Name: Hyman Crandel
Title: Tax Assessor of the Southern Dominion
Race: Human
Class: Bureaucrat (Non-combatant)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Location: Southern Dominion Townships
Role: Tax Assessor and Collector

Overview

Hyman Crandel is the bloated, arrogant tax assessor of the Southern Dominion, infamous for his petty, tyrannical ways. Tasked with assessing and levying taxes on local merchants, landowners, and tradespeople, Krandall enjoys exerting what little power he has, attempting to make life as difficult as possible for anyone who crosses him. Though his position technically limits his power, his unscrupulous methods allow him to bankrupt or penalize those who can’t pay or refuse to comply with his excessive demands.

Appearance

Hyman is a heavyset man with a penchant for gaudy, ill-fitting clothes and a constant sheen of sweat on his brow. His fingers are adorned with rings, and he carries a silk handkerchief, often used to dab at his face as he sneers or scowls at others. He is unkempt, with a slight stubble and a lazy eye, giving him a permanently disdainful expression.

Personality

Crandel exudes an overinflated sense of self-importance and believes his position grants him absolute power over his jurisdiction. His rude, brutish nature is offset by a conniving mind; he’s quick to exploit any opportunity to squeeze extra coin from his targets. Though he lacks any real strength or combat ability, Krandall’s confidence in his ability to ruin others’ finances makes him act more powerful than he is. He’s as greedy as he is vindictive and takes pleasure in the misery of others, especially those he can financially torment.

Background

Once a lowly clerk, Hyman clawed his way up the bureaucratic ranks through dubious connections and favors owed, eventually securing a position as tax assessor. This role allowed him to indulge his worst tendencies, leaning on a system where corruption and intimidation thrive. With his newfound authority, he quickly became known as the bane of merchants and landowners alike, known for inventing fees, inflating taxes, and twisting the law to his advantage.

Duties and Influence

Hyman’s primary responsibility is to evaluate properties and impose taxes on behalf of the Dominion’s treasury. His lack of scruples means he routinely invents reasons to raise taxes or levy fines, forcing many into hardship. Despite his low station, Hyman has a reputation for being untouchable, protected by the wealth he extorts and the officials he’s bribed.

• Primary Responsibilities: Property and goods assessment, taxation, debt collection
• Areas of Influence: Southern Dominion towns, marketplaces, and countryside estates
• Methods: Inflating tax rates, issuing fabricated fines, seizing goods from those who can’t pay

Motivations and Goals

Hyman is driven by greed and a twisted sense of superiority, seeking both wealth and power over others. His primary motivation is to accumulate as much gold as possible, and he relishes using his position to dominate those around him. He dreams of rising higher in the ranks but is content for now to rule his corner of the Dominion with an iron fist.

• Primary Motivation: Amassing wealth through unscrupulous taxation
• Secondary Motivation: Exercising control over others, especially merchants and wealthy landowners
• Long-term Goal: To gain enough wealth and influence to secure a higher position, perhaps even within the Dominion’s noble circles

Notable Relationships

• Officials and Bureaucrats: Hyman keeps close ties with a handful of officials whom he bribes or threatens to maintain his untouchable status.
• Merchants and Landowners: The primary targets of his schemes, many merchants loathe him but feel powerless to resist.
• Guild Leaders: Though guild leaders occasionally challenge his authority, he often sidesteps their complaints through bureaucratic delays and fees.