All About Nelly’s, Past and Present

Since Toronto was ‘Muddy York,’ there has been a ‘Nelly’s.’ Named the ‘Lady of Whores’ by Prince Charles Sackville, the legendary actress Nell Gwyn has held sole domain over the sex workers of the city, influence that became immensely profitable as the city grew. While both she and the Prince had a hand in building the city’s cultural influence over the centuries, Nell started a number of bawdy houses and bordellos – and when enough Kindred joined them in Toronto, she opened her own place.

Nelly’s has risen in prominence along with the city to become one of the most exclusive salons in North America. Initially, its doors opened only by private invitation from a regular visitor or from Nell herself, long rumored to cater to the most unique and select tastes amongst Kindred – both sensual and sanguine.

Nelly’s and Blood

Some unknowable link to a soul gives every person’s blood its particular kick and effect. Perhaps it’s just hormones and the traces of the incessant bio-electrical current of mind, but a victim’s feelings profoundly affects the Kindred system. Drink deep enough, and the Resonance of a victim rises to the surface: first as a sharp taste in the blood, then as images, whispers, and feelings; unresolved trauma or rising hope. A kill always gives the strongest, most lasting rush.

Unless looking only for survival or fuel, a drinker should care what prey they feed from and how. Vampires drink blood. Resonance flavors the blood, turning drinking into dining. It’s not about genetics, even if family often does carry a tendency toward a certain Resonance. It’s more about a combination of the vessel’s temperament and the victim’s state of mind in the moment of feeding.

Kindred employ dozens of different frameworks to describe Resonance, from Japanese adolescent bloodtype astrology to American business-school Myers-Briggs phrenology but the most commonly used are the four humors, codified for the West by Hipocrates around 400 B.C. He described them as Choler, Melancholia, Phlegm, and Hema. Thus as various humors predominate in the human system, people turn Choleric, Melancholy, Phlegmatic, and Sanguine. Vampires less interested in the finer points just break the four humors down as “angry, sad, lazy, and horny.”

Resonance gives blood more than flavor and savor – intense Resonance gives it power. And a Dyscrasia – an acute Resonance is so intense that it creates a self-sustaining reaction in the blood – gives the best hit of all. Resonances don’t just give flavor to the victim’s blood and personality, but also blend with vampiric Blood to energize Disciplines.

People all taste and kick different, and certain people make certain powers easier while a vampire is drunk on them. After hundreds of victims, patterns begin to emerge to any feeder. The sad kills help you fade from sight, the horny kills boost the pull, and the angry ones fuel the punching. Blood accretes through time, combining and subliming through the strange alchemies that generate the supernatural effects of the gifts of Caine.

Condensed from White Wolf’s Vampire: The Masquerade, 5th Edition

A place like Nelly’s, with human vessels whose Resonances are finely tuned for specific vampiric tastes (and vampiric vessels for those who can no longer sustain themselves on human blood), would be and is undoubtedly popular. Popular, and dangerous.

Nell Herself

Nell has held domain over the city’s sex workers since the days of their arrival and has done her best to ensure they are protected from vampiric influence. Vampiric influence beyond her own, that is. While Nell truly believes that she has worked over the centuries to protect sex workers and allow them to work with agency in general, her perspective is very much shaped by her age, her experiences, and her nature as a vampire.

She has a limited concept of the modern world or any of its advantages or challenges, and still considers a spot in her house an honour and an excellent option for anyone finding themselves in “reduced circumstances.” Nell doesn’t understand the concept of a middle class, and though she knows what it’s like to be very very poor, she’s been a privileged Toreador for hundreds of years longer. She sees herself as a pillar of the community that does good work – and no doubt there are times and places that she has. But Nell’s interests have always been her own, regardless of what she tries to convince others… and perhaps herself. Not every Elder is so sheltered and oblivious, but many are equally stagnant.

Even so, Nell has generally chosen those most qualified as her people and her childer both, regardless of background, gender, or sexuality. All that really matters to her is personality… and blood. She can work with – and sell – both.

New Year at Nelly’s

Nell Gwyn’s most recent party heralded changes both to the city and to Nelly’s. It was the first time Nell opened her house to the entire city, and the evening the city learned that Prince Sackville had succumbed to ‘The Beckoning,’ the mysterious force that was drawing the eldest of Kindred east. Toronto’s Council decided to continue leading the city without a Prince, and though Nell disinherited her heir, she likewise failed to choose another. Regardless, Nell has stepped back in the day-to-day management since that night – even as the house business moved to a temporary location, likely compromised by human spies for the Second Inquisition. This Nelly’s has not been so quiet and dark in nearly 100 years. Compromised or not, how can such a house be left without a farewell party? And perhaps Nell will make her first appearance in months…

Only a few tickets left for September 21st, 2019! Get yours on Eventbrite.

Sex Work Is Work

The organizers of ‘Nelly’s By Night’ stand by sex workers. We believe sex work is real work, and will not characterize sex workers as criminals, deviant or victims. Sex workers are working people and demand to be recognized as such. We support the mission and principles of Maggie’s: The Toronto Sex Workers Action Project, and will be accepting donations to Maggie’s at the event. Read more at: http://maggiestoronto.ca/about