Bribery, Bargaining and Barter

"But!" He muttered angry, shaking his fist at the guard.
"Sir Foreigner, may I be of assistance?" a smoothly lilting voice asked from behind.
"Away with ye varlet!" the guard cried, spying the beggar on the steps. The beggar automatically winced at the words, and began to scurry away. The foreigner turned, and called for the beggar to stop.
"I have an appointment with Senator Jeredosta within - but they will not allow me to enter." the foreigner explained approaching the beggar.
"Did you pay the guardsman?"
"What?"
"To enter any public door in Tharda you must pay the guardsman."

In Tharda, many politicians do not earn a wage. Instead they are expected to survive on their wits, and the bribes their wits can earn them. Bribery is an accepted business practice in Tharda that often confounds many foreigners. Some say this is intentional - others claim it comes from a long tradition of corruption and other forms of non-standard business a practice.

This article explains how to get from the gate or guardsman to the people you want to see, and how much it will cost. All Thardians believe smart foreigners are few and far between. And only the very young and the very old are exempt from trying to barter or bribe their way through situations. No one in Tharda (who is a Thardian) will be upset at the prospect of receiving a bribe to either extradite the business at hand.

The Gateways and Doorways of the Republic

The reason the great cities of Tharda have so many gates and doorways is so that the locals can change more folk for passage.

- Anonymous foreigner, 708TR.

Gatekeepers and doorkeepers are considered blessed professions in Tharda, not for any religious reason - but instead for all the wealth such men can accumulate if they are smart. Anyone on gate duty will charge between 1 sesterci and 6 denari for entry.

Shops, stores, warehouses, stables, taverns and inns are forbidden for charging a price to enter upon order of the Guild of the Mangai, who worried that this would reduce the number of people wishing entry.

A few taverns have begun insisting all that enter must order and pay for something if they wish to remain. The Guild has yet to decide if this directly breaks the ordinance, or not.

"Oh. But I have an appointment!"
"That does not matter - you must pay the guardsman. Now then, did you tell the guardsman your business within?"
"Well yes, but he..!"
"Ah that makes it worse then. He'll be wanting more."
"More? You mean because he knows..."
"Aye - since yer business within is so important, nay even time-critical - he'll be wanting more than normal."
"Well, ah - how much is normal?"
"That depends... wait here sir."

The price to enter is relatively standardized on a sliding scale. The scale is used by the legion in an attempt to keep prices down and business flowing.

Since the Thardic legion serves throughout all of the Thardic Republic–the prices are similar. The values may be slightly inflated by the greed of the gatekeeper, but all prices are negotiable.

The Scale for Coranan

Gate to the city	Price /load
- primary root	1d6 sesterci
- secondary roots	1d4 sesterci
- tertiary roots	1d3 sesterci
- river gate	1d2 sesterci

To get into a city you have to pass through a gate. The gatekeepers traditionally ask a few questions of all that enter. In the larger cities (like Coranan and Shiranan) the gatekeepers are often bored militia who are rarely willing to dicker over prices. A person travelling without baggage might be stopped and questioned. If he/she is not a local – they may even be charged a few sesterci (~1d4.) The gatekeepers will rarely dicker over the price.

However, most travelers will find guides, assistant ostlers, and other "helpful" people lingering around the gate.

The first thing these folk will help themselves to is the stranger’s money. A wise Thardian will throw a sesterci in the air and let Halea decide who will help him. (The one who catches the sesterci is obviously blessed.) It is recommended the stranger stick with one guide – promising him a sesterci for ever task he is asked for.

The loads a merchant brings into the city are taxed upon entry. About half the money collected is divided among the gatekeepers and the remainder returned to the city as part of its taxing. Some merchants pay the gatekeepers a bit more to keep their names off registry of entry.

Entry into a military holding	Price/ head	Price / Load
- castle	1d6 drams	1d6 sesterci
- fortress	1d4 drams	1d4 sesterci
- keep	1d3 drams	1d3 sesterci
- fortification (mile-fort)	1d4 sesterci	1d2 sesterci

Military holdings rarely receive non-military visitors. So when they do – the gatekeepers know they can afford to charge greatly. Anyone who enters with a legion escort is rarely charged more than a token fee (half normal.) This may be a cheaper solution than paying the tax at the entry.

The prices for entering a military holding were standardized in 694TR to help ease the burden on returning visitors. Merchants know the prices ahead of time, and have raised their overall fees accordingly. Occasional visitors often make deals with "friend" legionnaires – promising a certain amount of fresh goods in return for not paying the entry fee. One-quarter goes to the Mani, One quarter goes to the tenaci’s food budget, and the rest is divided among the men at the gate.

Entry in to a political holding	Price / head
- public building	1d4 sesterci
- public council house	1d3 drams
- guild house	1d4 drams
- The Red Domes of Coranan	1d6 drams

Long ago Tharda realized it was useless to try and keep people out with guards. Now they keep people out with fees. Any politician can enter a political holding (usually with friends, clerks and clients in toe) without paying a single sesterci. If the guards do not recognize the approaching visitor, they are expected to detain him/her and ask their name. Usually a clerk lurks just inside the door to whisper if the newcomer is welcome, or not.

Adjustments

The beggar ambled back to the steps, and waggled a finger at the guard.
"What do you want," the guard barked.
"What be the going rate."
"Intent on getting in eh?" the guard teased, holding up four fingers. His compatriot laughed at the shared joke as the beggar wandered back to his newfound friend.
"So - four denari..." the beggar began.
"What!" the foreigner looked astonished.
"To get in."The price to open the door is only the beginning of your transaction. And even that’s not a static price. The goal for successful bribery in Tharda is two fold.

The first is to convince the person you are trying to bribe that you are rich and powerful, or at least that you have rich and powerful friends/patrons. This will force the person being bribed to decide if they wish to force the issue (and get more money – but risk delaying you and making your powerful self/ friends/ patrons angry,) or accept the going price.

The second is for the person being bribed to get as much money as they can while keeping their honor and dignity intact.

Getting There - FASTER

"There's more?" the foreigner asked in total disbelief.
"Oh aye - most of the staff ye shall meet will have to be paid to speed ye along yer way."
"Upon entry ye be talking to a secretary. Give him five, and promise him five more to speed yer passage. When he hands ye off promise him five again to see ye to the end. Tell him every penny he saves ye from 100 drams, will be his..."
"100 drams!" the foreigner seemed about to faint.

Bribery is the natural state of affairs in Tharda. Without it – you may be left on the stairs (like our friend the Foreigner.) The cost of entering, and transacting business, can be very high if you don’t know the basics.

With Slaves in General

Slaves are often permitted free entry into any holding. Since slaves rarely go anywhere of their own accord – few are willing to chance that the slave is not working for a powerful patron. Slaves must identify themselves, and where they are going to the gate keepers/guardsmen. Usually, the guards will take pity of the slave and help him/her fulfil his task. This pity is more forthcoming if the slave tells tales of their master’s horrible temper or great distress at the slave being late.

Bribing a slave for assistance is always a good idea. Most all slaves will gladly take whatever they are given for the task. Once inside they can transfer messages, and even help you get in through a back way. Taking such a bribe (if you are not the slave’s master) is always a great risk for the slave, but well worth the chance if the price is right.

With Freedmen in General

Freedmen are often charged full price with no chance to dicker. Freedmen must be less direct if they wish avoid the bribery at doorways. Instead they must convince the person they wish to speak with to summon them hither. Without such a summons the door prices are often too high for a freedman to pay casually.

The freedman is a hungry caste.
Hungry for wealth
Hungry for power
Hungry for fame

Halean saying

Bribing a freedman is never easy. They charge a lot for what little free time they have. Considered the lowest of the free castes, they are very money hungry. In a society where money is everything they are often the poorest. Skills are often all that freedmen have to offer. A few may have information you require – but they are very few indeed. Few in Tharda will trust a freedman’s word because, according to the stereotype, he will always sell it to the highest bidder.

With Citizens in General

Citizens dicker daily. Prices are always negotiable and it is a merchant or gatekeepers right to raise the prices as they see fit. In return it is a citizen’s duty to try and talk those prices back down.

Bribing a Citizen is easy. Most citizens recognize that their information and skills are valuable and will sell them for a reasonable price. To a Thardic citizen, a bribe is seen more as a short-term contract. It has limitations, and regulations, promising a certain amount of goods or information within a given time frame for an agreed upon amount of money.

With Merchants

Merchants understand the bribing process in Tharda almost as well as a politician. If you wish to get something of value, why shouldn’t all hands that are extended towards helping you receive a little grease?

To truly confuse and confound a merchant – buy his goods for the price he offers them.

Halean saying

With the Halean Temple

The Halean is the prominent religion of the Equestrian class. You can not "bribe" the Halean Temple. However, the goddess appreciates gifts. She shows her appreciation through good fortune cast upon the gift giver. The more gifts – the better the fortune (or so they say.) If you worship Halea – always your first coin goes to the Halean temple. It is believed that all future wealth comes from this bounty.

With Politicians

Politicians are rarely paid a salary in Tharda. Instead the people whom they aid support them. When they need to bribe someone it is often more a form of blackmail. Money rarely changes hands. Instead they may trade goods, or land – things seen as having a more permanent value than money.

Bribing a politician is expensive. Most politicians have powerful patrons. They do not fear a citizen, freedman or foreigner with a need for information. But, since it is the thing to do – the politician will dicker openly on price and then provide all they see fit to give once the money has changed hands.

But I Don’t Have That MUCH Coin!

The foreigner exclaimed loud enough for passer-bys to turn their heads, hoping to see something of interest.
"Aye," The beggar agreed. "Few do." He sighed as he watched the color darken in the foreigner’s face. "Have ye not heard of barter?" he offered by way of explanation.

Tharda still deals in barter as much as it does in coin. So how do you "barter" a bribe?

If you have insufficient coin you can offer the marriage of your oldest daughter (considered worth about 100d plus social ranking,) land, or goods. Usually both sides dicker on the price of the goods in question and come to an agreement as to there worth.

Sometimes though, when there is just not enough coin or goods to be had – the briber can offer to server the person he wishes to bribe. The briber agrees to go into either a limited servitude or become a client of the person being bribed.

Limited servitude is giving the person being bribed a free servant for an agreed upon number of days.

Becoming someone’s client means that person (your patron) has absolute say over such things as whom your daughters and sons marry and whom they (and you) may work for. In return you (the client) receive his protection and future support. It is not something to be taken lightly.

Why am I doing this again?

"So four to the guardsman..."
"Nay - that were if he did not know yer business. In Coranan it can be as much as six to get through a gate if ye not be citizen nor local. Give each guardsman up there 5 and they shall do ye well."
"What can they do? They’re just standing at the door."
"They can kill ye for trespass."
"Oh."
"Aye - next time invite the Senator to yer villa instead of coming here to meet him."
"But I thought..."
"Ye thought like a foreigner and that be expensive."
"Well -"
"Git going. Ye has much to do this day if ye wish to be done by dusk."

Thardic society is quite different from its surrounding Feudal neighbors in that bribery is never a crime. No one will be insulted for the offer, as it’s a type of compliment.

Game-Stuff

In HârnMaster - bribery is the same as a barter. You make a check against the Rhetoric skill (1d100) – the other person’s Intelligence stat (3d6.)

E.g.:

Caius the Milities Primus guards the gate to Fobin Keep (keep = 1d3 drams per head, 1d3 sestarci per load.) Fouor men on horseback approaches him.

"Halt." Caius cries.

"Ho-there Guardsman, I be Master Merchant Gordianus. I have business within. Let me pass."

"Come forth and be recognized."

Gordianus comes forward, and dismounts.

"Ye hath 4 servitors and three pack animals?" Caius asks.

"Aye. So that be what, 5 drams and 3 sesterci?" Gordianus suggests.

(The PC rolls 1d100 and receives a 35, his Rhetoric skill is 42-Gordianus’s INT (15) = 38 – a critical success.) "Nay, the price for yer entry be much higher than that. I’d say 16 drams and 3 sesterci. It be a hot day, and those within need their sleep. Let me see the color of thyn money to prove yer worth."

"But so much!" Exclaims Gordianus in faked shock. (The GM rolls 1d100 and gets an 89, Gordianus’s Rhetoric skill was a 63-Caius’s INT (15) = 74 – a marginal success.) Gordianus sputters and exclaims that he doesn’t have that kind of money.

Caius sighs. "Well then, ‘master merchant’ what be yer cargo. Mayhap we can barter…."

(PC rolls a 40, GM rolls a 64)

"Alright ye thief. Take this fine worsted blanket and them there candles plus 8 denari. Now let us through." Gordianus waves his hands frantically as his servant’s rush to unpack the goods. "Such a tax…" Gordianus begins, but thinks the better for it before continuing. Caius merely smiles.

"Open the gates for Master Merchant Gordianus who has business within." Caius calls out. And the gates slowly swing inward.

Words from our Sponsor

But...wait why are you helping me?"
"Because us foreigners must stick together here in Tharda." the beggar chuckled, "If ye were a Thardian, all the prices would be halved."
As the beggar walked off, the foreigner looked back at the stairs with renewed determination and disgust.

Tharda is a society propelled best by financial gain. With over one third of its population involved in either the military, and/or politics, life can be very confusing for those not so politically inclined.

Still – there are loopholes. Residents of a city rarely pay a toll for entering their home city. Why? Because they rarely have loads of goods with them. Some of the more powerful merchants and caravans send runners ahead to the large cities to inform the gatekeepers of their arrival. These runners often have sufficient coin to pay the entry fee before their masters arrive, thus keeping the flow of goods into the cities uninterrupted.

Tharda is described in the Columbia Games books as being "Corrupt." That is very true. However, it runs more smoothly than most of its feudal neighbors. Since everyone knows the system is corrupt, most people ban together, joining the wealth of an equestrian clan with the masses of citizens and freedmen who are artisans, workers and informants. Together they form a patron-client relationship.

Dignitas in Tharda

Through the power (or reputation) of the patron, the clients all gain some bartering ability in any situation. And the patron gains many hands to do his bidding. This situation helps everyone involved. Without it, the corruption would make life almost impossible.

Tharda is a totally incomprehensible to foreigners, mostly because the Thardians define such things as personal honor differently. There is no chivalric code here. If a Thardian carries a weapon (even a chivalric one, like a long sword) it is because he/she knows how to use it.

But never forget that Dignitas is important to Thardians. They believe how they conduct themselves, how much money they earn and how well they keep their word and their social appearance is very important.

Foreigners cannot have Dignitas, just as Thardians cannot be chivalric. Both a foreigner, and a Thardian may help someone in distress; but a chivalric foreigner will request little or no reward, while a Thardian expects either money, or patronship (taking the person(s) saved as clients) for their deeds.

Nothing comes for Free
Not even Death.

Halean Saying

A Thardian is just as insulted to be called greedy, corrupt or unhonorable as anyone else. But they expect such insults from foreigners. Tharda is a different place, with its own rules and its own games. They can be a powerful ally and a dangerous enemy.

This article was designed for the players of "Join the Legion" a fantasy campaign set in Tharda to explain the attitudes and intentions of the stereotypical folk they may meet in the campaign.

This article is part II of the Surviving Tharda series. Part I is "Surviving Tharda – the Caste System."

This page was last updated on August 28, 2002
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