I know private orphanages are kind of a thing of the past in Waterdeep but is there a rough estimate for the operating costs for a small orphanage? No, as most of the temples who run them don’t break down costs that way. They’re not running orphanages like modern real-world businesses, with cost/benefit analyses. It’s a social good, “what one does.” There’s capitalism in the Realms, but not capitalist thinking.#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 8, 2019
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So, you would reach your rough estimate by: costs for housing the orphans: building, building upkeep, and taxes (Waterdeep gives tax breaks for temples, which is one reason temples do this, the main reason being divine… 2)
…divine directives, and the selfish reasons being cheap temple labor and supply of future trained priests). The orphans clean and cook and do minor maintenance repairs, under supervision, and their supervisors/minders…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 8, 2019
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…(the official role titles are usually “masters” or “mistresses,” as “keepers” has fallen out of favour) are the priests, who are paid/supported by the temple (out of temple offerings given by the devout). So it usually comes …#Realmslore 4)
…down to food costs, and the food is usually filling, and adequate, but not fancy, so 1 sp/head/tenday might cover ALL the overhead (building maintenance, candles and firewood or coal, lamp oil, laundry; the works). For a…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 8, 2019
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…non-temple, private orphanage in Waterdeep, double costs to 2 sp/head, and then round down to a little less, and that’ll cover taxes (they could petition the Lords for a tax break) and occasional payments to guilds for…#Realmslore 6)
…skilled repairs like plumbing and mason-work. It’s not frowned upon for orphans to building fires, clean, cook, serve themselves, do dishes and laundry, and maintain their orphanage; it’s expected. (The Realms has no…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 8, 2019
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…child labour laws, nor attitudes to support them.) With that said, a private orphanage owner seeking profit couldn’t “rent out” the labour of orphans in the Deep because of the city’s guilds forbidding it, but could in..#Realmslore 8/end)
…non-guilded cities (there are few!). Also, that 2 sp/head estimate does build in a modest profit for operating the orphanage (a “rainy-day” fund if it’s a non-profit). Those who want to make REAL profits might end up with a 3, 4, 5 sp/head rate or more.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 8, 2019
I didn’t mean to make money off it but rather how much to fund one. My lore answer on that should have reached you by now…I hope (8 parts).
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 8, 2019
The City pays for a public orphanage? Who pays the costs of a private orphanage? Temples run/pay for almost all orphanages in the Realms, in Waterdeep or elsewhere (not the city). If one wanted to create one for one's own game (like Jeremy, here), this thread is "how it works" for purposes of costs, city taxation, etc.#Realmslore
— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) March 9, 2019