The youngest and perhaps the most affluent of the City Council’s members, Lord Sulthor van Ellsworth, current Master of Entertainment and overseer of the Tideswallow’s more frivolous aspects, makes his home in a lush villa within the Office District’s west-most quarter.

The villa itself is easily found from the district’s main road. Following the course of the three hills that make up the Office District’s geography, one may locate the manor seated high at the top of the smallest. From the property’s front gate, a long, winding cobblestone trail leads up the hill to the manor at the very top, twisting with a serpentine suggestion to its oddly-meandering path. There doesn’t appear to be any rhyme or reason to its twisting course, beyond perhaps forcing visitors to walk longer and gaze upon the rows and rows of grape vines, apple trees, and well-maintained herb gardens that coat the entire hill.

Gardeners and field workers tend to the beautiful tangles of grape vines day and night, taking great pride in their trade. While there always seems to be more work being done to enhance the plants, the pace at which said work is done seems to be fairly casual and relaxed.

Around the villa’s base runs a 4ft tall stone wall topped with 5ft-high upward facing iron pickets sharpened like pikes. There is a good bit of space between each, however, and you don’t suppose it would be terribly difficult to squeeze between two if one really had to. This barricade runs the entire perimeter of the orchard, connecting to the grand city walls themselves at the very back of the property. The only genuine opening appears to be a tall, opulently-constructed stone-and-iron gate at the very edge of the street. A pair of guards in black full helms, lobstered armor, and cyan cloaks stand beside the entrance; a curved glaive resting in each one’s grip.

From the road, one would find the front gate wide open. In fact, it looks as though it has rarely ever been closed; judging by the lack of any major wear on the stone paving beneath it. The guards appear to be the only thing separating the villa from would-be visitors...


This message was last edited by the GM at 22:08, Tue 27 Oct 2020.

Not opposed to a bit of walking Mystrala inspects the path up to the house while the guards inspect her invitation, assured of their willingness to comply long before even showing them the seal, and not afraid to let them know it.

With the functionaries dressed up like guards behind her she shifts her clothing into her formal fancy dress, perhaps not quite intended for this purpose but easily close enough to suffice, and a little bit of jewelry to set it off.

When she arrives at the manor house itself the only thing to tell her apart from the other guests is that she doesn't have even the slightest pretense at makeup, but her unusual natural coloring tends to more than account for that under casual inspection.

In reply to Mystrala (msg # 2):

The guards look over your invitation carefully and gesture for you to pass. “You’re a bit early, my lady, but I believe you will find a number of other guests are as well. Please, enjoy your stay.”

Walking the winding path you pass by an innumerable amount of grape vines. Grown in progressively more heavily entwined rows, they take up the majority of the hillside leading up to the manor. The grapes themselves are large, almost perfectly circular orbs, and appear to be jet black in color. However, you are only able to tell this due to the presence of numerous lantern posts lit throughout the rows. It’s possible that in the daylight, they might look a different color. Having lived in the city long enough, you are well aware that the inky black wine Lord van Ellsworth’s villa is known to produce is easily considered the best of local mid-tier wines. Curious in color. Unique in texture. Tasty and enjoyable. But nothing to really brag about on a larger scale..

Here and there you spot the occasional fruit bat flitting from vine to vine; sometimes being shooed away by a nearby gardener. You also hear the distinct hoot of a horned owl somewhere nearer to the top of the hill. Beyond that, no notable wildlife seems to be present within the confines of the walls.

As you near the manor, the grapevines give way to stunted apple trees; kept short so that they are easier to pick from. Beyond them, an expansive series of gardens grow. Within their boundaries you recognize a number of herbs and vegetables. sage, lavender, thyme, parsley, rosemary, mint, allspice, cloves, small chili peppers, shallots, garlic, and some small cinnamon, benzoin, and frankincense trees. The only flowers you spot are roses, but there are a great many of them growing right around the manor itself. Many have overtaken the inner edges of the gardens and grow directly up the walls of the manor house. These are accompanied by a thick tapestry of ivy that seems to dominate much of the house’s exterior. Off in the distance, a few small willow tree groves stand around man-made ponds. These encircle the house and add a semblance of privacy to both the front and back portions of it.

The manor itself is a large three story chateau with a wide cobblestone clearing in front of its heavy wooden front doors. Here you can already see a number of guests gathered in a large group; mingling casually in the flickering lamplight of the surrounding gardens. They are all dressed formally, but with a great degree of difference between the types of outfits. You suspect many of these are the foreign traders and dignitaries you were told would be coming for the Harvest Festival; bringing with them the fashions of each of their own home cultures. A few carriages are unloading more guests and their luggage. One passes you on the path up and is parked near the front doors when you finally reach the manor proper.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:03, Tue 27 Oct 2020.

"Better early than late."
Mystrala tosses over her shoulder to the guard as a parting comment as she passes by.

Already focused on the path up the hill before the guard could possibly reply it is clear she wouldn't hear much of it anyways.

Passing through the plants very little in the way of recognition happens, even the dangerously low apples draw only a glance, but the gathering of people out front slow her approach considerably.

Pausing just inside the well lit area she lets the carriage and all the people important enough to use one enter first, watching the protocol they use to do so, and then a few of the other less important people before she makes an attempt at some well intentioned mimicry that could be called passable at best.

In reply to Mystrala (msg # 4):

Moving up to the crowd, you take note of many of the guests around you. Dapper and regal looking in some cases, exotically-dressed in others, armed and armored in a few cases. It’s difficult to get a real feel for whether or not there was any sort of actual dress code expected of the people present.

Almost everyone has a glass of wine or some other drink in hand and you quickly notice a pair of butlers wandering through the crowd outside and those gathered in the antechamber inside. They each carry with them a platter of glass and a bottle of the vineyard’s own black wine. The general conversation seems to be nothing more than exchanges of pleasantries amongst people who clearly don’t know each other, apart from a few isolated instances of old acquaintances seeing one another again for the first time since last festival season.

---

Make a performance or deception check as you attempt to blend in amongst these merchants, traders, and other dignitaries.

Although clearly not trying to make a fool of herself Mystrala manages to stick out as what she is, an entertainer, or more so an owner of an entertainment district industry.  Dressed up but still out of place she doesn't quite offend anyone, but really isn't passing herself off as anything other than what she is.

Fairly quickly she realizes they are on to her, and she switches tactics, instead she begins passing out the little pieces of paper with Thermal Remedies information on them, these are different from the ones offered to the merchants, they offer a free guest pass and the third month of any two month paid membership free when redeemed at the time of purchase.

In reply to Mystrala (msg # 6):

Doing your best to fit in, you certainly don’t make a fool of yourself... but you’re pretty sure no one’s going to mistake you for a usual guest. You are pretty clearly out of place amongst these dignitaries and important folks. No one says it, but you are confident they’re all thinking it. You can practically feel the condescension in their gaze as you press on.

Many of the guests seem wholly indifferent to your advances, not even moving to take the parchments. Many simply stand there cradling their glasses and watching you attempt to hand them the cards. It honestly seems to take a few of them more effort to ignore you than it would to simply take what you are offering; but they manage to ignore you nonetheless.

Finally, after what must have been a dozen or so failed attempts, an elderly human woman graciously accepts your offering with a beaming smile and kind word. “It’s been quite some time since I’ve visited the Entertainment District. This would make for a truly lovely excuse to do so. Thank you, my dear.”

From there, a few more folks begin taking the cards. One who passes by without a word, plucks a card from your hand while you were meaning to give it to another of the nobles who are ignoring you. This passerby you quickly recognize as the tabaxi owner of Augmented Offerings, whom you saw down in the Market only a few hours earlier. He gives you a quick wink and is soon lost in the crowd within the antechamber.

With that, you begin having significantly more luck getting guests to accept your offerings.

Content to wait and pay her dues as the newer and unfamiliar guest to the party Mystrala doesn't try to make any waves, just lets those who want to do something else be on their way.  Those who do take a card she offers a warm smile and a brief thanks before moving on to the next place.

Eventually exhausting those outside the party she waits for another at least modestly appropriate opening to enter the building in search of more opportunity.

In reply to Mystrala (msg # 8):

You don’t need to wait too long, as the crowd begins to part a bit not long afterwards. Through the front doors you find the antechamber to be a tall-ceilinged entry hall with two doors on the right hand wall, one large double door on the left, a staircase leading up to a second floor, and four doors against the back, with two set on either side of the staircase. The two to the right of the stairs appear to lead toward some manner of ballroom or dancehall, while the two on the left seem to lead into a hallway containing other rooms. Looking straight up, you can see the second floor surrounding the entrance hall, a balcony on each side overlooking the marble tiled floor upon which you now find yourself treading. A few guests are leaning against the banister up there; talking, gossiping, occasionally glancing down at the guests below. You don’t recognize any of them.

From where you stand, you can also see a few servants move through the double doors on the left. It appears to lead into a fancy dining room of some sort. The scents of tomato sauce, garlic, and broiled meat mingle with the smell of fried fish of some manner. It... isn’t exactly the most enjoyable bouquet when taken together, but you imagine on their own each dish likely smells wonderful.

A constant stream of string music can be heard emanating from the ballroom. It sounds as though an entire band is playing, but no singing accompanies it; only instruments.

Another servant passes by and offers you a glass of the vineyard’s black wine. He gives a quick nod as he brings the tray of thin sampling glasses around toward you. “For the lady the take at leisure. There is plenty should you find you’ve a taste for it. If not, other refreshments are available in the ballroom and dining hall as you like.”
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:47, Fri 30 Oct 2020.

Accepting the glass offered as much to let the server off the hook as to blend in herself Mystrala thanks him with a shallow nod still likely more noticeable than anyone else has granted him so far tonight and sips the dark, likely robust, drink gently at first being sure to enjoy the aroma as much as the flavor before testing the burn it offers on the way down.

A quick glance up at the rumor mongers atop the balcony confirms her suspicions that lingering here is ill advised and having snacked plenty in the market all day she takes a turn in the direction of the ballroom.  Rather than leap in directly she slips as quietly as the obviously unusual can into a room full of unfamiliar people and watches the style of dance and dynamics of the people more than she does any listening to any particular choice of music they accompany it with.

In reply to Mystrala (msg # 10):

The wine is definitely good. Not anywhere near the best you’ve had, but not bad by any means. Just somewhere in the middle. It’s a little unfortunate, but the color is really the only thing about it that makes it stand out from any other mid-tier wine you’ve tried.

The ballroom is grand and elegant, as you would expect from such a prosperous house as this. However, the company in here is relatively scarce. A few individuals are picking at a table of refreshments. Two couples are enjoying a waltz (a human man and woman who look to both be in their late 60s or early 70s, and a younger human man and... something clearly trying to pass as a human woman, both in their mid to late 20s). Beyond them, more dignitaries are simply milling about; some gossiping similarly to those you saw on the balconies while others simply seem to be enjoying the music and the show the two couples are putting on on the dance floor. Most don’t really strike you as the dancing sort.

One entire wall of the ballroom is dedicated to a vast array of glass windows which look out onto a stone patio at the back of the manor. A single large glass door is open wide onto the patio here and reveals the rest of the guests to you. Many are outside drinking and laughing as they mingle about in the colorful lamplight. Beyond the railing at the very edge of the patio lies one of the man-made ponds you spotted on your way in. Several small groves of willow trees stand around it, giving it a lovely, secluded look. Simple dancing lights have been set afloat above the water; a cantrip you’ve seen used numerous times in the passed. Nothing fancy, but the execution here provides a simply divine bit of atmosphere.