Geisha

Geisha (also called geisya ) were female entertainers similar to bards. . In Shou Lung they were referred to as sing-song girls or flower girls.

Culture
Geisha were professional entertainers and spies in Kara-Tur. They were experts at entertaining and bringing pleasure. Merchants, nobles, and samurai were usually the only ones able to afford their services. Merchants and nobles would often purchase a geisha. In Wa, live-in geishas were considered a status symbol. Only humans or spirit folk such as hengeyokai trained to be geisha.

Abilities
Geisha were trained from childhood by geisha families. They are skilled in various arts. A geisha has some spell ability; these spells were usually focused on entertainment. Geisha often learned more than one language, and had their own cant, the Geisha Cant, which was a set of finger and fan gestures that allowed for silent communication with other geisha. They often had limited proficiency with weapons, but were often trained to use a naginata.

Geisha were able to brew and distill various alcoholic beverages such as sake.
 * Brewing:

Through rigorous training in dance, a geisha had great agility and endurance.
 * Dance:

A geisha skilled in etiquette knew how to flatter and manipulate without making it obvious.
 * Etiquette:

An artistic expression through the placement of flowers and shoots. A skilled geisha would leave these works of art in temples as offerings to the spirits. These offerings were judged by the spirits and if they were pleased, good luck was bestowed on the geisha.
 * Flower Arranging:

Adept at playing go, a geisha would spend hours studying the strategies of the game and were able to subtlety direct a game.
 * Games:

Only some geisha learned to juggle, but those who did became skilled in knife throwing.
 * Juggling:

Geisha were able to give soothing and healing massages. This skill also made them experts on pressure points and how to use them to disable an opponent.
 * Massage:

Most geisha were trained to be skilled players of the koto or the shamisen. Like the bards of western Faerun, they were adept at playing various forms of music.
 * Music:

Geisha were skilled in disguise and pick pocketing.
 * Prestidigitation:

The geisha, like bards, were knowledgeable in lore and telling stories through poetry and songs. They were often fond of solving or telling riddles.
 * Poetry and Song:

Specialization
An apprentice geisha, called a maiko, was required to choose a specialization. These included:


 * Geisha-ninjas: Geisha who were trained in martial arts and the skills of the ninja. They were skilled in the use of poison and espionage, and were trained to use various weapons, such as naginata, dagger, knife, gunsen, kiseru, and shuriken.
 * Otoko geisha: Rare male geishas. They were skilled in comedy and were often hired as jesters.
 * Yujo or korobi geisha: A geisha who was additionally trained in the art of sex and was often hired as a prostitute or bought as a concubine.

History
In the past, geisha were avoided and shunned by society.

Notable geisha

 * Fu-shora
 * Kisha Yunoko
 * Namiko Li