temple prostitution

[tleilaxu]

the worship of some ancient babylonian, sumerian and persian goddesses (such as ishtar) involved the practice of temple prostitution (IE for a charge the priestesses of the temple were availible). I am interested in incorporating this into a DND game. Has anybody included a similar goddess in your campaign worlds? if so do you have any advice? one more question: what would be a reasonable price for said priestesses?

edit: this is not a troll. do not say something that will get this thread closed

 

[Crothian]

Price depends on the economics of the city. More then likey there would be the cheaper prestess and the expensive high preistess.

 

[tleilaxu]

well what would the range be?

high priestess:
normal priestess:
initiate:
special requests:

edit: actually... i'm guessing the high priestess would only be availible to the kings or nobles. robert silverberg wrote an interesting book called gilgamesh the king which invloves a political struggle between gilgamesh and the priestess of ishtar

 

[fusangite]

You should look at the cult of Uleria in the Runequest/Glorantha universe.

 

[Crothian]

Okay, average non skilled laboerer gets 1sp a day.

So, I a few coppers for the cheap end stuff, a few silver for the higher up, and gold and lots of it for the top notch stuff. Special requests could be a few more coppers to a bunch of gold depending on what is requested and of whom.

 

[Umbran]

one more question: what would be a reasonable price for said priestesses?

That depends upon the percieved and actual benefits gained by going to the temple for this purpose.

If it'sonly prostitution, then the price structure will be roughly the same as for normal prositution, with a slight increase due to it being perhaps cleaner and mroe respectable.

If folks think there's mystical or spiritual significance to this act, then the price will go up based upon the percieved value of this significance. If there's a real and observable effect - like having some beneficial spell cast upon you for visiting - then the price will depend on what that effect is.

 

[Mordane76]

I don't know if the "unskilled labor" idea is solid, though; men of the paying persuasion are normally wiling to pay a good bit for even medicore service in this department. I think this field benefits from a bit more "charge what the market will bear" strategy, and that involves either arbitrally setting the going rate for service in a specific city, or feeling out the PCs to see what exactly they're willing to pay. Also, consider the range of services available on today's market, and the prices for those services -- in the essence of good taste, if you want to get an idea and have access to HBO, they do an a series American Undercover shows that follow hookers, which would give you a good idea of what the going rate is for specific services. After you have a good idea, remember that the situation is slightly different from that of a common prostitute -- so increase the price accordingly. If precautions are taken for the health of priestesses, then increase the price accordingly. If birth control/freedom from "worry" are guaranateed by the church, increase the price accordingly. You pay for quality, and if these measures are being employed, then clients should expect to pay well.


As for the a demarcation of prices... I agree that the high priestess should be separate, available only to rich merchants, wealthy nobles, and royalty. I'd figure that even novices would cost at least as much as a night's stay at an inn with a private room (2 gp), and possibly considerably more depending on the services rendered and the precautions the church provides.

 

[alsih2o]

this might help
http://www.stim.com/Stim-x/10.1/origins/origins.html

 

[BrooklynKnight]

You could also check out prices of such services from escorts and in holland (where its legal)

 

[Femerus the Gnecro]

This entire discussion assumes that there is a significant difference between the high priestess and say, an initiate.

What form does this difference take? If the religion is based upon hedonism, and the priestesses are ranked primarily according to physical beauty, then I can see the high priestess being a more valuable commodity than an initiate. However, if this is not true, then what's to stop the high priestess from being of absolute hideous aspect, while leaving an initiate to be the absolute blossom of ethereal beauty, etc etc.

Another possibility is that social status is actually bestowed upon those who use this particular service of the temple, and accordingly the higher rank you partake of, the more status you gain. I like this idea better actually... it keeps everyone happy. The people who are in it for the status can see who they like if they have the money, and those who aren't in it for status can basically do the same. So long as there is no *loss* of social status for, say choosing a hotty initiate instead of a saggy high priestess, it should keep everyone involved more or less satisfied.

-F