Strauss was a black market merchant in Innsbruck City, enjoying a powerful network of relationships within both the Earl's inner circle and the City Guard.
In his early years, he made his fortune selling prohibited drugs, and as the epidemic began to spread within the Duchy, quarantine zones were established in the city. Common folk would usually avoid the quarantine zone like the plague, but Strauss sensed a business opportunity.
The medications intended for patients in the quarantine zone were not delivered because most of the City Guard were scientifically illiterate and feared that entering the zone would result in infection. Thus, no one dared to transport and distribute the drugs.
Strauss voluntarily took on the task, allowing the City Guard to give their superiors a satisfactory report. The drugs transported into the quarantine zone became highly sought after, and naturally, the prices surged.
