[December 21st – Jala and Vorgand attend the Royal Winter Ball.]
[This game uses the Fifth Revised Edition of the Hero System rules along with the Fantasy Hero supplement. This session happened May 30, 2022.]
Player Characters:
Jala – human female – a person of discretion, studier of Pact Magic with a focus on shadows
Ozrel Runeweaver – human male – Pugilist and Rune Magician
Zarek the Red – fox male – Golem-mancer
Vorgand – human female – Guildmaster and Chief Combatant for the Delvers Guild
Ricky the Astrologer – human male – Newly-minted specialist in Magic Circles and Teleportation Gates
Non-Player Characters:
Victor Yakovovich – Delver in the Delvers Guild and younger son of the Baron of Five Griffins Barony
Bellinus Dragonkiller – Provisional Delver in the Delvers Guild and maybe heir to Dragonsfall, once a duchy in the kingdom
Schedule of Events for the Royal Winter Ball
Time Event
7:00-9:00 PM Arrival and drinks
9:00-9:30 PM Entry to the Ballroom for Entertainment
9:30-11:00 PM Entertainment
11:00-11:30 PM Entry to Grand Hall for Supper
11:30-1:30 AM Supper – multiple courses, dinner music played
1:30-2:00 AM Return to Ballroom for dancing and drinks
2:00-7:00 AM Group dancing and drinks
5:00-7:00 AM Breakfast available in the Grand Hall
7:00 AM Ball ends
Yggsday, December 21st, 1st year of the reign of King Vladik the Gamesman
7:30 PM
Bellinus arrived at the Guildhall of the Delvers Guild in a horse-drawn open carriage to pick up Jala as his +1 for the Royal Winter Ball. Previous discussion between the two had set the time he was to arrive and their plan was to show up to the Ball at 8:00 PM. They also had agreed on wardrobe, so their clothing was complimentary to each other.
Jala had to admit that Bellinus appeared respectable, if a bit nervous. She did not accept his assistance getting into the carriage as the dress her aunt had forced on her was surprisingly comfortable and allowed her motion. It also had concealed pockets Jala put to good use, hiding her Dagger of Returning and two sets of lockpicks in them. She also had enough room to conceal her rope of entanglement. Jala wasn’t entirely certain why her aunt had required Jala be Bellinus’ +1, but she was ready for trouble if it presented itself.
Jala had a moment of regret for the small coat she was wearing as it was winter, but Bellinus had arranged for furs with the carriage so they would be warm. He apologized for the need, but all the covered carriages were in use by everyone else attending the Ball and this was what he could get by the time he had received his invite. Jala told Bellinus to be cool and things would work out.
Bellinus instructed the driver to go. They exited the Student’s Quarter on the left side of the University and rode past Embassy Square to Potemkin Street. They turned onto Potemkin Street, which was heavily decorated, cleaned, and lit by large lanterns, presenting the best face of the city. They followed Potemkin Street to the gates of the Royal Palace, where their invitation was checked.
Inside the gates their carriage turned right and followed the line of other carriages to the doors of the palace. They disembarked and walked up the front steps to the entrance, where Bellinus again presented his invitation. The two were announced just at 8:00 as Sir Bellinus, Baronet Dragonsfall, and Dame Jala, Master Delver and Founder. This drew a small amount of attention from those already inside, mostly to Bellinus’ title, which Jala also asked about. Bellinus admitted it was a temporary title while his claim was evaluated. They both agreed that some drinks were in order and moved to the chamber on the left where the growing number of guests were congregating for exactly that purpose.
8:15 PM
Meanwhile, Vorgand and Victor met up at the stables of The Blooded, the kingdom’s military academy, and picked up their horses. Both being attendees of the academy and defacto military officers, they wore dress uniforms [with long coats] with swords at their hips. Vorgand had her magic rapier along with her magic sash, her skull ring, and her newly crafted guild signet ring [this made her the more piratical looking of the two].
They rode their horses down the main street to the market square, turning right at the corner, following the Government Square edge of the market and then along the edge of the Sacred District before entering Potemkin Street. Riding towards the palace after the majority of the guests were already there, they made good time on their horses [being able to move around slower carriages].
At the entrance to the palace they handed their horses over and strode up the steps to the entrance. Just after 8:30 they were announced as Grand Master Dame Vorgand of the Delvers Guild and, slightly to Vorgand’s surprise, the Honorable Victor Yakovovich of Five Griffins Barony. The small number of elves attending the Ball noticed Vorgand arrive, as did several guildmasters. As Vorgand and Victor made their way over to the rooms on the left where the drinks were, a few of the other guildmasters approached Vorgand and greeted her, forcing her and Victor to pause and make pleasantries. [As the head of the newest guild and this being the first major social event Vorgand attended as Grand Master of the Delvers Guild, several guilds were interested making friendly contact with Vorgand for political reasons.]
9:00 PM
King Vladik addressed his guests, thanking them for attending. He recognized a few of those in attendance, thanking them for their contributions to the Ball and the kingdom.
Once the king was done addressing the guests, his seneschal announced that the Ballroom was open for seating and the evening’s entertainment would commence in a half hour. This precipitated a general movement of the attendees towards the Ballroom, drinks in hand. [You can’t rush nobles anywhere.]
9:30 PM
The entertainment consisted of three acts. The first act was a troupe of Aegean Jugglers, who juggled as a group. They juggled a mix of rings and swords, going through three different juggling patterns, ending with the rings one by one being tossed onto a rod in the center of them, leaving the troupe juggling only the swords. Jala and Vorgand both noticed at this point that members of the elven delegation were watching Vorgand.
The second act was a choir singing a mix of songs, including an elven song of friendship, which they performed well. At the very least, the elven delegation showed appreciation for the performance.
The third act consisted of Baridoki Acrobats from the Kingdom of Baridoki [southern side of the Opal Sea, east of Arkoi Island], famous around the Opal Sea for their skills. They performed a series of increasingly complicated maneuvers, including leaps onto metal poles held up by the other acrobats. The entire [human] audience was quite impressed, and the acrobats received a standing ovation.
11:00 PM
Once the entertainment was done, the seneschal announced that the Grand Hall was now open for seating for Supper. The attendees gradually got up and made their way to the Grand Hall, talking and politicking along the way.
Checking the seating charts at the entry to the Grand Hall, the attendees found their way to their assigned seating. Vorgand and Victor were seated at a table with senior members of other guilds, notably the Scriveners Guild, The Company of Cutlers, and the Society of Master Mariners. During the meal, the head of the Company of Cutlers asked if the guild might make an appointment to examine her sword. It was of a very old elven make and the guild would like to increase its knowledge of elven blades. Vorgand agreed to an appointment on Cromsday the next week [December 26] to let the Company perform some non-destructive testing on her sword.
Bellinus and Jala were seated at a table of other minor nobility and government ministers, including Ranger-Captain Borani Theophanous, head of the Cle Elum Ranger District at the far north of the kingdom, and Slean Thibault, eldest son of Countess Yera Thibault, ruler of the Duchy of Sperrin. Ranger-Captain Borani had a tendency to tell stories of how the rangers were keeping the rest of the kingdom safe at great expense. Victor and Sloan knew each other, and Victor finally explained to Vorgand he was a younger son of the Baron of Five Griffins, which owed fealty to Countess Yera.
11:30 PM
Supper was a seven-course meal served over two hours while a string quartet played in the corner. The meal consisted of:
1. Appetizer – Baked Brie with Golden Raisin Compote, served with a white wine
2. Soup – Mussel and garlic soup, served with a red wine
3. Vegetable dish – Spiced Potatos
4. Main Course – Prime rib with cranberry sauce, with Hertsgate Dark Lager
5. Salad – Apple and sultana salad (apple and sultana served on a bed of lettuce)
6. Cheese selection, served with a fruity red wine
7. Dessert – individual apple crisps, matched with a dessert wine
[I’m not a drinker, so my drink matchings are a bit sketchy. I went with what seemed OK.]
1:30 AM
The seneschal announced that the Ballroom was now open for dancing and drinks. Gradually the guests left the tables and walked back to the Ballroom. There the chairs had been moved to tables surrounding the dance floor. The stage where the entertainment had performed now held a small orchestra, currently playing light chamber music.
2:00 AM
Musicians start playing music to dance to. At about hour and a half intervals some of the musicians would switch out with replacements to keep the performers fresh. The dances were traditional group dances and Vorgand and Victor got in some dancing between times when various guild masters wanted to speak with Vorgand about guild politics. Jala and Bellinus were able to get some dancing in, the limiter being the small repertoire of dances that Jala knew. Much talking and politicking happened during this period.
While sitting out a dance, Vorgand was approached by one of the elves, who introduced himself as Ardru of the Elven Delegation. He explained that he had noticed Vorgand was carrying an elven sword and wearing a sash of elven make and politely inquired about how she came into possession of them. Vorgand told Ardru that they had been acquired on guild activities, all within a day or two of travel from Aegea City. Vorgand caught a quick flash of epiphany in Ardru’s expression at this answer before he hid it.
Ardru asked Vorgand if she knew any of the history of the sword she carried. She admitted that she did not know much about it other than it was of an imperial style and elven. Ardru told her it was named Hwindor and his people had lost track of it some time ago. He then asked if perhaps the guild might have located other items of elven antiquity and whether the guild might accept compensation for their return. Vorgand allowed that the guild might find other items of elven make, but the guild had yet set a formal policy on the matter so she could not make any promises right then. At this point the current dance ended and Ardru excused himself and left.
Later Bellinus and then Vorgand each had an informal audience with the king. This was more the king politely glad-handing his guests than anything else, but he knew their names and faces and seem pleased to see them. The king also mentioned that he would be calling a meeting of the guilds to vote on some policies soon. He seemed to specifically avoid mentioning the elves.
Bellinus fielded several inquiring conversations about his position on various political topics. Jala was impressed by his ability to recognize the people asking [KS: Nobility] and his ability to provide non-answers that they would accept [Conversation]. She started seeing the need for those skill sets [part of the reason her aunt insisted she attend the Ball].
5:00 AM
The seneschal announced that breakfast was available in the Grand Hall until the end of the Ball. Dancing continued in the Ballroom, but small groups started making their way to the Grand Hall for some breakfast before returning to the Ballroom. Vorgand and Victor made a brief trip before returning to the Ballroom, but Jala and Bellinus ate heartily before leaving the Ball early.
7:00 AM
The Royal Winter Ball formally ended and guests started leaving. Vorgand and Victor retrieved their horses and made their way back to the academy fairly quickly, able to move around the logjam of fancy carriages.
End of Session
Guild Postings
[This session covered the Royal Winter Ball. Next session covered what happened back at the Guildhall during this time.]
[I feel I should explain about Jala's aunt. She is the head of the exchequer for the kingdom and uses Jala as a contact when she needs unofficial things to happen for the kingdom's benefit. She is tired of Jala acting like a street urchin and wants her to start gaining some manners and couth so she can be deployed in more social environments. Jala doesn't like any of this and resists, but does owe her aunt. In game terms, Jala has the Social Limitation: Someone Else's Contact as one of her Disadvantages, meaning that her aunt can call on her at times to do things. This is the first time I've made use of it during the campaign.]
Delvers Guild
Arc 1
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Arc 2 Landing Page – Links to all Arc 2 sessions, as they post
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Next Session: Arc 2, Session 17 [Not Yet Typed Up]
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