Consent - a case in Italy

There is a case before Italian courts at present that directly involves Code d’ Odalisque. The case concerns a married couple and a contractual arrangement in which the woman was to act as a sexual slave for her husband. The two-page written ‘Contract of Submission’ has been cited in court after the woman filed for divorce and now claims that she was subject to “physical abuse.” The couple were married for six years. The man insists that the woman signed the contract with full consent and, moreover, was fully consenting throughout their marriage. The contract grants the man ownership of the woman’s body and sex and gives him permission to enjoy her in any ways he chooses except for violent and extreme acts. It provides for designated safe words and stipulates that the slave cannot be damaged or blemished. The provisions of the contract are based on the protocols of Code d’ Odalisque – the couple were practicing odalisque slavery. It remains for the courts to decide the legality of their arrangement and to determine whether or not the woman was indeed abused.

Like similar cases, it raises important questions about the nature of consent. It is also another disturbing instance where it seems that a woman has backed down from a consensual agreement and is crying “rape” after the event. This is increasingly common. A woman makes an agreement but then, much later, claims that her consent was not “informed.” Courts have shown that they are inclined to side with the woman in such cases. Even if the woman signed a detailed contract giving plain and unequivocal consent, she merely has to say that her consent was not “informed” and courts will throw out the contract leaving the man exposed to criminal charges.

Such cases underline how careful a man must be regarding consensual slave arrangements. It is a fact of life that relationships can go bad, and it is a fact of life that when relationships sour some women become vindictive and vengeful. Hell hath no fury…! Men should be aware of these facts. And they should be aware that, these days, the law often rejects the idea of personal responsibility. No matter how careful a man is to ensure consent, he must face the possibility that the woman may – even years later – contest that consent and will receive a sympathetic hearing in court when she does so. The law rarely smiles on Slavekeepers and isn’t designed to accommodate consensual slavery lifestyles.

Two points to note:

It is a fundamental principle of law that a person cannot sign away their rights. For this reason, consensual slavery can only ever be of the nature of a game. Legally, a person cannot be a genuine slave and cannot consent to be subject to criminal acts. You cannot give someone the right to murder you, for instance. It doesn’t matter how consensual it is, murder is murder. Similarly, it doesn’t matter how consensual it is, physical abuse is physical abuse. If someone is killed, harmed or injured, consent is no defense. Play safe. Stay within the law.

Code d’ Odalisque reinforces consent with witnesses. Every contract must be witnessed. The problem in legal cases – as we see in this case in Italy - is often that it comes down to his word versus her word. Consent means very little in such cases. The best legal guarantee is to have one or more witnesses. Contracts should be witnessed and signed by a third party. This third party should be independent and convinced that consent is free and forthcoming and is willing to testify to this if the matter should ever end up in court. These matters were considered when Code d’ Odalisque was being developed. We sought legal advice. The advice was that all contracts should be witnessed as a minimum standard. A Contract of Submission signed just by Master and slave carries little weight in law and is always open to challenge because of the inherent disparity of power and authority between Master and slave. The slave might always say she was intimidated and manipulated. A witness to the contract – where that witness is independently convinced of the slave’s free consent – is protection against this.

Sex machines

Recently a gentleman who is practicing Code d’ Odalisque as Keeper to his slave wrote to us proposing the virtues of sex machines. An odalisque, as he points out, is a full-time cockslave. But for the average man there are limits to how much cock he can provide for his slave. Most men are not capable of fucking for six hours a day. Many would be stretched going six minutes a day! Meanwhile, the odalisque is sitting around unused.

The normal arrangement under Code d’ Odalisque is for the Keeper to happily share his slave with other gentlemen. An odalisque is to be shared. Therefore, she serves not one cock but several or many. But even then there are still many occasions where the odalisque will be unused. As our correspondent states, it is in fact quite a demanding task to keep a full-time odalisque meaningfully engaged in sexual duties on an on-going basis. The Keeper soon finds that he is not the unwearying stud he might have imagined he was, and it is not always easy to organize suitable gentlemen with whom to share on a regular basis.

The solution to this, our writer suggests, is sex machines. In fact, he relates, he has been busy making and perfecting sex machines (automated dildos) for many years. He then relates that he deploys his machines on his odalisque and it is now a regular feature of their slave play. He uses it to bring the slave to orgasm and to multiple orgasms. He ties her up, applies the machine to her and then enjoys tormenting her with non-stop cock. It is perfect, he says, for odalisques – every Slavekeeper needs a sex machine.

There is no objection to such devices under Code d’ Odalisque. A Slavekeeper and/or Slavetrainer can use dildos, vibrators, automated devices – the whole range – in sexual slave play. This is subject to rules and limits regarding safety and consent, but otherwise odalisque slavery is an arena for sexual exploration and there is no reason why this should not include the use of mechanical devices.

As it happens, sex machines (automated dildos) are a small cottage industry in America. Hundreds – maybe thousands – of men tinker away in their garages trying to build the perfect fucking machine. Commercial models are very expensive and often not very effective. Men build their own. Then they test them out and try to adjust them to the needs of the woman in question. There is no reason why a man enjoying a slave under Code d’ Ode should not experiment with such devices and include them in play.

Certainly, any odalisque is likely to sexually out pace her Master. So why not supplement with an automated cock? It might take a bit of adjusting, but if the Keeper can build or acquire a device that really works for his slave, it is all to the good. It is a useful addition to the usual range of sex toys available for his deployment.

All the same, in this sphere, as in other walks of life, a machine is no replacement for the real thing. Finally, a cockslave needs cock, not dildo. Sex machines are fine as long as we keep this fact in view.

Needing to work: Sojourn & Occlusion

Question: My wife is… my bedroom slave. But these are tough times and there is no way my income could keep her… She has to go to work so we can survive. So, Code d’ Ode is a great idea but in practice it doesn’t work.

Answer: The ideal in Code d’ Odalisque is for the odalisque to be “kept from toil” by her Master. Ideally, she is an odalisque full-time and lives a leisured life without having to work for a wage. Her duties are to bring beauty and pleasure to her Master.

As you say, though, these are tight times for many people. Two income families are the norm because people need two incomes to get by. Not every man is wealthy enough to be able to keep a slave full-time. There are loans to be repaid and bills to be met. Regardless of the ideal, the reality is that for many people odalisque slavery must necessarily be part time. The demands of life are too pressing.

The Code is very flexible in this regard. The slave’s time is shared between periods of “occlusion” and periods of “sojourn”. In occlusion the slave is in active slavery - occlusion is captivity. In “sojourn” she may go out into the world like a freewoman. The institution of “sojourn” allows for the practical reality that often the slavewoman will have things to attend to in the world. She can go on “sojourn” if she needs. When facing economic imperatives, it is quite within the frame of the Code for the woman to go on “sojourn” to a part-time job. The Code proposes the ideal but it doesn’t insist on it. It is flexible. You can allow for work commitments through the device of periods of “sojourn”. There are certain rules that the slave must obey while on sojourn, but it certainly allows her to work a job if she must.

A few points:

*It is always better if the slave does not have to work. Strive for the ideal. An odalisque deserves to be kept – it is her right as an odalisque. Working is for memlooks (low slaves).

*If she does have to work, her Master should prevent her from doing work that would compromise her beauty. No work that would harden the skin on her hands, for example. Or where she might be scalded by hot flames. Or hard physical labor where she would be toughened and made overly muscular. Clean, soft work is best. Cooking, cleaning, washing are not usually suitable occupations. Cooking, cleaning and washing are for memlooks. Her Master should protect her from unsuitable work.

*Where possible, ensure that the slave spends the majority of her time in occlusion. If she must work, let it be part time work only. The policy of her Master should be that she will only work as few hours as possible. She is an odalisque: she belongs in occlusion.

*A slave cannot be made to go to work while her Master is idle. An odalisque cannot be exploited as a work slave. It is a gross violation of her nature, and of the Master/slave bond, to treat an odalisque in that manner. A slave cannot keep her Keeper!

Comparative Sitting Positions

The following picture illustrates the basic sitting position for an odalisque under Code d' Odalisque. It is sometimes called "Second Position" or "Lelune" meaning "like a crescent moon" referring to the curve of the woman's back. Notice that her hands are on her knees, fingers outstretched. Her eyes are looking at her fingers.

This position is usually used for instruction purposes or while the slave is waiting. The slave is silent and still.

Compare the Code d' Ode position "Lelune" to the following picture. It illustrates the basic sitting position for female slaves in Gorean slavery. By extension it is commonly used in slave play throughout the BDSM sub-culture. The slave sits on her haunches. Note the position of the hands; on the thighs, palms upwards.

This Gorean position is not used in odalisque slavery. Code d' Odalisque includes a complete system of distinct slave positions. "Lelune" is position two. Slaves who serve under Code d' Odalisque should be instructed and trained in the appropriate slave positions. Perfecting some of these positions is an art form of elegance. Other positions are for sexual access or sexual display.

Women and work

Many women who are interested in the odalisque’s life have bad experiences in the work place and have a history of unhappy employment. If a woman is counted as “unskilled” she might often have to work in factory conditions, or low paid jobs in cleaning or hospitality. Other women are forced into the cut-throat world of business where they have to be ruthless and aggressive against their nature. Still others find all work undesirable. They would really prefer to stay at home; they expect a man to go out to work: such women resent the feminist revolution which has dragged women into the workforce and told them that women who stay at home are inadequate. Some women feel put upon by the modern expectation that women must prove themselves in a man’s world.

All of these experiences are amplified in the case of shy, timid, inward, introverted or submissive women. They, indeed, often feel brutalized by the modern working life. Working in a factory, or in physical labor – this is wrong for many small-framed women. It makes them age very quickly. In the competitive world of business only loud masculine women thrive – shrinking violets are stomped upon without a second thought. The introvert loves being at home and finds the social and work realm harsh and unfriendly.

What then is a woman to do? It is at this point that some women turn to prostitution. It is an easy way to make money. Or to porn films, or similar. Such women realize that one way to escape the fate of the 9 to 5 wage-slave is through sex. Sex is always available to a woman as a work substitute. For some women this comes with the realization that sex, in fact, is what she does best. When the careers counselor asks, “What do you enjoy most in life? What are you good at?” for some women the answer is “fucking”. She may not touch type and has no computer skills but she knows how to fuck like an expert. Some women are drawn to it. They love to fuck – more than anything in the world.

The odalisque’s life will appeal to such a woman. She serves a Master. She is a female sexual servant. He keeps her, looks after her, protects her. She is spared from having to labor. He provides and he preserves. She serves her Master’s bed.

For some, this is a better prospect than prostitution. It is better to serve a Master than a pimp. The prostitute’s life can be very rugged and every bit as brutalizing as working in a factory. And, in fact, the prostitute’s life is not really very sexy. Whores are not usually into sex. Sex is not their motivation. Sex is a means to an end. The odalisque’s life is luxurious and hedonistic by contrast. An odalisque is a pleasure slave. For a woman who excels at sex, who loves sex – and who would do anything to get out of waiting tables for fourteen hours a day - the odalisque’s life is a labor of love. She is safe, protected, kept - used by her Master as a compliant sex slave in his hedonistic fantasies. It is a life dedicated to luxury and pleasure, certainly when compared to the common experience of prostitution; grubby and risky.

Women with aptitude for the odalisque’s life also tend to be lazy. They have an aversion to work. She has an indolent temperament. She doesn’t want to work. Her experience of work is bad. She hates cleaning. She hates cooking. She wants no duties – other than fucking. She’s quite content sitting or lazing around not doing much at all. She’s happy to fuck. She doesn’t want to work. This is a keynote of the odalisque type: She’s happy to fuck. She doesn’t want to work. But, at the same time, she isn’t suited to prostitution. What she shares with the prostitute is the choice to live by sex, but she is not suited to the rough and tumble of hire service. She is made of softer, more refined, stuff.

There are, however, many odalisque-types who end up in prostitution. They are women who have a vocation to live by sex – and to avoid regular labors – who, in the end, succumb to whoredom. Prostitution is the only option open to them, as they see it. Code d’ Odalisque has a special mission to such women. Our objective is to create a culture of consensual odalisque slavery as an alternative to prostitution. There are some women – for reasons of aptitude and temperament - for whom bonded sexual service would be a far better option than walking the streets or working in brothels.

Fucking in the Present

Code d’ Odalisque defines the odalisque by drawing contrasts between slave, whore and slut. One of the basic distinctions between these three types is their sexual psychology. In sex, the whore and the slut are rarely “present” – presence is a characteristic of the slave. It is a crucial distinction.

The whore, by definition, is not really interested in sex. She is only interested in sex as a means to something else, usually money. When she is having sex, therefore, the mind of the whore is rarely on the job. She is not really involved. The whore learns to distance herself from the sex. When she fucks she is somewhere else. Her heart is somewhere else. She is thinking about what the sex will bring her. A man is fucking her but in her mind she is buying a new pair of shoes.

The slut, similarly, is defined by her freedom to move on and so is not fully present in sex. When she is having sex she is already moving on in her mind. She can’t put herself in the present because she cannot commit. Her freedom is essential to her. She loves sex but her freedom is more important. While she’s fucking one man she’s already moving on to the next. Whores are mercenary. Sluts are restless.

A slave, though, has no ulterior motive and has nowhere else to go. Slavery means surrender to the overwhelming facts of the present. She is not motivated by reward as the whore is, and she knows she cannot move on like a slut. She is not given to escapism. She is there – present – ready for her Master to use her.

Various training techniques foster this sense of presence. The training process called “unslutting” focuses on this. The slave must be trained that, during sex, she cannot allow her mind to float onto extraneous matters (like the whore) or future scenarios (like the slut). She must be at attention, in the present, concentrated. She must not be allowed the indulgence of escapism.

The primary technique used in Code d’ Odalisque to achieve this sense of presence is erotic chant. It is very simple. The slave is given a mantra, a chant, a word or phrase, that she is to repeat, over and over, as instructed. It is used to induce a type of monomania and to prevent the slave’s mind from wandering into whorish and sluttish ways. For example:

Let the slave adopt the phrase “I am my Master’s cunt!” as her motto and mantra.

Let her repeat this phrase silently to herself 1000 times every day.

Let her write this phrase on paper 100 times every day.

Let her repeat this phrase aloud to her Master 100 times every day.

Let her repeat this phrase silently to herself whenever she is having sex. During sex she should hold fast to her mantra and try to realize it in her body, try to live it and be it – in the immediate present. That is, as she says “I am my Master’s cunt… I am my Master’s cunt… I am my Master’s cunt…” and all other thoughts are blocked out, then she really can be her Master’s cunt. 

She is instructed to persist with this until the phrase “I am my Master’s cunt” and the art of “fucking in the present” becomes habitual to her.

An Aptitude Test (Needs assessment) - repost

The odalisque lifestyle is not suited for every woman, and not even for all sex-crazed cockworshipping women. It is a lifestyle of sexual submission. It is suited only to certain psychological types. True odalisques are rare, but many women are well within the psychological range.

The important thing is that the odalisque lifestyle meets your needs. The important thing is that a woman finds the odalisque lifestyle fulfilling. It must fulfill her needs.

There are many common methods of psychological profiling. One of the most common is based on the theory that human beings have (at least) five basic needs, but that we all have different degrees of these. The five needs are: Security, Love,
Power, Freedom, Fun. Some people have a strong need for power. Some people have a strong need for fun. Some people have a strong need for security. Some people value their freedom above all else.

Obviously, the life of the cockslave is not suitable for someone who values freedom above all else, but a need for security and safety is compatible to the slave role.

Here is a simple test to determine your aptitude to the odalisque lifestyle. It requires that you ASSESS YOUR NEEDS. What are your needs? What motivates you?

Read through the following lists of statements:

SECURITY

I have a strong need for security and safety.
I am quite conservative.
I like set routines.
I like to be comfortable.

POWER

I need a sense of achievement.
I like to be in control.
I like to overcome challenges.
The approval of others is important to me.

FREEDOM

I am an independent person. I value my independence.
I like taking risks.
I don't like to be told what to do.
I like to solve problems by myself.

FUN

I gave a strong need for pleasure.
I am a spontaneous person.
I have a strong sense of play. I am playful.
I like adventure.

BELONGING

I have a strong need to belong (to somewhere or someone).
I like to feel connected to other people.
I like to share. Sharing is an important value for me.

Now arrange these categories in order according to your own needs. Which need is strongest in you? The need for security? The need for love? The need for power? The need for fun?

The test will work better if you also ask someone who knows you well to arrange them in order according to how they think of you.

Spend some time getting them into the right order. From your strongest needs to your weakest needs. What is really important to you?

If you have any aptitude for the odalisque lifestyle then your needs should be roughly in this order:

SECURITY
BELONGING
FUN
POWER
FREEDOM

or

BELONGING
SECURITY
FUN
POWER
FREEDOM

Security, Belonging and Fun are the things that will be important to you. Typically, Security and Belonging are most important. Fun will be third. Freedom and Power will be the things that are least important to the odalisque type.

Women who are sluts (rather than slaves) will be likely to value Fun and Freedom above all things. The slut is sex-loving but the important thing to her is her right to move on. Her love of sex must be in the context of freedom and independence. The feeling of being owned by a man (Belonging) kills her libido.

Women who are whores (rather than sluts or slaves) will be likely to value Security, Power and Freedom ahead of Belonging or Fun. They are interested in sex only as a means to other things.

The odalisque wants (sexual) fun and adventure but she wants it in a secure setting. And she has a strong need to belong. She wants to feel owned. She wants to feel possessed. Freedom and power mean nothing to her. She will happily give away her freedom and power for Security, Belonging and Fun.

The difference between an odalisque and a (typical) wife (a husband/wife relationship) is that a wife values Power much more than Fun. The profile of a (typical) wife will be:

SECURITY
BELONGING
POWER
FREEDOM
FUN

Such women are motivated by the need for security and belonging, just as the odalisque is, but the odalisque is more motivated by (sexual) Fun. The odalisque is happy to give up her Power. But Power is important to the wife type – much more important than fun. The wife role is not essentially sexual. The odalisque role is.

"Is your slave a memlook?"

A memlook, in Code d’ Odalisque, is a low slave, a work slave. Memlooks have no rights. They can be used for any purpose. An odalisque, on the other hand, is “preserved from toil.” She is kept exclusively for erotic purposes. Her only task is to provide pleasure for her Master. She is a pleasure slave. She is not required to cook or clean. She is required to be beautiful and to fuck and suck. There is a hard, clear distinction between these two types of slaves. Memlook = work slave. Odalisque = sexual slave, bedroom slave, cockslave.

Accordingly, an odalisque should not be treated as a memlook. An odalisque, though still a slave, has a much higher status than a memlook and it is disrespectful to her status to treat her like a memlook. Slavekeepers must observe this rule: do not treat an odalisque as a memlook. This means, do not require her to toil like a common slave. She is spared from housework and cooking and other chores. She is kept for sex. It is an affront for a Slavekeeper to require his odalisque to labor like a memlook.

This is such a serious matter that the Code allows an odalisque to question her Master about this. On nearly all matters an odalisque must be humble and obedient. She never questions her Master’s commands. But if her Master commands her to behave like a memlook the Code provides that she can, in that instance, raise an objection. There is a set way for her to do this. She is permitted to ask: “Is your slave a memlook, Slavekeeper?” This is to say: I am an odalisque. Are you going to disrepect me and treat me like a memlook?

Let us suppose her Master has commanded her to clean the house or wash clothes. The odalisque can respond to this command by saying : “Is your slave a memlook, Slavekeeper?”

Hopefully, this is enough to prompt the conscience of the Slavekeeper. It is, in fact, barbaric to treat an odalisque as a common memlook. Hopefully, he will retract the command.

However, if the slave says to him “Is your slave a memlook, Slavekeeper?” and, for whatever reason, he still insists she cleans the house or washes the clothes, then – under the etiquette of the Code – the slave must obey. The Slavekeeper, in fact, is in the wrong. She has asked him to amend his command. He has refused to do so. In that case, the slave must obey him. The Code allows her to question the command, but only once, and if he does not change the command she must then yield. In any battle of wills, the slave must yield.

If a Slavekeeper persists in treating his odalisque as a memlook in this way she is within her rights to start reconsidering their bond. She might complain to her Overmistress. Or she might put in place a written Plea for Mercy asking her Master to desist from treating her as a memlook. If all else fails, she is justified in leaving the relationship. An odalisque does not have to put up with being treated as a memlook. She has every right to be treated as an odalisque, to be kept from toil and to be preserved for her special purpose, the provision of beauty and pleasure.

French in Code d' Odalisque (Repost)

15.17. - Training in French

An odalisque may be trained to speak French or at least taught certain useful and common terms in French or French phrases and words that are erotic or pleasing to her Keeper.

French is the natural language of odalisque slavery, as it is other types of eroticism, including the popular forms of BDSM given their dependence upon Marquis de Sade. The word “odalisque” is itself French and by design this style of slave play draws upon ideas and traditions from the French colonial encounter with the orient, French orientalism.

An odalisque (where she is not a natural French speaker) may be trained in French. A Slavekeeper may decide to send his slave on sojourn to French lessons, or may pay a tutor to visit the house. Instruction in French is a very useful addition to a slave’s life and training. A full-time slave will not be engaged in sexual service all day every day. She can usefully spend some of her free time learning French. This is a natural activity for an odalisque. It makes good sense for a woman to spend the time she lives as an odalisque learning a language.

But it is not necessary that a slave learn the whole French language. This is an entirely optional part of Code d’ Ode. Players use as much or as little French as they like. The French theme in Code d’ Odalisque is, in fact, an aesthetic affect. It is an aesthetic device. French is used to help create an appropriately erotic and exotic atmosphere and style of play, with allusions to history. It is regulated by the Code but it is not an essential part of play and where it is used it need not involve becoming fluent in French. Sometimes bad French, or French with a bad accent, is quite off-putting and ugly. In that case it is probably better to avoid French or keep it to a minimum. But if a slave can speak some French with a demure elegance and grace, it is a great asset.

Only a few French words are needed. All that is necessary is to instruct a slave to use a quite small vocabulary of French words and phrases. In her role an odalisque is not required to speak to her Keeper a great deal. She answers subserviently to his questions, yes or no. To begin, then, teach your slave to use the French “oui” instead of “yes.” Then add some other French words – “merci”, “s'il vous plait”, “au revoir”. Only a handful of words is required. This adds a francophonic dimension to play. The slave’s speech is peppered with a few French words.

As well as adding an erotic French flavor to odalisque play, the requirement that the slave use some French words helps her to psychologically move into a slave role. It is a good element of mental discipline. She should be reprimanded or punished if she says “yes” instead of “oui”. Her Keeper should make French part of her slave persona. It is psychologically useful to speak in a different idiom, using foreign words, when she is in occlusion.

A slave should not use her French vocabulary when she is on sojourn and when she is not in her slave role. She only uses French during active play. She uses it when she speaks to her Master, but not when she speaks to strangers. It is slave talk.

Other than using French titles (eg. Mademoiselle) Slavekeepers, Trainers and other players under Code d’ Odalisque do not need to speak French to each other. It is only the slave who needs to use some French terms. Slave talk in Code d’ Odalisque is francophonic. This is just to add a certain flavour, a certain spice, to create a certain atmosphere for Code play.

Switching?

Question: I am a dom male but I also like to switch sometimes. I like being tied up and done to. Is there a place for switches in Code d’ Odalisque? 

Answer: Code d’ Ode is a male dom system of consensual slavery. An odalisque, by definition, is female and, by definition, serves a man. There is no obvious role for dominant females and sub males in odalisque play. The whole construction of Code d’ Odalisque is for male dom fantasy and it is based in male dom historical models. Certainly, a man cannot serve as an odalisque and an odalisque cannot be a Slavekeeper. These are fixed roles. 

There is no reason, however, why such fantasy play could not include scenes where the male is in the more submissive role. As Slavekeeper he merely needs to instruct his slave to act that way and to treat him in that way. For example, it is entirely in order – and in keeping with the set roles of Slavekeeper and slave – if the man instructs his odalisque, “Tie me up and suck my cock” or similar. If you like being tied up and “done to” then you can, by all means, instruct your slave to do that to you. Even though she is taking the upper hand in the sex play, she is nevertheless the submissive because she is acting under command from her Master. He is still in the dominant role. He still gives the commands. A Slavekeeper can instruct his slave to pleasure him in any way he likes – within certain wide parameters. If he wants to “switch” and enjoy the passive position for the purposes of new or greater sexual thrills, that is perfectly okay. 

He cannot require a slave not to be a slave, however. She cannot be the Slavekeeper. Nor can he require her to be a prostitute, or a slut. She is a slave and must always be so in Code d’ Ode play. Odalisque is a clearly defined vocation. But as an obedient slave she can be instructed to perform in the sexually active position. Just because she is submissive does not mean that she just lays on her back motionless while her Master fucks her. He can instruct her in sexually vigorous roles and command her to be sexually aggressive while he submits and is "done to" by her. “Switching” to that extent is well within the letter and spirit of Code d’ Odalisque.

Blonde in the Basement

It is useful to know that, in part, Code d’ Odalisque is a development of the adult sex game sometimes called ‘Blonde in the Basement’. Among the circle of people who first conceived of Code d’ Odalisque – a new codification of odalisque slavery on consensual principles – this was a well-known game. It is an abduction fantasy for consenting couples. To play, take your wife and lock her in the basement (or equivalent). Strip her naked and tie her up. Tell friends and neighbors that she's gone to visit her Aunt Gladys for a few days. During this time keep her as a secret naked sexual captive and have your wicked way with her as you like – your secret “blonde in the basement.”

It is a transgressive fantasy. The scenario is: the male player appears to his neighbors as a normal, middle-class guy when in fact he is a perverse sex fiend who is keeping some poor girl locked in his basement and is using her as his captive sex slave. It is a scenario that invites bondage play and various flavors of BDSM. The game appeals to women who enjoy the role of captive slave.

Code d’ Odalisque extends this and revives the oriental institution of odalisque but in all essentials is not too different than this simple game. An odalisque is a sex slave who is kept in “occlusion”, which is to say hidden from the world. Her Master keeps her locked away until he wants to use her. She is, in effect, his “blonde in the basement.” He keeps her naked and captive in order to use her for his sexual excesses. When all is said and done, that’s all there is to Code d’ Odalisque. Everything else – the code of etiquette, the slave positions, the rules of contract, and so on – are elaborations upon this basic game.

Trust

Trust is fundamental to any consensual Master/slave relationship. The degree of surrender required of a woman for her to fully embrace the role of “cockslave” is beyond the ordinary. The Code acknowledges this and speaks of a “profound trust between men and women”:

9.12. - Trust

The relationship between Master and slave is founded upon trust at all levels. It is the intention of this Code to foster an environment of profound trust between men and women that it might serve as a framework for all varieties of Master/odalisque relations. 

We hardly need to add here that trust of any kind is a rare commodity in the contemporary world. It is a sad fact that we live in times when people commonly won’t keep their promises and they lie, cheat and steal with moral impunity. There has been a break-down of standards on this level. Chivalry is gone. Self-interest reigns. Where in the modern world can you find a man who is a man of his word in the old fashioned sense?

Even worse, as a consequence of feminist ideology there is now a fundamental mistrust between men and women. The bedroom has been made into a political arena. Young women are taught to regard men as their political oppressors. Men, resentful at being demonized, harden themselves and retreat into misogyny. In the last fifty years or so political currents have profoundly disturbed relations between males and females. In this context, trust has been undermined. How can a woman trust a man if she thinks men are the agents of patriarchal oppression? How can a man trust a woman who thinks that way about men?

Trust – like manners, politeness, cleanliness, respect - is one of many old fashioned values built into and promoted within Code d’ Odalisque. There is an ethic of trust that should be observed by all players at all times. It is important that no one has a hidden agenda. It is important that people say what they mean. It is especially important that Master/slave relations, and male/female relations generally, rest upon a foundation of mutual respect and mutual acknowledgement and are not poisoned with the culture of mistrust created by contemporary gender politics. Gender roles in Code d’ Ode are fairly traditional. Men should be gentlemen. Women should be ladies. That, at least, is the starting point of play.

Above all, the odalisque must have full trust that her Master values her and will put her welfare and safety first in all circumstances. With safety comes trust. If an odalisque feels safe she can give her trust to her Master. With safety comes respect for limits. The slave needs to have complete trust that her limits will be respected and that her consent will not be violated. It also needs to be appreciated – it is very often overlooked - that for submissives trust comes as a pleasure. A submissive loves to trust. If he is to own an odalisque a man must make himself worthy of this instinct in her. 

Similarly, there needs to be implicit trust between a slave and her Overmistress. An Overmistress is a confidente. The slave must have total trust that her Overmistress will always be there to help her if anything goes wrong. An Overmistress acts as a safety net for an odalisque. For her part, she must be able to trust that the odalisque in her charge will be honest with her, not conceal things, and be straightforward and candid.

Where a Slavekeeper is happy to share his odalisque with guests, this too must be a bond of trust. An odalisque is a valuable slave. Her Keeper is sworn to protect her and to keep her away from unworthy men. He can only share such a gem with men who have earned his trust and who he knows to be gentlemen of integrity.

The first act of trust between a Slavekeeper and his slave is at the point of purchase. He must purchase the slave in order to call her his own. To do this he must “convert” the slaveprice to “alms” and give money to a charity nominated by the woman being purchased. He pays for her by donating money to a charity as an act of almsgiving. But he doesn’t need to prove this to the slave. He merely needs to go to her and say, “The slaveprice has been paid.” And she must trust that he has paid the donation to the charity she nominated. As the first act – the act of purchase – it establishes the Keeper/slave bond upon a foundation of both generosity and trust.

Decor - first position

17.3. - Decor 

An odalisque shall be trained to stand to the position called "Decor" or "First Position" or sometimes just "First". This is the basic standing position. 

An odalisque shall stand upright and shall not slouch. The slave should stand in a relaxed way, the heel of one foot nestling into or near the arch of the other, as is comfortable. The feet are not in a level military position. 

The slave may move her weight to either foot. The arms should hang naturally, the hands folded right over left over the pubic region. 

Head and eyes should be slightly lowered. It is a demur, modest position. 

The command for this position is a single hand-clap.

Dance

Erotic dance is one of the arts of the odalisque. An odalisque should be trained in erotic dance and it forms a regular part of her duties for her Master. She displays herself to him through dance. The Code does not specify any particular dance – this is at the discretion and according to the tastes of each Slavekeeper. Oriental style dances – such as the belly dance – would be in keeping with the historical roots of Code d’ Odalisque, but any erotic dance, traditional or improvised, is appropriate. An odalisque is not a common stripper though. She has a high status among slaves. She is not a tramp who pole dances in bars for customers throwing loose change. The aesthetic of sleaze has no place in odalisque slavery. The appropriate style is erotic and exotic, ecstatic as well as refined – not sleazy.

As a method of ecstasis dance loosens inhibitions. It is a very valuable tool in this respect. We are all physically cramped. Modern lifestyle and cultural forces impose physical inhibitions upon us and these become built-in to our physique. Modern life is stressful, for example; that stress makes us tighten parts of our body in habitual ways until we physically store that stress in such symptoms as tight shoulders, hunched neck, the way we hold our jaw, clenched buttocks, and so on. This is why massage is so therapeutic. It helps us liberate our physical form from those imposed stresses and strains. So too does dance. It is cathartic. Dance can be used to help the odalisque become more free with her body, to break free of built-in inhibitions. Dance can help her movements become more free and more fluid and more spontaneous. Dance helps her reconnect with her body. Modern life is very cerebral. This is undesirable in an odalisque. Through dance she becomes more physical, more centred in her body. Dance is physicalising.

The simplest way to instruct an odalisque in erotic dance is to command her to show her hair. Her instructions are:

“Dance! Dance any way you like, but when you dance, show me your hair! Throw your hair around and show it to me.”

The dance itself can be free form. The slave is naked, or perhaps has a few scarves over her nakedness. Barefooted. She dances free form, spontaneous for her Master. But as she dances, her instructions are to make a show of her hair. She throws her head around so as to make a show of her hair for her Master. The slave’s hair is the focal point of the dance.

This is very effective in turning a poor dancer into a passably good one very quickly. You will notice with poor dancers that they never know what to do with their head. If you tell them to dance for you, they move their arms and legs and hips but it all seems awkward and constrained. This is because she is holding her head still and doesn’t know how to integrate the head into the rest of the dance. If you instruct her to “Make a show of your hair!” this problem is solved. She becomes more involved in the dance.

How do I get my wife/girlfriend interested in this? (Repost)

Question: I am really interested in Code d' Odalisque. How do I get my wife/girlfriend interested in this?

Many couples already play an informal version of Code d' Ode in their bedroom games. The woman submits sexually to her man and says, “Use me! Do whatever you want with me! I'm your sex slave!” If you already play such games, that is a good basis for further development. You can then start to add elements of Code d' Ode to your slave games, especially the slave positions and the code of etiquette. A prerequisite, of course, is that your lady is sexually submissive. She must be inclined to sexual service by nature. We have no interest in making a woman into something that is against her nature. But if your wife or girlfriend has aptitude for sexual service – she loves to be used, she loves to serve cock – then you can foster that natural inclination. A true odalisque – a woman who is suited to full-time service – is rare. So it is unlikely that your wife/girlfriend is a true odalisque. If she is, rejoice! But the role of wife and odalisque are quite different and it is unlikely that you are so fortunate to have married a woman with the soul of a true slave. In that case, aim for part-time play or consider finding an odalisque for both you and your wife to enjoy. How do you get your wife/girlfriend interested? Build on existing foundations. 

Then introduce her to the Code. Emphasize the pro-feminine and non-violent aspects of the Code. Stress that you are not looking for a domestic servant cook/housekeeper. In fact, you might suggest employing a housekeeper in order to keep your wife/odalisque from domestic toil and freeing her for sexual service. Suggest to your wife that you employ someone to do the domestic chores so that she can be free to take on the luxurious life of sensuality and sexual delights enjoyed by the odalisque. For a woman with natural aptitude the odalisque's life is a good deal indeed. She is kept for sex. This is a better deal than the average wife has. The average wife is housekeeper/mother/cook/cleaner/nurse AND sex-provider, and often works a job as well! When you introduce your wife to Code d' Ode, offer her a new deal. Offer her a life of sensual leisure in return for sexual obedience. 

And in this offer her sexual adventure. If your wife is not in the least bit sexually adventurous then Code d' Ode is not for her. The prospect of sexual adventure needs to be enticing to her or you don't have much chance of getting her interested. The whole reason a couple who consider taking up a Master/slave relationship under Code d' Odalisque is for sexual adventure. It is a journey into luxury and lust, and specifically an exploration of the Master's fantasies. Your wife needs to be ready for that. She must have a genuine desire and readiness for playing the role of her husband's secret fantasy girl. She must be prepared to do that, be that. Happily, there are wives who will do whatever it takes to bring their man to fulfilment. If your wife is like that then you have a real chance of getting her interested. If not, little. Is the prospect of sexual adventure – exploring fantasy and pushing limits - an exciting prospect for your wife? Or are you ill-matched? You're adventurous – she's a prude? You can't turn a woman into a (consensual) odalisque if it is against her natural dispositions. So, make an honest assessment of your wife's aptitude. Then introduce her to the Code and emphasize that it offers her a new deal. Then, proceed slowly. Talk lots. Don't rush. Don't try to talk her into it. Talk about it. 

It hardly needs to be said that if your marriage is shaky then it is probably not a good idea to introduce Code d' Ode into it. It certainly won't save a bad marriage but it is intense and might harm a precarious marriage. Only consider it if you already have a strong relationship with a high degree of trust and familiarity and understanding between you.

Recreational drugs

The question of the use of recreational drugs under Code d’ Odalisque comes under the heading “wine”. The Code refers to and regulates the use of “wine” but this is a generic term and can mean not only wine (as in fermented grape juice) but other types of alcohol and also other recreational substances, natural or artificial. The Code specifically mentions absinthe and hashish as the inebriants traditionally associated with odalisque slave play and odalisque culture.

Of course, different gentlemen have different tastes. What’s your poison? Absinthe? Hashish? It might be fine whiskey, or other spirits; it might be wines, it might be some tropical root, or herb, or some pharmaceutical, prescription or off-the-shelf. Despite puritanical crusades from time to time most societies are drug-taking cultures. This is a fact. Recreational drugs of some form – let’s include coffee and tea here – are found at every level of society. Modern medicine offers a huge range of drugs that can be and are used recreationally. In Code d’ Ode - subject to certain provisions - drugs can be used to manipulate and control the moods and responses of the slave. For example, she can be dosed on coffee or caffeine pills to keep her awake. Or given mild sedatives to make her drowsy and compliant. There are many possibilities.

The category of “wine” under Code d’ Ode refers more particularly to substances used to enhance sexual arousal or pleasure. Code d’ Ode is about sexual submission and hedonistic enjoyment. The enjoyment of “wine” is not an end in itself: it is an adjunct to sexual play. Under Code d’ Ode there is no in principle objection to the use of any recreational drugs to enhance sexual pleasure. Substances that induce euphoria, or accentuate pleasures, or lower inhibitions, or help relaxation, or stimulate arousal have been used to accompany sex for thousands of years. Along with aphrodisiacs, it is a traditional dimension of the erotic arts. The ethos of Code d’ Ode is openly hedonistic. It is an invocation of Dionysus, god of the vine and of orgia. In his pursuit of fantasy and fulfillment, the Slavekeeper can explore this dimension of odalisque culture.

Note the following points, however:

*Safety first. Any indulgence must be carefully calculated and all risks should be considered in advance. All drugs can be dangerous.

*The use of any mind or mood altering substance, including alcohol, on an odalisque must be absolutely consensual. She must be informed in advance and fully agree. It is plainly unethical – and illegal – to dope a person without their knowledge. It is an especially delicate matter since sex is involved too. Consent. Above all, consent. Be careful: inebriation can compromise consent.

*The Code also stipulates that an odalisque should not be brought into activities that are criminal. An odalisque should not be exposed to crime or placed in a situation where she is implicated in crime. This means that criminal drugs – certainly hard drugs that carry prison terms - are excluded. In most, but not all, jurisdictions this will include hashish, even though it was traditionally a drug associated with odalisque slavery. Other preparations from cannabis may be legal or semi-legal in some places.

*Many drugs are addictive. The proper enjoyment of recreational drugs is occasional and assiduously avoids the pitfalls of addiction. Absinthe is lovely, but not every night. Certainly, an odalisque must be protected from addictions. A Slavekeeper cannot habituate an odalisque to some recreational drug.

*Show some class. Guzzling beer from the tin is not an appropriate adjunct to odalisque play. Choose fine wines instead. Or learn the fine art of preparing absinthe. A group of guys sitting around sucking on a bong is a bad look too. An odalisque should be protected from cheap and seedy scenes. She is a precious jewel. Code d’ Ode is hedonistic, but it is nevertheless also about elegance and refinement.

*** 

Under the codifications of Code d’ Odalisque, the odalisque has the “arts of wine” among her duties. It is her duty to prepare and serve her Master his “wine.” This is counted as one of her arts.

2.15. - Arts of the odalisque 

An odalisque is an expert in the sensuous arts, the arts of the bath and the arts of wine, and such arts as accompany the provision of pleasure to her Keeper 

10.6. - An odalisque shall serve wine 

An odalisque shall serve wine to her Keeper and attend to his sensual pleasures.

15.14. - Training to serve drinks 

The training of an odalisque will normally include instruction in the preparation and serving of wines, drinks and other inebriants. 

24.54. - Cockslave is wine attendant. 

The preparation and serving of her Master's wine is an important part of an odalisque's duties. An odalisque is her Keeper's wine attendant.

Cockbox and Dreambox

Question: I saw a reference in Code d’ Odalisque somewhere to a “cockbox” and a ”dreambox”. What is a cockbox and what is a dreambox? 

At its inception, the authors of the early documents that came together as Code d’ Odalisque customarily used three devices for cockslave play: the gloryhole, the cockbox and the dreambox.

A gloryhole is a well-known device: it is a hole in a wall through which a man feeds his cock in order to have it sucked and pleasured by the person on the other side of the wall. The cockbox and the dreambox are less familiar, but since they were mentioned in the original drafts of the Code they have been retained. They are, in any case, very useful devices and it is highly recommended that Slavekeepers experiment with their applications and sample their delights.

A cockbox is a large container with gloryhole-sized holes on its sides and/or top. The odalisque is placed inside the cockbox. Her Master and perhaps other gentlemen then feed her cock through the holes. It is, in fact, a variation on the gloryhole. Functionally it is like a cage.

A dreambox is a container (box) placed around the odalisque’s head. Her head is in the box, her body remains free outside. It is a type of restraint. The idea is to isolate her sensorium (eyes, mouth, ears). Her face, her whole head, is imprisoned in the “dreambox”. It may or may not have a hole giving cock access to her mouth.

All of these devices are recommended for the purposes of cockworship. Slavekeepers should experiment with these devices and develop inventive ways to enjoy their possibilities.

The pleasure-oriented male

Code d’ Odalisque is focused upon sexual pleasure, not upon the delights of power. It is unlike other modes of consensual slave play which are about so-called “power exchange.” Instead, Code d’ Ode is openly hedonistic. Any form of Master/slave relationship is, of course, built upon a disparity of power, and there is – of course – “power exchange” – but the focus in odalisque slavery is upon pleasure and enjoyment. A man owns an odalisque in order to enjoy her, not merely to get a kick from controlling her.

Accordingly, Code d’ Ode appeals to a certain type of male sexual psychology – a psychology of pleasure rather than a psychology of power. Both are always at play, of course, but some men are power-oriented and some pleasure-oriented. The role of Slavekeeper over an odalisque suits the pleasure-oriented male. His motivations are hedonistic. He enjoys sex for the pleasure, not for the power. Pleasure is his primary motivation. Some men are motivated by power. The better part of sexual enjoyment for them comes from conquest and control. The pleasure-oriented male might enjoy the sense of power too – power is a pleasure, after all – but he is more interested in pleasure.

A correlate to this is that the pleasure-oriented male is phallic. He is the phallic male. The man who is motivated by and gets off on power is not usually phallic in his psychology. For him, his phallus is merely a weapon, or a muscle. An instrument of power. Often he will tie a woman up and not have sex with her at all. But for the pleasure-oriented male, the phallus is the centre of attention because it is the centre and means of pleasure. For him there’s no point in tying up a woman without sticking your dick in her. Phallic pleasure is his joy. That’s why he owns an odalisque: her purpose is to bring him phallic joy. The psychology of a typical Slavekeeper in Code d’ Odalisque is phallic.

The odalisque is thus said to engage in “cock worship”. Her cockloving corresponds to his phallus-centred sexuality and motivations. Slavekeepers need many qualities, but above all they need to be phallus-centre and pleasure-oriented. A man who is moved by power doesn’t need an odalisque, he needs a different type of submissive. One who enjoys being used in games of male power eroticism. An odalisque is a pleasure slave. She enjoys giving pleasure to and being used for the pleasures of her Master. The purpose of the Keeper/slave relationship in Code d’ Ode is to explore dimensions of sexual hedonism not possible in any other relationship. The extreme contrast between Keeper and slave is not for the sake of power, it is to make possible wider dimensions of erotic decadence.

The man who is suited to owning an odalisque is fulfilled through pleasure. That is why he needs an odalisque. Men who are primarily moved by power are better served by the more common expressions of BDSM. Odalisque slavery is a specialized type of erotic slave play. It has a different background and a different psychology to “power exchange” slave play.

Orgasm torture (repost)

Code d’ Odalisque is non-violent. It does not employ methods of sado-masochism. An odalisque is preserved from pain and rough treatment. She is a pleasure slave, treasured and protected. 

But this does not mean that she cannot be subjected to certain violent pleasures. Pleasure can be as intense and as extreme as pain. An odalisque can be submitted to extremes of pleasure. She can be tormented, tortured with pleasure. There is no pleasure in violence, but there can be violent measures of pleasure.

Just because Code d’ Ode does not use S & M does not mean it is necessarily mild and vanilla. Play is not necessarily soft. Women who enjoy S & M enjoy the power of pain to take them into deeper zones of submission. These same zones can also be reached through pleasure. There are tools other than pain. There are other ways into the heart of a slave. An odalisque may be submitted to intense, even extreme methods including torture by pleasure or, more specifically, orgasm torture.

The human female orgasm, let us recall, is one of the most violent phenomena in mammilian sexuality. It is usually much deeper and more transforming than the male orgasm. The female climax has great power: this power can be used in the training and enjoyment of cockslaves.

The method is simple:

The slave is constrained or positioned suitably and is then subject to prolonged and intense sexual stimulation until she orgasms. This is then repeated until she is exhausted or begs for mercy.

Sexual stimulation can take any number of forms – digital, phallic, oral - including the use of vibrators and other electronic devices. Or a Keeper may enlist the aid of other gentlemen. Whatever it takes to get her off.

Typically, in this type of play, the slave is given permission to be vocal, to speak, cry, groan, yell in an uninhibited way. Open throated delight. Or, the slave is gagged. Gagged. Bound. Blindfolded. Or this might be an occasion for erotic chant. These are all matters of creative play.

Needless to say, bringing a woman to multiple thunderous orgasms requires some skill and finesse. The Keeper (or Trainer) should know the slave’s responses and – patiently - provoke intense, dramatic, deep, shuddering orgasms in her. He goes to work on her. She surrenders her body to him. He pleasures her until she cums. And cums. And cums.

If she cannot continue climaxing then he pushes her to the highest plateau of pleasure he can, and he keeps her there. Often, after a long duration, she will suddenly crash into climax. Otherwise, he pleasures her to exhaustion.

He should then use the power unleashed by these peaks of pleasure to shatter the slave, destroy her, reduce her to a sobbing, quivering mess. He uses orgasm torture to take her deep into sexual submission. It is a technique of sexual catharsis. The most extreme form of this play takes the form of the slave being reduced to a sobbing, incoherent, shaking, throbbing, blithering, gasping mess. She is reduced to jelly.

A session of orgasm torture should be planned in advance. Prepare the saray. Devices of restraint. See that the slave is rested. Perhaps select the best time of her monthly cycle. Perhaps ply her with wine. Put out the ‘Do not disturb’ sign. Then devote a long, wild night to pleasuring her body to climax as often as you are able. Aim to demolish her. Don’t stop until she is destroyed.

Orgasm torture should be approached as a fine art. Those that enjoy S & M consider the delights of pain an art form. So too the erotic arts in Code d’ Odalisque. Here the slave is passive. She surrenders her body, her flesh, her cunt. Her Keeper (or Trainer) uses whatever means he needs to subject her to intense, debilitating pleasure, forcing her to cum again and again.

Odella - luxurious prison

Under Code d’ Odalisque an odalisque has the right to proper lodgings in her own room, technically called an “odella”. This is a right that an odalisque has over lower slaves (memlooks). A memlook would not ordinarily have their own room – they might sleep on a mat in the kitchen. An odalisque, though, is a special slave. She has a status above memlooks. One of her privileges is that she has an odella, i.e. her own bedroom. Moreover, the Code specifies that her odella is not a sexual venue. Her Master should not enjoy her in her odella. It is, to a degree, her domain. Her Master must take her elsewhere – such as to his playroom (saray) – to enjoy her. Her odella is a place for her sleep and her recreation. It is where she (usually) sleeps. It is where she hangs out. It is space for her use.

But it is also her prison. She is kept in her odella where she waits to serve. She is kept naked and is not permitted to come and go as she pleases; she is to remain in her odella until her Master says otherwise. In practice, a slave spends a lot of time alone in her odella. It is a well-equipped prison cell. She is a captive slave. She is a special slave who enjoys certain luxuries, but she is a slave all the same. She is held captive to be used by her Master for his sexual delights. When she is not being used, or tantalizing her Master in other ways, she lives in her odella, hidden and occluded from the world.

Preparing a room as an odella in which to accommodate an odalisque requires considerable thought. Since she spends so much time in the room it needs to be properly equipped. An odalisque usually sleeps into the day: her room must be quiet and away from street noise. Since she is naked (or nearly so) the room must have an even temperature, comfortable when nude. A decent heating system. The room also needs to be private, in some hidden part of the house, secluded. An odalisque is kept in occlusion. She is hidden from the world, imprisoned in her odella. The room will usually have a bed, a profusion of pillows, a rug, a reading lamp. Attention must be given to surfaces. No rough or abrasive surfaces. It is not a dungeon. Memlooks are kept in dungeons, but not odalisques. Silk surfaces. Smooth, cool leather. Furs. It is best if the room has its own ensuite. An odalisque needs access to a shower, bath, toilet. Mirrors. Then there are safety considerations: good ventilation and adequate fire prevention are essential. Other features are at the Master’s discretion. He may allow her a television, or a radio, or a DVD player, or a computer, or nothing but a book and a pen and paper – this is up to the Master. The Code merely insists that the odalisque has her own room and that it be of a decent standard and suited to the odalisque’s vocation. Comfort and a certain amount of opulence is not out of order.

If a man is serious about owning an odalisque, he will devote some time and perhaps money to preparing a suitable odella. Very often a heating system will need to be installed. Perhaps other renovations. The important thing to remember is that while an odella is her right and privilege, it is at the same time her prison. An odella should be planned and prepared with this in mind. A truly ideal arrangement would be a well-constructed room in a basement, with its own ensuite. When she is not in service to her Master, she is locked in there, hidden from the world. Visitors to the house would have no idea she is there. That is what “occlusion” means. This is a test of a suitable odella – it should be a room, a part of the house, well out of view of all casual visitors. A bedroom near the front door is no good.

Sex & Work (Repost)

Question: I don’t see the point in having a slave that is only for sex and doesn’t work. Sex is only a small part of a Master/slave relationship. Beyond that, a slave should work. As a Master I insist on it.

Answer: In that case, your slave is what is described in Code d’ Odalisque as a “memlook” and is not what is properly described as an “odalisque”. By definition, an odalisque is a sexual slave. That is all she does. She is spared from toil in order to protect her beauty and in order that she might dedicate herself to the erotic arts. That is what an odalisque is.

Imagine the following scenario:

A woman is a captive slave in the slave dens of the ancient east. She cooks, cleans, toils and also serves the bed of men. It is a hard life of little dignity and few rewards. But one day a wealthy gentleman notices this woman slave and finds her very attractive. He thinks to himself, “It is a travesty to see a creature of such beauty wasting her talents in the kitchens!” So he purchases her and elevates her to the status of an “odalisque.” She is now preserved from labour and is kept for her beauty and her eroticism. She is pampered compared to low slaves. He keeps her as an object of beauty and pleasure.

Such slaves (odalisques) were common in the ancient slave traditions, along with concubines, courtesans and temple prostitutes. Code d’ Odalisque is a revival of the institution of odalisque in a modern, consensual form.

If a slave works, then she is a memlook, an ordinary or “low” slave, not an odalisque. That is fine in itself, and it may be an arrangement that suits some Slavekeepers and some slaves. But an odalisque – properly speaking – is different. She is kept for sex. Indeed, she may even have memlooks serving her, such is her special status.

Odalisque slavery is a special type of slavery. It is important to see how it differs from ordinary slavery. Sex is the focus of odalisque slavery. If a Slavekeeper does not need lots of sex then he probably doesn’t need an odalisque. And – even where there is lots of sex – an odalisque will inevitably enjoy lots of free time, time spent sleeping, relaxing, preening, luxuriating. An opulent captivity, but captivity all the same.

Odalisque slavery is a platform for sexual exploration. The revival of odalisque slavery should be accompanied by the revival of the erotic arts to which an odalisque is dedicated. Code d’ Ode is a creative undertaking in this regard. It seeks to revive the institution of odalisque, and to stimulate the erotic arts that go with odalisque slavery.

Feeding an odalisque

Code d’ Odalisque states:

10.46. - Quality of food

An odalisque shall be given the same quality of food as her Keeper eats, served with utensils, and shall not be made to eat like an animal. 

These are the only guidelines on this issue. An odalisque shall be as well fed as her Master and she shall not be made to eat like an animal.

In many more standard Master/slave relationships slaves are fed inferior quality food while they must watch their Master enjoy fine cuisine. This is a device to underline the slave’s subservience and low status. Moreover, the slave may be deprived of utensils and might be made to eat out of a dog bowl or off the floor like an animal. This is not permitted under Code d’ Odalisque. A memlook (low slave) may be treated in this way, but not an odalisque. An odalisque is a special type of slave with a special status. She must be fed decent food and is entitled to the dignity of utensils.

What type of food? This is decided by the Slavekeeper. It need not be the same food as he eats, but it must be of the same quality. He can’t eat chicken and champagne and feed his odalisque grits, or cook fresh meals for himself but cheap microwave meals for his odalisque. But there are no indications in the Code as to types of food. Note, however, the following article:

1.30. - Physical health

This code promotes a culture of physical health, elegance and beauty, luxury tempered with taste, debauchery with refinement. All players are encouraged to keep physically healthy, to eat well and exercise and to understand that good general physical condition is the key to potent libido. 

Code d’ Ode is about luxury and opulence. It is therefore about the fine things in life, including fine foods. But it is also necessarily about health because, as the Code says, “good general physical condition is the key to potent libido.” Accordingly, good, healthy food should be the staple of an odalisque’s diet and goes hand in hand with appropriate exercise. An odalisques is not to laze around getting obese on chocolates. She should be maintained in a healthy lifestyle where vitality and fitness are valued because they enhance sex-drive and libido. Health is an adjunct to sexuality. An odalisque is kept healthy because her role is sexual and good health is conductive to good sex.

There is also the skin of the slave to keep in mind. Note the following article:

24.18. - Attending to skin care

An odalisque shall attend to the health and care of her skin and adopt a diet and regime that has healthy skin, free of blemishes, as its objective. 

An odalisque is (essentially) naked. It is important that her skin is healthy. If she eats poorly and gets no exercise her skin – an organ of elimination – will develop spots, pimples and blemishes. To avoid this, and as a part of her skin care, an odalisque should eat fresh, healthy food (avoiding fatty, greasy foods) and also drink plenty of fluids. Foods that tax the liver place extra demands upon the skin. A clear, healthy skin is achieved not only by bathing and excoriating and the use of appropriate skin care products, it begins with diet. Odalisques are fed well, but always with an eye to general physical health and healthy skin. If an odalisque keeps breaking out in spots, blemishes and pimples it is usually an indication that she needs a cleaner, healthier diet and should drink more water.

A final consideration is the odor of certain foods. Strong foods can taint the breath and the perspiration of a slave and cause flatulence and body odor. Usually it is best if the diet of an odalisque is mildly spiced rather than full of hot, spicy or garlicky foods.

Limited tenure - a sabbath of years (repost)

6.16. - Duration of a bond 

An odalisque is the possession of her owner from the date of her purchase for an agreed period up to a maximum of six years or until such time as she is sold or her owner grants her freedom from her bond to him.

The question of tenure is a controversial one in Code d’ Odalisque. The Code places a limit on how long a woman can be an odalisque - we receive emails from women who strongly disagree with this rule. Their argument is that they are born slaves and will always be slaves and so how can there be a time limit on their active service? Here are a few points to consider:

*The Code limits odalisque slavery to six years. This, in fact, is traditional and historical. Indeed, it is even Biblical! The idea of limited-tenure slavery was a feature of Near Eastern slave traditions and this has continued into the modern rewriting of those traditions that is Code d’ Odalisque. The classical duration of slavehood is “a sabbath of years”. Slaves were freed on the seventh year.

*An odalisque is a specialised type of slave. Common slaves are called “memlooks” in Code d’ Ode. A woman can be a memlook for her whole life without restriction. But she can only spend a part of that time elevated into the special role of odalisque. After serving as an odalisque she can always return to being a memlook. Memlooks can be used for sexual service just like an odalisque but they do not have the rights and privileges of odalisques, among other differences.

*Odalisque slavery is intense. It is physically and psychologically demanding to be a dedicated cockslave. Code d’ Ode uses techniques of psychological training such as psychological “simplification” that are deep and profound. It is not advisable for a woman to be subjected to the intense demands of cockslavery for too long in her life. Odalisque slavery is similar to prostitution in this respect - to work as a prostitute for a few years is one thing, but in the long term it will take its toll on a woman. No one wants to create sad old burnt-out odalisques.

*Beauty fades. It is best if a woman spends time as an odalisque while young, horny and nubile. But these things don’t last forever. An odalisque is an exquisite treasure. Such beauty is, by the nature of things, fleeting.

*Odalisque slavery is about one thing and one thing only - sex. This is great but there are - finally - other things in life. We do need to keep matters in perspective. The sexual adventure an odalisque brings a man is after all an *ornament* to a rich life. Let us not mistake the ornament for the substance of the thing itself. Life is rich and diverse and complex. Sex is its greatest pleasure, but not its only pleasure by any means. In any case, most modern women want many things from life. Sexual adventure is only one of them.

*People change. We all go through phases. We all take detours and wrong turns and back streets in life. A young woman will enter odalisque slavery with conviction and zeal, but six years later she has grown and matured into a different person and now looks forward to wider interests. Her biology has kicked in too and she has begun to start thinking about having children before she gets too old. This is the reality. Code d’ Odalisque takes account of the realities.

* When we say that a woman is born to be an odalisque - she is an odalisque by nature - this does not mean she should be one her whole life. Yes, she is born to be a cockslave, it is her nature, and it may be her whole purpose in life, but she can fulfil that purpose in a single period of her life. After that she returns to being either freewoman or memlook. She would never have felt fulfilled if she had not been an odalisque. It was something she had to do. She was born for it. But she can satisfy her innate need to serve by being a cockslave for several years only - she doesn’t need to spend her whole life as one. Some people feel driven to climb to the peak of a mountain. They climb the mountain and feel fulfilled. They don’t have to live up there!

*Keeping an odalisque is a heavy expense for a man. Few men could afford to keep an odalisque indefinitely. It is best, therefore, if the arrangement is finite.

*Finite tenure adds to the intensity of play. If a Slavekeeper knows that his use of his cockslave is only until a certain date, he will be inclined to put her to constant and extensive use while he has the chance. This is a good thing. Code d’ Ode promotes intense sexual exploration.