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    Counting House
    Counting House
    Audit hall and tariff archives
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    grand counting hall interior, long wooden tables with ledgers and abaci, clerks at work, warm lantern light, dust motes, brass railings, high windows, cinematic, realistic painterly
    region:
    function:
    Tariff audits; bonded records; salvage claims
    faction:
    governance:
    Trade charter under Harbor Wardens
    security:
    Seal-locked cases; warded doors; discreet guards
    access:
    Bonded members; escorted visitors
    notable:
    Archive of the Lantern Truce
    Counting House is the tariff and records hub serving Vesper Quay. It processes audits for the Silver Ledger, certifies bonded cargo, and adjudicates salvage from runs near the Slickstone Arches and Breaker’s Shelf. Harbor Wardens under Ilex Marr enforce entry and filings. Brokers like Scillia Doge use a Ledger Signet and Cipher Deck to access controlled records, with forged claims from the Gutter Syndic a constant concern.

    Geography / Layout / Points of Interest

    • Entry Hall: Tall doors, duty board, and bell schedule; wardens post daily inspection flags.
    • Counting Floor: Long tables with ledgers, abaci, and lockplates; clerks verify manifests and stamp tariffs.
    • Claims Desk: Windowed counter for salvage and dispute filings; seal-wax trays and receipt slates.
    • Wax Room: Heat lamps, guild wax, and impression archives; cross-check station for Ledger Signet prints.
    • Archive Vault: Ironbound stacks of bonded records; access rotates via cipher slots keyed to a Cipher Deck.
    • Auditor’s Gallery: Overlook for senior examiners and visiting wardens from Vesper Quay.
    • Messenger Nook: Pigeon racks and semaphore slips for rush notices to Ledger Pier.
    • Side Court: Quiet courtyard used for sealed negotiations; patrol route connects toward the lantern docks.

    Inhabitants

    • Ilex Marr — male harbor warden; supervises inspections and escorts.
    • Scillia Doge — female fixer and broker; frequent petitioner and auditor’s liaison.
    • Ledger Scribe — neutral clerk cadre handling daily tallies.
    • Hall Guard — uniformed security assigned to the vault and counting floor.
    • Syndic Cutout — male intermediary probing for weak links on behalf of the Gutter Syndic.

    Items / Resources Found

    • Ledger Signet — authenticates filings and opens bonded records.
    • Cipher Deck — pairs with signets for rotating validation marks.
    • Wax Stick — heat-stamped seal wax in guild colors.
    • Tariff Ledger — bound volumes of current rates and exemptions.
    • Audit Slip — carboned forms for inspections and flags.
    • Lockplate Key — coded tool for approved file drawers.

    History / Lore

    • Charter Seat: Established when quay revenues were bound to audit oversight under the trade charter.
    • Lantern Truce Archive: Maintains original pact records governing night operations between the Silver Ledger and the Gutter Syndic.
    • Signet Standardization: Adopted the Ledger Signet registry after smuggling surges tied to early salvage off Breaker’s Shelf.
    • Covert Audit: A quiet operation led by Scillia Doge exposed a skimming clerk; redirected funds repaired storm damage at Vesper Quay.

    Events / Quests / Encounters

    • Bonded Sweep: Assist clerks during a backlog; spot forged manifests seeded by the Gutter Syndic.
    • Salvage Dispute Hearing: Present evidence for a claim originating near the Slickstone Arches; avoid contempt fines.
    • Vault Breach Alarm: Respond to a seal-plate tamper; secure the Archive Vault before records are lifted.
    • Lantern Truce Review: Facilitate updates to truce clauses while wardens and runners posture inside the Side Court.
    • Escort the Ledger: Guard a crate of archived impressions to Ledger Pier under mist cover from Vesper Quay.

    Travel / Access

    • Approach: Short walk inland from Ledger Pier in Vesper Quay; waymarks carved into lampposts.
    • Hours: First bell to last bell; after-hours by writ only with a bonded escort.
    • Entry Requirements: Inspection of papers; Ledger Signet holders receive expedited counters.
    • Security: Wardens rotate posts; seal-locked drawers and warded doors prevent casual snooping.
    • Services: Tariff calculation, bonded record pulls, salvage claim registration, and signet verification.

    Image Gallery

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    Clerks tallying tariffs on the counting floor at dusk
    Clerks tallying tariffs on the counting floor at dusk
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    Scillia presenting a signet at the claims desk while a warden observes
    Scillia presenting a signet at the claims desk while a warden observes
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    The Archive Vault door sealed for the night
    The Archive Vault door sealed for the night
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    Wardens escorting a visitor through the Side Court after last bell
    Wardens escorting a visitor through the Side Court after last bell