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Post by aspenivan on Apr 29, 2015 0:07:55 GMT
"I am honored," the Vizier replied graciously with a short bow to Elder Urag, while shining him a knowing smile. She took a seat as offered, cleared her throat, and than began her sales pitch.
"Business, good and noble Elders. You owe my presence to business. There is a world of cargo in the South that needs more markets to sell in and a world of thirsty markets in the North that needs more cargo to traffic. As a professional merchant and a sea-captain familiar with where ships sail now and where they ought to be going instead, my aim is to bring these worlds together. The Firetooth Clan is a center of Northern trade unmatched by all except New Byrnis itself, and on top of that your Clan controls the source of the River Ryn. I can arrange for Thundercrown's prosperity in commerce to increase yet further, surpassing the heights it has achieved in any other age…if Thundercrown can do the hard work necessary to prepare to receive it.
"To make the long trip from the South profitable for a merchant captain such as myself, shipments must be much larger in volume than the standard fare sailing up or down a river. As things stand, neither the Ryn nor Thundercrown can accommodate such vessels in significant numbers. Both will have to expand appropriately. On my end, in addition to being willing to lend you some direct support, I will have to make the Ryn River a more attractive investment opportunity legally than it currently stands as. I presume the noble Elder Urag has informed you of how I plan to achieve this.
"But before going into further detail, let me first ask you: How does such an arrangement sound to the Elder Council? Have you general questions, concerns, or commentary?" Better to let the councilors have their say on any fundamental questions now than give a fifteen-minute speech only to be critiqued on the underlying assumptions.
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Post by talis on Apr 29, 2015 16:45:45 GMT
"To the essentials then." Elder Rugmar sounded. "Such an agreement must be beneficial to both parties. We have no doubt that you will do your best to enforce fair and open trading policies in the north, but we wonder whether such policies will be in effect in the south. What assurance do we have that the Firetooth Houses will be given the same freedom to compete and conduct commerce in imperial ports that we will be granting them in our lands?" The other Elders nodded in agreement at his concerns. They were, after all, the leaders of Firetooth's great Houses - no small part of their power and fortunes was bound up in trade.
"Elder Rugmar has expressed our greatest concern." Elder Girok spoke, one knuckle rapping on the table. His family was one of great smiths and forgers, and the peculiarity had left its mark on his thinking. "But not our only one. So far we have spoken in generalities, but this is inadequate. What we need are specifics. You must have estimates for how much it will cost to dredge the Ryn, how many port facilities are needed, what amount of traffic we can expect. You would not have come here if you did not have the figures." And she wouldn't have come if the figures didn't balance out into a tidy positive, either.
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Post by aspenivan on May 1, 2015 22:08:09 GMT
"My authority in the South is limited," the Vizier conceded. "The best I can do is to negotiate with the Great Merchant Houses to offer the Clan special arrangements to compensate for the mandatory imperial taxes and tariffs in the Southlands. For example, surely we could arrange to cover the expense of purchasing appropriate Trade Licenses for your merchants for every Great City of the South: Byrnis, Foedinei, Arkhaer, Kafu, Reyirik. We can also avoid some of the charges by allowing your traders to act through Southern Survaekom intermediaries.
"As for dredging the Ryn, needless to say it is an ambitious project," Sujjid explained. She smiled. "But, it is not an impossible one. Thundercrown will need a strong dam just South of its boundaries, a dam larger and stronger than any built in the North before it. The construction would need to match the latest modern standards of Survaekom engineering, with a dual step-lock system to accommodate incoming ships. If done correctly, this would allow you to regulate the Ryn's depth to stay constant in all seasons, and create a lake around the city perfect for hosting many large ships. Not to mention the defensive benefits this would add to Thundercrown's already-impressive position. Ideally, the dam itself would also have defenses of its own, towers and fortified gates and perhaps a cannon battery to prevent its capture or destruction.
"This dam would be by far the most expensive component of the project. I would estimate its cost at 80,000 jiien without integrated defenses, 100,000 with. Much of this cost would be acquiring the necessary machines, tools, and supplies from the South. The project would take at least two seasons, but I would give it three to ensure the quality of construction.
"Beyond this, we would need to construct dikes and retaining walls around the Ryn to keep its banks firm and its bed deep, rather than flooding into the countryside. You may be able to accomplish that with drafted military labor alone, if you are willing to commit your entire standing army to the project. The only necessary input there would be Stone, of which I estimate ten tonnes could do the job. If you cannot secure your own supply, I can provide it through my family networks for 10,000 jiien." An incredibly low price that would force the Sujjid's to operate the shipments at a loss, but well worth the investment if the project went through.
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Post by talis on May 4, 2015 4:44:00 GMT
The Elders looked to one another, a dozen thoughts and calculations going through their minds. How much precious jien would it take from the Clan's coffers? How much profit would the Clan make? How much profit would their own Houses make? What about the military and strategic uses? There were many factors to consider for such an audacious project. Soon there was a hushed hum of conversation as they traded words and ideas, problems, concerns.
It was old Elder Ukhmar, somehow hale and healthy despite having passed his ninetieth birthday, who broke the hushed debate. "And what is the Empire's contribution?" He asked, eyeing the younger woman. "You ask for a great investment of us, what, precisely, do you offer in return?"
"I have another question in mind." Elder Torik interjected. He was younger than Ukhmar, and one of the less moderate members of the Council. Many a time he had argued that a good war was necessary if the Clan was to have the respect it deserved. "What does the Empire get out of this? Why are you so interested in Thundercrown?"
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Post by aspenivan on May 11, 2015 23:01:36 GMT
"As mentioned, I can provide low-cost stone supplies and engineers, as well as cover the expenses of Southern trade licenses and tariffs," the Vizier replied to Ukhmar. "However, the real return on your investment will not come from me, but rather the new world of commercial opportunities and income that will follow my Southern merchant kin. If it would allay your concerns, I could devote some Imperial funds to the development of your new docks once the project is finished, in order to hasten the commencement of trade."
Sujjid then turned to face Elder Torik. Her smile disappeared into a flat, matter-of-fact expression and tone. "Southern merchants would have more markets for their goods. New Byrnis would profit from significant spillover commercial flows. In the long term, the Northern Empire would be that much closer to the Southern through trade contacts, allowing for more efficient production and exchange. Prices would better stabilize properly. For my own House, dealings across the continents would proceed more smoothly and consistently." Adjuran hoped the straightforward explanation would alleviate the orc's clear skepticism.
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Post by talis on May 19, 2015 2:07:58 GMT
"We can handle the construction of the dam and development of the docks" Elder Urag pointed out. "I am more concerned with Thundercrown's overall development. Once the dam is complete it will be much more difficult and expensive to expand Thundercrown. The city itself is already bursting at the seams."
"Perhaps the good Vizier could contribute funds and supplies so that an additional district might be constructed before the dam finishes." Elder Ukhmar suggested. "It would make the construction and expansion of docks after the dam is completed significantly cheaper and easier, and help alleviate the city's current overcrowding."
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Post by aspenivan on May 19, 2015 2:26:28 GMT
"I understand your logic," the Vizier began in reply, "but I cannot in good faith promise anywhere near the funds and resources necessary for such an endeavor. Keep in mind that any investment you make in this project will yield significant returns through trade. For the Empire, on the other hand, the direct monetary profits to be gained are minimal and secondary at best. In other words, the Northern Imperial Treasury would struggle to recover the costs of such a massive project with the fraction of an income it would gain through new taxes.
"Keep in mind the benefits to my House and the Empire in this are mostly logistical and long-term. Convincing the Bureaucracy to endorse the project in the first place was a task; convincing it to support paying several tens of thousands of jiien for a new district in Thundercrown on top of that might have the secretaries in revolt."
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Post by talis on May 19, 2015 3:12:36 GMT
The Elders conferred for a few moments in hushed voices, fingers tapping on the table as they argued back and forth. Elder Urag, apparently chosen as the spokesman for his avocation of Sujjid earlier, eventually laid out the verdict.
"The Clan is currently expanding its rural population with the development of several new villages, which we expect to be finished by next season. In the next season we intend to expand Thundercrown. During this time, assuming the affair in Hessynia does not drag on, we can begin preparing the Ryn. After those projects are complete we will accept your proposal and begin development of the dam itself. Of course, any assistance that you could provide us as Vizier, especially provision of wood and stone, would accelerate projects and allow us to complete the dam more swiftly."
"That said, we must of course stress the necessity that any trade between the north and south be fair and on an equal footing." Urag glanced over at Rugmar. "We will endeavor to compete honestly with the southern Houses and keep Thundercrown free and open to trade from all lands. However, should we find the practices in the south to be unfair, we will be forced to institute protective measures to support our own Houses." He was relatively sure Sujjid didn't want the Firetooth instituting tariffs, fines or other such inconveniences if it could be avoided. "And of course, we will endeavor to obey local and imperial laws in other lands, just as we expect merchants within our territory to abide by Firetooth law."
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Post by aspenivan on May 22, 2015 20:22:45 GMT
Vizier Sujjid nodded in agreement at all of Elder Urag's points before addressing them one by one.
"I cannot in good faith offer imperial coin, as I explained earlier, but wood and stone are easier to acquire. I will make arrangements with the Governors of the Protectorates to see some of their excess stocks directed to this crucial project." She smiled. "As for the terms of trade, free and fair and open are exactly what I aspire to. The barriers the Mayors of the great cities will not agree to lifting, House Sujjid can compensate for, such as the trade licensing fees. Does that help assuage your concerns, noble Elder Urag?"
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