fatal

Public Baths
Not every culture has public baths 1 , though
cultures with public baths consider their culture to
be more civilized because of them. Public baths
may contain gymnasiums, beauty treatments, concerts,
art exhibitions, lectures, promenades, and the
chance to meet and talk with practically every character
in the community.
A traveler undresses in a dressing room, but
is advised to make sure that their clothing and possessions
are in the care of a character while bathing,
since robbing garments from dressing rooms is practically
an occupation. The managers of public baths
assume no responsibility for stolen possessions.
Public baths may also function as brothels.
However, public baths employ chambermaids, not
outright whores. At a public bath, chambermaids
must be attractive and skilled at Cleaning, Contortion,
Massage, Seduction, and Sexual Adeptness.
In addition to steam rooms, public baths also
have bedchambers. Some public baths have hours
reserved for only 1 gender or the other. Otherwise,
bath houses receive both genders. The public baths
are closed during epidemics, just as commercial gatherings
and dancing throughout the communities are
prohibited. Normally, however, public baths are
open all day, every day.
Taverns
A tavern 1 is a drinking shop, though much
more occurs in a tavern besides drinking. Other
names for a tavern include the kapeleia and potisteria.
In addition to being a place for drinking, other activities
also occur in taverns, such as gambling, watching
dancing girls, and whoring. Tavernkeepers are
mostly female. Their chief business is supplying
drinks and women. Decent characters do not patronize
taverns. Females rarely go to taverns. If
they do, then it is understood that they must be there
to fornicate. In fact, husbands may spend so much
time lounging and drinking at taverns that they hardly
have any use for their homes or wives, and may rent
both of them out to others.
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The tankards of most taverns are inscribed
with names of gods or other things, such as Love,
Health, and Joy. An interesting inscription is
Pausikraipalos, which means ‘Stop the hangover’ when
translated from Kobold.
Restaurants
Downtown, many restaurants 1 may be
found. A taberna is essentially a snack bar. It has a
marble counter that opens onto the road and is about
6-8 feet in length. The customer stands in the street
and orders are slapped onto the counter before
them. Popular orders are bread and wine, and sometimes
meat.
If a hungry character wants to sit down to
eat, then they enter a restaurant, called a popina.
Characters prefer to eat while reclining rather than
seated. Tables are surrounded on 3 sides by couches,
rather than chairs. To dine while seated is considered
to be for the poor or hurried. Wine is popularly
ordered. A popina also provides entertainment,
such as whores and gambling. Most who enter spend
the whole evening, if not the whole day. A popina
opens about 11 A.M. or eariler. Most of these establishments
offer music and dancing. Most supply
whores, have erotic scenes on the walls, and are decorated
with an erect phallus. A popina caters to carters/teamsters,
sailors, and their ilk. Many moral
priests are forbidden by their religion to eat at restaurants,
except when there is no alternative, such
as when one is on the road.
IN.VINO.VERITAS
The truth is in wine.
(Drunk characters tell the truth.)
1. Information on public baths, taverns, and restaurants has been referenced from Travel in the Ancient World, by Lionel
Casson. For more information, see the References section at the end of this book.
Chapter 6: Sociality