Duke's Men
A title granted by the Duke of Dort which allows the bearer to call upon local authorities for assistance in matters of urgency to the well-being of the Duke and his people.
To confuse matters, the Duke's Men was also the name a short-lived theatre troupe in Dort.
Protectors of the Realm
Those holding this title are deemed heroes of the realm, and include the PCs Gavin Tylvan and Abner Klop.
Identification
A round golden coin, large enough to fill a man's palm. They are embossed with the seal of the Duke and inscribed on the reverse in three languages: Dwarvish, Adhiel and Human. A sword and a small crown are added to the bottom right corner of the Duke's insignia.
Revenue and Customs
The Duke of Dort is reliant on the taxes raised from his subjects, and from the taxes levied on imports to the island. He is very aware of the loss of revenue from smuggling, especially revenue lost from Hafne, and to that end has created an island-wide organisation charged with breaking the smuggling ring.
Jurisdiction
Locum
- operating island-wide
- based in the cellars of the Government Tower in Castle Von Beersel, Dort
Subjectum
- to prevent the import of goods into Dort without the payment of taxes
- to bring those responsible to justice
- to build a network of informants that will prevent the creation of new smuggling rings
In short, a cross between the Inland Revenue and the Untouchables!
Structure
Reeve
The Reeve is the organisational head of the Duke's Men. He reports directly to the Duke, and is responsible for co-ordinating overall operations against the smuggling rings in Dort.
Officers-in-charge
There are several Officers-in-Charge; they are responsible for a specific local area. There are currently Officers-in-Charge for:
Head Clerk
Administrative head of the Duke's men; he and his junior clerks are responsible for keeping records, albeit primitive ones, of known smugglers, contacts, informants, and places of operation. The records contain details such as name, description, foibles, preferred methods of operation, etc. The Head Clerk is also responsible for payment of the Duke's Men, and for the payment of informants.
Journeymen
The foot soldiers of the Duke's Men, so named because they journey across the island! Each journeyman carries a small bronze broach in the form of a shield ( which is often concealed), along with documents stating that the carrier is a Journeyman of the Duke, and has full jurisdiction over any smuggling matters, regardless of where the Journeyman is. Production of the bronze shield entitles the Journeymen to ask for (and expect to get) local administrative assistance, as well as food and lodgings. Journeymen lead a tough, lonely and dangerous life; only the most best and most trustworthy are accepted.
Thief Takers
The Officer-in-Charge for a region may also employ local external resources - contractors, bounty hunters - to assist in their 'inquiries'. These 'thief takers' do not enjoy the protection of the bronze shield that Journeymen carry, and are never involved in major lines of inquiry.
