Mercy attendant

When Cordo's father was dying, he selected the Golden Death for him, having pledged that the man would not suffer. For this purpose four mercy attendants were assigned to his care. Following the Collector's seventeen percent increase in death taxes, this cost "a further eighteen talmars". The debt into which the death taxes put Cordo — a collective one hundred and seventeen talmars — forced him to flee to the undercity. (TV: The Sun Makers)