The Effects of Magic on the Prostitution Industry

[Telonius]

And yet, despite all this freaky stuff being possible with core spells....not one option for birth control, even in the WotC splats. Priorities.

... Iron Heart Surge?

(I am a horrible, horrible person).

[StreamOfTheSky]

Bestow curse infertility.

Ah right. That was an option listed in BoVD, I believe. My bad, wasn't thinking of the book of ultimate evil when mentioning that for some reason. Not sure why it didn't cross my mind.

... Iron Heart Surge?

(I am a horrible, horrible person).

You're a hilarious person.

[ryu]

... Iron Heart Surge?

(I am a horrible, horrible person).

You get ALL of my approval.

[Brookshw]

Bestow curse infertility.

Bestow curse impotency

Edit: Also the orgy rules might come out again (near the bottom of the page)

[veti]

Summoning can be used to service clients. Hey, it's no more morally questionable than using them as death trap monkeys....

Polymorphing and shape-changing magic unleashes all sorts of possibilities/horrors. Like if you care about the actual race/gender/age of the person you're having relations with. Cross-species kinks also are made very easy.

Polymorph duration - 1 minute/level. I don't mean to brag, but really... I think the actual race/gender/age of the other party would still be relevant.

And yet, despite all this freaky stuff being possible with core spells....not one option for birth control, even in the WotC splats. Priorities.

Back in 1e AD&D, there were a number of spells/effects that 'Aged' either the caster or the subject. Mostly these were very high-level useful effects (Resurrection, Restoration, Wish etc.), which explained why these effects were incredibly expensive to buy. But one exception - often ignored, I think - was: being subject to a 'Haste' spell would age all the subjects by one year.

When you cast that on a pregnant subject, the results were - dramatic.

[Petrocorus]

I'm pretty sure a society open-minded about sex would have created common wondrous item (periapt or amulet) that make the wearer immune to STD and unable to get pregnant or get someone pregnant. And it should not even used only by prostitute or their customer.

And, in actuality, the existence of such means of protection would probably tend to make the society more free-minded about it. The same way that contraception and modern-made condoms help the western society to become more opened IRL.

Given how everyday magic is common in settings like Eberron, that probably exist there. The splatbooks just forget to mention it. Obviously, this would not be available for every commoner, but it should not be so costful. After all, what would be the price of a Bestow Curse + repeated Remove Disease + the Remove Curse for when the prostitute want to have kids compared to such an item.

[deuxhero]

I think anyone rich enough for magic is just going to get a personal Simulacrum (Under 1500 GP for a 1HD human for the components and price of casting).

A cleric 5 madam (as suggested earlier) could be reasonable for a higher end brothel depending on the magic level.

[Jeff the Green]

I think anyone rich enough for magic is just going to get a personal Simulacrum (Under 1500 GP for a 1HD human for the components and price of casting).

A cleric 5 madam (as suggested earlier) could be reasonable for a higher end brothel depending on the magic level.

That seems... unpleasant, given that simulacrum are partially made of snow and ice. No thanks.

[Chronos]

One point to keep in mind is that most prostitutes are in the industry because they're desperate for cash. Your typical streetwalker isn't remotely going to be able to afford any of these magic items. High-end escorts might, but that's just going to end up driving an even sharper wedge between the haves and the have-nots.

[BWR]

One of my players did ask me once if Remove Curse worked for abortions.
I can see some clerics and paladins of certain gods accepting or even approving of prostitutiion under certain circumstances, especially if it's the "I need someone to talk to and make me feel good about my life" sort of customer.
Sacred prostitution was (possibly) a thing, after all. Nice thing about paladins is that they are immune to disease and I would definitely allow them to avoid pregnancy if their patron wanted them to avoid it, and curative magic would be free for all clergy and temple prostitutes.

Sex bots constructs would be perfect for all sorts of things. Make them look good, program them in a certain way and use to your heart's content. It's just a really fancy dildo/Dutch wife so no moral problems using it unless you have gods who really worry about masturbation.

Oh, and Evard's private version of the Black Tentacles is highly sought after by everyone, I should think

[Petrocorus]

Polymorph duration - 1 minute/level. I don't mean to brag, but really...

I don't think you're bragging there, Polymorph would be impractical. Alter Self OTOH. That mean that prostitute would need some UMD. Which is not such a problem since Rogue or Bard or (Generic) Expert would be the obvious classes for them.

This thread is kinda funny for me, i was reading the ECS this week, and i was thinking about the concept of a former changeling prostitute turned adventurer as a PC.

When you cast that on a pregnant subject, the results were - dramatic.

Wait.. that was actually described in the rules?

[ryu]

Bestow curse impotency

Edit: Also the orgy rules might come out again (near the bottom of the page)

That defeats the purpose of the exercise. No babies sure, but no actual entertainment.

[veti]

Wait.. that was actually described in the rules?

No, but the effects of 'Haste' were. And it was an area-effect spell, so whichever way you look at it, both the mother and the fetus would be affected.

It wasn't automatically bad. If you had a competent and alert cleric on hand, the result was a very quick birth. Painful, of course, but then they always are, and the important thing here is 'quick'. To say nothing of skipping the horribly uncomfortable late months of pregnancy.

[Petrocorus]

One point to keep in mind is that most prostitutes are in the industry because they're desperate for cash. Your typical streetwalker isn't remotely going to be able to afford any of these magic items. High-end escorts might, but that's just going to end up driving an even sharper wedge between the haves and the have-nots.

The streetwalker, no. But the brothel's madam, yes. But once again, a custom wondrous item would probably be more cost efficient on the long run.

One of my players did ask me once if Remove Curse worked for abortions.

You mean your player see pregnancy as a magical curse?

I can see some clerics and paladins of certain gods accepting or even approving of prostitutiion under certain circumstances, especially if it's the "I need someone to talk to and make me feel good about my life" sort of customer.

That remind me of the Beta Colony in the Vorkosigan Saga, where a psychology degree is required to work as a prostitute.

Oh, and Evard's private version of the Black Tentacles is highly sought after by everyone, I should think

Do you mean this?

[Jeff the Green]

One point to keep in mind is that most prostitutes are in the industry because they're desperate for cash. Your typical streetwalker isn't remotely going to be able to afford any of these magic items. High-end escorts might, but that's just going to end up driving an even sharper wedge between the haves and the have-nots.

Very true. Thirty minutes of alter self is 90 GP from a wand (60 from a caster). That's... a lot of money for most people. Like 14% of a skilled (but not masterful) worker's yearly income. So unless there are a lot of changeling sex workers there won't be a difference for average prostitutes.

[Necroticplague]

One point to keep in mind is that most prostitutes are in the industry because they're desperate for cash. Your typical streetwalker isn't remotely going to be able to afford any of these magic items. High-end escorts might, but that's just going to end up driving an even sharper wedge between the haves and the have-nots.

That doesn't mean you end up with a bigger gap, it changes the way things normally work. Because an individual streetwalker couldn't afford these things, it would mean that prostitutes would operate in groups out of start-up consideration. Thus, a streetwalker system moves to make way for a bordello-based system of prostitution.

Actually, thinking about it, the most likely workers would be low-level wizards paying there way through wizard college. Several of the spells that would be useful for this are self only, so it would be logical for the caster to perform acts directly.

[Fax Celestis]

Very true. Thirty minutes of alter self is 90 GP from a wand (60 from a caster). That's... a lot of money for most people. Like 14% of a skilled (but not masterful) worker's yearly income. So unless there are a lot of changeling sex workers there won't be a difference for average prostitutes.

Don't use wands, use eternal wands. They're functionally identical for price, but are usable twice a day for forever and as such will eventually pay for themselves. So like any other industry, you need some invesent up front but you'll get it back eventually. Since you're not paying per charge, youcan actually charge less per…client and still pay it of before it wears out (aka never).

[Coidzor]

Why does evocation suck?, appropriately enough.

Ahh, that explains it. I hadn't bothered to go into it, since I expected another Monkday sort of thread.

[Brookshw]

That defeats the purpose of the exercise. No babies sure, but no actual entertainment.

Not in the slightest, the more you change what would normally in a nonmagic world be expected, the more reason to include in it ways of how people might respond, including antagonistic actions.

[ryu]

Ahh, that explains it. I hadn't bothered to go into it, since I expected another Monkday sort of thread.

Came out of someone presenting contingency as a reason to care about evocation. I countered with craft contingent spell being better in every way and doesn't require taking evocation. They brought up crafting XP. I countered again with my standard ambrosia farming brothels and here we are.

[deuxhero]

That seems... unpleasant, given that simulacrum are partially made of snow and ice. No thanks.

Note the "reverts" to snow part. It's magic and doesn't feel like snow when alive (i'm sure it would mention characters that touch it notice it isn't real if such were true).

Plus alchemists in PF get a version that's more of an animated and shaped flesh thing.

[Coidzor]

Not in the slightest, the more you change what would normally in a nonmagic world be expected, the more reason to include in it ways of how people might respond, including antagonistic actions.

So... you're bringing it up as a punishment that anti-prostitution groups dole out to those they can get their hands on that frequent brothels?

[ryu]

So... you're bringing it up as a punishment that anti-prostitution groups dole out to those they can get their hands on that frequent brothels?

And the first group that I would exterminate on principle even if there was no economic reason to do it?

[StreamOfTheSky]

Polymorph duration - 1 minute/level. I don't mean to brag, but really... I think the actual race/gender/age of the other party would still be relevant.

Many polymorph effects last longer. Alter Self was one example. PAO can last permanently. Plus, there's Extend, Persistent, etc...

Higher level spell effects are expensive, of course. But if you're rich enough and want it....I mean cripes, in real life rich people buy 90k golden toilets and other crazy wastes of money. It's not that far-fetched.

[Gemini476]

Came out of someone presenting contingency as a reason to care about evocation. I countered with craft contingent spell being better in every way and doesn't require taking evocation. They brought up crafting XP. I countered again with my standard ambrosia farming brothels and here we are.

Speaking of which, that's a thing to remember. If you make a magic brothel, you need to make sure that the cost per client is cheaper than Nippleclamps of Masochism+Eternity of Torture+Dispel Magic. Maybe -Liquid Joy as well, I suppose.

[Necroticplague]

Speaking of which, that's a thing to remember. If you make a magic brothel, you need to make sure that the cost per client is cheaper than Nippleclamps of Masochism+Eternity of Torture+Dispel Magic. Maybe -Liquid Joy as well, I suppose.

It's Exquisite Pain, not Masochism.

Plus, if your trying that trick, a permanent symbol of pain is better since you can have one be used by multiple people. And re-used, most importantly.

[StreamOfTheSky]

It's Exquisite Pain, not Masochism.

Well, you'd think one would have to be masochistic to refer to it as exquisite pain.

[Petrocorus]

I countered again with my standard ambrosia farming brothels and here we are.

I still not understand how it works technically? How do you cast the spell on customer with a A day casting time?

[Necroticplague]

I still not understand how it works technically? How do you cast the spell on customer with a A day casting time?

Tricks to get it cast in less time.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Well, you'd think one would have to be masochistic to refer to it as exquisite pain.

I'm pretty sure the nipple clamps are a continuous item of Masochism >_>.