Thegn "Cu Russe" Paincoln (a.k.a. Paddy) has been lazy and not working to build his keep or develop his business opportunities. Lady Maeve, his wife, has taken matters into her own hands while the vaunted Thegn Paincoln galivants around "saving the world". She has formed the Stonewood Trading Company with Lord Quillien Russe of Pudzeld, an advisor to the Republic of Nelmachh.
Lady Paincoln has overseen the construction of an underground keep to protect the menhir on the Paincoln lands, as well as a tunnel leading out of the Stonewood to a well-fortified Paincoln dun (keep) in the Stonefield. (Lord Russe, likewise, has substantially fortified the menhir found just outside of Pudzeld.)
Clan Paincoln and the Russe family (originally from Gildé in the Republic of Nelmachh proper) are equal partners in the Stonewood Trading Company venture. The Company owns the exclusive license to use the Stonewood and Pudzeld menhirs for the transport of trade goods. All merchants not associated with the Company must pay a 25% duty for the use of the menhirs for the transport of their goods and wares; their other option is to use the Great Pudzeld Road overland route. The Republic of Nelmachh, of course, is exempt from paying such a fee for the transport of war materiél and troops.
The Stonewood Trading Company has been taking all available profits from these use fees and investing them in its own budding trading operations in the Republic. The competitive advantage of owning a rapid trade route will offer the Company a powerful edge on its competition. Current rumors suggest that the Company is seeking a menhir located within the boundaries of Nelmachh itself, preferably close to the cities of Gildé or Nelmachh City.
In an exciting turn of events, the Stonewood Trading Company has also secured the use of a menhir in the island nation of Koryn recently discovered by the Dark Hand adventuring group. The possibilities of trade from this menhir are staggering, and the Company is currently constructing a heavily fortified port for its use on the small, previously uninhabited island on which the menhir is located.
The Stonewood Trading Company is also offering large cash rewards for the locations of other menhir. It is said that adventuring companies and small operators are searching for menhir as a way to make a quick silver piece (or several thousand); many are said to be searching near the homelands of the zwerge since the trade from those dwarven nations could be extremely profitable and could lead to a larger reward from the Company.
Current Company plans do not include permitting merchants to use the Koryn (or any other recently discovered) menhir, preferring instead to establish a monopoly on intercontinental trade via the menhir.
[N.B. It is unknown to nearly everybody that most menhir are located deep in the underdark, so it is unclear how great a monopoly this will be. It may be quite self-limiting.]
Lady Paincoln is also transferring most of her household to the Stonefiled dun or the townhouse in the Republican Enclave in Hopeful. She currently plans on transforming the original Cær Paincoln into a milling center since it has an excellent millhouse.
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