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

[byblow]

There's a stretch of silent appraisal—of the cake, not of Ellana, who is not actually in any danger of being snapped at—before he takes it with two-fingered primness that's intentionally, comically incongruous to his big, calloused warrior's hands. "You may stay," he says graciously, "if you also promise to use that accent on Adelaide LeBlanc next time you come across her."

[serannas]

"What?" She lets out a short laugh of disbelief. "I'm in no position to do that. We're on the Council together, and it would be so rude. Not to mention she'd turn me into a block of ice. I can't believe you want me to get frozen to death. How inconsiderate of you."

[byblow]

"She hasn't frozen me yet," Alistair says, "except in my heart, with her disapproving glares." He eats the cake in one undainty mouthful. He's polite enough to chew and swallow before he continues. "But you're right. I wouldn't want to risk your life for a joke, not even a little. We should find someone else to do it."

[serannas]

"Poor you. I do hope you can recover from that." Ellana doesn't even blink at how he eats the cake, because when she eats them with Sabriel? She stuffs in the whole thing too.

"Who would you pick to poke at her like that? Obviously someone you don't like."

[byblow]

"Morrigan," Alistair says immediately, but just as immediately adds, "wouldn't fall for it. Blast." He has to think for a moment before he scrounges up, "Nathaniel Howe. Also wouldn't fall for it." He screws up his face in resignation. "The people I don't like tend to overlap with people who wouldn't listen to me if I told them to do something funny."

Funny how that works.

[serannas]

Ellana lifts an eyebrow, though she doesn't interject. She happens to like Morrigan, but she already knows of her rocky history with Alistair thanks to the stories. She hasn't considered what things are like for them both being here at the same time. Apparently ten years apart has done little to temper his attitude (or hers, as Ellana will discover later this evening when Morrigan speaks of Alistair).

"Should we call it their loss then?"