Customs at Ciniz, coming from Ildritz
Tolls
There are many places in Daleth where one has to pay some kind of taxes or tolls. The toll has to be paid on roads and rivers. Anyone crossing the Toll House (sometimes customhouse at the same time) has to pay for the passage of persons, luggage, goods, animals, and carts. It is not in vain to pay, from the money the road will be repaired and/or cleaned and kept safe where ever possible. Tolls are paid on bridges, mountain passes (only in winter, to keep them free from snow), and some ‘highstreets’ - high quality paved roads outside the gongs.
Tollmasters who do not keep their toll road in proper condition can be sued.
Taxes
Taxes are only paid by citizens living in a country, not by travellers. The taxes are the income of the country government and has to be spend on the common safety, sanity and well being of those citizens (army, health care, administration, education). The tax rate is rather low, and always a fixed part of the income of the taxpayer (usually around 2%). The government expects the richer citizens to donate more money for something they really do care about. Some countries ask taxes from the travellers when they leave the country (at customs), and the tax rate depends the number of days the traveller has been in the country (The day of arrival is written in the passport at customs).Gong
The gong is a special tax. It has to be paid by everyone sleeping within a gong. The gongtax is for the city council. The money has to be the same as the normal taxes, but more focused on the city, on such things as garbage collection, housing for the poor, city-administration, steam post systems (in some cities), jails, keeping of common grounds. The gong is usually much higher than normal taxes (up to 25%). Travellers have to pay the gong to their host. It is forbidden to sleep within a gong without paying the gong taxes.Temple-tax
Temple-tax has to be paid for anyone entering a temple. The rate depends on the temple and its power, but usually it is not much (about 1 Kintus). In these cases, the priests charge a little money for everything they do for the visitor. Some temples have all-in entrance fees.Temple-taxes are spend on the keeping of the temple, the fee for the priests, religious festivities and charity. Temples are free to spend their taxes, though. The gods will punish the priest who does not spend the money in a proper way.
Insurances
Insurances are an option to everyone, but hardly anyone has an insurance. It is in fashion in certain cities to have one, but only with the elite: it is more a gambling game among the rich with the will of the gods as the uncertain element. Such bets are also made on expeditions to far away regions.The people who have no insurance and no money (left after a disaster) can get money from the city council or the state, but only if they are in no way to blame for what had happened. It is even harder to ask money from the temples, because they say that maybe the person who was struck by disaster has done something to upset the gods.
Public money will not be spend on the stupidity of citizens. If someone is to blame for an accident or disaster, (s)he has to pay for the damage done.
Banking
Money banks are rare. Most banks are state banks and a heavily guarded warehouse for gold, silver, money and other valuables. Citizens can keep their valuables safe in these banks, but have to pay for it. The banks do not intermediate in money transactions.Many people have their money hidden in their houses, have it buried near their house, or have their own guards. Getting money far away from house can only be done if one knows a merchant in his hometown who knows merchants abroad. Some money is given to the merchant, and the merchants writes a letter to his colleague which states that the amount of (...) has to be paid to (...). Usually, these merchants have debts at either side, and trust each other. Without this trust, no large scaled trade would be possible.
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