Going into Resource Bankruptcy can be deadly and, as you are about to fi nd out, so can Childbirth. Yeah making a Will might be an idea!
How it Works
• Resources: Resources survive a Courtesan’s death in some way or form and must be left to her Sisters in the event of her death: Note down which Sister your Courtesan is leaving her Resource to and in what
Getting On
If any of your Courtesans get to 45 years old congratulations! You have been playing this game far too fucking long! Seriously though once you get to this age things start to go wrong. You can’t keep whoring forever love! Characters 45 and over are Infertile, all Statistic Maintenance costs are increased by 1 and maintaining 3 points in a statistic now costs 1 Wealth (see Expenses.) If you are using the Advanced Rules for Maladies (See Appendix One) the Landlady’s modifi er for Natural Contraction goes up to 2 and Trauma
proportions (rounding up if necessary.)
• Debts: On a Courtesan’s death all debts default to the Landlady Character who must pay them off in full even if they send her in to Debt.
• Children: If your Courtesan has Children she must name a guardian. If that guardian doesn’t think she can handle it or dies herself the Child is adopted. In the former case the guardian loses a point of Reputation.
The Resources and Children of a Courtesan who is marrying her Keeper default to her, no doubt, devastated husband. The other girls cannot leave anything to her and she cannot leave anything to them. Example: Bernadette’s group discuss who they are leaving what too in the event of their unfortunate demise.
Lucy: Lucy leaves everything to her
lover Nora. Her child of course is Contracted to the McBriens
Hattie: Hattie’s property defaults
to her new husband Marquess Luke Swan.
Lilly: Lilly leaves everything to
Maud: Toady!
Bella: Bella splits her legacy.
Legend goes to Lucy, Reputation goes to Lilly, Wealth goes to Nora and Infl uence to Jessica.
Jessica: Jessica leaves her Legend
and Reputation to Lucy and her Wealth and Infl uence to Lilly.
Death of the Landlady Character
So how do you deal with the death of a Landlady Character? Here are a few solutions.
• Instant Replacement: The Town sends a replacement created using the Creation rules in Chapter 5. They also wipe any debts clean. Every Courtesan in the House loses a Point of Reputation from the shame of the Town.
• Step up My Lady: If one of the Players is in a Kept Mistress Contract and wishes to retire her Character the Character becomes the new Landlady Character. All debts of the Landlady are paid off by the Town but as one of the Sisters stepped up there is no shame.
• Indestructible Landlady: The Landlady escapes death miraculously every time. If she Resource bankrupts she suddenly gets her debt paid off anonymously. If she Bankrupts in any other Resource she narrowly escapes the attack gaining two dice worth of said Resource in the process! If she dies in Childbirth she counts the Complications roll as a 3 and her baby dies in her place. Probably the simplest solution!
Nora: Nora leaves everything to
her lover Lucy. Lucy isn’t too happy about being left a Child but Nora reassures her.
Bernadette is using Indestructible Landlady so Maud doesn’t need a Will!
The action moves on...
Expenses
The Demi Monde is an expensive lifestyle. A girl needs to pay off her Expenses. These are as follows...
Rent: Each Courtesan must pay the
Landlady Character 1 Wealth in rent each Season.
Being Damn Good: For each
Statistic of 4 the Courtesan must pay 1 Wealth: If she cannot the Statistic drops to 3 through neglect of the area. If the Statistic dropped or raised to 4 this Season she does not need to pay until next.
Being the Best: For each Statistic
of 5 the Courtesan must pay 2 Wealth: If she cannot the Statistic drops to 4 out of neglect of the area.
Seasonal Upkeep of a Child: For
each Child the Courtesan has had to care for this Season she must spend 1 Wealth.
Seasonal Upkeep of a
Handicapped Child: For each
Handicapped Child the Courtesan has had to care for this Season she must spend 2 Wealth.
Staff Wages: The Landlady must
pay 1 Wealth a Season for the wages of the servants.
Example: Bernadette’s group must now pay their dues. The action continues below.
Rent: Each Player Character pays 1
Wealth to Maud.
Lucy: Lucy’s Statistic maintenance
comes to a total of 3 Wealth. She has no children to upkeep.
Hattie: Hattie’s Statistic
maintenance comes to a total of 3 Wealth. She has no children to upkeep.
Lilly: Lilly’s Statistic maintenance
comes to a total of 2 Wealth. She has no children to upkeep.
Bella: Bella’s Statistic maintenance
comes to a total of 3 Wealth. She has to pay 2 Wealth for Kirsty’s Upkeep.
Jessica: Jessica’s Statistic
maintenance comes to a total of 4 Wealth. She has no children to upkeep.
Nora: Nora’s Statistic maintenance comes to a total of 3 Wealth. She has no children to upkeep.
Maud: In addition to paying
the Servants Maud’s Statistic maintenance comes to a total of 7 Wealth. She also has to pay 3 Wealth to Upkeep her Children.
Other Expenses
In the Advanced Rules in Appendix One there are other Expenses. If your Landlady wishes to bring them into play in later Seasons you will fi nd them in my commentary
Resources
Lucy: Legend 18, Reputation 32,
Wealth 21, Infl uence 17, Scandal 10
Hattie: Legend 19, Reputation 23,
Wealth 16, Infl uence 16, Scandal 1
Lilly: Legend 17, Reputation 13,
Wealth 7, Infl uence 3, Scandal 1
Bella: Legend 15, Reputation 30,
Wealth 14, Infl uence 17, Scandal 6
Jessica: Legend 12, Reputation 21,
Wealth 15, Infl uence 14, Scandal 2
Nora: Legend 12, Reputation 20,
Wealth 12, Infl uence 10, Scandal 4
Maud: Legend 22, Reputation 22,
Wealth 21, Infl uence 22, Scandal 7
Rewards
Once you have paid all your dues you have the complete measure of your success in the Season. You may well be up for a Reward. The following Rewards are available. If two or more Sisters tie on the value the Reward is not given this Season.