Fetch me a whore

Samloyal23 · Mar 18, 2012

Empath Negative said:
Why does she need to be, and pardon the expression, but "Super Whore"?

In fact, wouldn't it be more interesting if she was an average woman with tens across (or similar)?

I mean we're sitting here "optimizing" a hooker while entirely ignoring the actual character we're talking about.

We're gamers, we optimize everything to some degree. My suggestions made a competent, successful courtesan who could use her skills to occasionally manipulate and control others and still defend herself if attacked.

First, in the grand scheme of things few and far between are those who could make a living alternatively still selling their body for relations. If someone is engaged in routinely exchanging their intimacy for money you can rest assured it's because they didn't have a lot of options to begin with.

Having a hard time grasping what I'm talking about? Can you picture Superman selling it on the corner after the bars let out? Why not?

It depends on what her goals are. If she can make enough money to buy her way into the aristocracy by marrying some noble in need of money or use her knowledge of the secret perversions of the rich and powerful to control them, she can accomplish quite a lot. Sex is just another tool, like money, magic, or combat.

A "whore" that does have significant abilities is more likely fighting for a cause of some sort and would use whore (or whorish behavior) as a cover. A spy for example (See: Clear and Present Danger's Felix Cortez).

The question then becomes one of what's this NPCs purpose? If they're a hooker and are fighting for the group then why aren't they getting their share of the spoils? At that point they're either the world's dumbest sex worker or a slave.

And if they're a slave, especially a sex slave just call it for what it is rather than "whore".

A slave can be trained for any trade and may be able to buy her freedom if she is successful enough at it.

If the NPC is really just there to provide sexual relief to a paying customer there's slim to no reason for them to have extraordinary abilities and in fact may become a much more valuable storytelling tool if they are just a regular person.

There's a variety of angles that can be found in the (and I'm just going to assume it's a she at this point because I believe that's what was indicated as desired)... found in the "She's just an ordinary woman" hook.

Examples include...

Organizations and individuals that view what the player is doing as truly wrong and view them as an enemy.

The view that the "whore" would fall into love... or absolute hate for the player character.

The question of pregnancy is always a fascinating one... especially if the PC is somehow extraordinary.

The understanding of how the player character treats the NPC and the effects of that treatment. If she' treated terribly but feels there's no other life for her does she simply suicide? Does she engage in other rash and risky behavior? If she's treated well (but still hates her "master") does she one day decide to stop plying her body for cash, steal the player's magic shield and run off into the night? If so, what do the PCs do?

If she's extraordinary she'll have less motivation to actually *do* something about her situation because she has a built in motivation to keep doing whatever it is she's doing. If she can dominate someone once per week you can bet your ass she's not going to be turning tricks by the waterfront. And even if she's somehow terribly impressive the only way you'd get someone like that is through an immense expenditure of cash... at which point she'd flee and set up a coffee shop or something.

Goals are definitely important for a character, she needs to have a plan. Sexwork is just another way to achieve one's goals...

Lwaxy · Mar 18, 2012

I've played a high level whore in a long running game a while ago, it was really fun.

Adventuring prostitutes usually have a secondary agenda, at least in our world. If they are not just taken along by a male or part of a traveling troupe, they are bards, thieves, assassins (which is what my whore had as other profession) spies, cultists, hunters of evil men (wife beaters, cheaters, rapists...) etc

Find out what your friend really wants to get at in that area, and it can really be a cool character.

jcbdragon · Mar 21, 2012

Dragon Magazine had an NPC class called a Houri, which might be a basis for you to work from. I *think* it was in issue 13, but don't quote me on that.

Thurbane · Mar 21, 2012

What, no suggestions for Dvati?

Ashtagon · Mar 21, 2012

Testament has a temple prostitute class, which would actually make some sense in the context of a party fighting against vampires.

Dordledum · Mar 21, 2012

Genesist said:
What I'm looking for, though, is races that look very near human, that have a bonus to charisma. Basically, an extremely attractive human. Level adjustment is fine (keep under 4 please). No dragon mags.

Surprises me that no one said Aasimar yet.

StreamOfTheSky · Mar 21, 2012

No one here like level adjustments.

(And the "lesser" outsider races from FR are broken as all hell)

rgard · Mar 22, 2012

Ashtagon said:
Testament has a temple prostitute class, which would actually make some sense in the context of a party fighting against vampires.

Qedeshot is the class.

$2 plus shipping over at Paizo:

paizo.com - Testament?Roleplaying in the Biblical Era RPG (d20)

That's the actual book (hence the shipping cost) and not a pdf.

I have the book. It's for 3.0 and I haven't run a campaign directly from the book, but I did mine it for stuff in my Cthulhu/Mesopotamia campaign.