Talon of Kauppahall

Overview

Talon of Kauppahall is an Imperial title, responsible for overseeing the prosperity of the trading hall of the same name. The motion to construct Kauppahall was raised by Hengest Dun, Senator for Hahnmark, during the Winter Solstice 383YE, taking advantage of an opportunity presented that season. Construction was completed shortly before the Spring Equinox 384YE but election of the title was stalled due to issues raised by the Constitutional Court. The Imperial Senate voted to amend the position and the first Talon of Kauppahall was elected at the same summit.

Responsibilities

The Talon of Kauppahall is responsible for ensuring the safety of the Kauppahall, and the trade that passes through it. Merchants from southern Hahnmark and northern Kallavesa come here to sell their wares, and if these merchants or the hall itself were to be threatened, it would be the responsibility of the Talon to deal with those threats. Likewise, if any particular opportunity were to arise related to the Kauppahall, the Talon would expect to be consulted as to how that opportunity might be resolved.

Powers

Ministry

Kauppahall Market
152 Crowns	8 wains of white granite
259 Crowns	11 wains of white granite
354 Crowns	14 wains of white granite

Torn Light's Legacy
22 Crowns	1 ring of ilium
53 Crowns	2 rings of ilium
87 Crowns	3 rings of ilium
129 Crowns	4 rings of ilium

As a ministry, the Talon can purchase quantities of white granite and ilium at a set price. The Talon spends their money and makes their choices during downtime from their character page. Money is removed from, and resources are placed into, the character's inventory when the downtime is processed.

Summit	Elected	Votes
Spring Equinox 385YE	Vauraus Korppitkotka	259 Votes
Spring Equinox 384YE	Vauraus Korppitkotka	195 Votes

Recent Elections

This title is currently held by Vauraus Korppitkotka; it will be reelected at Spring Equinox 386YE. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.

Appointment

This title is appointed during the Spring Equinox each year. The Talon of Kauppahall is appointed, through the Tally of the Votes, by citizens of Wintermark who control military units. The larger the resource an individual has, the more votes they can allocate in support to a candidate. The voting is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse.

Only a Wintermark citizen may hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be revoked by the Imperial Synod.

Kauppahall

Valashal, in Valasmark, was constructed on the site of a much older hall, the Runehall. According to legend the Runehall was built by a Troll the scops named The Torn Light of Night Falling, but it was said to be cursed. Brigid Gunthermsdottir razed the Runehall to the ground and had fresh timber and stone brought in so that no part of the original remained. Over time the settlement grew and in 383YE a [[suaq[[ icewalker named Artja Fivefeet proposed the construction of the Kauppahall, a new trading hall that would allow bring together merchants from southern Hahnmark and northern Kallavesa.

The hall is actually a pair of twinned buildings, laid out to resemble the curving forms of the rune Lann. It particularily facilitates trade in stone from the nearby hills helping to enrich Valasmark as well as creating an opportunity for the Talon to buy small quantities of white granite when they come up for sale. As well as white granite, the nearby hills produce the odd ring of ilium, which might also be available on the market. Fearful children claim that this ilium is Torn Light's final legacy and that it is cursed, but there is no truth to this. Every magician who has ever examined the ilium that is found here confirms that it is pure and unsullied by any curse.

Following the attempt by the scions of the Cold SUn to destroy Valashal in the Winter of 385YE, stories of the cursed ilium began doing the rounds again. After all, before the Kauppahall was built, and before the ilium was coming into the area with regularlity, there had never been a single attack of an army drawn from the Day realm. Could that really be just a coincidence?

The Title in Play

The role does not provide additional information about events in the Empire, nor allow the player holding it to request special reports or downtime actions. These details are assumed to be below the abstraction layer. The title holder is encouraged to create their own stories about their activities within reasonable limits and to get involved in events appropriate to their title during the game, but they do not have any powers beyond those explicitly listed in the section on powers.

These details exist partly to provide context and character to the role - and partly to allow our writers to use the title as a plot hook. Plot that involves the position will be rare - but all the campaign positions in Empire have these details to create the potential for it to happen.