Fashion in the world of Altera

[Omikuji]

So I curiously witnessed something at the Crossroads today where a female character was called a prostitute because her skin was showing the knees and shoulders.

I was wondering if those sort of old medieval rules applied to Altera considering how it's not completely just cut and paste medieval. Women can be knights, fighters, more then just the old ways, so I was wondering if the fashions of showing shoulder or knees or really any sort of skin would be considered the look of a prostitute.

Does that sort of social stigma/assumption belong in a world? Or what is the fashion that would allow that to happen, I mean I've seen loads of ladies running around with shoulders showing because the skin looks nicer with it and all.

 

[SallyPirate]

Might depend on the social standards of the person- most commoners wouldn't mind how a woman dresses, but a nobleman certainly would- (or at least should)

However, I don't see why they'd say that at the crossroads of all places, unless they were surrounded by their own guards or something.

Basically: It'd depend on the RP culture and their noble ranking IC, they CAN judge if they want, but they can also expect backlash from insulting someone out of the blue- expect black eye or bartenders/patrons refusing to speak to them, or sneer when they turn away.

Are characters forced to wear certain garments? I'd personally say as long as it doesn't get silly/actually questionable. Showing shoulders and legs are fine, as long as the skirts or shorts aren't stupidly small to the point they lose any RP uses, generally shorts are for people who climb or run or basically do active stuff, so having it above the knee is just saying "I like falling over and SLAUGHTERING MY KNEES."

... Maybe it's just me- I think about this stuff a lot xD.

 

[Centurion]

"I like falling over and SLAUGHTERING MY KNEES."

 

[Gaby]

I have one character who shows her shoulders, and another who wears nothing but a short cloak.

this is an important question for me.

 

[SallyPirate]

I have one character who shows her shoulders, and another who wears nothing but a short cloak.

this is an important question for me.

They prefer not to wear clothing but are not oblivious to the social norms of the city.

 

[Gaby]

yeah but the one who showed her shoulders isn't a caparii. she's earthspawn. is that good or bad.

 

[SallyPirate]

yeah but the one who showed her shoulders isn't a caparii. she's earthspawn. is that good or bad.

I get the impression that Earthspawn aren't that fussed over how they look >3>

Edit: If anything, if she wears any armor and none on her shoulders other earthspawn might assume she's a weakling-

 

[Helios]

Might depend on the social standards of the person- most commoners wouldn't mind how a woman dresses, but a nobleman certainly would- (or at least should)

However, I don't see why they'd say that at the crossroads of all places, unless they were surrounded by their own guards or something.

Basically: It'd depend on the RP culture and their noble ranking IC, they CAN judge if they want, but they can also expect backlash from insulting someone out of the blue- expect black eye or bartenders/patrons refusing to speak to them, or sneer when they turn away.

Are characters forced to wear certain garments? I'd personally say as long as it doesn't get silly/actually questionable. Showing shoulders and legs are fine, as long as the skirts or shorts aren't stupidly small to the point they lose any RP uses, generally shorts are for people who climb or run or basically do active stuff, so having it above the knee is just saying "I like falling over and SLAUGHTERING MY KNEES."

... Maybe it's just me- I think about this stuff a lot xD.

Black eyes can't be distributed in the crossroads without a god showing up and kicking major ass. So, you can probably tell why someone would call someone names and feel like the top of the world.

 

[TheDeester]

Black eyes can't be distributed in the crossroads without a god showing up and kicking major ass. So, you can probably tell why someone would call someone names and feel like the top of the world.

Barfighting happens sans intervention. Gods only break things down in specific conditions, from what I recall.

 

[Gaby]

I get the impression that Earthspawn aren't that fussed over how they look >3>

Edit: If anything, if she wears any armor and none on her shoulders other earthspawn might assume she's a weakling-

she... doesn't wear armor at all. she is absolutely a weakling.

 

[Omikuji]

Black eyes can't be distributed in the crossroads without a god showing up and kicking major ass. So, you can probably tell why someone would call someone names and feel like the top of the world.

I can confirm that black eyes can be given in the Crossroads because Kopii just got one there and no god even cared in the slightest XD (well one showed up and said something along the lines of 'well you have no faith so oh well')

 

[Michcat]

... the gods may or may not be inclined to spend their days waiting hand and foot upon mortals. that may or may not be a little unrealistic, they may or may not have better things to do.
Deester got it right, though.

Barfighting happens sans intervention. Gods only break things down in specific conditions, from what I recall.

really, its mostly asking to please refrain from getting overbloody in the crossroads. The most impolite thing is to have a day-old community member get their character axed for some silly reason. Barfights, all well and good, just try not to let situations escalate into homicide (As altera can sometimes do... :I ).

on fashion? Depends on the character, really. Some characters are from cultures that frown upon that sort of thing, and some characters simply don't have that influence.

 

[Scardrac]

My character called her a prostitute because he mingles with lowlives, drunkards, that sort of stuff. Meaning realistically he'd see prostitutes often. Prostitutes showing shoulders/ankles at the time, that is what he perceives as the prostitute standard. It's something that people don't normally bring up when people are in a Medieval setting, seeing as it is a social standard of that time. Since we belong in a time where that social standard is redundant and obsolete, it's sort-of a fact that we just kind of ignore.

My other character, Scardrac, who is pompous and arrogant, simply knows the prostitute standard because he's seen so many women showing things that he just knows in the first place. And decides to be misogynistic and correct them anyways.

Again, back onto the point of the whole getup thing and how people may perceive it. Like I said, not everyone knows the fact, and I realize that we're not complete copy/paste medieval, but some people try to be that. I don't think any side of the question should be prejudiced against their standpoint. However, I don't like being shut down and told "Nobody cares as much as you do" because I was trying to share some history. I apologized to the person, making sure they knew what I was trying to do, and that it was nothing personal.

 

[pyrocide]

We had this exact situation happen already once over a year ago, though for very different reasons.

A member of the community got fed up with all the skimpy outfits worn by females. So that member started calling women with that kind of clothing prostitutes, citing basically the same reasoning you said above. Because of said member's popularity within the community, this trend quickly took hold in a significant number of players.

Unfortunately this led to an instance of running at least one new member off the server, as what was described as a mob all shouting "Prostitute!" at the new player. The player didn't even understand why their character was being called such. At which point, I believe the consensus was that the community needed to stop doing that.

We also need to remember that while prostitution was in fact a thing in medieval times, this server is supposed to be "family-friendly" and honestly I don't think accusing people of having sex for money falls into that category. Granted while it's not full-on erotic roleplay, I still don't think there's a reason for that to be discussed. Slippery slope and all that.

 

[Michcat]

its also supposed to be a mature, given why theres a minimum age to folks joining I think folks can handle the existence of indecency.

 

[pyrocide]

So then you surely don't mind me playing as a prostitute character then?

 

[Scardrac]

The girl seemed confused in the first place, which is why I had told her out-of-character what was going on, and why. Just to make it less personal and less aggressive. PG-13? I know that parents would tell them why their daughter can't go out to their friends while showing 80% of their chest. We sill have murder and war and other things that fall out of the whole 'family friendly' thing. There have been, there still are, prostitute characters that have asked experienced staff members, and they seemed okay.

At the time, I was not enforcing a standpoint. However, I wanted people to know I didn't pull my standpoint out of nowhere. I'll be keeping my standard of prostitution in roleplay until it becomes problem.

 

[Michcat]

So then you surely don't mind me playing as a prostitute character then?

Thats taking it a bit farther then the 'existence of indecency', but you can do whatever you want. I must caution that some of those things you technically CAN do will probably get you banned (ERP, etc).

 

[Somnastra]

Something something something Middle Ages didn't have Elves, either. So really, the fashion is up to us, as long as it is thematically Medieval Fantasy. I would appreciate this sort of incident (calling someone's character a prostitute when they are not, even IC) not occuring frequently, though, as it can definitely have the exact effect that pyrocide described.

Incidentally, prostitute characters are okay, as long as (like Mich said) it does not stray into inappropriate RP.

 

[Centurion]

"Can is not the same as should"