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votivescholarsWelcome to the world of the Durants...
Guests from the Nexus are met by an Isidor who is still dressed for business when she PINpoints them directly to the venue. She is on a mission and pleasantries are swiftly exchanged so that she can give instructions and explain how the day is going to go. The first thing to hit them is that it's hot, and bright. They are now in France, Isidor tells them, her narrative changes appropriately as she leads them from the small stone building, through immaculate gardens and towards a sprawling palace which she insists is small for what it is. This is the home of Gnonyma Durant, her grandmother. A 17th Century French palace once owned by royalty but was gifted to her family as thanks for 'a service' which Isidor says was so private that even the mage's journal doesn't detail what it was.
The air is dry and still, which makes the cool shade of indoors a pleasant relief. Like the ornate facade, the interior of the building is lined with intricate mouldings; decorated with impressive portraits; painted in bright, colourful shades; and filled with flowers and draping fabric. There is plenty of space, a fact emphasised by tiled floors that amplify each step and word. It looks as though almost every room is being used, from the way all the doors are held open for the steady flow of traffic. They are, however, let through the building and out another door. It's the quickest way to where seats sit lined up to face a gazebo decorated with ribbons and flowers that stands in front of a pond that might as well be a lake. Some people might notice the air above them ripple slightly, which certainly has nothing to do with the perfectly ornate poles at each corner of the seating area.
There are already plenty of people milling about. Servants stride from one place to another, expertly staying out of the way of the guests. There are some men and women who are dressed well for the occasion, but like the servants they stay out of the way and scan the area repeatedly, making no attempts to engage with the guests - security, judging by their earpieces. Members of the Durant family are easy to spot. They move in groups or pairs, often getting headed off by people looking to talk to them. A large majority of them also sport sashes of either red or purple with gold trim and ornate pins that vary from person to person. This, Isidor explains, is how you spot a patron and an accomplished scholar, based on the red or purple respectively. Viatorus is not yet an accomplished scholar, which is why they have no sashes. Members of Runa's family are equally easy to spot for those that know her. They would be the large group of tall, golden haired men and women with the distinctive Swedish accents happily talking to anyone and everyone.
After guiding them to their seats she tells them that the ceremony will be another twenty minutes and takes her leave to go and sort out the other numerous things on her endless list. Nobody bothers them while they wait. Everyone is too busy spotting old friends or making their way to their seats. It's a good time to enjoy the scenery. There is a small collection of musicians with harps, violins and flutes to one side. Even the breeze is smelling sweet with the perfume of the bouquets.
Within fifteen minutes Viatorus appears in a tailored suit of light grey and deep purple. He is closely followed by an older, stocky looking man in a black suit and purple tie, and sporting a red and black sash that is even more ornate than any others. Whatever the man is saying to him Viatorus barely gets more of a wave of recognition in to his friends before he's being guided to the gazebo and kept there. Shortly after he's joined by a young man and two women with tanned skin and black hair dressed in simple, but high quality clothes of purple, draping fabric. They look as serious as the man beside Viatorus. That is about the time Isidor reappears in more appropriate attire. She in turn heralds the appearance of a woman who shares her features, dressed in elegant gold and black, who is accompanied by a man whose black suit and purple tie are considerably more simple than his purple sash. Its intricacy matches that of the red one worn by the man standing next to Viatorus. The mood seems to shift at the appearance of these last two guests, becoming quieter, expectant. The Durants gather together, and Viatorus' fidgeting increases tenfold as they exchange words. The men with the sashes and the woman in gold take their seats, many of the guests follow suit.
The ceremony begins...
The young man in purple walks with his staff to stand at the head of the aisle and asks that everyone takes their seats. Exactly twenty minutes after the Nexus guests were shown their seats, the ceremony begins. The young man introduces himself as the high priest of Despoina and welcomes them to the union of the two families Durant and Nyström. As it is a ceremony to mark the union of two families with two sets of tradition and two sets of gods to honour, this will be a merging of these two cultures. It will be a handfasting ceremony of the Old Ways, he explains. This means that the couple will be as man and wife for a year and a day, and after that time they must choose if they wish to marry or separate. The guests now better informed, the priest stands back under the gazebo where a nervous Viatorus and patient Isidor stand waiting. On cue, the musicians start playing unfamiliar, but pleasant music to introduce the arrival of Ingirun dressed in white and accompanied by a rounded, red cheeked man, and followed by a woman who must certainly be one of her sisters. Once she was beside Viatorus, Ingirun's father sat down and the ceremony began.
The priest talked of uniting the two families, naming the virtues of both, as he got the bride-and-groom-to-be to hold hands which he bound in ribbons. He then took them through their vows before invoking the gods and goddesses to bless the union. The mixture of Greek and Norse deities made for a complicated blessing that might have been compared to seeking the approval of two powerful families. With wishes given, the priest unwrapped their hands and had the betrothed drink from the same cup. All in all it was a short ceremony as ceremonies go. A few more blessings were given and then the couple were prompted to kiss to seal the pact, which a bright red Viatorus did, very timidly. Luckily that only made Runa beam more brightly than she already was.
Dinner was in a large hall with close family at the head of the room and everyone else seated at round tables. Every position was carefully chosen, of course. The inevitable speeches came from the father of the bride (who rambled joyously about how happy he was to see his daughter with such a fine young man) and the mother of the groom (who gently, warmly, welcomed Runa into the family and spoke of how proud she and his father were). Drinks were plentiful, as were the courses. There were six in total with a selection of each: Appetisers, soup, fish, the main course, dessert, and a palate cleanser. No one will be going hungry tonight, that's a certainty.
After dinner it's Isidor who stands to say a few last words. She thanks everyone for coming and instructs them to enjoy the evening and all the festivities which "will go on at least until dawn". With that, guests are bid to go and enjoy the entertainment filling the palace.
And now for the party...
There isn't a single place that isn't being used for the party. The gardens have pleasant music playing in them, chairs and tables laid out with cushions and blankets for people to lounge in. One of the largest halls is set out for dancers and their spectators to enjoy live musicians that will play ballroom music for the first part of the evening and be replaced by a band that plays modern music for the second. There is a small room of bookshelves and leather armchairs where men congregate to sip whiskey. Rooms with couches and chairs have people moving in and out of them joining and starting conversations. The priest tends to three statues of goddesses that stand at the end of one room. Here he collects gifts and offerings for the couple's happy future. A man with a perfect smile enthralls a crowd with stories that are only exciting because of the way he tells them. A demure woman facilitates a conversation between straight backed men with chiseled features and shorter tanned men who look equally as disciplined. Servants are found throughout, bringing drinks and snacks to anyone who asks or so much as looks as if they're considering either.
((Feel free to backtag, threadhop, start threads, look for more NPCs, whatever you like! If you're unsure of something, looking for more details, or want to plot then you know the drill - Send a message my way and we'll chat!
Note about gifts: It will say on your character's invitation that gifts are optional and it is suggested that a gift to the gods/goddesses would be more than suitable instead.))
The Nyströms | Hephaestia | The Archon, Liselotte & Stathis | The Priest | Oraskis - The Seer
Lieselotte or Stathis | Poenia & Sagyne | Harrowheart & Anna | Adia | Felix & Jim | Evening Event | Isidor | Klaus
Guests from the Nexus are met by an Isidor who is still dressed for business when she PINpoints them directly to the venue. She is on a mission and pleasantries are swiftly exchanged so that she can give instructions and explain how the day is going to go. The first thing to hit them is that it's hot, and bright. They are now in France, Isidor tells them, her narrative changes appropriately as she leads them from the small stone building, through immaculate gardens and towards a sprawling palace which she insists is small for what it is. This is the home of Gnonyma Durant, her grandmother. A 17th Century French palace once owned by royalty but was gifted to her family as thanks for 'a service' which Isidor says was so private that even the mage's journal doesn't detail what it was.
The air is dry and still, which makes the cool shade of indoors a pleasant relief. Like the ornate facade, the interior of the building is lined with intricate mouldings; decorated with impressive portraits; painted in bright, colourful shades; and filled with flowers and draping fabric. There is plenty of space, a fact emphasised by tiled floors that amplify each step and word. It looks as though almost every room is being used, from the way all the doors are held open for the steady flow of traffic. They are, however, let through the building and out another door. It's the quickest way to where seats sit lined up to face a gazebo decorated with ribbons and flowers that stands in front of a pond that might as well be a lake. Some people might notice the air above them ripple slightly, which certainly has nothing to do with the perfectly ornate poles at each corner of the seating area.
There are already plenty of people milling about. Servants stride from one place to another, expertly staying out of the way of the guests. There are some men and women who are dressed well for the occasion, but like the servants they stay out of the way and scan the area repeatedly, making no attempts to engage with the guests - security, judging by their earpieces. Members of the Durant family are easy to spot. They move in groups or pairs, often getting headed off by people looking to talk to them. A large majority of them also sport sashes of either red or purple with gold trim and ornate pins that vary from person to person. This, Isidor explains, is how you spot a patron and an accomplished scholar, based on the red or purple respectively. Viatorus is not yet an accomplished scholar, which is why they have no sashes. Members of Runa's family are equally easy to spot for those that know her. They would be the large group of tall, golden haired men and women with the distinctive Swedish accents happily talking to anyone and everyone.
After guiding them to their seats she tells them that the ceremony will be another twenty minutes and takes her leave to go and sort out the other numerous things on her endless list. Nobody bothers them while they wait. Everyone is too busy spotting old friends or making their way to their seats. It's a good time to enjoy the scenery. There is a small collection of musicians with harps, violins and flutes to one side. Even the breeze is smelling sweet with the perfume of the bouquets.
Within fifteen minutes Viatorus appears in a tailored suit of light grey and deep purple. He is closely followed by an older, stocky looking man in a black suit and purple tie, and sporting a red and black sash that is even more ornate than any others. Whatever the man is saying to him Viatorus barely gets more of a wave of recognition in to his friends before he's being guided to the gazebo and kept there. Shortly after he's joined by a young man and two women with tanned skin and black hair dressed in simple, but high quality clothes of purple, draping fabric. They look as serious as the man beside Viatorus. That is about the time Isidor reappears in more appropriate attire. She in turn heralds the appearance of a woman who shares her features, dressed in elegant gold and black, who is accompanied by a man whose black suit and purple tie are considerably more simple than his purple sash. Its intricacy matches that of the red one worn by the man standing next to Viatorus. The mood seems to shift at the appearance of these last two guests, becoming quieter, expectant. The Durants gather together, and Viatorus' fidgeting increases tenfold as they exchange words. The men with the sashes and the woman in gold take their seats, many of the guests follow suit.
The ceremony begins...
The young man in purple walks with his staff to stand at the head of the aisle and asks that everyone takes their seats. Exactly twenty minutes after the Nexus guests were shown their seats, the ceremony begins. The young man introduces himself as the high priest of Despoina and welcomes them to the union of the two families Durant and Nyström. As it is a ceremony to mark the union of two families with two sets of tradition and two sets of gods to honour, this will be a merging of these two cultures. It will be a handfasting ceremony of the Old Ways, he explains. This means that the couple will be as man and wife for a year and a day, and after that time they must choose if they wish to marry or separate. The guests now better informed, the priest stands back under the gazebo where a nervous Viatorus and patient Isidor stand waiting. On cue, the musicians start playing unfamiliar, but pleasant music to introduce the arrival of Ingirun dressed in white and accompanied by a rounded, red cheeked man, and followed by a woman who must certainly be one of her sisters. Once she was beside Viatorus, Ingirun's father sat down and the ceremony began.
The priest talked of uniting the two families, naming the virtues of both, as he got the bride-and-groom-to-be to hold hands which he bound in ribbons. He then took them through their vows before invoking the gods and goddesses to bless the union. The mixture of Greek and Norse deities made for a complicated blessing that might have been compared to seeking the approval of two powerful families. With wishes given, the priest unwrapped their hands and had the betrothed drink from the same cup. All in all it was a short ceremony as ceremonies go. A few more blessings were given and then the couple were prompted to kiss to seal the pact, which a bright red Viatorus did, very timidly. Luckily that only made Runa beam more brightly than she already was.
Dinner was in a large hall with close family at the head of the room and everyone else seated at round tables. Every position was carefully chosen, of course. The inevitable speeches came from the father of the bride (who rambled joyously about how happy he was to see his daughter with such a fine young man) and the mother of the groom (who gently, warmly, welcomed Runa into the family and spoke of how proud she and his father were). Drinks were plentiful, as were the courses. There were six in total with a selection of each: Appetisers, soup, fish, the main course, dessert, and a palate cleanser. No one will be going hungry tonight, that's a certainty.
After dinner it's Isidor who stands to say a few last words. She thanks everyone for coming and instructs them to enjoy the evening and all the festivities which "will go on at least until dawn". With that, guests are bid to go and enjoy the entertainment filling the palace.
And now for the party...
There isn't a single place that isn't being used for the party. The gardens have pleasant music playing in them, chairs and tables laid out with cushions and blankets for people to lounge in. One of the largest halls is set out for dancers and their spectators to enjoy live musicians that will play ballroom music for the first part of the evening and be replaced by a band that plays modern music for the second. There is a small room of bookshelves and leather armchairs where men congregate to sip whiskey. Rooms with couches and chairs have people moving in and out of them joining and starting conversations. The priest tends to three statues of goddesses that stand at the end of one room. Here he collects gifts and offerings for the couple's happy future. A man with a perfect smile enthralls a crowd with stories that are only exciting because of the way he tells them. A demure woman facilitates a conversation between straight backed men with chiseled features and shorter tanned men who look equally as disciplined. Servants are found throughout, bringing drinks and snacks to anyone who asks or so much as looks as if they're considering either.
((Feel free to backtag, threadhop, start threads, look for more NPCs, whatever you like! If you're unsure of something, looking for more details, or want to plot then you know the drill - Send a message my way and we'll chat!
Note about gifts: It will say on your character's invitation that gifts are optional and it is suggested that a gift to the gods/goddesses would be more than suitable instead.))
✣ · ✣ · ✣ · ✣
The Nyströms | Hephaestia | The Archon, Liselotte & Stathis | The Priest | Oraskis - The Seer
Lieselotte or Stathis | Poenia & Sagyne | Harrowheart & Anna | Adia | Felix & Jim | Evening Event | Isidor | Klaus
Jim dot jpg internally, Engagement (Neutral) externally. The icon dilemma.
Date: 2017-08-12 11:02 pm (UTC)"I thought it was great!" Harrowheart says with a breathless laugh. "You were gor–" He stops abruptly to glance over his shoulder, then returns an apologetic look to Isidor. "Good. You were good, and well-practiced. And I finally got to see you do some fire magic, which was–" Another look to the opposite side, just to be sure nobody hears anything untoward. "Interesting. You looked so confident! I can tell you've practiced that before."
He folds his hands behind his back then, which really only serves to make his utter lack of casualness more apparent. In a too-aloof manner he asks, not quite looking at Isidor, as if her answer couldn't possibly interest him, "Who was that gentleman?"
no subject
Date: 2017-08-12 11:50 pm (UTC)The more he talks the more suspicious she looks, until the mention of her confidence he sounded like her parents. Has he been taking tips from her family on how to act around people? Hopefully only for this party, and not for the every day. It sounds... wrong coming from him.
And then he asks about Klaus, and a cheeky smile twists her lips. She can't resist it, she simply can't. Just like she can't help her grin. "He's just a guy who's been trying to get engaged with me since we met. Why? Do you want an introduction?"
no subject
Date: 2017-08-13 01:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2017-08-13 11:56 am (UTC)"I'm joking, Harrowheart," she tells, finally freeing him from his torment. "Klaus is my uncle. He's the best fire elemental mage I've ever met, and he's taught me everything I know about casting fire."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-14 01:34 pm (UTC)"Your mother's brother, I'm guessin'? Shoot... Can't believe you tricked me like that. Well now I don't gotta feel weird about thinkin' he was talented. I could tell he was a pro!" He clears his throat and corrects, "Professional. And real fit, too. I can't believe you're related to someone with a body." Hey, if you're not going to crush on your uncle, someone's got to.
Frowning sheepishly in a way that betrays the hint of an embarrassed smile he mumbles, "So... Maybe I really oughta meet him, then? At least so I can compliment him on havin' such a talented star student?"
no subject
Date: 2017-08-14 09:18 pm (UTC)Annnd then it's back to looking at him strangely while he talks about how fit her uncle is. What is she supposed to make of that? "Everyone has a body, Harrowheart," she says, a little more hotly than she intended. "He has a body, I have a body, even you have a body."
She's all too happy to move the conversation along. "You don't have to if you don't want to. You don't have to talk to anyone you don't want to."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-15 02:04 pm (UTC)Suddenly he's unable to hide a cheeky grin that spreads across his face like a mold. "Besides," he says, back to his forced casualness that comes with side-eyes and expectantly raised eyebrows, "He's no Sagyne."
But Harrowheart isn't schooled in the noble art of keeping his emotions under wraps, and not a few seconds after saying that he's already laughing. His mischievous smile turns to one of fondness as he looks at Isidor. He very nearly reaches out to put a hand on her arm, but stops short and instead folds his hands behind his back.
"And neither of them are Isidor."
He keeps up his gentle smile for another moment or two before he rolls his eyes and lightly smirks. "And I already practiced not talkin' to people I don't like. I had to get away from Poenia right quick, or I woulda knocked her out cold right there in the ballroom. You shoulda heard what she was sayin'."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-15 09:25 pm (UTC)Poenia is a good change of topic. The moment her name is said Isidor scowls. "I don't think I want to know, but I can guess. Gods I hate that woman. If I could just get a good fight with her she'd change her tune, but Sagyne is a good patron. He'd rather accept the challenges on her behalf than let me near her. I don't know how she's Oraskis' daughter."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-18 01:19 am (UTC)He goes to lean in, surely to whisper something in Isidor's ear, but before he gets too close he once again remembers himself and returns to standing upright. "We'll have to 'arrange a meeting' between the two of you some day. Settle the score, huh? Maybe when Sagyne is out of the picture..."
Whatever that means. And it is even ethical to be scheming this in a party full of Durants and others? Probably not. Harrowheart knows it, too.
"I oughta let you go, before folks think we got too much to say to each other, but... How's your night been? And–" he glances around, this time only with his eyes. "If you see that necromancer around, can you throw him off my scent? I've been avoidin' him... Winnin' that chase so far."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-18 07:49 pm (UTC)"I'm way ahead of you. I've already gotten him caught up in several long winded conversations. I'll keep it up, don't worry." The grin that reveals itself is proud, and the nod that follows says 'I've got your back'. "My night has been fine. Busy. There are so many people to keep an eye on..." She turns her head and, spotting Viatorus, smiles fondly. "Viatorus looks happy, and that's the most important thing." She returns her attention back to Harrowheart then. "Still, I'm glad I got to dance for him. He always says I should do it more."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-21 04:24 am (UTC)"Seeing you dance just this once was wonderful enough, but I think he's right. You should do it more. When you were there in the center of the crowd, focused, workin' hard, doin' your best... I-I don't know, maybe I'm readin' into things, but you looked proud of yourself. And when you're proud, you're happy. And when you're happy..."
He pauses. There's a number of things he'd like to say but under the watchful eyes of a crowd he won't risk it. It's bad enough how unsubtle he is in giving her a fond smile that suggests what he can't tell her: Her happiness is gorgeous. Her happiness is his happiness.
"I should go," he finally whispers, his expression only tempered slightly by the realization that he's staring. "I should let you get back to business." A few seconds of hesitation pass before he nods, and, quieter still, finishes, "Pretend I gave you the goodbye I wish I could."
no subject
Date: 2017-08-24 07:51 pm (UTC)Sadness passes across her features but she soon realises herself and smiles again. "Of course. I will." Getting back to her normal self, she smirks. "You try to have fun this evening... While you avoid some of the guests."