Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Glass]

Non-clear gems could probably be used, though they wouldn't be ideal.
Quartz maybe? It supposed to be relatively cheap. Finding pieces big enough for the lenses might be hard, though.
Dark Mossian wood sounds like it would be good. It'd need to get shaped into a shallow cone shape, though; maybe a foot long, one inch across at one end, two at the other? That should probably work. How much would it all cost, though?
And let's look into glass prices and the like, just in case.

[Ghazkull]

Erin Quill

Your considerations continue but right now in Arg Cais, your cheapest option would be to buy some of that dark wood from moss and let a carpenter or even better a wood-turner work on it and build it to specification. Alternatively you could attempt it yourself.

A short talk with a timber merchant reveals that he will give you a piece of unused mossian wood for free...huh, that was easy.

Visiting a Jeweler you ask him what would be cheapest and best for your project. Glass is in fact not the cheapest thing, although if you cut it yourself or the gems you could aquire either at a reasonable price range. In fact cheap enough that something is left over from the money the stranger gave you for expenses. As for the gems White Zircon, Quartz, Diamonds, White Topaz, White Sapphires and even Selenite would be your options. as for the Price Range:

Uncut Selenite -> Uncut Quartz -> Uncut Topaz -> Uncut Zircon -> Uncut Sapphires -> Uncut Glass -> Uncut Diamonds (from cheapest to most expensive; cut versions are of course mor expensive then uncut versions, with cut Selenite being as expensive as uncut Topaz)

[Glass]

Uncut quartz should be good for my purposes. I made lenses before, I can make them now! Let's research the price to get them cut. Or would that just come with it being pre-cut?
I don't think anyone makes cut quartz of the size and shape I need for a lens that they'd put up for sale.

[micelus]

Avaris has nothing to contribute about a unified code of tariffs. As the only one amongst the patrician class here, Avaris saw it fit to best represent her class. She sidled over to a nearby cultist and asked what had ruffled their feathers so much that the king had yet to receive their ascent.

[sprinkled chariot]

Aye.

* come closer to Laranth of Yshuis *

Sir Laranth ?

[NUKE9.13]

"Sir Corvus. What is it? Can we speak during an intermission, or is this urgent?"

((If it isn't urgent, I'd suggest time-skipping to the intermission, and having this conversation in a side chamber- we can run parallel timelines, so we can both still participate in the diet whilst having this conversation at the same time))

[sprinkled chariot]

Intermession

What is your opinion on raids of northern barbarians  aimed at your duchie?

[Ghazkull]

Erin Quill

In the end you pay a wood turner to work the Mossian Darkwood into a tube and pay the jeweler to turn Quartz into the lenses you require. Finally you assemble the end product.

It is passable. You think you could have done a better job especially if you used proper glass and added more level of magnification but this will have to do. It works and that is what is important.

You created a telescope out of Clear Quartz and Mossian Darkwood. The Craftsmanship is passable.

Avaris

Turns out the clergy withheld themselves not out of any form of anger but mostly to see where and how they were supposed to fit into the leadership of the kingdom. Once their position was clear they could properly decide on swearing loyalty.

[NUKE9.13]

Intermession

What is your opinion on raids of northern barbarians  aimed at your duchie?

"They have been few in number and intensity recently, fortunately. If you mean in the longer term, I'm afraid there will be no stopping them without scouring the mountains clear, as the people there know no other way, and no amount of negotiation will lead to more than a brief reprieve."

"Whilst we're on the subject, I should mention that whilst I appreciate your efforts to aid in the defence of Yshuis, it would be wise to inform the local count before bringing an armed party into his lands- Horace is somewhat upset."


In another spare moment, Laranth tracks down a member of the Mossian delegation.

"Esteemed guest, a moment of your time, perhaps? I was wondering if you might tell me the reason for your visit? I may be able to intercede with the king on your behalf."

Have a private chat with the Mossians about their reason for visiting.

[sprinkled chariot]

With what is  Count Horace upset? Since I don't have armed presence in your duchie.
Are there  other knights determined to scourge barbarians ?

[Glass]

When the telescope is retrieved, there will be an attached note: "The payment provided was insufficient to buy glass for the lenses, so I used quartz instead. Had I been able to use glass, I believe that the product would have been if higher quality."

[Ardas]

Alexei waited a bit longer before making an announcement.

"In the absence of any major obstacles, Chancery of the Coin will begin the review of the tarrifs in the kingdom and their implementation."

He took up a new scroll for the next proposal.

"The final proposal for the assembly is for the consolidation of farming land and imposition of serf duties on the freemen living on the land that will be consolidated. As the kingdom posseses farmland that is not unified in any manner and produces below the rate of what is expected every year, the proposal would allocate the managment of the land to their respective local lords and would make the current farmers liable for becoming his tenants, with their respective duties imposed on them. That will not violate their status as freemen or reduce their ability to carry arms, but will make them obliged to observe the rents that will be imposed on them from now on."

Here was the big one. It remained to be seen what was the mood in the kingdom.

[NUKE9.13]

Spoiler: Mossian Chat (from Discord) (click to show/hide)

The Mossian Delegation had been patiently waiting outside the Diet Chambers in an adjoining Room set aside for important guests. Notably there were about 20 of them. Most of those were clearly guards and soldiers, the rest however seemed to be a mixture of diplomats, traders and military officials. You immediately notice their incredible size and paleness. Each of them is at least two meters tall and their skin is pale, paler than even in Yshuis, and thus taking a shade of grey-whiteish instead of what constitutes normal human skin colours. As you approach them and make your offer you see them exchanging glances and words in the odd tongue of the Mossians. Sometimes like stones grating against each other and then again a lilting singsong. You have heard somewhere that it is rumoured that mossian is one of the hardest languages to learn and master. Considering how weird it sounds to you it's not truly a surprise.
After a bit of back and forth one of them finally turns to you. Her accent is strangely stilted, overpronouncing some syllables and a distinct problem with the sounds r,n,l,t and d. She is mispronouncing them in the strangest of ways. You notice that they soften out the t's and d's almost making them sound like g's, the r is rolled out almost to sound like some back of the throat gurgling. All this adds to their foreignness and most importantly makes them extremely hard to understand. "May the Moon smile upon the blood you spill, Southman. We come bearing news about the Moon of Hope, the Night Neverending and Requests to fuel our shedding of life in the Dark."

After a brief moment, Laranth smiles politely
"Ah... I'm afraid I don't quite understand. Do you seek military aid?"

Again a series of discussions erupt among them, clearly there are disagreements going on. Finally the woman turns back. "As was agreed upon with the Old Pacts by the Elder Ones, we seek..." she seems unsure "...Tribute."

"I'm afraid I'm not familiar with any 'Old Pact'. As for the 'Elder Ones', we generally consider them to be mythical. That is, not real. I don't think the king will agree to pay tribute on the basis of some ancient legends. Unless you have something to exchange, that is."

Again a discussion breaks out. This time its the two military men against the rest of the Delegation. Finally the diplomat turns towards you. When she speaks you notice that she is speaking for the others and not for herself "Already Moss is no longer Far Moss. Would you see it become Near Moss? Would you see it turn to Ash in the Night? The Esteemed Generals of the Leftmost Infantry at the Dawns Concert and of the Third Cavalry of Dusks Warding Light at the Coming of Dawn will not treat with those who would break the Pacts of Old. Southman save at least part of your hearts light and tell us then were Moss can aquire ten thousand good warriors and fifteen li of grain and for what price?"

"I'm sorry, I don't quite understand. I can tell you that if you seek ten thousand mercenaries, this is not the country for you. Grain we may be able to help with. But maybe it would be best if you spoke with someone else. There may be someone here who speaks Mossian, or knows more of your culture. Let me see if I can find someone."

Laranth looks around for someone else willing to try talking with the Mossians.

With what is  Count Horace upset? Since I don't have armed presence in your duchie.
Are there  other knights determined to scourge barbarians ?

"Then there are impersonators bearing the heraldry of your order in the kingdom, a problem I recommend you rectify."

Here was the big one. It remained to be seen what was the mood in the kingdom.

"I will not condone your attempt to place our citizens in chains just so we can extract a little more taxes from them. They are the bedrock on which this kingdom is built- the least we can provide them with is their basic freedom."

[Ardas]

"My duke, their freedom is not in question, their taxes are" Alexei replied. "Freemen farmers are notorious for claiming exemptions from any fees and rents, and they do so claiming their freedoms untouchable since the Old Kingdom. They may produce and sell their stuff, but they do not pay any taxes to their lords save for the basic land tax to the crown and even that is not enforced when the same freemen claim allegiance to the barony in which they reside."

Riskov paused briefly and looked around the assembly. "My lords, freemen are our lifeblood, but what good is it if it does not pump itself towards the heart? What nourishment does it provide when freemen pay no tax to the crown, pay no tenancies to the local lord and their ancient freedoms as they claim them, violate the order of the realm? The alternative would be... a head tax, on every person in the realm, noble and non-noble alike."

He knew he would stir the noble blood with such an announcement. There was no way for nobility to avoid payment, especially when a crushing grain levy was implemented - unless they made someone else pay.

[chubby2man]

“These freemen have earned their land through their blood, sweat, and tears. They have sacrificed and fought for this kingdom, and their payment was the right to steward this land given to them. I do not believe reducing them to serfdom is the answer for these noble souls.”

“However, it is necessary that some system of collection and supervision is necessary. I propose that local lords be able to collect 25% of the production of freemen farms shall be collected by the local nobles, and may be used for the taxes and tithe for the crown. This collection will not be taxed by the crown, so that it may be used to subsidy the nobilities tithe and taxes.”

The King looks around the chamber, “This is not a decree, I wish to hear your thoughts on this matter. A king should consider the wisdom of his nobles.”