[FR] Partying with nobles in Waterdeep

[Jürgen Hubert]

So two of my player characters have managed to get themselves invited to a birthday party of a young female noble of House Thann. Their goal is to learn more about another noble from a different house who will also attend the party. But that's beside the point.

What kinds of entertainment, food, and other decadent pleasures would be offered at a party involving the youth of Waterdeep's Finest? Especially given that magic is easily available in Waterdeep to those who can afford it?

And what sort encounters with nobles might the players have there? Intrigues, noteworthy personalities, and so on...

Your suggestions, please!

 

[kanithardm]

If you have male players have the girl hit on them.

 

[Faraer]

We've seen nobles' revels in several stories: in at least one of the tales in The Best of the Realms, Book II: The Stories of Ed Greenwood, in Elminster's Daughter (one in Cormyr), and we know that the forthcoming novel City of Splendors shows us 'the goings-on at two large revels' in Waterdeep.

And here are some of Ed's notes posted on his candlekeep.com thread:

A “feast” is usually a private party held by a guild at its headquarters or more often a rented venue, for members (and their guests, generally a single guest of the opposite gender) only - - OR it’s a private party held by a noble family for a select guest list, usually in their own city mansion or villa. Feasts are usually dominated by a sit-down meal, much drinking, and chat, and has small-scale hired entertainments (minstrels, jugglers, hedge-wizards). Many are intended to end in dalliance in various gardens or rooms.

A “revel” is a much larger social event held by a noble family, either in their own villa or at a large and luxurious rented location. It has a far more open guest list than a feast, or may even be an “open to all” event (if the latter, the Watch and Watchful Order will send out-of-uniform peace-keepers to bolster the hired security the hosts inevitably lay on). Revels may have dancing with music, and may have hired orators or actors or tumblers (acrobats), but are usually dominated by standing and chatting while servants (of the hosts’ household, augmented by many hired servants; you’ll see a glimpse of this in the forthcoming novel Elaine and I wrote) make the rounds with endless platters of food and drink. Guests are always “announced” by senior servants as they enter the venue (through a doorguard, to keep out gangs of street youths or thugs bent on thievery or pranks).

A few revels and feasts have costumes, or masks - - usually “doffed at deepnight” (taken off at midnight) - - and some of these even have ‘themes’ (costumes must all be piratical, or as a Tashlutan harem is imagined by Waterdhavians to be). Waterdeep has a long and colorful history of debauched celebrations, with wealthy families occasionally trying to outdo each other, and they serve as entertainments for the entire city (get injured or very drunk at a revel, and show up late for work the next day, and your employer may well be amused or even proud at your state - - provided you tell him and any guests all about what happened at the revel, over and over, until every questioner’s curiosity has been satisfied).

 

[Westgate Polks]

Dreamspeheres

Elaine Cunningham describes a Thann party is some detail in the "Dreamspheres" novel.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

There will be music, of course. At first, there's several musicians/bards all over the hall, playing discreet music. Later, when the dancing begins, they'll form a band and play the proper music to do the latest dances by.

Besides the music, there might be artists - tumblers, jugglers, and the like, as well as magicians doing elaborate illusions to delight the guests.

The whole room will be illuminated by magical driftglobes in several colours, and probably a big, impressive chandelier.

There will be all manner of delicacies - stuff like this is used to show off the family's wealth and influence, so they try to get exotic stuff as well as the finest morsels in fashin now. Also, there will be a number of very fine vintages - The Thann family is one of the dealing vintners of the city, so they cannot afford to serve anything but the best of their "merchandize"

There will be the usual fashion war, as the guests try to outdo each other with their outfits. The latest fasions, the most expensive materials in the most exquisite cuts.

Besides partaking in all the delights detailed above, there will probably trysts, and of course gossiping galore, with the occasional duel with rapier wits.

Beside all the young nobles, there will also be other guests, of course. Since we're talking about the Thanns, uncle Khelben (and maybe Laeral) will show up if he isn't being tied up elsewhere. Maybe even Danillo and Arilyn will be there.


As for the players: If any of them is part of the Waterdhavian nobility, they will of course be as much a target of gossip as anyone else. Even if not, people will talk about them, and of course there's always one young fop or another who humiliates his "lessers" every chance he gets. there's also the chance of meeting the Blackstaff and his lady.

Some specifics encounters.

Have one of the young noblewomen invite one of the male characters to a tryst. Of course, she's not sincere about it but tries to lure him into a trap, making him the target of much laughter as the young social predator and her flunkies set them up good.

Then there's the classical "magic parlour trick gone wrong", This, of course must happen before Khelben's there. It gives the players a chance to get everything under control (by magic, or by quickly dispatching the magical beast that went on a rempage amongst the buffet). This can be a humorous occasion when the conjured creature or spell went wild merely does mischief or causes much disarray, but it could also be something dangerous. Saving the day could earn them a personal introduction to Khelben and even being congratulated by the Archmage himself for saving his niece's party.

There could be an assassination or at least attempted assassination right on the party, and one of the players (or all of them) could witness something that noone else saw.

 

[kanithardm]

I would allow oppurtunities to impress big time people and get associates for deeper plotlines.

It could be totally encounterless with all roleplaying but this really depends on your characters.

Have one of the nobles ask your characters to complete a quest.

The party itself has already be described, but I will give ideas as well.

A room for massages.(With mages causing an extra pair of hands to appear)

I would have illusions like a beautiful dance or something else.

Dancing. A Dancing floor. Could get a girl by dancing with a girl.

 

[kanithardm]

What kinds of entertainment, food, and other decadent pleasures would be offered at a party involving the youth of Waterdeep's Finest? Especially given that magic is easily available in Waterdeep to those who can afford it?

I answered the other two, but food is kind of hard.
Exotic foods, wine, meats, fish(duh it is a port), and other FR food. Pretty much anything at a medieval banquet.

 

[Nightfall]

Make darn sure to keep your mouth shut around Dannilo if he shows up. Otherwise he'll talk your ear off.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Make darn sure to keep your mouth shut around Dannilo if he shows up. Otherwise he'll talk your ear off.

Right. And: Afterwards he'll know more about you and your current activities than you would want him to.


(edit) Oh, and one more thing: If he tells you that he has created a new spell and asks you whether you want to see it, decline politely. Snilloc's Cream Pie was just the beginning .

 

[Nightfall]

LOL! I forgot about the pie incident. But yeah like Kae'yoss said, Danilo isn't a guy you want to chat up at parties. Course if he's on your side AND you want to talk, be my guest.