B is for Bawd

The ignorant view the Bawd as nothing more than a dealer in illicit or degenerate pleasures. While some aptly fulfill this vulgar definition, in truth, the Bawd is far more than this: The Bawd is an expert on human nature, whose tools are social connections, they live, profit, fail, and die by their wits and relationships.

Bawds and their Role in Society

Among the poor, everyone is looking for an opportunity - the same may very well be true about the rich as well. The Bawds are those who constantly seek out and exploit whatever opportunities arrive. Let's follow the day of a Bawd in Altdorf to better illustrate how a Bawd turns relationships into cold hard cash - who profits and who loses in the every day ebb and flow of chance, friendships, and acquaintanceships.

Gustav awakens late - his head pounding from the revelry of the night before. He leaves the room at his friends house, a friend, a woman, with whom he often refers his other friends to. In return, Gisela, a cousin of his, doesn't mind should he crash out after a late night. Besides, his presence reassures her that she won't be subject to violence by some of her patrons.
Gustav, a little worse for wear, but feeling lean and hungry, feeling that ache for gold. Walking down the alleyway, he notices a window of a bakery left open, a knife on the counter. Without missing a step he deftly grabs the knife from the windowsill and pockets it, seeing this crime of opportunity as a blessing to himself and a lesson to the baker to beware of unscrupulous characters.

The money in his pocket from last night is sadly not his - he turns down a side street to a local tough. Ten gold was borrowed the week before last to pay some bills, a tab at an inn which he had failed to pay. An exchange of gold, and Gustav is on his way.

He stops at the market, looking for 'lil Edvard, a local street urchin. Gustav asks if any customers have been about, but there haven't. Edvard also mentions that he knows of any other opportunities about right now, and Gustav drops a couple of pennies into Edvard's palm. Edvard and his friends will keep an eye out and pass on any pertinent information for the next week or so.

There! A familiar face! Gustav sees hundreds if not thousands of faces every day - a name… After a few seconds it comes to him: Adlebracht! Gustav runs his hands down his shirt to straighten the wrinkles out and combs his hair into some semblence of order with his hands before bursting in front of Adlebracht! Greetings, a quick reminder of past revelries and recognition finally appears on Adlebracht's face. Gustav quickly recalls the details he knows of the man with the events about town. Women? No… happily married as well as some mistresses… Drink? No… too suspicious… Gambling? Ah, yes! Dogs… he fancies dogs!
Some quick talk, and a promise of a short yet exciting interlude sways Adelbracht from his day's tasks. Within minutes Gustav has steered Adelbracht through side streets, paving over Adelbracht's misgivings with banter and jokes. Before Adelbracht can change his mind, Gustav is handing him a pint of ale and they are standing amongst a group of young men circling a small pit. He confides what information he knows, plays up the risks, colors the details to ensure Adelbracht's interest. His advice proves good, after a half an hour Adelbracht has won gold as the bodies of the dogs are hauled out of pits. Pleased at his success, Adelbracht gives a few gold to Gustav, whom Gustav escorts back to where they have met. A little later, Gustav will have to kick back some of his change to his friends at the pit, but its still a nice tidy sum for an hour's work.

Gustav pauses to freshen himself up before heading to the Four Winds Coach House. He awaits the coaches, yet sees no one he's familiar with. Still, he does manage to point some people in the right direction receiving a few pennies and escorts one lady to a local inn, where the landlord gives him some pennies for guiding her to his establishment. While he waited at the coaching inn, he tried to peddle off some fake jewelry he carries with him, but no luck, although a small pillow was sold to a boarding traveler worried about the damage the trip would do to her derriere. Disappointed with the day's returns, he wanders off in search of other sources of funds.

An hour spent at local taverns looking for clients, getting information, and learning of the word on the street proves equally disappointing. Just after leaving however, he over hears a conversation. The "Fish", a local gang of hoods are going to give Stuttering Steffan a beating. Gustav pauses - turns about and mentions to them that he's heard that Steffan has been lurking about a different area - a few schillings are passed and Steffan's location is known. Gustav leaves, wanders to the local market, and then passes a few pennies on to Little Edvard, who then rushes off to inform Stutterin' Steffan that the Fish are after him, and they seem to know where he's been about.

Steffan than pauses for a dinner, something to fill his stomach, for soon wealthy revelers will head this way looking for the pleasures that these streets offer.

Bawds are resourceful individuals who live through contacts and social networks, the comprise part of the informal infrastructure of city life. Its their business to know who does what and where. Need company for the evening? They can find the man or woman for your needs. Need someone muscular for a job? They can put you in touch with the right person. A forged document? They know where one might just find it. Need to find a stolen item? For a fee, they may be able to put you in touch with the person who recovered it. Need a quiet way out of town? They know just the alley. Bawds are the intermediaries between the clientele and specialists, as well as between specialists: they know the pickpockets, the dealers, the smugglers, the muscles, the parties, the slumming nobles, the thieves, the watch, the merchants, and everyone else who winds their way through the streets and warrens of the city.

Their roles in this city are myriad:

Guides around town for those looking for something particular or to get a general feel.
Petty criminals, extorting, pandering, bribery, theft, even violent crimes.
Informants for all, for anywhere between a penny and a bag of gold, they may reveal what you want to know.

Entertainers who can tell a yarn or gossip wildly - others can sing, dance, or play an instrument.

Dealers in forbidden pleasures, whether flesh or drugs, a bawd if not in possession of these knows somebody who is.

Contacts for those wanting discreet help, be it hired muscle or a murder for hire.

Bawds wheel and deal, receive cuts from those they do business. For those in a business befitting a low profile, Bawds serve as a means of filtering out their clientele and isolating them from public knowledge. A bawd must work hard to ensure that others around them respect their judgment and their discretion. Not all bawds are honest, in fact honesty can be a liability. What they all seek is a veneer of respectability. Some bawds cooperate closely with criminal elements, leading their clientele into ambushes or signaling to pick pockets, selling shoddy goods or working closely with con artists to exploit their customers, but these individuals don't often last long. Others also provide information to the watch, and for these individuals, life is very short indeed.

There are a lot of misconceptions about bawds. Women often serve as Bawds, using their charm to lure in business, or using their femininity to put customers at ease, as a comely young woman is less likely to intimidate than a dangerous looking young man.

Nor is it true that all Bawds are poor! The wealthy often seek out diversions from those who are willing to do anything for money. Wealthy gentlemen, known as ramblers, with too much time and money on their hand often go "a rambling" through a city or town, trying out its seedy nightlife. So common is this now that they often publish "Rambling guides" that highlight a towns pleasures, its best and worst places to drink, women and men of moral turpitude worthy of note, and other bits of information to those with peculiar tastes. The writers of these books are little more than literate bawds with a sense of adventure.