This looks great. I don’t immediately see a way to improve on it. You probably went to the feast “out of solidarity” with the castellan. But really, lot’s of nobility around. Time to show how good of a catch you are. There’s these two young promising knights. Maybe you could get them to dance and see what they’re made of. Also, there’s this intruiging saleswoman that everyone’s talking about. Handeling the buisness of a sick father with great skill! How unusual!

The only remark I think I have is that the Flemish weren’t outsiders, but part of Burgundy. Not everything of what we now call Flanders, but still. Leuven (in Brabant) was an important city for Burgundy, as was Mechelen (where I currently live, not sure what Dutchy it was in, gotta remedy that) and Ghent (Flanders) has been mentioned before.

Yay! Thanks, that's great to hear.

My only doubt is whether I should add something mentioning lands or a sizeable dowry, because as Anne stands now, she sounds pretty broke to me. A few dresses, some jewlry and essentials, and little more, probably. I don't know if this might be  a problem.



Oh yes, absolutely, Flanders is part of the Burgundian state, which is a bit of a collage of very different lands. What I meant is (and maybe I'm wrong, let me know), the locals of Rethel are probably, ethnically speaking, French? Whereas someone called "le Flamand" is probably ethnically Flemish, meaning, he speaks a different language and all that, even being part of the same political entity. So I assumed the locals might regard them as foreigners and carpetbaggers. Let me know if this is not the case, because Anne might want to capitalise on that idea at some point in her intrigues...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Sun 18 July 2021.

That sounds very reasonable to me.

Alright! I think my guy will be called Roland de Sergius. He saved Jaques de Lalaing before he was killed by canon fire. GM, would you need any information on Roland's liege lord/lover? Completely fine if not

In reply to Player 3 (msg # 67):

Sure, I’d like that. The more string you give me to pull on you the better! *evil laugh*

I was looking for a suitable nunnery for Anne, and I found this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tart_Abbey

Amusing name aside, Le Tart is near Dijon, so in the Burgundian heartlands, and it seems it was pretty prestigious, and eventually became the place of choice for noble families to dump their unwanted daughters. "By the 16th century the abbey was in a state of advanced decadence and moral collapse, which neither bishops nor popes were able to remedy, and was notorious for its worldly life and sexual impropriety." This all suits the character very well.

If the Powers that Be approve it, I'll add the name to my trait.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:39, Mon 19 July 2021.

Stamp of approval granted.

Good find Anne.

I am now imagining something akin to the infamous Castle Anthrax.

Wouldn't you like that :P

"See, your Holiness, it's all her fault! She started the advanced decadence and moral collapse! Her with her visible ankles, use of contrations when doing bible readings, and seasoning her meals! She's to blame!"

What! Vile slander, hold thy poisonous tongue! I have never seasoned my ankles!

Great writing everyone! I've moved the story forward, and Roland can fall in when he's ready. English isn't my primary language, so I'm going to try my best, but I'm afraid I won't be as eloquent as you all are.

Challenge accepted.

In reply to The Powers That Be (msg # 75):

Is there any particular way you'd like me to introduce him?

You've got free reign, as long as it makes sense in the fiction.

I think I might have to do some research on dances and fashion. I'm pretty sure Anne should be wearing that conical hat with a veil on top, the stereotypical Medieval Princess Hat.

Yeah, I had to do a bit of research for Helena, mainly to work out the basics of what she'd be wearing. Credit where it's due, because wikipedia's section on the subject is pretty extensive and accessible.

In reply to Helena of Ghent (msg # 80):
I'm Wikipedia'ing most of it too, yes.

So if I'm reading it right, this is a few decades before things go really complicated. But Anne's outfit still consists of a lot of layers:

* a chemise, which counts as underwear, and one wears it to bed probably; linen and undyed.
* a kirtle, which could have been the dress, which includes a fitted bodice, square-necked and laced tight,
* the dress proper, v-necked so as to show an inverted triangle of kirtle and maybe a bit of chemise poking under that. I suppose this must have been somewhat suggestive?

To combine with a chenin (called a turret, a chimney, or a mitre, depending on the source), which is the Stereotypical Princess Conical Hat With a Veil At The Tip. Some dude complains in 1464 that "the more beautiful and young they are, the taller their chimneys", which probably means it had been around for a few years. With exaggeratedly pointy shoes (also for men).

This is the Duchess of Anjoy and Lorraine, circa 1460. Apparently a fashion icon of the time. Taken from https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1460-1469/

Everyting looks awfully heavy and warm, I imagine Anne sweating under all that stuff, in the July heat, and in a room filled with people.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:39, Tue 20 July 2021.

Yeah, that's how I've read it. I think it's one of the reasons I've set Helena to be a bit less interested in fashion for the period, because it gets stupid complicated and it's not my particular area of interest. I think we're a few decades prior to slashing being a thing, which I at least know something about.

That being said, I suspect one would wear less if one wasn't on official duty, so to speak.

If the July of 1460 was anything like the July of 2021, Anne is dying to retreat to her chamber and take everything off.

I will admit I'm in a cooler part of the UK, and even I've resorted to wrapping freezer blocks in tea towels to keep me cool at work.

Random question to our GMness, do I know Durant, or at least of him?

Yes. You knwo bim through your smuggling contacts. If you want to randomly decide wether or not things are well between Dour Durant and yourself you can make a roll with one die. If not everything’s fine. You’ve worked with him before. He’s, well, dour, but other than that reliable and discreet.

Let the dice Rethel the story.

But the dice scare me, and I don't wish to risk my important business relationships to the luck of the draw!