The Red Lantern Society
A FFXIV Adult RolePlay Community
The Red Lantern Society is a 21+ roleplay Free Company located on the Crystal Datacenter, Balmung Server. We strive to offer our members a character-driven experience through collaborative storytelling and networking through our outreach to other Free Companies and event venues, while encouraging the exploration of and indulgence in mature content with others who seek the same.
Application Status: Open from 3/1 - 4/30.
The Red Lantern; An On-Going Project
Hello!If you've found your way here, then I'd like to thank you for your interest in my modest project. The Red Lantern Society is, in many aspects, just that; a project built to see if we could do something that many were doing, but carve ourselves a niche in doing it well. It's my hope that as time passes, we'll build a positive community within the community as a whole, and stand on our own as an example of what things could be like when they are given an honest chance by both player and community.The Red Lantern was founded after a failing to find something that suited my personal storytelling and playstyle; namely, that I desired a place where I could create and tell stories for adults with the character development I so loved without sacrificing the parts of writing that are often kept hush-hush. While it is no secret that there is sexual content in the theme and play of the Red Lantern, my belief is that mature and adult-themed play goes beyond just the themes so often singularly categorized by it.I chose to build a community that was transparent from start to finish about who we are and what we do - which means never dressing up our language for easier consumption regarding certain topics. Our sex workers are often called whores, not courtesans. Our venue is a brothel, not a pillow house. We value this transparency and make it part of our gold standard in our communications; we do not, and never will, believe sex and sexuality is to be ashamed of.In the Red Lantern Society, an adult environment means adult topics. For the in-character interactions, it means accepting that our characters may have experienced hardships that feel unfair or cruel. It sometimes means uncomfortable topics that are handled with grace and respect by those writing them. It means that there will sometimes be friction and drama between characters and it means that sometimes it's going to get far worse before it gets anywhere near getting better.It also means understanding the clear and very thick boundary between the in-character and out-of-character, and knowing that no matter how bad it might get in one, it is not a reflection of the other. We do not accept out of character intolerance or bigotry, and we do not believe that being unkind or cruel is a personality trait.It means remembering and understanding that the player behind a beloved character has a family that they hold dear, and a job or career that can sap their energy. It means understanding that responsibility for the entertainment that our players seek is on them, and understanding that the efforts of those who choose to create events for the pleasure and fun of others are deserving of assistance and thanks. It also means stepping up if you can see that someone is struggling, and identifying where help is needed.In all things, we expect our members to behave as adults. It means being respectful of your peers even if you don't agree with them, and accepting that things do not always go to plan. It means attempting to handle one's issues on one's own, but knowing when to ask for help. It means being open about things that are upsetting you early, rather than when the solution is too late to help or apologies are made to feel more like excuses.The Red Lantern Society hinges on the storyline of a brothel, but at it's heart a brothel is still a business, and so the stories that are woven and followed are not just those of the sex workers that find safe harbor to do their work, but also those with skills that assist in business who need a place of shelter while they get back on their feet. We welcome the stories of those who visit us, whose own lives irrevocably shape the lives of our characters.This, perhaps, is where we are unique in our theme. The Red Lantern is a brothel, but the players behind the brothel are people who want to create characters and build stories that extend beyond the business. The foundation of the brothel has been built in-character, with every new player and character adding another brick, and we pride ourselves on extending that love of what we do to those who venture in. We enjoy surprising people, and we adore finding new friendships in the process of doing what we love.I am immensely proud of the people that I have met while building this Free Company, and I know it is only through their own love of what they do that they've brought to the table that has kept us going. I may have dreamed this project up on my own, but I am profoundly thankful that I've never been alone in building what I've come to call home. The Lanterns are my friends and often a second family to me, and to many of those who come to our community.If this is the sort of home that you're interested in, then I'm glad. No matter if you find a place here or with another group, I'm honored that you've considered my own little piece of heaven - and I honestly cannot wait to see the stories that you create both here and in the wider world!Welcome to the Red Lantern Society - where character development is our kink!
Tsukiko Tanshi, Founder
About the Red Lantern Society
Our Mission
Our goal is to provide a foundation for players who wish to indulge in mature stories and story-telling within an environment that serves to foster such with like-minded players. We live for spinning tales that push our characters to the point of no return, and developing them beyond simply being the obvious. We are here to stand as solid proof that having a theme often dismissed and looked down on does not mean that the characters or players involved are somehow lesser creatives simply because they enjoy the erotic.
Our Goals
Fundamentally, we are here to continue to provide a backdrop for players who wish to explore sexual and mature themes without unwelcome criticism. Our wish to play such themes with respect still remains, and we expect current and future members to understand and accept that. Our outward goal within the community is to offer experienced services to other venues who may be lacking staff for their own projects; we collaborate with other FC's for larger events while retaining our own smaller and more intimate numbers.
Your Role
As the character, you fill an employee position within the business known as 'The Red Lantern.' No matter if your role is as a prostitute, a member of Security, or one of our beloved House Staff, your role within the Lantern is the support and care of your fellow employees and those who enter into the establishment on our public evenings or walk-ins.As a player, your role within the community is as you wish it to be. We delight in fostering the creatives within our Free Company and happily support personal plotlines and events. Who you are as a person is relished and beloved, and we do love to see our members form friendships both within and without the FC proper.
We Are Not...
We are not in the business of 'fast food' cyber-sex. Those of our members who are in the business of sensuality are permitted their own clients and they are more than encouraged to decline interactions that seem to be taking advantage of their time. Our venue is in place to cater to those who are looking for deeper and more meaningful interactions with the staff; think Pretty Woman, Moulin Rouge or Harlots.We are not a Free Company intended for alts whose only intention is to appear for quickie ERP - we are an immersive medium/high roleplay Free Company and community, we expect members who join us to be here for that. Our active roster is smaller and every member is valued beyond the skills they have in that department; joining only for that is disrespectful to them and counterintuitive to the overall mission of the Free Company.We are not a slave market. There are no slaves employed here, there is no room for those who are looking for slaves to purchase. We permit characters that have this as a history, but all employees are here of their own volition and not under the command of someone else. There is really no wiggle room on this; the business was founded as a place to make certain that sex workers would be safe, and assist those who wanted out of the life into new employment.We are not a nightclub or performance venue that happens to have sex workers. The business is a brothel and all of our events - even events that may trail into the aforementioned categories - are focused around companionship, sensuality and the tease. We do not have the space to cater to those who are only built for these themes and these themes alone. Our characters have layers, and yours should as well.We are not a 'per 30 minutes/per hour' business. While scenes do have a cost when they are purchased through the appropriate channels, the base price buys an entire scene. We advise members to be clear how long they are comfortable with scenes going for, and communicate that accordingly. We do not take a cut of the profits - when your scene is finished, you receive the full pay as well as a bonus if the scene was arranged through Tsukiko.
We Are...
We are a Lalafell-friendly establishment that permits adult interactions, provided the character themselves is an adult and behaves in an adult manner. We do not permit Lalafell NSFW to be posted in our media channels as that is a ToS violation for Discord. We are clear on this; Lalafell are adults and are actively depicted as adults with healthy sex drives within the game itself. We understand that this stance is not for everyone, but we believe that Lalafellin characters and those who play them are deserving of the same respect and privacy that any other character and player would receive; which is to say that if you're thinking about the sexual habits of someone you are not actively engaged with and are making assumptions on that, you do not belong in this Free Company.We are a space for those who are curious about the themes but have no interest in the sexual side of things - we employ non-sexual companions and we have several staff whose roles are designed to fill the support spaces of the Free Company. At no point is anyone, regardless of role, required to participate in any sexual activity with anyone, be it a guest or fellow Free Company member.We are a safe space, provided that the space desired is not for those who wish to be cruel. We are happy to be a space of equality for all of our members, no matter their race, gender or sexuality. We do not condone harassment or ignorance, and understand that learning is a process; respect is not optional when it comes to the comfort of our members.
Quick History
The Red Lantern Society has been an in-character project from the first moments of conception. It is important to keep this in mind, as the Free Company is, at it's core, very much a medium - heavy role-play Free Company.Tsukiko had long been a prostitute to help keep her and her father, both exiles, alive and well in their travels. While she hadn't hated the work, she did recognize that she and her father would not survive long-term as such, and as the years passed, her own health and his age would inevitably demand more than they could afford.At the same time, she lived very much the dangerous life of a whore - she watched as her fellows became victims to their clients or simply victims to a world that wished to discard them. Knowing that she was far fortunate to have her own bodyguard and a second source of income from his work as they traveled, Tsukiko began to plot.It began, in March of 2017, as a small group known as 'The Wanderer's Way.'This small band of prostitutes and a few hired mercenaries were intended to be the start of a collective whose intended purpose was to see to the health and safety of those that the world itself seemed more ready to ignore. It was Tsukiko's hope that such would keep her people alive.
As her plan continued, Tsukiko took great pains to save her coin, eventually finding an ally in a former prostitute who had retired. With her help, Tsukiko outfitted a safehouse of sorts, providing those in the alliance with safe harbor to sleep, rest and recuperate.A year later, Tsukiko's efforts in spite of great personal loss would stand as a physical goal achieved, and the Red Lantern Bordello's foundation was broken on the shores of the lake in the Lavender Beds.With the support of a new friend, Tsukiko learned to stand as a leader to those who slowly made their way to the Bordello; prostitutes and those who had fallen on hard times and needed work. Business moved, if slowly - it is not easy keeping a brothel open in Gridania.In 2019, the Red Lantern began hosting their take on the classic cafe event, Coffee & Tease. At the end of 2020, the Red Lantern teamed up with another Free Company for the first time for the autumn Pub Crawl held by Crescent. That alliance continued into 2021, and by 2022, the Red Lantern was formally recognized as an official partner of the well-known entertainment company.During it all, Tsukiko's dream of creating not just a place of safety for those in her line of work but also a place of respect for the art of intimacy has remained ever-paramount, and she shows great pride in those that enter into her employ.Though she began with simply the dream of making certain that her father would be cared for, there is no doubt in her mind that the choices they have both made for themselves are the right ones even if their goals led them apart.Five years later, the Lantern flourishes. It is a business that is run with as much heart as mind, and within the walls are friends that are made and bonds that are forged. There is work to be done and gil to be made.... but they are family. It is home.
Your Leaders and Recruitment...
The below list are the members of the Administration team and their contact information. Any questions can be directed to any of the team, though issues that arise are best directed to the lead officers. Assistant Officers work hand-in-hand with their respective officer to make sure that the needs of the Free Company are met quickly. We advise all members to be ready and able to speak to any of the administration team - they are there for you.
| Officer Ranks | Holder | Status | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madame | Tsukiko Tanshi | 1/1 | t.tanshi |
| Head of Security | Vash Eldin | 1/1 | jackmorgan |
| Head of House | Aero Venois | 1/1 | verilei |
| Assist Officer Ranks | Holder | Status | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Companion Assist | Bearry | 1/1 | faunboy |
| Security Assist | Chagatai Vashti | 1/1 | red_octo_bear |
| Staffing Assist | Chiyo Akiyama | 1/1 | noctemius |
| Employee Ranks | Holder | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Female Companion | Multiple | Recruitment Open |
| Male Companion | Multiple | Recruitment Open |
| Security | Multiple | Recruitment Closed |
| Estate Staff | Multiple | Recruitment Limited |
Recruitment Limited is used when we are only seeking one or two new members.
Our Codes of Conduct & Rules of the Road...
We are founded on and uphold the ideals behind open communication, maturity, and respect.
The Free Company is a project run by adults, for adults. To that end, we require our members to conduct themselves in a manner befitting adults, even if the going gets tough. Your fellow members are deserving of understanding and respect even if you do not agree with something, and we hold fast to the idea that communication can be clear and polite even if there is friction. We do not play games with the personal feelings of the player behind the character and ask that all members be mindful and honest in the face of mistakes; we all make mistakes, and we are all expected to own up to them and do our best to improve ourselves and our behavior.Your fellow members and our beloved guests are not goodie-bags or people only deserving of attention if you have an interest in them in the moment. If the only reason you interact with a person is because you're horny, this is not the Free Company for you and you will likely find yourself removed. Our guests and fellow members are creatives deserving of respect and are valued beyond the bedroom, and we have no wish to foster a community where the focus is only on how attractive a character is or what you can get from our talented players.
Our membership are players with lives, loves and goals that extend beyond the Free Company.
We require our members to respect the boundaries and responsibilities of their fellow members, and understand that sometimes there is just not enough time in the day. Our Free Company is a community; no one person can be expected to manage every single thing, nor are they expected to. Members are expected to be proactive when it comes to communicating their needs with their fellow members and the officer team, and are expected to be responsive when offers of interaction or content are set out, even if they cannot attend. We do not mandate attendance at every event, but we do operate by the philosphy that it is better to attend late than never at all.The time a member spends on facilitating the creation of an event or storyline is time they are spending creating content for you, not doing something for themselves. We expect members to be able and open to communicating with those who are running events, providing feedback to help make that event the best it can be. If a member asks for feedback, it is expected to receive a response of some kind. If you cannot support the fellow members taking time for you, this is not be the Free Company for you.
We are a community that participates in erotic role-play - it is not all that we do.
Applicants are expected to understand that while the Free Company is built around a brothel theme, it is not all that we do - nor all we want to do. Applicants who appear to be only searching for sexual interactions or partners will be declined. Members who only appear when there is gil to be made will be removed. Our theme is related to a brothel, but our stories follow both the sex workers and general employees that are the reason the business stands. We are firm that those who are only here for erotic role-play will be bored, and we have no desire to cater to that.We are here to stand as an example to the community as players who enjoy the intricacies of story-telling and world-building, who just so happen to also enjoy writing scenes that require fine details and the challenge of giving players a unique experience even if the end result might be the same. Our efforts are wasted if all we become is a community that is only active when sex is the topic - and we're not here to waste time.
We accept healthy in-character drama, we do not accept out-of-character dramatics.
Our members are expected to have a very clear understanding of the differences between in-character and out-of-character, and we hold them to being able to handle discussions and conflicts that may come up regarding them. While we permit players to decide their own comfort levels and what may or may not be considered an issue to them, we still require members to maintain communicate on matters where conflict will, or has the potential to, arise - with every participant of the play that can be impacted.We recognize that our theme can provide a juicy backdrop for drama and theatrics, but we ask players to consider the comfort of those around them. Members should never drop darker subjects into public play without permission and/or warning, and those members who consistently seem to always be in trouble may find themselves pulled aside. It is also important to us that members are aware that while we understand that our theme can come with specific topics, that these topics are handled with grace and respect.
We encourage independence and self-care, with the knowledge we are still a team.
As adults, we understand that real life always comes first and that our health - both physical and mental - is far more important than a video game. To that end, we have no strict attendance or participation requirements. You don't need to attend every event, you don't need to stress that real life has smacked you and you won't be able to attend something that was planned. We do ask that you make every effort to inform event runners of your potential absence before the day of the event.While we do not have a strict participation requirement, as of our Spring 2023 recruitment we are becoming more aware of those who join and then do not participate. We are up front that our venue and theme mean that we will be working with strangers and crowds. We are as transparent as possible that networking is a large part of what we do and we expect our members to be able to engage with the community. To that end, we have become more observant of prospects and members who routinely miss events due to anxiety.You are applying to a Free Company that works with the public. Our standards are very high, which means we do not have a large number of staff always available. Please take a moment to consider if our theme and venue are not just fitting for your character, but fitting and comfortable for you as a player. You do not need to attend every event, but you should be making an effort to attend some events. It is better to come late than never at all.
We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding the following behaviors:
We do not condone or support harassment or hate speech. Our memberships includes members of all sexualities and genders, as well as races and religions. This Free Company is a place of comfort, exploration and acceptance and in no way supports ideals that are against the values of equality and fairness. There is no masking cruelty behind personality or mental health - if you are a problem, you will be removed.We value the privacy of both members and guests. Companions should not be discussing the dirty details of a scene with anyone that has no business knowing about it; your clients deserve their privacy. Companions found to be spilling the specific and private details of a scene with outsiders will be removed from their position pending review of their behavior. In short, what you do behind closed doors is between you and your client, do not make a game of their comfort.Our FC-chat and related channels in-game as well as the channels of our Discord that are FC-specific are to remain that way. Should anything from these channels be shared in the public eye, it will be an immediate removal for the member in question. If there is a situation that requires logs, we ask that those involved please speak to a member of administration before doing so. We have no wish or desire to have our chats used to fuel fires. Additionally, any documents with proprietary information are not to be shared; if it's information about the inner workings of the FC, it stays with the FC.
The Red Lantern Society
The Application Process...
Step One: The Application
Our application is a fair bit more detailed than most, but asks for nothing more than what you should already have on hand. We'll ask you for the absolute basics which will help us reach out to you once we've reviewed your application, and we'll make sure that you understand the very basics of our expectations - namely, we want you to be absolutely certain that you know you are applying to a Free Company that handles adult topics and you are assuring us you are over the age of twenty-one.The second part allows us to see how your mind works through a series of questions. It's important that you take your time to answer these! The application is not a timed one, but your responses will be our first impression of you and that's an impression that you cannot redo. It's important to be honest about your answers, as well - and that includes knowing that it's perfectly okay and acceptable to simply answer that you don't know something rather than attempting to sound smart. We don't want you to copy/paste information from a website, we want to know how you perceive the themes we play!Once these questions have finished, you'll be sent into the series of questions intended for you in regards to your character so that we can see the grasp that you have on the character and concept that you are playing and following that are the questions for you to reply as your character. If a question asks you to reply in emote format, make sure your format is using /em.At the last, there will be a few more questions to wind down. They're really just there to give you the chance to ask questions to be covered during the interview. Once you're done, send in the application and join our Discord. Make sure to say hello, introduce yourself in our introduction thread if you like, and just get snuggled in!
Step Two: Prospect Ranking & Interview
It may take a few days to a week for the application to be accepted or denied - we try to look at applications over the weekend. During this time, you may be contacted to answer some preliminary questions. Silence isn't a bad thing - please remember that the officers are human and have bad days, and sometimes this means a little slowdown. In addition, please keep an eye on your Discord. If you apply and we cannot contact you through Discord, we will cancel your application and move on - so it is best that you use a Discord that you check frequently, and do not leave a contact request pending.
Your activity level counts from the moment that you are either labeled a prospect in the Discord, or a Trainee in-game. How active you are plays a large part in deciding if you are accepted or declined at the end of this period. This period will last three weeks at minimum, and serves as the time for you to try us on and see if our community is a fit for you and your character, and for us to see if you're a fit on our end. While we will absolutely not move on an applicant's trial period until the three weeks is up, a particularly proactive applicant will move through the rest of the process quicker than one whom we only see every so often.We expect prospective members to be active; you are expected to chatter in the Discord, participate in discussions, share screenshots, and just generally be a contributing member of the Free Company. In-game, you are expected to visit the establishment, get to know characters, attend events both within the FC and without, and participate in the community as you would were you a full member.It is assumed that, by applying to the Free Company, you wish to be here and participate with us. If you don't do so during a period of time where you are basically an informal member, we'll assume that the behavior will extend into your membership and we do consider that to be a problem - our community does not operate on assumptions, but we will draw conclusions based on what we are shown.
As a rule of thumb, if by the end of your Prospect/Trainee period a randomly selected active member cannot tell us who you and your character are, there is a good chance that you will be declined. We are a small Free Company, and it is not hard to meet everyone or participate in the Discord.Should you make it through this trial period, you are considered to be eligible for the formal interview. If you do not make it through this period, we will discuss why you were declined and if the option to reapply later is available. It is important to note that while we will always be open to hearing your side, we do not allow information divulged at the moment of our decision being rendered to sway the choice.As an example, a prospective member who tells us in their first week that they are going through finals and their attendance will be spotty during their trial may receive an extension. A prospective member who only tells us that they had finals after they were declined will not have that extension option, as we cannot erase two - three weeks of assumed disinterest.
This initial formal interview is usually held with your role lead and their second-in-command. It's meant for your character to get comfortable with the leadership they'll be looking to, and for all parties to ask questions between one another. It is also where we will communicate any issues we saw over the trial period, if any exist. This interview is both IC and OOC.At the end of this, should your character be accepted past this point, they'll be given a - purely IC - contract to sign and then handed off to their direct supervisor for further instruction in the expectations of their duties.
