Commoners and Money

[Krath]

May I am just getting a bit anal as of late but whatever.  Recently, I have been watching the
commoner (PCs) of the game and how they carry themselves and the belongings which
they have. It seems extremely blown out of proportion.  I know many Noble houses pay
their soldiers anywhere from three hundred obsidian a month to as much as four thousand
I once heard of, How is this justified in a world which people are dying by the moment
because of lack of food, insufficient funding, and such.  I have played several guards
and my characters accumulated a lot of money, but I find it very unrealistic that
commons can buy extremely large bed sets, and out bid nobles.

Perhaps we should change the amount people are paid or perhaps not.  I just think maybe
some things should change and help add to the realism, because if you think about it a
majority of the noble houses provide food, water, and sleep quarters which should take
care of 95% of ANY commoners needs. Why do they need three hundred + obsidian a month,
why not fifty or seventy five? Why should they be able to deck themselves out in
all chitin armor, razor wrist wraps, several full silk wardrobes, etc etc.

I do not know, I am just going to throw this out there because it has been bothering me for
sometime. Any comments or criticisms are welcome. If flames start, I swear I will ask for this
thread to be locked.

[Angela Christine]

Perhaps we should change the amount people are paid or perhaps not.  I just think maybe
some things should change and help add to the realism, because if you think about it a
majority of the noble houses provide food, water, and sleep quarters which should take
care of 95% of ANY commoners needs. Why do they need three hundred + obsidian a month,
why not fifty or seventy five?

I seriously doubt that all, or even most, free employees actually live in the barracks full-time.  If you live in the barracks, where do your kids live, where does your granny live?  Sure, PCs are all orphans that keep their babies in backpacks, but most people would need to rent additional housing.  Well, unless you think the House allows all your relatives to live in the barracks too.  Some Houses may have general family quarters for low-ranking employees, but I've never seen evidence of it.

Most PCs don't rent additional housing.  They may not be able to find a Nenyuk, they may find renting a room to be pointless because of enthusiastic thieves, or they may simply be saving up all their money for a wardrobe full of silk doodads.  PCs are all hopelessly insane.


AC

[Bestatte]

If they didn't pay what they're paying now, there would be no incentive for anyone to join a house other than "prestige." And prestige doesn't get you silk scarves. How can you attire yourself in a manner fit for your lofty station in life, if you're getting less in a month, than what an unclanned thief can steal in an hour? Or less in a month than an unclanned crafter can earn in 10 minutes?

[Teleri]

I also believe that it is time for a change to occur in the amount of payment and what can be made available to the commoner PCs.  It's getting just ridiculous, seeing some people in super-fine armor or silks, or those with very valuable weapons/jewelry rivalling a noble's stock.  Unclanned commoners simply should not be able to have access to these things, or at least not so very many of them.

Perhaps it's time for the nobility and law enforcement to get just a bit more nasty with commoners.  For example, if a noble sees somebody decked out in silks that really make him or her envious, something very bad should happen to that character.  If such a situation arises where a noble is outbid, or out done by a commoner, perhaps it's time to assert some power.  After all, if one is a noble of any sort, then he or she is better than even the most wealthy or powerful of commoners.  Even publicly, a noble could have a commoner stripped of their finery, kicked into the dirt, and even killed for their subtle insubordination.  If this sort of thing isn't happening, if players are more concerned with playability than realism that they won't seek to ruin a character's life when it's most likely called for, then they are being real pussies.

To get rid of the problem with unclanned or very low-ranking commoners having such great finery, perhaps a law should be passed in Allanak stating that only those of full noble blood can wear silks.  I believe such laws have been used in even our world, from the wearing of purple cloth in Rome to that of pure silk in China.  Perhaps even certain colors, like jade in Allanak or red and white in Tuluk should be made unaccessible to those unworthy of truly representing the city/nobility.  Sure, this means that merchant houses won't be able to sell such items to the general public, but then maybe they should market them only to the nobility/merchant house members and their trusted affiliates.  

As for the suggestion that employees don't live in the barracks the entire time, I believe that is not fully true.  After all, space is limited in some areas and thus the price is extraordinarily high, or at least it should be.  It is quite possible that most characters would have a little hole in the wall in the slums to curl up into at night, but why do that when you have a nice, guarded barracks to sleep in?  Very few people would realistically have any sort of desireable accomodations in the cities, as those would be quite expensive to have.  One of the major perks to the clans should be that allure of having a safe place to sleep at night, where you won't have to rest with one eye open and a hand on your weapon.  

I don't think that the solution to this problem is merely to pay the soldiers less...although that four-digit salary does seem very high unless the earner is somebody INCREDIBLY valuable to the organization.  Instead, have certain materials and items made unavailable to the common people.  Then, people will have more incentive to join clans, in the hopes that they may be rewarded with these items and have the prestige of wearing certain garments.  When you say prestige won't buy you anything, then maybe it should.  Being a "full" member of a merchant or noble house should bring with it some major bonuses, other than free food, water, and shelter.  For instance, if a guard from noble house A is insulted by lowly commoner B, or even merchant guard C, then that should be considered a crime and perhaps even counted as insulting the noble house itself.  Status should be made a more crucial part of the game, but, I'll digress for the sake of this topic.  

I too think it is a problem when commoners are decked out in uber-fancy garb and wielding bejewelled claymores of etched obsidian.  It's just ridiculous that they would be allowed to maintain this image of power and affluence without drawing some pain their way.  There should be major obstacles to the gain of wealth, or else the entire game may suffer from a lack of harshness.

Don't think that I'm posting this to further my own PC's status or position.  I've played some very lowly people before in the game, with my current character as definitely no exception.  It just saddens me to see the game devolve into one where players have their characters amass great wealth and get "neat" gear.  Then, it becomes no better than much HnS games.

[ashyom]

Slight tangent - this is OOC reason why the value of silk was raised; most of you will have seen it particularly in South.  I've yet to tackle the northern clothes, but if ya'all northerners are ready for this change, I can push that up on my list of things to do.

Keep these ideas coming, I'm finding this thread an interesting read sofar.
-Ashyom

[moab]

I, for one, would love to see nobles take action IC on this.  When they see someone acting above their station, set them straight and humble them properly (at least in Alllanak).

[Agent_137]

there has been another, extensive, thread on this. I don't feel like using the search engine myself, I don't care. Just thought I'd drop the hint.

Oh, it's odd how we have a middle class in armageddon. Most fighting-to-survive-with-despot-kings-worlds didn't have a middle class.

I'm sure some one will have an example, and say that I am wrong, and they'll be wrong, because I used the word MOST. HAH. SUCKA. NICE TRY.

Sorry for that last bit, just an observation.

[Teleri]

Hell yes.  If people want to have PCs who gain power rivalling the nobles', then I actually have no problem with it.  However, they should take it underground.  Maybe wear those silks if they aren't banned from use by the commoners, but only around your cronies in secret.  If anyone tries to "flex" publicly, they should be smacked down.  

It doesn't have to stop at Allanak, however.  Tulukis can do it in their own way, secretly and subtly.  Noble A sees Commoner B gaining a lot of support, or is wearing the same outfit or better publicly one day.  The next day, Commoner B is laying face-down in the street, bereft of their fine garment and their supporters are no longer in the city for some reason.  This, I think, would be quite awesome.

Nobles should really take more control, and stop with bringing interaction only to their little family PCs.  Furthermore, nobles should be given this power if they don't have it already.  After all, there is nobody better than they, save for those in their family higher than themselves, and they are above the law.  The only thing restraining them should be the fear of incurring the disapproval of their peers.

Furthermore, I believe that there is a middle class: the merchant families, however they are the lower middle class.  Far lower...in fact, so low, the nobles should probably treat them little differently than an even lower commoner...except when they need something, of course.  Still, a merchant family member should at the same time be so quite higher than the average commoner, but not so much that they are completely above the laws governing even peons.

[Bestatte]

I also believe that it is time for a change to occur in the amount of payment and what can be made available to the commoner PCs.  It's getting just ridiculous, seeing some people in super-fine armor or silks, or those with very valuable weapons/jewelry rivalling a noble's stock.  Unclanned commoners simply should not be able to have access to these things, or at least not so very many of them.

Some unclanned commoners work ten times as hard, risking ten times as much to their lives, to acquire the things they get than some clanned commoners do. And some unclanned commoners MAKE all the stuff they have. That your clanned noble guard isn't allowed to have enough time to themselves, or freedom to acquire raw materials to make their nifty stuff - that's more of an issue of playability.  But I think it's dangerous ground to suggest that unclanned commoners not have access to the same stuff that clanned commoners have (not including official house uniforms, obviously). Unclanned commoners have MUCH more freedom to get this stuff than clanned commoners do, by virtue of the fact that they DON'T have any need to stick to a schedule, or have to follow orders never to leave the city.

If I'm hungry, I don't need to go to the barracks and ask the cook to give me food, or ask my noble boss's permission to leave him with the NPC guard while I grab a bite to eat at the bar. I can walk out the gate, kill a goudra, and have myself a fine meal.

If my armor tears - I don't have to beg my noble boss for a new one until 3 RL days from now, when I"ll actually be online during a scheduled game-day off so I can get the old one repaired. I ask an armorcrafter friend to make me up a new one - give him that goudra hide I skinned when I was getting supper, and within a couple of RL hours, I have a new piece of armor.

Don't begrudge the independents for being successful. Guards aren't SUPPOSED to be rich. They're supposed to be guards. If they were rich, they wouldn't need their noble house anymore would they? It's a symbiotic relationship. Indies take all the risks - they reap the rewards. Clanned house employees take VERY little risks - they get perks - but little in the way of rewards. It all seems very fair to me, and I've been on several different sides of the situation.

[Krath]

Bestatte, The discussion is not about guards vs independents at all, it is going on about
Nobles vs Commoners, and how much money should be accessable to both the
working independent, and the working guard/advisor or what it may be. It is just out of
control how much money Guards, advisors and such are paid, and dually ridicilious how
much money independent crafters can sell certain items for. I, and I believe Teleri
as well see this as the central problem.  Regardless, this is not a discussion about
Guards pay vs Independent Merchant Pay, it is about Commoners being able to afford
things they should not be able to, and as well, being able out dress nobles, templars
and the such.

[Teleri]

Exactly.

[Dracul]

I agree...rich commoners are really bad. I bet that the militias and such would enforce such things rpwise if there was motivation, and I don't nessecarily mean incentive, just that nobles or merchants point it out and ask them. As a miltia, if no noble or someone of highclass tells him of their offense, other than jelously, why the hell would they care if a commoner was rich, it wouldn't mean much to them.

Nobles should just get a lot louder. Oh yea. I've only had one pc thats...well...I would say I've only had one pc thats had an interaction with a noble, it was a long time ago though. My pc got real concerned about uh..dying...and the noble..yea. it ended up good for the pc and such, and wasnt an in depth thing at all.

Nobles should enforce their divine rights here, punish everyone else.

edit: Also...there dont seem to be many pc militias. But...there are plenty of npcs which could be animated if an imm found it noteworthy after a wishing up, etc.

[X-D]

I'm with Bestatte.


Besides, the maker of this thread and other posters are forgetting something.

And this something is VERY important.

And that is the FACT they are ignoring the NPC and VNPC population. That and you have to take noble and high merchant house pc's out of the equation. Now, you see 10 commoner pc's wearing silks and whatnot. First, that looks like a large number, but in a city of half a million, most being dirty stinking slaves and commoners that are barely making it, these 10 are a tiny tiny number, not even a percentage.

And Why would a noble care? The docs state that they are the fashion and trend setters anyway, if Lord fancypants is wearing silk and sees a commoner in silk, the only thing he is going to think is, AHH, How cute, and flattering, the poor thing is trying to imitate me.

Remember nobles are NOBLES, they are BETTER and they and the commoners believe it, a naked noble is still inherently BETTER then a commoner wearing the finest clothing and jewels in the game, and the nobles knows it, he would not be threatened, the commoner knows it as well.

[JollyGreenGiant]

I have always liked the idea of the merchant Houses restricting their sales of their best items to the qualified few, and not just on the basis of price - at least in the cities.  For example:

Kadius - would only sell the best silks to nobles/templars, and possibly in limited quantity, to House merchants who are Way High Up There.  Mid-grade silks might be available to other merchants, House officers, high-ranking aides, and other important commoners.  Low-grade silks might be available to the public, but at great cost, and they should wear out more quickly.

Salarr - Reserve the best armor/weapons made out of the more expensive and rare materials for sale in bulk to noble Houses for their guards, to nobles, to templars, and militia/Legion.  They're the ones that are going to buy in bulk; why would you sell things piecemeal and risk not having enough to meet that massive contract you have with a House?  Let the public have access to the stuff that's relatively easy to acquire (or impractical to sell in bulk.  Silt-horror shell comes to mind as an example of something difficult to acquire that you probably wouldn't sell a lot of.)

The logic behind this is that the higher quality items would take a great deal of time and effort to create as well as higher costs from the materials needed - and would therefore be rare.  I'm also going to make a point that I think tends to get glossed over a bit too much.  The merchant House monopolies are entirely dependent on the business of the noble Houses. The merchant Houses may be powerful, but they cannot exist, at least in their present forms, without the continued support of the noble Houses.  The merchant Houses know this, and I have to conclude that they would not do anything to knowingly jeopardize their main sources of money (and therefore power) - the noble Houses.

Why do you think the nobles are currently always hitting up the merchants for custom items?  I'm sure it's because they know perfectly well that any commoner with a deep enough wallet can easily afford the rest of the stock.  You avoid all of the aforementioned problems by simply applying a bit of discrimination on the merchant's end of things.

[X-D]

You all post too quickly.

House guards get paid a small amount, but everything else is provided so, the money is extra, normaly in a few ic years they manage to save up for some nice stuff.

Combine that with the fact that a noble would want to show of his house and guards and aides...shrug, I think they do really well at the moment.

As to merchants and crafters. Again, you all blad on and forget the NPC and VNPC world.

Most the PC merchants and such in game are single, no family or household to take care of, maybe that is not the case with the npc/vnpc,
maybe that money which looks like a lot when somebody gets to spend it on themselves barely spreads far enough to keep his faimly alive.

You guys should try actually "thinking" like a noble for a while before posting.

I said it before, I'll say it again.

As a noble, you are BORN better, period, end of story, it is NOT possible for you station to be threatoned by a commoner.

AND, -try- to remember that PC's are a tiny tiny percentage of the world. and even from them, only a small percent are rich enough to be decked out in silks and whatnot.

[Larrath]

In Allanak, it is practically impossible to tradionally out-dress a noble.

Fashion down there, as I interept the fashion docs, a way to flaunt power.  The more power that you flaunt, the more fashionable you are...but it is practically impossible to try and flaunt more power than you have for anything more than, say, a meeting or some celebration.

Clothes are tight, constricting and probably extremely hot.  Bishts and abayas are so long that tripping on them is more than just a possibility; it happens all the time if you do anything more than saunter, probably.  Sleeves extending past the wrist/knuckles/fingertips is going to be EXTREMELY annoying to anyone who has the use their fingers.

There probably is a problem with everyone and their sister being able to afford silks, but this is not the only issue.

First of all, it is possible that these particular nobles simply do not care as much for how traditional or fashionable their clothes are; they want a halter-top and a fez and that's that.

To remedy THIS part (as well as the first problem due to concerns of comfort), what is needed is a wagon-load of new crazy noble clothes that no commoner in their right mind would wear.  Like fur mittens that have two dozen rainbow-colored ribbons that close them, or slippers or robes/dresses SO long that a special slave is needed just to carry the back.  Think of the possibilities for oppressing people with a fifty-foot long robe..."Out of my way, table!".

Yeah.

So like I was saying...

Problem #1: Making too much money: I do think it could be nice if it was gradually but CONSISTENTLY (throughout all clans) reduced to something more humble.

Problem #2: Not enough crazy clothes to really set a barrier: let's all start submitting!  Come on, you can do it!  An item a day keeps Halaster away?   :roll:

[Bestatte]

Kadius - would only sell the best silks to nobles/templars, and possibly in limited quantity, to House merchants who are Way High Up There.  Mid-grade silks might be available to other merchants, House officers, high-ranking aides, and other important commoners.  Low-grade silks might be available to the public, but at great cost, and they should wear out more quickly.

Then you'll need to restrict clothworking PCs to merchant family employees only and turn them into special apps. Commoners can buy silk. Commoners can sell what they make to Kadius, and customers who can afford it can buy what those commoners are making. The ONLY way to keep unclanned commoners away from making really quality items (especially custom created items for special orders for special friends) is to remove the ability for unclanned commoners to be capable of clothworking.

Salarr - Reserve the best armor/weapons made out of the more expensive and rare materials for sale in bulk to noble Houses for their guards, to nobles, to templars, and militia/Legion.  They're the ones that are going to buy in bulk; why would you sell things piecemeal and risk not having enough to meet that massive contract you have with a House?  Let the public have access to the stuff that's relatively easy to acquire (or impractical to sell in bulk.  Silt-horror shell comes to mind as an example of something difficult to acquire that you probably wouldn't sell a lot of.)

See my comment regarding Kadius silk-makers and shops, vs. unclanned silkmakers and traders, and apply it to Salarr vs. unclanned armor and weaponcrafters.

[Krath]

No, As he said, Restrict it.. You are going to have higher of quality product coming from
the merchant houses because they know the tricks of the trade and can hire the best.
Just make accessable to the commoners the low grade silks, woods, rocks and such
and let them make their clothing, armor, and such from the lower grade items. They
could still be able to make the nicer ones, but at a cost since they would have to buy
the higher quality material to begin making the item.

[mansa]

Why doesn't house Kadius remove all aspects of silk from the game, then?

Make it impossible for the independant crafter to gain access to it?  

We all know that Kadius is the only house that has silk farms in the grey forest.

I think that Silk should be a Kadius Only thing.  Make it so that every other merchant house, and noble house, have to get Silk from them and them only.

It's a harsh desert world.  Do you think the tribes out in the wastes will have time to sit down and refine silk?  If they do, then the world isn't as harsh as I think it is...

Silk: There are actually two forms of silk on Zalanthas. One is harvested from the cocoons of caterpillars indigenous to the Grey Forest, while the other, a heavier, glossier thread, is spun from pymlithe blossoms. While not as durable as other fabrics, silk is prized for its rarity, its luster, and the brightness of its color.

[Seeker]

I am in agreement with X-D on this one on all his points.

But another thing that enters in the equation, at least with clothing, is the concept of -fashion-.  PC clothes last a -long- time, but the nobility sets the fashion (usually with a little help from those friendly Kadians), and should -do- so.

The height of fashion this month is lime green shoes whose toes curl up so high you have to tie them back to your shins.  Anyone wearing anything different is a laughing stock.  Let the commoners try to keep up with the changing styles.  Nobility has the cash to burn, but most commoners simply don't have that constant revenue stream.  The way it works now, where you buy one fancy set of clothes and are set for life, simply ceases.  Sure, you spent three large on a great outfit.  Too bad you will be publically humilated if you wear it now that it is out of style.

And the wise Merchant House will surely keep some items, either in auction or in regular sales, exclusively for its most favored customers.  Just good business sense.  If the nobility doesn't want it, then let the rabble buy it.  The nobility gets the strokes twice.  Once for being offered the exclusive sales, and second for seeing some poor schmoe who spent his life savings on a reject.

Rich commoners are the perfect solution to last year's fashions... and a good chuckle for the Nobles.


Seeker

[Armaddict]

...Pc's are the significant, noteworthy people who you -notice- in a crowd.

The people you -notice-, who spend long years doing boring training routines and being the last line of defense against anyone who dares attack their charge...aren't allowed to have money?

Noble houses commoners are -supposed- to be above the norm.  They wear silks.  They're vastly more well off than the rest of the city, who scrapes by on run-of-the-mill jobs that pay minimal amounts to keep their family alive.  Those who find work with the more wealthy get an advantage to their high pay -- Spare time.  This is why silks are allowed.

Merchant Houses are monopolies in business.  They make a lot of money.  They can choose who they want to buy things, however, why should they?  If Joe commoner pays that amount, then he can have this clothing.  Yes, it's expensive, but that guy HAS THE MONEY.  It's a seller's market, not a buyer's.  If that noble wants to set a trend, he'd better go out and design it.  Or hire a kadian to figure out something no one else wears.  The 'trend' is not the nobles wearing silks and everyone else wearing shit they smeared on to look like them.

This is another of the things I hate hearing things about.  If you aren't allowed to make more money, why get that noble job where you're expected to put up with more over that merchant house job, where you're paid less?  If you aren't allowed to make more money, why get that merchant house job over just some run-of-the-mill job where you make shit, dress in shit, eat shit, and die covered in shit?

You people are asking for forced poverty, when really, it's the roles we play, the jobs that are made available for PC's, that allow us to make -decent- money.  And that's the way it should be.

[JollyGreenGiant]

You're actually comparing two different scenarios, Bestatte.  My argument was that Kadius and Salarr would not make their own stock of rare and expensive and contracted items available to the general public.  Your argument is that any commoner could make those kinds of items.  In what way do you think that one commoner is going to have any influence on Kadius or Salarr's behaviour?

[Bestatte]

No, As he said, Restrict it.. You are going to have higher of quality product coming from the merchant houses because they know the tricks of the trade and can hire the best.  Just make accessable to the commoners the low grade silks, woods, rocks and such and let them make their clothing, armor, and such from the lower grade items. They could still be able to make the nicer ones, but at a cost since they would have to buy
the higher quality material to begin making the item.

Who's gonna stop the unclanned ranger/armormaker from killing his own mekillot and crafting the finest quality mekillot-hide armor in the known world? Salarr? They don't even know this guy exists, because they no longer allow him to buy decent raw material in their shops anymore. All they provide for him is the scraps. What about the jeweler who forages for diamonds in the sekrit diamond mine that Kadius doesn't even know about? Who's gonna stop the jeweler from making - and selling - a diamond tiara? Kadius? Hell no, the only thing they know about this jeweler is that she bought a rock-chipping tool and a few chunks of quartz last week. No threat to them, no sirree.

This will encourage independents to succeed even MORE than before, not less. Oh and as far as how easy it is to be a rich independent...

It's damned easy, IF you have no competition, and IF your primary class is a combat-oriented class. Remember, the shops only buy 5 of each item, and most of those items will give your crafter what he paid for the materials, and possibly a few sids more. In some cases the crafter will net less than what it cost him to make the thing..and if there's competition, he'll be lucky if he can sell ONE of those items to the shop between game resets. A new crafter has it very rough - he just can't make the kinds of things that will get him enough money to eat and drink water. If he has some other means of feeding and watering himself (being a combat-oriented PC so he can hunt for food), then he'll survive long enough to make a profit. But again - that's ONLY if there's no competition.

Some weeks, when I play a crafter PC, I can rake in 2000 sids. Per real-life week. But that money only goes so far, and when there's 3 other crafters in town all trying to be the first one to the shop after reset, I might go a full RL month without a single sid of income. And some days the storms are so bad, I couldn't hunt, or didn't play a character who was able to hunt anyway...and that 2000 sids had to pay for food, water, new materials, an apartment to store it all in because some of that shit is just too heavy to lug around (try carrying 4 "X" hides some day in your inventory, or 5 blocky chunks of "Y" stone because ONE won't fit in your backpack - heh). That 2k in a single week is awesome. That week. But when you have nothing coming in for the next 3 weeks, and need food, water, shelter, stable fees, and more material to make more stuff - it doesn't last long at all.

The expenses of an independent crafter are MUCH higher than those of a house employee. We don't get armor and weapons given to us. We have to either buy our own or learn to make it ourselves. We don't have our own private cook, and most don't have storage lockers to keep their stuff in. We don't have a house to GIVE stuff to us when we ask for it. We have to risk our lives to find our own in the wilderness.

It all evens out in the end. Rather than give clanned house employees less money, I say give them two things: 1) Give them more interesting and significant things to do, and 2) give them more freedom and time for them to spend some of that cash.

[Armaddict]

You need to read my other post.  Just because it's easy, doesn't mean you should do it.  Think IC'ly.  Being by yourself just because you, yourself, the player, know that you can do it, as I said, is just a purely unlogical line of thinking, in my opinion.

I seriously doubt any commoners would be thinking, "I'm going to stick to myself, so that I can make more money faster and buy things that will make me look like a noble and overwhelmingly rich so that people post on the GDB about how rich commoners are getting, even though I'm the exception rather than the rule."  There you go, my thoughts.

[marko]

Let us remind ourselves of a couple of things while discussing this.

1) Armageddon is a game and it has a game economy (ie, not much of one).

2) The PCs are not representative of the virtual or NPC population.  PCs by their very nature are individuals who are noticed for one reason or another.


Now, there are two issues being discussed.  While they are related in a small way, they aren't dependant on one another.

The first is a discussion about how PC House employees make in salary and if their work justifies it.

The second is trying to make a class distinction greater (specifically nobility versus common.)

To address the first, I bring up the concept that PCs are not your typical population.  As such, when hired into the House, it can be expected that they are being hired for critical, sensitive, or important roles.  As such, these jobs would carry a good valuation.  On top of that, it is in the best interest of the Houses (let us remember that there are more noble houses than merchant) to pay a high amount to lure the best.  Now, if they hire morons well that is their own problem and their own waste of coin.  The purpose is to bring on the best.

Is 200 a month unreasonable?  No, I think that much is a good salary for say, a merchant house.  Merchant Houses tend to have lower requirements than a Noble House.  Yes, there are exceptions and this is a generalization that probably shouldn't be made.  

Is 400 a month unreasonable?  I think that is a 'fair' amount for a Noble House.  This way you attract the better skilled and / or attituded PCs.  One thing I've noticed is that few houses are actually discerning when it comes to recruitment - and because of this, they have to keep upping how much the base positions are paid because everyone tries to recruit everyone.

When it comes down to it, it isn't the pay that is really attracting players - it is the availability of the leaders of the House, it is the concept of the House, and it is the 'cool' factor of being in the House.  Therefore, what is the purpose of the coin?  It's to give people some money to spread around in the game and it also is something of a bragging right (I'm paid 400 coin!).

Now, to address the second point about how to enhance the class differentiation through clothing - I would suggest a class of nobility clothing.  This clothing would be extremely expensive to the common class.  Nobles would receive preferential treatment as they should already be receiving.

For example, a simple hat.  Alright, not entirely simple since it would be overly ornate, guady, sparkling with gemstones, and maybe some petroch feathers.  For sale to a commoner it would cost 8000 coin.  To a noble, it would cost a far more 'reasonable' 4000 coin.

Other items in this class would range from 5000 - 10000 to commoners while they would be 2500 - 5000 to nobility.  

An independant may actually blow the coin for a specific piece but it is doubtful they would actually buy an entire outfit.  While a noble could easily do so over time.

On top of that to the general populace, everyone would _know_ that these pieces cost 5k-10k (and would not realize nobles are getting a huge price discount) thereby enhancing the Nobility are ultra rich image.

This would also allow merchants to play favorites amongst the nobility (offer an even better deal or charging a few extra thousand) depending on how they wished to be perceived.

Armour and weapons are an entirely different ballgame.  I would think the people that buy the most expensive and useful armour are independants and / or guards who actually need it.  As such, I don't see any reason why Salarr would restrict anything unless deals were made with specific Houses about custom orders or specific materials.  Of course, for certain things, it is in Salarr's best interest to charge an extreme premium to commoners.