Nobility - Allowances

Although I pretend my nobility has been around for nearly 225 years, this is rather new in my actual game. It's a fun challenge implementing something new and make it look like it was there forever :)

Gloria F. Saxor,
Duchess of Meadows

I could have saved myself a lot of work by simply adding a very rich family with titles and a nice little castle, and then perhaps add some nice gowns and tiaras to my growing CC collection, but no - I like to have their back story, knowing how each family fared 150 years ago, their individual genetics, what lots they own today, how community handled the nobility system up through the many generations, and so on. With a rich and solid background I automatically get a packed calendar of public anniversaries worth celebrating, patronages, parks being named from their accurate founders, and much more. Then it becomes quite logical how some of the noble families are still on top of everything including finances, while others are nearly bankrupt.

Recently I made a routine for their allowances.


Community engagements
I don't have a royal family in my region, but there are currently 22 peerages that are split in 7 high nobility and 15 low nobility households (well some of the latter are actually not peerages, but just noble titles). You met several of these families in the past - on this blog and on my Youtube channel, not the least in my ongoing As Sims Go By video series, but some of them are brand new. I've watched all previous ASGB episodes to make sure the many stories blend in with what they actually said and did in the past, and to my surprise it all feels quite logical. I think some were meant to be nobility from the start, I just did not know :)

Only peerage Trusts can apply for allowances, and only high nobility houses have such a Trust. The application is submitted every 5th year, and will contain information on what house members will take on community engagements (max 3) and info on maintenance of buildings etc (see below). The trust will receive the allowance money and will thereafter pay individual household members as being the employer.

Because each house mainly takes on engagements within its peerage district (=world), there won't be enough events to make a living from opening hospital wings and attending premiers, especially not if 3 persons are sharing the jobs. But it pays well enough to secure a minimum of community ambassadors from this high segment. The Council also benefits from this, as they can focus less on representing.

Duchess Gloria of Meadows gave a short speech at Casbah Gallery's 25th anniversary (Year 223).

Dukes, Duchesses, Barons and Baronesses gladly use their public fame (3 or 2 stars from their titles alone) to help dragging attention to specific areas of the community. They don't appear publicly as often as royals would, and they will normally not be seen with personal lifeguards, arriving in carriages or waving to the people from a balcony. Still, it's enough to color their fame and lifestyle - and income.


Maintenance of old builds
In addition, each trust can apply for financial help maintaining their historical builds. There's not many old castles in my region, but some houses have a long history worth preserving, and in addition there are a few privately owned parks etc that needs a hefty budget to stay well maintained. Such gardens are normally open to public minimum 7 days during Summer. If the high noble families did not operate these lots, Region 12 Museum Foundation would have been responsible, and the costs would probably be higher because of additional administration.

Will Duchess Claudine Be. R. de Cavalier's huge castle garden in Brindleton Bay get funds this period?

An addition to the list of noble trusts is the Church of Similius. They are not getting allowances because if they take on engagements, they will only represent the church itself. But they do get help maintaining the grand church building and Gloom Park in Gloomville. Trusts and Church of Similius apply to the same budget sorting under the Law & Justice Dept.

Applying and Reporting
Allowances are set by the Council and handled every 5 years. On my current Council one person is actually peer of a high nobility peerage, while two others have wives with a noble Lady title. Still, this far no Councilor was excluded as they handle the trusts' applications for the next 5 years.

The current Reg12 Council: Front: Charloman Au. C. Dougham (Mayor). Councillors, left to
right: Bud von Kaching Baron of Gloom, Josue E. Rosewood, Fanny Silverbone and Victor F. Tangerin.

Each high nobility house must report what household members are available to community engagements for the next 5 years (max 3 individuals per Trust, minimum aged 25). There is a sum per person depending on nobility level. Currently they get §10.000 (dukedom), §5.000 (barony) and §2.500 (lordship) per 5 years period. It may sound like peanuts, but keep in mind I normally play a household for only one simday per year, meaning only a handful top jobs actually make this much per rotation.

The grand budget is limited to §400.000 per 5 years, whereof §200.000 is reserved build and park maintenance. Curious to see what each trust received for the period Y222-227?

- The Rossie Trust* (adm by Duke of Rossie): §111.667

- The Meadows Trust (adm by Duke of Meadows): §106,667
- The Cavalier Trust (adm by Duke de Cavalier): §96.667
- The Myshuno Trust (adm by Baron of Myshuno): §0.
- The Gloom Trust (adm by Baron of Gloom): §25.000.
- The Verde Trust (adm by Baron of Verde): §25.000.
- The Deadgrass Trust (adm by Lord of Deadgrass): §7.500.
- Church of Similius (adm by Priest of Similius): §27.500.

* Rossie dukedom is actually outside Region 12, and get their allowances from Region 11. This contribution was a one time allowance mainly aiming towards historical buildings and agriculture that also Region 12 benefits from.

Both allowances and support to builds, parks and events are paid fully when approved (Spring of the following year). It varies how much each peerage gets, also from year to year, as the total budget is not generous enough to meet all applications.

Stay safe!