Funerals for Keltar Islaran and a marriage for Anwyn Arabani

[Marcon]

Here comes the time when I have to work on advancing the personal storylines of my player's characters.

They will (Hopefully) get out of Parrot Island soon. One of them is a cleric of the triad of sea divinities at the Azure Cathedral. He spent some time on the seas and as a result, is a local favorite amongst sailors. So I figured that the head of the Cathedral could appoint him to preside the funeral of Keltar Islaran. There would actually be 2 funerals : One for the nobles (Since Keltar is the Council Rep. for the Azure district after all) and one for the everyday seamen, who have come to know Keltar over the years. The PC cleric would preside the latter.

I would be looking for ideas. How would you imagine such a funeral roleplaying-wise? I definitely will arrange for some "showoffing" by the Lotus Dragons by having some kind of banner installed in the Cathedral to be popped up during the ceremony and saying something like "This is just the beginning. Surrender to the Lotus Dragons, the new harbormasters of Sasserine!" but I think that building up to this event with some flavorful religious acts you could witness on such a ceremony would help to set the tone.

One of the other players is a half-drow who have tangled with Anwyn Arabani to the point that the obsessed noble will be asking him to marry her. I would like her to seek out a drow cleric and invite him to Sasserine so that they could celebrate their union in true "drow-style". Question is, what does that mean? Again, can you think of how a drow marriage would be celebrated? Spooky ideas welcomed.

[gaborg]

i dont think any lolthite cleric would assists this marrige. maybe a Elistrae priestess (FR wise).

I am also in the same situation, its just a drow wizard courting Lady Arabani. Also the Lady is CG as i remember.

I would also like to hear some ideas.

[Stedd Grimwold]

Well, thats a thorny question...

My take is that the Lady Arabani is eccentric, to put it mildly. I wouldn't worry so much as to trying to make it like a 'real' drow wedding.
I am not a drow expert, in fact I despise drow. But I think I a drow wedding would certainly NOT be something celebrated, if they have weddings at all. Its my understanding that Drow women have "consorts" for the purpose of breeding, but an actual partnership? Forget it. If there are such things as drow weddings, I imagine it would be a sado-masochistic affair with heavy Dominant Female, submissive male overtones.

No, I think you try to make it a mockery of drow custom, a caricature if you will. What would someone who knows NOTHING of drow culture but who THINKS they know everything do in terms of a wedding? Thats the question you need to ask. Lady Arabani won't make a living sacrifice to Lolth, for example, so those sorts of things should be ruled out. But possible suggestions:

The groom is led down the isle and is given away by his mother.

Instead of wedding rings, the bride clasps a collar bearing the house insignia around the grooms neck.

Instead of Vows to each other, the groom pledges fealty.

Instead of the release of doves at the end, there is a release of spiders.

Instead of "You may kiss the bride" there is "You may <blank> the groom" where <blank> is "whip, command, breed, etc"

The bride wears all black.

From a public standpoint, this sort of public display of Lady Arabani's "debauchery" is scandalous to say the least, but it does catapult her to the limelight for a time, and a a show of totting around a seemingly docile male has its attractions (can you say boy toy?) but eventually the novelty wears off, even for Lady Arabani, and a more or less normal marriage can ensue...

[ikki]

i would imagine the sacrifice of a few slaves would be in order too.. up to a full male drow being a real fancy thing to do.. gives favor of lolth and proper obedience from the slaves and males ;)

[gaborg]

In our case the PC drow wizard is a Vhaerunite and LE. He pretends to be a goodhearted, well established gentleman and keeps her relation with Lady Arabani in secret. In my story i think there wont be an open marriage as it would cause great upheaval in the city. Although the drow wants to establish a good reputation and a high standing in Sasserine through a trade consortium from Farshore which they build with the other PCs. If the drow becomes well known by the city's populance, i think a marrige with Lady Arabani could happen... Any suggestions?