Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-25828117-20190905141956/@comment-25828117-20190911163542

The small boat was propelled by a few rowers nothing more. If they were going to attack the Hellcat they would've been very brave.

On the stem of the boat stood a man dossed out in finery, the kind that seemed to overcompensate for any actual title a noble would have. A merchant of sorts with ideas above his station.

The captain of the Hellcat was aware of who this was and did not look forward to it.

She joined Emile by the stem and looked down on the small boat.

"Ahoy there!" The finely dressed man beamed up. He was the stereotype of an Imperial. A hawk nose, short black hair and a ring beard. It seemed he held his ridiculous 'cushion hat' under his arm to be polite.

Rin sighed, practically hissing.

"Yes, yes! This one knows!" She was annoyed they'd send the boat out again even when she had passed through a week ago. Did they not keep logs?

It turned out the man was not a merchant at all, but an agent from the toll station built where the Niben converged again. A small artificial island stood in the middle of the river, with on top of that; The Leaning Fort. A structure built of wood and rough stone like Bravil, and named that way because the artificial island had sunk partially, making the whole thing on top look like it was about to topple over into the Niben. Between it, the city and the east bank, chains blocked the comings and goings of ship traffic until the toll was paid.

Rin grumbled. Bravil had always been a hive for scum. But the current count was a robber baron if there ever was one. Not that the money ever made its way to his subjects either. A disgusting man.

"The esteemed count Mordici of Bravil bids you welcome and passage, once the toll has been paid." The agent announced, doing his job and enjoying it a bit too much, despite Rin's protestations that she knew the procedure.