AWRR Chapter 1

AWRR session logs Session 1 Next

Summary

Session date: 2023-01-22

It is the evening of the Sehanine Spring Masquerade being thrown by Highmark City Councilor Jesseryn Callais at his manor, the Arbor. Despite how precious space is in Highmark, the Arbor is several acres of gardens with plants from all over Nerath and beyond, including some that exist nowhere else. A particularly impressive piece is the newly-built greenhouse constructed with genuine Harrowden glass, at great expense.

Before the party, Lamont checks in with his uncle and guardian, while Katherina badgers her sister into promising to think about kissing boys. Leonora and her companion, Nenea Sparge, discuss her plans and prospects.

At the party, early arrivals Nik and Victorina are introduced by their publisher, Callisto Vallée. Victorina checks in with her chaperone, Eudora kan Vappoheimer. When Chitara arrives, Victorina introduces herself, and the two discuss their common political agenda. Nik and Lavinia get reacquainted and talk about the ball. Lavinia is accosted by her sister afterwards to see if she is thinking about her promise before disappearing.

Coifárë and Gueiris meet up outside for hellos, and are joined briefly by Lamont before they all make their way inside and separate. Lavinia and Gueirirs are introduced in person, and find that they hit it off better than expected. Coifárë and Nik meet while exploring the gardens, and agree to a dance later in the evening. Nik also runs into Chitara, and also promises them a dance.

Leonora meets up with Gueiris and give him some perhaps unwanted advice about courting. She then approaches Lamont to try and feel out whether he might be a suitable candidate for her plants, and invites him to dinner with her husband. Afterwards, Coifárë comes across Lamont in the garden, and the two share a brief moment of intimacy before being interrupted by Chitara. Coifárë leaves with Chitara, and they get acquainted and dance.

Lamont recognizes Nik, and the two catch up briefly, before Lamont takes an unexpected nap on his shoulder. Coifárë checks in on them - Lamont decides he should leave the party, and Coifárë and Nik share a dance

Rosalie and her brother Sebastien arrive late and run into Lamon (literally). Sebastien bamboozles him into a few rounds of cards, and Rosalie relents.

Session

Session date: 2023-01-22

Intro: The Party of the Season

Narrator: As mentioned before, you've all been invited to attend the Sehanine Spring Masquerade being thrown by Highmark City Councilor Jesseryn Callais at his manor, the Arbor. Despite how precious space is in Highmark, the Arbor is several acres of gardens with plants from all over Nerath and beyond, including some that exist nowhere else. A particularly impressive piece is the newly-built greenhouse constructed with genuine Harrowden glass, at great expense.

Narrator: On a relative scale, what time were people thinking of arriving? Assume it begins early in the evening.

Nik: (I would probably arrive on time, having no sense of being fashionably late to anything 😉

Chitara: (Chitara is definitely arriving fashionably late but... only barely bc she's also very excited)

Stillmarch: (Lamont will be fashionably late for sure, like an hour or so, because he does know how these things work)

Leonora: (Leonora will also be fashionably late, having spent the afternoon with Magga)

Lavinia: will arrive late, but less due to fashion than to getting lost on the way.

Victorina: (Victorian will be on time, being completely unaware of things like being fashionably late)

Lamont checks in with his uncle

Chitara: Thurston expects Lamont to check in before leaving for the party. He's waiting in his study

Stillmarch: has taken his time getting ready, but will brace himself for this last hurdle

Stillmarch: will knock

Thurston Allard: Come in

Stillmarch: will step inside, leaving the door open behind him

Stillmarch: You wanted to see me, uncle?

Thurston Allard: Looks the boy over, seemingly neither pleased nor annoyed enough to critique his outfit Hm. I wanted to look you over before you get into your first proper Season. I suppose you'll have to do.

Stillmarch: 😒

Stillmarch: Is that all?

Thurston Allard: No. It is my responsibility to make sure you are adequately prepared to represent the family.

Stillmarch: . o O (Oh now you're concerned, hah)

Stillmarch: Very well...

Stillmarch: (I assume T is really just doing this to be shitty, please let me know if other motives ;p)

Thurston Allard: How are you planning on approaching this event?

Chitara: (half to be shitty, half for intel, with a dash of appearances)

Stillmarch: ...In what sense?

Thurston Allard: You are young and have not always kept the best company. You are not attending the ball for pleasure, you are doing so as the heir to your house. Anything you do tonight reflects on us and shapes your reputation for the rest of your life.

Stillmarch: mostly managed to look not too angry at that dig at his dead friend that YOU HAD MURDERED

Stillmarch: I understand my position.

Stillmarch: says, mostly cooly

Thurston Allard: Very well. Above all things, remember your honor. Make no promises you are not certain you can keep. You may go.

Stillmarch: Thank you.

Stillmarch: will get out then and be glad it wasn't worse :P

Katherina badgers her sister

Katherina: will come bother her sister as they are finishing up getting dressed

Lavinia: looks up from finishing her makeup.

Katherina: Hey Vinnie...

Lavinia: smiles.

Lavinia: Are you almost ready, Kitty?

Katherina: oh you do have all the good rouge in here, I knew it!

Katherina: swipes it off your dresser and will start applying it

Katherina: probably mother's doing really

Lavinia: will start to say something and then stop herself.

Lavinia: She says I need all the help I can get.

Katherina: Are you excited?

Katherina: pfft, you don't need any of this!

Lavinia: I suppose... more nervous, really.

Katherina: Nerves about what?

Lavinia: sighs.

Lavinia: What if no one wants anything to do with me? Or worse... what if they do and then...

Lavinia: moves her finger across her throat.

Lavinia: You know...

Katherina: no - then what?

Lavinia: You know perfectly well what I mean. What if I really am... <w> ...cursed....<w>

Katherina: The only curse you suffer from is mother!

Katherina: you just had bad luck or really, if you think about it - maybe it was good luck.

Lavinia: Kitty! You shouldn't speak like that!

Katherina: Neither of them was a good match on anythig but paper and the second one barely even talked to you at all!

Lavinia: He was... busy.

Lavinia: Besides, they were perfectly fine matches. Their families were very influential.

Katherina: Vinnie, you can't let her push you into these things. It's just making yu miserale. That's the curse, I think.

Katherina: Will you do womerhign for me tonight though?

Lavinia: You don't understand. I don't have a choice.

Lavinia: What?

Katherina: Waves her hand dismissiely She can't actually make you, and you do have choices if you want to, Vinnie.

Katherina: but!

Katherina: Hmmm.... nyou do like boys, right?

Lavinia: considers.

Lavinia: In theory.

Katherina: Well. I want you to take a good look at them tonight, even if you aren't introduced to them and....

Katherina: smiles brightly

Lavinia: Kitty!

Katherina: I want you to pick out at least one that you might want to kiss!

Lavinia: blushes crimson

Lavinia: You are horrid!

Lavinia: Without even an introduction?

Katherina: I am not!

Katherina: I didn't say you have to kiss them...

Lavinia: You shouldn't even think such things!

Katherina: Just pick you you would like to kiss.

Katherina: laughs

Lavinia: You have been reading entirely too many Ballista Sinslinger novels.

Katherina: not thinking them is the problem, Vinie

Katherina: I'm just saying. You're supposed to marry one. You don't even know if you like them at all, or what to do with them, and I think it would be good to know what you're meant to be getting into.

Katherina: So!

Lavinia: What does liking them have to do with marrying them?

Katherina: Well, you don't have to marry a boy you know!

Katherina: But that's just one thing. Mosty I mean... I think it will be a little less scary if you know more what to expect.

Katherina: You;re the Heir! What you want shoudl matter and mother won't even let you think about what that might be!

Lavinia: I don't know that it would make much difference. At this point I need to take what I can get.

Lavinia: If I don't, then it falls on you. And I don't think either of us wants that.

Katherina: see? That is what I mean. You're not that old, VInnie, what's he rush?

Katherina: I'm not worried about me.

Lavinia: I am.

Lavinia: I worry about you dearly.

Katherina: Well, don't. I can take care of myself.

Katherina: I want you to think about you!

Katherina: Not to worry... but just... think what you want, okay?

Katherina: Because it shoudl matter.

Lavinia: sighs.

Lavinia: What about you? Is there anyone that you have thought about... kissing...

Katherina: smirks

Katherina: Vinnie, this is about you, don't trouble yourself about me at all!

Lavinia: smirks.

Katherina: How do I look?

Lavinia: There is!

Lavinia: Don't try to change the subject! Who is it?

Katherina: puts down the rouge pot and looks at you slyly

Katherina: I'll tell you what Vinnie. If you come back to me after this ball with even just one name.... I'll tell you then.

Lavinia: Oh, you horrible creature!

Lavinia: laughs

Katherina: smiles shamelessly

Katherina: Just one! One name!

Katherina: Or point him out to me if you don't know

Lavinia: We'll see.

Lavinia: I can never win with you, can I? It's really not fair at all that you got all the beauty AND all the brains.

Stillmarch: (I would like to offer you a resolve token to have Lavinia be actively be thinking about kissing boys during this masqurade)

Lavinia: (I will absolutely take that :3 )

Lavinia: (I marked it on the sheet)

Stillmarch: (fantastic :V)

Katherina: See, there you go, underestiating yourself again... Here

Katherina: rearranges Laviia's hair just slightly to make her look even prettier See?

Lavinia: smiles genuinely.

Lavinia: You are the most wonderful sister. Even if you ARE trouble.

Katherina: will give you a little hug I'm just the trouble you need. NOw I have to go and fetch my mask... I'll see you downstairs - and don't forget what we agree on!

Lavinia: rolls her eyes.

Lavinia: Hurry or we'll be late.

Katherina: laughs again as she dashed out the door Silly, we're supposed to be late! It's fashion!

Leonora and Nenea discuss plans

Nenea Sparge: will have arranged a carriage to take you both to the Arbor, though it's not too terribly far.

Leonora: seems unusually nervous for someone raised in high society and who has attended dozens of these things.

Nenea Sparge: Are you all right?

Leonora: Oh ... oh yes, thank you. It's just different when you're thirty-three than when you're eighteen. And the stakes are different.

Nenea Sparge: Well, this is just the first event of the season. It's...reconnaissance, not the battle itself.

Nenea Sparge: tries to be reassuring.

Leonora: Yes, exactly, reconnaissance. Making lists, and then, critically, crossing names off those lists.

Leonora: You have not been to so many of these yourself, have you, Nenea?

Nenea Sparge: This is only my second season, so I have a very little experience, but I know what's what and, importantly, who's who.

Leonora: Well, you will no doubt see many wonders and distractions, but have no worry, there will be time to get you arranged in the future.

Nenea Sparge: There should be a number of prospects for you as well. I'm told the Marquess of Stillmarch is attending, for instance.

Nenea Sparge: He meets your requirements, in theory.

Leonora: Yes, in theory.

Leonora: Do you know his uncle Thurston?

Nenea Sparge: I know of him.

Nenea Sparge: lists his holdings (or the ones he manages) and any other relevant info.

Nenea Sparge: Is he someone you're looking at as well?

Leonora: No, I wouldn't say that.

Leonora: He's someone who I once knew, years ago.

Leonora: As for Stillmarch himself, he may not be interested in what we have on offer, if he's looking for a marriage. But we'll have to see.

Leonora: Oh, remind me tomorrow to write Mother. She'll want to know how the first event of the Season went.

Nenea Sparge: nods decisively, a tic you recognize when she's specifically committing something to memory.

Nenea Sparge: Hopefully, you'll have something good to write about.

Leonora: She will not want me to make a decision too quickly.

Nenea Sparge: Oh, I didn't mean that. I just meant hopefully there will be some promising prospects.

Nenea Sparge: You have all season to make a decision.

Leonora: nods.

Leonora: I think Magga would like me to finish up sooner rather than later. He's uncomfortable here, I can tell.

Nenea Sparge: Is it Highmark in particular, or is he just anxious to get home?

Leonora: Not even Highmark the city. Just this sort of society, you know, not everyone cares for goblins.

Leonora: Plenty would see him as an interloper, or worse.

Nenea Sparge: nods.

Nenea Sparge: I understand his concern, but it might do some good to have him put in an appearance from time to time. Get more people used to seeing Nachtur's nobility taking part.

Leonora: Yes, I'll discuss that with him again.

Leonora: I think in this matter, you and I are in agreement, dear. But a marriage works under different terms. ... I'll try.

Nenea Spargo: I don't mean to push. I'm just trying to, well, assist as best I can.

Leonora: I know, and I appreciate it.

Leonora: And in his own way Magga appreciates it too.

Rumor and Scandal

(include only every second chapter)