The majority of governmental revenue stems from a simple income tax, where every resident of the nation pays a percentage of income annually. Tax collectors are the least liked people in the world, and ‘squeeze’ is often offered and accepted to make the process work smoothly. However, nations (with few exceptions) do collect an annual tithe or income tax, usually given in either coin or goods. The amount may vary, but the tax is usually gathered directly by representatives of the ruling government or sometimes collected by nobility or other intermediaries. It is also worth noting that beyond the national or government taxes, individual landowners (or nobility, religious entities, et al) may levy a tithe or tax on those who dwell, use, or pass through their lands or spheres of control.

A further portion of ‘taxes’ are fees levied by landowners for the lands use, such as the right to harvest timber for instance, or the right to hunt on their land. Also, mills, a much required portion of the food production chain, always levied fees, and are usually noble, crown, or religiously owned, though some may be individually owned depending on the nation.

Often a thorny question, but most nations consider the government to hold all lands within their dominion, aside from those lands bestowed to nobility (or similar social strata) or held neutral by treaty (such as the Dragon Lands in Ghorfar or the Orc Sword Forest Dominion in Arduin). Private individuals may be bestowed with land or own land, but such is considered a loan or mortgage, which the presiding ruler can chose to confiscate if a matter of gravest importance should arise. The laws of the lands shield individuals from this action to some extent or another (or, equally in some cases, do not). This commandeering of assets applies as equally to nobility and landowners, though typically these are protected more than individual entities.

This habit, while not rampant everywhere, is a common fact of daily life. While most often encountered whenever governmental bureaucracy is involved, this is not an exclusive definition by any means. In Morvaen, for instance, a right amount of ‘jackgraff’ (another term for bribery; about as common as ‘squeeze’) will slide the enterprising trader ahead of his mates, just as another good amount will produce an amazing amount of paperwork for competitors who are trying to get pass the same guards! Bribery, while established, is never overt or obvious, but always on the sly or under the table. Blatant attempts to bribe someone will provoke anger at the minimum and more in variable and temperamental circumstances, such as getting arrested! It is also bad form to over bribe or under bribe – both can get you into trouble.