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

Re: B

[judgemewhole]

He bowed to Lord Harold, a young gentleman that he would be glad to speak to again later, before he turned his attention to Adelaide. Both corners of his mout twitched as he led her out to the floor.

"Is that so, Lady LeBlanc? I never would have guessed. You looked to be holding your own quite well."

A gavotte. Perfect. One could still converse without being rude.

[fleurdesel]

"I do not care to repeat myself once I have already answered a question. He has been asking variations on the same for the past ten minutes." Her patience had been wearing quite thin. A least now she had room to breathe. "I will not accept that behavior from my students, yet I must endure it from the nobility."

[judgemewhole]

"What question has he been asking, dare I ask?" He arched an eyebrow, glancing over at her as he took her hand to swing her around in the dance.

[fleurdesel]

"How the Council differs from the College and where we fall in our opinions regarding the choice to dissolve the circles." How many ways can she say 'i cannot speak for all of us' or 'I have no comment to offer' before he understood? Apparently a few more. Her frustrations were set aside as she settled into the dance, coming about Norrington in a wide circle back to the front.

[judgemewhole]

"Well clearly he is looking for you to state that the mages have all run amok and but for the clear thinking of Vivienne to form the Council, you would all be naked in the moonlight sacrificing Orlesian nobles." That Norrington managed to say that with a straight face might mean he has heard that one before. "As it stands ... you are holding up beautifully under fire, Lady LeBlanc."

[fleurdesel]

"How that particular rumor has come about I shall never know. Without Dylan insisting we needed to meet and beginning the discussion in the first place, without Stannis making it plain that we ought to hold ourselves accountable, publicly, for those that act out- the Council would never have been formed." Most likely it was due to Vivienne being a strong voice for Circles and Circle organization. She hadn't even been present when they'd pulled together. "It takes more than flame to melt this ice, Knight-Commander."

A beat, she snorts at herself.

"I have had such things tossed at me all night- I am beginning to talk like them. Andraste preserve me."

[judgemewhole]

"Because Orlesians have their rumors and gossip, Lady LeBlanc. I have found it rarely has anything to do with the truth, however." He smirked faintly, as he twirled her one direction, then in the other. His smirk grew at her comment, and that turned into a quiet laugh at her statement.

"Shall I begin to worry if you start wearing a mask and asking for ham that tastes of despair?"

[fleurdesel]

"Clove and nutmeg." She offered, at least that was what the ham tasted of to her. "Despair is simply a more fashionable way of saying 'autumnal'."

[judgemewhole]

Both eyebrows rose at that, before he smirked slightly, "Of ... course it is. Put it in a fancy glaze and call it an emotion. How very Orlesian to have a mask on your own food."