This location can be peer- or self-moderated for standard transactions; anything else will need to be authorised by a member of staff. Please remember to Timestamp your post. This location was written by Vyke. |
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Royal Bank of Daltina
Given a privileged position on the east side of the Aurora District, the Royal Bank was a weighty establishment constructed largely of pure white marble. Just under the shallow peak of the roof, a small circular stained-glass window showed the red cross and blue fleurs-de-lis of Enamoria, which had long ago replaced a similar window depicting the royal seal of Daltina. Under this, the double doors generally stood open during business hours unless bitter cold reigned outside, although a halberd-equipped private guard was always stationed just inside, usually easily visible from the street. On the stone tile on the ground in front of the door, greatly faded by the wear of many patterns of footsteps was an inscription. By now it had been worn to the point that only a few letters could be read: "By Ap...me... Hi... ..esty..." Presumably it had originally given the name of the Daltinan monarch who had allowed it to name itself a royal institution and authorized its construction in the Aurora District - the bank was the only private business currently allowed to operate there. These days, no one seemed to be able to remember the exact king involved, the actual charter itself having disintegrated patterns ago.
Past the guard and inside the main building, one found a spacious and airy foyer, since the roof was fairly high and there was only a single floor above ground. Obviously the businessmen who had first constructed the bank long ago were little concerned with the expense involved, because the interior, too, contained a good deal of white marble, and even the parts of the building that weren't marble were richly made but predominantly white, including the furnishings. Early in the brightening, when the sun shone through the stained-glass window above the door, a small beautiful pattern of red and blue light was cast on the floor, but during the rest of the day there was little to break the chromatic monotony.
A wide desk was situated at the far end of the foyer, behind which a human woman with prematurely graying hair dealt with most regular, small-sum transactions. Behind her were several oaken doors leading to the offices used by various accountants and the bank's manager, whose door bore the name "Robert Whitson" in large, imposing letters. Clients who wanted loans of significant size, deferment of loan payments, or otherwise had business of unusual or risky nature were asked to wait in the foyer, usually for several minutes until Mr. Whitson finished whatever he was doing, then were ushered in to speak to him personally. Also behind the teller's desk was a roped-off staircase leading down under the floor, beside which another private halberdier stood watch. Only employees were allowed down the stairs, though it was said that the bank had an entire network of vaults in the cellars where all of the bank's great material wealth was stored, including not only crowns and gold bullion but an immense variety of items of varying value, including both objects stored by the bank on behalf of clients, and items belonging to the bank itself, taken from individuals either as collateral or as debt payment when currency wasn't available.
On the teller's desk was a small sign providing some basic information: "Opening an account requires identification and a one-time fee of fifteen crowns. Purchase and sale of banknotes is free for those with an account. Currency exchange service subject to availability of individual currencies. Secure storage available starting at twenty crowns per era."
The teller greeted everyone who came to her with the same phrase.
"Welcome to the Royal Bank. What can we do for you today?"
NPCs
Ruth Berliss - Ruth is the teller who sits behind the main desk and deals with most of the clients in a calm and professional manner. Although she is only in her thirties, her gray hair tends to give the impression that she is significantly older than she is. She has been doing her job long enough to know the ins and outs of it and can be fairly firm when need be. Still, whenever something unusual or unpleasant comes up she's usually eager to defer the problem to the manager.
Robert Whitson - Mr. Whitson is the bank's manager, and can commonly be found going over the ledgers or meeting with clients for various reasons. In his middle sixties, he is a moderately overweight man with a fringe of gray hair around his head and a face worn by worry, though the imposing size of his desk and office tends to make him seem more formidable than he would appear in other settings. He has a genuine desire to help his clients and has been known to give risky loans to those in need. However, his sympathy quickly evaporates when faced with those who willingly signed up for such debts and then suddenly found themselves unable to pay for them. When forced to choose he will put the interests of the bank first, and not all of the disparate items in the bank's vault were given willingly.
![[Aurora] Royal Bank of Daltina](http://www.playbypost.com/forums/iconimages/daltina/aurora-royal-bank-daltina_ltr.gif)
Matters of Interest.
Linear Mode
