The Scarlet Journal

Alistair sat down at the cafe table and tossed over his parcel. "Remind me again why I had to go get this for you all?"
Kyris grinned as she unwrapped the package. "The barkers usually don't give these to women. Whoa!" The latest issue of the Scarlet Journal had a quite interesting cover illustration.
Rigana put her coffee down and looked over. "If that happened the way it was drawn, magic had to have been involved in a way." She read over the ranger's shoulder as Kyris unfolded the journal. "Hmm. That new service seems a bit unsanitary?"
Alistair groaned. "We're in public, girls. Why are you opening this up in public?"
Lily gave a short laugh. "Don't be such a prude, country boy. Phanae isn't here to be all shocked, it's just harmless fun." She looked at the back illustration. "Is that legal? The one with the power-wagon."
Kyris folded the journal over. "No, that is definitely not legal. That's why there's no address for this, it's probably a practical joke."
The wizard rested his head on his arms. "Can I leave, now?"

Purpose

The Scarlet "Journal" is a publication printed by the commercial interests behind the Etoile Capital City's Scarlet Block, a district full of comfort halls and other businesses of vice. While in form and function a proper journal (and indeed licensed as such) that details the newsworthy events of the Scarlet Block, it can be more accurately described as a prurient advertisement for the services of the area. The journal is free and funded by advertisement; as such, each printing is filled with ribald, full-page illustrations and depictions of the salacious activities of the sponsoring comfort halls.

Document Structure

Clauses

The Scarlet Journal is structured as an actual journal of record, with the front page being (mostly) news of incidents and events on the Scarlet Block - new business openings, closings, special interest stories, and so forth. These articles are in the front third of the journal pages, with the rest given over to advertisements and classified offers of services. The illustrations in the 'back part' of the Journal have been described alternately as 'mesmerizing' and 'not credible'.
Notably, a permanent blacklist of names is prominent on the front page of each Journal, naming people (typically men) who have been evicted from establishments and deemed as no longer welcome within the Scarlet Block, for the safety of the local workers.

Publication Status

The Scarlet Journal is printed once a week and distributed on the streets of the Scarlet Block by barkers and local entrepeneurs, and is present in most comfort halls and gambling dens. A recent and somewhat disturbing trend is that of collectors hoarding large numbers of Scarlet Journal back-issues.

Legal status

Heated debate in the halls of the Palace of the Princeps have hashed out that, at the end of the day, the Scarlet Journal does violate laws against the 'distribution of materials of the prurient interest', despite being prima facie a simple journal of record for a specific industry. Representatives of the industry have reached a compromise with the Principality, agreeing to only distribute the Scarlet Journal within the bounds of the Scarlet Block, and to mark each copy as 'prohibited' in the rest of the Capital. The last restriction is, however, widely ignored by the general populace.

Historical Details

Background

The publishing of the Scarlet Journal had its roots in protest. While there is obviously no official Guild of Etoile dedicated to vice and pleasure, comfort work is still a trade in its own right, and every trade of size publishes a professional journal for the spread of knowledge between persons in that trade, in order to further Progress. Those in the comfort trade began to publish the Scarlet Journal as their own professional journal, and dared the Principality to stop them.
Unwilling to segment vice as a 'special case' trade, yet also unwilling to grant comfort workers recognition or a Guild Charter document, the Princeps of the time chose to uphold the principle of the law ahead of protests from specific interest groups, a great victory for those in favor of open expression and publication.

History

Kadwyn Rivant, Social Researcher of The Academy of Etoile, is on record noting that 'vice is inseparable from society'. As such, perhaps the publication of a journal of vice was a foregone conclusion; the Scarlet Journal is notably the oldest continuously published journal in all of Etoile, predating the Principality Standard by a little over three seasons (the Standard being the successor to the first journal in Etoile, the Record).
Its publication did result in a refinement of the laws regarding the printing and distribution of publications, forcing the Principality of Etoile to more rigorously examine what was and wasn't permitted by the 'public moral interest'.

Public Reaction

Copies of the Scarlet Journal are regularly burned by the Women's Temperance Lodge in protests just outside the Scarlet Block itself. As can be expected, issues of the Journal are quite popular with young people and men.

Type

Text, Magazine

Medium

Paper

Location

Etoile Capital City