Subject: MYSTARA-L Digest - 16 Nov 2002 to 17 Nov 2002 (#2002-299) From: Automatic digest processor Date: 18/11/2002, 19:00 To: Recipients of MYSTARA-L digests Reply-to: Mystara RPG Discussion There are 2 messages totalling 148 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Tax Collection (2) ******************************************************************** The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 00:21:21 +0000 From: adrian mattias Subject: Re: Tax Collection An example of an authentic tax collection system from the Republican era in Rome (and thus it may be appropriate to use for Thyatis, or other similar areas)is to allow the lower level nobility to tax farm. That basically entails giving a noble the contract to obtain taxes from a specific area. The government knew roughly how many people lived there, and so determined how much tax revenue they wanted. The noble was then allowed to collect as much tax as he could screw out of the people living there, and he could keep whatever amount he extracted over and above the amount required by the government. Obviously some of the more corrupt nobles took significant advantage of this system. THis could be a good one to use get more money from your adventurers if you find they have a cash surplus. It is difficult to complain about the extra tax as the tax collector is a member of the nobility ... > From: "S. van Doornspeek" > Reply-To: Mystara RPG Discussion > To: MYSTARA-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM > Subject: Re: [MYSTARA] Tax Collection > Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2002 15:28:28 +0100 > > At 11:29 AM 11/14/2002 +0000, you wrote: >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "S. van Doornspeek" >> To: >> Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2002 12:38 AM >> Subject: [MYSTARA] Tax Collection >> >> >> > Heyas, >> > >> > having been quiet for a long time on this list, years it seems, I do >> have >> a >> > question. In several of the mystara products, taxes are mentioned and >> in >> > DoE, there is a bit about taxes as well and how they relate to crimes. >> > >> > But, nowhere does it explain how taxes are collected. I assume that, >> for >> > example, the Thyatian empire would send tax collectors after those who >> they >> > know got a lot to pay, but what about the normal people? Do they go to >> a >> > local official for this, or is there a periodical collection by an >> official? >> > >> > I'm curious to know if (and how) people have used taxes in their >> campaign. >> >> In the corner of Mystara where I run my game (a city called Magan, in the >> county of Maganshire, Norwold) there is a highly professional 'inland >> revenue service'. >> >> The duke employs a seneschal who deals with this organisasion on his >> behalf, >> and he in turn employs a series of officials (tax collectors) who's job it >> is to obtain fair taxes from all of those within a certain area. Most of >> these collectors deal with a small town or set of villages, and many of >> them also serve as local magistrates. This, of course, is not a system >> that >> is immune to corruption, so a right of appeal exists where anyone who >> feels >> unfairly done to can take his case to another of the dukes >> representetives, >> the Lord Judge. >> >> The make up of the inland revenue service is fairly varied. Most of them >> come from mercantile backgrounds and a high proportion (even amongst human >> communities) are dwarves who, who are generally viewed as fair and even >> handed folks in Norwold. >> >> I won't bore people with details of how much tax is paid, but I'll hilight >> the idea that having an identifiable tax service makes for some highly >> amusing roleplaying experiences. The PC's will undoubtedly get to know >> their >> local tax collector, magistrate, and other members of the service. Give >> your >> tax collectors strong personalities, make them sticklers for doing things >> their own highly inefficient way, and you have entertaining foils for even >> the most cynical of PC's. There's also scope for adventure, with the PC's >> potentially becoming embroiled in rooting out corruption, or being the >> targerts for crooked tax collectors or magistrates. > > Thanks for the reply (thanks to David Knott as well), it does give a better > idea of how tax collectors is being handled. As you said, it's a good way > to get some fun adventures for the PCs (or at least for me as DM) when they > have to pay their taxes. > > As for how much tax people have to pay - some of the products that have > been released do have guidelines for it, such as DoE, and I think the PWAs > do as well. (don't have them at hand to check them) > > ******************************************************************** > The Other Worlds Homepage: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/OtherWorlds.asp > The Mystara Homepage: http://www.dnd.starflung.com/ > To unsubscribe, send email to LISTSERV@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM > with UNSUB MYSTARA-L in the body of the message. _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 23:05:13 -0500 From: David Knott Subject: Re: Tax Collection From: "adrian mattias" > An example of an authentic tax collection system from the Republican era in > Rome (and thus it may be appropriate to use for Thyatis, or other similar > areas)is to allow the lower level nobility to tax farm. That basically > entails giving a noble the contract to obtain taxes from a specific area. > The government knew roughly how many people lived there, and so determined > how much tax revenue they wanted. The noble was then allowed to collect as > much tax as he could screw out of the people living there, and he could keep > whatever amount he extracted over and above the amount required by the > government. Obviously some of the more corrupt nobles took significant > advantage of this system. THis could be a good one to use get more money > from your adventurers if you find they have a cash surplus. It is difficult > to complain about the extra tax as the tax collector is a member of the > nobility ... And of course an interesting opportunity for adventurers of non-good alignment might be to seek out the position of tax collector for themselves.... ------------------------------ End of MYSTARA-L Digest - 16 Nov 2002 to 17 Nov 2002 (#2002-299) ****************************************************************