"- how does one tax a manticore?"

"I greatly appreciate the history lesson," he interjects, having decided the time has come to steer things back on course. "It sounds as though there are quite a few opinions regarding what taxes to enact and who should have to pay them. If I may, I wonder if someone here could provide more historical information regarding how those previous taxes came to be. Were they solely at the discretion of the monarch, or was he required to gain the consent of the nobility or merchants, whether officially or unofficially?"

"Proposed by the monarch, approved by an assembly of the nobility. Much like this one, but with more barons and fewer commoners."

"I see. And was that... written somewhere? Or merely tradition?"

"You'll have to excuse my ignorance. I'm simply curious if my friend's fascination with writing down laws and laws about laws is shared by the rest of his countrymen."

"Tradition. But that can be just as potent as a written word."

"I don't disagree. However, our task here is as much writing things down as giving speeches."

"Then we should write this tradition down, along with all the traditional taxes that were once routinely granted for life."

"And we shall." He gestures toward a scribe, dutifully scribbling everything down. "I'm not certain the exact form the assemblies will take in this new government—I imagine some at this convention are arguing over that very matter elsewhere—but I expect this committee will recommend that the monarch's power to levy taxes require their assent."

"Before we formalize that recommendation though," he continues, "Do the local nobility have similar powers within there territories, or are they limited to collecting rents? Traditionally, I mean."

Can't nobles collect whatever they want right now?

She really needs to get off of this committee, she has no idea what it's even talking about. Her mind trundles along, trying to figure out how taxes work entirely from what the duchess said. You want to tax things that can't be changed, okay. One way people can change the thing is by simply not existing in Cheliax, if anywhere else will take them.

...this suggests no dwarf tax. This is not relevant to the question the archduke asked and therefore she is going to shut up about it until it won't sound idiotic.

He's aware that some of the others are losing interest. It isn't that unexpected. In his experience, there are those that simply enjoy hearing themselves talk. If what it takes is letting the nobles have their long-winded say, then so be it. The commoners too, though through a mix of terror and a lack of pomposity, they seem less disposed to ramble.

Everybody talking about everything, indeed.