[X] My Assistant

[V-Origin]

Just to prove that I am not a powergaming munchkin, I have decided to start a non-munchkinky thread for once.

Now my gang of toxic/blood mages wanna start a prostitution syndicate.. one which specializes in changeling hookers, elven hookers and other freaks..

Any ideas on how to run a prostitution campaign?

[WearzManySkins]

I would say the source book? Vice would be excellent background on what organizations are involved prostitution.

Depending on what location the various source books for that region if any would give local details on that.

As for opposition for your Runners hmm rival criminal organizations etc also groups like Rote Zora and Sie. For the last two I do not recall where the source of information on them is at the moment. But you can search the forums here and get maybe some more details.

I have a runner in a game right now that was a former Bunraku parlor girl with some customer request made alterations.

Big question is what type of prostitution? ie Bunraku? SimRig etc.

Be also aware that changelings can also be altered/created using the rules in Augmentation.

[Mäx]

As for opposition for your Runners hmm rival criminal organizations etc also groups like Rote Zora and Sie. For the last two I do not recall where the source of information on them is at the moment.

Loose Alliances has some stuff on them IIRC.

[Yerameyahu]

Meh. If you're not doing runs, it's not really Shadowrun to me. Setting up shop is boring.

[CanRay]

Setting up shop is how you hide properly.

Numbered Corporations FTW!

[Yerameyahu]

Sure, but it's just like in D&D: you *could* just make a fabulous living casting Minor Creation or something all day. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) It's boring, you're an *adventurer*.

[Draco18s]

my gang of toxic/blood mages wants to...

Your group is doing it wrong.

First off, you're playing toxic and blood mages. This alone invalidates any question you might have. Toxic and blood mages are not supposed to be player characters.

[CanRay]

Oh, missed that part.

[Yerameyahu]

Draco18s, meet pattyhulez. You get used to ignoring it. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

@OP: To be fair, I don't think anyone said you *were* a powergaming munchkin. That implies success, and everything you suggest is wholly illegal. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Wounded Ronin]

Typing this on a mobile, or I'd just have posted the link.

Search YouTube for "Dolemite".

That's how you run a magical prostitute SR campaign.

[Method]

Yerameyahu and Draco18s: Please be careful about your tone. Putting smiley faces behind a mean statement doesn't make it less insulting.

Wounded Ronin: You are in rare form, sir. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/grinbig.gif)

As to the original topic, one easy plot line to get you started is to have some other shadowy organization or entity kidnapping changeling hookers for some nefarious purpose. Have your toxic blood mages try to figure out who's stealing their lady-friends.

[CanRay]

Just remember folks, Pimpin' ain't easy!

You have to take and hold your territory and stables, deal with Johns and Janes, launder money so the IRS can't nail you like Capone...

[Yerameyahu]

Sorry if there was an insult. My point was just the simple fact that munchkinry is usually within-the-rules craziness, not just making things up.

Now, your big problem here is that everyone else already beat you to the punch. You'll be up against every criminal organization in the area, and they'll all destroy you. To address this, you'd better have a patron. No, don't tell me that you have a 'gang' of not-allowed-as-PC supermages with their million-karma ally spirits inhabiting impossible-to-get dragons. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) You'll want to be affiliated with someone powerful, like one of those existing crime groups, or something else with a lot of pull. It would basically be a mafia game: runners as enforcers and things.

[Neraph]

...wanna start a prostitution syndicate.. one which specializes in changeling hookers, elven hookers and other freaks..

(Emphasis mine) I like how racist this statement is.

First off, you're playing toxic and blood mages. This alone invalidates any question you might have. Toxic and blood mages are not supposed to be player characters.

Maybe, but why then would they have rules for all their abilities? Why couldn't a hermetic mage take Sacrifice? Or why couldn't anyone use Calling to call a blood spirit? How about a shaman who gets irradiated during some 'run in Chicago and decides to look towards the spirits of nature around him who help him survive, but they turn out to be Toxic?

There are plenty of ways to allow toxic, blood, and even insect mages as players. They just really, really have to watch their backs. I mean, more so than normal shadowrunners.

Of course, if the group is building mages just to have their teammates "auction" them off, that's another matter.

EDIT: Also, as for opening a prostitution gig, read Taltoss by Steven Brust. That's a story of what happens when someone just moves in and starts a gig in someone else's territory. Or read the Dresden Files. There's a couple times where Marcone says what happens when other people try to move in on his territory.

[Kruger]

(Emphasis mine) I like how racist this statement is.

I think it's okay to be prejudiced against things that don't exist. Of course, the real irony is that his characters are mages, which makes them freaks too.

I think it's an idea. Not really a good idea or a fun one, but an idea. You could have lots of intrigue as you fend off competition. Remember, anywhere you set up shop, somebody's probably already doing it. And while shadowrunners could probably easily displace Bosley the Ork Street Pimp assuming he's not working for someone or the players are willing to work for the same someone, they might run afoul of organized crime if they set up a competing rub & tug or straight up brothel.

[Glyph]

Any group doing this type of business will have to deal with competing criminals and, to a lesser extent, law enforcement. They will also be raising their profile - it's not good, for a shadowrunner (especially a group with massive bounties on their head from the Draco Foundation), when it is easier for people to find you. Finally, the type of prostitutes they are going for will be hot commodities. If they get sent out to work the streets, they might be abducted. If the group runs a brothel, they will be stationary and vulnerable to other criminal organizations. Even if they do this with a criminal group's patronage, they will still be targets for that group's rivals (if they work for the Vory, the Yaks might torch their brothel).

Also keep in mind that this stuff can get squicky. Pimping is nasty enough when you think about the kind of things it usually entails (abductions, tortures, rapes, etc.), but on top of that, you will be having your drooling players describing various "working girls" that sound like something from the dregs of 4chan.

[Kruger]

I dunno, seems like a lot of peoples' characters are sociopathic killers, so being traffickers in the sex trade is almost tame by comparison.

[Mäx]

Also keep in mind that this stuff can get squicky. Pimping is nasty enough when you think about the kind of things it usually entails (abductions, tortures, rapes, etc.), but on top of that, you will be having your drooling players describing various "working girls" that sound like something from the dregs of 4chan.

I.m 99,9% sure he has neither players nor a GM, he just seems to like thinking up wierd and most of time not allowed by the rules stuff.

[Draco18s]

Maybe, but why then would they have rules for all their abilities? Why couldn't a hermetic mage take Sacrifice? Or why couldn't anyone use Calling to call a blood spirit? How about a shaman who gets irradiated during some 'run in Chicago and decides to look towards the spirits of nature around him who help him survive, but they turn out to be Toxic?

Oh sure, you could, but how often are legitimate mages like that going to be summoning a Force 20 blood/toxic ally spirit with inhabitation?

Doing stuff like that (and running a business, including illegal ones) just breaks the setting. This guy's only posts have basically gone like this, "My group has decided to write our own rules, are there any existing rules for X?"

[WearzManySkins]

Doing stuff like that (and running a business, including illegal ones) just breaks the setting. This guy's only posts have basically gone like this, "My group has decided to write our own rules, are there any existing rules for X?"

Admin/Mod call on this.

[Mäx]

Admin/Mod call on this.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/question.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/question.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/question.gif)

[Draco18s]

Admin/Mod call on this.

Wow.

Look. There's nothing wrong with how he and his group plays. But showing up here and asking our opinions on something that is broken (when compared to how the game expects you to be playing) and assuming that all of us will recognize this as normal is wrong.

It's like playing The Other Game (D&D 3.5) where you and your group always plays with the Divine Minion template (see: Pun Pun the infinitely powerful kobold) and then hitting the WOTC boards with the question, "So how would I best go about getting my character infinite reach?" General reply, "Dude, you broke the game. This question is not appropriate."

And then asking another question with the same premise, "So how would I bet go about getting an infinite move speed?"

[Whipstitch]

None of that makes what you're saying any more on topic, however. Ultimately, I see a thread where a guy is mostly asking about how to run a different style of game within the Shadowrun setting. In other words, this is largely about fluff.

[Yerameyahu]

I guess if you only read this thread in isolation, you could get that misapprehension. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Ooh, ninja-edited on me. I'll just leave this to confuse people, I guess?

[Whipstitch]

Yeah, my mind was wandering during my initial post so I pared it down to the core of what was bothering me about this whole thing.