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The Winter Masquerade
A mysterious invitation finds its way to you. This parchment is of the finest quality, and the red wax seal has the appearance of a chrysanthemum in bloom.
Dear Friend of the Empire,
The snows have begun on the Isle of Kortos, and now is the perfect opportunity for us to enjoy the warmth of each other's company. At week's end, Chrysanthemum House in the Petal District will host a Winter Masquerade, and a night of music, dancing, beauty, and companionship will commence.
As is appropriate for a Winter Masquerade, we will all be enjoying a bit of fun. The enclosed card is both your ticket to the event and the beginning of our little game. Present your costumed self and your enclosed card, and the Master of Games will present you a choice. Keep your wits about you, and you will find yourself at the beginning of a night to remember.
Your friend and hostess,
-Lady Gabrielle d'Apcher
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The front door to the Chrysanthemum House is opened to reveal a rather cold-looking herald. "Announcing the arrival of my master, the terror of..." The herald sighs and leans back out the door to confer. The tones take on one of a low-key heated argument, with the harried herald saying things like "I can't say that. It's improper, sir! Not to mention ridiculous!," before eventually being bodily shoved back in front of the doorway. The herald slumps in dejection as he continues. "Announcing the terror of the wicked of Absalom and the delight of the women of all Avistan, the thunder of the the storm, the herald of battle, the enigmatic, alluring, and accomplished Midnight Swordsman," the herald announces with all the enthusiasm of a scolded child.
A stout, powerfully built man in ceremonial Tien armor and long flowing robes strides through the door, a finely-wrought katana ornately peace-bound hanging off of his hip. A cloth wrapping hangs over his face in the place of a true mask, giving the appearance of a brigand or bandit. "You failed to pause for effect at the end," he hisses at the herald as he gazes about the room. "This shall be noted in the review of your heraldry."
"Yes sir," the herald says, staring longingly out a window, as if towards escape. "Will that be all, sir?"
"For now, Stewart, for now," the samurai says as he begins to survey the other guests.
Hi everyone! This alias has been created to handle any out-of-character and other "GM-style" posts which will come up over the course of the Winter Masquerade in-character event, as well as to run the party games. Once a couple more guests arrive, the first round will be ready to begin.
Since this event takes on some qualities of a Play-By-Post, it would be beneficial to post some helpful tips...
How to create and post under an alias:
Aliases are assumed names, such as "The Midnight Samurai" above, which are useful for indicating that your post comes from a specific identity. Though they are not necessary to participate in this event, here is how to create one:
-On the top of any web page within paizo.com, click on My Account.
-You will see a bunch of boxes. Find the box titled Messageboard Aliases.
-Click on the button called Create New Alias.
-The page which comes up will ask for the name you wish to take for your alias, and will give you the option of choosing an avatar image and choosing a faction for the alias.
-When you are done, click Submit Changes.
-You've created your new identity! When you are posting, you will now have the option of choosing to post under your new alias. To do this, click on the dropdown labeled Post As, located to the left of the usual Preview, Cancel, and Submit Post buttons.
How to enable Private Messaging:
Private Messages are a useful tool for having sending and receiving private, off-forum messages. They will be used heavily when running the Winter Masquerade's party games. Here is how to enable them:
-On the top of any web page within paizo.com, click on My Account.
-You will see a bunch of boxes. Find the box titled Privacy Settings.
-Check the box marked "Members of paizo.com may send me private messages."
-Click the button labeled Save Changes.
-That's it!
How send a Private Message:
Now, here's how to use Private Messages:
-At the top of every post in this forum, the name of the poster (or his/her alias) is displayed. For example, above this post, "The Master of Games" is displayed.
-Click on the name of the poster you wish to send a Private Message to.
-At the top of page displayed will be the poster's portrait as well as their name. (Ex: "The Master of Games's Page")
-Below the displayed name is a link labeled "Send Private Message." Click on it.
-The page which comes up will look like a typical post, except that you will get to give the message a subject line.
-That's how you send a Private Message.
How to receive Private Messages:
Of course, it's important to know how to receive Private Messages as well as send them. Here's how to do that:
-On the top of any web page within paizo.com, while you are logged in, the words "Welcome, (your name)!" are displayed.
-To the right of that Welcome message is an icon of an envelope.
-When you have no unread Private Messages, the envelope will appear closed.
-When you do have unread Private Messages, such as when I send you something, the envelope will have a red dot in the top right corner, as well as a number in parentheses. This means that you have that many Private Messages to be read.
-Click on the envelope to be taken to your Private Messaging page, which is structured much like an email client.
There you have it, you now know the basics of using Private Messaging and how to create aliases. If you have more questions, feel free to PM me. Also, I will try to make myself available on the Paizo chat at chat.dmtools.org, lurking there as Mattastrophic. Feel free to find me there if you have any questions. Also, the Chat can serve as a method of faster communication, which will be useful when running the party games.
Have fun, Winter Masquerade attendees! May Shelyn smile upon your costumed endeavors!
-Matt
aka Master of Games
also aka Lady Gabrielle d'Apcher, your hostess
When The Midnight Samurai and his freezing herald approach Chrysanthemum House in the Petal District of Absalom, they are greeted by a landscape reminiscent of a Tien estate touched by winter, with top-frozen ponds and a snow-kissed moon bridge guiding them to the doors of the house itself, while a pair of guests can be seen ice skating hand-in-hand.
The interior, though, is a testament to Taldan culture. Paintings and sculptures line the front hall, and fine string music can be heard from the ballroom. A finely-dressed servant in a modest harlequin mask takes the guests' coats, and soon after arriving, the hostess greets the Samurai.
"Welcome," the lady greets him, dressed in a fine ice-blue gown. Her mask has the appearance of fine ice crystals on a white cloth, and her pale-skinned face is framed by lively red ringlet curls. "Having your herald introduce you as your masked identity was very clever of you," she adds, displaying her excitement for the evening's event. "Will your Stewart be all right? He seemed quite cold just now."
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A small icy white drake with streaks of electric blue scales hops up to the entrance and growls lightly. It stops and bows lightly to the master of games, producing a Invitation with a claw. Happily the small drake bounces into the winter masquerade and heads towards the orchestra, it bows once again to the players. Two of them get up and attach wires to its back. Slowly the Icy drake is lifted from the ground, its wings unfurl to reveal a wave of colors similar to the Aurora boreal. In a lazy comical circle pattern the drake floats above the Ball. After a short period of time, the drake produces a Lyre and plays in concert with the other members of the orchestra.
The drake will breath out small puffs of ethereal snow to dance among the gathered.
I have been receiving quite a few questions from interested players this week, so I thought it appropriate to post a few answers here:
When does the Winter Masquerade begin?
The event has already started. You can post your character's arrival when you are ready.
What is the cutoff date for entry?
There isn't one. You can join the thread whenever you'd like. I've set up the party games such that people can stream in and participate.
How often do I have to post?
At your own pace, though I'd like to set "at least one post per weekday" as a baseline expectation for the party games, so they do not fall behind. Since your actions for the party game are very short, as in maybe two sentences long, that is a small amount of time needed.
What's the game being run?
The details will be revealed in time, but it is an adaptation of a card game of wits and deduction, run here on the Taldor board.
Once the guests stream in, we'll get the games started. Have a good time with the Winter Masquerade, everyone!
-Matt
aka Master of Games
The Snow Princess claps happily as the Drake is lifted into the air. "So that is why he requested those stagehands! Lovely!" she expresses. "The icy breath is a marvelous touch!"
She makes sure that the lyre-player is sent a delicious wine to enjoy as he plays for the guests.
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A herald comes in "Announcing, for the first time in Taldor, the shining son of Lastwall, the Gallium Paladin, shining beacon of Law and Good, whose achievements include preventing an invasion of Absalom, creating the Lantern Lodge, and braving the depths of the Eight Layer of Hell!" A man steps through, in a Lastwall officer's uniform, face covered by a well polished helmet, sword at his side in a scabbard with Draconic runes sewn onto it. He produces an invitation to the Master of Games. He speaks in a deep voice, probably affected magically to make it sound more regal.
"Greetings, Game Master. i recieved an invitation from the fine Lady at my ranch, and I couldn't say no. I must say, the place-and yourself look lovely this evening."
The Master of Games is a tall woman of Tien ancestry, dressed in white silks this evening. Her hair and lips have been colored blue, adorned with a white chrysanthemum flower, and her skin is incredibly pale, as if she were masquerading as a winterland ghost.
"Thank you, Sir Paladin," she replies with a smooth Minkaian-accented voice. "My Lady has taken great efforts to maintain the grounds, as she is an admirer of Tien gardens," she continues, seemingly unprepared for interaction with the guests. "I appreciate the use of illusion in your persona. I have been wondering what kinds of costumes and identities would show themselves for awhile now."
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"Welcome," the lady greets him, dressed in a fine ice-blue gown. Her mask has the appearance of fine ice crystals on a white cloth, and her pale-skinned face is framed by lively red ringlet curls. "Having your herald introduce you as your masked identity was very clever of you," she adds, displaying her excitement for the evening's event. "Will your Stewart be all right? He seemed quite cold just now."
"Of course I had him announce me - needs to earn his keep somehow," says Midnight Samurai. "The announcement is something we'd been working on during official business... though we couldn't go and announce my real exploits for a masquerade, could we? We had to improvise." His voice drips with the sort of charm that is typically reserved for a caravan master with meat that he knows is about two days from turning rancid. "I imagine that without my attentions, my herald will find some way to keep himself warm. He seems resourceful enough. But I'm being quite the cad, hogging you, milady!" He gives a boisterous laugh. "Look at me, hogging your attention like one of those devil-dealers with a hint of influence up his snout!" He shakes his head. "My most sincere apologies, my princess." He gives an obsequious bow and moves to kiss the Snow Princess' hand.
The Snow Princess gives a graceful curtsey and gently raises a white-gloved so that the Samurai can properly greet her. "It is no intrusion," she reassures him when she restores her posture. "I fully intend to enjoy basking in the irony of masked companionship."
"Tell me," she continues. "Without betraying too much, of course, about the origins of this rather striking identity you have chosen. I find myself quite curious." The first of the evening's wines arrives as she asks her question, the masked servant encouraging everyone to partake.
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A glass of the sparkling wine is lifted from the silvered service by a magical force and floats to a free claw of the "flying" drake. Cheerfully the wine is slow consumed by the drake, once empty the glass is gently floated back down to other free space on a different service. A few puffs of ethereal snow emerge from the drake as it continues its circular flight around the ball room, the faint scent of rich wine on the air before it fades.
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"Yes, this sort of heroic persona has been my dream since childhood. Didn't think I'd get as many scars as I do now in the pursuing of it." He chuckles. "But now I must digress, despite the pleasure of your company, you must share ti with those worthier than I."
Looking at the other guests, he bows to the Princess. "Greetings, mylady and...could this be a fellow knight of honor?" He salutes, then hold out his hand to shake.
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A breathtaking woman with piercing green eyes and ravishing form and features enters the room.
"I have seen fit to grace this gathering with my presence," the woman speaks, then adds in Thassilonian,
"Well furnished and orchestrated as always, Yukihime," she adds in a slightly less theatrical tone.
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”Don’t fidget so!” Cat laid her hand on the man’s arm. ”It would be highly impolite to withdraw your invitation at this point and, just think, it’s a win-win situation for you. If I don’t embarrass you, and I won’t, then you will be the talk of the party. Who was that charming young lady who was dancing with Lord Corbray? She had an unusual accent? Where is she from? You’ll have the ultimate piece of juicy gossip to share with your friends and rivals.”
“And if I do embarrass you, which I won’t, then you have the ultimate in deniability.” Cat smoothed the whiskers on her mask. “I had no idea who she was behind he mask. I thought she was Lady Taldoria, honored guest from Oppara, who could slay a troll by dropping her genealogy of noble ancestors out of second story window. She’s not even Taldan – who invites that sort of riff-raff to a party, anyway?”
Cat continued, without giving her companion time to object, ”Just because I’m a Pathfinder doesn’t mean I make a habit of stabbing random strangers for the contents of their purse. I was at the wedding of Michellia Blackros, and I managed to make it through the entire ceremony without knifing a single guest. Furthermore, I’m told that I acquitted myself with a modicum of grace on the dance floor. Trust me, everything will be fine.”
The young Lord Corbray did not seem entirely convinced, but he offered Cat his arm and helped her descend from the coach. The two of them approached Chrysanthemum House looking every part the happy couple . . .
The young couple approaching Chrysanthemum House have clearly coordinated their outfits for the evening’s festivities. The young man’s mask is that of a fearsome white tiger. If it is not a real tiger’s head, then it is the work of a highly skilled craftsman for it is correct down to the smallest detail. The remainder of his outfit is striped in the likeness of a tiger. The young woman, on his arm, wears a slightly smaller mask, in the form of a tigress. Her dress is also patterned with tiger stripes, and the tasteful fur trim helps to ward against the winter cold.
”We’re, umm, here for the Winter Masquerade . . .” begins the young man, with a touch of nerves. He searches briefly for his invitation, flustered.
With a barely perceptible motion, the young woman produces two invitations from . . . well, it is not entirely clear from whence she produced them. ”Lord Tiger,” she gestures to the young man. “Surely even this far removed from the Mwangi Expanse you have heard of his reputation for grace and ferocity in the hunt. If you have any gazelles, or eligible young ladies, on the dance floor then I fear for their safety.”
“As for myself, you can call me Lady Tigress, or the Masked Cat. Just, please, don't call me a kitten.” She gives a graceful curtsy as she hands the invitations to the Master of Ceremonies. The young man’s nerves seem to calm as the pair is ushered inside.
The Snow Princess rises from greeting the Gallium Paladin just as the breathtaking lady enters. She smiles with recognition and with appreciation of the stylish entrance.
"Arigatōgozaimashita," the Princess replies in practiced Minkaian, showing her gratitude before resuming her Taldane. "I am glad that you are enjoying the new residence. The previous owner had done such a wonderful job of maintaining the grounds that when she left, I had to continue her artistry, for the sake of the District if for no other reason."
"On the topic of artistry, you look wonderful tonight. You are the mirror image of your chosen persona," she adds, her face expressing delight in her guest's choice.
"Arigatōgozaimashita" means something akin to "thank you dearly."
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His conversation with the Snow Princess and his introduction to the Paladin are interrupted by the striking entrance of the latest guest. He shifts his foot while his eyes wander across the beatific form in front of him. "Yes - quite a lovely rendition. True dedication to your craft, terribly beautiful," he says. "Your mastery of such a difficult tongue speaks to your talents, as well."
He turns back to the Paladin and Princess. "I have some small skill at arms, yes - primarily in the sword forms." He pats the peace-bonded weapon at his hip. "The Tien make a fine weapon, particularly when it is taken from their hands and brought to bear by a fine knight of Taldor - so with such an accessory, having my servants acquire traditional Tien garb seemed a natural step to complete the costume. Couldn't quite bring myself to wear one of those ghastly masks of theirs, so I decided to go the way of one of their quaintly-named ronin, or however you pronounce it." He gestures towards his rudimentary face wrap.
"どういたしまして, 雪姫."
Sense Motive:
"I have stirred and risen below the Grand Mastaba specifically so I could attend the premiere social event of the season, clearly. I hear you often masquerade as the sniveling mayfly who played on my roof with toys she should have left alone and thought that playing dress-up with an artifact made her truly powerful," she speaks in-character again.
she says again in a gentler voice, as she turns to the Samurai and the Paladin,
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A herald wearing white robes with rainbow sleeves enters and promptly announces "Gracing us from Heaven itself, please welcome the Banisher of all Evil, The Angel!" He then bows out of the way to admit The Angel, a human male who appears to have dressed up like an Astral Deva, shirtless, wings, giant hammer and all.
The Angel looks around. "Well, I guess it has been a while," he says to no one in particular. "Haven't really gotten the chance to meet the new people around here yet. Let us see..." With that, he starts to scan the crowd.
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The Icy white drake continues its lazy circle around the ballroom, the lyre continues to play in its claws. The Drake looks around and notes all the various colorful people below it, and feels perhaps it might assist the crowd in realizing there potential.
The Lyre seems to sing in its clawed hands, passion and zeal to push the very spirits of each person in the room. Each note seems to Inspire Competence in to a degree.
(+2 to those silly checks above :P)
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The samurai leans forward conspiratorially at the imperious woman's kinder tone. He tips a roguish wink before straightening himself up and scanning the party again.
He sighs at the entrance of the Angel. "Great, another do-gooder," he mutters as he moves away from the small knot of people he had been talking to. He takes a further moment to glare up at the drake circling up above. "How is anyone supposed to focus with that thing making a racket up there?," he mutters again, entirely missing the point. He strides with purpose towards the punch-bowl.
Knowledge History (arguably with additional circumstance bonus to be higher than that since it is also abotu fashion).
"That chimera of an outfit reminds me of the results of a Bakrakhanian fleshwarping experiment. Effective, but totally lacking in elegance."
she adds again in a softer tone, [ooc]"It's a good thing to practice the creative arts, and you make it work. With practice, you could be really good."
“As for myself, you can call me Lady Tigress, or the Masked Cat. Just, please, don't call me a kitten.” She gives a graceful curtsy as she hands the invitations to the Master of Ceremonies. The young man’s nerves seem to calm as the pair is ushered inside.
The hostess excitedly greets the latest pair of guests once the Master of Games has received their invitation. "Good evening, Lord Tiger, Lady Tigress, and welcome," she says with excited eyes. "And of the Mwangi, I understand?" she smiles and lets out a gentle laugh. "I was there once, and it was quite a story. One for at least two glasses of wine," she gently laughs once more, as if remembering something very funny.
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Two guests stride through the gate. On the left is a towering man wearing Chelish military parade blacks trimmed in red, and on his right arm is a woman in a flowing gray dress cut in a style that would not be called modest but could not be called indecent. Both of their faces are concealed by thin black fabric that covers the entire face, including the nose and mouth. Over the black fabric each wears half of the same mask; the man on covers the left side of his face, the woman her right. The half-masks are bone-white with a pronounced cheekbone. The expression of the man’s mask is jovial, the woman’s half-mouth is pursed into a grimace. Both have flowing white hair coming from the top of the mask, falling down one side of the wearer’s head to mingle with the wearer’s hair, the man’s a dark brown and the woman’s black.
”Beloved sister, we are the last to arrive,” the male figure announces in disturbing monotone.
”Yes, dear brother, we are,” the woman replies, caressing his arm comfortingly, ”We are fashionably late, so that our entrance is observed by all the attendees.”
”It is rude to be less than punctual, sister. We should greet the hostess.” The man moves down the stairs, his steps stiff and rhythmic, his "sister" nearly draped across his arm until they reach the rest of the attendees. . ”That is a very lovely costume.”
”We must greet the hostess, love,”* the woman steers him towards the Snow Princess. ”Snow Princess, you honor us with your invitation.” At this, both bow in unison before the woman continues, ”Your home is beautifully maintained, and the house’s decorations glorious. You simply must share, who did the decorations?”
"Dearest sister, you have neglected to introduce us," bowing again to the Snow Princess, the man announces in a pleasing baritone, "We are the Twins by Proxy."
she says again in a gentler voice, as she turns to the Samurai and the Paladin,
The Snow Princess smiles at the idea of her guests making efforts to act as their chosen identities. "I am greatly enjoying the duality of your speech. It is as if I am sharing my company with both you and your assumed identity!"
She takes a short sip from her glass before continuing. "To answer your question, then... I encourage it. It will make your choices harder to read. Are they yours, or are they hers?" the tone of her voice adds a dash to drama to her rhetorical question.
The Angel looks around. "Well, I guess it has been a while," he says to no one in particular. "Haven't really gotten the chance to meet the new people around here yet. Let us see..." With that, he starts to scan the crowd.
The hostess is eager to greet her celestial guest. "Welcome, Angel. I am so glad that you could attend," she says to him, her eyes betraying warm recognition.
"You have excellent timing tonight, in fact," she continues. "The first round of the games will be starting soon. I am quite excited to watch the contest of wit unfold." She glances to a servant to procure a drink for The Angel while she smiles with excitement over the upcoming game.
(+2 to those silly checks above :P)
For the time being, let's assume that The Winter Drake is assisting The Midnight Samurai with his Perception checks. However, the Drake can just change up whom he assists every round, and time is abstracted in this thread. So, if you believe that a +2 competence bonus to Perception will help you out, go ahead and take it. As a sort of GM for this thread, I'll adjudicate further as needed.
Just make sure you mark off one bardic performance round per person who uses a +2, Winter Drake. I like how you're helping out, just like a bard! Let's hope we don't need any saving finales!
-Matt/Master of Games
"Dearest sister, you have neglected to introduce us," bowing again to the Snow Princess, the man announces in a pleasing baritone, "We are the Twins by Proxy."
The hostess smiles, enjoying the twinned costumes as she greets both of them at once. "A warm welcome to both of you," she says. "As to your question, the exterior was primarily the vision of the original owner. In that respect, I am merely a caretaker. I was lucky to have secured her groundskeeper, though."
She shares a gentle laugh before continuing. "The interior, though, I believe I will keep that a secret until we are in quieter company. It was very fortunate that he felt inspired by the construction, or I would never have secured his time! His designs are the envy of Oppara!"
The hostess excitedly greets the latest pair of guests once the Master of Games has received their invitation. "Good evening, Lord Tiger, Lady Tigress, and welcome," she says with excited eyes. "And of the Mwangi, I understand?" she smiles and lets out a gentle laugh. "I was there once, and it was quite a story. One for at least two glasses of wine," she gently laughs once more, as if remembering something very funny.
"It sounds like you have an interesting story to tell," replies Cat. "If it is an uplifting tale, please share. I would love to hear of your travels. If it is a sad one, which would dampen the good spirit of the party, then perhaps it is best saved for another time."
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The hostess is eager to greet her celestial guest. "Welcome, Angel. I am so glad that you could attend," she says to him, her eyes betraying warm recognition.
"You have excellent timing tonight, in fact," she continues. "The first round of the games will be starting soon. I am quite excited to watch the contest of wit unfold." She glances to a servant to procure a drink for The Angel while she smiles with excitement over the upcoming game.
"Ah good. The games at these parties are always so exciting. Can't wait to see what you have planned! With all luck, there won't be any world-shattering event, right?" The Angel says, adding a wink to the last question.
The Angel scans the room until his eye sees one of the costumed partygoers.
"That chimera of an outfit reminds me of the results of a Bakrakhanian fleshwarping experiment. Effective, but totally lacking in elegance."
she adds again in a softer tone, [ooc]"It's a good thing to practice the creative arts, and you make it work. With practice, you could be really good."
"Careful what you say, madam. I've dealt with the likes of you before. Don't make me smite you too."
In a slightly less forceful voice, he adds "Yeah, I know it's not my best work. Working under the restrictions of the costume caused some interesting design choices to say the least. But if everything you design is perfect, you're not designing enough things.
"But if I may ask my dear lady, your costume is magnificent. Is it magic, or are you a natural in the arts of disguise?"
"It sounds like you have an interesting story to tell," replies Cat. "If it is an uplifting tale, please share. I would love to hear of your travels. If it is a sad one, which would dampen the good spirit of the party, then perhaps it is best saved for another time."
The Snow Princess replies with a gentle smile. "It is actually a somewhat embarrassing story," she explains. "However, its climax involved my having to masquerade as the Queen of the entire Mwangi Expanse. The outfit I had to wear at the time was dreadful."
She looks over to the Master of Games before continuing. "It is just about time for the first round of games. Best of luck to you, Masked Cat."
EDIT: Great!)
Raising her voice, "Do you actually think you could defeat me? Raise a finger and you will learn an important lesson in humility. But until then, you are safe, as no proper guest would take up arms against another under our host's own roof except in self defense."
she confides,
The Snow Princess lets out a gentle laugh in response to the Dark Lady's declaration. "Excellent! I am glad to say that you will have that opportunity, with neither spells nor swords! One of you will defeat or smite the other with wits!" She looks to the Master of Games and gives her a nod.
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It's about that time, as we have two groups present for the first round of games. Remember that card that was enclosed in your invitations? It is now your starting hand for this game.
We will be playing an adaptation of the game Love Letter, a card game of wit and deduction. Here is how it is played...
In this game, each player represents an eligible suitor who wishes to court the elusive Princess of Taldor. In order to attract the Princess's attention, players attempt to have their letters of love delivered to her and read by her. However, since the Princess is very difficult to reach, the suitors have to rely on intermediaries to carry their messages to her.
During the game, you hold one card in your hand, which is always kept secret from the other players. This card represents the current holder of your letter. Your objective is to make sure that your letter is in the hands of the someone closer to the Princess than anyone else's intermediary when the round ends.
On each of your turns, you will receive one random card from the deck carried by the Master of Games. You will then have two cards in your hand. At this point, choose one of the two to play and return it to the Master of Games. The card's effect is then resolved, even if the effect is bad for you. All cards played will be made known to all of the competing players; this information assists with deducing which cards the other players might be holding. A list of all the cards in the deck held by the Master of Games, along with their quantities, is given below for your reference.
Certain cards will have the effect of removing a player from the round, as that player's letter is intercepted or destroyed. In that case, the card which was in that player's hand is made known to the remaining players. For the remainder of the round, the removed player cannot be chosen as a part of resolving other cards' effects.
A round ends when there are no more cards remaining in the deck held by the Master of Games at the end of a turn. At this point, the player holding the card representing the person closest to the Princess wins the round, as that person delivers the love letter to the Princess, who retires to her chambers to read it. A round also ends if there is only one player remaining.
Since this is a game of deduction, the details of the randomized deck of cards is known to all players. As mentioned above, each card represents a person in close proximity to the Princess, and each card carries with it an effect.
Note: At the beginning of each round, one card is secretly removed from the deck and hidden from all players. Thus, the deck for each round will contain fifteen of the sixteen cards.
The deck contains sixteen total cards, listed here in order from the farthest away to the closest to the Princess:
5x House Guard: When played, name a card other than House Guard and choose a player. If the chosen player is carrying the chosen card, that player is removed from the round.
2x Priestess: When played, you may learn the name of the card held by a chosen player. Keep this information a secret.
2x Baron: When played, choose another player still in the round. The Master of Games will compare the card remaining in your hand with the card in the chosen player's hand. The player holding the card furthest away from the Princess is removed from the round. If there is a tie, nothing happens.
2x Handmaiden: When played, you are immune to the effects of other players' cards, and cannot be chosen as a part of resolving other cards' effects, until your next turn.
2x Count: When played, choose a player (you may choose yourself). That player must discard the card in his or her hand (the card has no effect) and be given a new one. The discarded card is known to all players. If the deck is currently empty, that player is handed the round's hidden card.
1x Grand Prince: When played, choose a player. The card remaining in your hand is swapped with the card in the chosen player's hand.
1x Marquise: When played, the Marquise has no effect. However, if after receiving a card on your turn, your hand contains both the Marquise and either the Grand Prince or the Count, you must play the Marquise. Naturally, you may play the Marquise even if the Grand Prince or the Count are not in your hand. She enjoys such mind games.
1x Princess: When you have this card in your hand, the Princess herself is in possession of your letter. However, if she is confronted on the matter, she will toss your letter into the fire and deny having ever seen it. If you ever play the Princess or are forced to discard the Princess for any reason, you are removed from the round.
There you have it. I hope you enjoy this little game of wit and deduction. Best of luck to all of you. As always, feel free to PM me with questions or find me on the Paizo chat at chat.dmtools.org.
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"Of course, there will be no quarrel with you here. But be ever vigilant, milady, for the forces of Heaven have their eyes on you."
In a lighter tone, he adds "Well, if it was cheap, it wouldn't be worth keeping a secret, now would it?"
And now, the procedural post. How will this game be run?
When it's your turn, you will receive a PM from me, explaining which card you have just drawn. However, to facilitate play and the revealing of public information, unveil your choices here in the Masquerade thread. I will then PM you with any secret knowledge gained as a result of your play.
For example, let's say it's the Snow Princess's turn, and she begins with a Count in her hand. I would PM the Snow Princess, informing her of new draw, let's say the Handmaiden in this example. The Snow Princess, she'd like to force her opponent, the Wine Server, to discard his card and draw a new one, so she posts in the Masquerade thread that she is playing the Count and choosing the Wine Server. I would then PM the Wine Server, informing him that he has to discard his card (a House Guard), and that he has received a new one, and I would, over Private Messaging, tell him which card.
The Snow Princess's post might like this:
"I wonder, Wine Server, is the Princess holding your letter? I will play the Count, and we will find out!"
I would PM the Wine Server with the news, and would post to the Masquerade the public information gained, which might look like this:
"The Wine Server has discarded the House Guard, and has received a new card. Wine Server, it is your turn."
In other words, public information occurs here, private information occurs over Private Messaging.
All right, it's time to start things off. Here are the two groups:
Group A:
-The Twins by Proxy
-The Kuthona Rat (just now got a PM from this character)
-The Midnight Samurai
-The Gallium Paladin
Group B:
-The Angel
-The Dark Lady
-The Masked Cat
I have generated two "decks," one for each group. Twins, Angel, I will now contact you with your first turn's draws, and I look forward to your first plays.
Also, it is worth noting this game is not full! I have structured the games such that people can stream in and new groups can be quickly formed. So if you have yet to join the Masquerade, you are perfectly able to participate in the party games.
Best of luck to all of you, and may Shelyn smile on your costumed endeavors.
"Of course, there will be no quarrel with you here. But be ever vigilant, milady, for the forces of Heaven have their eyes on you."
In a lighter tone, he adds "Well, if it was cheap, it wouldn't be worth keeping a secret, now would it?"
** spoiler omitted **
(OOC: Just for fun, for anyone who spends a while examining her costume. EDIT: Wanted these to be nested spoilers, but it doesn't work out. Much much less fun this way)
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The Angel looks at the two people in his group, thinks for a moment, then looks at the Masked Cat. "Hm, let's see... Under that mask are you betraying signs of power, or signs of weakness?" He looks at her for a second before playing down a card. "House Guard. I choose the Masked Cat, and I think she has the Handmaiden."
The Master of Games looks to the Angel. "The Masked Cat is not holding the Handmaiden," she says. She then approaches the Dark Lady, with a card for her.
"Well, thanks to the Angel, we all know a little bit about the Masked Cat," the lady posits, "So let's find out more about my other competitior."
*She plays the Priestess, choosing the Angel.*
The Master of Games quietly informs the Dark Lady of the contents of the Angel's hand. She then approaches the Masked Cat, with a card for her.
Masked Cat, check your PMs.
The Snow Princess comments with a gentle laugh, clearly enjoying the first round of the night's games. "Now I find myself really wondering what the Dark Lady knows." She focuses for a moment on the Dark Lady's costume, examining its intricate detail as she drinks from her wine glass and gently fans herself with a white ladies' fan.
After a moment, an inquisitive look spreads across the Snow Princess's face. "Those little stones, there on your shoulder... if that is a cosmetic adornment, it must have required a mountain of effort," she comments, referring to what looks like ioun stones implanted in the Dark Lady's shoulders.
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A young Kelishite woman slips into the hall, making an exaggeratedly poor show of sneaking in, then trips over her own feet. She is dressed in a gaudy, overly bright blue and gold Qadiran-style courtier's outfit, and showy diamonds and sapphires that would be worth a king's ransom if they were actually real. Her mask is defaced Qadiran flag with two eyeholes cut out of it. To complete the costume, she wears a sash covered in slit purses.
"Oh, what's going on over here? I hope I'm not to late to skim all of the profits off of this little venture. Ah, I suppose I should introduce myself before we can form a profitable alliance. Call me...the Merchant of the Sands."