Welcome to Erianby… an Elder Scrolls Medieval Charter / Warwickshire Challenge!
~ The Rules of the Game ~
I am using VllyGrl’s Medieval Charter Challenge as the base for this game, as it’s such a good way to build up a full neighborhood. But, I love the complexity and deeper aspects of Heloise’s Warwickshire Renaissance Challenge, so will be using aspects of that as well.
I’m playing an Elder Scrolls themed game, so will be borrowing bits and pieces of lore as I please, while ignoring others. We’ll pretend it’s set in the 10th Era, so anything goes!
Medieval Charter Challenge
- Basically, I’m starting out with the families and lots as stated in the MCC. But, I’ve tripled the treasury funds required as I play with a slower ageing mod, and otherwise the challenge just ends too soon. - I’m using VllyGrl’s MCC to guide the lots that get added as the neighborhood grows, but I’m adding in some extra families and buildings, such as a bank and courthouse, to align with how I’m playing trades and careers (see below). - During the initial phase of the challenge, I’ll be using the MCC taxation and rent system. Once the initial neighborhood is completed, I’ll switch to the WRC taxation system.
Warwickshire Renaissance Challenge
- The aspects I’m starting out with are the ageing system and health rolls, health system, social class system, education system, and Royal Favour Points/Clerical Favour Points. - Once the main neighborhood is complete and the MCC is effectively finished, I’ll swap over to the WRC taxation system.
How I Play
- I’m using Hat’s Gestational Ageing Mod, where 4 days equal one year. This essentially aligns with the ageing system in the WRC. I’m also playing with a lot of the mods recommended by Hat at the end of that post, to make gaining skills etc harder. Can’t have a toddler maxing out their skills before their child birthday!
- I play with 12-day seasons (mainly to align with the months of the year below). Each household is played for 4 days for the first rotation before moving on to the next family. 4-day rotations are then repeated to the remainder of the seasonal round. Then on the last day of the season, taxes and other payments are due.
- I play with a slew of other mods, default replacements and other CC. Most of what I use can be found at my Pinterest.
- Days of the week are aligned with the ES universe: Morndas, Tirdas, Middas, Turdas, Fredas, Loredas, Sundas.
- I always start in Spring, so months of the year are as follows. Each month also lasts for 4 days.
Spring- First Seed, Rain’s Hand, Second Seed
Summer- Mid Year, Sun’s Height, Last Seed
Autumn- Hearthfire, Frost Fall, Sun’s Dusk
Winter- Evening Star, Morning Star, Sun’s Dawn
- I’m debating whether I put Hat’s Religion Mod back in… If I do, there will likely be 4-5 religions. I’m likely to take inspiration from @lavenderlight​‘s game. Mainly because they know ES lore so much better than I do and I don’t want to reinvent the wheel.
- Speaking of being inspired by @lavenderlight​​, I’m also ‘borrowing’ their holidays and festivities. They were kind enough to share their edit of piqiwi’s Holiday Mod, which I’ve then adapted. I’ve also been inspired by the Holidays/Festivals in @mortia​’s Dallùbach and @jonnyparable​‘s Cottage Hills. Holidays/Festivals are as follows:
Spring- Hearts Day, 1st Day of Rain’s Hand. Dates, matchmaking, love potions, flower garlands, fertility well, dancing etc. Will have a festival lot. Two minor holidays will be First Planting and Second Planting. Sims will still have to go to work/school, but farmers will go to the temple to pray, and ill sims can be cured for free.
Summer- Mid Year Celebration, 4th Day of Mid Year. Bonfire, cooking contest, water balloon fight, hot air balloons, dancing, feasting. Will have a festival lot. A minor holiday will be Harvest’s End. Farmers will again go to the temple to pray and ill Sims can be healed for free.
Autumn- Witches Festival, 1st Day of Frostfall. Bonfire, feast, pumpkin carving, magic demonstrations, ?trick or treating, spooky stories etc. Maybe this is when the dragon vendor comes to town? Will have a festival lot. The minor festival in Autumn will be the Warriors Festival, think tourney. Sims can participate in a melee (fist fights, last Sim standing wins), sword fighting and an archery contest. Healers will be on hand to heal wounded warriors, and again, ill Sims can be healed for free.
Winter- Saturalia, 4th Day of Evening Star. Think Christmas… Feasts at home, yule logs, decorating evergreen trees, gift giving. If Sims have been good, the Gift Giver might also pay a visit! Winter gets another major holiday… the New Life Festival, held on the 4th Day of Morning Star. Bon fire, ice skating, snowball fights, fire crackers and sparklers.
Expanding the Main Neighborhood
- Erianby, the main neighborhood, is essentially the Royal Court neighborhood. Once the harbour and docks lot has been placed, it unlocks the three vacation ‘hoods. But, as I’m playing an Elder Scrolls themed game, the vacation ‘hoods will also be themed. I’ll mainly be playing with the human and mer races in the main ‘hood and sub ‘hoods… Nords, Bretons, Imperials, Redguard, Bosmer, Altmer and Dunmer. The mountain vacation ‘hood will be inspired by Orsinium and the locals will be Orcs. The tropical vacation ‘hood will be inspired by Black Marsh and the locals will be Argonian. Finally, the Far East vacation ‘hood will be inspired by Elsweyr and the locals will be Khajiit.
- I won’t be using a university sub ‘hood… Rather, I’ll use universities within the main ‘hood and sub ‘hoods.
- Once the monarch moves into the main ‘hood, two sub ‘hoods will be added. One will be a merchant town and the other will be a rural, farming area. This way I can have more nobles and hopefully some feuds/wars will develop!
Other Game Play Notes
- I’ve always thought it unrealistic that Sims start off with no skills in challenges. I have developed a system that designates a certain number of skill points for each age group and social class. So, a royal teen will start off with the same number of skill points as an adult peasant, and where an elder peasant starts off with 25 skill points, an elder noble starts off with 45. Skill points can be distributed however I see fit.
- Not all Sims can access aspiration rewards or lifetime aspiration benefits.
Aspiration rewards: Merchants and up may freely use aspiration rewards. Yeoman can access the rewards, but must gift them to a Sim in a higher social class so cannot use them themselves. Peasants are not allowed to access aspiration rewards.
Lifetime Aspiration Benefits: Peasants may only choose a secondary aspiration and cannot use any others, including the needs ones. Yeoman may choose a secondary aspiration, and use the motive benefits and their primary aspiration benefits. Merchants may select all of their primary and secondary aspiration benefits as well as the motive ones. Gentry and up may choose all benefits.
- Business owners may choose the money rewards, and families (including lower class families) may choose the money wish from the genie. However, to avoid families getting rich too quickly, these money rewards are taxed at the antiquity rate, which is double their income tax rate.
- I will have regional crops/plants/animals, but I’m still working this out. I primarily use the Sun & Moon items, and want to have the ability to trade. I might also make the sub ‘hoods have a different Seasons configuration to the main ‘hood.
The main ‘hood will have all 4 seasons, while the merchant town might have a double Autumn and the farming ‘hood may have a double Summer. The three vacation ‘hoods will also have specific seasons configurations.
- I will play with careers, and have adapted this list from @12raben​​ to suit my own game. As careers are added with each level, so will specific community lots. I use medieval default replacements for all the Maxis careers, but will be editing them to significantly reduce the salary and bonuses.
- I will also be using these ‘custom’ LTW’s from @morgaine2005​​. I’m just going to have to keep an eye on when the Sims actually achieve them and then manually add the memory and aspiration points. I think that’s it!
This is Erianby in it’s infancy.
So far, most of the Sims have started out in the lower-class district. I have the gentry Squire (Nord), a peasant wood chopper (Bosmer), a peasant miner (Dunmer), a peasant midwife/herbalist (Breton), a peasant fisher (Redguard), a yeoman goatherd (Imperial) and a yeoman swineherd (Breton). There is also the gentry Royal Steward (Altmer), who lives in the Royal District.
Family introductions and lot tours will be coming soon!
