On the matter of the library

I do not know. Is he? I would most definitely like to know.

The reason for my question being, much of this conversation has been the logic and suspicious intelligence of Father Brax...but what if this other man is a barbarian? If he is I think we must truly reconsider this situation.  

Fr. Edwin... I am no expert in Economics.  You are correct.  However, from my time as a caravan guard & mercenary, I like to think I have a basic idea of what constitutes a business or at least a trade or transaction.  I offered a service.  Merchants paid me for the service.  Sometimes I had to fight, sometimes I did nothing at all.  I offered something, & someone gave me payment for it.

You offered gold to Scholars for their assistance so your research would go faster. You offered payment for their time & service.  Is that not a business transaction?  Now you can say that the gold offered was to recompense them for their time & they weren't obligated to take it.  However, by offering the gold, you acknowledge their time is valuable or at least their efforts were worth something. Whether your final goal was to make a profit or not doesn't matter.  No one said your business had to make a profit or that your goal was to increase your revenue.

If you are against the library becoming a private, mercantile business... then turn your energy & passion toward making sure it doesn't become one.  If you're against the library being managed by the Nobility then turn your energy & passion towards that.  If you wish to "leave the operation and maintenance of the library to the librarian", you should go about in making sure that remains status quo.  I don't lean in any direction for the library or other new libraries.  Whether they are run by the government or by the merchants, is not my business.  I follow the lead of my Lords & Ladies.

Brax,

Your understanding reinforces why the barbarian hordes are nomadic or tribal at best. Your people are excellent warriors, possibly even tacticians and generals, but economics seems to escape you. I will give you an example from the current economic climate in Travance to demonstrate how you are wrong:

Ming Na has opened an inn, the Bloody Stump, to rival the Dragon's Claw. By your reasoning, his inn is redundant and hurts the development of the Travancian economy. If you asked Ming Na, he could tell you exactly how wrong you are in that regard, him being the foremost expert in Travancian mercantile development. The Bloody Stump has been a roaring success and has increased the gold flowing through the economy by an order of magnitude.

This is just one of your arguments that I've chosen to dispute. There are others that I'm sure Lois will get to.

Moira was insinuating that perhaps in your generosity as a Priest of the Light, you might offer your services gratis to those in need. You then insinuated that her opinion was worthless and she should keep it to herself. You have no standing in Travance that would give you leave to talk to her thus, she is as free to voice her opinion within the bounds of the law as you are.

Lastly, what is a High Chieftain doing cavorting around Travance? Shouldn't you be governing your people? I schedule my rounds of Drega'mire so that I am close to the Proper for the feast. I don't have any idea how many days you must spend getting to and from wherever your tribe hails without the aid of magical transportation.

Lord Abendroth

Lord Abendroth,
   I will not argue that the bloody stump has increased the economy of the barony immensely. I do attest that the bloody stump and the dragons claw inn are vastly different entities than a library.
 And in that is where I see the problem with having more than one.
I will reiterate that while I will not in any way stop anyone who wishes to open a library from doing so. I think it is unwise and the resources for it could be put to better use else where.
   If that is what Moirya was suggesting it went over my head. If that was what she was suggesting then my generosity as a priest of the light is in so much that I would be fair and overly reasonable with those whom I was escorting on said sojourn. If only I was as financially fruitful as others in the barony I might be able to offer my services as a body guard gratis. Alas I am not and can not. I did not mean to insinuate that her opinion was worthless. If that is how my words were taken then for that misunderstanding and poor communication I apologize.  I was concerned that she was insinuating my ability as a warrior was less than what it is or that I claim it to be. As my grandfather said "To question the sword in my hand is to question me as a Man." something up of which I shall not put. Moreover it seemed as though her words were only for the purpose of stirring the pot... To poke the hornets nest as it were. Which is where my commentary on her refraining from speaking if she had nothing constructive to say came from. Again if that was not her intention then I apologize for seeing it as such and responding as I did.
   As for what I am doing here. It was my fathers dying command that I see the world and learn of it such that I could be a better leader for My people. For the short summer I have excellent family and council of elders to see to the tribe whilst I am away. And I have scheduled my time such that I leave after the days become too long for the frost giants and undead to attack and I return before they shorten to such a time that the earths split open  and the ice bridge forms from the cold and dark after besets my people and we must be on guard against that which looms in the long night. As for actual time of travel it takes longer than you have stated for me to travel from and return to my people I however have as I said excellent trust worthy family and council of elders to guide My people while I am away and in case of dire emergency I have a way of returning to them within days or less if need without the use of sorcery.

I do however deeply thank you and appreciate your concern for my people. I must say you are one of those who have softened my heart to magic turning it from a loathing detestation to a tolerance. And for that I thank you.

Thank you Lord Abendroth, as you said above.. that is indeed what I was implying. I was simply saying that if Brax felt his skills were being unfairly taken advantage of then perhaps he should not be so generous with his assistance in the future. My words were not to be interpreted with the ill will that was attributed to them.

Also, I am of the opinion that there is nothing more of the productive or constructive nature that may be gleaned from overwhelming the posting board but of course, every citizen of Travance has the right to pen their thoughts and so I wish you all the best in your respective arguments.