Tax Collector

The Tax Collector is a Hardmode NPC that taxes your other NPCs to gain coins for you. Every minute (or in game hour) every NPC that has a house will pay taxes, which the Tax Collecter will gather. If you talk to him he will give you the money he has gathered so far (he can gather up to at once). Time passed using the Enchanted Sundial counts towards this total as well. In Multiplayer, each player's earned taxes are separately maintained, and collecting has no impact on another player's payout.

To get the Tax Collector to move in, go to the Underworld and find a Tortured Soul. Use Purification Powder on it and it will return to a Tax Collector, who will move into any vacant house in your village. He attacks enemies by hitting them with his cane.

Tips

 * Assuming you have housing for 20 NPCs, the Tax Collector will collect every minute.
 * With all 20 NPCs gathered, it would take 100 minutes to reach the cap of.

Trivia

 * The quote "You just received your pay, and not a farthing more! Get out!" may be a reference to the book Treasure Island, in which the protagonist's mother refuses to take more money than was owed to her and says something similar.
 * The NPC is most likely a reference to a fictional character named Ebenezer Scrooge, who also wears a top hat, has mutton chops, and has a hunched back, and also has a very hostile and grumpy attitude towards most people, and is also greedy.
 * He could also be a reference to Mr. Scrooge's business partner, Jacob Marley, as you find him in the underworld wrapped in chains.
 * The quote "Begging so soon?! Don't look at me like I'll have a change of heart overnight!" may be another reference to Ebenezer Scrooge, who has a change of heart overnight after being visited by three ghosts.
 * The Tax Collector's potential names are all the names of well-known U.S. politicians, most of which were at one point president or vice president.

Quotes
If Dryad is present: If Arms Dealer is present: If Demolitionist is present: If Merchant is present:
 * "Must everyone open and shut doors so incredibly noisily around here?!"
 * "I see you're free of time, as usual. Can't imagine what work life would be for your kind of folk."
 * "...two barrels of molasses, plus -- Oh, never mind that, you're here. Here's your money."
 * "What does a man have to do to be left alone in this place? Go bugger someone less busy!"
 * "You again? Suppose you want more money!?"
 * "Yes, yes, yes! -- I'll give you your share in just a moment. I'd think you to be a bit more patient, what with me doing all the work and all."
 * "Tried to get [Name of Dryad] to pay me with favors once, now I have fungus growing in strange places."
 * "Go tell [Name of Arms Dealer] to stop offering to pay me with ammo, I don't even own a gun."
 * "Why don't YOU try collecting money from [Name of Demolitionist] and not losing a hand or foot or..."
 * "I just came from [Name of Merchant]'s. He wanted to know if I took credit cards."

When player clicks Collect:
 * When player clicks Collect when some money is collected:
 * "Here you are again, taking all my coin! Just grab it and begone from my sight!"
 * "Here's your cut of the taxes that I've taken from our surplus population!"
 * "Bah! Here, take your shillings and get out of my sight!"
 * "This is all you're gonna get for now, not a penny more! Take it and spend it wisely."
 * When player clicks Collect when there is no money to be collected:
 * "Not so fast! You got your money, now begone!"
 * "Bah! You again? You just grabbed some of my coin just moments ago, so bugger off and come back later!"
 * "I just gave you half a crown five minutes ago! Scram!"
 * "You just received your pay, and not a farthing more! Get out!"
 * "Oh, so you just see me as a coin sign, eh? Cause' every time you see me, you ask me."
 * "Reaching into my moneybags again already!? And you call ME greedy."
 * "Money doesn't grow on trees, so don't over pick my fruit! Bah!
 * "You already managed to spend every pence I paid you!? Bah, I'm not a charity, go kill a slime!"
 * "Don't you ever stop just to say 'Hi?'"
 * "Begging so soon?! Don't look at me like I'll have a change of heart overnight!"
 * "And people call me greedy? No, I have nothing else for you."