The Red Light District
or, Where the Shadows Conceal Many Things…
Visiting the District
Discerning gentlemen of Paris are wise to the fact that, should they allow their baser instincts to surface, especially in a society where most other gentlemen accessorize with three feet of steel upon their hip, violence could easily result. Gentlemen of schooling also recognize the importance of "balancing the humours", another important element of the baser pursuits.
Fortunately, the streets of Paris are graced with houses of ill fame, commonly found in the Red Light District (RLD). Visiting the Red Light District is a Primary Action.
- Slandering (Secondary Action) another character by starting vicious rumors about this person. Slandering costs 20 Crowns. The effects of slandering are as follows in Table 3-29 (During any one trip to the red light district, there is no limit on the number of other characters your character may slander; however, any given character may only be slandered once per visit).
- Hiring Assassins (Secondary Action) You may look for an assassin (see below).
Visiting a Bawdyhouse
(Secondary Action) This is one way to acquire female companionship at a cost of two times the character's SL in crowns. If the character already has a mistress and she finds out (die roll of 6 on a D6), she will throw him out. Characters gain 1 SP by disporting themselves in this way.Gambling
(Secondary Action) Wagers are commonplace in the Red Light District. Gambling can take any form (although, given the location, often more ribald or dangerous). There is no house limit and no SPs are gained.Carousing
(Secondary Action) Whoring and drinking go together like assault and battery. Carousing is the same as it is for Clubs, SL in crowns for 1 SP (see XXX).Hiring Goons
(Secondary Action) to rough up a foe. The goons cost 10 crowns each and do 1D6 endurance damage to the character for each goon hired. They will never do damage bringing the character below 1 endurance. There is a 1 in 6 chance of the character hiring the goons being found out and losing 1D6 SPs because of it.At the end of the visit to the red light district, on a die roll of 6 on 1D6 the character is assaulted by footpads and relieved of his money.
Assassins
Is there someone particularly troubling to your character that he can't take care of himself? In the darkest alleys of Paris one can find almost anything if he looks hard enough. In particular, one can hire assassins, by looking for them in the red-light district.
To hire an assassin is a Secondary Action, and on a 6 on a D6 roll he will find an assassin who will do the job. If the result is a 1 then your character will be reported to the Commissioner of Public Safety immediately and brought up on charges. An automatic rumor is generated when your character searches, thereby warning the target to some degree.
The contracted hit will be conducted in the next month. A randomizing table will be used to determine in which week the hit will be made.
An assassin costs 100 crowns per SL of the target. The assassin will successfully kill the target on a 4+ on a D6 roll. If a natural 1 is rolled then the assassin just keeps the money and disappears. The assassin will only be caught on a 6 on a D6 roll regardless of success and will reveal the name of the character who hired him.
A lackey will protect your character from an assassin and decrease the probability of success by 1 in 6 (2 in 6 if he has loyalty). If the assassin would have succeeded if not for the lackey's presence, then the lackey is killed as he protects his master. A lackey will increase the odds of the assassin being caught as well by 1 in 6 (2 in 6 if he has wit).
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