A Sword Without a Hilt: A Song of Ice and Fire/D&D 3.5 Crossover

[Goldfish]

Hey, gentlemen, seeing as how we are a really international community here, I have to ask you something. In international terms (and I don't mean Europe because it is expensive), how cheap would be someone working for 2 USD an hour?

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That would be an illegally low wage in the US. The closest I know of to that is the $2.13 minimum wage for food servers who work in restaurants where the majority of their wage is expected to come from gratuities.

Regular minimum wage in my home state, North Carolina, is $7.25, and that's for utterly unskilled labor, felons, and teenagers working in fast food. The lowest level position in the company I work for is Warehouse Attendant, and I think they start at a minimum of $12.00.

 

[Tomcost]

That would be an illegally low wage in the US. The closest I know of to that is the $2.13 minimum wage for food servers who work in restaurants where the majority of their wage is expected to come from gratuities.

Regular minimum wage in my home state, North Carolina, is $7.25, and that's for utterly unskilled labor, felons, and teenagers working in fast food. The lowest level position in the company I work for is Warehouse Attendant, and I think they start at a minimum of $12.00.

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Huh. I had the idea that the US was pretty crappy when it came to wages for unskilled work, but it is not so far from Europe then.

 

[Rabbit]

Trade jobs are in demand all over the US, and usually can pay well... after apprenticeships/training/certification.

It's dirty hard labor, with long hours; but it will feed a family and keep a roof over their heads.

I know some journeyman plumbers making 6 figures with the overtime/travel they put in.

 

[Duesal]

Huh. I had the idea that the US was pretty crappy when it came to wages for unskilled work, but it is not so far from Europe then.

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Keep in mind the living cost is a lot higher than what you'd be used to as well.

 

[T_of_A]

Huh. I had the idea that the US was pretty crappy when it came to wages for unskilled work, but it is not so far from Europe then.

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Those numbers seem pretty crappy to me...
It's very rare to be lower than minimum wage (the previous "waiter" example would be getting minimum wage in every European country I know, for example), and our minimum wages are generally around 10$ an hour (using a quick online converter).
Here's a minimum wage map from Wikipedia:

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EDIT : This may be out of date? I was under the impression that Ireland was the highest in 2019, for example.
Oh, and obviously my personal biases mean that when i say "Europe" I mean western europe. In any case I've never worked a paying job in eastern europe or southern europe (only been on short hiking trips/interrail), so I couldn't speak confidently about their wages.

 

[notbirdofprey]

Yeah, wages are way lower than cost of living in the US.

 

[egoo]

*coughs in Russian*

 

[Tomcost]

Keep in mind the living cost is a lot higher than what you'd be used to as well.

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Yeah, I know.

Long story short, I need imported medication, and I will probably lose my subsidy that pays for it, and we might face a terrible devaluation soon.

So I'm investigating where are the highest paying jobs, in absolute terms. It was either that or working online and getting paid in crypto.

 

[T_of_A]

Yeah, wages are way lower than cost of living in the US.

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I mean, minimum wage isn't great here in Europe either (living on minimum wage alone is complicated because rents can be too high in major cities, so when I had a minimum wage job everyone who didn't have some advantage like "is a student with subsidized rent" was trying to work weekends or nights because the extra pay made a real difference), but our politicians at least use the USA as a boogeyman. "If we don't act now, things will get as bad as in the USA!" is a common sentiment.
EDIT : Not sure how trustworthy politicians are, of course.

You know, I wonder if SD Voices will start saying that sort of thing? "If we don't act, my constituents will be reduced to living like Westerosi!"

Yeah, I know.

Long story short, I need imported medication, and I will probably lose my subsidy that pays for it, and we might face a terrible devaluation soon.

So I'm investigating where is the highest paying jobs, in absolute terms. It was either that or working online and getting paid in crypto.

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Ouch. Best of luck to you!

 

[Goldfish]

It's not great, but there aren't actually that many minimum wage workers in the US. As of 2017-2018, only 542,000 people in the US were working for minimum wage (out of 156 million people in the workforce at the same time), and a significant number of those were teenagers and students working crappy fast food and retail jobs. That's what, about a third of 1%?

Most companies start off paying unskilled workers well above minimum wage because they expect those workers to learn and become more valuable. Minimum wage is almost exclusively paid in businesses with extremely high turnover, where no one expects workers to stick around or learn anything of value.

Yeah, wages are way lower than cost of living in the US.

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It really depends on where you live. I live in Charlotte, NC, and absolutely could not afford to exist at my current standard of living on minimum wage. In my hometown, however, which is only three hours away but is located roughly in the ass end of nowhere, minimum wage would actually let one live quite comfortably, if not luxuriously.

 

[Tomcost]

So I get that by living away from big cities you can actually live a comfortable life with low skilled jobs.

 

[Goldfish]

So I get that by living away from big cities you can actually live a comfortable life with low skilled jobs.

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Yep.

It's been almost 9 years since I moved, but I used to rent a nice three bedroom house in a good neighborhood in my home town for just $450 per month. A house right across the street from that one, with a much bigger yard, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two car garage is currently renting for $800 a month (I know because I'm friends with the owner). A similar home and property in my current area would be closer to $1,500+ at least.

 

[Takesis]

...goodness, what are you getting paid with people???

I get paid the equivalent of 0.60c USD an hour for an outsourced firm and I'm considered an average earner! Grah!

Granted, 20k PHP a month will get a family of four fed, all utilities paid and some savings if both parents are earning that much here.

 

[Crake]

Cost of living is ass. Also, try getting a promotion in the middle of a global pandemic slash civil unrest/fascist takeover, I am eager to hear the results.

I might be able to somehow apply them to my own situation, after all.

 

[Tomcost]

Yep.

It's been almost 9 years since I moved, but I used to rent a nice three bedroom house in a good neighborhood in my home town for just $450 per month. A house right across the street from that one, with a much bigger yard, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a two car garage is currently renting for $800 a month (I know because I'm friends with the owner). A similar home and property in my current area would be closer to $1,500+ at least.

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Well, that's a huge difference in price.

Speaking about differences in price, how are medication prices around the world? I'm seeing radical differences between online pharmacies. Those in English list what I use in 160 USD (from Autralia), German one has it in 62 EUR (70 USD) and the set price in Denmark is 387 DKK (60 USD).

And I honestly can't think why could there be so abysmal a difference.

 

[Goldfish]

Well, that's a huge difference in price.

Speaking about differences in price, how are medication prices around the world? I'm seeing radical differences between online pharmacies. Those in English list what I use in 160 USD (from Autralia), German one has it in 62 EUR (70 USD) and the set price in Denmark is 387 DKK (60 USD).

And I honestly can't think why could there be so abysmal a difference.

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Medication prices in the US can get absolutely fucking ridiculous if a generic version isn't available or if you have poor health insurance, or worse, no health insurance.

The only medication I take is for my insanely high blood pressure. A three month supply for the generic stuff is approximately $71, but the name brand stuff would cost around $750 for a three month supply. If I didn't have a minor reaction to the more commonly prescribed medicine, I could get a three month supply of that for $14 or so, IIRC.

 

[Tomcost]

Medication prices in the US can get absolutely fucking ridiculous if a generic version isn't available or if you have poor health insurance, or worse, no health insurance.

The only medication I take is for my insanely high blood pressure. A three month supply for the generic stuff is approximately $71, but the name brand stuff would cost around $750 for a three month supply. If I didn't have a minor reaction to the more commonly prescribed medicine, I could get a three month supply of that for $14 or so, IIRC.

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Okay, that's pretty much fucked up.

Leaning towards Europe now then

 

[Speed53066]

Well, that's a huge difference in price.

Speaking about differences in price, how are medication prices around the world? I'm seeing radical differences between online pharmacies. Those in English list what I use in 160 USD (from Autralia), German one has it in 62 EUR (70 USD) and the set price in Denmark is 387 DKK (60 USD).

And I honestly can't think why could there be so abysmal a difference.

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Yah, for any medical problems do not go to the US. Canada has less restrictive immigration laws and a much better healthcare system.

 

[Duesal]

Yah, for any medical problems do not go to the US. Canada has less restrictive immigration laws and a much better healthcare system.

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This. Do not come to the US for any medical problems. The medicine and the insurance are expensive as hell, deliberately so thanks to how much lobbying affects policy. I can't even count the people I know who either don't have insurance or straight up just never see a doctor even when they really should. You'll have a much better time in Europe or Canada if you've got medical issues that need attention.

Best case scenario you get a job in the US that offers health insurance which you then take advantage of, but a second concern is that recently it's a hell of a lot harder to immigrate for work given new policy.

 

[Tomcost]

This. Do not come to the US for any medical problems. The medicine and the insurance are expensive as hell, deliberately so thanks to how much lobbying affects policy. I can't even count the people I know who either don't have insurance or straight up just never see a doctor even when they really should. You'll have a much better time in Europe or Canada if you've got medical issues that need attention.

Best case scenario you get a job in the US that offers health insurance which you then take advantage of, but a second concern is that recently it's a hell of a lot harder to immigrate for work given new policy.

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Thanks for all the info. I think I'll aim for an Italian Passport as soon as everything reopens again here then.

 

[Deliste]

[X] Crake

@Crake, we have three regular Mind Blank rings, one Mind Blank ring with a +6 Wisdom bonus, and eight Shadowforged Mind Blank rings. I would recommend giving him one of the Shadowforged rings. Here in Westeros, that's as good as he needs, IMO.

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I really hope he isn't still relying on this and that we haven't made a habit of it.

Giving anyone a Mindblank with a known backdoor is beyond foolish unless they already have a regular one, it should be supplementary only.

Why do we have any reason to believe that the Shadowlands would ignore Westerosi politics when they can undermine the threat we pose by getting involved?

 

[Goldfish]

I really hope he isn't still relying on this and that we haven't made a habit of it.

Giving anyone a Mindblank with a known backdoor is beyond foolish unless they already have a regular one, it should be supplementary only.

Why do we have any reason to believe that the Shadowlands would ignore Westerosi politics when they can undermine the threat we pose by getting involved?

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It's certainly possible that someone associated with the Shadowlands could attempt to interfere in Westeros, but it's not particularly likely in comparison to literally every other threat with an interest in the continent; Devils, Fey, Deep Ones, Others, etc. A Mind Blank weak to one specific faction, and even then only a small subset of beings within that faction, is still a Mind Blank. We can't afford to give full Mind Blanks to minor allies and middling NPCs, not when we have so many people who need them more urgently.

 

[Crake]

I really hope he isn't still relying on this and that we haven't made a habit of it.

Giving anyone a Mindblank with a known backdoor is beyond foolish unless they already have a regular one, it should be supplementary only.

Why do we have any reason to believe that the Shadowlands would ignore Westerosi politics when they can undermine the threat we pose by getting involved?

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Because we're only specifically protecting him from being monitored by a set of local interests. What machinations the BE has for Westerosi nobles are pretty much beyond our purview to respond to meaningfully other than keeping our thumb on the local situation, and right now fiends and other gribblies are being auto-detected in lands who's lords have sworn pacts with the Star Court. So it isn't easy for BE to act there anyway.

 

[Trickster314]

Thanks for all the info. I think I'll aim for an Italian Passport as soon as everything reopens again here then.

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If you're aiming for permanent resident status or full citizenship, I suggest keeping Canada in mind as well. As you would be eligible for public health care and reasonably priced medication (ie not US prices).

Also, the minimum wage here is around $14 an hour in Ottawa (or about $10USD) and I would expect an entry-level Accounting job (I think that was your major) to be around $30 if you can find one.

 

[MickOfTime]

We may end up with just one update today guys, I'm sorry about that I just feel terrible and can't bring myself to even think of writing

I hope this quest is still worth it to you guys even with all the drama and me being an idiot about it on top of it all.

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Yeah, this quest? This quest is a work of patience, imagination, and craft beyond what most writers could even DREAM of being able to accomplish. It's honestly mind-boggling, when I look at it. Please don't ever be anything less than proud at what you've accomplished here, or question its worth. It's, in a word, amazing. And just...*cool*. So, thanks for your work, man. It's humbling and inspiring, all at once.