From the Front of the book: On a gentle hillside sits an imposing stronghold known as the Auctor. it has remained empty and eerily pristine since the last noble family fled south. Its majestic rooms and corridors are shrouded in fear. Living memory recalls a time when the happy glow of its upper galleries was a thin facade over its real function. Suddenly a tax collector arrives with an entourage that includes hairdressers, auditors, a pack of gnolls, and a mason. The collector carries important documents asserting his authority to tax the region. His orders are simple. Reclaim the Auctor and squeeze. Death & Taxes. they are coming. From the Back of the Book: An Unexpected Visitor... The self-proclaimed official was impeccably dressed. He entered each town and gave a rough speech, "Welcome back to the glory your grandfathers knew," he shouted, "Long have you lived a life of hardship beyond the fringes of the Empire." "We have much to do," The official explained, "We shall begin by conducting a census." "if he is only here for a census, " they thought, "why does he need the half-giant Auditor and a pack of gnolls?" After a welcoming feast, he gave his answer.