As I step inside the private room of Jessica Tulipeβa towering Viera with mahogany hair and flopsy earsβI'm surprised at how unassuming it is. It's decorated beautifully, with a bar and plush seating area dyed in a bright red hue. However, it's not exactly the kind of room I expected from somebody who describes their character as a professional dominatrix. I shouldn't have been so quick to pass judgement.
As Jessica approaches a bookcase, two secret doors swing wide open. Behind them sits cleverly positioned furnitureβlanterns have been slightly sunk inside an ottoman, their round handles poking out to resemble restraints. Wooden slat partitions form a small room in the corner, nothing more than a couple of pillows and shelving inside it. While I'm pretty sure I know what it is, I check with Jessica anyway.
She tells me she sometimes leaves her clients there tied up. Jessica is the head of entertainment at Phoenix Nights , a casino located on Final Fantasy 14's Phoenix server that has been in operation since September I'll admit, in my eight years of casually playing Final Fantasy 14 off and on, I've been heavily sheltered from any ongoings outside of the main story, raiding and roulettes.
My first hours or so with the game were mainly spent solo, chipping away at the story and side content. But my latest stint with the critically acclaimed MMORPG has landed me in some fantastic social circles, befriending players who've managed to take this game and spin it into an entirely unique experience.
Many of these experiences take place inside roleplaying venues. While most players who are lucky enough to nab a house will deck it out for their own personal use, there's been an increase in themed locales. Bars, nightclubs, cafes, reading clubsβPhoenix Nights owner Masha Shiri tells me he recently visited an RP restaurant. Masha decided to open Phoenix Nights after "losing so much money" gambling in roleplay hotbed Limsa Lominsa. Why can't I win at this game?
