8.1 A character is expected to have Female Companionship (FC) during the course of a month. One who does not will suffer (besides a certain amount of discomfort) a loss of status (-2 SP per month cumulative since the last month the character had FC). Therefore a character who has not had FC for 3 months will suffer -2 SP the first month, -4 SP the second month, -6 SP and so on. Those suffering from serious illness are not subject to this FC requirement. Months spent at the front, on expedition, on missions, or in gaol do not count for this purpose, although any penalty that applied before will be suspended and resumed once the character is back.
8.2 FC may be obtained at a bawdyhouse (Not at a club) and costs the character his SL in crowns. It is not automatic and must be ordered. (i.e. Week 4: Go to Bawdyhouse and get FC).
Mistresses
8.3 By far the best and most consistent method of assuring FC and a certain amount of SP per month is by having a mistress. Mistresses must be courted, won, supported, and may even be married. They have SL and, in addition may have additional beauty, wealth, or influence that may benefit the character.
8.31 Attempting to court a mistress is a weekly action. Orders must indicate the mistress' first name and the amount of money being spent, the minimum being 3*her SL in crowns. The difference between the character's SL and hers gives the chance of success rolled on 1 die (See tables). The following modifiers are also in affect:
The
player gets a +1 modifier on his die roll for every additional 3* her SL he
spends in courting (Unless she is wealthy)
The player gets a -1 modifier if
she is already attached, -2 if she is engaged, and -3 if she is married.
An
unmodified die roll of 1 always fails (1 or 2 if she is attached, 1-3 if
engaged, and 1-4 if married).
A character may not court a mistress whose SL is more than 6 higher than his own.
8.4 Orders for courting a mistress should include the details of who the characters will stand down to (i.e. members of the same regiment). If all parties concerned stand down to one another, then the courting attempt goes to the suitor highest up the greasy pole. If a character stands down to another then the withdrawing character does not pay courting costs.
8.5 If 2 or more individuals turn up at the same doorstep and nobody stands down, no courting attempts take place (although all characters involved still spend the money for courting) and there is an automatic cause for a duel the start of the following month. The winner of the duel gets a +1 modifier on his die roll for any courting attempts with the same mistress the month of the duel.
8.6 Mistresses cost 3*her SL in crowns every month in upkeep, unless wealthy, in which case nothing need be paid (wealthy mistresses do not give their lovers gifts as in the original En Garde Rules). The character gains 1 SP a month for having a mistress, an additional 1 SP if she is beautiful, plus the difference in SL between her and the character in SP (if hers is higher). See the influence section for favours given to her lover. Note: Mistress upkeep is paid even while a character is at the front, on a mission, or on expedition.
8.7 Upkeep for a mistress are paid, and SP received by the person who last successfully courted the a particular mistress. The costs start in the same month the mistress was courted. A character may only have one mistress at a time.
8.71 In the post-monthly phase there is a 1 in 36 chance that an attached or married mistress' SL will go up one. A mistress' SL can not exceed 21 and no extra influence is gained for those with a SL over 18.
8.8 If a character already has a mistress and succeeds in courting another the original mistress is left. If he fails in his courtship there is a 1 in 6 chance of he will have committed an indiscretion meaning she will leave him anyway. (this is automatic if there is cause for a duel over the mistress due to two or more suitors showing up the same week.) Stealing another character's mistress gives automatic cause for a duel. A failed attempt at courting another's mistress also gives cause for a duel if there was an indiscretion.
8.81 If the mistress is out because her current lover has taken her out. (Not if he has just visited her) then the suitor has wasted a week and no cost is incurred. A mistress may not be courted at a club or a party. Success at a courting attempt counts as FC for that month, as does visiting one's mistress, or taking her out. Just having a mistress does not count for FC purposes.
8.9 To propose to his mistress a character must have been going out with her for a minimum of 6 consecutive months. The proposal is a weekly action and costs 15* her SL in crowns. The chance for success is the same as for a normal courting attempt with no modifiers. On a roll of one there is a 50% percent chance she will end the relationship.
8.91 After a successful marriage proposal the character must announce a wedding date (month and week in game terms), within 6 months of the proposal. The groom must have a house or larger property before the wedding can actually take place. The week of the wedding the also includes a stag party hosted by the groom at his expense (Unless another player asks for, and receives permission from the character to host it.). This is one of those rare instances where two actions can occur in the same week. At a minimum the stag party guest list must include all regimental colleagues and everyone of the groom's SL and above, with the exception of members of his enemy regiment). The groom also receives a dowry of 1d6*25*bride's SL in crowns. This is doubled if she is wealthy.. The groom also goes up one SL automatically the month he gets married.
8.92 If a wedding does not take place within 6 months of a proposal the mistress will leave. An engaged mistress may be courted with a -2 to the die roll. (Raw roll of 1-3 is automatic failure). If the courtship is successful the engagement is off and there is cause for a duel.
8.93 A married woman may be courted with a -3 to the die roll. (Raw roll of 1-4 is automatic failure). If the attempt fails and the suitor is discreet nothing happens, if indiscreet there is cause for a duel, just as in an attached or an engaged mistress. If the attempt succeeds the suitor must choose whether to be discreet or not. If discreet he gets FC but no SP, while the husband loses 3 SP a month (Gossip and so on). This is held over if he is at the front. If indiscretion is chosen, the suitor gets the SP for the mistress as usual, the husband loses half his SL in SP each month this goes on and there is cause for a duel, although the marriage remains intact. In any case a successful courting attempt may result in the wife falling madly in love with her suitor (1 in 6 chance). In this case there is an immediate divorce, all 3 parties involved lose a SL through the scandal, and the ex-husband has cause for a duel.
8.94 A married character may not court another mistress nor seek a divorce. The mistress listing indicates whether a mistress is attached, engaged, or married.
Mistress Courting Tables Mistress Influence
