A Night of Ecstasy (IC/MT/OPEN)

[Draycora]

[spoiler=OOC - Application!]If you want to join, click here![/spoiler]


The sun was still above the horizon when the gates to the Freya temple in Halsholm opened. A lot of guests were now moving into the sky-blue stucco marble building. When you enter the building, the smell of perfume and rose oil came immediately to mind. The Elvish guests could be distinguished from others by the traditional festive clothing. The men in eccentric velvet jackets, some with floor-length cloaks and decorated walking sticks. The women, on the other hand, showed their extravagance with their charms. Dresses with large openings that showed a lot of skin, the hidden areas glowing and sparkling in bright colors. Priestesses (the temple at Halsholm only employs women) of the goddess Freya were everywhere in the temple. They also wore revealing dresses, mostly in magenta, purple, or burgundy.
When you enter the temple, you come into a round hall in the middle of which is a fountain from which not red, but sweet, red Filou wine runs. The inner facade consists of gold-tipped stucco marble in blue and red. There were frescoes on the ceilings showing the Freya on her cart. Behind the hall was the main room of the temple - a large hall with a large statue in the style of David, under which a sacrificial altar can be seen. A huge buffet table was set up, on which, in addition to many types of wine, there were also snacks, huge, extravagant cakes and of course meat with side dishes. On the edges of the hall stood chaise longue, which was already occupied by some guests and priestesses. A door led from the hall to the large garden, where the dance floor will later be.In the temple itself, servants were running with tablets on their hands and served sparkling wine or empty glasses for the wine fountain. Some cats can be found in the temple. Some cuddle up to priestesses in the chaise lounge, others scatter through the temple and still others watch the hustle and bustle from the interior balconies on the upper floor.
This was the picture that will open up to all guests from near and far. This is the beginning of a night of ecstasy.

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

George Fenwick II arrives.

[Brettenwald]

George Fenwick II arrives.

OOC: I'm not OP, but maybe consider applying first? viewtopic.php?f=4&t=488052

[The Selkie]

Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.
Coming to Draycora had been... interesting.
We had quite a few things in common, but there were still so many differences, that one could hardly believe, that these things in common were indeed things, which we had in common. One example: Temples and parties.
No Priest would ever even think about having a party in the temple - the garden, maybe, under very certain circumstances, but never in the temple itself.
Yet, here I was with my friend and colleague Caja Rois of the Tribe of Fermanagh, a charming redhead.
We were, sadly, not here for the parties, though. We had come to Draycora because the two of us were sellers and merchants. We worked for the Mangaire Dealership Company, a company, that bought and sold weapons, military equipment and quite a few other things to all those, who could afford them - however, we were here as merchants of our own little company, Capall Sciathán Trading. CST exported luxury goods, in our particular case, that was mostly whiskey.
Tonight, however, we were there to enjoy ourselves after one and a half weeks of business negotiations and work. This was our last night in Draycora as well, tomorrow our odyssey back to the Free Lands would begin (with a stopover in Kyrenaia, though).
As we entered the temple, I did not miss the wine fountain, Filouse or something, if I remembered correctly. Sweet stuff. I'd certainly get a cup to try it later from one of the waiters.
One quickly gathered, that this Freya Temple attracted a lot of extravagantly dressed people tonight and neither Caja nor myself were exceptions by local standards - after all, the two of us were wearing Geansai in our respective Tribe's Colours, me in Waterford's Blue and Green, Caja in Fermanagh's Red and Gold. While real fur was part of the ensemble, this one was made of cheap Tine-Fur - it could get dirty.
And it emphasized our curves in the simple, yet very effective way we were known for.
Add in Abhcan's Cadence, the very specific way of walking with swinging hips, emphasized by the specific cut of the skirt, hip-short on the left, knee-long on the right, and more then one head would turn.
For now, however, we walked more normally, enjoying the sight of the inside, the frescoes and statues, the cats and, admittedly, the buffet. The dance floor was outside.
I smiled at Caja and motioned into that direction, she nodded with a grin.
That was our first target, then, grabbing two flutes of sparkling wine from a waiter.
Well, let's see, where the evening goes...

[AHSCA]

Between the two of them, Kumiko and Reina had been just about everywhere they could imagine and hope to. Well okay, maybe not everywhere but quite a few places without a doubt. This could include any number of festivals, celebrations and other gala events to really make a memorable trip. Kumiko probably got on the tourist end of that a bit more; with her job as a shop keep, a shop specializing greatly in foreign goods meant she was often on the road to buy things to resell. It took a toll, it could be lonely at times if she couldn't bring her daughter along, and expensive which meant taking up a sort of secondary job as a reserve sailor on certain voyages. It's rather how she came to meet her now wife, Reina.

Reina a born and bred sailor practically, a long history of it in her family. Sky watchers, fisherman, divers, merchants, ferry captains and the like. Reina another notch of her family's long time maritime tradition was aboard a ship that so happened to have Kumiko and how the two met and became friends, eventually girlfriends and now here they are wives! Well what a better way to celebrate your new marriage than with a festival dedicated to love and festivity. A ball dedicated to a a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr. It didn't seem too far off from AHSCA's own Goddesses, a real light and dark, high and low dynamic between them so they may find something in common with the people here. Madokamisim also didn't deal in absolutism like some religions do, so it was common for those to believe other deities of other realms or domains existed or overlapped even.

Both women entered the temple, Kumiko wearing a white floral print yukata, her bushy brown hair tied in a ponytail topped with a flower decoration in her hair. Reina, dressed in a deep blue floral print yukata, steely violet eyes of determination, lovely black storm cloud hair, tied in a long ponytail a matching yellow flower in her hair to compliment her wife. Was this all real? It seemed very dreamlike to them but here they were. Reina admired the beautiful marble and lovely art of Freya that adorned the ceiling. This was a bit more elaborate than even their own temple back home, and the stone temple back home was probably the most revered building there.

"This is a beautiful place." Reina remarked she squeezed gently on the hand of her girl.

"The smell or rose oil and wine ads to this atomsphere."

"I have to hand it to you, Kumiko, you picked a really good event to have us come to." she smiled at her and Kumiko smiled back

"What, you didn't think I would?"

"Aha I didn't mean it like that..." Reina nervously responded to her faux pa "Just I don't know I guess i was expecting you'd be almost all business. Sorry I just don't know what it's like some times with you, running a store it's so important."

"It is, but I know how to put work aside you know. I thought the same when we sailed here, the moment things would get rough you'd snap into sailor mode and join the ranks on deck."

"W-well, i might have but that storm wasn't so bad. They had it handled and besides I didn't bring any gear along."

"So I guess we can agree we're capable of letting our work go aside and not be so consumed by it, right? So now we're here and we can enjoy ourselves as a couple of tourists, right?"

"Right. I guess tourists drink so maybe we should drink a little. Just don't get carried away."

"Hehe fine, I won't. But I think we should eat too, just in case one of us ends up having to carry the other back. I saw some delightful looking cakes but meat sounds good too. Oh though I think this runs on a schedule so maybe we should wait a bit." Both noticed as cats often roamed and some brushed against their ankles "ah neko here." Kumiko giggled "Cute!"

"It is adorable. Think they worship cats here?"

"I don't know, maybe just a different attitude towards roaming cats. You've worked on a few ships that had them didn't you?"

"Yeah to keep mice away."

[Munkcestrian RepubIic]

George Fenwick II arrives.

OOC: I'm not OP, but maybe consider applying first? viewtopic.php?f=4&t=488052

OOC: It says "OPEN".

[Draycora]

OOC: I'm not OP, but maybe consider applying first? viewtopic.php?f=4&t=488052

OOC: It says "OPEN".

OOC: Please apply first, there is an OOC thread for it. Like in every other RP.

[Brettenwald]

Alois: I stood at the base of the steps, drinking in the temple's architecture and stunning color scheme. "It is impressive, isn't it? Rather . . . extroverted." Felix studied it with an appraising air. "I thought you were into that, darling." He blushed. "Only on you." Standing a head taller than him, I was attired in a cream-colored suit cut in a rakish Italian style with a matching tie & a navy blue dress shirt. Jewelry's considered gender-neutral back home, so I had an intricately engraved gold bracelet with a matching necklace and ring. He wore a charcoal suit with a black tie & white shirt, but no accessories other than his Apple Watch and the single earring he'd gotten at 17 in a fit of rebellious teenage pique aimed at his parents. We made our way up the steps, with Felix stopping to scratch a friendly cat behind the ears. "I think it likes me. I wonder why all the cats are here." "Maybe they take in strays. I don't think they worship them, but I could be wrong." Felix was a little uncomfortable around cats, but he seemed to get along well with my big longhair forest cat at home.

"Is that a wine fountain in there? I love these people. Elves are just so gloriously extra." Entering into an equally extravagant hall, Felix zeroed in on a waiter and acquired two glasses of champagne. I raised one in a toast, clinking it with his. "To the future!" Our future together, as well as his future career as a lawyer. The score to Satie's Gnossienne no.2 flitted around my brain. As a pianist, it's hard to keep music out of my mind. "What's Freya goddess of again?" I think for a second. "Sex, love, fertility, etcetera. Oh, I know what's up with the cats! Freya's occasionally depicted as riding in a chariot pulled by a team of giant cats. Another drink?" I retrieved a glass of wine each from the fountain. Sweet, mild, not the best I've ever tasted but still quite good. "This should be a lovely evening. Excellent drinks, excellent food -here, try one of these cheese tart things, they're amazing- plenty of interesting people to socialize with, lovely music and dancing. It's just what you need, Fel, you've been working your ass off for Goddess knows how long. Enjoy yourself tonight."

[Draycora]

Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.

Coming to Draycora had been... interesting.
We had quite a few things in common, but there were still so many differences, that one could hardly believe, that these things in common were indeed things, which we had in common. One example: Temples and parties.
No Priest would ever even think about having a party in the temple - the garden, maybe, under very certain circumstances, but never in the temple itself.
Yet, here I was with my friend and colleague Caja Rois of the Tribe of Fermanagh, a charming redhead.
We were, sadly, not here for the parties, though. We had come to Draycora because the two of us were sellers and merchants. We worked for the Mangaire Dealership Company, a company, that bought and sold weapons, military equipment and quite a few other things to all those, who could afford them - however, we were here as merchants of our own little company, Capall Sciathán Trading. CST exported luxury goods, in our particular case, that was mostly whiskey.
Tonight, however, we were there to enjoy ourselves after one and a half weeks of business negotiations and work. This was our last night in Draycora as well, tomorrow our odyssey back to the Free Lands would begin (with a stopover in Kyrenaia, though).
As we entered the temple, I did not miss the wine fountain, Filouse or something, if I remembered correctly. Sweet stuff. I'd certainly get a cup to try it later from one of the waiters.
One quickly gathered, that this Freya Temple attracted a lot of extravagantly dressed people tonight and neither Caja nor myself were exceptions by local standards - after all, the two of us were wearing Geansai in our respective Tribe's Colours, me in Waterford's Blue and Green, Caja in Fermanagh's Red and Gold. While real fur was part of the ensemble, this one was made of cheap Tine-Fur - it could get dirty.
And it emphasized our curves in the simple, yet very effective way we were known for.
Add in Abhcan's Cadence, the very specific way of walking with swinging hips, emphasized by the specific cut of the skirt, hip-short on the left, knee-long on the right, and more then one head would turn.
For now, however, we walked more normally, enjoying the sight of the inside, the frescoes and statues, the cats and, admittedly, the buffet. The dance floor was outside.
I smiled at Caja and motioned into that direction, she nodded with a grin.
That was our first target, then, grabbing two flutes of sparkling wine from a waiter.
Well, let's see, where the evening goes...

When the Selkie walked through the temple, you could already hear a little music in the background, but this seemed to come from some priestesses who were strumming a little on guitars in addition to talking. The garden could already be entered, but the dance floor and an associated orchestra are still under construction, as it will be opened after the speech of the chairperson. The waiters came quickly when called and handed over two glasses of champagne, which shimmered in a light pink.
If the two Selkies looked around in the crowd of guests, two guests might catch their eye.
First, a middle-aged woman (in her late 30s). She wore colors similar to the priestesses, but her dress was much more opulent. Her shoulders were free, but the collar surrounding them was pink fur. The rest of the dress was a darker pink. The upper half was close to the upper body and the lower half was knee-length, similar to a cocktail dress. However, this could only be seen from the front, since the underside is otherwise covered by throws that reached the floor and were covered with artificial roses and diamonds.
The second person who caught the eye was a young woman standing at the buffet. It was not even her dress that stood out, even if it is remarkable: it had a continuous, deep royal blue color and was clinking. Shoulders and back were free, the neckline was deep and the brown, Mediterranean skin and the brown, long hair, which stood in a perm from the head. This differed from the usually fair-skinned elves.

Kumiko and Reina

Between the two of them, Kumiko and Reina had been just about everywhere they could imagine and hope to. Well okay, maybe not everywhere but quite a few places without a doubt. This could include any number of festivals, celebrations and other gala events to really make a memorable trip. Kumiko probably got on the tourist end of that a bit more; with her job as a shop keep, a shop specializing greatly in foreign goods meant she was often on the road to buy things to resell. It took a toll, it could be lonely at times if she couldn't bring her daughter along, and expensive which meant taking up a sort of secondary job as a reserve sailor on certain voyages. It's rather how she came to meet her now wife, Reina.

Reina a born and bred sailor practically, a long history of it in her family. Sky watchers, fisherman, divers, merchants, ferry captains and the like. Reina another notch of her family's long time maritime tradition was aboard a ship that so happened to have Kumiko and how the two met and became friends, eventually girlfriends and now here they are wives! Well what a better way to celebrate your new marriage than with a festival dedicated to love and festivity. A ball dedicated to a a goddess associated with love, beauty, fertility, sex, war, gold, and seiðr. It didn't seem too far off from AHSCA's own Goddesses, a real light and dark, high and low dynamic between them so they may find something in common with the people here. Madokamisim also didn't deal in absolutism like some religions do, so it was common for those to believe other deities of other realms or domains existed or overlapped even.

Both women entered the temple, Kumiko wearing a white floral print yukata, her bushy brown hair tied in a ponytail topped with a flower decoration in her hair. Reina, dressed in a deep blue floral print yukata, steely violet eyes of determination, lovely black storm cloud hair, tied in a long ponytail a matching yellow flower in her hair to compliment her wife. Was this all real? It seemed very dreamlike to them but here they were. Reina admired the beautiful marble and lovely art of Freya that adorned the ceiling. This was a bit more elaborate than even their own temple back home, and the stone temple back home was probably the most revered building there.

"This is a beautiful place." Reina remarked she squeezed gently on the hand of her girl.

"The smell or rose oil and wine ads to this atomsphere."

"I have to hand it to you, Kumiko, you picked a really good event to have us come to." she smiled at her and Kumiko smiled back

"What, you didn't think I would?"

"Aha I didn't mean it like that..." Reina nervously responded to her faux pa "Just I don't know I guess i was expecting you'd be almost all business. Sorry I just don't know what it's like some times with you, running a store it's so important."

"It is, but I know how to put work aside you know. I thought the same when we sailed here, the moment things would get rough you'd snap into sailor mode and join the ranks on deck."

"W-well, i might have but that storm wasn't so bad. They had it handled and besides I didn't bring any gear along."

"So I guess we can agree we're capable of letting our work go aside and not be so consumed by it, right? So now we're here and we can enjoy ourselves as a couple of tourists, right?"

"Right. I guess tourists drink so maybe we should drink a little. Just don't get carried away."

"Hehe fine, I won't. But I think we should eat too, just in case one of us ends up having to carry the other back. I saw some delightful looking cakes but meat sounds good too. Oh though I think this runs on a schedule so maybe we should wait a bit." Both noticed as cats often roamed and some brushed against their ankles "ah neko here." Kumiko giggled "Cute!"

"It is adorable. Think they worship cats here?"

"I don't know, maybe just a different attitude towards roaming cats. You've worked on a few ships that had them didn't you?"

"Yeah to keep mice away."

A waiter came by and offered Kumiko and Reina a glass of sparkling wine. It shimmered in a light pink tone. The buffet was already filled with people, despite the fact that the festival was just opening. However, this should not be a concern because there is plenty of refill available. The hall slowly filled up and more and more voices hold up across the room. Here and there there was a laugh or the clink of jarring glasses. Some priestesses jingled a guitar or other instrument while they were talking.
But between all the tones and sounds one could find an unusual instrument. A bit quiet and high, but still harmonious, its music sounded through the room. It came from a priestess who was holding a plucked instrument, which had a round body and a long neck. There were only four strings to play, but said priestess seemed to master this blemish virtuously. The young woman was dressed like a lady of her profession. She was wearing a loose, pink dress, which was made of transparent fabric, so that you could not disregard her body. Her blond, straight hair was tied in a ponytail and a rose petal served as a clip. She was sitting a little apart on chaiselounge, and nobody seemed to be talking to her either.


Alois

I stood at the base of the steps, drinking in the temple's architecture and stunning color scheme. "It is impressive, isn't it? Rather . . . extroverted." Felix studied it with an appraising air. "I thought you were into that, darling." He blushed. "Only on you." Standing a head taller than him, I was attired in a turquoise button-down shirt and black slacks with a black & white houndstooth sport coat, going for a snappy business-casual look since I wasn't sure of the dress code. Jewelry's considered gender-neutral back home, so I had an intricately engraved gold bracelet with a matching necklace and ring. He wore a white shirt and dark blue pants, but no accessories other than the single earring he'd gotten at 17 in a fit of rebellious teenage pique aimed at his parents. We made our way up the steps, with Felix stopping to scratch a friendly cat behind the ears. "I think it likes me. I wonder why all the cats are here." "Maybe they take in strays. I don't think they worship them, but I could be wrong." Felix was a little uncomfortable around cats, but he seemed to get along well with my big longhair forest cat at home.

"Is that a wine fountain in there? I love these people. Elves are just so gloriously extra." Entering into an equally extravagant hall, Felix zeroed in on a waiter and acquired two glasses of champagne. I raised one in a toast, clinking it with his. "To the future!" Our future together, as well as his future career as a lawyer. The score to Satie's Gnossienne no.2 flitted around my brain. As a pianist, it's hard to keep music out of my mind. "What's Freya goddess of again?" I think for a second. "Sex, love, fertility, etcetera. Oh, I know what's up with the cats! Freya's occasionally depicted as riding in a chariot pulled by a team of giant cats. Another drink?" I retrieved a glass of wine each from the fountain. Sweet, mild, not the best I've ever tasted but still quite good. "This should be a lovely evening. Excellent drinks, excellent food -here, try one of these cheese tart things, they're amazing- plenty of interesting people to socialize with, lovely music and dancing. It's just what you need, Fel, you've been working your ass off for Goddess knows how long. Enjoy yourself tonight."

In their causal clothing, the two men looked somewhat strikingly inconspicuous under all the pomp around them. The jewelry on Alois, however, was less atypical. Long hair and flashy clothing were typical, and the couple could even tell that some men were wearing makeup. The room gradually filled with people, the most striking were the priestesses, who made room for themselves on the chaise longue in their revealing pastel clothes. While talking to guests, some plucked instruments played, others drank a glass and others stroked the beautiful cats. The temple garden is already accessible, but the dance floor has not yet been opened, which is why many guests prefer to stay in the temple and preheat.
When the two are at the buffet, they see a couple. You are young adults. The gentleman wore a large black felt hat, velvet jacket and floor-length cloak, had long, open blond hair, a pipe in the corner of his mouth and carried a stick with a gold-plated knob. She had a soft face and her hair was also up and hung wildly over her shoulders. A gold evening dress with long sleeves but open legs wrapped around her body. The guy saw the couple, eyed them briefly and toasted them.

[The Selkie]

[...]

When the Selkie walked through the temple, you could already hear a little music in the background, but this seemed to come from some priestesses who were strumming a little on guitars in addition to talking. The garden could already be entered, but the dance floor and an associated orchestra are still under construction, as it will be opened after the speech of the chairperson. The waiters came quickly when called and handed over two glasses of champagne, which shimmered in a light pink.
If the two Selkies looked around in the crowd of guests, two guests might catch their eye.
First, a middle-aged woman (in her late 30s). She wore colors similar to the priestesses, but her dress was much more opulent. Her shoulders were free, but the collar surrounding them was pink fur. The rest of the dress was a darker pink. The upper half was close to the upper body and the lower half was knee-length, similar to a cocktail dress. However, this could only be seen from the front, since the underside is otherwise covered by throws that reached the floor and were covered with artificial roses and diamonds.
The second person who caught the eye was a young woman standing at the buffet. It was not even her dress that stood out, even if it is remarkable: it had a continuous, deep royal blue color and was clinking. Shoulders and back were free, the neckline was deep and the brown, Mediterranean skin and the brown, long hair, which stood in a perm from the head. This differed from the usually fair-skinned elves.

[...]

Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.
While there was some music already, a bit of strumming on guitars of Priestesses in conversation, honestly, it looked a lot like a jamming session from afar, the garden was already open.
We opted against going in there, for now, we wanted to catch the speech.
That, and there were people catching our eyes.
One was a woman, I would put her towards the end of her thirties, in an opulent dress in a similar colour then the Priestesses, so it stood to reason, that she was associated with them somehow, we presumed. She also wore fur, which was comforting as our own Geansai was thus not a cultural taboo. Her dress was quite something, too.
The other darker-skinned then the Elves around her, which made her stand out a bit, like a Kyrenaian would at a Marcach-Tournament. Her deep blue dress brought that to the forefront as well and the cut was quite charming.
To be honest, if I wouldn't default to wear Geansai often, I could imagine myself wearing a dress similar to that - though in a different colour.
Anyway, as we took the first nibbles and sipped at our glasses light pink champagne, not something we saw often, we did not approach either of them, instead looking available - that was the Merchant in us, I guess.
With other, very obviously foreign, guests arriving, too, we at least weren't too much of sore thumbs, but what exactly would happen tonight was only known to the stars.

[Champagne Socialist Sharifistan]

OOC: I'm not OP, but maybe consider applying first? viewtopic.php?f=4&t=488052

OOC: It says "OPEN".

OOC: there is an application form there.
Why if you're not supposed to apply first?

[Brettenwald]

In their causal clothing, the two men looked somewhat strikingly inconspicuous under all the pomp around them. The jewelry on Alois, however, was less atypical. Long hair and flashy clothing were typical, and the couple could even tell that some men were wearing makeup. The room gradually filled with people, the most striking were the priestesses, who made room for themselves on the chaise longue in their revealing pastel clothes. While talking to guests, some plucked instruments played, others drank a glass and others stroked the beautiful cats. The temple garden is already accessible, but the dance floor has not yet been opened, which is why many guests prefer to stay in the temple and preheat.
When the two are at the buffet, they see a couple. You are young adults. The gentleman wore a large black felt hat, velvet jacket and floor-length cloak, had long, open blond hair, a pipe in the corner of his mouth and carried a stick with a gold-plated knob. She had a soft face and her hair was also up and hung wildly over her shoulders. A gold evening dress with long sleeves but open legs wrapped around her body. The guy saw the couple, eyed them briefly and toasted them.

Alois:
"I feel underdressed," Alois muttered under his breath.
"Goddess be good. You, of all people, saying that? I'm glad I'm sitting down."
"Oh, shut up, you." He punched Felix playfully in the arm. "I bet you're enjoying all the eye candy. Should I tell the hotel concierge we're having guests tonight?" He gave Felix a salacious wink, getting a glare that would have cracked concrete in response but also a blush and a suppressed laugh. "I'm just teasing." The pair lost themselves in the exotic sights, sounds, and smells for some time. "Now that is what I call an outfit." Alois raised a glass of excellent whiskey in response to a toast from a fabulously attired blond gentleman with an equally attractive lady on his arm. "C'mon Felix, on your feet. Etiquette demands . . . Good evening, sir, madam. I'm Alois Morvan, this is my partner Felix Lantzheit, and you are?"

[Champagne Socialist Sharifistan]

Pilot Officer Afet Asker walks in with the air of a succubus, her hips swaying from side to side and her eyes presenting a misleadingly virginal demeanour.
She then walks into the temple with the smile of a siren, luring it's prey with it's song.
She then enters, dressed to lure men to their demises.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

King Alastair IV

Alastair tried to keep his gaze fixed directly before him as he entered the temple. There were so many scantily clad priestesses, servers with trays of wine glasses, cakes, meat dishes, and, of course, guests that he could not help but feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed. But an invitation from a foreign nation was not to be ignored, especially when the invite was connected to a religious holiday.

It was awkward, really, considering that he was Catholic and knew almost nothing about pagan mythology. He felt very out of his element, even with the promise of wine, and sensed that Marie and Wilhelm were, as well.

Marie, whose arm was linked through his, noticed one of the servers with wine. "Don't overdo it with the alcohol, Alastair. I'm not in the mood to drag you out of a pagan temple in front of an international audience."

"I will try my best." He gritted his teeth.

"I have a feeling that almost everyone will end up blackout drunk ere the end of the night," grunted Wilhelm. "Whoever the cleanup crew is, they are not going to get paid enough."

"That goes for you, too." Marie arched her eyebrows at Wilhelm.

"Hey, I can take care of myself. It's Allie here who we have to watch." Wilhelm tousled Alastair's curls.

Alastair jerked away from his brother, ruffled. "Stop it." The last thing he needed was for Wilhelm to tease him in public. Granted, most people here would not recognize them as Western Fardelshufflesteiner royals, but he didn't want the other guests to label him a target for their taunts.

They will do that anyway, because you are prone to making a fool of yourself. Thou art a coxcomb, Alastair, an utter disgrace, and your ancestors frown upon you. He tilted his head upward, away from the sultry gazes of Elven women (though he doubted they were directed at him), only for the red liquid of the fountain to catch his eye.

Wait...was that a fountain of wine?

Marie must have noticed the fountain at the same time as Alastair, for she gave his arm a tug before steering him to the side. Wilhelm trotted after them, occasionally glancing over at the fountain and fiddling with the bowtie of his tuxedo. His outfit was, other than being several sizes smaller, identical to Alastair's, and was hopefully immune to wine stains.

Queen Marie

As soon as the cascades of burgundy liquid caught her eye, Marie knew her husband was in grave trouble.

His alcohol consumption had skyrocketed over the past month, and he'd spent nearly every night drinking himself into oblivion; his acceptance of this invitation was undoubtedly related to the guarantee of wine. Alastair spent most of his time during the day slogging through the duties that came with running a nation or staring vacuously into space, believing himself to be fine, until he could get his hands on one of those cursed beverages.

Once she was mere centimetres from the wall, she stopped and whirled her husband around. His eyes were still trained on the fountain; she grabbed his chin and forcibly swiveled his head so he had no choice but to look at her.

"Alastair. Listen to me." Marie's voice shook with fear and anger. "Alastair. You must promise me that you will not drink from that fountain. You have to stay away from it. Please." Her entire body was trembling. "Alastair, you're killing yourself. I don't want you to end up hurt, or severely ill, or...worse."

Lethargically, Alastair nodded. Because Marie had refused to leave his side all day, he'd had nothing to drink since last night at dinner, and was suffering from withdrawal.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Of course. And I will always love you."

She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. He reeked of a distillery. "I just want you to be okay."

"I know." Alastair began to tenderly stroke her hair. "I will be fine. I'll be okay."

Marie sensed he was just saying what he thought she wanted to hear.

Prince Wilhelm

Deciding to give Marie and Alastair some space, Wilhelm wandered toward the buffet. He wasn't immediately hungry or thirsty; however, knowing the nature of this event, he should gather provisions before everything had been groped by drunken hands.

The innuendo made him crack a smile. His plan was to avoid any form of intimate pleasure tonight, of course, and stay away from the alcohol if possible. However, that did not mean he couldn't laugh at his own jokes.

Wilhelm's hand gravitated toward his nose, which was splinted from a brawl he'd had with Alastair last July. Both of them had gotten drunk at the palace bar, Alastair more so than Wilhelm, and Wilhelm made the mistake of teasing Alastair for gaining a few kilos. He'd meant it in a loving way, but Alastair was deeply insulted. One thing led to another, most of it not remembered by either of them, and Wilhelm had found himself holding Alastair in a headlock. He'd started punching Alastair's stomach until his brother slammed his fist directly into Wilhelm's nose.

Fortunately, the two of them had made up that evening, once Wilhelm's nose was splinted and he'd slept off most of his hangover. But Wilhlem had been reluctant to touch a drop of alcohol ever since.

Suddenly, he felt something on his right shoulder. Wilhelm turned and realized there was an Elven woman, barely dressed and imperiously beautiful, giving him a seductive stare. His muscles stiffened from anxiety and embarrassment. "Hell...lo?" he managed, unsure how to react.

[Champagne Socialist Sharifistan]

King Alastair IV

Alastair tried to keep his gaze fixed directly before him as he entered the temple. There were so many scantily clad priestesses, servers with trays of wine glasses, cakes, meat dishes, and, of course, guests that he could not help but feel uncomfortable and overwhelmed. But an invitation from a foreign nation was not to be ignored, especially when the invite was connected to a religious holiday.

It was awkward, really, considering that he was Catholic and knew almost nothing about pagan mythology. He felt very out of his element, even with the promise of wine, and sensed that Marie and Wilhelm were, as well.

Marie, whose arm was linked through his, noticed one of the servers with wine. "Don't overdo it with the alcohol, Alastair. I'm not in the mood to drag you out of a pagan temple in front of an international audience."

"I will try my best." He gritted his teeth.

"I have a feeling that almost everyone will end up blackout drunk ere the end of the night," grunted Wilhelm. "Whoever the cleanup crew is, they are not going to get paid enough."

"That goes for you, too." Marie arched her eyebrows at Wilhelm.

"Hey, I can take care of myself. It's Allie here who we have to watch." Wilhelm tousled Alastair's curls.

Alastair jerked away from his brother, ruffled. "Stop it." The last thing he needed was for Wilhelm to tease him in public. Granted, most people here would not recognize them as Western Fardelshufflesteiner royals, but he didn't want the other guests to label him a target for their taunts.

They will do that anyway, because you are prone to making a fool of yourself. Thou art a coxcomb, Alastair, an utter disgrace, and your ancestors frown upon you. He tilted his head upward, away from the sultry gazes of Elven women (though he doubted they were directed at him), only for the red liquid of the fountain to catch his eye.

Wait...was that a fountain of wine?

Marie must have noticed the fountain at the same time as Alastair, for she gave his arm a tug before steering him to the side. Wilhelm trotted after them, occasionally glancing over at the fountain and fiddling with the bowtie of his tuxedo. His outfit was, other than being several sizes smaller, identical to Alastair's, and was hopefully immune to wine stains.

Queen Marie

As soon as the cascades of burgundy liquid caught her eye, Marie knew her husband was in grave trouble.

His alcohol consumption had skyrocketed over the past month, and he'd spent nearly every night drinking himself into oblivion; his acceptance of this invitation was undoubtedly related to the guarantee of wine. Alastair spent most of his time during the day slogging through the duties that came with running a nation or staring vacuously into space, believing himself to be fine, until he could get his hands on one of those cursed beverages.

Once she was mere centimetres from the wall, she stopped and whirled her husband around. His eyes were still trained on the fountain; she grabbed his chin and forcibly swiveled his head so he had no choice but to look at her.

"Alastair. Listen to me." Marie's voice shook with fear and anger. "Alastair. You must promise me that you will not drink from that fountain. You have to stay away from it. Please." Her entire body was trembling. "Alastair, you're killing yourself. I don't want you to end up hurt, or severely ill, or...worse."

Lethargically, Alastair nodded. Because Marie had refused to leave his side all day, he'd had nothing to drink since last night at dinner, and was suffering from withdrawal.

"You know I love you, right?"

"Of course. And I will always love you."

She wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. He reeked of a distillery. "I just want you to be okay."

"I know." Alastair began to tenderly stroke her hair. "I will be fine. I'll be okay."

Marie sensed he was just saying what he thought she wanted to hear.

Prince Wilhelm

Deciding to give Marie and Alastair some space, Wilhelm wandered toward the buffet. He wasn't immediately hungry or thirsty; however, knowing the nature of this event, he should gather provisions before everything had been groped by drunken hands.

The innuendo made him crack a smile. His plan was to avoid any form of intimate pleasure tonight, of course, and stay away from the alcohol if possible. However, that did not mean he couldn't laugh at his own jokes.

Wilhelm's hand gravitated toward his nose, which was splinted from a brawl he'd had with Alastair last July. Both of them had gotten drunk at the palace bar, Alastair more so than Wilhelm, and Wilhelm made the mistake of teasing Alastair for gaining a few kilos. He'd meant it in a loving way, but Alastair was deeply insulted. One thing led to another, most of it not remembered by either of them, and Wilhelm had found himself holding Alastair in a headlock. He'd started punching Alastair's stomach until his brother slammed his fist directly into Wilhelm's nose.

Fortunately, the two of them had made up that evening, once Wilhelm's nose was splinted and he'd slept off most of his hangover. But Wilhlem had been reluctant to touch a drop of alcohol ever since.

Suddenly, he felt something on his right shoulder. Wilhelm turned and realized there was an Elven woman, barely dressed and imperiously beautiful, giving him a seductive stare. His muscles stiffened from anxiety and embarrassment. "Hell...lo?" he managed, unsure how to react.

In an attempt to distract Prince Wilhelm from the other girl and cultivate him as a contact she walks towards him playing with her hair.
"Hello, my lord Prince" she says, smiling in a way that could gave a false impression of innocence,
if not for her clothes.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

Prince Wilhelm

Just as Wilhelm registered the presence of the elven woman, a second lady appeared.

She was, evidently, not an elf, but she carried herself with an air of false innocence. "Hello, my lord Prince," she crooned, flashing him a saccharine smile.

Wilhelm had no idea how to react. He was just standing here, minding his own business, and now there were two people attempting to seduce him. Was he really that interesting? His nose splint was certainly not doing him any favors in the attractiveness department. Damn Google, letting strangers know what I look like....

Desperately, he looked in Alastair's direction. His brother was being caressed by Marie, who seemed intent on keeping him away from the wine fountain. He really did look ill, Wilhelm noted, and miserable, which made Wilhelm wonder how Alastair was still in one piece.

"Titles are irrelevant," he sputtered, gently removing the elf's hand from his shoulder. "They're stupid. Then again, so am I."

[Champagne Socialist Sharifistan]

Prince Wilhelm

Just as Wilhelm registered the presence of the elven woman, a second lady appeared.

She was, evidently, not an elf, but she carried herself with an air of false innocence. "Hello, my lord Prince," she crooned, flashing him a saccharine smile.

Wilhelm had no idea how to react. He was just standing here, minding his own business, and now there were two people attempting to seduce him. Was he really that interesting? His nose splint was certainly not doing him any favors in the attractiveness department. Damn Google, letting strangers know what I look like....

Desperately, he looked in Alastair's direction. His brother was being caressed by Marie, who seemed intent on keeping him away from the wine fountain. He really did look ill, Wilhelm noted, and miserable, which made Wilhelm wonder how Alastair was still in one piece.

"Titles are irrelevant," he sputtered, gently removing the elf's hand from his shoulder. "They're stupid. Then again, so am I."

"You're not stupid, you're wise enough to know titles are irrelevant for one thing, for another knowing that you don't know everything is another sign of wisdom,
Socrates knew that" said Afet, whilst showing a submissive facial expression.

[Draycora]

Event for everyone.
The conversations fall silent as a special guest arrived. A young, beautiful lady entered the room. She was wearing a salmon-colored dress, which flowed a lot in flowing lainen to the floor and connected to the head with a kind of crown. Every now and then the red-brown hair looked out of this construction. Her fawn eyes looked around and analyzed the room, while her mouth smiled slightly - she seemed to appreciate this moment of attention. The older, colorfully decorated priest, who the Selkies had already noticed, turned her eyes to the lady. She smiled, went up to them and both hugged each other warmly and kissed each other on the cheek.That was the end of the silence and everyone went back to talking as if nothing had happened.

Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.

While there was some music already, a bit of strumming on guitars of Priestesses in conversation, honestly, it looked a lot like a jamming session from afar, the garden was already open.
We opted against going in there, for now, we wanted to catch the speech.
That, and there were people catching our eyes.
One was a woman, I would put her towards the end of her thirties, in an opulent dress in a similar colour then the Priestesses, so it stood to reason, that she was associated with them somehow, we presumed. She also wore fur, which was comforting as our own Geansai was thus not a cultural taboo. Her dress was quite something, too.
The other darker-skinned then the Elves around her, which made her stand out a bit, like a Kyrenaian would at a Marcach-Tournament. Her deep blue dress brought that to the forefront as well and the cut was quite charming.
To be honest, if I wouldn't default to wear Geansai often, I could imagine myself wearing a dress similar to that - though in a different colour.
Anyway, as we took the first nibbles and sipped at our glasses light pink champagne, not something we saw often, we did not approach either of them, instead looking available - that was the Merchant in us, I guess.
With other, very obviously foreign, guests arriving, too, we at least weren't too much of sore thumbs, but what exactly would happen tonight was only known to the stars.

The sparkling wine was fruity and sweet at the same time, but not for the faint of heart either. The sparkling wine was fruity and sweet at the same time, but not for the faint of heart either. People were talking when the event described above happened. The great priestess who kept an eye on the Selkies approached the person entering and was thus distracted. The Mediterranean girl also looked up when they all did, then noticed the Selkie's looks and nodded to them. She raises the glass towards the Selkie as if to toast. If one is familiar with the Elvish ball culture, then one knows that this is an invitation to a conversation.

Alois

Alois:
"I feel underdressed," Alois muttered under his breath.
"Goddess be good. You, of all people, saying that? I'm glad I'm sitting down."
"Oh, shut up, you." He punched Felix playfully in the arm. "I bet you're enjoying all the eye candy. Should I tell the hotel concierge we're having guests tonight?" He gave Felix a salacious wink, getting a glare that would have cracked concrete in response but also a blush and a suppressed laugh. "I'm just teasing." The pair lost themselves in the exotic sights, sounds, and smells for some time. "Now that is what I call an outfit." Alois raised a glass of excellent whiskey in response to a toast from a fabulously attired blond gentleman with an equally attractive lady on his arm. "C'mon Felix, on your feet. Etiquette demands . . . Good evening, sir, madam. I'm Alois Morvan, this is my partner Felix Lantzheit, and you are?"

The young man smiled when the two understood the gesture. When they introduced themselves as Alois and Felix, he made a little bend forward.
"Good evening, gentlemen," he said in a surprisingly deep, yet melodic voice, which was probably caused by his accent. "My name is Oakki Kivistö and this is my wife Finja". He indicated his company. This smiled and leaned forward a little and said smiling "Very pleased to meet you". They didn't seem to want to shake hands.
Suddenly the voices around everyone fell silent as the person entered the above event.
Finja and Oakki also looked up and Finja's eyes started to shine and whispered something in Finnish to her husband. When the silence subsided, they turned back to the two men.
"So, Lantzheit, did I understand correctly? That sounds German - can it be?" Said Oakki afterwards.

[Danceria]

It was meant to be incognito, and so far it was. The baby-faced young lad, scarcely over eighteen, had found himself among the sweet scented temple of Freya. It was quite different from any Greatshrine or Cathedral he had attended, not that he had the chance for travels-even his studies were mostly confined to studying or academia. But for once, he decided to step outside the shadow of his station.

Under a nomme de plume, of course. Hopefully nobody would recognize him-and so far he was not. Observant dark eyes noted the presence of some, the Genasi of the Selkie-folk, the sinister submissiveness of a Sharifistani, and the throngs of Draycorans who attended the Great Goddess-either out of base revelry or a further spiritual tie.

From his elder brother's nosyness, he learned that the good King Aceus was a bit more spiritual, having attended the Ahscan Isles for...clarity or meditation. To be frank he didn't quite have a similar spiritual connection that any good King should. He envied that.

On the subject of both the nature of spirits and song, the young lad was unknowingly drawn towards the four-stringed instrument, the pink wine, and the company of the two Ahscans.

[Western Fardelshufflestein]

"You're not stupid, you're wise enough to know titles are irrelevant for one thing, for another knowing that you don't know everything is another sign of wisdom,
Socrates knew that" said Afet, whilst showing a submissive facial expression.

"Panicking does not make me wise." Wilhelm fixed his gaze on the wall behind Marie and Alastair, refusing to acknowledge what was happening.

"No, but acknowledging that you are fallible does." The elf girl, who up until now had been silent, rested her chin on Wilhelm's shoulder. She ran her left hand through his hair and down his neck, not bothering to stop when she reached his clothing, and continued until Wilhelm flinched.

"You are so nervous," she purred. "Perhaps a bit of wine would calm you."

[Brettenwald]

snip

"Very pleased to meet you both," Alois said, always the more extroverted of the pair, before grabbing another glass of wine. "The name's Germanic in origin. We're from Brettenwald, so there are definite similarities," Felix chimed in. He was unusually sociable tonight, but Alois couldn't tell whether it was from drinking or anticipation of an adventurous night. "Yours is a very . . . different country to ours, I must say. In good ways, naturally."
"Oh, don't start boring these lovely people with politics, we're here to have fun. So," Alois said to the couple, "tell me about yourselves. What kind of ecstasy are you here for?"

[The Selkie]

Event for everyone.
The conversations fall silent as a special guest arrived. A young, beautiful lady entered the room. She was wearing a salmon-colored dress, which flowed a lot in flowing lainen to the floor and connected to the head with a kind of crown. Every now and then the red-brown hair looked out of this construction. Her fawn eyes looked around and analyzed the room, while her mouth smiled slightly - she seemed to appreciate this moment of attention. The older, colorfully decorated priest, who the Selkies had already noticed, turned her eyes to the lady. She smiled, went up to them and both hugged each other warmly and kissed each other on the cheek.That was the end of the silence and everyone went back to talking as if nothing had happened.

Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.
[...]

The sparkling wine was fruity and sweet at the same time, but not for the faint of heart either. The sparkling wine was fruity and sweet at the same time, but not for the faint of heart either. People were talking when the event described above happened. The great priestess who kept an eye on the Selkies approached the person entering and was thus distracted. The Mediterranean girl also looked up when they all did, then noticed the Selkie's looks and nodded to them. She raises the glass towards the Selkie as if to toast. If one is familiar with the Elvish ball culture, then one knows that this is an invitation to a conversation.

[...]

Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.
When the beautiful woman arrived, the conversations fell silent and Caja and I watched her proceed to meet the Priestess, which we had noticed, the two greeting each other very friendly. That broke the spell under which we had been and while the wine was sweet (and, depending on quite a few factors such as personal tolerance for such things, might prove to be the cause of headaches tomorrow), something else drew our attention.
The other woman, not the Priestess, but the other, raised her glass at us.
Now, depending on the culture one was in, it could mean many things.
In Kyrenaia, that meant a general acknowledgement of the other's presence.
In Teressien, it meant a gesture of respect.
Among the Selkie in very polite company, it was an invitation for a drink together.
Unbeknownst to us, it was similarly here, so Caja and I looked at each other and went for it - and, of course, for the woman, who had toasted towards us. If we interpreted it wrongly, we could always apologize and tell her, what such a gesture meant where we were from.
Anyway, we approached her, a slight sway in the hips - no need to not do that - and smiled.
"Good evening.", Caja greeted with a smile and a small bow, a gesture, which I followed. "How do you do?"

[Draycora]

Larsa Ferrinas Solidor

It was meant to be incognito, and so far it was. The baby-faced young lad, scarcely over eighteen, had found himself among the sweet scented temple of Freya. It was quite different from any Greatshrine or Cathedral he had attended, not that he had the chance for travels-even his studies were mostly confined to studying or academia. But for once, he decided to step outside the shadow of his station.

Under a nomme de plume, of course. Hopefully nobody would recognize him-and so far he was not. Observant dark eyes noted the presence of some, the Genasi of the Selkie-folk, the sinister submissiveness of a Sharifistani, and the throngs of Draycorans who attended the Great Goddess-either out of base revelry or a further spiritual tie.

From his elder brother's nosyness, he learned that the good King Aceus was a bit more spiritual, having attended the Ahscan Isles for...clarity or meditation. To be frank he didn't quite have a similar spiritual connection that any good King should. He envied that.

On the subject of both the nature of spirits and song, the young lad was unknowingly drawn towards the four-stringed instrument, the pink wine, and the company of the two Ahscans.

The overstimulation may seem intoxicating to many newbies. When Larsa stepped into the hall, attention hung for a brief moment of silence on a woman who had entered before him. With a knowledge of international politics and the associated gossip, one could identify this woman as Lady Mhaire Häkkinen - The wife of the Prince of Draycora. After that moment, things went back to normal.
In the meantime some groups have formed in talks. A small, blonde priestess seemed to be playing alone on an exotic instrument reminiscent of a guitar.

---

Alois

"Very pleased to meet you both," Alois said, always the more extroverted of the pair, before grabbing another glass of wine. "The name's Germanic in origin. We're from Brettenwald, so there are definite similarities," Felix chimed in. He was unusually sociable tonight, but Alois couldn't tell whether it was from drinking or anticipation of an adventurous night. "Yours is a very . . . different country to ours, I must say. In good ways, naturally."
"Oh, don't start boring these lovely people with politics, we're here to have fun. So," Alois said to the couple, "tell me about yourselves. What kind of ecstasy are you here for?"

"I'm Oakki Kivistö. I'm a lecturer in modern history here at the University in Halsholm," said the latter.
"And my name Finja, his better half," she said with a teasing smile. "I work as a singer at the Webber Music Theater".
There was a short pause, then Finja spoke again.
"We look for ecstasy, however the beautiful goddess presents it to us. In good wine, in music and dance or maybe in pleasure."


Kiana Rúisc of the Tribe of Waterford.

When the beautiful woman arrived, the conversations fell silent and Caja and I watched her proceed to meet the Priestess, which we had noticed, the two greeting each other very friendly. That broke the spell under which we had been and while the wine was sweet (and, depending on quite a few factors such as personal tolerance for such things, might prove to be the cause of headaches tomorrow), something else drew our attention.
The other woman, not the Priestess, but the other, raised her glass at us.
Now, depending on the culture one was in, it could mean many things.
In Kyrenaia, that meant a general acknowledgement of the other's presence.
In Teressien, it meant a gesture of respect.
Among the Selkie in very polite company, it was an invitation for a drink together.
Unbeknownst to us, it was similarly here, so Caja and I looked at each other and went for it - and, of course, for the woman, who had toasted towards us. If we interpreted it wrongly, we could always apologize and tell her, what such a gesture meant where we were from.
Anyway, we approached her, a slight sway in the hips - no need to not do that - and smiled.
"Good evening.", Caja greeted with a smile and a small bow, a gesture, which I followed. "How do you do?"

"Oh, good evening," said the young lady with an astonished face about the bow and made a small curtsey. "How do I do? Well, I always feel good at a ball. In the hall of the goddess of joy something else would be somehow ... blasphemous".
She gave a little laugh.
"So how are you? You're not from here, are you."