Taxing Studies

Log Info

• Title: Taxing Studies
• Emitter: Warrick
• Characters: Warrick, Schara
• Place: City Library
• Time: January 31st, 2023
• Summary: Warrick is taking some time to brush up on the most exiciting topic of all: Alexandrian Tax codes. Schara inquires as to why he is undergoing such an endeavour without any desire to start a business, to which he's says it's just curiosity. Further discussion devolves the ex-guard ranting about adventurers. Gosh darn adventurers.

City Library, Afternoon

The dark skies outside fielding the chill make the oft visited aisles of the city library cozy in their dimly lit splendor. Amongst the stacks is that of a middle aged Eldanar man, a few tomes already in hand, them held against a shoulder. He's in a simple shirt, the sleeves rolled up and showing a tattooed holy symbol of Serriel on this left arm.

He passes back towards a table, a journal set out already and half written in. Grey coat resting on a chair, along with a longsword dangling from the same place from the strap, he carefully places a few more books amongst the collection. A sigh escapes him. "... tax codes certainly changed up since the shop..." he murmurs, rubbing his face.

Was Schara ever going to learn their lesson about poking their nose into the business of others at the library? No, it certainly did not seem to be the case, at least for the time being.

In this case, the elf was wandering around in the library with a small stack of books held close to not drop them. "Ideally, tax codes should change semi regularly to keep up with the changing needs of the populace and government systems, but there is something to be said for keeping things steady so that systems can rely on expected outcomes." Schara notes quietly, looking over where Warrick was working. "Why do they matter to you however?"

Warrick, for all his composure that he typically has, actually flinches from the sudden elf speaking. "Huh..!- Oh. Schara." His shoulders lax and his hands fall to his sides. Stepping over to his pile of work, he consolidates it some to make some room.

It looks as if he's studying and taking notes on Alexandrian tax laws and penal codes, were the titles of the books and the very neat Trade handwriting in his journal anything to go by.

"I understand as much," he says over his shoulder. "I just have not needed to know them as intimately for a couple of decades is all. I'm still baffled by the Guild's payout, and wished to refresh myself on this topic."

"And why do you need to know them better all of the sudden? Are you seeking to open a business, purchase property, or invest into other various holdings?" The elf asks, raising one arm and letting the books she was carrying drop to the table, where she could shove them back into a relatively neat pile with a flat hand. "Or is this all about the amount of payout from the guild? I understand it is a large sum, but I do not know where the confusion entirely lies."

Warrick stares at Schara as they get their books sorted. Slate eyes just staring. Intrusive thoughts win out, and he deadpans, "You are the strangest elf I have ever met."

The chair being pulled against the ground breaks that observation, and the man sits down. "I'm doing nothing of the sort. I am just brushing up on tax code is all. It deals in part with the payout from the guild, but I am just making sure I have everything in order before I start spending most of it. It'd be embarrassing for the Watch to find me for tax evasion instead of drinks."

Schara stops, stares back, and shrugs once before returning to sorting out their books, all of which seemed to be about metallurgy. "It's been long enough that I've come to expect comments like that, so it's alright, though I wonder what specifically would lead to that statement." The elf notes.

"So, you are trying to make sure that what you were paid was not an incorrect amount, or that the guild is ignoring the necessary payments for their services. But you are not the one at fault if you were paid too much, so I do not see why it is such a concern."

"You're nosy," Warrick easily and readily supplies. "Most elves I've dealt with on the Watch don't care what you're doing at all."

The artificer's further ponders make a sigh leave the man, him rubbing his face with his scarred and tattooed arm. "Look. Schara. I'm just making sure everything's on the up and up- err, everything is going by the rules. Call it a bad habit from my time with the Watch."

"Ah, being nosy, I at least know that one, you mean that I am looking into matters that are not my business. I seem to have made a habit of trying to help people in the library here, with a poor record so far. I might just be trying to improve the average for good outcomes in doing so." The elf sighs. "Still, that's a poor way for people expected to be working together to act, but I can not judge that matter."

"As far as I am aware, despite what I have heard before I began working with them, I see little issue with how they function. Perhaps they need to set up insurance for any actions taken by those they hire, and in not doing so are able to increase the pay accordingly, but I do not know if that is the case or not, it is just speculation."

"I'm merely not used to elves going out of their way to try and help with things," Warrick sighs. "Regardless, you are being a bit nosy. Even your 'think-out-loud' ramblings end up querying something or another."

He waves a dismissive hand. "But it's fine." He flips a few pages through his journal, all the the writing quite rote and organized. "Their insurance is allowing to operate within the city. If the people they hire become too rowdy- like they usually are- then they'll have to do some screening or get kicked out."

He rubs his face. "... just sometimes the adventurers are a fan of taking five steps forward and six steps back, and the guard ends up having to deal with the last step all. The. Time," he complains.

"Ah, I understand. I will not condemn those elves without knowing them, but many are experts at ignoring people and pretending problems do not exist, so I understand, and it does not sound fine. Anyone thinking is trying to come to some conclusion or another, so that is not that strange." The artificer shrugs again. "It is not perfect. Most people do not go to the adventurer's guild without at least some need for gold, otherwise most would find work or exploration elsewhere. That is just how it is, I guess, but sometimes accidents are unavoidable."

Warrick, typically stoic in his expression, looks boggled at Schara's conclusion. "... sometimes accidents are unavoidable? Destruction of a block in the nobility quarters to fight a demon, that I can understand. Extensive collateral during the... undead wave, I can understand."

He starts counting on his fingers. "A highly renowned group of mages summoned a demon within the city limits and it wrecked havoc on the countryside."

"Collateral damage to residential homes during a /petty robbery/ should not happen, especially not /acid/."

"Regular charges of intimidation for nominal prices and simple warnings of trespassing."

A hand hits his forehead. "And the trespassing, /Serriel's light/ the trespassing...!"

Schara listens for some time, resting one arm on the pile of books until it was bent into place. The elf tilts their head once, then sighs. "Yes, all those things you are speaking of are not good, and I can't speak for the people who did them, only the work I have done myself. I do not know what led to a demon being summoned, I do not know why they felt the need for acid in a petty robbery, and as for the trespassing, there is a reason why the guild is employed for various jobs. I believe that many are just well intentioned mercenaries to do work that the city can not or will not do themselves, which can put them at odds with the law."

Warrick finishes with a long, long sigh. "Yes, well, this is a city of rules that aren't too difficult to follow. And such intentions that I've seen thus far from the guild members have been mostly fine. But some have been... exactly the kind that I've dealt with for two decades."

He looks up to the elf. "I'm sure most have good intentions, most folk do. Just... hard to shake that a non-insignificant amount of adventurers don't have the interests of the greater society in mind. Just care about gold. Exactly like that one that was on the job with us."

"Well, that's what I said. Good intentioned mercenaries, otherwise they would be accepting jobs from actual mercenary companies who do not care where their payment comes from." Schara shrugs again. "I went to the adventurer's guild because I need the gold, and I do not mind the work within reason, when it makes sense. Otherwise I would be happy with less sporadic work that is more reasonable, but that is not an option."

Warrick gives Schara a side glance as he turns to a new page. "To be honest, you are one of the few that I actually do not worry about. When things went bad, you came to defend the citizens without hesitation."

He closes his eyes. "You speak of needing gold; how did selling your necklaces go?"

"Well, that is good of you to say. I just did not want anyone getting hurt if I could help it, and something was definitely amiss. I still do not know what caused the spell to backfire the way it did, or the explosion, either. But that may remain unsolved." Schara offers with just a slight frown. "I was speaking of needing gold, yes. I have not got around to selling the ones I made yet, but I would like to another time. I was trying to set up near where you mentioned, but some of the guards shooed me away, so I figured I would try another time."

Warrick nods slowly. "All I know is, that if magic is involved, it's best to either just go with it or avoid it entirely," he says. "At least, that's what I've learned so far. I'm just still upset that I nearly succumbed to illness from a stupid fly."

His brows knit. "Did you set up near Amber Lane precinct? They're kind of hard assess. Go a little closer towards Gobbertown, right before community patrol switches over to Gobbertown's. Rules are more lax there because they have to be."

"Do not feel bad about that Warrick. Illnesses can be like that, and it could be that the body does not know how to react to the disease in such a larger than usual quantity, so you are not prepared to fight it off." The artificer suggests, before shaking her head. "No, it was near to the guard houses like you recommended, but before I was able to set up, they told me not to be selling my services there, so I left. I'll keep in mind about the patrols near where the goblins live however, if that would work better."

Warrick sighs quietly. "Trust me, I know." That's all he says about illnesses.

He winces. "Right. I meant set up on their patrol route, not next to the guard house itself. Either get closer to Gobbertown or set up at minimum one block away from the guardhouse."

The man's eyes drift to his open journal, an idle hand tracing along his scarred arm. "However, I do need to get back to studying before Cynthia comes home. You are welcome to join me."

"Close to the guardhouse but not within a block, but further along the patrol routes is better, and likely closer to gobbertown, that makes sense. I should set up a stall somewhere along those." Schara nods along. "Well, I won't talk too much more if you want someone to study with, and I did come here offering to help. So maybe I would be capable of doing so? But it seems you're handling the material well enough as it is."

Warrick quirks a brow at the odd elf. "Perhaps you may benefit from knowing fringe tax laws if you are to be selling things," he points out, gesturing a hand across his materials gathered. "I do have a handle on it, this is mostly just review for me. Come, sit."

He looks down, taking a long breath. "... so.... section twelve of the Taxation Addendum Referendum speaks of taxes of services rendered. It is broken into twenty seven subsections. Subsection a speaks of..."

-End Scene-