Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

[madame_de_fer]

WHO: Select Orlesian and Fereldan Nobility and the Inquisition
WHAT: Josephine and Vivienne have orchestrated a good-will soiree in response to this dastardly rumor.
WHEN: Drakonis 15, Evening
WHERE: Skyhold Great Hall
NOTES:
- A list of nobles in attendance can be found here. The list was provided by the mods but there will be no npc support for them. Play away.
- A secondary outside party is being held in the valley in the tent town for anyone who couldn't/wouldn't attend and/or behave in the fancy pansty party.
- The goal of the evening is to clear up a spurious rumor about Cassandra and Leliana, with secondary goals of establishing the Inquisition as a respectable presence in Thedas (and fish for more money). Any major disruptions that would Game Over the court approval should probably be brought to the advisors and/or mods.



To say that Josphine has far outdone herself with this little soiree would be the understatement of the year. The Lady Ambassador has pulled out all the stops in providing a festive and yet elegant stage for this political intervention. Because sometimes gossip can be more deadly than a sword.

The Great Hall of Skyhold has been converted into a grand receiving hall, glittering with hundreds of lights around the room, in addition to the repairs accomplished to the original chandeliers. Of course, there has been artful placement arranged so there are a few shadowy corners for rendezvous of the more suggestive nature. Just in case. The majority of the floor has been cleared for dancing, and a fine troupe of musicians have been installed for the bulk of the evening's entertainments. Some members of the Inquisition have plans to entice attendees with their own artistic performances in addition to the group of mages performing illusory tricks to oohs and aahs.

For those who feel their energy flagging, there are chairs set against the walls, with a few tables interspersed between. Servers hired for the evening circulate the crowds with wine, fine Orlesian and Nevarran reds as well as crisp whites from Antiva. Refreshments are set out on buffet tables, tasteful and extravagant nibbles, including imported cheeses, spicy saucisson, dried fruits and nuts, and the highly sought after deep mushroom and anise petits fours that are all the rage in Orlais.

Comments

[serannas]

It's been ages since Ellana spoke with James, but she practically runs into him after turning away from an ended conversation, and she stops short, folding her hands together lightly.

"Knight-Commander," she greets politely, chin held up and looking far more at ease than the last time they spoke. "How does this evening find you?"

[judgemewhole]

James turns in kind, away from a polite conversation with one of the young ladies - he's not sure which one but they are both Orlesian and a little vicious to one another.

He pauses, before he bows respectfully and gives her a warm, if not quiet smile. "Lady Ellana - my apologies - Councilor Ellana. I am doing ... quite well, all things considered, thank you for your concern." A delicate pause, "You look lovely, if I might be emboldened to say so."

[serannas]

"You may. I thank you for the compliment." Ordinarily, she would blush at such a thing, but enough fancy, masked people have complimented her appearance tonight that her humble opinion has been pushed aside for acceptance.

"What brings you here tonight? It seems we all have an agenda."

[judgemewhole]

He bowed again, because manners dictated and he'd seen how the Orlesians had been treating the elves in general. Some had even asked others if they were servants!

Let them see that the Templar Order was above such snobbery for the hope of making allies.

"I am here to make a good impression." He stated with a wry smile. "It is time that the people saw the Templar Order acting orderly."

[serannas]

"That's good of you. Especially since order is right there in the name." Though, to be honest, she's sure plenty still see the Templars as representing all that is good and right in Thedas. It doesn't matter that the Order is fractured and trying to determine what direction to go in now. To the average person, they are the peacekeepers, and the mages are the enemy. She doesn't point this out to him, however. It must be a great deal of work (and a headache) to try and build a New Templar Order from the ground up.

"And what do you think of occasions like this in general? As you can imagine, I've never attended one before."

[judgemewhole]

"Well, we do like to live up to the advertisement." That, Norrington would have told Ellana, was the problem. With all the horrific things that the Templars did, that the pubic allowed, and it was considered ... good? And honest? No. The Templars still had their teeth when it came to rogue magic, but Norrington was going to brow-beat his brothers into living up to the code if he had to shake every Knight Commander until their teeth rattled.

This was just ... the start of the rattling.

"Honestly?" He sighed, and leaned in to whisper, "I despise them. Oh, they're pretty, the wine is good, all that ... but I cannot stomach all the duplicity of the nobility. You learn to speak out of one side of your mouth, but that doesn't mean you have to like it."

[serannas]

Ellana listens, and gives a nod when he finishes. "The saddest part is, I am sure your opinion is shared among a great deal of them. But because it's tradition, they all keep it up, even if there are only some left who still enjoy the lies and backstabbing."

Of course, the Dalish weren't without their liars and backstabbers either. Anyone in the clan that remembers Ellana's first and only love could attest to that. But it's a necessary part of the nobility, and will be until such time that enough people stand up and say no.

"Luckily this is only one night, and we haven't been thrust into that life for any longer than this."

[judgemewhole]

"Well, we are in a new world now ... whether or not we want to be or not." Norrington sighed, as he looked out amongst the crowd. "This soiree is, in fact, living proof of that. This is something that never would have occurred ten years ago."

He gave her a wry smile, "Oh do you believe that?"

[serannas]

"I have no plans on making this my life. I'd rather go out and help people, explore, acquire knowledge. Not just stand here and bat words back and forth like a game of catch." No, this sort of life could leave along with the nobles.

[judgemewhole]

"I quite agree. Politics has a bitter taste in my mouth these days. I would also like to be out there, helping people as I can." The Templar Order, he had found, still meant something to the people of Thedas. He was going to live up to that ideal, fancy talk be damned.

He held himself up a little straighter, "Although you do not play the Game, I think you have learned the rules in a remarkably short amount of time."

[serannas]

"Oh," she says, surprised but pleased at the compliment. "Ma serannas, but I'm not sure I truly have. I seem to have bypassed the rules and gone over them. I had a good tutor on how to deal with all this."

[judgemewhole]

"Well, sometimes that is the best way to deal with such nonsense." His lips twitched upwards in faint amusement. "If I might be so bold as to ask - where did you learn that from?"

[serannas]

"From Morrigan," she replies, not sure if James has met her, or at least knows of her. As a hero of the Fifth Blight, most people do, even though stories change things around. Ellana didn't even know the names of those involved until arriving at Skyhold. They were just the two Wardens, the Antivan elf assassin, the Chasind witch, etc.

[judgemewhole]

"Morrigan! Yes, I have spoken with the lady. She is ... infamous." The only apostate in all of Thedas they were never allowed to hunt, and a woman with a decided state of mind. Norrington wasn't sure if he feared her or just respected her enough that it scared him.

Probably ... the latter. "And I can see why she would be an excellent instructor on how to ignore politics."

[serannas]

Ellana felt Morrigan was the perfect person to approach concerning this, as she'd already given some great advice on how to deal with ordinary folk and their negative views on what Ellana is. And Ellana has been proven correct, as nobles find they can't get a foothold when it comes to insulting her.

"Her advice has been invaluable."

[judgemewhole]

"I would imagine. The woman probably rips through the nobility like she rips through everything else. With ease and a small amount of glee."

Is Norrington's faintly amused response. Seriously, he could not even imagine Morrigan playing the Game. She would smirk her way through all of it and no one would be able to figure out if she was lying.

[serannas]

"I have to admit, it feels good to walk away from these conversations with my head held high. I didn't want them to believe they're right about my people; that we're all savages. I want them to be left shaken. I can't say it makes me gleeful, but I'm proud of what I've done." She may not be negotiating trade or alliances, but she's representing her people and showing the nobility that they don't know anything about elves, especially the Dalish.

[judgemewhole]

"Well, you should be proud. People should never say your people were savages, especially since you have better manners then the rest of this so called nobility." Norrington stated simply, amusement flashing across his gaze.

[serannas]

"Now wouldn't that be shocking? To call the nobility the savage ones." But she gives James a thankful smile. "Thank you. I knew before I left the clan that there had to be humans out here in the world who didn't think as we've always been taught to believe."

[judgemewhole]

"Well as far as I can tell, they seem to be about one step away from horny adolescents, so it's more appropriate than either one of us would imagine." He smirked faintly, before putting one hand to his chest, "I hope you find many more of them, Ellana. I hope you all do."

[serannas]

That is a rather unexpected response, and she struggles not to start giggling right here in front of everyone. Her lips are pressed tightly together and her eyes are practically sparkling with mirth.

"Indeed," she manages to say once she's calmed herself. And then on to his next response. "They aren't easy people to find, but once I do, I tend to try and befriend them, whether they like it or not."

[judgemewhole]

He gives her a very solemn look in turn, as if he is firmly fighting off any need to laugh himself. Which honestly, is something of a struggle, all things considered.

"Well that seems rather serious. Are you going to befriend them at swordpoint?" He asked dryly.

[serannas]

"Don't be silly," she replies. "By staff blade point, of course." Now she allows herself a smile. "But no, I just mean I will make the attempt. I definitely wouldn't stick around if they had no interest in being friends."

[judgemewhole]

"Of course, how could I be such a dunce? Staff blade point, naturally." Came Norrington's dry reply, before he smiled a little himself. "I am sure you shall make more friends then you thought possible, then."

[serannas]

"That's what I hope for. This experience -- being here -- is one I wouldn't trade for anything." Getting to see the world and meet new people has been a dream come true.