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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 3125650" data-attributes="member: 3448">Alistair blinked at this news.  Losing one of the Brightspan mines would make the salt crisis all the worse.  “Have any of the caravans with contraband originated in the refugee lands?”“No.  They have all come from the Spice Lands.  That’s why I’m willing to reduce the tariff on the trade from the refugees.  At this point, it’s still small when compared to the trade from the Spice Lands, and I haven’t seen any signs of smuggling in their trade, at least beyond the usual efforts to short their import duties.”“Your grace, may we ask what the contraband was?” asked Dame Brionna.  “Based on your response, it must be very bad indeed.”“Krif!” said the Duke with distaste.Alistair and Kit had each heard of krif, although neither knew any details about it, except that it was an exotic and little-known drug with a nasty reputation.  “Ah.  That explains your vigorous response,” said Alistair.“Indeed.”Dame Brionna asked, “When did the smuggling begin?”“About two years ago.  Leastwise, that’s when we first learned of the smuggling.  I suppose there could have been a shipment or more that we missed.”“Are any of the smugglers still alive for questioning?”“No.  The ones we took alive were interrogated, confessed that they knew of the krif, and were executed.  And some have been killed while trying to escape.”“Thank you for informing us of the krif, your grace.  We’ll need to take steps to investigate here.  Do you know where the krif was headed?”“Not for sure, your eminent grace.  The merchant was bound for Canberry City, but he may have intended to deliver it en route to a contact, or to transship it through Canberry to anywhere north of Brightspan.”  The Duke nodded.  “You should be very careful.  Once krif gets into a given population, it’s almost impossible to get out.”“Have any of the merchants with the krif been salt merchants?”“No.  Only the high-end spice merchants, for the luxury market, seem to be involved.”“Then perhaps you could also relax the tariff on the bulk rock salt merchants.  The Chancellor of the Exchequer is most concerned about the possible shortages of salt for food preservation purposes, and that’s our primary concern with the tariffs besides the effects on the refugees.”“Yes, I can see how that would be a problem.  Very well, I will reduce the tariff on merchants from the refugee settlements and on all shipments of rock salt, at least as long as they are not implicated in the krif shipments.”  The Duke shook his head sadly.  “I wish my wife did not need to use her special guards; I know the Church does not approve.  But we must stop these shipments, just as we must contain the demon.”“I’m sure that Lord Glor’diadel will receive her fully into His Light in due time, your grace.  And the Lord of Light is not so rigid as to overlook the fact that her actions serve His cause, even if they use unorthodox means.”</blockquote>

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