Do we really have to specify that pregnancy isn't a risk?

[Kelliezgirl]

I remember writing one of my first stories, one about to shift into group sex. I remember thinking - heck, actually writing one of the characters assuring one of the other couple, by way of reassurance, that they were regularly rested for STIs. I stared at the screen, shook my head and hit delete, delver, delete.

This is not a freshman university screed on responsible sexuality. Ours is a fictional world where women ddon’t get pregnant, suffer cramps or get hormonally bitchy every month. Men don’t suffer from ED or hair trigger issues. Neither sex is overweight, suffers from distressing borborygmi or is insanely jealous. It’s fantasy, FFS!

Tell Anon to go soak their head.

Absolutely this.
If you WANT to write a story with those elements, by all means, but don't add them to your story based on one comment.

 

[Britva415]

Every week she goes to the village alchemist and gets a "Potion of Contraception".

The previous alchemist was let go for mistakenly vending Potions of Conception.

 

[Britva415]

20/21st century promiscuity

I genuinely wonder whether it’s any different from Medieval promiscuity.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

The previous alchemist was let go for mistakenly vending Potions of Conception.

And knocking up the three princesses.

 

[EmilyMiller]

women ddon’t get pregnant,

I’ve written that

suffer cramps

I’ve written that

or get hormonally bitchy every month

I’ve written that

Men don’t suffer from ED

I’ve written that

or hair trigger issues.

I’ve written that

And you thought I just wrote angels and demons ?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Pregnancy wasn't a big deal back then because it usually killed you anyway.

 

[TheRedChamber]

I genuinely wonder whether it’s any different from Medieval promiscuity.

At the level of urges, probably not. At the level of consequences, very much so...

 

[Britva415]

At the level of urges, probably not. At the level of consequences, very much so...

I was wondering about behaviors, which is in between those two things.

 

[TheRedChamber]

I was wondering about behaviors, which is in between those two things.

Well, yes the Sexual Revolution of the 20th century is an actual thing. Between the risk of pregnancy, the risk of death during pregnancy, the risk of going insane from syphilis, the risk of social ostracism, being told (and probably believing) you were going to hell, the general lack of privacy in most one room peasant dwellings and so on, it's probably safe to say that, on average, there was less 'casual sex' going on. Even if you were married, the church did everything in its power to make sure that the sex you were having was as boring and missionary as possible.

People still got it on, and they probably didn't write down very often exactly how they were getting it on, but even prostitutes might hesitate to offer full intercourse given the risks involved. It helped if you were a male noble of course with leverage over the object of your lust. Catherine Howard, on the other hand, got herself decapitated for having an unaccounted-for hour when she might have been alone with her favourite minstrel. Did young in-love couples find themselves getting into heavy petting? In the words of the old song...

Some peasants will.
Some peasants won't.
Some peasants need a lot of loving.
And some peasants don't.

 

[karina_jayde]

So, my current WIP is an Erotic Fantasy. Set in a Fantasy world (think D&D, or something along those lines. Medieval time period like economy. No electricity, and the like. Everything is fires and lanterns, or magic.)

I recently had a comment, from our favorite reader, Anonymous, who questioned why my Main Female Character would risk pregnancy. As there is a lot of sex, and she practices a methos of free sex, with whomever she chooses.

Anon worried that she should be using some sort of contraceptive so avoid unwanted pregnancy, as it might derail her current goals.

But my thoughts here are:
A: It's a fantasy, and it's typically understood (or at least I thought) that unless otherwise stated, our characters don't need to worry about it.

B: Her practice of free love should in and of itself welcome a pregnancy anyways. (though that is not where the story is going.)

What are everyone's thoughts here? Do You feel the need to include something in your story to deal with the issue of pregnancies? Condoms and such? Or do you usually just stick with the general understanding that we write in a fantasy world, and unless it's central to the story, it is an un-needed addition to the story?

I write a lot of fantasy stuff with very horny characters. While I do touch on breeding kinks from time to time, I usually dont want those sort of story complications. It's incredibly easy to handwave a potion or a general contraceptive spell, to maintain a fragment of verisimilitude.

Yes, it's a fantasy world, but I like to at least have some consistency in how promiscuous sex is handled in terms of worldbuilding, even if it's just a sentence or two. Usually I just introduce the general concept early on and then don't worry about it. Once I (and the reader) knows that alchemical/magical contraceptives exist, it just sort of fades into the background

 

[RejectReality]

I'm not sure how big of an issue this is for the readership in the fantasy categories, because I've always covered that base. In my first story, Danica, she's barren. Problem solved there, but I also have a fairly common magical spell in that world that lets a woman know for certain whether she's currently capable of becoming pregnant, which I introduce early on. There's even a rare elven variant that's more precise.

There's also an even more common potion that tastes awful, but prevents pregnancy when taken every couple of weeks. There's also a potion to prevent all the common ailments a promiscuous woman — or one of negotiable virtue — might encounter. Not only protects against diseases and crotch critters, but has the handy side effect of repelling mosquitoes, ticks, and chiggers as well. Also tastes awful. I haven't gotten around to revealing it yet, but those potions taste awful because they're typically produced by clergy who are quietly protesting all the fucking going on, but unwilling to pass up the revenue stream. The more accepting religions can produce the same type of potion that tastes quite pleasant, and might even give you a good buzz if you get one from a cleric of Heraklan.

Common enough to be reasonably available when it's useful to you, but not so universal that you can't use fear of unwanted pregnancy and the like as plot devices if you wish.

Switching fantasy worlds, my dryads and all their more human progeny can only get pregnant or impregnate on Earth day. Problem solved 364 days of the year... But, not really. Sure, they know it's safe, but they can't exactly reveal they're part dryad in a world that doesn't acknowledge such creatures or magic exists. So anyone they're with prior to such a revelation can't know that. You can turn no pregnancy risk sex into a plot point as well.

Switching fantasy worlds again, in my Ancient Peoples series, the various monstrous lineages can't interbreed. The more or less human hybrids can only breed with someone else who has the same lineage, and that includes normal humans with no monster blood.

I just make it part of the lore. If you're going to write a fuck story in a fantasy world, lean into it. The readership enjoys world building, so make the sex and everything surrounding it part of that.

That being said, I'm guessing that you're a few chapters in, and retroactively explaining why she's not worrying about getting knocked up is going to come across as hokey. So, don't. No matter what you do, you can't please everyone. Introduce anal in a story and some people are going to lose their minds. Use lube in an anal story and some people are going to complain it's a turn-off and a symptom of the woke mind virus Continue on for those who aren't overthinking it or letting their hang-ups get between them and enjoying it.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

And you thought I just wrote angels and demons ?

Oh, Emily, dear Emily, you do like to lead with your chin, don't you? Drum roll, please....

No, I thought you just wrote tentacles.

Sorry. The Devil made me do that.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Oh, Emily, dear Emily, you do like to lead with your chin, don't you? Drum roll, please....

No, I thought you just wrote tentacles.

Sorry. The Devil made me do that.

I tried… I failed