Fuchs Fur Trading at Hamburg

[M. Laveur]

Located at the corner of the busy Bergstraße and Mönckebergstraße at the center of Hamburg, a shop distinguishes itself by a sign with a red fox. Inside the business, a visitor will find the finest selection of fur coats and carpets, as well as other kinds of attire. Gloves made of wolf fur, Mink boots, Bear cloaks for the winter, fox pelts for noble ladies, all available to those with the means to acquire it.

The owner, Oswald Fuchs, can often be found behind his desk, dusting his merchandise, or making a deal with hunter or a foreign merchant.




Charters held by Fuchs Trading:
County of Holstein, granted by his Highness Count Stefan von Holstein
County of Frisia, granted by his Highness Count Heinrich I

[m_1512]

Moved from Residence to Reich sub-forum The Residence sub-forum is solely for Characters and their Homes.

[Reimu Hakurei]

A letter from Count Stefan von Holstein

Oswald Fuchs

I, Count Stefan von Holstein, by my God-given right to govern Holstein, permit, authorize and encourage you, Oswald Fuchs, humble resident of the Free and Henseatic City of Hamburg to handle the flow of goods between the County of Holstein and the Free and Henseatic City of Hamburg.

Stefan von Holstein

[Jokern]

Lodewijk walks through the streets of Hamburg, amazed by all the life in the city. Not even close to Leeuwarden though, he thought to himself, chuckling a little. He found the store he was looking for, the one with a red fox on its sign. He walked in and looked for the owner, but he couldn't see anyone.

Hello, is anyone here?

[M. Laveur]

Lodewijk walks through the streets of Hamburg, amazed by all the life in the city. Not even close to Leeuwarden though, he thought to himself, chuckling a little. He found the store he was looking for, the one with a red fox on its sign. He walked in and looked for the owner, but he couldn't see anyone.

Hello, is anyone here?

"Hallo," said a voice from behind the counter. Oswald's head poped from behind it, and smiling, he apologized, "Entschuldigung. What can I do for you? Anything in my store cought your eyes, Herr?" he asked, amiably, as any tradesman who want to get a sale done.

[Jokern]

Lodewijk looked at the man, scanning him up and down.

Are you Oswald Fuchs, the merchant who sent a request to my lord, Count Heinrich of Frisia? I am Lodewijk de Vries, Count Heinrich's personal bodyguard and chancellor.

[M. Laveur]

Lodewijk looked at the man, scanning him up and down.

Are you Oswald Fuchs, the merchant who sent a request to my lord, Count Heinrich of Frisia? I am Lodewijk de Vries, Count Heinrich's personal bodyguard and chancellor.

Oswald looked at him with surprise, he wouldn't have expected a Count's envoy to consist of a single man, on foot, no extra guards or any sort of entourage.

"Oh, forgive my lack of courtesy, Herr Lodewijk, please, do take a seat," he said, dusting a chair and placing it before him. Before Lodewijk could even sit, Oswald had already brought some wine for him, and sat before him to chat.

"What are the news from Frisia? Has the Count considered my request?" he ask with haste, and hoping for an answer within seconds.

[Jokern]

Lodewijk sat down and happily accepted the wine. He took a sip before he started to talk.

Ah yes, about the request. My lord will allow you to trade goods between Hamburg and Frisia. You won't have pay any taxes as my lord believes in free trade. I am here to give you an order with the lord's seal that will allow you to trade your goods in Frisia without the fear that any guards will harass you for money and say it's taxes. And before you say anything, I see that you wonder why I am even here without any protection at all. First, if you look out you can see 10 ritters in full armour, so I wouldn't say I'm unprotected.

And there they were, 10 knights in full armour, shining in the sun.

I would've been here sooner if my lord hadn't ordered me to take them with me. Well, anyway, the reason the count sent me instead of a letter is something I don't even know. But I know my lord would only send me personally if it's something he consideres too important to be left in the hands of a single messenger. You should consider yourself lucky.

He takes out a letter and holds it out to Oswald.

Here's the order I mentioned. Take good care of it, because if you were to lose it, all your trade rights in the County of Frisia will be lost.

[M. Laveur]

Lodewijk sat down and happily accepted the wine. He took a sip before he started to talk.

Ah yes, about the request. My lord will allow you to trade goods between Hamburg and Frisia. You won't have pay any taxes as my lord believes in free trade. I am here to give you an order with the lord's seal that will allow you to trade your goods in Frisia without the fear that any guards will harass you for money and say it's taxes. And before you say anything, I see that you wonder why I am even here without any protection at all. First, if you look out you can see 10 ritters in full armour, so I wouldn't say I'm unprotected.

And there they were, 10 knights in full armour, shining in the sun.

I would've been here sooner if my lord hadn't ordered me to take them with me. Well, anyway, the reason the count sent me instead of a letter is something I don't even know. But I know my lord would only send me personally if it's something he consideres too important to be left in the hands of a single messenger. You should consider yourself lucky.

He takes out a letter and holds it out to Oswald.

Here's the order I mentioned. Take good care of it, because if you were to lose it, all your trade rights in the County of Frisia will be lost.

Oswald grabbed the charter, his eyes shining as he read the words upon it.

"Please send my thanks and regards to his Highness," he finally said after embracing the letter. "Would you care for more wine, Herr? Have you had time to visit our city? I could tour you around it if you request it."

[Jokern]

Lodewijk smiles.

No more wine for me, thank you. But I haven't had time to see Hamburg thoroughly and I wouldn't mind a tour by you, herr Fuchs. I don't think my lord expects me to come home so soon, so I have time to stay a little longer if you would accept me as your humble guest.

[M. Laveur]

Lodewijk smiles.

No more wine for me, thank you. But I haven't had time to see Hamburg thoroughly and I wouldn't mind a tour by you, herr Fuchs. I don't think my lord expects me to come home so soon, so I have time to stay a little longer if you would accept me as your humble guest.

"I would be honored," he said, as he poured some wine for himself. "I can easily accomodate you in my house."

"So, how did you enter your Lord's service? I had not heard a de Vries ever be called among the knights of Frisia."

[Jokern]

Lodewijk chuckled.

My family is not noble and I am of common birth. My ancestors has lived in the Frisia since the birth of Christ and have always served, never governed.

I was out one day in the woods to get food for my family. That day hadn't been a particularly good hunt as all I got was a tiny hare. Then I had found tracks of a deer family and followed them to a glade and was just about to fire when I heard a scream near me. The deer fled, but I had already left to see who had screamed. I found a man surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. I didn't pay much attention to who it was and just fired my arrows at the wolves. I killed three of them and pulled my knife to take on the rest of them. The man then pulled his sword out and together we fought them off. The man thanked me for saving his life and told me he who he was. I couldn't believe what he said, but I was later invited to his own home for a celebration in my honour. He later appointed me his personal bodyguard and chancellor, offered me my own study and room in the castle and granted my family an order with his personal seal that gave them special status in Frisia plus a large sum of money. He is an extraordinary man, to give a commoner like me everything that I have. He owes his life to me and I owe him mine.

Oh, and if you wonder why he was out on his own in the woods alone, it's because he's just mad. He can leave the castle without telling anyone about it and just go hunting or take a stroll around on the streets of Leeuwarden dressed as a commoner to see how his people are doing. Once, when was at my age, he went out into the woods with his friends and suddenly saw a bear. He attacked it with his bare hands and won, although he got a big scar in his face. If he hadn't been born a noble he would've been an adventurer.

He laughed so loud that his guards looked in to see what was going on.

[M. Laveur]

Lodewijk chuckled.

My family is not noble and I am of common birth. My ancestors has lived in the Frisia since the birth of Christ and have always served, never governed.

I was out one day in the woods to get food for my family. That day hadn't been a particularly good hunt as all I got was a tiny hare. Then I had found tracks of a deer family and followed them to a glade and was just about to fire when I heard a scream near me. The deer fled, but I had already left to see who had screamed. I found a man surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. I didn't pay much attention to who it was and just fired my arrows at the wolves. I killed three of them and pulled my knife to take on the rest of them. The man then pulled his sword out and together we fought them off. The man thanked me for saving his life and told me he who he was. I couldn't believe what he said, but I was later invited to his own home for a celebration in my honour. He later appointed me his personal bodyguard and chancellor, offered me my own study and room in the castle and granted my family an order with his personal seal that gave them special status in Frisia plus a large sum of money. He is an extraordinary man, to give a commoner like me everything that I have. He owes his life to me and I owe him mine.

Oh, and if you wonder why he was out on his own in the woods alone, it's because he's just mad. He can leave the castle without telling anyone about it and just go hunting or take a stroll around on the streets of Leeuwarden dressed as a commoner to see how his people are doing. Once, when was at my age, he went out into the woods with his friends and suddenly saw a bear. He attacked it with his bare hands and won, although he got a big scar in his face. If he hadn't been born a noble he would've been an adventurer.

He laughed so loud that his guards looked in to see what was going on.

ooc: srry about the delay :s

Oswald listened to his story, surprised by how in a mere second he came from being a simple peasant to a Count's friend and helper. How could someone have been so lucky? Was it even luck? Muss es sein, he thought to himself.

"I had no idea of how the Count had such a... restless spirit. He is one in a thousand nobles, I reckon."

"I am glad for you, Lodewijk, and how you changed your fate, perhaps I will one day find myself in a better place than my ancestors too. These charters are just a begining, you see. In time I hope to turn this humble shop as the head quarters of a Trading Guild. We shall take Italian wines and sell them in Norway; Danish textiles in Sicily, all provided by our enterprise. Some day, perhaps."

[Jokern]

Restless is something he definentely is, but his greatest attribute is that cares about his people. He despises men who uses their power to trample on the weak and only think of themselves. I'd say that some of his ideas are not of these times.

It is a nice shop you have here, and your ambition is truly magnificent. The idea of trading with places far away is a good idea, Lady Rebecka have always wanted to taste the wine of Toscana. But if you want to trade with regions far away, you'll need ships, no?

[M. Laveur]

"Ships and sailors and rights to trade on ports, and associates all over the realm... and quite a bit of gold to get that machinery moving," said Oswald, smiling, knowing it would not be easy.

"If you're interested I wouldn't mind having an trustworthy asociate in Frisia. For the moment I want to get a name in the North Sea, perhaps in a year or two trading to the South will seem more feasible."

[Jokern]

You can count on me, Herr Fuchs. I'll see to it so that the ports of Frisia are open for you when you need them. Just contact me when you want it done.

[M. Laveur]

You can count on me, Herr Fuchs. I'll see to it so that the ports of Frisia are open for you when you need them. Just contact me when you want it done.

"I appreciate that, thank you," he replied.

"But I'm sure you must be wanting to sleep now, it's getting late and I imagine you've travelled for long. Please follow me and I'll lead you to the guest room."

[Jokern]

Thank you, yes I am a bit tired actually.

The guards walks into the shop.

Would it he alright if they stayed down here? I need them to be near but I don't want them to be too close.

[M. Laveur]

Thank you, yes I am a bit tired actually.

The guards walks into the shop.

Would it he alright if they stayed down here? I need them to be near but I don't want them to be too close.

ooc: I feel like Bilbo Baggins when the 12 dwarves and gandalf showed up...

Oswald looked puzzled, he had forgotten about them. He definitely didn't have space for 10 more guests, but could not refuse the hospitality he had already offered.

"I... I guess I could accomodate them, if they don't mind sleeping in the shop." Or the floor he thought.

"I'll bring some blankets and," what else, "furs to keep you warm."

[Jokern]

I have a better idea.

He ordered 5 of them to find a good inn to stay at while the rest stayed.

These men will stay as my guard and they can sleep anywhere, so thank you for your hospitality.