Stage 4: Salt tax income
Salt income from lesser nobles. As already mentioned, some of the land is owned by lesser nobles. In some parts of the Medevial Europe to legally own land one should be a noble. It is the DM's choice how much of the land and the total resources is owned by lesser nobles.
All of them though pay taxes!
* Unless the vassal lord is a baron or higher ranking noble, he doesn't get tax income. If he's a baron or higher ranking noble, then he doesn't only own the land, but he controls it as well so he pays his taxes to the liege and the liege has little else to do with that land.
* On average, a vassal lord pays 20% of all his income to his liege lord.
- That includes PCs BTW, but it is on the expenses (see bellow)
- that rate can be adjusted according to the PC's wishes. Increasing it though, usually provokes the nobles to increase the taxes they collect from their own vassals, and blame the Liege when the riot starts.
- Even if the nobles possess all of the land and herds, they usually do not control all of the shops, services etc. Some of that is in control of the middle class.
* The DM calculates how much of the remaining resources of the dominion is held by lesser nobles and how much by the middle class.
* The lesser nobles may seem as unessecary and just taking up resources, but they can't easily be avoided.
- While a PC baron or liege could "seize" a noble's fortune, he has to have a good reason to do it, or backing, because the noble may go to the PC's liege (or rebel)
- A lesser noble could be tasked with collecting taxes from his immediate area. While Reeves and tax collectors could visit every village and hamlet in the vicinity it is dangerous to bring back the taxes to the PC's castle. Add to this fact that some of the taxes aren't coins but wine, weapons, animals, sacks of grain etc. It is far more efficient and safer the noble in charge of those three hamlets or this village to collect the taxes, check they are right and send the money to the town and then the mayor of the town send the money to the PC's castle.
- Lesser nobles are also easier to check for corruption than tax collectors. Since they make more money they are far more difficult to bribe.
- vassal lords see to the day to day needs of the people they control as mayors, helping in administration and management.
- Last but not least, mayors can pay up for the town or village guard, saving a lot of money from the PC.
- In some cases, a PC could buy some of a noble's fortune, increasing his resource income. Perhaps the mayor's daughter is cursed and he needs money now. Perhaps the noble could be "persuaded" by a dagger next to his pillow to sell up some of his lands.
Example:
The PC baron's land has powerful noble presence. From the 26000n, 15000n are controled by the lesser nobles, be them mayors or just wealthy nobles without administrative power.
From these 15000n (18000-27000gp/month) the PC earns 3600 to 5400 gp/month. As usual, this is calculated for three months to a total of 10800 - 16200 gp. For simplicity, the DM makes it 11000 gp to 16000 gp.
So in total the PC has an income of 57000- 76000 gp.
Noticing that the bandits harm the economy, the PC decides to call in help. After he consults with advisors he estimates correctly that the income lost because of the bandits is 300n. At 9th level and not wanting to spend a month to chase around bandits on the hills and woods the PC takes another venue. The PC baron makes a declaration: Whoever deals successfully with the bandits, will be gain knighthood and the Baron's cattle and farms around of village Derm. The Baron's cattle and farms around that village are worth about 200n so the PC may even gain money from handing out land.
A couple of months pass and the bandits are dealt with. However the DM decides there are two heroes instead of one! Working indepandly these two killed the most bandits compared with the rest of the adventurers. The first one is a powerful fighter (5th level) and killed the most. The other one though is a cleric of the local church so he has powerful allies and his exploits are not bad either.
The PC decides to do the following. He keeps true to his word and knights the fighter, making him as a mayor of the village of Derm rewarding him with the 200n promised. However, he also rewards the cleric, awarding him 100n worth of vineguards and sheep in a nearby village. The local church is pleased with this and decides to build a small monastery near the village.
The PC didn't gain more money after all, but he earned a good name and some allies. Adventurers in and near his realm know that he gives bonuses to those that did well in the quests he sets. The merchants are now happier also, since the bandits have been dealt with.
It's not just about gaining money after all.
_________________ Don't call every undead wizard a lich!
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