7.05a: Exploring the City

[Joshua]

The merchant's guildmaster has an unexpected schedule cancellation, so will be able to meet you in about 20 minutes, if desired. While you wait there's some major scrambling, the kind that you might expect when a king comes calling on a small business. Things are rapidly cleaned, polished, stuff moved, meeting rearranged... Unless you want to see what they're trying to hide, it passes quickly enough.

[Wyvern]

Alys, at least, sees no particular need to go digging into the guild's secrets (yet), but does keep an eye on Nathaniel, in case he's giving the impression there was some secret in particular he wanted to have discovered; after all, it would have been very easy for him to warn the guild that they could expect a visit from royalty today, and it seems that he didn't do that...

[Joshua]

Nate is making an effort not to pry. That kind of polite looking away one might do when you know darker deals are happening, but you don't want to know cause that'd just make more work as you try to stop them. He gives no real indication that he's up to anything.

About 15 minutes into this, a larger, stocky man, perhaps 250lbs and well muscled approaches you. "Greetings. I am Dustin, Son of Murray, and in charge of security. Did you need any additional bodyguards for your stay, or perhaps, are there any specific issues we should watch for while you are here?"

[Ruben]

Ruben turns away from the wall, where he's been admiring the plaques commemorating merchant's guild officers from years past, silently counting how many times each of the community's leading families had placed a son on the board. The "legacy effect" was profound.

Turning to Dustin, he offers a disarming laugh. "Bodyguards? Thank you, but no - my colleague and I have proven quite skilled in self defense. Isn't that right, Nathaniel?"

He nudges the smaller man, testing to see if he shies from the spotlight or is willing to take a role with the inspection party.

"The Guild Hall seems more lively than I remember - on my last visit, it was more of a hiring hall than a transaction parlor? Have you expanded your mandate?"

[Joshua]

Dustin snorts but holds his tongue, turning slightly purple. He forces it down. "A little. We set up to organize the shops, give them a voice so we can push back on the protectors. They backed off in the worst areas." He swallows, his color returning to normal. "I assume you will keep your swords... if you are your own bodyguards..."

(OOC: Just a note, you have the right to cary weapons anywhere, and use them at any time. Although, he definitely seems nervous about allowing you to see the guildmaster while armed.)

[Wyvern]

"That sounds more like what I wanted to talk to you about - these 'protectors' - if they're something that needs to be 'pushed back', then perhaps protector isn't quite the right word for them?"

OOC: Edit: Realised I never actually described what Alys was wearing today; I've edited that into my original post on this thread, but will include it again here just for reference:
Alys is wearing an outfit of soft white leather with red and gold trim. Oddly, it exposes most of her back, and the dark red boots seem designed to be easily removable. Over that is a heavy cloak, dark red with stylized flame patterns. On her left hip is about as heavy a blade as can reasonably fit in a hip sheath; it's paired with a long dagger on her right - and assuredly a few more smaller weapons concealed in various locations.

[Joshua]

"Police... Guard, protector. Since it wasn't organized by the state or the nobles... they do it for a small fee. A fee which gets way to large too fast." He shrugs. "That's what unions are for."

[Wyvern]

"Interesting. And how does all that compare to security arrangements in, say, any of the other cities you trade with? Or even," Alys glances a question at Ruben, "Down at the docks here?"

[Ruben]

Ruben notices Dustin's discomfort and chooses not to press the confrontation, worrying that the younger man's inexperience and nervousness could form a dangerous cocktail.

Turning to Lady Alys, he replies,"it sounds fairly typical for a community at this stage of its development. Civil order is a possession like any other -- it needs to be purchased, and the resources to do so must come first."

Seeing Dustin relax at this seeming note of approval, Ruben leans closer into Alys and continues so only she can hear: "less important than the exact arrangements is the trend, and that has me worried here -- a maturing community should see the cost of civil order decreasing, as the benefits of prosperity are shared and give all residents a stake in the success of the endeavor."

[Joshua]

(OOC: To the best of my knowledge, what is being described is what occurs when there are no taxes and all security is provided by individuals. The city is large, and police, fire, etc... are provided by these protection rackets. Not all of which are corrupt, but most of which are greedy. Yes, this means firemen will stand by and watch a house burn if the owner did not pay his "fire tax".)

(OOC: For the docks, Ruben, you could have set up much better deals with whatever local police and fire there are. You may have also set up a small group specifically for that purpose. As an Amberite, you have the right to make laws through simple declaration. You could have set up a dock tax that pays to cover all the docks. You may have also needed to execute (or reform) whoever was in charge before you showed up. Ruben does have experience with this kind of thing, so just state what you want it to be.)

(OOC: actually, a lot of you have experience setting up more central methods of dealing with security. I don't need the specific details if you want to push to make changes.)