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Kelcimer
Learned Scribe
USA
136 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Sep 2021 : 07:13:43
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Hello Exodite!
quote:
Originally posted by Exodite
I could see trade caravans taking overland routes (instead of those coming by barge) being stopped by patrols for a toll charged by the wagon/oxen, obviously at a higher rate than those that go through the city
Exactly. That would be the first thing some mid-wit ruler would do. They would run into some problems and then other people would refine the system.
One of the counters is that caravans could simply "go around" Iriaebor. This overlooks the fact that land is not naturally made for wagons to cross, especially wagons loaded down with goods. Roads are a thing. Especially when you have a wagon train. How many roads "go around" Iriaebor? It wouldn't be hard to have castles at a strategic small villages along those roads, from which they could issue patrols in the area to the east and west looking for caravans.
And if a patrol sees a caravan? "Hey, you want to go that way to get to the toll. No, worries! We are happy to escort you so that you are better protected from random threats! Honestly! Has nothing to do with making sure you get to the toll!"
How many tolls would you need stretched out to the north and south of Iriaebor? I dunno. But enough that going even farther to the North or South to avoid them would be not worth it.
Could people circumvent this? Sure. If they were not on a wagon, then they could get through no problem. If they put all their goods in a bag of holding or similar extra-dimensional space, they again, they could get through no problem. I'm not suggesting there aren't ways for people to get around, especially if they have hot items that they need to keep on the DL. What this would do, though, is cast a net that would catch most wagon trains.
I don't think they even need to be taxed at a higher rate. Just a little natural corruption would suffice.
"Oh hey, yeah, the guy who is supposed to sign your slip had to visit his sick mother. I'll have to hold you here until he gets back. Might be an hour."
"Are you kidding me? We have a storm coming and I need to make time!"
"Well maybe if some people donated to his mother's get well fund, she'd be better, and he could be here."
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Kelcimer
Learned Scribe
USA
136 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2021 : 07:20:09
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Hello TheIriaeban!
quote:
Originally posted by TheIriaeban Iriaebor used to be a violent place. So to keep that down, about 3,000 of the 8,000 are kept within the city at all times. That leaves 5,000 to do the actual patrolling. Each patrol is about 10 men so that would be 500 patrols. But, you also have to take into account days of rest, required training (all members of the Shield are required to be fully trained in both mounted and foot combat), rotation (so that all troops are familiar with city and plains combat), that cuts into that considerably (let's be generous and say that gives us 450 patrols). Oh, we have specific facilities outside the city that need to be guarded. That would knock it down again to say 200 to 300 patrols. So, we have 200 to 300 patrols to cover about 7,700 square miles (with the emphasis on guarding the trade road and river since that is the city's lifeblood).
I think that is enough to do the job. Remember calvary is fast, caravans are slow, and there would be only so many roads. |
Edited by - Kelcimer on 18 Sep 2021 07:20:56 |
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TheIriaeban
Master of Realmslore
USA
1289 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jan 2022 : 21:26:52
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I would like to apologize to anyone waiting for this to come out. November of last year, I hit burn out pretty bad and just stopped working on it. I am finally ready to start working on this again and actually get it out. By way of saying I am sorry, here is what I have for the bread exports mentioned by Ed in the 2e FRA (I haven't decided if this will last into the 5e timeline but I think it likely given the events of the Spellplague):
Lakkon’s Fine Breads
Bakery
Teurnik Lakkon is very likely the largest exporter of a locally produced product in Iriaebor. His preserved breads (both regular and sweetened varieties) are shipped to inns and trader’s shops from Waterdeep to Westgate. Even high-end places like The Black Boar are known to offer Lakkon’s Preserved Breads as part of their menus.
Teurnik’s success is due to his father’s efforts. Pacif Lakkon had a steady local bakery business even before he figured out a means to preserve bread. The merchants of the Tor would commonly buy his breads, tarts, and cakes for their parties. Even the near destitute were seen at the shop, buying one of his Two Coppers Loafs (they are actually several different varieties of peasant bread that even to this day only costs 2cp for a whole loaf).
Then, about 30 years ago, Pacif struck upon a non-magical means of preserving bread for long periods of time. It starts with a specific recipe that lends itself to the preservation process. Immediately after the bread has cooled down from being baked, it is sliced, and then dehydrated. Finally, it is packaged for shipping and storage by being wrapped in linen cloth, coated in wax, and then sealed in barrels. The process produces slices of bread that can be served “crunchy” (usually with some kind of sauce or gravy poured over it to make it soft again) or it can be steamed to make it soft once again. Some travelers even have taken to carrying the sweetened version and just eating it in its crunchy, cookie-like state as a quick snack while on the move.
Within ten years of creating his preserved bread, he had to find to a much larger building to be able to keep up with demand. It was then that he moved to his current location: a large, “backwards C-shaped” building about halfway between the The Knoll and the The Marketplace on the Trader’s Road. It took almost three full years for the property to be completely redone to meet Pacif’s needs. The end result is a four-story building with the entire first floor dedicated to the production of his preserved breads (except for two relatively small shops: one for the affluent and one for everyone else), a second floor dedicated to the production of his locally consumed artisan breads, tarts, cakes, and handpies, and the remaining two floors as living space for Teurnik’s family and all the workers for the bakery.
After Pacif passed way, Teurnik took over and he was able to even increase the bread exports beyond what his father had. His other products have remained popular with the residents of Iriaebor. He was even recently able to introduce a new product: Crispy Fried Handpies. They have become very popular because of the variety they are offered in using meats, vegetables, nuts, and fruits of all kinds (singly or in combination).
The shops are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Fresh items won’t be available until midmorning so anything in the shops before then will be from the previous day. These items are sold at half price (even the Two Coppers Loafs). Otherwise, prices run from the previously mentioned 2cp for a Two Coppers Loaf, 5cp to 1sp for handpies or tarts, and 1sp and up for breads or cakes. Custom baked goods can be ordered for pick up the next day (for most quantities). Of course, custom items are substantially more expensive.
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"Iriaebor is a fine city. So what if you can have violence between merchant groups break out at any moment. Not every city can offer dinner AND a show."
My FR writeups - http://www.mediafire.com/folder/um3liz6tqsf5n/Documents
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Iriaebor: City of a Thousand Spires
