faderift | Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

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.

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"You have to understand, they value their reputations above all else. Some just flat out don't believe the Inquisition can do anything to stop the chaos. Some believe we'll make it worse. And some want to see who decides to side with who before throwing in their lot."

It's every bit as disgusting as it sounds, and her expression says as much. "Their game of politics rules everything. But if this dinner succeeds and enough are convinced to lend their support, it may cause momentum that others may follow."

"So... it's like going to school, engaging in all the pointless cliques and he-said/she-said nonsense that would be more befitting for someone even younger than me?" Considering how many people keep referring to Hermione as young and yet she shows more maturity than Orlais as a whole, she's not fond of the picture this is painting of that particular nation.

"I hope I'm not being insulting in saying this, but it's amazing that they hold as much sway as they do, if they think of something as serious as politics as a game. Even the most eccentric of our previous Ministers of Magic knew better than that."

"You wouldn't be insulting me, dear. I'm as Ferelden as they come."

And quite proud of that fact, thank you. Though those further south do have very strong opinions about Orlais, she knows that all Orlesians are not quite so terrible as that. Adelaide, for example, is a sensible enough sort. But Orlais itself has its reputation for a reason.

"Empress Celene will of course be the deciding factor in the majority of the nobility siding with us or not, but as I understand it the country is in the midst of civil war. Everyone's trying to carve our their share of things preemptively, and we're seen as a gamble at best."

"Like Mal and Jayne!" Hermione declares, perking up considerably. "Well, I assume Jayne is Fereldan, but he's a dog, so it's hard to say." Realizing that that might not sound right if Mia doesn't know the pair, she quickly clarifies, "I mean a literal dog, of course. With fur and a tail and all that. Not as an insult."

Taking that into consideration, Hermione looks around at the guests and asks, "Is the Empress here, or does she have more important things to attend to, given that her land is at war?"

That earns a scoff. "The empress, here? She might dirty her gown, and then where would she be?" Mia replies with a faint sniff. "No, she has much bigger things to worry about than the Inquisition, and that apathy speaks volumes to her subjects. Thus..."

And she gestures with a hand to the party at large.

"This grand show, when the expenses could have gone to our soldiers, or the refugees."

Frowning at that, Hermione asks, "Has the Inquisition attempted to gain an audience with the Empress? On her terms, if not our own? I'm assuming she'd have more reason to hold parties like this in her own palace, so if a few members of the Inquisition went to her, they might be able to speak to her or to someone else of influence and prove they work towards a good cause. Not that civil war can't be terrible - one could say that the wizarding world back home is still recovering from a recent one of our own - but surely something that threatens the entire world should be enough to unify her people even temporarily, perhaps even to the point of ending their dispute altogether, whatever it might be."

"You would think. And yet I know from experience that such things don't draw attention from the nobility the way it should. They will not loosen their grip on power even so they might extend that hand to those who need it most."

Politics. To the flames with the lot of them.

"Trust me. The Empress will not see fit to offer us aid until it benefits her in some smaller scheme first. That's their way."

"Even though they risk having their hands cut off if they don't loosen that grip?" Hermione isn't exactly all that surprised, all things considered. Minister Fudge had had his own set of blinders on when it had come to dealing with the early stages of the war, which had likely made things that much worse off later on down the line.

"Perhaps if she learns that these rifts may one day open up over her palace, or that Corypheus gaining control means that she'll lose control, she might budge a bit. Or does she need to witness her people actually being torn to shreds by demons before she'll deem it worth it to lift a finger?"

"Maker only knows. I certainly have no notion of what goes on in the mind of an empress, though I know what could stand to, now and then," Mia replies tartly. "I'm sure she's a lovely woman with a lot on her plate, but her priorities are sorely in need of examining if she thinks this chaos won't affect us all."

She lets out a breath after a moment, shaking her head. "There are days I'm grateful I'm not in their position, I will admit. It's likely for the best that I'm not. Things might actually get done. Then where would we be?"

"Without any politics to complain about, and I can't think of any polite society that would willingly deprive themselves of such gossip," Hermione replies with a small sigh. "I'm sorry; it's not exactly my place to get angry when I'm not even entirely familiar with the full scope of the political climate. It's just... a force of habit."

Especially since she'd decided over the previous summer that she'd want to go into a career in the Ministry upon graduation, and seeing an entire world operating with such shoddy systems of government has been driving her up the wall.

"It's a frustrating situation. Even an outsider can see it."

With a slight tutting noise she turns her attention back to the party at large before arching a brow at the young woman. "But listen to us. Talking politics at a party. Aren't we the lively ones?" she murmurs dryly. "Come. If we don't start enjoying ourselves properly, the Lady Ambassador may well swoop down on us to scold us."

"Lady Ambassador?" She's met Josephine, but keeping everyone's titles straight and putting faces to names is still a bit difficult when she's also trying to keep her head above water insofar as what she's learned about the world around her. "I don't know," she murmurs with a small smile. "Perhaps she'd appreciate the political repartee."

Looking up towards the other party attendants and trying not to make her hesitation obvious, she admits, "Besides, I'm not exactly sure how one goes about enjoying themselves properly at an affair like this."

"She might, if the point of the party were political discourse. Though I doubt the nobles here would care for anything we have to say, for obvious reasons."

There's a moment's consideration as Mia tips her head, considering the activities around them. It's no harvest festival, like the ones she was used to back home, but they could make do. "Have you danced yet? There are number of young men and woman who would be happy to join you on the dance floor."

"It wouldn't be much of a party, unless the politics were subtle."

She pauses at Mia's suggestion, trying not to make any physical movements that can be construed as backing away from an awkward prospect. "I'm not exactly comfortable dancing with people I don't know," she admits. "Especially when the dances look a little... different from what I'm used to." Old-fashioned is what she nearly says, but she doesn't know how Mia would take that, or just what it's even supposed to mean, ultimately.

"Perhaps I could introduce you to a few. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to teach you."

Stepping closer, she nods at those assembled. "Dorian's a wonderful dancer. He's a bit tart of tongue, but he doesn't mean anything about it. He's actually delightful company when he's keeping his ego in check," she continues, nodding towards the dark-haired mage. "Zevran's also a good partner, and quite charming. Lays it on a bit thick, but he's a dear, truly. If you really want to cause a stir, you might ask the Iron Bull. Bit hard to miss him, really."

Hermione has no qualms with dancing at a party. It's being set up to dance with unfamiliar people that makes her a little uncomfortable, especially when they're described as being "tart of tongue" or charming to the point of laying it on "a bit thick". She's about to politely refuse Mia's offer altogether, but her last suggestion draws a slightly surprised laugh out of her.

"Oh! I've met him! Unless there's more than one Iron Bull hereabouts. I think I'd need a stepping stool to properly dance with him, though, and then it wouldn't really be very good dancing at all." She's about to ask if it's the disparity in their appearances that would cause a stir, but then she remembers what Korrin had told her about the way most nobles feel about Qunari. It makes her frown a little, and she actually scans the hall, as though looking for the Iron Bull specifically. "It might be worth it, to cause such a stir."

"Not to mention being literally swept off your feet."

She chuckles, looking pleased with the prospect. She's still so young, this clever witch. She ought to be enjoying some measure of that youth and freedom while she's able to, even mired as she is in this world and its problems.

"Go on, then. See if you can find him. Have a dance for me."

The fact that the Iron Bull really would have to literally sweep her off her feet makes Hermione chuckle a bit, though that could just as well be the thought of him dancing in general. He hadn't exactly seemed like the sort of person who dressed nicely and asked for a woman's hand on the dance floor, so it sounds like the sort of thing she'd really need to see for herself.

She's about to say so and excuse herself, but she glances back at Mia uncertainly. "You say that as though you're not going to dance. You should try and enjoy yourself too; perhaps find this Dorian or - who was the other one? Zevran? - for a dance."

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Truth or Dare: The Imperial Court

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