Income and Expenditures
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Wealth was used differently in 1676. There are no safe global banking companies, no wired money, and no sophisticated checking systems. In fact, banks are still in their infancy and money is kept in the old fashion way -- in a locked chest or strongbox. At the same time nobles are living it up, showing their wealth at every turn. For the purpose of the game we have sought to simplify both income and expenditure. Our main goal is to stimulate taking risks and living up to a certain standard of noble life even if you can ill afford it. Throw aside your 21st century prudence.
This is a long article. We recommend you use the links to chapters to go directly to the sections you need. There is enough interlinking going on to find the rest.
Income
This is not a game that concentrates on high finance, however wealth and thus income and expenditures do play a role in this game. Were we could we have simplified it, or have offered simplifying alternatives so that you can avoid what you find tedious.
Keeping it Safe
Each player would be wise in investing in a large locked chest to keep valuables. Otherwise, your money and jewelry will be deemed to be hidden in unlocked places, like under the bed. Your rooms at the palace, and especially an inn, are easily robbed. Do not be surprised to find yourself penniless if negligent. You can trust your personal servant when he or she is around, but they may not be home when the thief comes calling, or may be overpowered even if they are at home. Other servants you hire are less trustworthy.
A small locked chest can be simply lifted up and carried away easily enough. So, large heavy chests are fashionable, with large locks. The master or lady typically carries the only key, and it is often round their necks. While a house is expensive to afford, it allows much greater security than a mere set of rooms. There are more servants watching and the chest can be bigger or better hidden.
An alternative to storing your valuables at home is to give them to one of two institutions now forming -- goldsmiths and banking houses. Both are in the money business and have huge vaults with lots of armed guards. They will allow you to place valuables with them for a small fee. Please make note of it in your ledger or it will be assumed to be in your chest or on your person!
See Also
Starting Money
Upon your arrival in the game you will be awarded a sum of money to do your first purchases with. This sum is thought to be any remaining income from allowances etc. from previous months.
- Poor: £250
- Average: £350
- Wealthy: £450
- Very Wealthy: £550
- Extremely Wealthy: £650
Monthly allowance/ Annuity
This category of monthly income is awarded to all characters, and comes from any of the following sources or a combination thereof: a father, an inherited estate or a husband. Note that some characters due to circumstance do not have an allowance or annuity and thus only possess a lump sum.
- Poor: £75 (Annual £900)
- Average £100 (Annual £1200)
- Wealthy: £200 (Annual £2400)
- Very Wealthy: £400 (Annual £4800)
- Extremely Wealthy: £800 (Annual £9600)
The allowance is paid on the 15th of each month.
Modifiers that apply
- the heir/heiress + 10%
- other siblings or mistresses pressing on the estate -10% per relative that is also kept
- annuity from more than one source (i.e. father and husband): +20%
- income from an estate rather than an allowance or annuity: +20%
- wives with a PC husband will receive an annuity and/or pinmoney per that PC's choice. While amounts given here are a guideline, it is up to the roleplaying of the characters what the actual amounts will be.
The minimum amount of allowance is £75, beyond which the negative modifiers will not be detracted. All modifiers are first totalled up before they are applied to the base sum.
Inheritance: Lump Sum
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For details on the boon see Inheritance.
The heir/heiress would gain the estate, which apart from property generating a monthly income (see above), is likely also a sum of money. One will only get the full sum of money if one is the SOLE heir. In case of brothers they might get a sum out of the inheritance as well, depending on the will. In all likelihood the heir will get more than his male siblings but this is up to the will.
From this money in the estate there is also a number of dependants that are being kept as per the will (wives, mistress, unmarried children till they are of age or married) and unmarried sisters need to be provided with a dowry (not the widow though, who merely gains the pension and what remains of her dowry).
Note that marrying a heiress means that a husband will eventually deal not only with his own inheritance but that of his wife at well, sans title which will go back to the Crown.
- poor noble: £6000
- average noble: £9000
- wealthy noble: £15.000
- very wealthy noble: £25.000
- extremely wealthy noble: £35.000
There are two ways of consuming this inheritance:
1) A lump sum ~ your PC will receive access to the inheritance all at once but this means that any larger possessions (coaches, residences, conversation pieces etc.) will have to be accounted for out of that inheritance even if a boon was used to obtain them. Gents with sisters will be forced to reserve a sum of money for dowries, unless they can find a way around that IC. St. Marks Hall will no longer house them. They need to secure rooms at a boarding house, or purchase a modest townhouse for £1000+, or a nice townhouse for £10,000+. Boarding houses might charge a noble £50 a month for a small suite, or £10 for a basic small room.
It is highly recommend for those of you with a lump sum to diversify your risk. Do not keep this in your chest or your bank. Do not use it just as fun money. Invest in some property or land. Invest in a business venture. Add a bit of annuity. Spread your risk.
2)An Extra Annuity ~ For every £1000 in an inheritance invested thus the PC receives an extra 15 pounds to the monthly annuity. This means the inheritance will create a fund that pays extra rent. For example an inheritance of £10,000 invested in this way means another £150 per month.
Modifiers that apply
- number of dependants that get a pension from the estate: -10% per person
- number of dowries that need to be provided from the estate
- whether or not the PC was liked by husband or father
- male siblings
Inheritance: Estates
Those PC's that have inherited a title will likely also have inherited an estate that they cannot sell (it is linked to their title) but which adds nice colour. Choosing what kind estate you have is part of a characters background. Remember that you can be poor but have a HUGE estate. In that case however you will also have greater expenditure because of it (see the upkeep section) and your estate might fall to disrepair. While mods can advise what kind of estate would be appropriate it is up to the player to decide.
- modest estate (the size of a town house, no tenants/land) - 6000 pounds
- average estate (manor house with 20 tenants) - 8,000 pounds
- large estate (manor house with two additional wings, 40 tenants) - 20,000 pounds
- very large estate ( manor house and collection of other buildings, 80 tenants) 40,000 pounds
- extremely large estate (palace/castle with 100 tenants and/or surrounding forest with hunting rights) 100,000 pounds
Extra Estates
If you want to add extra estates to the characters background at any point, here is a guideline on what you should expect to pay or gain through marriage. These extra estates you can sell unless it is tied up in a marriage contract.
- poor - 6,000 pounds
- average - 8,000 pounds
- wealthy - 20,000 pounds
- very wealthy - 40,000 pounds
- extremely wealthy - 100,000 pounds
additions for tenants and extra land: 1,000 pound per 10 tenants plus land
Dowries
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See also Entails, Marriage Settlements, and Dower
A dowry is expected in society, but cannot be enforced through litigation. It is the father, or in his absence the heir of the estate who will determine the dowry sum. For the ladies: If you enter the game widowed, you will have some part of this dowry left as a widow's bed. If you enter the game married the sum will be at the disposal of your husband.
Standard dowry:
- poor: £2000
- average: £3000
- wealthy: £4000
- very wealthy: £7000
- extremely wealthy: £15,000
Modifiers that apply
- Only daughter: double dowry
- More than three girls in family: half dowry
- Foreigner: +10% dowry as an enticement
- Famous Family: Less dowry expected. If suitor is famous then +10-30%
- Problem daughter: (ugly, scandalized, etc.) +10 - 30%
- strained relationship with father/brother in charge: half dowry
- merchant fathers are likely to offer higher dowries
- connections to dukes, princes and other royalty will double or even triple the dowry as demanded by status.
A father will also want to leave a small annuity to his daughter when she marries in case she is abandoned by her husband. From 20 to £100 or more, per month, for 3 years. This would pay for her clothing, etc. Naturally, estranged daughters will receive no such annuity.
Widows
Widows are entitled to their small annuity (whatever her husband and her father left her in a legally binding contract) plus whatever is left of their original dowry. Note that on average widows do not have a monthly allowance unless said annuity has been arranged.
If one has an evil brother-in-law or stepson controlling the estate, they will likely argue that the entire dowry was spent and nothing remains to create . One could litigate over this, so evil brothers and stepsons would likely offer some modest dowry to a man that takes the widow off his hands (e.g. £300 or so).
Of course, it is possible that the husband left the widow an inheritance to take care of her. That would be the equivalent of her dowry or more. On average it is considered a "widows portion", "widow's bed" or dower to take a third of the estate before heirs divide the remainder, but since a third of nothing is nothing, that is still open to litigation. The courts tended to favour women in these cases.
The Court one would be applying to see justice done often is the Church of England.
Military Pay
This is an Opt In article.
Next to pay, loot was an important form of income for the soldiers or sailors. The ship and its cargo would be split between the crew, and this was also true for the army with regards to any plunder that was captured and auctioned. Of course more often than not the plunder and loot 'disappeared' rather than end up in official hands.
In general officer ranks and any rank in the Life Guard had to be purchased through a commission, and thus were frequently sold too, with sums running up in the thousands of pounds for the highest positions. Standing armies were not the norm, only the Household Cavalry, including the Life Guard at this time, in charge of the safety of the King and the Royal Family. There was a fear that a standing army might riot and turn upon its own people. Buying commissions ensured officers were gentlemen loyal to the crown. It also ensured that they were able to pay for the upkeep of their soldiers if the King ran out of money.
Corruption was another additional form of income for officers. The pay (when supplied), or money for equipment, was given to the officer who distributed it to the men or purchased the equipment. It was a common practise to pad the muster rolls and submit pay for 100 men when only 60 men were under arms. It was also common practise during the infrequent reviews to "borrow" missing equipment (and even men) from another regiment to "make up the difference". Officers might be engaged in selling off equipment, even to the enemy.
Infantry Regiments
- Private: 10s/month or about 4d/day; -4s/month for food, uniform, and supplies
- Drummer: 15s/month or about 6d/day; -4s/month for food, uniform, and supplies
- Corporal: £1 2s/month or ~9d/day; -4/month for food, uniform, and supplies
- Sergeant: £1 15s/month or 1s 2d/day; -4s/month for food, uniform, and supplies
- Sergeant Major: £2/month or 1s 4d/day; -4s/month for food, uniform, and supplies
- Lieutenant: £5/month or 3s 4d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket
- Chaplain: £6 10s/month or 4s 4d/day; Must provde for own uniform out of pocket
- Surgeon: £10/month or 6s 8d/day; Must provide for own uniform out of pocket. -10s upon commission for surgeon's instruments and medicine chest and -5s each time medicine chest must be restocked.
- Captain: £10/month or 6s 8d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Major: £15/month or 10s/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Lieutenant-Colonel: £20/month or 13s 4d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Colonel: £30/month or £1/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
Cavalry Regiments
- Trooper: 15s/month or about 6d/day; -6s/month for food, uniform, and supplies (including supplies for their mounts)
- Coronet: £1/month or about 8d/day; -6s/month for food, uniform, and supplies (including supplies for their mounts)
- Corporal: £1 10s/month or 1s/day; -6/month for food, uniform, and supplies (including supplies for their mounts)
- Sergeant: £2/month or 1s 4d/day; -6s/month for food, uniform, and supplies (including supplies for their mounts)
- Ensign: £4 10s/month or 3s/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Lieutenant: £6 10s/month or 4s 4d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Chaplain: £6 10s/month or 4s 4d/day; Must provde for own uniform out of pocket.
- Surgeon: £10/month or 6s 8d/day; Must provide for own uniform out of pocket. -10s upon commission for surgeon's instruments and medicine chest and -5s each time medicine chest must be restocked.
- Veterinary Surgeon: £10/month or 6s 8d/day; Must provide for own uniform out of pocket. -10s upon commission for surgeon's instruments and medicine chest and -5s each time medicine chest must be restocked.
- Captain: £15/month or 10s/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Major: £20/month or 13s 4d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Lieutenant-Colonel: £28/month or 18s 6d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Colonel: £40/month or £1 6s 8d/day; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
Life Guard Regiment
The ranks of the Life Guard are paid better, and are equal to a higher rank in the other regiments. The Titles featured here are the ones used in the game (fudge!).
- Trooper:£2 pounds a month; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Corporal:£5 pounds a month; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Sergeant Major: £10 pounds a month ; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Lieutenant: £20 pounds a month ; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Captain: £40 pounds a month; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Major: £50 pounds a month; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
- Colonel: £75 pounds a month; Must provide for own uniform and sword out of pocket.
Modifiers
Officer acting as a regimental adjutant: +30-50% pay.
Officer acting as brigade major: +30-50% pay.
Elite regiments: 1.5x pay.
Active-duty regiments: 2x pay.
Offices of the Crown
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This is an Opt In article.
These are the offices and positions of the Crown. It should be noted that they were not always paid out. Not every office is available but maybe if you roleplay your way to it. See the list in your circle forum. You can gain an office by wielding Favour, also see the comments below on other ways ot make money.
The pay that is listed here should be augmented with bribes, graft and gifts. Be sure to inquire in your compendium and perhaps actively promote it in your roleplaying.
The government positions on the highest deputy level also come with with a Privy Council seat.
Gentlemen
- Fellow of the Royal Society - no stipend, just the honour
Lord Chamberlain's Office
- Vice Chamberlain (senior)- £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Lord Chamberlain's Secretariat and Office (junior)- £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Deputy Secretary (junior) - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Deputy Northern Secretary of State (senior)- £ 250 a month, plus £ 250 for the secret service, plus a share in additional revenues
- Deputy Southern Secretary of State (senior) -£ 250 a month, plus £ 250 for the secret service, plus a share in additional revenues
- Master of Ceremonies (senior)- £250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Assistant Master of Ceremonies (junior)- £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Envoy to country X (senior) (diplomat, not ambassador!)- - £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Deputy Envoy to country X (junior) - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
Office of the Secretary of Scotland
- Armour Bearer (senior) - £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Bearer of the Royal Banner (senior, separate to the national flag which lauderdale holds)- £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Knight Marischal (junior), deputy to the Earl Marischal which is always a Keith. - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
Office of the Treasury
- Keeper of the Privy Purse - £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Treasurer of the Chamber (Directly under the Privy Purse)- - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (senior) - chief whip in Lords - £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard - deputy whip in Lords - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners (junior) - assistant deputy whip in Lords - £50 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
Office of the Treasurer of the Navy
- Deputy Treasurer of the Navy - £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
Office of the Lord Steward
- Board of Green Cloth
- Master of the Household - £ 250 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Clerk of the Green Cloth - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Chief Metropolitan Magistrate - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Treasurer of the Household - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Comptroller of the Household - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Cofferer of the Household - £100 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Messenger to the Lord Steward - £50 a month
- Chamber Keepers - £50 a month
- Office Keeper - £50 a month
- Master of the Great Wardrobe - £ 250 a month
- Deputy Master of the Great Wardrobe - £100 a month
- Masters of the Buckhounds - £100 a month
- Master of the Harriers - £100 a month
- Royal Astronomer of England - £100 a month
- Royal Astronomer of Scotland - £50 a month
- Royal Astronomer of Ireland - £50 a month
- Royal Physician - £100 a month
- Serjeant Surgeon - £50 a month
- Coroner of the Verge - £50 a month
- Deputy Coroner - £20 a month
- His Majesty's Botanist - £100 a month
- Historiographer Royal - £100 a month
- Keeper of the King's Swans - £50 a month
- Board of Customs - £50 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Board of Excises - £50 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
- Council for Matters relating to Trade and Foreign Plantations - £50 a month, plus a share in additional revenues
Board of the East Indian Company
- Governor
- Director
- Committee member
- Correspondence Committee.
- Accountant-General
- Committee of Marine Records
- Medicinal Board
- Parliamentary Branch Committee
- Court of Proprietors
Board of the Hudson Bay Company
- Governor
- Director
- Committee member
- Correspondence Committee.
- Accountant-General
- Committee of Marine Records
- Medicinal Board
- Parliamentary Branch Committee
- Court of Proprietors
Board of the Royal African Company
- Governor
- Director
- Committee member
- Correspondence Committee.
- Accountant-General
- Committee of Marine Records
- Medicinal Board
- Parliamentary Branch Committee
- Court of Proprietors
Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Master and Treasurer of the Jewels and Plate -- £100 a month, plus a share of extra revenue
Royal Household
- Groom of the Robes (senior) - £ 150 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Gentlemen of the Bedchamber of HM (peerage)- £75 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Gentlemen in Extraordinary of HM (peerage)- £50 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Grooms of the Bedchamber of HM (non peerage)- £20 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Gentlemen Ushers of the Privy Chamber (peerage)- £50 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Gentlemen Ushers of the Privy Chamber in Extraordinary (peerage)- £30 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Grooms of the Privy Chamber (none peerage)- £20 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Assistant Grooms of the Privy Chamber (none peerage)- £10 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Gentlemen of the Bedchamber of York (peerage)- £50 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Gentlemen in Extraordinary of York (peerage)- £30 a month, plus accommodation and meals
- Grooms of the Bedchamber of York (non peerage)- £10 a month, plus accommodation and meals
Ladies
- Member of the Society of the Orchid - no stipend, position of honour
Royal Household
- Mistress of the Robes to the Queen (senior): £25 per month,her accommodations and meals, and whatever ribbon and point (lace) she might acquire.
- Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen: : £20 per month,her accommodations and meals, and whatever ribbon and point (lace) she might acquire.
- Maids of Honor to the Queen: : £15 per month,her accommodations and meals, and whatever ribbon and point (lace) she might acquire.
- Lady in waiting to Lady York: : £15 per month,her accommodations and meals, and whatever ribbon and point (lace) she might acquire.
- Lady in waiting to Lady Mary: : £10 per month,her accommodations and meals, and whatever ribbon and point (lace) she might acquire.
- Lady in waiting to Lady Mignonette: £10 per month,her accommodations and meals, and whatever ribbon and point (lace) she might acquire.
Investment
This is an Opt In article.
Each season, each player indicates how he/she plans to invest their spare cash. A determination is done at the end of the season as to how those investments fared, and money is tallied accordingly.
Real Estate
You purchase it via your compendium or through RP for something unique. It may be that real estate increases in value, but its primary value is renting it out. See Also Real Estate - London
Lending, Goldsmiths, Banking
You earn 3% simple interest per annum/year. Thus, 2000 pounds placed with a bank yields 60 pounds a year, paid out in installments of 5 pounds a month.
If you agree to lock up the investment for at least a year, you can earn double that (but can't get your money back until then). You would earn 6% simple interest per annum.
Annuity
You purchase from the city an annuity on yourself or a family member. You get interest payments equal to 18% per annum, but your principal is gone. Thus, you need to live 6 years to make any money. But, if you live longer, you can make a lot of money.
Trade in Commodity
The real money to be made was investing in businesses, just as it is today. Real estate, rents, shipping, and commodities (e.g. wool, tobacco, slaves, tea, coffee, gold) were popular avenues for wealth at the time.While this offered the richest rewards, business was subject to the biggest risks of failure too. A booming business could go bust if a ship was pirated, there was a fire, embezzlement by employees, or the market took a turn for the worst.
There is the easy way of doing business: Pick the one that interests you (gold, silver, coffee, cotton, tobacco, tea). At the end of the season we will roll the dice for each commodity chosen.
We will roll a dice to determine if the price went up or down. (50-50). We then roll a 20 sided dice for the % gain or loss, with the following modifiers:
- If you are a merchant +3
- If you have a seat on the Royal Exchange +5
- If you are a member of the Trade Circle +2
- Example: Player A invests 1000 in coffee. He is in the trade circle but has no other modifiers. At the end of the season, the mods determine coffee went up and roll an "8." With the +2 modifier, Player A makes 10% on his investment in coffee when he sells it.
In addition to this simple way of doing business you might also want to buy or create a business of your own. These businesses need to be established through roleplay and through your recess activities. The success and failure of these enterprises will be determined by the moderators and the dice.
Stock Market, Speculative Investment
At the Royal Exchange, businessmen meet to buy and sell commodities and stock in companies. The East India Company and other companies are popular issues. The moderators will determine how news events would effect the prices of commodities and stocks. In times of war, typically stock prices and exported commodity (wool) prices fall and imported commodity (gold, iron, tea, coffee, sugar, etc) prices increase (given the uncertainty of supply). Market rumors can effect prices as well. These are things that players can accomplish through roleplaying.
A seat in the Royal Exchange will cost you 500 pounds.
There would also be a 50-50 chance of profit or loss, but rather than rolling a 20 sided die, we would roll percentage dice. So you could potentially double your money or lose it all. Here are the modifiers:
- If you are a merchant +3
- If you have a seat on the Royal Exchange +5
- If you are a member of the Trade Circle +2
- You do diligence on the venture (mean you research it through RPing) +5
- You are considered a royal favorite (favorites always get treated better) +5
Other Ways of Making Money
This is an Opt In article.
Preferment is the term used to any side benefits that people can win for themselves. This includes titles (which comes with an extra estate) and offices. To gain these options you should wield Favour. Make sure that somebody higher up in the food chain owes you and then politely request the position, tax exemption etc.
Official Positions: Selling an office
Just as you can buy a position, you can also sell one once you are done with. If you are a military commander you might in fact be selling commissions to young officers (up to 500 pounds). The same is true for government positions. That might cover several thousand of pounds.
Official Positions: Bribery, graft
See Also Favour
Graft is the unscrupulous use of one's position to derive profit or advantages. Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in discharge of a public or legal duty. The bribe is the gift bestowed to influence the recipient's conduct. It may be any money, good, right in action, property, preferment, privilege, emolument, object of value, advantage, or merely a promise or undertaking to induce or influence the action, vote, or influence of a person in an official or public capacity.
This not only took place, it was expected of people to earn something on the side. If you have an official office you can use it to gain some profitable extra's.
Lottery, Monopolies, Tax Exemptions and other Royal goodies
The King is key here, and of course his ministers like Arlington and Danby. The King could grant a character a single royal decree in which a lottery is allowed. Or a tax exemption on wine. Perhaps you fancy a monopoly on a product that needs to be imported. Or anything that would either reduce cost or would give you ready cash. The King of course is also the one to curry favour to if you want extra titles (and thus extra estates that might earn you extra money), or indeed one of his toadies such as the Duke of Lauderdale, the Duke of York or the Duke of Monmouth . Most peers have more than one estate. Don't miss out. Keep favour with the King and his royal favourites!
Crime
Well, you didn't hear it from us.. however crime does pay in the 17th century. Highway robbery, smuggling, blackmail. Name your crime and a noble was involved with it somehow, providing protection, even initiating some things. A peer cannot be tried but in the House of Lords and often got away with as much as murder.
Debts
It is often forgotten in our 21st century state of mind where we account for every penny in our family budget and never spend more than we have. However, in the 17th century a lot of bills were actually a line of credit. Once a year (with the harvests etc in) the accounts are settled. A person of good breeding is trusted to pay the bills, and honor promissory notes. In addition a noble can actually take out a loan.
As a rule of thumb you can expect to get away with a debt around a season. Next season, if debts are not settled, they maybe sold to a person that wants control over your character, for whatever reason. It could be your worst enemy. After the next season creditors might really be calling on your doorstep, hunting you down.
The amount you can loan depends on your collateral and your good name and is a judgement call of the mods.
Gambling
See Also Gaming and Gambling
This is both a way to gain and to loose money. There are several ways to gamble and how you go about it is entirely up to you. Gambling ought to be a bigger part of our game. To do that it must not be boring to play. We think it should be a major influence on reputation. Like many vices, gambling is the norm and not participating is therefore a judgement. Those of the libertine circle that do not partake in particular should be questioned by their peers.
Finally, we consider it is a question of station and rank. To keep up appearances one should spend bigger amounts related to one's rank. If one doesn't it is going to lead to talk about embarrassing poverty. If you want to be one of the big boys you must be prepared to lay down your money and play with them.
Some standards of society per week:
- Gentry 1-20 pounds
- Barons 10-50 pounds
- Viscounts 20-100 pounds
- Earls 50-200 pounds
- Dukes & Princes 100-500 pounds
However, take note that to gamble or not to gamble, indeed how much one gambles is always the choice of the player. It is not obligatory. The only thing we want to point is that such a choice will have an IC consequence as is only natural.
Cards
Takes forever to play out right now. Silliness had some suggestions how to cut it shorter by using rl tournament results as a guidebook and thus announce results instead of playing through it all. Wouldn't want to miss out on the conversation though. Are there other ways of simplification?
Not something for every day of the week. Perhaps we have one standard day when there is always a card game at the palace?
Roulette
This is simple enough, all players place their numbers and outcomes the result. We could have the roulette table around every evening but Sunday.
Dice
Should be easy to recreate. Rather straightforward. Could be run in the same rooms where there is also roulette.
Horse Racing
The bigger races where nobles want to participate are fun to play out. But there is far more racing and betting on it than that. So, what if we allowed people to place bets every day and the results are called after allowing a set period of time real life for people to sign up. There should be some good money to make if you win. We could also add in gossip about which NPC's are loosing.
Lottery
A bit the same like Roulette, except there are more numbers. A PC could even gain the right to run a lottery. A tithe to be paid to the King of course. Single ticket at the cost of 5 pounds.
Other Bets
We could have a bookie around that simply carries a list of the most outrageous bets. People could add their own too.
Generic Gambling
Maybe you do not want to spend much time on threads to gamble, but still find it realistic for your character to gamble. Or you want to spend additional money in addition to your IC gambling which would not be enough to satisfy your needs.
You can have a thread in your compendium whereby you list how much money you have put up for gambling that week, and then it is adjusted by moderators to reflect how your luck panned out – Some weeks you might make a tidy profit and others weeks absolutely nothing at all.
Moderators will be using dice to determine results. Modifiers may apply (such as a skill in Gambling, or a tendency to loose and do unwise things), but our basic d20 table is:
- 1 Lose all
- 2 Lose all
- 3 Lose all
- 4 50% loss
- 5 25% loss
- 6 20% loss
- 7 10% loss
- 8 5% loss
- 9 Break Even
- 10 Break Even
- 11 Break Even
- 12 5% return
- 13 10% return
- 14 20% return
- 15 25% return
- 16 50% return
- 17 75% return
- 18 100% return
- 19 250% return
- 20 500% return
Spending
The great proof of rank and nobility is liberality. People want to be known for their excess and wealth of hospitality; wardrobes are exorbitant, consumerism is admired. Few noblemen have an accurate notion of their full income gross or net – Estate managers handle their ledgers.
What good is having money if you do not spend it? Money is not just a curiosity for the fiscally inclined among us. It is there for a reason. It must roll so that you keep up standing. If you have it, flaunt it!
Spending money is also an excellent way of gaining favour and thus ultimately gaining power. You can use it to take revenge, or to entice a lady to have more tender feelings. To increase your standing the world, especially among specific circles. What good is your money if it does not work for you?
Wardrobe
To be fashionable, and thus gain entrance at all the best parties, you need to change your wardrobe often, at least every other season. Even if fashion is not your biggest concern after a year 25-50% should be considered lost on a year basis because of wear and tear. You can update current wardrobes by spending 25 % to simply repair, or 50% of inventory costs to make it fashionable again. Old clothing you discard can be given to a servant as part of their payment. We will hold everybody accountable by the turn of the year.
Upkeep of Estates
This includes servants, repairs etc. Those among you owning a house or a mansion back at an estate should expect to spend money on repairs of the house itself and its surroundings, possibly also regarding the tenants of the estate. As a landlord one dispenses charity and keeps up their houses. The amounts given are annual (in March) and you might be able to influence it in the positive or negative if you take an active interest in it (so this might actually drive your income up!). If you have several estates (for instance through marriage or a gift of the King) you should face this cost for each of them.
- To keep in poor quality: 0,5% of the value of the house per year (paid in January) (e.g. a house worth 2000 pounds would have 10 pounds of maintenance a year.)
- Average quality: 1%
- Wealthy quality: 2%
Now, pay close attention to your estates. There is nearly always an opportunity to raise revenue instead of spending it. Can you sell the wool, stone or timber? Is there a new business or trade you can encourage? Make your estates work for you! If you are a character into high finance we might specify repairs needed and detail how incomes goes up and down in more detail.
New players are only exempt if they are in their first season, but not after that.
Bribes, Toading
See also Gift Giving and Favour
Just as much as that you will expect to gain from the system, you are also buying into it. You can choose to list all your gifts and bribes separately, or you can give us a amount per IC week that you will spend on specified persons. It will gain or maintain your favour and likely is absolutely necessary to get ahead.
Events
You want to organize your own events. It will set your fame. Make sure you can carry favour. There is of course cost involved. Remember this is PR. You are selling yourself. How do you want to be known?
Location
Perhaps people who want to use the palace for their event location, need pay a bribe to whoever agrees to such things. There may still be 'given' approval, but at a cost. A lofty location such as a palace ought have a lofty price. (Maybe 50 pounds) Hire of rooms for events could also be attained at the Red Lion and similar place - their charge might be much much less, say 5 pounds.
Food & Beverages
- Meagre provisions: 1pound per head
- Moderate provisions: 2pounds per head
- Opulent provisions: 5 pounds per head
Decoration
Hosts and Hosts need arrange special decoration of their venue themselves. Access to all that is possible might be a 'given'.
- Meagre decoration (additional seating and rearranging the room, involving mostly just manpower): perhaps 2pounds
- Moderate decorations (furnishing seating/arrangements, and fresh flowers) 3pounds
- Opulent decoration (furnishing seating arrangements, flowers, and further decoration to the room in the form of ribbons, streamers, special lighting, music) 10pounds
Fines
Behaviour that the King disapproves upon, or that the Church of England disapproves of, shall be met with censure. Common folks and even gentry can be thrown in prison, however the peerage will be mostly fined. That goes from not attending Church on Sunday right through to murdering people. These fines will not be RP-ed in full, however you can choose to delay paying them (at your peril).
