User Guide

unfair in the city. If half the citizens are paying high
taxes, and the other half are paying no taxes at all, City
Sentiment will plummet.
If you fail to meet citizens’ expectations, the word will
quickly spread to others considering a move to your
city. Potential immigrants will decide to stay where
they are or find another city to call home if your city
has a poor reputation, as expressed by the low senti-
ment of its residents. If your city’s reputation drops
too precipitously, some of its residents may move out
in search of a better life.
Your Chief Overseer (see page 203) knows how citi-
zens are feeling. Use his City Sentiment report as a
guide to improving conditions in your city.
In addition to limiting immigration, poor City
Sentiment can also encourage crime (see page 99).
Lack of housing is the other major factor that keeps
immigrants away. Check in with your Overseer of the
Granaries (see page 200). He can tell you how many
more people the city’s current housing stock can host.
If housing is almost completely occupied, zone some
new housing areas to attract new immigrants, or take
steps to encourage existing homes to improve. Better
housing accommodates more people.
FFiinnddiinngg WWoorrkkeerrss
Most buildings require employees (you’ll learn about
the different jobs your citizens can have in subsequent
chapters). When a new building needing employees is
built, it dispatches a representative to seek out available
workers in nearby neighborhoods. If he finds occupied
49
People and Employment
You can get away with charging citizens higher taxes if
the city is otherwise a great place to live. Citizens
won’t mind paying a little extra to live in a city with
plenty of food, jobs and decent wages. Citizens will
become upset, however, if they feel conditions are
48
People and Employment
Khmunhotep’s Family
Ahket, 12th year of Ramesses
Morning
Dear Journal,
Nefernetka, Khmunhotep's wife, greet-
ed me when I finally arose in the morning.
She offered me a delicious porridge of grain
for breakfast. While I was eating, the chil-
dren came in to see the newcomer. All the
children still have the 'side lock of youth':
their hair is cut short except for a long tress of
hair that comes from the side of their heads.
The eldest, who is nearly 14, will soon have
this side lock cut off and endure the sebi cere-
mony in which he will be circumcised. Once
he has entered adulthood, his family will
send him to the Per-Ankh, which we call
library, to learn his father's craft.
After the children returned to their
toys, Nefernetka told me of a recent misfor-
tune that befell her family. Her father passed
on after a long and fruitful life. Nefernetka
misses her father terribly, but takes comfort in
the knowledge that he lives on in the Field of
Reeds. Nefernetka also rests easy knowing
that, in accordance with Egyptian
tradition, one-third of her
father's estate passes to
Nefernetka's mother.
Nefernetka and her sib-
lings share the other
two-thirds. At least
the family is free from
want.
After breakfast, I
left Khmunhotep's home to
negotiate a trade on behalf
of my country.