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

[nofury]

"Then be lead by them, scout. Part of being the rank and file is trusting your superiors. If you aren't ready to follow orders, you're no better than these nobles looking for us to please them before they'll agree to save the world. Trust cannot be held hostage."

Shem. Dear Marker, but it has been some time since she's heard that. Since she's lead a dalish abandoned by their precious First for being one mage too many to the Circle, in fact. But how each society is terrible in its own way isn't the point. Obedience is.

[slipshot]

"I'm still here, aren't I?" He asked, a bit sharply.

"But I know enough stories to know exactly what can happen, when people follow blindly. Everyone here should. Those templars we've seen? Red crystals breaking out of their skin? That's obedience, too. You can't have leadership without trust. I came to follow the Herald. And she's dead."

[nofury]

"You don't have any trust in our Advisers?"

It always came back to the Herald. But she was dead and gone in her noble sacrifice. And no one woman made an army.

[slipshot]

"I... It's not that. I would trust Cassandra, would trust Cullen, with my life, if I was fighting right next to them. But how a person treats an elf, and how an organization does, are very different things. And power..." He trailed off, his ears twitching and then drooping nervously, looking over to where the others danced - his own steps mostly muscle memory.

"... Power isn't good for anyone."

[nofury]

"Are you going to say the specifics, or..."

Is this another Humans Can Never Understand? But she doesn't go that far. It's more a reflection of her poor mood at being forced to the ball than any annoyance at Gavin. Though a straight answer every now and again would be novel in this Inquisition.

[slipshot]

This conversation had already gone poorly with Maxwell, but he couldn't see any way out of it, now.

"They arrested Galadriel." As if that should speak for itself.

[nofury]

"And you do not trust those you trust with your life to have a reason for it?"

It isn't harsh, she's spoken with enough apostates she'd been explicitly sent to drag back to their Circle to know to keep a calm voice. At least to start.

[slipshot]

"My life isn't worth nearly so much as my peoples," Gavin said, his voice quiet. It was a simple thought.

"Like I said. Individuals and Organizations are different. But no one's telling us the reasons. Anders goes off with the Wardens, Cade gets a slap on the wrist for attacking an elf, but an elf does nothing and she ends up in a cell."

[nofury]

"Thus Inquisition shem hate elves. What a simple world we now live in."

[slipshot]

There was a sharp turn to his expression, his grip tightening on her hand.

"I never said it was simple," He said, his voice not quite hurt, but close. He knew he wasn't the most intelligent elf in the world, but he hated being treated like an idiot. "I'm saying that it's wrong."

[nofury]

"Based on the fact it's a mage and an elf? Would you care if it were a qunari locked up?"

She shouldn't engage. She shouldn't take it personally- but the dance it turning from grace to sharp and harsh. Right and wrong and elf were always complicated. She couldn't have locking up elves as a rule being wrong.