Saturday 4 March 2023

Customs House

All tax collected in Ubersreik comes through Customs House, a large, sturdy building with a commanding view over the wharves and the river-traffic. All boats unloading in the town pay a tax of one gold coin plus an additional charge depending upon the cargo. Vessels potentially have docking fees to pay as well to the owners of the wharf in question, and fees to pay to the Dockers’ Guild to load and unload any vessel. Wagons of trading goods pay their taxes at the town gates. Ernst Geldfinger runs the operation.

Geldfinger is a thuggish man in his 40s who tightly controls his clerks. On an average day, one clerk is posted to each of the three gates into the city, a clerk can be found on both the north and south bank to collect from river barges, and the last works the customs house itself. He has a reputation for meticulous detail and unimpeachable honesty.

No comments:

Post a Comment