• Graded • [Hopetoun] Death And...

[Darius Baer]

Arc 721, 121st of Ashan

Darius hauled the chest onto the table and opened up. He peered inside, and the mixture of copper, silver, and gold coins gleamed back up at him. It might have seemed like a lot of money - and he certainly would have felt the same way as a young child - but what might have seemed a sufficient amount to keep an individual homed and fed was not even close to what was needed to ensure a settlement thrived.

Hopetoun was home to more than forty souls, and though they had persevered so far with generous donations of time, sweat, and even a little blood, Darius' personal coffers would not sustain them forever. And after having purchased two fishing boats, the settlement was bringing in more fish, but the bearded mariner was no wealthier for it.

Of course, that was not the reason the Scalvorian had taken on the task of founding the settlement in the first place. He was there to help the people of Faldrass. He had been inside the volcano when it had erupted. He had become FireForged. He had evacuated survivors. He had buried the dead.

Hopetoun was where he belonged.

And if he wanted Hopetoun to thrive, and the people within it to have a lasting future in their new home, it would require some cashflow. And that meant Dadius was forced to consider something for the first time.

"Taxes."

The grim tone of his voice matched his expression. Scalvorians were used to paying taxes, and the Faldrass refugees would be no different. Even so, it felt harsh for some reason, but the potential benefits still outweighed any resistance he might experience from the Hopetounians. He just had to make sure it was done fairly, so that nobody felt cheated out of the coin they had worked so hard to earn.

And that would take some planning.

[Darius Baer]

Darius agonised over his decision for nigh on a break, but he could find no simple alternative.

He knew that the Hopetounians would not balk at having to pay tax. It was every Scalvorian's duty. If they wanted to live in a civilised society, it came at a cost.

But he was also aware that these people did not have a lot of money to their name. They were not wealthy folk. They were refugees from a volcanic eruption that had swallowed up their homes and their livelihoods with it. Everyone was paying their way through sweat, grit, and determination. The settlement was not exactly a bustling metropolis.

And yet, nels were still changing hands. Goods were being grown or crafted, and then sold. The people were not homeless beggars - they were contributing to a small society that, one trial, might be able to stand on its own two feet.

Darius thought back to how the tax system worked on the main island. The wealthiest members of society paid the most amount of money as a tax, while the poorest and most dependent were exempt from paying anything at all. Those in between would pay varying amounts, depending on their income. It seemed as equitable a system as anything Darius could have thought up himself, and the fact that the settlers would be familiar with it went some way to calming his nerves as he contemplated how the news might be received.

And in order for them to receive it, he would need to deliver it. So he gathered his things and made his way towards the centre of the settlement.

[Darius Baer]

The Hopeful Rest Inn was busier than usual.

Darius had discussed his idea with Lars and Kirt, who - after agreeing that it was necessary - had sent word that he wanted to address the Hopetounians as a whole. And as far as he could tell, there must have been barely a soul left tending the fields or manning the palisade. The gathered settlers could be heard before they were seen; the hubbub was loud enough to be heard outside.

So when the founder of the settlement arrived, it took him several bits to work his way through the crowd. That was partly because he refused to rush. Every person in that building meant something to Darius, because they had given up the relative comfort of their lives reestablish a new home onthe charred soil of an erupted volcano. The least he could do in return was to give them his time.

Eventually, he arrived at the far end of the main room, and, with the invitation of Serena, he climbed up onto the bar so that he could be seen.

He turned back to look at the room, which only accentuated the fact that the entire settlement had come along to hear him speak. He waited patiently for the noise to die down, and when that didn't happen, Lars held up a metal tankard and began to hit it with the blade of his dagger. The nearest in the throng turned and saw Darius upon the bar, and they turned to those closest to them, tugging on their shoulders and pointing towards the founder of Hopetoun. Those people did the same in turn with the next group, and so on, until the ripple of silence worked its way into a wave and ran through the crowd.

There was a lull as Darius took a deep breath and studied some of the faces before him. Most of them, he recognised; some, he knew by name; but all, he was grateful for their presence.

Taking in the moment of silence, and seeing the sea of eyes looking back at him, Darius cleared his throat and began to speak.

[Darius Baer]

The first words were always the hardest to say. Darius had had his moments in the past when he'd struggled to speak to a crowd, but he had also addressed these people before. Even so, there always seemed to he a moment just before he spoke when he felt the nerves of anticipation threatening to take over.

And in those moments, Darius was slowly learning to embrace the discomfort, because it seemed as though it was in no rush to leave of its own accord.

"Fellow Hopetounians!" he called out, and a handful of settlers murmured greetings in response. "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to come tonight."

The nerves began to fade away, as Daia's giftInner Voice was enough to capture their attention, and he continued on.

"I know I have said this to many of you in person, but I feel I can't say it enough: I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved thus far in Hopetoun. We have returned to Faldrass, scraped through the scorched earth, and begun to work our way towards a sustainable way off life away from the main island."

He heard a few more murmurs of agreement, and it emboldened him to continue.

"We have much to be proud of," he declared, raising his voice. "You have come here, initially refugees of the eruption, to stake your claim and say you will not be defeated!"

A few of the crowd raised their voices in support, and Darius saw several heads nodding.

"Since arriving, we have built new homes, found sources of food, and battled the elements. We have welcomed strangers to become Hopetounians alongside us."

The noise of assent grew, as some of the former slaves voiced their support.

"We have farmland, gardens, a granary, docks, the Hopeful Rest, and of course the beacon," he continued, before catching sight of Brigitte - one of the settlement's fisherfolk - amongst the crowd. "We even have our own little fishing fleet!"

A ripple of laughter ran through the crowd, and Darius knew he had the people's attention. He paused, then, and took a deep breath in anticipation of the shift in mood he was about to create.

"But this has not come without a cost," he added in a more sober tone, as he turned to the core of what he had to say. "We have all, of course, spent a great deal of time and sweat on our new home, but there has also been a cost in nels."

More nods and murmurs followed, though these ones were less enthusiastic than before.

"I have had the great honour of funding as much as I can afford, aside from the generous gifts we have received - but I cannot keep doing so forever. But with enough support from everyone, I'm confident that Hopetoun can thrive for many arcs to come. As such, I am proposing that we introduce a tax."

Darius held his breath, then, letting the word hang, and bracing himself for a loud reaction. But nothing came. Instead, after an awkward silence, someone voiced their agreement, and more murmurs followed. Taking that as a display of cautious support, the settlement leader pushed on.

"It should be enough to support the community as a whole," he added, "so I think it should be the same rate that you would have paid elsewhere in Scalvoris. But the amount should not be so much that it cripples any individuals. To that end, I would propose that nobody should pay their full allotment if it means they cannot afford to put food on their table. Feeding yourselves and your loved ones must come first."

Darius fell silent, then, unsure of what else to say, and still fearing a backlash that never came. Even so, he did eventually manage to thank the crowd for their time, and to announce the feast that was to follow three trials later. That buoyed the mood of the settlers, and the Scalvorian was relieved to still be greeted warmly by those who spoke to him afterwards.

[Doran]

Darius:

Knowledge:
Caregiving: Speaking to people, even in a crowd, is important to make them feel heard.
Leadership: Sometimes you need to make decisions you don't want to.
Leadership: You have to look at the big picture.
Leadership: Don't be afraidto use existing systems - especially if they work!
Leadership: Addressing a crowd.
Leadership: Empasise why you've made a decision, to help your listeners understand.

Loot: -
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: 10, for holding speech in front of the settlers and proposing to introduce a tax.
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 10

- - -

Comments: Oh my. The beginning of this solo where Darius opened a chest full of coins was definitely interesting!

I never thought about taxes in a ST-related context before, but it makes sense that people on Scalvoris pay taxes, just like we do in real life. I appreciate that Darius wants to handle things fairly – and use the money to help the settlement and keep the people of Hopetoun homed and fed! He truly gives me the impression of being a good leader!

The gathering in the Hopeful Rest Inn (I like the name!) was described very well in my opinion. I could almost see that scene in front of my eyes, the settlers gathered in the room and Lars holding up a tankard and hitting it with his dagger in order to get everybody’s attention. Daia’s gift from the event definitely comes in handy when you hold a speech!

The speech itself was very well-written in my opinion. I like how Darius mentioned all the things that they had accomplished first before he broaches the probably somewhat unpleasant topic of taxes. It makes sense that his idea receives cautious support in my opinion.

Enjoy your rewards!

P.S.: I really appreciate that you always add links to important locations, threads and such!