Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Interlude 51: The Flower-Boat

During my research I've encountered many different sources of inspiration; one of them in the story of the Chinese pirate mistress Cheng I Sao. That led me to read about the notion of flower-boats, which border on historical accuracy but seem to be too good an opportunity to overlook.

-Nate


Interlude 51: The Flower-Boat
A peculiar institution in China during the Qing Dynasty is a type of floating brothel known as a Flower-Boat. These places are generally found in the mouths of rivers in port cities, places that see lots of ship traffice. It should not be assumed that they cater to such base clientele as sailors, however; rather, they are reserved for government officials, wealthy merchants and other such elite members of society. They consist of junks that have been retrofitted, with modifications as described below.

The courtesans who work aboard these vessels are trained in intellectual artistic pursuits along with the usual business. These skills allow them to entertain such refined clients for an entire evening, providing music, storytelling, philosophical debate and the like. Many of them live aboard the flower-boats, earning room and board along with a small profit. Sometimes they are owned by an investor who lives onshore, but at other times a senior courtesan who has worked and saved for years can manage to purchase her own establishment.



The Grand Tour
Refer to the appropriate map for the following area descriptions. Note that all doors can be secured with good-quality locks; they require a DC 30 check to open, and have hardness 5, 15 hit points, and take a DC 18 Strength check to force.

1. Open Deck
As expected, these areas would be crewed if the flower-boat was still sailed. Now, instead, they provide a place for courtesans and clients to take a stroll under the night sky, and perhaps for a musician to set up shop and serenade the others.

2. Typical Rooms
Each of these small rooms is furnished, not suprisingly, with a bed, along with a chest for the occupant's possessions and a small table. The latter item is used as a washstand, as well as a place for playing games, sharing food and drink, or the like.

3. Larger Rooms
In most regards, these areas--which cost more than the smaller locations, of course--boast all of the same furnishings as the typical rooms. Given their greater size, however, they can be set up to host a small group of clients, or one visitor with rapacious appetites might request to be entertained by multiple courtesans.

4. Saloon
This large area, in what once was the ship's cargo hold, is filled with tables and chairs. In the bow end of it is a broad bar, behind which a door leads into the storage area. A pair of courtesans are stationed here at all times, preparing beverages for guests, while two more deliver them to the tables. Others also linger about the area, letting guests see them and perhaps select them for some companionship.

5. Storage
This area is filled with casks of wine, boxes of tea and ingredients for other beverages, along with clean linens and draperies, oil for the hanging lamps, candles and the like.

Using a Flower-Boat in a Skull & Bones Campaign
Detailed here are a few of the many ways in which these establishments could be worked into piratical adventures.
  • PC's who are meeting with a wealthy, influential or otherwise important contact in a Chinese port might find that their meeting takes place at one of these establishements.
  • During one such visit, the flower-boat could be attacked by a marauding band of wokou.
  • Alternately, the courtesans themselves could all decide to turn pirate. If they did so with important clients on board, they would thus gain valuable hostages for ransom.

Flower-Boat Girl, Young
Expert 3; CR 2; Size medium; HD 3d6+3; hp 16; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Atk +1 (1d3-1, unarmed) or +3 (ranged); SQ none; AL LN; SV: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 15.
Background: Courtesan.
Skills: Bluff +8, Diplomacy +10, Gather Information +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +8, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +4, Knowledge (religion) +8, Perform (musical instrument) +8, Perform (storytelling) +8, Sense Motive +8.
Feats: Force of Personality, Guidance, Negotiator.
Fortunes: None.
Equipment: Appropriate clothing, musical instruments, books, etc.

Flower-Boat Girl, Veteran
Expert 7; CR 6; Size medium; HD 7d6+7; hp 34; Init +1 (+1 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 11 (+1 Dex); Atk +4 (1d3-1, unarmed) or +6 (ranged); SQ none; AL LN; SV: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +7; Str 8, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16.
Background: Courtesan.
Skills: Bluff +13, Diplomacy +15, Gather Information +13, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +4, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perform (musical instrument) +13, Perform (storytelling) +13, Sense Motive +12.
Feats: Force of Personality, Guidance, Negotiator, Port Savvy.
Fortunes: None.
Equipment: Appropriate clothing, musical instruments, books, etc.

Flower-Boat Girl, Senior
Expert 11; CR 10; Size medium; HD 11d6+11; hp 52; Init +2 (+2 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 12 (+2 Dex); Atk +7 (1d3-1, unarmed) or +9 (ranged); SQ none; AL LN; SV: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +11; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 16.
Background: Courtesan.
Skills: Bluff +13, Diplomacy +15, Gather Information +13, Knowledge (history) +12, Knowledge (local) +12, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +4, Knowledge (religion) +12, Perform (musical instrument) +13, Perform (storytelling) +13, Sense Motive +12.
Feats: Force of Personality, Guidance, Iron Will, Negotiator, Port Savvy.
Fortunes: None.
Equipment: Appropriate clothing, musical instruments, books, etc.

At first glance, one might assume that these women for no purpose other than to please their clients. That would be a gross underestimation of them. It is true that they are highly trained in providing mental and physical stimulation to visitors. They wield their abilities toward all sorts of ends, however. While some are content to do their jobs and thus earn their livings, others use their talents to manipulate their clients and thus gain political and economic influence. What is more, they can demand to be treated with a good deal more respect than other members of "the oldest profession" around the world.

New Background: Courtesan
You have been raised to provide pleasant company to those of whose preferred sex you are.
Free Skill Ranks: Choose 2 ranks in two of the following skills: Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge, Perform, Sense Motive
Bonuses and Penalties: You receive a +2 circumstance bonus to Charisma-related skill checks for interacting with the kinds of people who could be your clients--merchants, government officials and the like.
Contacts: You receive two bonus contacts--one with a fellow courtesan, and one with a favorite client.

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