Portshire Counting House

[Riconus Xind'ell]

	OFFICIAL PROPERTY OF THE SAPPHIRE ACQUISITIONS GROUP

Arisen from the overlapping tegula roof tiles of the Mercantile District, the Portshire Counting House has it's place atop the risen ashes of the Seaman's Guild. The ramifications of the Earldom of Portshire's new wealth has streamlined the functionality of businesses into a singular structure of monetary exchange. It stands as testament to the Earl Xind'ell's ambition to service all aspects of the city, with the working-class of Portshire having a new place to store their treasures, but a stone's throw away from the rugged piers.

In order to account for the shifting earth of the Docks, the Portshire Counting House is, out of necessity, built of wood, with only three rooms in the entire bank, despite each quarter being extremely large. As one enters the bank, which is clearly identified by a plaque above the front doors, patrons are welcomed into a large foyer. Seats and desks line all walls of the room, while a single front desk lines the entire width of the lobby, complete with four posts for bank clerks to conduct business.

To the right of the bank clerks, a small passageway is left open to a large office in the rear of the Counting House, reserved for the bank manager, and private business matters that need discussing away from private eyes. To the left of the clerks, is a large iron door guarded by two soldiers of the Sapphire Guard, leading to a fortified bank vault of reinforced steel and stone. Another three men in Sapphire Guard tabards stand inside the vault, in full battle kit, and armed to the teeth. It becomes painfully obvious, that despite the bank being located in the poorer half of town, security is not a concern.

Neither the bank manager's office, nor the security vault, are of any matter to the regular customer that might come in, for their attention is immediately drawn to the beautiful elven maiden behind the teller desk, who addresses anyone who approaches with an enchanting voice.

"Serale. What may the Portshire Counting House do for you, this brightening?"

	Goods & Services High-Interest Savings Accounts Fiscal Safeguarding - Private Accounts and Lockbox Loans and Debt Currency Exchange Checks Honored and Cashed Functions of the Xind'ell Household

[Rossen Klaa'ren]

Timestamp: Second Cycle Aperitus, In the Season of the Longest Winter, Era II of the Celestine Mandate, Era XVI Post Fractum

Alone on the busy district, a rather young, harmless-looking, elf-eared woman stood with a fretful expression on her face. Wearing a worn-looking wool dress and an apron, with a handkerchief holding down her loosely pinned flaxen hair, she was rather plain in dress and ordinary in appearances as far as most folk went. A troubled look crossed her delicate features. Clearly she was a bit lost, having the tendency to go wandering in one direction the next, then appearing to change her mind and retrace her steps to deliberate once more.

Rinse and Repeat.

"....Oh, but I was sure that it was somewhere around here..."

Rossen frowned. There was no doubt in her mind that her abysmal sense of direction would take her places far and wide. Whether or not it would take her to her intended destination, there was a bit more room for that sort of uncertainty.

As divine intervention would have it, there was no longer any time for needless dithering as Rossen was shoved in the back by a passer-by who suffered not the lost straggler who blocked his way. In the crowded street, Rossen lost balance, and then found herself stumbling forward nearly headfirst through the doors of...

"Oh! Here I am!" She remarked with bright bemusedness, looking about her new surroundings. Goodness, the new Portshire Counting House was larger than she'd imagined.

Though she was meek at first, Rossen quickly remembered why she was here in the first place, gathered herself together, and calmly made her way up to the teller desk.

"Pardon me, I'd like to open an account and make a deposit, if you please."

As for the amount she was intending to deposit, the amount came up to a total of 15,000 crowns.

[Riconus Xind'ell]

The elven clerk issued Rossen a warm smile as she approached the counter, and quickly retrieved the paperwork for her to quickly fill out. "I'm glad you have chosen to make the Portshire Counting House the place to ensure the safety of your savings. If I could just get your name miss, as well as your Imperial Visa to verify?

Currently, the interest rate on a standard savings account is 3%, compounded era to era. There is a small, one-time fee of 3 crowns to open the account, which will be withdrawn from the interest gained on the account after ten months. Please, if you would just sign on this piece of paper here, we'll have your account set up immediately."

After all the necessary paperwork was filled out and signed, Rossen's bank vouchers were acquired, and placed in the iron vault in the room behind her. A small piece of paper was handed to Rossen, after all formalities were completed. It read as follows...

Secrets :   Portshire Counting House Personal Savings Account Rossen Klaa'ren Aperitus, Era XVI: Principal Investment.................. 15,000 Gold Crowns

"Very good, miss. Is there anything else the Portshire Counting House can do for you?"

[Rossen Klaa'ren]

Rossen Klaa'ren was a bit nervous as she gave her name and Visa. The information was a bit to take in from someone who had clearly never done this sort of thing before, but she slowly nodded her understanding. She looked over the paperwork very carefully, double checking, triple-checking if she had to, before she confirmed that everything was in her approval and that she understood the terms. She signed the paper with a simple flourish.

After the balance was given to her in receipt form, Rossen again looked carefully over and over again, making sure the figure was correct and the correct number of digits were present. Looking up she thanked the teller and said that she was done here. She turned to leave, keeping the receipt in her possession to bring back with her on the return trip.

Exiting the building, Rossen let out a deep breath. That was not so bad after all! In any case...there was still the question of what she ought to do while she was here.

Perhaps she really did ought to reward herself for her performance at work... for a down-to-earth person like her, even if she wasn't used to it, it wouldn't hurt to have some fun every once in a while, would it...?

Wandering back into the streets of the district, Rossen merged with the crowd and disappeared in the sea of people.

[Connor O'Riley]

Connor had finally found time to get to the Portshire counting house. Portshire had changed since the last time he was around nearly an era ago. The familiar sound of gulls flying overhead made Connor smile. When he finally found the Counting House he pushed the doors open and walked in. He looked around the huge building and headed towards one of the bank tellers. He put on one of his friendliest smiles and said "I would like to take a Loan out to start a business. The business to be exact will be Fishing and Cargo." He then waited for the bank teller to ask him some questions.

[Riconus Xind'ell]

The elven clerk issued Conner a warm smile as he approached the counter, and quickly retrieved the paperwork for him to quickly fill out. "I'm glad you have chosen to make the Portshire Counting House to provide you with the foundation of your business. If I could just get your name sir, as well as your Imperial Visa to verify?

At the moment, the interest rate for a business loan is 6.99%, which I can assure you is one of the lowest in Aelyria. Even should any of our competitors challenge our offer, we assure you that we can better it.

I'll arrange for you to have a meeting with our bank manager, but before I do, how large do you plan your loan to be?"

[Straylor Leonard]

Timestamp: Mid-Aperitus, of the Longest Winter Part II in Era XVI Post Fractum.

The runner wore the royal blue of the Eunesian Consulate with a matching badge and glorious steed. It arrived in Portshire from the King's Highway, an apparent rider from the Capital herself. It didn't take long for the Royal Runner to find the famous Portshire Counting House. The merchant bank was quite well known now following its spheal on the Herald. Without pause, the rider found a manager in the offices and presented him or her with a scroll tube with the seal of House Leonardes.

It read as follows:

The Portshire Counting House
Portshire, Prime Province
Written on 19th of Aperitus Era Sixteenth
From the Desk of His Excellency Consul Leonard

To Whom it May Concern:

Greetings from the Capital. I hope that my rider has found you in good health. My name is Straylor Felix Leonard and I am interested in investing a good portion of my wealth in a high interest savings account. Could you provide me with more information regarding the security and investment options available at the Portshire Counting House?

I can be reached in this address in Frigid River these coming cycles. But I will be available in Ieffreon, at the Consulate offices, should your response take until Ioannes to arrive. I look forward to donig business with your corporation.

Sincerely,
Straylor Felix Leonard
Lord Thane of Trysvale
Royal Consul to Eunesia

[Rafael LeBeau]

The 35th of Ioannes, In the Longest Winter Era XVI.

A black carriage arrived in front of the counting house, barely screeching to a halt before the door burst open and it's occupant leaped out. One foot in front of the other Rafael was glad to have found solid ground once more; ground that was not in fact under control of a blathering idiot. A scowl was thrown at his driver.

"You stay here and be patient." The words were quick as the man turned furiously and stormed for the doors. As he made his entrance, another sigh released at the drab building his cousin owned. Needs more colour. Rafa noticed he could only count two guards, something that forced his eyes to roll. How much money could our family stand to lose should this place be subject to robbery? As he contemplated all the possibilities he reached the desk and was fished from his sea of thought by a string of song-like words sung by the fine elven woman in front of him.

"Bonjour.." The man pulled a large stack of bank notes from his pocket and his eyebrow raised as he looked the female up and down. His other hand pinched his visa and he laid it down on top of the stack of notes on the desk.

"Rafael LeBeau-Xind'ell, I'd like to open up a savings account with five-thousand crowns, si vous plait. I'd also like to open this account to anyone bearing a letter with my signature." A smile grew steadily as the endless voids in his head held the clerk's stare.

[Riconus Xind'ell]

Straylor

The runner wearing his Eunesian tabards was quickly approached by the enchanting blue eyes of the elven clerk behind the desk, who issued for a glass of water to be fowarded the courier's way. It was only a moment after that she read the missive silently, before excusing herself, and venturing into the bank manager's desk.

The bank manager was a tall human, clearly borne of an Imperial upbringing by his posture and mannerisms. The missive was read in a similar silent manner, before politely dismissing his clerk. Not long after the candlemark's end, his own courier - a member of the Sapphire Guard - had already boarded a ship, ready to set sail for Trysvale, with a returning letter to Lord Leonard in hand.

OOCLetter returned to the consular offices

[Riconus Xind'ell]

Rafael

The elven clerk issued Rafael a warm smile as he approached the counter, and quickly retrieved the paperwork for him to quickly fill out. "I'm glad you have chosen to make the Portshire Counting House the place to ensure the safety of your savings.

Currently, the interest rate on a standard savings account is 3%, compounded era to era. There is a small, one-time fee of 3 crowns to open the account, which will be withdrawn from the interest gained on the account after ten months. Please, if you would just sign on this piece of paper here, we'll have your account set up immediately."

After all the necessary paperwork was filled out and signed, Rafael's bank notes were acquired, and placed in the iron vault in the room behind her. A small piece of paper was handed to Rafael, after all formalities were completed. It read as follows...

Secrets :   Portshire Counting House Personal Savings Account Rafael LeBeau-Xind'ell Ioannes, Era XVI: Principal Investment.................. 5,000 Gold Crowns

"Very good, sir. All individuals sharing the name on your signature will also be provided access to the account, as per your request. Is there anything else the Portshire Counting House can do for you?"

[Straylor Leonard]

Continued from here

The letter was returned with a reply from the Royal Consul, signed and sealed by his own hand and House crest.

To Landrake Frostblood
General Manager, Portshire Counting House
From the Desk of His Excellency, the Royal Consul of Eunesia

Master Frostblood,

A pleasure indeed. I am an old comrade, you could say, of His Lordship the Earl of Portshire. I failed to mention this relationship due to the official nature of my inquiries. I hope I did not offend, nor impose addition work upon you.

I am willing to deposit coins amounting to two hundred thousand (200,000) crowns. I can make the deliver personally, if you wish, or I can send them via my personal swordsmen bearing the Eunesian Crest. Either way is acceptable for me. I only ask for a copy of the exact terms and limitation of this account and additional banknotes for my personal use.

Sincerely,
Straylor Felix Leonard