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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 2991604" data-attributes="member: 3448">Shortly after Lady Constance returned to her tower, Mahler brought news from his meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.  Mahler had received his pick of the high offices of the land, because of the new Archduke's gratitude for his service and trust in his judgment.  But, rather than accept the position as head of the Archducal household, Mahler had asked to be named as the successor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.  The rest of Alistair's inner circle ascribed that to the interest in trade that Mahler had demonstrated in both Lyneham and Tang, but a few of Mahler's statements about wanting power over the merchants suggested more.  In any event, Mahler's predecessor had agreed to postpone following Archduchess Amelia for a few months to ensure a smooth transition and was carefully briefing Mahler on matters of importance."I have some unfortunate news about our external trade.  As you know, almost all of our southern trade-- to the Cities of the Gates, to the refugees and the scattered settlements in the Sunken Land, and on to Tang-- runs through the Duchy of Brightspan.  Brightspan has relied on that trade for a fair amount of its revenues, although the Duchy also has a great deal of prime agricultural land, producing both food and cash crops.  In any event, Brightspan has recently drastically raised its tariffs, at least on through trade, by a factor of four."Alistair winced.  "Reducing the profitability for merchants elsewhere in the Archduchy, reducing the total amount of trade and thus our tariffs as well, and making it more difficult for the refugees to successfully build new settlements to boot.  All while providing them with more resources to fund their armies, at least in the short run.  I don't suppose there's any way to bypass Brightspan?""Not easily.  We could route trade through the orcish lands, but the costs to defend the caravans would be tremendous, leaving aside the lack of good roads or other infrastructure.""Why not just order them to reduce their tariffs?" asked Delbon.  "Brightspan's one of your vassals, after all.""That's not a traditional power that the Archduchy has claimed.  The tariffs of its vassals have been considered their authority, as long as they properly collect the Archducal share," Mahler observed."Which means that if we intervene, we trample on their privileges and give any efforts they make to break free legitimacy in the eyes of other nobles.  Not to mention the danger that other vassals would start questioning whether they should break free.""So, what do we do about it then?" asked Dame Brionna."For the time being, I don't think we do anything," replied Alistair.  "We don't have an effective response right now, and we have better things to spend our energy on.  But we'll keep an eye on the situation and look for an opportunity to respond in the future."* * *Some weeks earlier,  a great procession of drow emerged from the Underdark in the County of Gateways.  Drowan merchants are not unusual in Gateways, although they are also not the most common of the Underdark merchants, but they rarely pass through the underground city and emerge truly on the surface.  And this procession was no group of merchants.  A ceremonial company of guards escorted one of the daughters of the Matron Mother of House Drisdania.  Respecting Canberry's ways, as perverse as they seemed to the drow, House Drisdania had even hired free servants to carry the parasols that provided shade to the noble emissaries, bringing no slaves into Canberry to offend the Archduchy's laws.  A company of ritual mourners cried out in sorrow for the passing of Archduchess Amelia.  And at every crossroads, the strange procession halted.  Its trumpeters played fanfares that echoed off the mountains and across the rolling hills.  And then in unison the honor guard cried out, "Hail Alistair, Archduke of Canberry!  Long may he reign!"</blockquote>

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