Originally posted on the main Urbanverse site, December 19th, 2020.

 

Welcome back to the campaign design series!  The last entry was fairly basic as to what is discussed, but this time, we’ll be delving into something much more interesting (at least to a good portion of my readers, if I had to guess):  The whorehouse!

 

THE Whorehouse of Whorehouses

So, what’ the big idea here?  What makes this place renowned around the world as THE whorehouse?

Well, that’s exactly what we’re here to figure out!

The basic idea here is that the PCs are going to find their way to a whorehouse eventually, just as soon as they have some spare gold in their pouches, so why not make it something a bit more grand?  It should be a hub of adventure and intrigue, certainly, filled with unique personalities and a variety of entertainment to enjoy.  Further, it should be a place they’ll want to return to, will want to protect.  Given the larger campaign I’m developing based on the Mind Flayer trilogy, it seems very much like a place that would be a wonderful spot to bed down for a very prolonged winter, with no shortage of potential paranoia to build and develop during the height of the first adventure book.

To further develop the whorehouse, I’ve been thinking of the enchanter’s arcane school that’s also in the city, as well as the unique dual temple to Erisaya and Yurisaya (The Goddesses of Love and Carnal Desire respectively).  Both would seem to be very likely to be associated closely with the whorehouse, with some certain amount of crossover between personalities and functions. For example, maybe the arcane school students are allowed to practice their enchantment magic in the confines of the whorehouse, and the Eri/Yuri temple keeps the working boys and girls healthy.

Then there’s the very high probability of there being some gambling aspect to the place, if not a dedicated casino located nearby, so there would definitely be some crossover potential there.

And there’s likely going to be a theatre of sorts for the “high artsy” types, but with a kinky twist in that they host BDSM-themed shows with some audience participation aspects.  (In fact, this location and the casino were part of the same complex in a previous campaign!)

So, is the meat of the whorehouse simply a factor of location?  Is it central to everything else in Arcavarlon, perhaps?  Most of what I’ve mentioned so far seems fairly standard for a developed location in a campaign setting…and that’s not bad.  If it’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, you can’t plan your campaign around the actions of the players.  If you try that, you’re putting them on a railroad, and they’re not going to like you for it.  And I’ve got a particular player who excels in out of the box thinking and random acts of chaos, so I’ve developed my improvisation skills quite a bit over the years.  (I’m currently running a Call of Cthulhu campaign that takes place in the late 1990s that has been very much improvised game to game, so it’s taken on a less horror feeling, and more a 90s action movie feel, which is fine, cause the players are having a lot of fun with it).

Anyway, back on track (see what I did there?) to the whorehouse!  I’m not gonna lie; I’m struggling with developing this idea a bit (in fact, I’ve been working on this piece for about two months, and just haven’t made progress).  Part of it is the more improv nature of my DM style (getting used to following an adventure path again after so many years is going to be interesting), but the other part is simply the hype.  I mean, with a moniker like “The whorehouse of whorehouses”, you’re expecting quite a bit, right?  I know I am, and I’m just not certain I’m able to make it live up to my own hype.  A lot of it is going to be up to your own interpretation, and as I’m developing this for a larger campaign setting, there’s plenty of space for development down the line.  But, there needs to be some meat here, and not just the meat on display.  So, let’s go a bit deeper and focus on a few aspects of this place that we’ll continue to build off of down the line.

 

The Whorehouse (what’s in a name?)

So, what’s this place even called?  It needs a name…and I’ve already discussed how much I struggle with naming things in the last article. I suppose with a reputation like I’m going for, it could just get by being called ‘the Whorehouse’, but that just doesn’t sit well with me.  So, what to call such a renowned house of ill repute and intrigue within the walls of the City of a Thousand Delights? It’s kinda integral to the economy of the city, may have been one of the earliest businesses to form up in the city.  Perhaps it’s more than just a business…perhaps it has some amount of pull within the government in the city?  Is it part of the ruling council (or whatever type of government Arcavarlon has).

The House of a Thousand Delights would seem to be an obvious choice, but that seems a bit redundant given the nickname of the city itself.  Perfectly viable, perhaps it’s a nickname for the whorehouse, but I don’t want it to be the actual name.  Could go with a name relating to the Goddesses Erisaya and Yurisaya, but again, that’s going to be redundant with their shared temple somewhere within Arcavarlon.

In the interest of saving a bit of time, I’ll just say I’ve explored several keywords through the thesaurus to come up with a name I like with words that interest me.  With that in mind, I’m calling the whorehouse “The Palace of Boundless Felicity“.  Sounds grand enough, eh?

 

The Ladies of the Night (or any time, really)

Now that I’ve got a name, let’s get a few personalities into the Palace.

 

The Madame of the Palace
As of the current time within my campaign world, the head of the Palace is Madame Suzuka.  This character is actually one I’ve had brewing for a while and never fleshed out, so what better time than now?

Madame Suzuka appears as a shapely human woman with dark brown hair, wearing expensive, revealing silken kimonos with elegant designs woven throughout.  Though not a recluse, she is rather elusive, only making public appearances sporadically, though the workers of the palace seem to be quite familiar with her.  This has led her to have something of an unobtainable air about her, and her sporadic appearances tend to stir up a lot of talk amongst the patrons.  No small number of visitors have tried and failed to buy her for a night, though rumors abound that a lucky few have experienced her legendary prowess.

In truth, Suzuka is a kitsune bearing a curse.  She is a talented enchanter, amongst the most talented to have ever graduated from the local school in fact.  However, many years ago she ran afoul of a particularly powerful succubus who took particular pleasure in tormenting her victims, and her torments continue to linger in Suzuka’s case.  The nature of the curse was an overwhelming lust, a hunger for pleasure that could only be sated by nigh endless sex.  For a time, Suzuka was at a loss as to how to manage her affliction; no magic could relieve her desire for long enough to matter, and no spell could break the hold curse had upon her.  It was only through a series of novel magical devices that she could manage to function at all, though, over time, she has managed to mitigate the curse further to some extent, though she still searches for a way to break it completely.

And what are these magical devices?  Special chastity gear, tied to a series of magical crystals that absorb her lustful desires and diminish their effects to a bearable level.  One particular use for these crystals is to enhance the sense of desire throughout the Palace, which has had a very substantial effect of increasing profits to perhaps the highest they have ever been.  In some cases, additional sets of enchanted chastity gear with empty crystals are distributed amongst the younger members of the Palace, especially those who are adventuring or who are studying at the magic school, to act not only as a form of armor but as siphons that will draw off Suzuka’s lustful desires.  In practice, this serves as a method of teaching those wearing the devices to focus themselves in order to overcome the distracting nature of their (magically enhanced) lust.

 

The Wind from the Desert
Coming and going often without warning, never staying in one place for too long (usually only long enough to stir up passions, trouble, and usually both), the half-elven priestess of Erisaya known as Haluune Sirocco isn’t an uncommon sight in the Palace.  This dark-skinned, flame-haired elven woman hails from the southern deserts and travels frequently across the land, stopping at any Erisaya temples along the way, and frequenting most brothels as well.  Though more than willing to sell her services to customers in the brothels, Haluune’s preferred clients are actually the working boys and girls themselves.  Using her holy magic granted by her goddess along with various homemade concoctions, she helps to encourage a safe working environment by curing any illnesses the workers may have picked up.  She is also known to trade in jewelry and exotic perfumes she has picked up on her travels.

No stranger to adventure, Haluune is also an excellent traveling companion, well-versed in how to deal with various creatures that roam the roads and wilderness, especially undead and other supernatural threats.  She is frequently welcomed into caravans making long journeys, though she tends to avoid water-based travel if she can, feeling very uncomfortable if she’s away from solid ground (or mostly so, if she’s in the deserts she hails from).  Though well-traveled and knowledgeable of various cultures and customs, Haluune can be a bit dense at times.  For example, for the longest time, she thought that when orcs spit on her, it was a sign of respect, since they were sharing their precious water with her; she didn’t learn until later that it was actually the opposite and that many quite disliked her (mostly for her elven heritage).

 

Alisha (of the) Keys
Though not born in Arcavarlon, Alisha, also known as the Keeper of the Keys, has made the city, and the Palace, her home.  Though apparently human, she possesses a most unusual shade of light purple hair and brilliant purple eyes, indicating an unusual heritage, or some magical influence upon her blood in the past. She’s not telling, though, and nobody around the Palace seems interested (or perhaps they already know?).  Alisha’s duties are rather unique, as she is responsible for holding the keys for the various sets of enchanted chastity gear distributed by Madame Suzuka.  Not one to lord this fact over those who may be feeling rather desperate for release, she is never seen without a set of chastity gear of her own, though her set is much shinier and inlaid with gold and jewels.  She even has her own game that she likes to play, attaching dozens of keys to her chastity gear and various pieces of jewelry and offering patrons a chance to enjoy her pleasures for only a single silver piece…assuming they can pick the right key (and they only get one shot a day).

Alisha is known to be very evasive about her past, and rumors persist that there’s some great power hidden within the chastity gear she wears, though nobody has yet found the right key to unlock that particular secret. She acts as Suzuka’s eyes and ears around the Palace and often travels out into the city to discuss matters of a more boring (read: political) nature as a representative of the Palace itself.  She is known to be quite skilled with her hands and feet when it comes to delicate tasks (like picking locks or performing sleight of hand tricks), though she has never been known to carry a weapon, or even get into a fight.  She seems quite pleased to keep things peaceful and operating smoothly, though if you ask any of the girls and boys working at the Palace, her temper is to be feared, the stuff of legends.

 

Dungeon Mistress Zallista
As with the temple of Erisaya and Yurisaya, the Palace has a dark side, and its dungeons are regarded throughout the land as a place where one can experience the most intense of pleasures.  Though many of the workers here are worshipers of Yurisaya, there are more than a few who are not affiliated with the church, and simply enjoy walking the darker side.  Zallista Kaori is one such woman.  She is a tiefling, her blood tainted with a devilish heritage.  Though appearing somewhat elvish with her pointed ears and short auburn hair, Zallista bears a pair of curled horns upon her head and eyes that seem to dance with an inner fire, along with a long, slender tail. The multitude of piercings upon her face and body, some of them rather extreme, do little to improve first impressions.  Despite her hellish appearance, Zallista comes off as cold, detached, and uncaring, speaking and interacting little even when she is inflicting pain upon a client.

Though her past is a mystery to most at the Palace, she is known to be an archer of unparalleled ability and has spent some amount of time upon the seas, having arrived in Arcavarlon some years ago during a running battle with an opposing group of pirates.  It was during this heated battle throughout the city’s ports that she met Suzuka, and decided to stay at the Palace, though only they know the particulars of that arrangement.  Though apparently, it involved Zallista becoming the mistress of the dungeons, and she has garnered a reputation for strict discipline (of workers as well as clients) and giving only the most intense experiences.  It isn’t uncommon that a healer must be called to assist her clients in walking out of the Palace, though those brave enough to take her on are never left disappointed.

 

Adventure Hooks

Now that we have fleshed out some of the characters one may encounter at the Palace of Boundless Felicity, we’ll need some adventure hooks.  No way the players are going into a place like this without leaving with something else on their plates to draw them back in! Or draw them in for the first time, even!

1. The party is traveling on a stretch of road a few hours outside of Arcavarlon when they come upon a body lying dead on the road.  The deceased traveler is covered in what looks like whiplashes and bruises, most noticeable around wrists and ankles as if they were bound.  A journal gives clues that they are a local noble, and the last entry mentions visiting Dungeon Mistress Zallista at the Palace.
2. The party has just arrived in Arcavarlon and are in need of food and drink after a long journey.  Before they can even get their first pints of ale, the city guard comes in with a local woman, pointing at one of the PCs and swearing that they assaulted them the night before just outside the Palace.
3. A local locksmith comes to the party, having heard of their capabilities from past exploits, asking for assistance with a problem.  He had been working on a special order of locks and keys for one of the ladies at the Palace, but thieves broke in the night before and stole them.  Due to some bad blood between himself and one of the guard captains due to a girl at the Palace, he can’t go to the guard for help.
4. Love is in the air!  Literally, it seems, because a strange pink mist appeared around the Palace this morning, and ever since the locals have been going at it like rabbits.
5. Brothels come and go in Arcavarlon, but not quite like this.  A smaller brothel that had been going through a recent surge in popularity suddenly vanishes, the building and everyone in it at the time.  The owner swears that it has to be the Palace’s doing, trying to make sure nobody else has a chance in the city.
6. As the PCs traverse the city taking care of some mundane tasks, a young man approaches them and thrusts a pair of expensive panties into their hands, muttering “I’m sorry” before running off and getting lost in the crowd. Moments later a group of shadowy thugs appears, one of them yelling “Grab those panties!”
7. A group of orc warriors shows up in town one day, looking for a dark-skinned, red-haired elven woman who they’ve been tracking for some time.  They intend to haul her back to their homeland for her crimes against the clan, having stolen several treasures when she passed through.  It just so happens that one or more of the PCs are with such a woman at the time.
8. After clearing out a dungeon, the party finds a particularly ornate box containing an even more exquisite sex toy, with a note from an unnamed lover addressed to the Madame of the Palace.  While in their possession, any adversaries they encounter along the road seem to be more interested in making love than war.
9. The party has been called upon by the Madame herself.  It seems one of the younger apprentices is overdue to return from their first adventure in the mountains close to a nearby mining town.  She’s worried that a particular gentleman caller who had been asking about them the previous week may be involved.
10. One or more PCs awaken in one of the Palace’s beds one morning, feeling tired and sore, but they’re not sure why.  The workers who greet them tell of a night of wild pleasures, but the PCs have no memory of such things, nor do they seem to be short of coin or other valuables.

Originally posted on the main Urbanverse site on September 30th, 2020.

 

Welcome to the first in what will hopefully be a fairly long series of articles discussing my campaign creation processes.  In this particular case, I do have it a bit simpler than I usually do since I’m just going to be reworking and modifying a couple of existing adventures.  But, over the years, I’ve never tried developing my fantasy setting more fully; I’ve had bits and pieces somewhat fleshed out, written plenty of fiction set there, but still have a lot of gaps that need to be filled.

So, with that in mind, I’m starting off with some thoughts on the process of developing a particular city I’ve had in my head for some time.  Since the “Lost Mine of Phandelver” adventure is set near Neverwinter, and the Mind Flayer trilogy begins within a city of comparable size that wasn’t particularly fleshed out in the adventure books (though it is to some extent in other books, as I understand), it seems a natural place to begin.  My hope is to make this city a hub of sorts for the campaign I’ll be crafting, with various hooks for side adventures that may or may not relate to the ultimate goal of stopping the mind flayer scheme.

What I Want From this City
First off, what do I want this city to feature?

1. A name.  This one may seem obvious, but given my historical difficulties at naming things, it’s a challenge that needs to be overcome.
2. A lakeside/seaside location with a river flowing through the city proper.  Makes sense for a trade hub and cultural center to have good accessibility.
3. THE Whorehouse of whorehouses.  This is the big idea that’s been bouncing around my head for quite a while; the most famous/infamous whorehouse in the land is located here.
4. A magic academy (which may or may not be tied to the whorehouse) specializing in enchantment magic.  Seems appropriate, no? This way the girls and boys have multiple ways to practice their charms.
5. A shared temple to the goddesses of love (Erisaya and Yurisaya, one light, one dark); again, may be tied to the whorehouse in some way.  But this shared temple will have some great significance to both faiths.
6. A wide variety of NPCs, businesses, factions, plot hooks, etc.  Pretty standard stuff at its core; the trick is to make them memorable and important to the players.

What’s in a Name?
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this kind of thing for me…what to name the city?  I’ve always struggled for names, and that’s usually the case 99% of the time; sometimes I just have something come to mind that fits perfectly, but most of the time not. It always seems like the names that I run through just don’t fit; it’s probably just me grasping for perfection, and eventually, I wind up going for some kind of randomly generated name.  I tried that here, but nothing stood out as what I wanted.  This time, however, I had a different train of thought that seems to have worked out.

I had a trio of names come to mind as I thought about the city the other night:  Avalon, Avarice, and Arcadia.  Great names, sure, with some mythological/historical and literal meaning behind them, but I didn’t want to just use one of them for this city.  So, I started playing around with them:

Avalonia	Avadia	Arcalon	Arcadilon
Avaradia	Avarilia	Arcarice	Arcadion
Arcavalon	Arcavarice	Arcavarlon	Avaralonia

As you can see, there are now quite a few more names that sound fitting for a fantasy setting, more than I needed for this exercise, but that just leaves more for later.

With all those choices, it just comes down to which one I like the best…which wound up taking a bit longer to decide upon than I’d hoped it would.  Nevertheless, I’ve decided to go with Arcavarlon.

Arcavarlon – City of a Thousand Delights
Now that I have a name I can be satisfied with (and a few more I’ll likely use down the line), I can start fleshing out the city itself.  And to do that, I’m going to need to develop some idea of the general layout of the city, keeping in mind the particular geography I’ve mentioned, and the currently known important locations (THE whorehouse, magic school, and the Erisaya/Yurisaya temple).

Starting with the geography…I know it’s lakeside or seaside, with a river running through the city to meet the larger body of water.  It’s also located within a few days’ travel of a more mountainous region (conveniently enough to assist with my upcoming conversion work on the Lost Mine of Phandelver adventure), and will likely have a few smaller communities in the surrounding region.

As luck would have it (perhaps bad luck in this case), I’d started a little campaign several years ago in which we played perhaps two or three games, and that was it.  I did, however, draw a few maps for this short-lived campaign, one of which was an area map.  As Arcavarlon was intended to be part of this campaign world, I’m pulling that map out of storage, and intend to eventually revamp it.  For now, though, here’s the rough map:

There are no doubt some issues with the placement of certain geologic features here, and that’s something to be looked into further down the line, but for now, the upper left area would be where I’m going to focus.  Seems to me like a perfect region for the great city of Arcavarlon and the upcoming campaign.  And as you can see, there are plenty of additional locations to flesh out in the entire region, if I so decided, or if the players veer waaaay off course.

But what are the chances of that?

…

You know what…I’m gonna flesh out the surrounding region a bit more…for reasons…

That’s two of the six big items on my list, and that’s where I’m going to leave things for now.  In the next volume of this series, I’ll be looking into some further development of the city proper, and on the attraction that put the place on the map… THE whorehouse of whorehouses!

Until next time!