CHAPTER 70: Plans for a woodcutter’s camp

After meeting Orilay, I sat down with Karato, Hana and the old man in the inn having some lunch. Normally Haruhime wouldn’t make lunch for patrons but we were invited due to a windfall of Bullfrog meat that hit the town. Haruhime served us a meal of meat and vegetables that was to die for. We polished off two courses and were so full that our supper threatened to become breakfast.

“You must eat. There’s so much thanks to the freezing works, we’re going to be eating Bullfrog meat for a while still. Thanks to you Shane. So, lunch is on us today.”

I got a slap on the back from Karato that sent my lungs into spasms. It was painful as usual.

“It’s a pity that Orilay had to come back under that cloud.”

I commented without much thought. When I looked at the others they all stopped eating and drinking and were looking at me in disbelief.

“You’ve got to be kidding right?”

Said the old man.

“What are you talking about son, look around you. I’ve never seen this town in such a buzz. I’d almost swear I can smell hope here for the first time. That’s all your doing.”

We weren’t the only ones there. Looking at the dining room, there were numerous people, all of which looked very happy. There were adventurers, traders and even some townsfolk eating here. Haruhime looked a bit overworked, but even she looked happy.

“Huh, since when did traders get here?”

“Where there’s life, people will find a way. A few monsters won’t stop that.”

People discovered there was more than one way to get to Shimmerstal. I tapped into that buzz for the first time, closed my eyes and allowed myself to feel the hopeful atmosphere. As if feeding on that energy, my mind suddenly reminded me of something.

“Karato. I need some information.”

Why did the bearded ones smile at me like that?

“It’s happening again.”

“Yep.”

“Go for it, Shane. I’m all ears.”

What on earth were they on about? I felt a bit like Alice in wonderland but decided to ignore it.

“Why does the mayor hold the monopoly on woodcutting in Obon?”

“That’s a good question. But it’s going to take a bit of an explanation. Are you willing to listen through it?”

I nodded and ordered another round of drinks for us. The precis version of Karato’s explanation described the land resource rights of the nobles. Obon and surrounds had a different arrangement because all the nobles shunned the area, none wanted the responsibility of looking after a land they considered worthless. Obon consisted of a large chunk of land starting from about halfway into the eastern Blister Oak Forest, all the way west, past Obon until it reached the eastern borders of Arania.

From Obon, that was about three days travel eastwards, towards Shimmerstal, and nearly seven days travel westwards, towards Arania. And that also included the Wildemere marshlands and the Mystral mountains within the Aryonne kingdom’s territory. It was a vast area, the largest in the kingdom. Unfortunately, the military costs of maintaining what the nobles considered nothing else, but scrub, desert, wasteland, and marshland didn’t make fiscal sense to the nobles. Besides, there were no mineral resources worth pursuing and what there might be, too costly to retrieve. Considering that situation, the palace was forced to own the land and claimed taxes directly from the people that lived there, as little as it was. The population in the area didn’t amount to more than one hundred and fifty thousand people. There were no cities, no major centres and most people were scattered in small villages like Obon around the whole area. Most of the villages were towards the edge of the southern forest.

“…Bringing me to my point. Obon’s mayor is a placement instituted by the palace to manage the town and the surrounds. He has the right to allocate resources as he sees fit, all while he continues paying the taxes for the region. From what I hear, the taxes from this region only amount to about fifty gold a summer cycle.”

Heck, with what I currently had in the Dryad, thanks to our mayor, could easily pay those taxes a few times over. From what I had seen on the Marsh Iron Quest, resources abounded there. The nobles were too fettered by their blinkered thinking to see it. Karato continued.

“I believe he must pay his taxes in the next two moon cycles. If he doesn’t or if he is found to be dishonest in his dealings, the palace will remove him and place another more capable person in his place. Also, the people will be burdened with added taxes, including a penalty for missing the tax collection deadline.”

Flipping heck, I thought those rules were tough. No wonder the mayor slept uneasily. It would be dangerous to walk in the streets when the people found out he missed the tax deadline. No number of thugs would save him from that. On the other hand, I didn’t want the townsfolk to suffer for my actions. I had the strangest of feelings that Karato knew more about what was going on than he let on. That talk was more than just a convenient history lesson, it was seconding as a mild warning to me.

“Karato. No matter what happens going forward. Obon will meet its tax obligations.”

He nodded and smiled.

“I thought as much. On the other hand, the mayor isn’t the only one that can issue resource rights.”

“Eh, what do you mean?”

“Since the palace owns the land in the absence of a noble, it can issue resources for anything, overriding whatever the mayor has arranged. What would you specifically want if you could ask the palace?”

That got my head thinking on overdrive.

I could handle the seventy gold once off, but I don’t know about the ongoing seventy gold every forty-two days.

“Shane, are you okay?”

Hana was a bit concerned about my prolonged silence, bringing me back to the present.

“Sorry. I’m just doing a mental calculation. I would like permission from the palace to challenge the mayor’s woodcutting resource rights.”

“He, he, he.”

Cackled the old man. Karato leaned forward while leaning with his elbows on the table.

“The palace cannot stop the mayor’s current resource lease, but there is no reason why the palace can’t start another. I’ll even go so far as to say the palace will set up a contract with you to purchase all the lumber you produce. I’ll set up an agreement for you to sign after I’ve returned from Shimmerstal. But you have full permission from the palace to proceed, I’ll ratify it with my return.”

“Wait, I didn’t say I was going to start immediately. You’re going to set up an agreement? When did that happen?”

That I was shocked to the core was an understatement.

“He, he, he. I’ll come work for you, just to get you started.”

Cackled the old man again. He seemed to be the only one having a good time.

“Has anyone considered the fact that there are monsters out there still?”

“Don’t worry about it. If you operate more to the southwest in the forest, the monsters shouldn’t be that prominent there. Also, the track Grenfell and I used to come here, runs southwards and then cuts north intersecting the Shimmerstal Obon road about two days out from Shimmerstal. It used to be a well-used road linking the southern villages to Shimmerstal, but since the main road shifted north it’s not maintained anymore and it’s better to call it an overgrown track. The track is still within the Obon territory so it would make a perfect road for your lumber business. I think you can upgrade the track into a half decent road still, seeing that it’s more level than the newer road so it shouldn’t require any bridges.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Karato was talking about making a road. My monster of a business had just grown legs, arms, and teeth. It was too late for me to back out. The train was on a downhill and I was just holding on.

“I’ll talk to the palace about improving the troop coverage on that road. They owe me a few favours.”

My monster became a behemoth in a matter of seconds.

“Look slow down a little. It’s a bit much for me.”

“Don’t worry Shane, I have the perfect person to help you.”

“You do?”

“When you get to the Dryad, I’ll introduce you.”

“If I can interject for a moment…”

Karato raised his voice slightly.

“I’ll be heading to Shimmerstal tomorrow. If there’s anything you want to organise, now’s the time.”

Grenfell excused himself from the conversation since he was full after lunch and didn’t have anything further to add to the conversation.

“I’ll leave it to you. See me when you’re ready.”

He left with a dismissive wave, leaving Hana and I with Karato. We had a few things to discuss, I needed him to get a message through to Mr. Papadopoulos as well as sell and buy a few things for me.

“Karato, I need a favour from you.”

“I’ll hear you out first.”

“Give me a five-summer contract for the wood and a one hundred and forty small gold loan.”

“I don’t mind the loan but that’s too much for a contract, no palace contract goes longer than two summers.”

“Then make it three and consider it as a down payment for some of the favours you’ll ask me later.”

“Why’s that so important to you, we could always renew the contract you know?”

“I just have a gut feeling this is going to be important and I trust my gut.”

Securing a palace contract was like having gold in a safety deposit. It put my mind at ease at the very least.

“Very well then, three summers it is.”

Somewhat later with arrangements having been made, we left Karato and headed to Orilay and Alma, there was still some business for me to complete with them.

“Shane, come in, come in. Please, both of you sit down.”

Orilay was looking far better than when I left him earlier. He seemed positively buoyant. Alma was radiating, having Orilay back.

“I can’t believe what’s happened since I’ve left to go woodcutting. Food suddenly appeared from nowhere, the townsfolk looking so happy and even Alma with all her good news. I don’t know how to thank you Shane?”

“I’m glad you’re looking better Orilay, you had me a bit concerned there for a moment.”

“I’m sorry about that. I’ve recovered though, the news from home was far better than I hoped.”

“Well, it’s about to get better. You might want to pour yourself a stiff drink if you have one, this could take a while.”

Firstly, I introduced Hana to Orilay and explained how I met her. He laughed so loud I started to feel embarrassed. It turned out that the woodcutters had a few close calls with goblins. Thankfully the Direwolves hadn’t made an appearance since I left them. I suspected they penetrated further north, evidenced by our Marsh Iron Quest battles that included large numbers of direwolves. Following that topic, I moved to the subject I really wanted to discuss with Orilay.

“I want to start my own woodcutter’s camp.”

“Are you serious. Even if you had the money, how would you get the resource consent? And what about the mayor?”

“Yes I’m very serious, I’ve already got the money and I’ve already received permission from the palace to proceed. Plus, I have a supply agreement contract with them where they’ll buy all the lumber we can produce, the paperwork will arrive in about fifteen days. In the meanwhile, I’m looking for about fifty woodcutters who will participate and start with the preparations. I only have one requirement. All the men that stay in the camp need to learn to play a musical instrument.”

Orilay looked shocked. Just a few moon cycles ago I couldn’t produce a few coppers to my name and there I was suddenly competing with the mayor for major projects.

“As an added incentive, I’ll pay better rates than Mr. Marset while giving you the best equipment.”

“I’m not sure where to start. But assuming what you say is true, and I’m pretty sure most of the woodcutters I know will join, why learn to play an instrument?”

“I like a balanced camp. I’ll even supply the instruments.”

“On another note, who would you like to run the camp?”

“If the boss could join that would be fine with me.”

“Well see, that’s a problem. He’s tied to a long-term contract, whereas we are hired on an as needed basis.”

That was a pity, I really would have liked to have him as part of the new woodcutter’s camp.

“How are you going to get around the monster issue?”

“Good question, we’re going to be working further south and on a remote track that will need a bit of work. The monsters shouldn’t be too prevalent there, and the palace will guard a part of the main road that will intersect our track. I’m also permanently arranging an adventurer team to be guarding the woodcutters. I’ll make sure they have the best weaponry available too. I’ll be helping and Grenfell will be coming too.”

“Oh, wow. That seems like a good arrangement. I’m happy to help you with that, but if you’re only looking to go in about fifteen days’ time, a lot of the woodcutters will be needing employment since the mayor is not paying salaries.”

“I have a few interesting jobs to keep you all busy until then. Interested?”

“How can I say no?”

“That sounds good. Meet me tomorrow outside your house with as many of the woodcutters you can put together. Also bring along some skinning knives and a cart. I’ll have some work for you nearby. By the way, just how much does lumber pay?”

How else could I tell him I went into all those arrangements without even knowing what money I would make as the owner of the business. It turned out that the mayor made seventy percent of the profits, the rest spread out between the camp supervisor who received twenty five percent of the lumber sales and the five percent between the rest including winter lumber. On a good season the mayor made between fifty to seventy small gold profit per moon cycle for doing practically nothing. It meant I could pay back my initial investment within two moon cycles. It was also worth keeping in mind that during the depths of winter there was no money coming in, meaning for at least a year or about seven moon cycles there, I wouldn’t earn a cent. If I spread out that profit margin over the lean period, the money looked less attractive.

I needed to add value to the lumber we created. What we needed was a way to improve the efficiency of sawing timber, I thought of something along the lines of a sawmill. But Ara mentioned that we could modify ethereally powered golems to act as motors, which opened a world of possibilities not limited to naturally available resources. With that in mind, Ara worked on modularised sawmill designs for us, something that we could easily assemble.