The object of Courtesans is to acquire Resources. There are 5 Resources Legend, Reputation, Wealth, Infl uence and Scandal. Exactly how they work will be described in Chapter 3. For now all you need to worry your pretty head about is how much of each you start with. Follow the following procedure.
1. Split 12 points between Legend, Reputation, Wealth and Infl uence as appropriate to your Background. Unlike Statistic you do not have to have any points in a Resource. You can even start in Resource Debt if you let your modifi ers come into play. For more information on Resource Debt see Chapter 3.
Starting in Debt
It is quite possible for your Courtesan to start with a Resource in Debt I.E a Resource value in the negative. It is recommended that you avoid this what with the penalties for such a debt (see Chapter 3) but you can always build
2. Add one point to Scandal. This represents the Scandal that started your Career. Examples of Scandalous behaviour can be found in Chapter 3. Bear in mind however that these are what is Scandalous for a Courtesan. Before she gains her fi rst point of Scandal the Character is not a Courtesan: Something as innocent as losing your virginity outside of marriage is enough for the initial Scandal Point. It may not even be your fault! 3. Add your Courtesan’s
Resource Bonus.
4. Subtract your Courtesan’s Resource Penalty.
5. If your Courtesan is a Professional and opts for the Scandal Point add it now. Remember to justify it in the Courtesan’s background. It has to be something that would scandalise a Courtesan.
Example: Sarah now has to establish Hattie’s starting Resources. She follows the steps.
Step 1: Sarah decides that Hattie is
a minor celebrity for her good works as much as for the scandal of her fall. She puts 6 points into Legend. She’s very much new on the Town but news of the naughty things she got up to abroad and to purchase her passage back travels fast.
She puts 3 points into Reputation. Having just got off the boat Hattie can only just about afford her fi rst year’s rent. Sarah puts no points into Wealth. Hattie is quite well connected with the establishment despite being ‘damaged goods’ Sarah puts the remaining 3 points into Infl uence. Hattie’s Resources stand at: Legend: 6 Reputation: 3 Wealth: 0 Infl uence: 3 Scandalous Origin
The two extra points of Scandal that an Upstart gets from her Origin refl ect nothing more than her humble beginnings or membership of a minority.
Meanwhile a Professional doesn’t really need a background reason for their initial Point of Scandal. She pretty much chose whore as a vocation, it doesn’t get much more scandalous than that! Her bonus Scandal, if she chooses to take one, rather than a Child, does require Background explanation. Just to make it clear you may have no more points of Scandal at the start than your Initial 1+ any modifi ers for Resource Bonus /
Step 2: Sarah adds the Scandal
Point which she will explain in her Background. Her Resources stand at... Legend: 6 Reputation: 3 Wealth: 0 Infl uence: 3 Scandal: 1
Step 3: Sarah adds 2 Points to
Hattie’s Legend. Her Resources stand at... Legend: 8 Reputation: 3 Wealth: 0 Infl uence: 3 Scandal: 1
Step 4: Sarah subtracts 1 Point
from Hattie’s Reputation. Her Resources stand at...
Legend: 8 Reputation: 2 Wealth: 0 Infl uence: 3 Scandal: 1
Step 5: Is skipped because Hattie
isn’t a Professional.
Hattie’s details now look like this:
Name: Miss Hattie Harker Eye Colour: Blue
Hair Colour: Blonde Bust: Buxom
Waist: Child Bearing Origin: Goldenheart Manners: 3 Charm: 5 Wits: 3 Spite: 1 Performance: 2 Prowess: 4
Good At: Midwifery, Resisting
Seduction, Acts of Charity
Legend: 8 Reputation: 2 Wealth: 0 Infl uence: 3 Scandal: 1
Sexuality in the Demi Monde
Homosexuality was still a crime and a pretty severe one at that during the time of the Demi Monde. In our sister game Tough Justice the author pointed out that ‘sodomy’ was in fact a capital crime during the 1700s. This historical fact must however be balanced with the spirit of the game and the secretive nature of the Demi Monde. A Courtesan revealed as having slept with a woman or having allowed a man to have anal sex with her will not be prosecuted and removed from play unless the Player is looking for an excuse to retire her Character (see Goodbyes in Chapter Six, though having your unloved Character hanged for sodomy is pretty mean even by the standards of Courtesans Players.) She will however doubtless suffer some Scandal Points. If you own Tough Justice you may well have your Courtesan turn up in the Dock for a special appearance to crossover the two games.
Background
Some Roleplayers write epic novel length back stories, others just note down a few key moments. This game can accommodate either or anything in between though as this game is less than serious Miss Epic Tale of Woe may fi nd herself mocked mercilessly by her fellow Players. All in good fun though. Bitchiness is for in character only honey!
A few points for consideration... • How was your Courtesan
brought up?
• How did your Courtesan come to adopt the profession?
• Is she troubled or happy in her new life?
• As an adjunct to this what are her religious views? Remember though it was no longer illegal from the late 1600s onwards few were outright atheists though not everyone was exactly pious. Most Ladies will be some form of Christian but more exotic back stories bring more exotic faiths into play. • What of her sexuality? Is she
defi nitely in one particular orientation or another or is she confused?
Example: Sarah has now come to decide on a Background for Hattie. She comes up with this tragic tale...
Hattie Harker was the daughter of a Methodist minister Rev. Joseph Harker and his wife Mrs Jessica Harker. She was always told as she was growing up that her mother was nurse and being the good natured and pious child she was she was keen to follow in her mother’s footsteps. At 16 she volunteered to serve as a trainee nurse in a charity hospital in India. As something of a hopeless romantic she dreamed of being swept off her feet by some dashing virtuous Prince Charming.
Her dreams came true. Well sort of...
It was a princess.
Irene was the daughter of a surgeon and nurse. She had all of Hattie’s good nature but none of her religious or moral convictions. Hattie was deeply troubled by her attraction to Irene retreating into a vigil of prayer that took up almost all of her free time. Though not much older Irene was more experienced with the secretive art of seducing women. Taking great care of her fears and insecurities she gently befriended Hattie and put her at ease before taking her to bed.
Irene was practiced in discretion. Hattie was not, especially as she was madly in love. The other nurses started to talk. A report was made and the local watch caught them together. Both were tried for sodomy.
The writing was on the wall for the notoriously amoral Irene and she was found guilty. The Jury however refused to believe that a girl whose convictions and morals had been highlighted throughout was guilty. The jury found her not guilty on the grounds that she was coerced. Hattie was dragged from the court screaming protestations of love and demanding the jury reconsider as Irene was sentenced to hang .She wanted to die with her love.
Instead she was sent home in disgrace: With no future in nursing and a doubly soiled reputation. A misunderstanding over the East India Company’s prices had her pay her outstanding fee with her virginity (well virginity with a man anyway) and frequent ‘payment visits’ to the bullying offi cers throughout the duration of the cruise.
Her father cut off all contact. Her mother however did not.She wrote an affectionate letter to her daughter that was a real revelation. She was, as Hattie’s father insisted, a nurse but after a proposition from a grateful patient she adopted prostitution as a sideline. Hattie being disgraced by the scandal couldn’t hope to fi nd a husband conventionally. However if she adopted a life of sin a good man may save her from it just as her father had saved her mother.
She gave Hattie some names of people to get her started. These people, fl attered to have the honour of introducing such a scandalous legend to the Town directed her to 69 Frothington Place where she came to meet her new Sisters. Hattie is still a good Christian girl at heart. Worst still she is wracked with guilt for having escaped the fate of her beloved Irene whose picture she keeps on a bracelet on her wrist. She prays every night for her Prince Charming to save her from this debauchery. A princess won’t do this time.