One of the core skills of a sex worker is to be able to read people very quickly. Any sex worker worth their salt would pick up someone "of social standing" trying to pretend not to be. They would quickly realise there's a lot of money and most likely their first reaction would be to try to separate them from some of it, certainly would be mine. In my eyes they'd be "rich boys playing at slumming it" and I wouldn't have too much respect for them. I'd probably think it was funny to play into their fantasy. Most sex workers are very good at playing a part, we starve if we can't.

Rich boys slumming it? First instinct go with either the "poor girl driven into this by desperation needing to be rescued" or the "hooker with a heart of gold" probably the first. Either way I'd quickly craft a back story to fit. Poor girl needing to be rescued? Tragic childhood, a few abusive relationships, throw in a young child I'm struggling to care for. Trick is not too overplay it and appear reluctant to reveal the details. Play it deeply ashamed and embarrassed by my circumstances. Might go with good family thrown into poverty by tragic circumstances beyond my control too.

Hope that helps. Btw I haven't done street work in decades so I'd never be in the situation :-)

On 11 Oct 2017 6:39 pm, "Timothy Collinson" <xxxxxx@port.ac.uk> wrote:
Hi there Andrea

While I don't think my players or I intend for our game to be too detailed in this direction - it is lunchtime with work colleagues after all - your three posts are incredibly helpful for both this immediate need and future possibilities.  Thank you.  I've snipped all three to a folder to keep and appreciate you speaking up with a perspective I'm unlikely to (easily) find elsewhere.

I just need to decide now whether this diversion is going to be a bit of colour for the Scions or whether they've met some Patrons for sub-plot.  I'm giving it some thought but am inclined to think there should be some little problem that needs solving or scam that could be run.  I just need it to 'work' with the fact that this is a completely chance encounter.  But the sex workers have cottoned on to the fact that 'dressed down' (as the Scions *think* they are), there's a *lot* of money currently talking to them.  

Seems a bit clichéd and possibly patronising to immediately think scam, but the temptation must be huge.  I'd prefer a problem to solve I think.

Sorry, thinking out loud now.  Again, thank you.  TML never ceases to amaze me.

tc





On 11 Oct 2017 4:17 a.m., "Andrea Vallance" <xxxxxx@gmail.com> wrote:
"I've now got to come up not only with some prostitute characters for next time but some back stories for them.  I think one of the Spica books will do for the basics but I'm NOT googling "why become a prostitute"!  Not while I'm at work at least."

Taken from my "hooker manual" (yes I honest to goodness have one). Quotes from sex workers about what they love about the job

- The money gives you independence and sometimes it's just about me.
- Independence, freedom to self-organise and to travel, set my own hours etc. No need for bosses, work for myself.
- I can work whenever I want and see whoever I want.
- All of the colourful characters you meet along the way, feeding you insight, new and different perspectives. The chance to grow 
- The freedom, the money, the clients and the friends
- The sex
- I love that I have time for other things. I have heaps of flexibility, I'm my own boss and I work when, where and how I want.
- Money, sex, work less hours for money. Funny conversations with clients.
- The self-esteem boost. I'm constantly being told I'm beautiful, hot and desirable. The clients want me and are willing to pay for the pleasure of my company.

These are quotes from actual sex workers. Hope they help.

On 10 Oct 2017 3:21 am, "Timothy Collinson" <xxxxxx@port.ac.uk> wrote:
I should have learned by now.  It's happened before in various games.

My lunchtime players have been going off piste again.  (i.e. off the 'planned for' activities of the session).

They're working their way through my Second Scions' Society adventure which has very very wealthy noble dilettantes on their weekend get together - a dinner, a solar sailing yacht race start and an auction.  It all takes place on a massive 1000 deck orbital station around Anther - Jump 4 from Capital. The station is known for it's 'hidden gardens' - corridors filled with plants and flowers etc from the common to the very rare.  Some of the PCs have a goal of picking up some rare or expensive plants either as drugs for a friend or gifts for a relative and so on.

I knew today's lunchtime would hit that section of the story and they've had some fun 'dressing down' (but still way too posh for the 'lower decks') and finding an alleybrat rather than a formal Estates Division guide to show them round. 

But for some reason, as well as the plants they were after, they took it into their heads they wanted to see some of the underlife of the lower parts of the station.  They'd never been on decks that only had two digits numbers for example!  Spotting a dubiously dressed trio in the Lower Park who were touting for business (but I genuinely thought would just be part of the scenery!) they decided they would approach them, chat to them and find out why they'd gotten into prostitution.  I'm still not sure if this is some charitable mission of the PCs or the players trying to wind up the referee by throwing me a curveball.  (They could tell this wasn't part of the adventure I'd written...)

So amidst much humour and trying to keep the noise down for the students outside (we've already moved from a venue on a quiet study floor in the Library to the ground floor where noise isn't policed), I've now got to come up not only with some prostitute characters for next time but some back stories for them.  I think one of the Spica books will do for the basics but I'm NOT googling "why become a prostitute"!  Not while I'm at work at least.

I should have known.  In one well loved reminiscence of TravCon one (nameless) player/PC, arriving - finally - after days of surviving in a vacc suit across the inhospitable terrain of volcanic Spume (a Darrian world), spotted the local lady of ill repute and disappeared with her for the rest of the adventure for the longest shower in the history of the Confederation.  At least I'd named that woman!

Another bunch of players in another game hit town looking for rumours and - perhaps very astutely - checked out some bars for such characters reckoning, reasonably, they'd know the lay of the land.  Sorry, I probably could have worded that better.  Anyway, that's where Briz and Garv Theekston came from (https://www.freelancetraveller.com/features/characters/timothy-collinson/marburg.html).

Ah well, we'll see if this current crop of PCs ever do find their plants and get to the Count's reception that was *supposed* to be today's main event, next Monday.  In the meantime, I'd better get die-rolling and thinking.  As well as deciding if this encounter will lead to a whole side adventure.  The players do seem to like skiing on virgin snow...

tc


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