NPC Concept: Brothels, Bordellos, and the Escorts Involved

Overview

I've already done a post on tavern keepers before, so I've decided to cover something else in the same vein of "places to stay, have a drink, and maybe be entertained." 

I want to talk about bordellos and brothels - places where people can go for pleasure as a form of entertainment. Chances are, even if you haven't planned it, your town or city has an establishment like this. It may be its own establishment, or perhaps some larger taverns have these types of services available. Most (if not all) societies had sex work as a profession. 

Even though they might be there, ultimately, whether or not you choose to include anything based around brothels or bordellos in depth is up to you as the DM. Know your table. For some players, going to a place like this could be really uncomfortable. For others, it could be quite fun! Just something to keep in mind as we go forward and explore this concept.

Rather than talk about the establishments themselves, I'm going to touch upon the types of people that work in such establishments. This will include:

- Prostitutes, escorts, dancers, and / or courtesans

- Matrons and / or pimps

- The wait staff

- Security or bouncers

Function / Motivations

The bordello itself has one major function: it's a place where you can essentially purchase company, usually for sexual pleasure. Your adventuring party may venture here out of curiosity or for that purpose. They may also venture here as part of some larger quest, like:

- The party is contacted by a local noblewoman. She believes her spouse is cheating on her with one of the "ladies of the night." Find proof, and be handsomely rewarded.

- The local prostitutes are being exploited by their pimp. They want to get rid of him.

- Brothel murder mystery! Who killed the matron? Why? Was it one of the courtesans? The head waiter? The bartender? The bouncer?

These are just a few examples to get the gears turning, of course.

Each person within a brothel will have their own function and depending on the type of brothel, that may also determine their functions or even whether they're present at all. For example, a cheaper or "low-class" brothel may not have bouncers or much in the way of security. They may not even offer food, so there might not be a need for a wait staff. These are jobs you might find in an upper-class or high-end bordello. In the places where they are present, let's talk about what the wait staff and bouncers would be like. 

The wait staff are there to serve food and drinks to guests and their escorts or courtesans. These are people who are going to know things: who's here, who were they with, for how long, etc. These are the types of people in the establishment who blend into the background and often go unnoticed. They hear conversations. They know gossip. They're probably asked by the matron / pimp and the prostitutes to be discreet as much as possible. Depending on their loyalty to the establishment and how they're being treated, they may not be inclined to give much information if an adventuring party comes asking. They may also be afraid to give the party any information, again, depending on how they're being treated.

Bouncers are often in taverns or brothels to break up drunken brawls, and admit or refuse certain clientele. Especially in the case of high-end bordellos, they won't let just anyone inside. Can they be bribed? If not, why not? Is it loyalty, or fear? If your party doesn't want to attract attention, they're going to have to avoid the bouncers.

Then, there are the positions and jobs that would be present in any type of bordello: the matron or pimp, and the prostitutes themselves.

More than likely (and to keep it simpler for you, the DM) your pimp or matron is going to be the person who owns the establishment. They don't typically take part in much of the sex work (if they take part in it at all.) They're more focused on running the business itself. They can be quite benevolent: advocating for the safety of their employees and clients, ensuring discretion where needed, etc. They can also be the exact opposite depending on DM needs, and how you want this person to be if you're sending your players on a quest. In my opinion, there's little reason for a matron or pimp to mistreat their workers, unless you actively want them to be an antagonist. If this bordello is just a stop for curious or interested players, there's no real reason for this role to be malevolent. This NPC is the boss of this place. If there's information needed about a worker or a client, they've definitely got it.

Lastly, we have the prostitutes and courtesans themselves. All of them have the same primary function as entertainers, but depending on the quest (or lack thereof) there could be other secondary ones. In my opinion, one of the most important things to consider is the kind of establishment that these prostitutes are coming from. For example, high-end escorts - people who are paid to attend balls with very wealthy people, almost as an accessory - would hold themselves much differently than prostitutes who work in a rowdy dance club or tavern brothel. These workers also have the advantage of knowing more about their clients than anyone else who works at the establishment would. Need information or blackmail material about a local politician? Find the bordello he frequents, and talk to his regular courtesan. They would probably know something. In intimate settings, people often talk very intimately about themselves. Why would a prostitute give up information they know about a client? What would persuade them?

One other thing that should be considered, especially if bordellos and brothels are going to be important in some way to your plot: how are they viewed? Is sex work even legal in the kingdom your players are in? Is there a stigma that surrounds it? If your party is, say, trying to keep up a reputation among very traditional nobles in a kingdom where sex work is generally frowned upon, the party would likely not want to get caught in the local bordello. If they are caught, how does that affect their quest?

Why Should I Include This?

There are facets of brothels and bordellos that can be fascinating to explore in a quest. The number of different aesthetics and people you can come across in a bordello depending on location and social class is also very fun to play around with. Within the walls, there are secrets to be found and mysteries to be solved.

Even if the local brothel isn't a huge part of your quest, sometimes... it can just be fun for players to explore. Just remember, DMs: this kind of setting (as something particularly in-depth) may not appeal to all your tables. Know your players, and make sure to have fun!