Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-17114085-20160205120927/@comment-24696651-20160216161035

28th of Second Seed

The Black Hoods decided to search for the bandits responsible anyway. While they would not get much money out of it, if they were raided again they would have a better idea as to where to find the loot.

1st of Sun's Height

Cynric was reading the dispatches from Astata, the steward. She had decided to produce a combined budget report for Second Seed and Midyear, seeing as half the Council was away campaiging.

Second Seed and Midyear, 5E 145

Revenue

City of Riften, Taxation and Tariffs: 153,000

Expenditure

City of Riften, Maintenance and Soldiery: 100,000

Net Income: 53,000

Treasury Balance: 83,000

He put the budget report back on his desk, before going to the Council Chambers, where a meeting was underway.

"We have a bandit problem," Skuldar said. "The raids during Second Seed prove that. To stop bandit raids, we need to conquer the rest of the Rift."

Cynric said nothing, but inwardly, he swore. A unified Rift meant well patrolled highways, which wouldn't be good for smuggling.

"No, what we need are guards who don't go missing for six weeks," Asjath replied. "You can go conquering if you really want, but not at the expense of Riften's defences.

"I'm not going to send the whole guard force out," Skuldar said. "We'll leave two hundred men behind. It will stop bandit raids, and if we need to return quickly, we'll only be at Fort Greenwall."

"So we're just going to Greenwall?" Cynric asked. Skuldar turned to him, and Cynric could see his eyes narrowing slightly, the corners of his lips turning down in contempt. Skuldar probably didn't even notice he was doing it, and Cynric had no idea why he was angry with him.

"For now."

"Fine," Asjath said. "But take prisoners if you can."

No one said anything for a few moments, then they voted on the issue. Asjath, Salma and Skuldar voted yes - Cynric and Astata voted no again.

And so, once again, they were going to war.