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[micelus]

Lousette spends her time working on the aforementioned control rods.

Lousette retires to the city's poorer districts, riling up the people to support better social advancement of the proletariat and the acceptance of the undead/automatons so as to reduce the pain of the poorest.

[Glass]

Not a problem, Mr. Geralf.

Erin spends his time conducting the negotiations with the goblins. If said negotiations do not take as much time as intervenes between this session and the next, he will begin working with others on the water issue.

[NRDL]

Nix spends his time researching healing magic for the purpose of general human health, the better to design healthy living guidelines to be implemented amongst the local populace.

[Shadowclaw777]

Yorboi spend his time being the main director and manager of the Council approved research plan of simple production of water through magic. Making sure none of the apprentices screw up and having effective and consistent progress on his elementalist magic research

[darkgamer]

Lewald learns lots looking longingly at lines, magic lines, and how to use them.

[Roboson]

The interlude passes slowly as the Arbiter has a tendency to enjoy his weekend evenings.

The taxation plan is implemented, with mixed results. While the tax system does begin to bring in more revenue than the preexisting system, the majority of the tax burden is placed upon the common land owners and the free artisans. While the grand nobility end up paying more per person, there are significantly less of them. As a result, more than 60 percent of the tax burden is placed upon the non=noble land owners and the free artisans. Another 30% is payed by the common peasants, as they are the most common class of all. The nobility manages to pay only the last 10% of the annual revenue. This leads to widespread discontent among the workers, craftsmen, farmers, and general populace. Most of the nobility rejoice at their decrease in taxation, and those who were increased, seem unperturbed if somewhat annoyed.

The change in taxation has also brought to light another issue: Slavery. Many large plantations and other industries have a decent number of slaves in addition to serfs. This means that those enterprises which use a high number of slaves and serfs are in effect not only getting free labor, but also tax cuts. A rush to purchase more slaves and employ serfs begins!

The water research goes quite well. The arbitrator and Yorboi spend weeks fine tuning a spell that will allow for water to be pulled out of the air. The spell itself works by having several triangles attuned to water ajoined to triangles attuned to air. Mana is fed into these ajoined triangles and they effectively separate air from water. The two energies are then fed into magic circles for their respective elements. 

This spell is quite simple to operate, especially if the caster takes the time to inscribe the spell physically instead of trying to hold the image of the spell in their mind. On a humid day the amount of water produced is a constant flow for as long as the mage continues to supply mana. This brings great joy to the masses who line up to gather water from what they call The Mage's Fountain. However dry days can only produce a trickle of water and many mages worry that this spell won't be able to produce sufficient water during the hot dry droughts that originally drew concern for this issue.

The final issue was that of the goblin raiders. Erin travels east to hire some goblin mercenaries, and quickly finds some who would be willing to do the job. Locals in the area claim that the reason for the raids is the ungoing civil war between the goblin tribes. One side decided to begin raiding our lands for supplies and funds that would help them in the war. Quill is able to arrange a meeting with Chief Bonemunchers of the Marroweaters and discuss with him an alliance against the Riverbutt Clan. After some negotiation it became clear that this is an issue that would have to be brought before the council.

Lewald spends time looking at lines and trying to figure out how they work. After many tries they get a loose understanding and go to check with the Arbitrator on the intricacies of making a line do magic. Lewald finds the Arbitrator working with another elementalist Yorboi on a complex water producing spell and after much discussion and a bit of advice, Lewald and Yorboi end up having a fairly decent grasp on how to implement circles and lines somewhat effectively.

Nix spends time alone studying healing magic to improve human health. Without an actual experiment its quite difficult for Nix to make any progress and is left with a theoretical idea that living in filth, drinking dirty water, and general lack of hygiene are all bad for health.

Lousette spends time in the poorer districts in an attempt to gain their support. However the poor districts were in complete disarray. Slaves and serfs were being sold in massive numbers. Families screamed as they were being separated to different buyers. Children were left orphaned on the street as no one wished to employ/buy them. Looting and crime, bordering on rioting, was common. There was no joy for the proletariat here, only suffering and pain.

Octavia spends most of the interlude with her daughter, almost completely insulated from the events occurring only a few districts away. Octavia, at a small tea party with a few neighboring women and their children, hears that almost all paid staff has been fired from the noble houses and replaced with a large multitude of slaves and serfs, which have no taxation and no pay. This saves nobles a lot of money, but doesn't increase their income, effectively creating huge tax cuts for them.


Several issues are on the docket for this season. The first is that of slavery and serfdom. Common peasants have high taxes and require pay, as a result, almost all of them have been put out of work and replaced with free labor. This never occurred in the previous system, as even slaves were taxed, requiring their owners to "pay" them the equivalent of that tax. Now commonfolk are put out of jobs and will soon have to sell themselves into slavery and serfdom just to survive. No action need be taken on this issue if the council finds this change in social structure acceptable.

The second issue will be brought to you by Quill, he will discuss the various options we have in the goblin dilemma. However we may wish to discuss this issue last as it is still ongoing.

Third, various foreign governments have made inquiries into our foreign policy. We are a new regime and have the ability to start anew with many of our neighbors. However, many have already been offended by our new tariffs. We may wish to establish a general base foreign policy that will guide us into the future. This includes trade, diplomacy, and military foreign policy.

The floor is open to discussion.

[Glass]

The taxation plan is implemented, with mixed results. While the tax system does begin to bring in more revenue than the preexisting system, the majority of the tax burden is placed upon the common land owners and the free artisans. While the grand nobility end up paying more per person, there are significantly less of them. As a result, more than 60 percent of the tax burden is placed upon the non=noble land owners and the free artisans. Another 30% is payed by the common peasants, as they are the most common class of all. The nobility manages to pay only the last 10% of the annual revenue. This leads to widespread discontent among the workers, craftsmen, farmers, and general populace. Most of the nobility rejoice at their decrease in taxation, and those who were increased, seem unperturbed if somewhat annoyed.

The change in taxation has also brought to light another issue: Slavery. Many large plantations and other industries have a decent number of slaves in addition to serfs. This means that those enterprises which use a high number of slaves and serfs are in effect not only getting free labor, but also tax cuts. A rush to purchase more slaves and employ serfs begins!

This is not the tax plan I advocated. There should not be any tax cuts for nobles unless they are genuinely amongst the poorest in our society, which I happen to doubt in the extreme. And how is the nobility only providing a tenth of our revenue? Certainly they have more money than that. I believe that an investigation needs to be made, to determine the rate of tax fraud; we are going to need money if we want this country to be successful in any way, shape, or form.
For that matter, anyone who can afford to buy that many slaves would also be amongst the financial elite; they, too, would be among those that pay a greater tax. Where is that money? Where has it gone? We need funding for our government, and it's quite clear that some of it that is owed to us is not reaching us!


*ahem*

Regarding foreign policy. It would be for the best to curry good favor with those countries around us; ideally, we should have mutually beneficial trade routes with our neighbors, and it may be a good idea to set up a program where we can cooperate on research in a variety of fields with experts from other nations.

[Jilladilla]

"Slavery?!... This is utterly unacceptable! Outlaw such vile practices immefiately! No one shoulf have to work for all but nothing while some rich goof-for-nothing reaps all the rewarfs!"

"I will afmit to having a less than stellar unferstanfing of our neighbors... So I'll let someone else take point on that issue, but trafe routes anf research agreements seem to be a stop in the right firection. Anf we obviously cannot begin to ficuss the goblin issue until Mr. Quill comes along anf informs us of the situation..."

[Glass]

Regarding the goblins, we have two options. Maybe three, or four; communications were not as clear as the potentially could be if the goblins had a greater grasp of the common language.

To begin with, there is an ongoing war between two tribes, the "Riverbutt", who are raiding us, and the "Marrowsucker", who I contacted.
The Marrowsuckers are willing to make an alliance with us, given that we provide them with weaponry. If we provide them with food as well, I believe they will be more willing to conduct riskier maneuvers. I'm not sure if they care for monetary forms of payment; that part was not fully clear.
However, it seems to me that if we want full military control over their forces - able to command them as our own armies - they will require that we give them citizenship. To paraphrase their leader, if the goblins are given citizenship and land, they will fight for our leader, though their chieftain will remain leader of the goblins.

What is everyone's opinions on this?

[AbstractTraitorHero]

"Slavery?!... This is utterly unacceptable! Outlaw such vile practices immefiately! No one shoulf have to work for all but nothing while some rich goof-for-nothing reaps all the rewarfs!"

"I will afmit to having a less than stellar unferstanfing of our neighbors... So I'll let someone else take point on that issue, but trafe routes anf research agreements seem to be a stop in the right firection. Anf we obviously cannot begin to ficuss the goblin issue until Mr. Quill comes along anf informs us of the situation..."

A hand slammed down on their podium and eyes wild look over at them with anger.
"NOT A CHANCE IN HELL! How dare you ever think of j-just depriving us of something like this!
 This is good for not only the rich! But the middle and poor class! It allows all a way out of starvation and helps the middle and poor class run operations simply vital to society like large plantations and the running of households. Slavery is a time-honored tradition.
 In fact, my family used to have many....I have one or two that personally cook for me and my daughter. They are treated much better than their poor life beforehand. Slavery is a blessing to them. A noble institution and how dare you try to say otherwise."

This is not the tax plan I advocated. There should not be any tax cuts for nobles unless they are genuinely amongst the poorest in our society, which I happen to doubt in the extreme. And how is the nobility only providing a tenth of our revenue? Certainly, they have more money than that. I believe that an investigation needs to be made, to determine the rate of tax fraud; we are going to need money if we want this country to be successful in any way, shape, or form.
For that matter, anyone who can afford to buy that many slaves would also be amongst the financial elite; they, too, would be among those that pay a greater tax. Where is that money? Where has it gone? We need funding for our government, and it's quite clear that some of it that is owed to us is not reaching us!


*ahem*

Regarding foreign policy. It would be for the best to curry good favor with those countries around us; ideally, we should have mutually beneficial trade routes with our neighbors, and it may be a good idea to set up a program where we can cooperate on research in a variety of fields with experts from other nations.

Sitting back down having relieved themselves of anger they breathed out and began to explain the fault in taxation. A slightly friend and explanatory tone to their predatory face.


"Simple. The reason why the tax plan does not affect the rich as much was that they switched to more slaves instead of hiring servants. It is your bad. You did not expect such a move. If you want change you do not tax nobles because then they will just change their practices to pay less. Myself included. I suggest if you want change to figure out what the noble quarter wants in terms of privileges and then counter with what they must give for those privileges. It is a give and take game.
 That is how you deal with me and other nobles."

[NRDL]

"Slavery has long been a cancer in our society, and this recent development has only made it worse. Efforts to discourage it MUST be taken. Increasing taxation on slave owners to the point that it becomes more financially feasible to simply pay their workers is an option, if we can't completely abolish the practice altogether."

"As for the goblins, morally I have nothing against Goblins being offered citizenship, provided they are not a threat to the rest of our populace. If it ensures greater loyalty to the state, as well as more secure military control over their forces, this would be to our benefit."

"Foreign policy needs to be based around securing alliances and trade agreements. Such diplomatic efforts can only strengthen our nation, especially in its fledgling state."

[Glass]

How's this for a plan regarding slavery: we use taxation to make it cost about the same as hired labour. What's the average yearly cost to hire a laborer?

[AbstractTraitorHero]

A thoughtful look crosses their face ears twitching as their eyes closed and they speak unsure clearly.

"Last time I had ever hired labourers? It was cheap....I think. its been like.......a few years so it most likely is different...I would say maybe...honestly no idea. I can check that I suppose. Next intermission."

[Glass]

Arbiter, did we ever receive those old tax records? And can you tell us how much an average laborer earns a year?

[Shadowclaw777]

Yorboi chuckles for a slight of a second, the political conversation has become a side of two spectrums. No thought in moderation.


Let's talk about the dramatic issue that arrived and our fellow entertaining and very progressive politician, "Lady Leviogale" expressed  a certain end to a spectrum, but only a limited point of view. Let's see slaves and serfs dominating labor killing off the free-man, goblins wanting to be citizens, and foreign governments having a certain hatred against our tariffs. Also a massive crisis of water demands if the humidity goes severely down

Let's start with slaves and serfs, while it is of course a sad and disappointing end in our society it is only necessitated by the demand of labor. We need people to maintain the crops and mine the ore, unskilled labor will always be in high demand. But this of course destroys the family structure because of slaves evicted from their households. You know the idea, indentured servitude. Let's refer it to as the Indentured Servitude Enactment. What does it entail? Well in a way slavery will completely abolished and replaced with a much more free-spirited method. People who sell their lives will instead sell their labor. The nobles and their contractors, will hire a written agreement between the hirers and the family for a initial or interval pay to the family, for a maximum limit of 20 years. Annual inspections can ensue at anytime to these nobles of their temporary property, and if they don't contain the written agreement than a fine of a certain sum will be enforced. The nobles can also retrospect with their own complain that if the indentured servant doesn't provide the required labor, than they will be charged if their is also witness proof, as well.

Remember people if we abolish slavery, than we will have a massive LABOR CRISIS, because their still a huge demand of unskilled labor and slavery and serfs are fulfilling it.

Now onto goblins issue, they want citizenship, huh? for their military and their services. Well let's make a compromise, the "Moderate Compromise of Human and Marrowsucker Tribe". They can be provided the necessary land and the required support wealth to construct hamlets and villages. Goblins can join the nation as citizens with their enacted rights, with a caveat. Goblins, preferably strong male adolescents, must spend at least 10 years in the military as a lower-class form of soldier, under the command of a human officer. If they provide the required service to the nation, and their deeds and their lives survived, they shall be clarified as formal citizens. Of course human prejudice will always exist against goblins, but this will lead to a more cosmopolitan nation. The goblin's children will still have to provide military service for citizenship, however. This is to make sure goblin primogeniture and nobility never happens.

Thirdly, onto foreign governments. Diplomatic movements must be made into the efforts of improving our fledging nation, but a idea comes to mind to the foreign nation's that detest our tariffs. Any nation that performs a formal diplomatic trade agreement will suffer from none of our native tariffs, to incorporate a wide-economic nation.

Final note, this is a note of droughts. I have personal experience of the severe consequences of drought and the effects they had of my desert kingdom with me accidentally tainting the flood-plains. The most concerning think besides people dying of dehydration and killing or crops, is mass riots could revolve if this type of things. Concluding question at the Arbiter, do we have any free part of the government's budget that can be spent on political actions? Such spending it on a dedicated labor force to solve our lack of aqueducts, or any other problem we have?