The Jennys' Guild
The Jennys' Guild
The Jennys' Guild
Introduction
The guild began in 1598 with Jenny Malone. Jenny was a prostitute arrested for the killing of an abusive customer. It was deemed self defence, which was a landmark in itself, and she was acquitted in an Avalon court. However, this legal victory was only the catalyst for her other accomplishments. The man she had killed was a minor noble. He had been disgraced a long time ago, yet his family fought to protect their name. All her life Jenny had believed that the system was made by and for the nobility. So she was more surprised than anyone else when she defeated them in the court. She had fought hard, for she was fighting for her life, but she had no doubt she would loose. The best she had hoped for was to be executed with dignity knowing she had tried everything. Winning changed her life. The rules were not written the way she thought they were. The law did not always protect the nobles. More importantly she realized that one person can make a difference. She realized she could change her life, and the lives of others for the better. All she needed was a plan, and the will to see it carried through. To other prostitutes she had become a figurehead. Galvanized by her empowering victory Jenny gathered as many girls as she could and formed an unofficial guild. There were other abusive customers in the city she worked in. The only way to make the streets safe for women like her was solidarity, and a little blackmail. With all the girls sharing information, Jenny created a small-scale spy ring. Any customer who abused a girl in any way, or even treated her unfairly, was made known to all the prostitutes of the city. He quickly discovered he would have to leave the city to find willing girls. In extreme cases Jenny's girls would see to it that the wives, mothers or sisters of the man in question became aware of
his infidelities or proclivities. This threat kept many men in line, and the girls policed their own to see that no women accepted his trade and broke with the guild. As no one pays much attention to the whereabouts of prostitutes, it is not widely known how ruthless Jennys girls were about keeping the terms of the pact. Many forgotten and desperate women were found in rivers after breaking with the orders of the underground guild. While the guild was being set up to make the lives of these desperate women better, Jenny took the long term view. Women who wouldn't fall in with this design for their own betterment had to be sacrificed for the benefit of the others. Soon word passed to other cities of how Jenny was creating a safe environment for their kind of trade. Her ideas were adopted first in Avalon and then all over Thah. Eventually they came to the attention of the early Vendel guilds. The jenny organisation was still underground, but recognition by the new Vendel League would give them their chance for legitimacy. By 1613, the League wanted to take on the Vodacce, but needed more money and power to do so. Jennys girls had acquired a good quantity of both, as well as a lot of interesting secrets. All they wanted in return was a chair in the League. It didnt take the Vendel long to decide, and in 1614, Jennys guild became The Jennys Guild.
women to know they will not be alone and cast out when their looks fade. They know there is a career path open to them. Few rise to become madams and guild house owners; there are only so many places. However, there is always a need for cooks and nannies. While the guild doesn't use the same ranking system as the others, it does mark its members. There are no guild pins, but there are many ways to recognize a guild member. This is not just so members can recognise each other, but so that their prospective customers can as well. As such, they have become the symbols of the jennys craft, even non-guild members use them. However, any working girl that isnt in the guild joins up if she knows whats good for her. These symbols are well known and also warn the customer that the woman has the back up of the organisation, and any misdeeds will catch up with him eventually. The signs always use red somewhere, and vary from country to country. In Avalon the girls let one of their shoulders go bare, revealing a flash of red underwear. In Castille the ladies use heavier make up than most, but also carry a red fan. In Eisen she carries a red handkerchief tucked into her belt. The Montaigne Jenny paints her nails and lips a very bright red, or allows the customer to see the red garter she wears. The Vendel girls all wear small vivid red hats. In Ussura, jennys tie their hair with a red ribbon, or for the richer Jenny dye the fur edging on their coats red. There is little guild activity in Vodacce (see later) so they use a mixture of all the symbols, but sometimes also wear an ankle chain of red beads. Women visiting other countries should be aware of these symbols too, in case they are mistaken for a lady of ill repute. Most fathers and husbands of any nationality hate to see their daughters or wives wear red at all for this reason. So red has become a risqu colour for a woman to wear, which sometimes makes it very fashionable. What many people are unaware of is the amount of men who work for the guild. Many sons born to members are kept and looked after in the guildhouses. When they are grown they join as full members and work as guards and bouncers for the bordellos. Some actually go into prostitution themselves. There is a market for young men from both noblewomen and men, but this service from the guild is kept very quiet. These male jennys are theoretically
employed as servants and cooks. Only when a visitor inquires about 'that young man over there' is a deal and price reached. This way the customer thinks he has gained a special deal. Even so, this has led to rumours of the guild trading in young boys and offering any debauchery for the right price. It is a rumour the guild doesn't mind as it brings them customers for services it already offers, and lets them know who these 'exotically inclined' clients are. The guild is also careful with any children born into it. Most forms of contraception in 17th centaury Thah are not particularly reliable, but some Jennys want children of their own as well. All the children are brought up rather well with education and good living conditions. In fact a good proportion of the guilds income is spent on the children of its members. These children are encouraged to find different careers, but not dissuaded from the path of a Jenny if they truly want the life. As mentioned above, there is a place for men in the ranks, as both sexes serve as servants and messengers as they grow up. Many are keen to serve and return some of the investment and care they received growing up. Every child remembers the home they first knew wherever they find themselves. This gives the guild more eyes and ears in many more places. One thing that never happens is children being allowed into the 'working areas' of the house. The guild does its best to protect their innocence. However the main reason is to ensure no debauched patron sees them and decides he wants to pay for them. One of the greatest secrets of the guild is its connection to Sophia's Daughters. Membership in the secret society is one of the best ways to ensure advancement in the guild. Few working Jennys are members themselves, but the ranking member of any guild house usually is. Even if the madam is not a daughter, they are aware there are certain things they must do that are not directly for the guild. The daughters use associate members more than full members as agents. The wider range of such members makes them more useful in gathering information. In general the daughters do not have more agents within this guild then anywhere else, but they do have more members here in highly placed and powerful positions. It is true to say the daughters own this guild, but not all its members.
Locations
The main chapterhouse of the guild is in Vendel, and is a grand building worthy of housing such a powerful guild. This should come as no surprise, given the amount of prostitution in the world, and the leverage its secrets can provide. However, it is an administration centre and contains no working Jennys. There are plenty of other brothels in Vendel, and indeed all over Thah. Prostitution has existed long before the Jennys' Guild after all. What the guild did was bring together the hundreds of brothels and bawdy houses that existed across the nations. There is at least one brothel in every town (even Vaticine city!) and all of them are willing to assist their sisters in the guild. Unfortunately, few have any resources beyond food and a place to stay. In larger towns where there may be many different Jenny houses (and sometime even rival ones) the guild maintains a separate office for guild affairs. Such an office is usually small, given the fact it is not revenue generating for the guild. It is also strictly for guild business and not a doxy house. It therefore often surprises people that the guild house in any large town may contain not one working jenny. The guild was very lucky, as it began life with an infrastructure already in place. Each brothel sees to its own affairs and sends its tariffs on to the guild. Each house is therefore its own small barony, making each one quite individual. So the best way to describe the array of bawdy houses across Thah is to break them down into the traditions and attitudes of the individual nations.
their feelings known in some terrible way. Avalon Jennys are among the warmest in Thah, often conforming to the 'tart with a heart' stereotype. Something about the Glamour that infuses the isles makes everyone happy with their lot in life, no matter what it is. Highlanders are known to feel similar to the Vesten about prostitution. So while there is a sizable population of working girls, the highlanders don't talk about it. As the clans have few towns there is not so much trade for a jenny. Those that work in the highland towns are often exiles from their family lands. This is not as harsh as it sounds. In their homelands the only clients could well be family members. They may marry their cousins up there, but having a hooker in the family is a different story. The Inish on the other hand are more than happy to make up for the highlanders. They dislike the Avalon fashion for Sidhe, wanting their ladies willing, human and able to drink. Inish bawdy houses additionally always serve as inns. They just have a very sociable atmosphere in the taproom. This makes many foreign visitors fail to realise that they are not in a local tavern. It is one reason the Inish have such a reputation for hospitality and friendly women. But be warned. Any Inish Jenny knows full well how to defend herself from a drunken man, and how to charge him extra when he is insensible.
Castille
The men of other nations are very glad that the women of Castille also make some of their dark seductive passion available for sale. Castillian Jennys are known as the most amenable to more exotic styles of passion, if the man can handle her. They are among the most gaudy, wearing more garish clothes and make up than other Jennys. Castillain Jennys are also renowned for their wild and passionate dancing. Jenny houses in Castille echo long into the night with wild guitar music and exhaust their patrons with energetic and erotic dancing.
Avalon
The rise of glamour and the power of the nation has made it less likely for a women to turn to prostitution to earn a living. However, the guild and its members flourish here as they do in any other nation. Women who have a little Sidhe blood are among the most sought after. So many Avalon Jennys use make up and clothing to give themselves a more ethereal and elfin look. It makes them very obvious to spot, and rather exotic, but they are as welcoming as any other Jenny, carrying none of the coldness of the Sidhe into their personality. It is unknown if the Sidhe find the jenny's copying of their style offensive, or even if they understand what the Jennys are doing. Perhaps one day they will make
Eisen
Here in the broken lands of Eisen, the guild is at its strongest outside Vendel, for all the wrong reasons. There is no more respect or pride to being a jenny here than anywhere else, but the war has left many women without homes and husbands. While many managed to carry on
Montaigne
Vodacce aside, Montaigne has the best class of Jenny, as they have tried to ape the classical hedonism of the Vodacce courts. Montaigne Jennys are known for their wit and charm, and also for the way they must be wooed. Strangely the Montaigne gentleman likes to think he has seduced the girl rather than simply paid for her. So the Montaigne Jenny knows to play hard to get in order to acquire a mark. The more effort the man has to put in to win her, the more worthy the 'conquest' and the more he tends to pay. Before the revolution, a particularly witty and charming girl could find herself entertaining the court. These girls became a sort of unofficial courtesan. Such women were picked out by a patron and brought to court to amuse the other nobles. They seemed to be a minor noble to anyone unfamiliar with the practice. However, the whole court knew exactly why this new lady had been 'elevated' to the nobility. Behind closed doors she was considered property. While some were lucky, decadent nobles abused most of them in the extreme. Many were left broken and discarded when their entertainment value was lost. Many were simply never heard from again. This 'elevation' took them away from the safety of the guild madams. So while the guild was aware the practice, it was unable to stop it. After the revolution the practice went underground with the nobility. Emigres have more pressing
Ussura
The guild in Ussura is sparse but dedicated. Matushka looks after her children so few need to become Jennys. Those who do are in it as a career, not a stopgap, and find guild support very useful. However, at least half of the working jennys are not actually guild members, as Ussura is a large and remote place. Most Ussuran Jennys make a good living, but keep prices low, usually accepting payment in food and work. As such, few places have what they call a jenny, but they have a girl in the town that somehow has all the men fixing her roof and providing her with food and clothing. To rely on a business rather than Matushka to provide is foolish, so jennys who become greedy and flaunt their wealth often come to a bad end. Mostly they are restricted to the larger towns, each only having one guild house at the most. The Ussuran Jenny is often more direct than others in Thah; they tend to just ask their potential customers straight out. Ussurans rarely bother with social niceties, the customer either wants her or he doesn't.
Vendel
In Vendel, the guild is at its most powerful. It is also where the Jennys are treated the best. Under the eye of the guild,
Important Members
Jenny Malone ~ The Founder
After her legal victory in 1598, not much is known about Jenny Malone. The work she did bringing the guild together was done in secret in the darker parts of the cities. What few people are aware of is that Jenny gradually became more of a figurehead as time went on. An achievement like the Jennys Guild is rarely crafted by a single individual, and the momentum of Jennys cause brought other more talented women to the fore. Jenny passed into obscurity and before her death (if she is still alive she would be nearly 90 years old) was probably taken care of by the guild she created. GMs Secrets After she won her case, Jenny spent the next fifteen years founding the guild. After that she began to pass the responsibility off to other members. In this way Sophias Daughters managed to gradually take control of the higher positions within the guild. Jenny herself began drinking soon after. Those who knew her say that the things she had done to found the guild wore heavily on her soul. Many women had been hurt, threatened, or even killed to build the guild. Jenny had been one to lead from the front, and had blood on her hands for her trouble. Now the organisation was founded, she sickened of the business and left the fight to those younger and less jaded than herself. She never wanted to take charity from the guild, and continued working in Avalon. Jenny was much respected, but only by those who didnt know her. To her friends she became a hollow drunkard, and an empty person. She died around 1620, aged just under 40, although few people know how. As her looks faded she tried to work as a madam, but her drinking soon led to her being replaced. The guild always saw to it she had money and a place to sleep, but they couldnt stop her drinking. Some believe the drinking
Vodacce
Running the guild in Numa is the most dangerous position for any jenny. The Vodacce see any guild activity as a naked attempt by the Vendel to take power in their heartland. However, in a place of secrets such as Vodacce, where not everyone can afford a glamorous courtesan, jennys can still discover many interesting truths. For a country renowned for its courtesans, you would think Vodacce got on well with the Jennys Guild. In fact it is the opposite. Courtesans are not part of the guild; even suggesting to one that she is a common jenny is deeply insulting to such a refined and educated woman. To consider any courtesan to be the same as a common prostitute is the same as telling the mafia they are criminals. It may be true to some degree, but you don't say it to their face. Courtesans have far more skills and training than any jenny and consider themselves to be an elite. This is actually quite true, but when their beauty begins to fade, many find themselves no more than a common jenny. However, only a few working girls get to become courtesans, and the lot of a common jenny in Vodacce is not to be envied. There are more than enough common jennys working in the mainland and a few on the islands. Many of these women are fallen or failed courtesans. Due to the lack of guild power, they are the worst treated of any workingwomen in Thah. They are never afforded the respect offered a courtesan, and so are used for all the things no courtesans would ever consent to. Their financial position usually makes it difficult for them to say no.
program of shrewd investment of the guilds resources. These resources are not just the profits it makes, but the secrets it keeps. Both have bought power and prestige to the guild, and Lorraine has seen to it that this wealth has benefited its members. (Lorraine is detailed more fully in Vesten/Vendel and Sophias Daughters.) GMs Secrets Lorraine has changed little since 1668. She still works hard to build the power and wealth of her guild. However, she is now considering retirement. She has amassed great wealth and information, which could set her up very nicely. Unfortunately, her work for Sophias Daughters has led her to discover the existence of NOM and she has begun to fear
its power. With such an organisation out there, how can she be truly safe? She has resolved to destroy the society, or become one of its masters. Interestingly, Arciniega has begun to consider approaching her, but independently of NOM. His own harvesters often act as jennys, and he knows Lorraine is too clever not to eventually discover some part of his operation.
killed her, and she simple wasted away. Other theories suggest that she was killed by one of the many enemies she had made among the powerful men of the city. It is also likely that she simply got so drunk one night she fell into a river or was run over by a carriage. The saddest truth of all is that although her name is immortalised by her work, even now few people spare a thought about the death of a working girl.
pale and she coughed continuously, as if ill or poisoned. The last the girls saw of their mother was her collapsing to the floor of the jetty as they were rowed away. They have never discovered why she chose that moment to send them away, or why she didnt come with them. The girls found themselves on the mainland, with nothing. For a couple of years they managed to exist on scraps and charity. However, one day a passer by noticed that Danielle had grown up a little more than the other children and made
her an offer. At the age of 14 Danielle had become a jenny. The money she earned let her and Jiovanna eat well for a week. Jiovanna begged her not to do it again, but Danielle was adamant. She had found a way to provide for them both, and she was going to do whatever it took to see her sister was safe.
Jiovanna shed do so again with any man who wanted her for that, so any more deaths would be her fault. Danielles ruthless attitude helped her rise to a position of power in the local guild. At the very young age of 20 she now runs guild operations in Vodacce. She has secured a servants position for her sister and the two of them live quite well. Interestingly, their rise to power is also due to Jiovanna finding a way to help. It seems their father must have had some noble blood, as Jiovanna is a half blooded Sorte sorceress. While the jennys entertain, she wanders the room cleaning, and watching the strands of the patrons. What she learns, she passes on to Danielle. No one but the
Story Hooks
1. Jiovanna has fallen in love. She has taken to visiting her gentleman friend in secret, terrified about what Danielle may do if she finds out. Danielles reaction is also the reason the relationship hasnt become physical yet, although Jiovannas virginity is far more important to Danielle! The characters could be asked to help by Jiovanna, looking to keep the secret from her sister. However, they could be employed by Danielle to find out what here sister is up to. The man in question is an honest merchant, but he could just as easily be an agent of the princes looking for evidence of Vendel activity. 2. Jenny Malone had a secret, that being, the way she died. A young noble, looking to improve his position at court has discovered that his recently deceased father is responsible for her death. He knows this as a local jenny is blackmailing him with his fathers diary that confesses all. It seems the father used to visit the girl, and she managed to steal the journal. The young noble hires the characters to deal with this problem. He thinks the journal is a forgery, but his rise in the court is at a critical stage. He cannot be
d20 Mechanics Members of the guild get a +2 bonus to any attempt to seduce a target and any use of the Profession (Jenny) skill. However, if their membership or profession is known they may not use any class abilities from the Noble or Courtier class, or use any feats based on a pure reputation.
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7 Sea Mechanics A member of the jennys guild gets a free raise to any Seduction or Jenny knack check. However, she may only use half her reputation dice for social situations in polite company.
Training Benefit
Life as a jenny teaches a girl quite a few useful skills. She need not be the most beautiful woman in the room; she just needs to know what a man wants to get his attention.
7 Sea Mechanics Joining the guild is a 4pt membership advantage, for which the character gets the Merchant skill, in which she must specialise in the Jenny knack. She also gains one of the following skills: Criminal, Merchant (other), Servant or Streetwise at no cost. If the character already has these skills she may spend 5 experience points on them should she be trained by the guild.
New Rules
The Jenny skill revisited
The professional skill for the jenny is either Profession (Jenny) for d20 or Merchant (Jenny) for 7th Sea. In both cases the skills work the same, but also require a little more explanation. The skill covers a wide variety of different abilities. It can be used to haggle over price as well as to determine how skilful a lover the character is. It is useful to attract customer with subtle looks and suggestive flirtation. In a crowd of jennys it is also the skill used to make sure the mark picks you and not some other
Social Benefit
Membership in the guild implies experience and possibly training in the arts of love, rousing the curiosity of any paramour. However, the profession has always carried a rather tainted reputation that makes its members unsuited
girl. It also counts a few language skills, making the jenny able to ask the customer what he would like and how to pay, using pidgin and sign language.
Forgotten Child
(d20 Feat / 7th Sea 1-5pt Background)
You have a child, but it was taken from you. This quality is most appropriate for a female character, but can just as easily apply to a male one. You know possibly the age, sex and maybe the name of the child, but that is all. After the child was born you never saw it again. It could have been taken away by your family who were concerned about scandal, claimed by the other parent or even given away by yourself because you couldnt provide for it. For a jenny the most likely cause is for a client to decide to claim the baby as his own because his wife cannot bear him an heir. The cost of the drawback depends on the social standing of the character, which determines the degree of scandal. For a common jenny this is simply a 1 point drawback, for an unmarried noblewoman it is worth five points. This drawback could be worth more if the child is old enough to loathe its parent for casting it aside, but less if the parent is seeking a happy reunion with a child that they want only to adore. It is also possible (and worth more points) that the birth caused certain parties to seek revenge on the character, such as irate lovers/spouses, the other parent or the families of either of the above. For D20 players, this feat assumes the child was taken, but that the character is searching for it. It also assumes that their reunion will mostly be joyful on both parts. Any scandal currently remains secret, and the promise of a reunion inspirs the character with confidence and hope. Therefore the character gains +2 to any roll that may help to locate or take care of the child.
Among your regular (or even occasional) clients are a few powerful people who would rather keep their identities secret. It could be they have embarrassing sexual proclivities, or just that their wife wouldnt approve of their activities. The information you have is enough to use as blackmail, or at least as leverage for a few favours. However, you must be careful how you use it. To kiss and tell will possibly lose you clients, and if the secrets are truly dark could even get you killed.
Credits
Writing
Andrew Peregrine
Infertility
(d20 Bonus Feat / 7th Sea 0pt Advantage)
Line Development
Mark Stanton Woodward
The character is incapable of conceiving and bringing to term a child. This could be a quirk of birth, or the result of an accident, in Thah a difficult birth can easily render a woman infertile. This may seem like an advantage, especially for a jenny, no troublesome contraception or worrying about getting killed in childbirth. However, in the 17th century world it carries its own penalties. Women who cannot bear children are considered worse than useless in many cases, and will certainly never be eligible for marriage. Both men and women in the 17 centaury got
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