Mirtul 27, 153

Herald Jafar,

There is a question on the precedent and procedure for claiming ownership of a mine that has been discovered by the Knighthood of Toboerski coupled with our desire to ensure proprietary claims are linked to the discoverers who have registered its location.

If you can either inform us of the procedure required to ensure the find is legally ours so that the Council bounty can be collected or the mine legally obtained for our control, it will be appreciated. Otherwise, please forward this request to the individuals who can answer these questions.

If there is any fee for this service, alert us. We shall pay for the fee and return courier services of course.

Sir Dungal Toboerski Grand Magistrate of the Toboerski Knighthood

Sir Dungal Toboerski, Grand Magistrate of the Toboerski Knighthood,

There are several possibilities.

If the mine you have discovered is outside the bounds of old Dunwarren, the Council claims no jurisdiction over it, and so to claim ownership you must simply secure the territory (of course, the ownership laws of other settlements may apply).

If the mine you have discovered is within the bounds of old Dunwarren, it is considered the property of the Council until they bestow it upon a particular group or individual. If your Knighthood is the first group to discover the mine, and you are capable of adequately defending it, you will be in a strong position to arrange with the Council for the mine to be put under your possession, perhaps in exchange for some fraction of the ore mined or the revenues generated.

The collection of the bounty, however, does not require that you legally own the mine: only that it be safe, bountiful, and available for use. To collect the bounty, you must present an ore sample to a representative of the Office of the Treasurer, who will determine whether or not it contains substantial amounts of any usable material. Should it prove good, you will then escort this representative to the location of the mine, where he will evaluate the surrounding conditions and confirm the validity of the source. This representative will then return to the Town Hall, file his findings with the Office of the Treasurer, and depending on the size and quality of the find, the distance between the mine and the city, and the safety of the surrounding areas, a proper reward will be chosen. You will be contacted shortly afterward to receive the reward.

I hope this has adequately answered your inquiries.

- Herald Jafar Office of the Herald