[quote=Siankan]6:45 A small group of young men hang morosely at the edges of the ballroom. Unable to secure dance partners, they have resorted to the refuge of embarrassed youth: bravado. Every now and then, however, one glances at the women who are dancing with each other, and the unspoken questions hang in the air. "What’s so terrible that they’d dance with each other to avoid me? Am I that horrid?" Then the stooped shoulders straighten, and the jovial mask is back in place.
After his fourth dance on the sidelines, however, one of them suggests (in tones of dancing-was-never-that-interesting-anyway) that he’d really rather play cards. Two others agree, and they leave the group to find Nigredo Room and the card tables. The room is livelier than expected. At one table, a man in a gilded bauta mask trumps a King of Swords with the Magician and takes the trick, provoking a round of inventive Italian cursing. At another, a man sits by himself. He invites them, through a thick accent, to play as-nas. ("It is like poker. You play poker, sirs?" Good Lord, no. We’re not Americans.) They find an empty table and sit to play ombre, only to discover that the provided deck is ganjifa, and they can’t make heads or tails of it.
The young men nearly despair of finding a French-suited deck, but are rescued by a rat in a dashing satin mask. (His cards are smaller than usual, though quite big enough to prove ratly valour.) "Sit here, boys! I have what you’re looking for. What’s your pleasure? Whist? Beggar-my-neighbor? Pope Joan? I’m sure I saw a staking board somewhere.
"Say, boys, I have an idea! You know, ol’ Professor Whatzisname didn’t exactly say we couldn’t gamble. What do you think about a friendly wager, just to keep it sporting? Oh, just a gentleman’s wager, a trifle. Couldn’t get you in trouble with your mothers, could we? Besides, you’ll probably win. Say, on the nonce, you aren’t the types to wear silk underwear, are you?"
This is, of course, going to end perfectly well.[/quote]
the old man takes a sideline glance towards the group and mutters, "oh god young stags are going to do something foolish if I don’t intervene. I’m truly sorry about this". The old man goes all in and puts down his cards. The old man intentionally speaking loudly "Good morning my good friends why aren’t you dancing surely some young and spry men like you could find a partner, after all I could and look at me." If cards are your game maybe you could play with them I say pointing to some people playing whist of my acquaintance their are just more people. The old man goes back to the table "please let that have worked."
“Whilst ordinarily I wouldn’t mind the other groups betting and losing their shirts, it is rather hilarious… I’m going to go back to the ball room if you’ll excuse me. I’ll see if the professor or his tigeress is up for a dance.” He said as thoughts flitted through his mind, several possibilities he could do at this party. Meanwhile he had made his way back to the ballroom.
Iris finishes her wine. "Those sound like interesting stories. Would you tell us either?"[/quote]
“Once I stood at the very gates of Hell.” Lady Byron pauses to let that sink in. “Never mind how I got there, suffice it to say the journey was fascinating, enjoyable, and informative: as is to be expected,” she grins. “I was invited to enter that place … but I declined: it has a certain reputation after all. But having learned this and that in the time since, I do think I should have stepped inside after all.
“The other story is much simpler: I refuse to go NORTH. I’m far too beautiful for that sort of thing.
"Sapho! Why, I would be delighted, my friend! Although I’d hate to tear my partner-in-fashion from the game." Six looks up at Oscar. "Would you mind taking my seat for awhile?"
The octopus looks at the detective, then at his cards, and nods. Six gently lifts the cephalopod from their head, but their wide-brimmed fedora leaves with him, sending a cascade of green curly hair down to Six’s shoulders. Six shrugs and places the octopus on their seat, hat and all.
Six quickly checks their green curls in a small compact mirror before offering their hand to Sapho. "Shall we?" [/quote]
Sapho takes Six’s hand–after a brief pause to appreciate the scrumptious shower of curls–and the pair move toward the dance floor. On the way, Sapho whispers in her friend’s ear. Keen-eared listeners pick up a few words: “fiery … Elder … unutterable … Ministry …” edited by Lady Sapho Byron on 1/2/2020 edited by Lady Sapho Byron on 1/2/2020
Dirae Erinyes dances with two young things, literally hanging on their arms. With each swing, peals of laughter fills the air, as innocent as a child tossed in it’s parents arms. In such platonic affection, Evensong has no fears. But London dances aren’t her taste - not without the speed or nostalgia of the Elder Continent.
But her spy instincts bring her to the side room. Like all spies, she enjoys games within games - and every spy knows how to say three different messages with a hand of cards and the flick of the wrist. She gives a friendly nod to the Old Man who is helping to scare up some of the Stags. She has no interest in fleecing the ignorant and drunk.
She picks a deck carefully from the rat with a nod, before spreading the cards out around her. Princes and princess dot the edges, leading into kings, queens, empresses, khans, - all lead to the center, a mountain. With quick movements, she tidies up the brown cards.
It’s a six pointed web, with four rings. She watches the crowd, seeing if any recognize this Vesiture game.
[quote=Lady Sapho Byron]“Once I stood at the very gates of Hell.” Lady Byron pauses to let that sink in. “Never mind how I got there, suffice it to say the journey was fascinating, enjoyable, and informative: as is to be expected,” she grins. “I was invited to enter that place … but I declined: it has a certain reputation after all. But having learned this and that in the time since, I do think I should have stepped inside after all.
“The other story is much simpler: I refuse to go NORTH. I’m far too beautiful for that sort of thing.
"More wine?"[/quote]
"Yes, thank you." Iris thinks for a moment. "Hell, really? If any of us go there, I think they should tell the other two what they saw. A fair deal?"
[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]Dirae Erinyes dances with two young things, literally hanging on their arms. With each swing, peals of laughter fills the air, as innocent as a child tossed in it’s parents arms. In such platonic affection, Evensong has no fears. But London dances aren’t her taste - not without the speed or nostalgia of the Elder Continent.
But her spy instincts bring her to the side room. Like all spies, she enjoys games within games - and every spy knows how to say three different messages with a hand of cards and the flick of the wrist. She gives a friendly nod to the Old Man who is helping to scare up some of the Stags. She has no interest in fleecing the ignorant and drunk.
She picks a deck carefully from the rat with a nod, before spreading the cards out around her. Princes and princess dot the edges, leading into kings, queens, empresses, khans, - all lead to the center, a mountain. With quick movements, she tidies up the brown cards.
It’s a six pointed web, with four rings. She watches the crowd, seeing if any recognize this Vesiture game.[/quote]
(sorry about the last one I think an lb ate it)
the old man does not recognize the game but the symbolism unmistakable "I’m glad to see their are still mysteries, regrettably Oscar is quite the card octopus so I have been ousted from my game, care for a dance." The old man taps his hellfire ring three times and crains his neck showing the barest hint of a tattoo made of irrigo.
Thanos Black realises he is out of his league. The two spies seem to be able to suffuse their every movement with cryptic messages, should they want to. He understands the language they speak without words, but does not understand the meaning, save for the barest hints, like a foreign language one has merely a very basic grasp of. Still, he tries to pick up as much as he can, without staring at them. No doubt his sideways glances have already been noticed by their experienced eyes, but he hopes they won’t mind a little "eavesdropping" from his part. Surely, even if the rest of the night remains completely uneventful, he will come out of this ball a little wiser in the ways of the spies of the Great Game.
Evensong’s eyes scan over the room. Conceding that there is no other player of interest, she nods as she rises. She leaves the cards behind - perhaps someone might come to play later in the evening.
"What dances do you prefer?" she asks while offering her arm. Her eyes watch the bandages on the old man, for more hints of tattoos.
[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]Evensong’s eyes scan over the room. Conceding that there is no other player of interest, she nods as she rises. She leaves the cards behind - perhaps someone might come to play later in the evening.
"What dances do you prefer?" she asks while offering her arm. Her eyes watch the bandages on the old man, for more hints of tattoos.[/quote]
"I don’t dance much but I have been meaning to try the waltz." The old man looks to his watch noting the time, scratch marks of the watch appear to be done to some pattern identifiable as last years Russian code. "I trust the party thus far has been good, how were the prawns not too white were they? But I digress I hope your partner doesn’t mind the dance I know mine would if she were here." The old man notices thanos and utilises the better part of valour, subtly throwing a coin minted in Vienna with decoding for cyphers etched on it
"My partner trusts in my loyalty. Completely." Evensong says with a smile with a touch too many teeth. "White pawns are better then red handed ones. That is how they earned my loyalty." She fiddles with a bracelet. Charms of Surface flowers and mushrooms dangle from it. One my recognize the pattern. "I can teach you how to waltz if you let me lead."
"I wouldn’t dream of making you follow, I haven’t had the pleasure of encountering red handed ones, I regret I frequented st dunstens once too many as you might be able to tell from my mask, as for your partner I was meaning to ask, how’s such a relationship like, different I suspect than most, shall we do away with the formality of secret codes its beginning to feel like business, and I think we’re attracting quite the crowd." The old man begins dancing "I’m afraid I don’t get a lot of practice with this, my wife and I usually just play cards I love her to death but she’s an awful cheat, always gets caught." The old man smiles at his joke edited by the old man on 1/4/2020
[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]Evensong’s eyes scan over the room. Conceding that there is no other player of interest, she nods as she rises. She leaves the cards behind - perhaps someone might come to play later in the evening.
"What dances do you prefer?" she asks while offering her arm. Her eyes watch the bandages on the old man, for more hints of tattoos.[/quote]
The Spidery Marquis enters the room as stealthy as she can. D___m it, the party is already underway. She wasn’t planning on attending, but her spies in the Great Game informed her that something would be happening here. Despite the short notice, she has already donned a spider mask. Hoping she still falls under fashionably late, the Marquis scans the room. Her contact mentioned something about cards- Ah a card table.
The Marquis approaches one of the empty chairs, the one with a hand of cards already spread out in a formation she recognizes. "Lady Mindfang- The Spidery Marquis," she introduces herself to the young man at the table, "May I take this hand or do I have to get a new one?"
There are gasps from the crowd as Sapho and Six whirl onto the dance floor.
Perhaps it is the non-euclidean geometries that their bodies form, or the eye-watering sigil-like patterns that their steps trace along the floor. Or perhaps it is the fiery chemistry of the pair, and the scandalous amount of ankle that they are revealing. Regardless, many gossips will talk of this elder continent dance for weeks to come, but few will dare to describe its movements in detail.
[OOC: Since there are so many of us doing so many things, I thought it would be helpful to make a list of who’s where. So, I updated the list of attendees with each person’s last known location and activity. To help keep up with changes, or esp. to catch up, if you’ve been gone from the ball for a bit, I’ve marked activities with an asterisk if they’ve ended (if, say, the person you were dancing with has since gone off to cards, or to dance with someone else).
[I’ll try to keep it updated, though I don’t guarantee how often I can get that done. Also, please look your character’s entry over and make sure I haven’t made any errors, in activity, name, or dress. If you find one, a PM is the best way to tell me.]
"I wouldn’t dream of making you follow, I haven’t had the pleasure of encountering red handed ones, I regret I frequented st dunstens once too many as you might be able to tell from my mask, as for your partner I was meaning to ask, how’s such a relationship like, different I suspect than most, shall we do away with the formality of secret codes its beginning to feel like business, and I think we’re attracting quite the crowd." The old man begins dancing "I’m afraid I don’t get a lot of practice with this, my wife and I usually just play cards I love her to death but she’s an awful cheat, always gets caught." The old man smiles at his joke edited by the old man on 1/4/2020[/quote]
(Sorry last holiday madness)
"I imagine we are much like other couples. We share the paper over morning tea, squabbles over dinner, and our bed at night." Evensing starts with the basic 4 step. "We just understand what we have to do to keep on sharing. Does your wife also play?"
"I imagine we are much like other couples. We share the paper over morning tea, squabbles over dinner, and our bed at night." Evensing starts with the basic 4 step. "We just understand what we have to do to keep on sharing. Does your wife also play?"[/quote]
I suppose she could, but if so she keeps it very hidden from me, which is either proof she’s either one of the best spies or not at all. Does yours play? Forgive me for saying but I don’t think its in their nature." The old man follows the steps one would not say with accuracy but certainly with gusto edited by the old man on 1/7/2020 edited by the old man on 1/7/2020
Evensong pivots on a turn, deftly folding herself and the old man in the larger pattern of the dancer.
“We met at the Foreign Office. They play like a Correspondent A deft mind to see patterns and networks but with no discretion in action. In way, it helps. They have learned that is one is bold and outrageous enough, none of the pieces and players know what to do with you. Well, if you survive the first wave of pawns. That’s one thing I love about them, it’s their bravery and foolishness.”
[quote=Shadowcthuhlu]Evensong pivots on a turn, deftly folding herself and the old man in the larger pattern of the dancer.
"We met at the Foreign Office. They play like a Correspondent A deft mind to see patterns and networks but with no discretion in action. In way, it helps. They have learned that is one is bold and outrageous enough, none of the pieces and players know what to do with you. Well, if you survive the first wave of pawns. That’s one thing I love about them, it’s their bravery and foolishness."[/quote] "its those traits that make me so love them, there’s no need for double bluffs or lies, they’re truthful to you your truthful to them, if only other people were the same. Did I tell you of the time I spent in a Viennan café wonderful work experience and the people." The old man leans in and says to evensong "I think I must halt this lovely dance, my wife has seen me and regrettably she is the jealous sort. And remember all the pieces may die but the game will still be remembered." The old man leaves to greet his wife with a laugh and a grin