his glass he continues "Intially it will take a large fleet in order to transport the necessary goods and material as well as supplies for at least a year. We have dedicated ten large cargo ships and tasked 15 frigates and 5 ships of the line as escourts and they can carry martial goods and such. All other tonage will need to be arranged by you should you accept the offer." then addressin Alvar question he continues "No the first group will need to be subsatianl as no relife will be avaialbe for three three months.....you will go with the the miminum of ships we have dedicated or not at all...we will not have the colonly fail thru lack of resources of poor planning"

Nightbreeze · Mar 1, 2008

I see...so, first of all, let me say that I am fully interested in this project. I still have a lot of questions, but if you could explain in what will consist our noble title and other privileges, I am willing to give you my acceptance.

So...how many people would that initial fleet be able to carry? Furthermore, I have some personal resources and I am willing to invest in this enterprise...thus I would be twice bound to it's success. As for the location, I am sure that we will have plenty of time before and during the voyage to discuss about that and other things. When would be the ruling council assemble? You speak about member elected by the population, but I think that this is impossible, at least for the first council...it will have to make decisions before there's any population.

Lou · Mar 1, 2008

Alton Kanri, Human Cloistered Cleric/Battle Sorcerer of the Light

Nightbreeze said:
I see...so, first of all, let me say that I am fully interested in this project. I still have a lot of questions, but if you could explain in what will consist our noble title and other privileges, I am willing to give you my acceptance.

"Yes, Ederin is right," says Alton at last, "with the promise of titles of nobility by a consortium of five countries, will a Prince or equivalent of all five be signing the Letters Patent of Nobility, or will the grant be from one of the five? And what titles and privileges will be bestowed? When would we obtain our titles? Will we start with a lowly title and be granted higher titles as the colony is built? What is the ultimate title we can earn in this venture?

You have no doubt recruited those disinclined to rebel and annoint themselves Princes, or even King." Alton smiles at the spokesperson.

"Another matter that must be raised is the spiritual needs of the Colony. My new-found friends here are of a wide range of spiritual beliefs. How are we to handle those differences? Let me be more blunt: What is the position of the Church of the Light regarding this Colony?" Alton stops to sip his drink, awaiting answers.

[sblock=OOC]
Interesting webpage on Letters, Warrants, etc., especially the difference between a Letters Patent and a Letters Close.
[/sblock]

J. Alexander · Mar 2, 2008

The Colony

"The nobel title can either be granted by one of the five countries or it can be granted enblock and pertain only to the colony. I imagine that this will be an individual choice. For starters we have all agreed that the intial title shall be that of Baron. Subsquent increase in rank shall either be awarded by the soverign should you choose a country based title or by the colonial council. In no case will the title be greater than that of Duke. Each intial patent shall cost the recepitant the sum of 30,000 gold pieces. This title shall include a land grant intial of 1280 acres with an addiionaly 1280 acres granted every three years for a term of 12 years. You may chose all the land at one time in one block and it shall be reserved for you until the grants become offical allowing you to work in advance on the land or you may choose it in seperate tracts in advance and do the same. Of course on such tracts you will have title to all mineral, forrestry, fishery rights etc.................depending on the land you chose.

The colony shall have several representatives of the church and the church has agreed to appoint a leader for the colony as well as orders for both missionary and hospital work.

The intial fleet size of ten ships should be capable of carrying several hundred individuals with the necessary supplies etc in addition to a company of men at arms for colonial security.

As to personaly investment you have your initial grants how you chose to develope them and to what extent is up to you..but no no intial commercial investment has been decided upon.

Now we do realize that the 30,000 gold pieces may be a bit beyond the reach of some of you. Therfore we have arranged for financing of up to 25,000 gold pieces with the land you are granted pledged as security for the loan. The monies rasied from these patents shall form the inital colonial treasurey which the colonial council may either spend or take with them.

The ruling council will intialy consist of you gentlmen as well as the five representatives of teh countries participating. Six months after the colony has been founded then elections must occur to fill those vacant positions.

Leif · Mar 2, 2008

Hennett

"So, what is everyone thining? On the one hand, it seems preferable to choose a title of nobility granted by one country, as that title would have a legitimate value, that would not depend upon a contrived order such as this colony. After all, the colony may succeed, and it may fail. The success thereof will only be partially up to us, there are some factors that are beyond our control, such as weather, drought, famine, war, wild beasts, and numerous others. But, on the other hand, if we choose patents of nobility tied only to the colony, then we are beholden to no other order and we rise or fall upon our own success or failure. Personally, I am thinking of choosing a large portion of the land for my grant from the least useful portions of the land. That way, my land would not detract from the economic productivity of the colony, but, rather, would take what otherwise would be wasted land and convert it to some use. For example, I could put to use some experimental water diversion techniques and drain a swamp, converting it into agricultural or forest land, and at the same time creating a large lake to provide a new fishery."

[sblock=JA]How much of the 30kgp does Hennett have at his disposal?[/sblock]

Maidhc O Casain · Mar 2, 2008

Pandak Kaswitikan - Disillusioned Dwarven Colonist

"I'm thinking that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is - and we're being swindled. Apologies to those whose sensibilities I offend, but I find my Dwarven pragmatism has been stoked. You talk of great rewards for great risks, but it appears that the rewards are mostly to be gained by you rather than by us, and the risks taken by us rather than by you. My understanding is that you want us to found a colony for you - travel to parts unknown, brave unknown dangers, be out of contact with friends and family (unless we take them with us into the wild) for an unknown period of time. So far, that actually sounds OK. Here's where we get to the sticking points for me. In return for this enormous risk to life and limb, and for all of our hard work, the colony will be indentured to you all until the end of time - both financially to repay the initial loans (with substantial interest) and by the terms of its charter. To top it off, we're being 'granted' patents of nobility, the priviledge of which can be ours for the paltry sum of 30000 gold pieces - not actually a grant at all but a loan which indentures us personally to you for the rest of our lives (and our children's lives) - trying to pay of the initial sum as well as the substantial interest. In addition to which, as landholding nobility, we'll be required to send a portion of the bounty of our lands back to our sovereigns over and above the monthly cost of repaying the loans to cover the colony and our patents. Did I miss anything?

Oh, yes, I'm also thinking that the difference between being a noble of one of our founding countries vs being a noble solely of the colony is subtle but not as substantial as all that - since the colony will be subject to the rule of these countries for eternity, nobles of the colony will be subject to that same rule."

Leif · Mar 2, 2008

"Very true points, every one. Perhaps I was too eager in my desire to accept the offer. Thank you for your words of caution."

J. Alexander · Mar 2, 2008

The Colony

Smiling the spokesman address the dwarf "Then you misunderstand Master Dwarf, the patents are very different..if they are issued by any one of the five then you owe allegiance and duty to that particular soverign and are subject to that kingdom's laws and customs....should you choose from a patent from the colony then you are subject to the colonal laws as well as allegicance to the govering council." then squaring a pad in front of him he continues "As to the loans, they are availabe if they are needed and called upon by the colonial council....as we have stated if you can make do with the amounts generated into the coffers from the patents then you could be well ahead of the game...and to be blunt master dwarf,,,where ever are you going to get an offer like this that crosess racial lines..........we had thought you were interested in furthering your own personal goals" pausing briefly he adds "Besides at 30 the patents are a bargin...as you all well know"

For Leif
[sblock]how much did he have left over on his sheet from the starting gold[/sblock]

Nightbreeze · Mar 3, 2008

Ederin Scatterlight strokes his chin thoughtfully.

"Before addressing the rightful concerns of the master dwarf, I shall say that I would rather bind myself to the new colony, rather than an existing kingdom. Besides, we will refer to the colony council, so...we will be subject to an organ governed in part by ourselves. Rather funny, right? However, conflict of interests is not unknown on the Four Lands, and besides I think that there's a reason for the choice of us...we have proved many times that we are reasonable and reliable people, not a bunch of greedy fools."

After listening to Hennet's words, he nods his approval and says:
"I do think that you are right, Hennet, and I agree to your sound projects. I will, however, interest myself in some other projects, too. There are some sensible operations, that, done improperly, can greatly damage nature and the future sustainable development of the colony. I will try to enter in them, and use the eventual profits to help your projects and the building of the colony.

1280 as a start is not really a huge amount of terrain, that is true...barely enough for a residence for a baron and surrounding gardens. He snickers. But then, I will not be an ordinary baron and my residence will be more like a humble house for a lot of years. Yes, I think that it will suffice....provided that we also have the right to buy additional grants to exploit other terrains from the colony...and some privileges in doing that would be really appreciated.

As a side not...but not a side issue...we are speaking about a lot of loans here. I am most interest in knowing the rates of interest that you will be applying on the colony loans, and those that you will apply on out personal loans.

Ederin stops for a moment, and his voice gets soft and careful.
As for the concerns of the master dwarf, I can't admit that I didn't have the feeling that you are getting a lot from this bargain. I am ok with that, because I, too, think that I will get more than you thought...however I wouldn't really like some cheap and dishonorable trick...like revealing that our seats on the colony council are not fixed and certain. Of course, I am sure that none of this could be expected from a gentlemen such as you, right? He makes a sweet smile...hinting hard-to-spot .... promise.