How would you treat this character?

[I R K00L]

Alot of times when my character is sitting around with nil to do, or I'm out driving or something, I go through ideas of a "next" character, and one struck my mind, that I see brought up about with lots of hear-say about what actually happens... So I figure I would ask how you guys would act in response to...

An actual prostitute PC?

I always see people saying that prostitutes are in over-abundance in Zalanthas' cities, and that they're pretty much just another profession. And then I hear stories of how they are killed when advertising their "wares" when certain people are present, though all the VNPC prostitutes and some NPC ones aren't ever put to death, so I was wondering what everyone's true feelings of how they would treat one are?

 -Gabs, who loves these controversial questions, because they've helped her rp increase ten fold.  :wink:

Prostitutes tend to be hard to play, because alot of lewd scenes require 'consent' of the people, or they could potentially get 'offended' and then probably get in some trouble with the administration.

So unless you like just acting 'vaguely' lewd, and then being at the will of many a horny young player that might want to 'buy' you. these usually arnt as fun as you'd think.

I mean hopping on someone's lap, or tavern flirting can be fun for a little, but its hardly a great concept. Unless your person dreams of aspiring the ranks of some noble house.... sleeping with everyone they can on the way. Thats a bit more interesting, but done to death.

I dont know, I just dont think they are as fun as they sound to play.
I dont think they'd be killed alot, unless they offedn people.

[crymerci]

I don't know, I guess it would depend on how you played them.  Clearly you would have to follow rules of consent, and would be no more obliged to get graphic than anyone else.  Public acts would be a no-no because of the consent thing, so where would you ply your trade: the backrooms of the Trader's/Gaj, or rent a place from Nenyuk?  If you were in Allanak, would you be required to buy a merchant's token?  I'd have to say I'm with Jenred in thinking that it's a catchy concept, but would likely prove less interesting to play than you might think.  Although I must admit, I have entertained thoughts of creating a half-giant prostitute.  :twisted:

[Rindan]

I think people over react to how difficult it is to deal with the consent rules.  The consent rules basically say that you can't play out an extremely sexual or extremely violent scene without getting everyone's permission to describe it in full gore.  This does not mean that you can't be lude, crude, and offensive.  There are NPC strippers in the game, and they don't ask before pulling off clothing.  Further, it isn't like a prostitute is going to screw people in a tavern, so worry about offending anyone's sensibilities is minimal.  You can pretty much advertise without any fear of stepping over the consent rules.

When it goes down to the actual dirty act, you don't need a good place to do it.  A modern whore doesn't always have a good place to take her clientele.  You just need a vaguely discrete alleyway.  The client in question pulls down their pants and you bend over or get on your knees.  Some friction takes place with the orifice of your choice, and everyone walks away happy.  No one said you had to be a classy whore.  You could be the whore who all the Byn mercenaries pass around for a quick blow in the alleyway when they get off of work.

I don't see anything truly bad about the character concept.  Certainly, there have been far more offensive character types in the game then a simple whore.  It is the sort of character though that would be easy to play 'bad'.  I have seen some truly pathetic attempts at whores.  You probably should avoid trying to come off as a nymphomaniac.  You would be working woman (or man I suppose).  Some days you might enjoy it, other days you might grumble at the work, but in the end you do it for the money.  The fact that it is for the money is the real key to playing a proper whore in my opinion.  You know your trade.  You are good at it, you have some level of security, and in your mind it is the best way to make money out there for a poor commoner Jane.

[Anonymous]

I've seen two prostitutes in game.

One got her eyes cut out by the wife of a templar for propositioning him.  'Nuff said...

The other had a line of people trying to help her change her life, you know, save her from her wicked ways.

She propositioned my character and he accepted.  An elf walked in on us in the barrel's balcony (of course) and from that point on continually derided me about how disgusting what we were about to do was.  (Nobody had taken any clothes off or anything, but he knew she was a whore)  He later tried to kill me.

Soooo, based on that experience I would tell you to expect a lot of frustration with the role as you will mostly meet two types of people.

• Those who keep trying to save you.
  
• Those who assume you are nothing but a netsexer and treat you with extreme prejudice.
  

I'd also say that you'd probably have some OOC issues as well.  While my PC above was certainly not the type to pass up a lay, I'm not into descriptive mudsex.  Been there, done that, not interested in trying it again.  So, I would have wanted to do a fade to black.

However, unless you are willing to emote I think you will run across some people who don't want to pay ICly for a sex scene unless they are going to get some primo ascii porn.

So, that's my thoughts on it.

[Carnage]

How far do the rules of consent apply?

If someone is hiding or invisible in the room, do you need their permission as well? It's a pretty tricky subject there, since if it's their job to study someone 24/7, well...

[naatok]

I've actually played a prostitute.  Well, a Courtesan, thank you very much.

I was disappointed by the fact that sex for money is 'supposedly' an accepted business practice in Allanak, and yet the very concept of what my pc was bothered so many people I began to think that there was some weird schizm in Allanaki society....that which is virtually acceptable and that which is acceptable for a PC to be.  It was pretty stupid actually.

No, I'm not a net sex freak.  I wanted a challenging role to play and I played it.  I think I did a damn good job of it too, but that's my arrogant opinion.

Fortunately my pc went on to actually work for someone using the talents a well-trained and well-bred Courtesan can possibly come by, then the days of 'putting on the red light' were over.

She then had a horrible soap opera life with her employer, went sorta mad and died a horrible death.

Personally, I was thinking by that point that she shoulda stuck to hooking.
:twisted:

[Carnage]

Does Naatok scare the hell out of anybody else, or is it just me?

[crymerci]

Personally, I was thinking by that point that she shoulda stuck to hooking.
:twisted:

I played a character whose background included prostitution, and she thought that a few times as well.

[Angela Christine]

Personally, I was thinking by that point that she shoulda stuck to hooking.
:twisted:

I played a character whose background included prostitution, and she thought that a few times as well.

Me too!  I didn't have the moxy to play a whore (do I hear a gigantic sigh of relief?) but I had a character with it in her background.

Anyway, while prostitution is a valid common proffession in less puritanical cultures, I think "common whore" is usually a low-status proffesion.  In Germany prostitution is legal, but I doubt people are over-joyed if their kids say they want to be prostitutes when they grow up.  It may not be any worse than working at McDonalds, but that isn't saying much.  It is basically unskilled labour, at least in entry level postions.   :twisted:  You don't even have to be especially pretty to be a whore.  Many people treat those who work in fast food, gas stations, corner stores, etc. like non-persons, like they must be stupid, lazy or ignorant to work in jobs like that.  I imagine people that treat others in the service industry like the shit stuck to their boot would treat prostitutes the same way.

A higher class call-girl or courtesan can be a refined and highly skilled proffession, but probably wouldn't be plying her (or his) trade in the Gaj either.

On the whole, most people would probably consider hookers to be socially on par with mercenaries.  

AC

[DrunkenSalarr]

... but its hardly a great concept. Unless your person dreams of aspiring the ranks of some noble house.... sleeping with everyone they can on the way. Thats a bit more interesting, but done to death...

I don't understand why PCs have to be "Special" people. Like the Stars of the Suikoden games.  I rather enjoy playing the Joe Schmoe rolls.  Now, I've never played a prostitute, but if you want to, go for it.   But as for having a "great concept," you don't need to have any greater goal than survive this day, and plan for the next if you have time.

I've played Joe Schmoes of all kinds, including a Magicker.  I recomend trying to play your everyday citizen sometime, it isn't as easy as you might think.

I R KOOL, if you want to play a whore, go for it.  One of the things I love most about this MUD is you can be anyone.  I've seen beggars, whores, and legless mercs played better than a lot of Nobles.  I remember a Brothel started by a PC, and it was quite profitible from what I remember.

~Drunken Salarr, who remembers seeing "The head of the legless man is here."

[Callisto]

That is one of the most difficult roles to play, in my opinion.

With that said, its a concept that has a lot of potential IF you can pull it off, but don't think it will be easy. I have seen one, one person play a prostitute that didn't come off being corny and irking, and that person never got around to returning my damn scimitar...  heh.

In truth that character is still on my top ten of favorite characters of all time, somewhere below Ysania and somewhere above a Kuraci mul who shall remain nameless, since I don't know if the mean old bastard is dead or not. The reason the character stands out is because she was a whore, but that didn't define the character in and of itself, it was just one spoke on a larger and more interesting wheel - something I've just never seen in any other prostitute PC, or whore-ish characters in general.

Anyway, yeah, it's a hard role to play, but if you want to have a hand at it then I say go for it. Before you do, make sure you are aware of the OOC consent rule in full before you start playing. If you have questions about it that the help file doesn't cover or leaves you uncertain, e-mail the main mud account so you're sure on things. It seems like a hassle, I know, but it beats having a very pissed off Nessalian or Sanvean breathing  down your neck.

As to being worried about people killing him/her for being a whore, it isn't against the law to sell sex on Zalanthas, but it isn't a safe line of work by any means. The character would no doubt be made a target by people playing murdering psychos, people looking to make some quick 'sid by killing a whore and looting his/her corpse, or jealous 'others' who don't approve of your tempting their man/woman. The character would no doubt be made a victim of non-violent abuse as well, since whores who aren't wearing Borsail or Oash silks aren't given a lot of respect (and even those ones get treated like shit behind their backs).

Just remember that its all in-character and that you, the player, aren't the one being abused should situations like that come along.

Guess that's about it, hope it helps.

[Samoa]

If a post has been modded out for content, please do not make another post repeating the information.  Furthermore, please do not use the GDB to make personal attacks; if such is necessary, please try to keep it to email or at the least private messages.  If anything I do or say somehow makes you take umbrage, please take it up with me privately instead of trying to cause a spectacle

Thanks.

[krelin]

I'd tend to agree with Samoa.  I hadn't known about XXX's death, and wasn't particularly pleased to read about it on the GDB.  At least Samoa spoiled your fun at a one-on-one level, and not to every poor sap who reads the GDB.

[Carnage]

Until I get a specification and notice from someone in charge, I'm just going to chalk it up to a GDB board error. I haven't seen any reason to believe otherwise, either. Where was the personal attack? Although now that you bring that point up, I'd rather you take your problems with me to GDB messages, rather than stalk my posts and constantly attempt to act as a moderator for each and every one.

[Shinigami]

There was no GDB error.  I deleted the posts containing the ic information, and another member of staff removed the names from the other one.  If you feel that ooc/ic information has been spread, please feel free to contact mud@ginka.armageddon.org.

Do not use this board for personal grudges, or to flame others.  If you must complain about someone breaching ic rules, or if you feel that it would be appropriate to post ic info (no matter how old) mail us first.

-Shinigami, an actual staff member

[krelin]

Sorry, XXX and thanks for the edit.  

[Abascal]

maybe if everyone makes a character who is a prostatue we can have a war!

[A guest]

Hello;

three things.

1) Someone mentioned that they had a hard time playing a prostitute because so many people either got pissed at her character or were trying to save her. Someone replied by saying (paraphrase), Hey, a hooker's life is hard. But I think what the original poster was saying is that people were letting their OOC emotions and/or morals control their characters' behaviour--and that seems like a valid point.

2) Lots of people have mentioned the hardships of being a whore, but no one's mentioned pimps and the advantage a prostitute with a pimp would have--who's gonna go around killing and/or not paying whores when they know that if they do, someone will be coming after them?

3) Finally, people mentioned low-class hookers one the one hand and courtesans on the other--what about other alternatives? I'm new to Armageddon (haven't even actually played), but what about strippers? In the real world, strippers can have pretty high incomes and a shred of decency too--they don't necessarily go around during the day telling everyone they're a stripper, and you can't necessarily tell just by looking at someone, either. So it can be a fairly safe and lucrative occupation. Another possibility is something like the geishas of ancient Japan. These were basically prostitutes. You *could* tell by looking at them that they were prostitutes--they wore their hair a certain way. But they too had some things going for them. Customers were expected to write them love letters! They lived in a special district of the city and there was a definite heirarchy within their ranks. Top geishas were almost like noblewomen. Just another example of a sex-related occupation that could be low-, middle-, or high-income, and also relatively safe (won't have a bunch of characters trying to kill you off, because you're not scum, you're a tax-paying citizen   ).

[I R K00L]

Wow, this post still gets attention lol.

A guest is very right. I did indeed mean OOCly with some people. It kinda goes with the whole, discerning IC and OOC world values; such as the marraige discussion we all had where Sanvean pointed out that she'd like to see a change in the way things worked.

Prostitution seems to be a very legal, and common thing in Armag, but PC's, as I've personally saw, seem to treat it much like it is in the real world. (wait, this Is the real world, right? Err...) :shock:

[Narc]

I've played a hooker before, wasn't that fun. I think the hardest thing to do was find potential "johns." I mean, seriously when was the last time your char did the nasty upside down heeby-jeeby? Not lately eh? Well why in the world did I get about 16 guys per day askin me ta join the Byn, (where they serious?) or become a bar matron, (btw. The pay as a bar matron sucks. A hooker gets less slaps on the ass, and three times as much sid). It seems that I never actually could find a steady source of income. And as if they lack of johns wasn't bad enough, take it from me, Never hit on a noble in broad daylight, specially when their special lady is right beside him(how was I supposed ta know?) even if he does "Vaguely remember you from last night"

:twisted: oh,  and if your reading this, which your prolly not. I'm a guy, and you weren't that big. :twisted: