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Elemist13
2011-01-26, 02:16 PM
Hello everyone,

I currently got into a conversation with one of my players about Farlanghns opinion of road tolls.(ones used to maintain the goad and perhaps have gaurds for the dangerous portions of the road). I was wondering what everyone thought, would Farlanghn approve or dissaprove of tolls?

randomhero00
2011-01-26, 02:20 PM
sorry, Farlanghns?

Yora
2011-01-26, 02:24 PM
Well, it's easy to forget, but roads are very expensive to build and actually need quite some maintainance. So if a toll makes it possible to build a road and have it maintained, I think he would approve of it.
But then, everyone should be able to use a road and nobody should have a monopoly on their use, which he would highly disapprove of.

I think it comes down to weather or not the toll is fair and can be afforded by everyone who needs it. For example, the toll could be dependent on how much goods a group transports on the road. A merchant caravan could afford a great deal more monney than a simple farmer bringing his meager crops to the market. Both depend on the road, but since the farmer can't aford to pay the same tolls, they should be lower for him.

Comet
2011-01-26, 02:24 PM
I could see this going either way.

You could either see road tolls as an attempt to restrict freedom of travel, which seems bad from his point of view, or as a tribute to the deserving people who have built roads to speed travellers on their way to new horizons.

I'm going to say that the toll is okay, if it comes with additional services and the roads themselves are in good condition and feature the occasional shrine to Fharlanghn along the way.

Starbuck_II
2011-01-26, 02:28 PM
His dodgma is Fharlanghn insists that everyone travel in order to discover and learn new things. He urges people to look to the horizon for inspiration.

So he basically wants you to adventure the world.
Roads have little to do with the overall picture. It is the journey that matters.

So Mr. F has no opinon as far as I can tell.

zimmerwald1915
2011-01-26, 02:32 PM
So Mr. F has no opinon as far as I can tell.
MIST-tah F!

Nothing really to say to the OP that hasn't been said. But that joke needed to be made.

Greenish
2011-01-26, 02:35 PM
sorry, Farlanghns?Fharlanghn's. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fharlanghn)

randomhero00
2011-01-26, 02:37 PM
AH now that I know, I could see the god in favor of tolls. So long as their legit (and actually make the roads better, not just some excuse for taxes).

Hyudra
2011-01-26, 02:50 PM
My gut instinct is this:

Fharlanghn's roadside temples and shrines are the ones handling the road tolls & upkeep. Failing that, they cooperate with governments. I do not think it would be remiss, either, for there to be a spell or items that are shared within the church, to assist these ends.

Treads of the Wayfarer

These soft, brown leather, travel worn boots grant the wearer the ability to reroll any saving throw or skill check triggered by moving through hazardous terrain (such as a balance check on grease or ice, or a reflex save to avoid falling as the path collapses underfoot), or to force a rerolled attack in the event of underfoot hazards such as caltrops. After using a reroll in this manner, the Treads of the Wayfarer go dormant for two hours, or one hour if the wearer continues his or her travels.

Treads of the Wayfarer that are worn by a faithful of Fharlanghn have another benefit. Provided the wearer is faithful and that they have been traveling for at least a week, the treads manifest a prestidigitation effect that follows the traveler, sweeping any paths or roads traveled of debris and small rocks, as well as shifting the dirt to smooth the path. In addition, the boots will also retain a Make Whole spell for every day spent traveling, up to a maximum of seven. These spells are stored within the boots and may only be released to repair roads, bridges, stairs, archways, gates and road supports. Should the wearer remain in one location for more than three days, the boots lose these powers, and must be worn for a week of daily travel (at least eight hours a day) to regain the prestidigitation and make whole effects.

Faint transmutation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, creator must be (or have the blessing of) a spellcasting worshiper of Fharlanghn; Price 2,500 gp; Weight 1 lb.
Prepare and distribute a few of these boots, you can likely reduce the shrine 'tolls' to simple donations, which might be reciprocated in part with some simple shelter and food.

In the event of a tyrant assuming control of the roads and refusing to cooperate with the Fharlanghnites, I think there could definitely be some friction and sabotage occurring.

Knaight
2011-01-26, 02:51 PM
I would take a division within the ranks approach here. To use an example off the top of my head:
There is the Farlaghn Orthodox, which refuses to accept tolls. Instead, they maintain roads themselves, paying with tithes collected at their roadside shrines and greater temples, with monasteries dedicated to maintaining important roads. Then there is the Farlaghn Reformist camp, which considers tolls entirely acceptable. Extremists in the Farlaghn Orthodox have been known to smuggle people past toll booths, while extremists in the Farlaghn reformist camp consider toll booths inherently shrines of Farlagn that bring worshipers to him, and preach their value in the streets. Added to this is the Farlaghn Reactionaries, which sprung up following the toll booth split and goes so far as to oppose all roads, as they restrict the travel of Wayfarer's by presenting only one good option.

As far as Farlaghn himself, he's ambivalent.

Keld Denar
2011-01-26, 02:59 PM
Tolls would be more appropriate than taxes. Taxes would have to be paid by all, regardless of road usage. Tolls would ensure that those who derive the greatest benefit from the road would be most responsible for its upkeep.

Then again, depending on the faithfulness of the flock, the Church, rather than the municipality, could build and maintain all roads. Money and supplimental labor would come from tithes and volunteers. Volunteers would commit maybe 2 weeks a year to working on the road, with a full time management staff on payroll from the Church to oversee and ensure proper construction. Each would contribute to his or her own ability, be it a strong back, a quick mind, or a delicious meal. The benefits of volunteering would include free boons from the clergy, up to, but not limited to, free healing and possibly some sort of postage/parcel service.

If everyone desired the blessing of the travel god, the upkeep of the roads would be a relatively cheap and simple matter. Of course, if people turned away from faith, it would be disasterous to the system, as fewer workers/tithes would result in a heavier burden on the rest, which would in turn discourage others from volunteering/tithing, which would quickly snowball. Of course, in a world where the gods manifest on the prime and hang out with people and do things, the odds of that happening would probably be pretty low. I mean, imagine putting in an 8 hour day shoveling gravel to fill in wagon ruts, and at the end of the day, Farlanghn himself gives you a high fiver and a cold beer? I'd do it!

LibraryOgre
2011-01-26, 03:40 PM
I'm of the opinion that he'd accept legitimate tolls... those used for road construction, bridge maintenance, and patrolling. Gifts to their temples and shrines would certainly be part of funds used for this, but reasonable tolls can be part of keeping roads open and travel available.

I'm actually reminded of a scene from the Elenium (by David Eddings, RIP) that dealt with this, indirectly. At one point, they're charged a toll to cross at a ford; their thief steals the tolls back, because the guy is just taking advantage of a low point in the river. At a later point, someone maintaining a bridge refuses to charge the church knights tolls... and their thief gives him some money to help feed his children, and because a bridge needs upkeep.

I have to disagree with Starbuck, however. While roads may not be necessary to travel, they certainly help. A good system of roads ensures that more people can travel, more easily.

Toliudar
2011-01-26, 05:23 PM
I'd say he'd say yes to road tolls as well. He says that travel is important, not that it needs to be free. Save up!

Analytica
2011-01-26, 07:07 PM
I would agree that at least some factions should charge road tolls, technically a donation to the god, which goes to maintain the road. This is higher the more you carry, with a work option if you are penniles, such as "stay here and fix holes in the road until the next wagon heading in your direction, then accompany that for mutual safety until the next stop", with a bless spell on top. :smallsmile:

BiblioRook
2011-01-26, 08:07 PM
I can see this as being an amusing point of controversy between 'Lawful' and 'Choatic' sects amont his fallowers (as he's a True Neutral god, he'll likely have plenty of both). :smallwink: