Courtesans and Prostitutes

Within The West, there are two types of entertainment which on the surface appear to be the same but in fact are different.

Courtesans

These are individuals who are trained to provide companionship to noble (or at least very wealthy) clientele. They tend to be well-educated, attractive, and sit on the higher end of the social ladder among the common folk.

To be a Courtesan is to be part of a well-respected profession and to be a good courtesan means you're among the wealthier commoners out there and you probably have a lot of relatively powerful clients that just might be able to pull a string or two for you if you really needed it. Most people would be surprised at how (relatively) few people are on most Courtesan's client list, as many cultivate a small circle of preferred customers (preferring quality and stability over quantity), and the most renowned courtesans can be extremely discriminating in their choice of clients, to the point where some of the most famed courtesans in history have (at least according to legend) even declined the attentions of Royals if they did not find them to their liking.

Of course, legends also include many tragic (and to the courtesans themselves cautionary) tales of Courtesans who ended up falling in love with a noble client. Such tales almost invariably end quite poorly for the Courtesan in question (and sometimes the noble as well, but this is less common).

A courtesan's services do not come cheaply. Even a trained but unestablished courtesan is still paid in gold. Hiring a courtesan is something that most nobles can afford to do "once in a while." Think of it much like the real-world equivalent of dining out at a fancy/expensive restaurant: An occasional indulgence for most people. Hiring a handful of Courtesans for an event would be a fairly extravagant expenditure, and hiring a dozen or more would be the province of only the wealthiest houses and nobles (likely of Ducal level or above). More to the point, no matter how high a price they command, sexual favors are not automatically part of the deal. Courtesans are supposed to be prized as much for their wit, wisdom, and conversation skills (as well as potentially other artistic talents) as much as their looks and what they can do between the sheets. Any physical intimacy is at least in theory simply at the behest of two consenting adults. In practice, some Courtesans do simply "sell" their favors in the form of "tips." Others are more discerning, but it would be naive to claim that sex is not a frequent part of most Courtesans' lifestyles.

It is, of course, considered very ill manners for a noble to take umbrage if a Courtesan refuses such favors. Nobles that are in it for a quick tumble are generally barking up the wrong tree with a Courtesan. Courtesans have to be, no pun intended, courted, and it is not uncommon for a courtesan and a client to have several encounters over the course of months before any sexual activity occurs. Each individual courtesan decides for themselves what their standards and preferences are when it comes to allowing their clients to become physically intimate. Indeed, it is considered the apogee of the Courtesan's art to be able to ensnare the hearts of their clients with nothing more than charm and wit, implying much in the way of possibilities without actually promising anything (much less following through), and never placing oneself in a situation where they lose their agency.

And yes, just because some have wondered, there are plenty of male Courtesans in the business, though they are at least slightly outnumbered by their female counterparts.

Hiring a Courtesan

If one intends to go through the Academy or anyone affiliated with them, there is the matter of a business contact. After all, you are hiring someone's services.

OOC Requirements:

1. The two of you agree on the services given.
2. If multiple courtesans, you all agree on the services provided. This must be discussed beforehand: No exceptions!
3. At no time should sex be expected and the other party should not be upset if it does not happen. This also means that the parties are not required to RP any of this out. (See Policies.)
4. These are more of your Geisha counterparts. Very intelligent and meant to be more than a bedwarmer. That however, could be a perk of such contracting.

Prostitutes

This is much simpler. Pay them money, and receive sexual favors. Conversation is often minimal (though brothel prostitutes tend to at least make a token effort), education might well be nil, and depending on where you work you tend to fall on the lower end of the commoner social strata.

Attractive prostitutes will charge more, and the REALLY attractive ones tend to get snapped up by Courtesan academies provided they aren't too old. Prostitutes that are part of an established brothel have things considerably better, are generally cared for by the brothel operators, and generally aren't usually looked at with either overmuch scorn or pity. Which isn't to say that brothels are exactly "nice." Many of the prostitutes were originally brought there against their will, and crime and corruption is rampant (even if prostitution itself is not a crime in most areas). Streetwalkers, on the other hand, are among the lowest of the low, and considered some of the most desperate and pathetic individuals out there.

OOC Requirements:

1. You both want to well, do the deed.
2. If it's for someone else, then the other person is in agreement (OOCly, if it's an IC surprise.)

Cultural Considerations

It should be noted that it is considered at least mildly scandalous for a noble to frequent brothels or engage prostitutes. It's the kind of thing that can sully one's good name if it's engaged in too often, although "slumming it" on rare occasions isn't likely to damage ones' reputation too much.

In general, courtesans are considered the socially-acceptable option for nobles in search of companionship. Prostitutes tend to cater more towards those commoners with a few coin to spare. As with courtesans, there are both male and female prostitutes, though there is a higher imbalance (weighted towards the females) than exists in the courtesan profession.

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