I started a test, with mid Ermor so as to recruit no cost undeads.(do you find it cheaty ?)
pretender : an awake blue dragon with 9 water.
My first try put me in prov 70, next to the cathedral.
My second put me in the upper left corner, with two neighbours, one was the motheroak.
Talking of it : what is it ? There were around thirty revelers and ten warrior mages.
I found two prov (117/121) with elephants : what the hell are they doing in London ? Or in any city ? Can you imagine elephants walking around in your street ?
For the income : it is lowish, I had neutral scales ( all at zero) and 480 gold income with more than half of the suburbs : I expect a hard day when I'll encounter the Church.
I'll do more testing tonight, and report tomorow if I find something to say.
PS : I recomment an awake SC, as it is the ONLY way to expand early.