Courtesan

A courtesan is the umbrella term for sex workers affiliated with their local Courtesans' Guild.

Career

Qualifications

The only technical requirement for beginning trade as a courtesan is being above the age of majority for one's species in the area. Guilds typically make members attest to this under a Zone of Truth.
The most successful courtesans are either conventionally attractive, have striking physical features like tattoos or unusual hair color, or both. Tieflings are often very popular as courtesans because of the allure of the cultural taboos about their fiendish heritage.

Career Progression

For the first six to eighteen months after pledging themselves to the guild, courtesans typically undergo rigorous training in dance, culture, hospitality, and social graces. Courtesans are expected to be able to comport themselves properly when on dates with high-society clients; the early years of a courtesan's apprenticeship function as a sort of "finishing school" even for those with less formal education.

Perception

Social Status

Guild artisans from the "hard" trades (smiths, masons, etc.) sometimes look down on courtesans, much as they do with other tradesfolk from the "soft" trades (bakers, barkeeps, etc.). However, the average courtesan has a similar social standing in wider society to most other guild artisans.

Operations

Workplace

Most courtesans operate out of the main guildhall of their local Courtesans' Guild, informally referred to as a brothel. They typically consist of a main room that often features a bar and/or dance hall, several corridors of smaller rooms separated by dividers or other curtains, and a hidden wing of private living quarters for the courtesans. In places where public bathhouses are popular (such as Scalados), guildhalls will often be attached to a lavish public bath. Courtesans' guildhalls are often heavily enchanted, with noise-canceling charms and other magical measures to ensure privacy for courtesans and their clients.

Type

Entertainment