Letter to King Gemfist

[Garett Gwenour]

To King Gemfist,
Whom I respect as Co-leader of Silverbrand, leading alongside Vice-King Durgin with equal responsibility, as says your official proclamation concerning the joint leadership of Silverbrand which yes I did have a part in because I knew that in the near future you would do what you are currently doing. In vain hope perhaps I had thought if there was another in your place, at least one with half the power of Silverbrand at his fingertips they could counter your simple madness. My hope was wrongly placed, with your power you again threaten the stability of the island of Gobiath itself. You allow personal gripes to bleed into your responsibility and this is why you speak such venomous words about the Governor of a city so needed for your own city’s wealth. It is this lack of professionalism that can bring our two respected cities to war because you over-react with the greed beyond any Dwarven Royal I have ever known nor heard of.

Silverbrand, yes, did build the tavern prior to walls being built around Trolls Bane. However, Silverbrand was apart of the coalition known as “Lyrenzia” that built the walls around Trolls Bane thereby outlining the limits the official limits of Trolls Bane. This is a vital point because it was not the people of Trolls Bane that claimed the tavern as within Trolls Bane by building walls; Silverbrand was a leading power that did it. You cannot blame this city, and people, of Trolls Bane for former King Tialdin’s own short sightedness in building the tavern so close to the town and their own city so far away.

On account of Silverbrand knowingly and willingly and even insisting that walls around Trolls Bane be built they also accepted that whatever sort of Government ran Trolls Bane had right over all within. Therefore you cannot ignore the rightful voice of the Government that speaks for the majority of the citizens of this city. And the majority (Thus far) has voiced that if the tenants of Silverbrand do not pay their taxes the tavern should go to auction and sold to someone who will be actively working the tavern.

I will go even further into Silverbrand and Trolls Bane’s current relationship. Currently, all citizens of Silverbrand have complete unhindered access to Trolls Bane's merchants, buildings, anvils, flocks of animals and raw materials. However no citizen of Trolls Bane has equal access to Silverbrand’s exclusive coal mine, exclusive merchants and exclusive anvils. I would have been happy to negotiate with the dwarven government, as I have with Vice-King Durgin often and in very friendly terms in the past.

However, the reaction the dwarven King, gave me when I asked that whomever owns the tavern to meet with me, before I assumed the tavern was currently being neglected, showed me that King Gemfist did not want to talk, he wanted things done as always in a way that helps only Silverbrand. And even after my parchment still no tenant of the tavern has spoken to me in person, I am there in town by the shop as all citizens of Trolls Bane know, instead they play the same games Tialdin played when the Seahorse was to be auctioned; constantly writing and claiming the Government of Trolls Bane was invalid because it did not help him.

From what the voice of Trolls Bane has said, the clear majority believes if the dwarves will not pay their taxes on a building long accepted to be apart of Trolls Bane, within Trolls Bane’s borders which was established by the former Silverbrand Monarchy, they should not claim the tavern. The dwarves are given enough advantage already, and they give nothing back to Trolls Bane. The fact of the matter is, Trolls Bane does not rely upon Silverbrand for its resources. Silverbrand however relies heavily upon Trolls Bane's merchants, forestry, and trade. It is with a very heavy and blind hand you wave such words around Ghorn that can have all of the principle advantages Trolls Bane gives you, taken away, in the blink of an eye.

I want the people of Gobiath to know that I will not let this boil into war. In fact it I never even used that as a threat, it was King Gemfist whom declared a war would erupt if they had to pay the same taxes every land owner in Trolls bane had to pay. If the dwarves continue to refuse to pay the tavern, I will definitely consider what the people of Trolls Bane think is fair, and certainly I will do all my power to make sure that despite what the dwarves say, this issue does not grow into a war.


With deep love for this city,
Stephen Rothman
Governor of Trolls Bane

[Gort Greegog]

Tur all ob joo people dat want taxes ur owns de tavern.

I met halfur and she said she owned the tavern. It was few months go an I think maybe joo should find her.

Gort

[Durgin]

War over this be unacceptable. 'is ain' a public matter an' I'd appreciate i' if we could discuss 'er in person. It be meh understandin' tha' Brendil will be taking management o' the tavern, so this be an' issue fer him ta deal with. I would moderate a discussion between Brendill an' ye Stephen if both parties are willin' ta be reasonable an' inteligent. I'll be gatherin' all information on the subject between now an' then in preparation. Anyone who has somethin' important ta say on tha' subject can send meh a dove. As few Brendil an' Stephen, I'll be waitin' ta hear from ye soon.

Durgin,
Vice King of Silverbrand

In addition lads, I will be takin' personal offense ta any further discussion o' this matter in a public area. This should be settled in private with the parties involved. End o' story.

[Garett Gwenour]

I am happy and will accept what Vice King Durgin said. This should have always been kept private. I had to however defend my position when Ghorn wrote what he did. However, Durgin is right, this should certainly not lead to war and we will not let it.
I will wait to meet with both Brendiil and Durgin, I will hope to meet you two as soon as possible.

May the gods guide us,
Stephen Rothman
Governor of Trolls Bane

[Fooser]

Personally, I don't see what the big deal is over this, but it is good to see that most people prefer peace, because this is nothing to fight over, or to argue about publicly when it isn't needed. I'm sure there is something that can be done to appease all involved?

F

[Ghorn]

Durgin is right, we shall meet an' talk about that in privat. Like Stephen should hav' don' in tha beginnin', but never did befor' he started all that.

But lad, I don't know why ya think we threat with war. I never did. Don't know why ya think of war just because we said we won't accept an' allow that someone sells our property.

An' I also see no reasons for ya cheap an' ya out of place insults. Ya speak of me bein' not capable to be king?What ya wrote ther' was tha stupiest someone in ya position could hav' done! I hope one day you will stop spreadin' lies an' untruth about me an' Silverbrand. Not that i car' much for childish yakety-yak like that. But its unnecessary to do so, aye.

So, tell me when ya hav' time to meet with Brendill, Durgin an' me.

King Ghorn