Dionysus You all arrive at the great hall of the palace for the ball, decked out in extravagant wardrobes. People are rushing all over the hall, finishing up the last minute decorations, tending last minute details, setting up tables & place settings.

Dionysus A servant stares openly at Arlie as he walks in, then picks up a moderate sized parcel & trepidatiously approaches the gaudy monstrosity that is Duke Battisto.

Jack_C what is Arlie wearing?

• Arlie_B is wearing a striped tribal shirt and atrociously orange dress pants.

Dionysus "Y-your Grace?"

Arlie_B "Just Arlie's fine, m'boy."

• Arlie_B gives him a big grin

Dionysus "The Chancellor said you were to wear this," he holds out the parcel.

• Arsul enters the room after leaving the practice yard and joins the group
• Aurelia moves forward a bit to look around the hall with wide eyes.
• Avery is currently looking like Karl Urban but with more suitable attire...leaning towards light blues, greys, and greens. and with a plain gold band on the ring-finger of his left hand. he scans the hall, taking in what he can sense.
• Arlie_B pouts, frowns at the boy, and goes to change.

Dionysus Thehall is draped in red & gold velvet curtains, with the murals on the walls of Emperor Maraddon defeating the Stormbringer in the midst of renovations. The tables are decked out in fine white table linens with fine china & silver. A small, ornate stage rests in the center of the hall.

Dionysus Arlie, it's a major's army uniform--technically, your equivalent military rank. Finely pressed, cut to your proportions.

Arlie_B "By the Broncour, he's not going to make me wear my bloody medals, is he?"

Dionysus However, the hat that comes with it is not standard military issue.

Arlie_B what's the hat?

Dionysus It's a jester's cap, complete with red, violet, & gold motley & jingly bells.

• Arlie_B unpacks the hat an smiles.

Dionysus Meanwhile, servants are asking if you all need help setting up on stage, & others are bringing you food to eat before the ball starts, & asking your preferred beverages for during the performance.

Jack_C "Water."

Jack_C "I think we can handle setup. thanks though."

Jack_C "Got any requests?"

• Avery requests some kind of fruit juice.

Dionysus The servants just bow when asked about requests.

• Jack_C shrugs. "Arlie woulda wanted me to ask."
• Arsul eats some grub and sets up his drinks for the night

Jack_C to whichever bandmember is nearest.

Dionysus Magnum shrugs, "Us lowly commoners don't get a lot of say. Hand me that cymbal."

• Jack_C hands him a cymbal.
• Arlie_B comes back in full military dress and a jester's hat.
• Jack_C blinks.

Jack_C then grins. "Ay Avery. Want me to describe how Arlie looks right now?"

Avery "...sure"

• Arlie_B gives him a grin. "He counted then just right too. A bell for every medal." he shakes his head
• Jack_C gives the description in lurid detail.
• Avery laughs. "Perfect."
• Aurelia smiles faintly.

Dionysus The lower ranking nobles--squires, dames, knights, ladies, etc.--start trickling into the ball room, finding seats or congregating & talking. A huge chandelier is lit in the middle of the hall, hundreds of candles set alight & illuminating the entirety of the hall.

Arlie_B "Anyone know if they have any requests?"

Avery "Jack asked earlier."

Dionysus The dancefloor itself is a polished black mirror reflecting the ceiling & walls, a brilliant effect. The room & people in it are all worth more than Avery can grasp, though the few Gifts nearby eclipse that.

Jack_C "They'll drift up as we get goin'."

Dionysus The hum of conversation begins to pick up as the rustle & bustle of servants moving settles down.

Avery "Must be quite a sight to see..."

• Aurelia sits in her chair watching the nobles filter in, and the room in general.

Jack_C When we get the go ahead to start, we'll go right into the set without the usual fanfare.

Dionysus The smell of extravagant foods begins to fill the room as servants file in with platters & plates & dishes, & the temperature in here is slightly warm under the clothes, the candle chandelier, & the close quarters. As a few other minor nobles come in, a high ranking servant notices the band & rushes over in a panic. "What are you doing?"

Arlie_B before the band starts, Arlie goes and makes the rounds, greeting those he knows.

Jack_C we haven't been given the go ahead to start, so we're just setting up.

Dionysus Before either of those things, the servant rushes up & says, "What are you doing?"

Jack_C "Settin' up. Why?"

• Aurelia looks at the servant.
• Avery looks faintly confused.

Dionysus He looks, "Well, get it set up & then step out! We can't have you in here unannounced! By the Mirrors, you're half of you dukes! Come along now!"

Jack_C ...the mirrors. what faithful is he?

Dionysus He starts waving his hands dramatically & gesturing you all to a side door. Truth faithful, probably.

• Avery looks slightly uneasy at the prospect of being announced.

Jack_C "Alright, sorry. We're almost done."

• Aurelia blinks and looks to Arlie before standing and following the gesturing.

Jack_C "Alright. Let's cinch this up and do what he says."

Dionysus Magnum looks confused, but shrugs.

• Dionysus just smiles benignly & does as he's gestured to do.
• Arsul rises and takes his drink with him

Jack_C how's Little Wing responding to all the pomp and circumstance?

• Arlie_B walks over to get introduced. "Alright, everyone needs to give a man a title at the door."

Avery "what?"

Dionysus Little Wing stares around him a bit, but keeps close to you.

Arsul "What kind of title?"

Arlie_B "Give the man a title you want to be announced by. I'm going with 'Destroyer of the Reever Seas' myself."

Dionysus The sevrant who ushered you out starts lining you all up according to rank: Magnum, Sue, Arsul, Jack, Arlie, Aurelia, Avery, Dionysus. "I know your titles."

• Avery shifts uneasily.

Jack_C "And son," Jack adds, indicating Little Wing.

• Arsul stands in line

Arlie_B "You don't know all my new ones, use the Destroyer bit, boy, show some respect." Arlie jingles his bells just a bit.

Dionysus He's a very officious, snotty man, about middle aged, with fine servants' garb on. He blinks at the bird, then at Jack, then shakes his head & doesn't ask. He peeks out a door, then looks back at the band. "Your Grace, this is an Imperial Ball."

Dionysus His tone is stiff & formal.

Dionysus You hear the vague sound of someone being announced at a different entrance.

Arlie_B "You should have seen what I went as last time."

Arlie_B "Better 'Destroyer' than 'Provider of Cream Pies.'"

Jack_C "That reminds me. Where's the Thing?"

Dionysus "I've heard the stories, your Grace." He peeks out the door, "Ah. Mister Peltier?" Magnum steps up. The man nods to someone on the other side of the door, who bellows, "Ladies & gentlemen, nobles & gentles, the Colour of Sound!" And the servant nods to Magnum, who steps out to light applause, as the announcer yells, "Mister James Peltier!"

• Avery mutters "Why do I have to get nervous now...?"

Dionysus He turns to Sue & nods. Sue walks out, in his white shirt, as the announcer bellows, "Baron Subiquim Ixioj!"

• Aurelia waits passively
• Jack_C straightens up to strut.

Dionysus Arsul, the man takes your arm gently.

• Arsul moves

Dionysus Hunny, Kashaji, & Manny, are all waiting outside the hall elsewhere.

Arsul why?

Avery in court attire of light blues, greys, and greens, with a gold band on his left ring finger.

Dionysus It's a formal occassion, & they're very big.

Dionysus And scary.

Arsul : ( Arsul woulda made sure she was provided with plenty of honey

Dionysus As you enter the hall, Arsul, you feel the rush of warm air, hear the pattering applause, & the man nearby yells, "Baron Arsul Toutant."

Dionysus She was, then. You hear the crowd murmur in awe as you walk out, Arsul.

Dionysus The man nods to Jack, motioning him forward.

• Jack_C struts on out.
• Arsul flinches slightly at the yell and moves toward where he knows the stage to be

Dionysus "Earl Jack Crane!"

Dionysus The crowd is small right now, sitting at the tables or congregated in small groups. Most are still staring at Arsul, in his Gifted Tunic.

Jack_C . o O ("and son, stuck up SOB...")

Dionysus The man looks to Arlie, motioning him forward.

• Arlie_B whispers to the Toy. "Make sure he doesn't forget the Cream Pie bit."

Jack_C but smiles and waves.

• Arlie_B smiles and walks up proudly.

Dionysus The man announcing is actually a different one from the one motioning you through. The Toy whirrs.

Dionysus "Duke Arland Bat--" the man ducks as a cream pie whirs over his head, & the servant who's been ushering you all slams the door shut to block another. The crowd stares a moment, then begins to laugh.

Avery "..." avery just shakes his head, laughing softly.

• Arlie_B bows and joins the others.

Dionysus The man motions to Aurelia after checking the door to see if more projectile pastries are coming.

• Aurelia starts forward.
• Jack_C laughs at Arlie's entrance.
• Arsul is grinning by the time Arlie reaches the stage and he's pieced together what happened

Dionysus "Duchess Aurelia Lucent!" You sense a certain emotional mix: happiness, delight, awe, excitement, boredom, anger, curiosity, disgust, lust, & wonder from the crowd, Aurelia.

Dionysus The man touches Avery's arm, gently, tugging him forward.

• Aurelia pauses, looking around with faint curiosity, before continuing to her seat.
• Avery goes, grateful that Arlie's entrance relieved some of his tension. he tries to carry himself as befits his titles.

Dionysus "Duke Avery Colzayre!" Avery, the worth of the crowd has risen slightly since you were in the room, & the tables are now laden with rich food.

Dionysus Aurelia, you sense a touch of curiosity swell through the crowd, & one or two shots of familiarity when Avery is announced.

• Avery probably had a snack ebfore he came, and is suddenly grateful for that. he moves to join the others.

Arlie_B he doesn't look like Avery though.

Avery They know the name.

Dionysus They said his name

Dionysus And last, "Grand Duke Dionysus Berrywight!" is announced. The crowd goes quiet a moment, & a wave of admiration & awe floats through the room, replaced quickly by excitement.

• Dionysus takes the stage with the band, picking up his Roma violin, & taking a seat, looking at Jack with a smile, & nods.

Jack_C "Avery? the blessing."

• Avery pulls out his pennywhistle and twirls it to catch the light. "Let's play."
• Aurelia lifts the Oboe and awaits the music.

Dionysus Imperial ballroom crowd--nobles from all over the country. Ranges from fun loving to dead serious, but the main people you want to impress here aren't arrived yet (the Emperess, the foreign nobles, etc.). The current crowd will most likely go in for moderate tempo dances.

Jack_C then we go into it without the intro.

• Arlie_B readies his trumpet.
• Jack_C counts it off and we go.

Jack_C Jack is a weak spot in the band tonight.

Avery that's okay, Arsul more than makes up for it.

Arsul it's the rhinestones reflecting back into your eyes

Jack_C Jack didn't realize his voice was more Mick Jagger than David Bowie tonight, and at some point he realized his stage presence was secondary to the supurb actual music in terms of what the crowd is noticing, so he toned it back a bit.