Frostyvalk: Created page with "{{Infobox expedition log | title = A Social Overture | date = 8/12/26 | storyteller = Evan | tier_of_play = Trainee | player_characters = Lacie, Ken, Moz Fratelli, Busiate | rewards = 200 gp, 250 xp | result = Success | author = Laciena Anastasie Clarisa de la Fuente (frosty) | downtime_days = 1 }} Associates attend Lady Matsumoto’s social gathering. == Log == Our expedition begins on the east side of Little..."

2026-08-14T22:32:50Z

Created page with "{{Infobox expedition log | title = A Social Overture | date = 8/12/26 | storyteller = Evan | tier_of_play = Trainee | player_characters = Lacie, Ken, Moz Fratelli, Busiate | rewards = 200 gp, 250 xp | result = Success | author = Laciena Anastasie Clarisa de la Fuente (frosty) | downtime_days = 1 }} Associates attend Lady Matsumoto’s social gathering. == Log == Our expedition begins on the east side of Little..."

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{{Infobox expedition log
| title = A Social Overture
| date = 8/12/26
| storyteller = Evan
| tier_of_play = Trainee
| player_characters = [[Laciena Anastasie Clarisa de la Fuente|Lacie]], [[Ken]], [[Moz Fratelli]], [[Busiate]]
| rewards = 200 gp, 250 xp
| result = Success
| author = [[Laciena Anastasie Clarisa de la Fuente]] (frosty)
| downtime_days = 1
}}

Associates attend Lady Matsumoto’s social gathering.

== Log ==
Our expedition begins on the east side of Little Monarch, each of us arriving in turn at the manor of one Lady Matsumoto, our commissioner. The job this time was something I, at least, am much more accustomed to, and would serve as a nice change of pace, as for once we were not investigating mysterious crabs or digging through trash, but rather, attending a high-end social gathering. We had been called to serve as both status symbols—Associates of the Round Table attending such a party are an auspicious sign, it seems—as well as guards in case anything happened to go awry.

Once we had all made it to the manor, we were greeted by guards and quickly ushered inside. We were then brought to a sitting room, where we were served tea and cookies while awaiting Lady Matsumoto’s arrival. The manor itself was quite a sight—everything was lavishly furnished and dyed in vibrant hues.
Busiate and the Fratelli brothers seemed to have a… history, of sorts, from what I could gather from their conversation. No matter, however, for we were not waiting long before a woman, just as grandly dressed as her mansion, stepped into the room. She was indeed Lady Matsumoto, who proclaimed that this upcoming party would be the opening to a great social season.

She then explained in full what she expected of us— to attend her social gathering, keeping an eye on things. We weren’t necessarily expected to intervene with any verbal or drunken altercations, but rather, to simply be ''prepared'' should anything happen. Not that she was exactly expecting something to happen, but according to her, these kinds of gatherings were prime opportunities for assassination attempts, so it pays to be prepared.

Furthermore, both locals and nobles from the Old Country would be there, so she expected us to look our best, and as such, what we were wearing would simply not do. She swiftly called for a carriage and led us outside, where we took a short ride to a small, unassuming shop, which we quickly learned was Lady Matsumoto’s “favorite tailor.”

The proprietor, a small halfling woman, soon fitted us for attire befitting a ball. While they wouldn’t be ready until the next afternoon, the day of the gathering, everything seemed to be planned out precisely as it needed to be. I was to wear a white ballgown with silver lace accents, Ken was planned for a dark blue kimono with dark red accents, Moz and Alfredo were given traditional dwarven finery in matching design but differing colors—red for Moz, green for Alfredo—and Busiate had been fitted for a long doublet with a…rebellious flare, as his jacket was to be lined with silver spikes and his boots accentuating his height.

Once everything had been squared away, we made our leave, now that everything was set to be ready by the next day. Before departing, Lady Matsumoto also mentioned that, as guards, we were allowed to carry weapons, though they must remain peace-tied. She then told us to arrive an hour before the party began, and soon left.

—

The next day, we arrived back at the manor on time, where we were introduced to the other guards, all of whom bore the insignia of Lady Matsumoto’s house. She then led us to the ballroom, allowing us a moment of reprieve before guests arrived.

Not long after, however, partygoers began showing up, each one announced by name as they entered. Lady Matsumoto was seated overlooking the ball as the party kicked off.

It was, at the start, a grand time. We each mingled with attendees and danced on the ballroom floor, had exquisite food and drink, and truly did enjoy ourselves overall. As the night wore on, Lady Matsumoto announced that a group of performers from the Old Country would be doing a traditional ceremonial dance of sorts.

The performance, however, was abruptly cut off when one of the dancers stepped out and stabbed a woman. As she lay bleeding out, the room erupted into chaos as we chased the assassin out of the ballroom and into the garden. We kept up with her as best we could, but, in the end, she was able to escape our grasp. We returned to the ballroom empty-handed, but Lady Matsumoto did not seem all that disappointed.

With things having settled in the ballroom, the guests had begun filing out, though they did not seem rather disturbed by the murder—only that their fun was now over. We inquired as to the murdered woman’s identity, but even Lady Matsumoto did not know who she was. Inspecting the body, we found that she was dressed very differently from any of the other nobles present, and that she possessed a signet ring of unknown origin. Furthermore, it was fairly obvious she was a nephilim, of daemonic origin, which is… odd… considering Lady Matsumoto fled the Old Country specifically because of daemon attacks. The woman also seemed to have faint traces of magic on her person, which we soon deduced to be a casting of Charm that she had done herself.

Ken thought that perhaps this was staged, as a way to show that the Old Country would not bow to daemons, though Lady Matsumoto showed no signs of this being true. It is possible the murdered woman had charmed her way into the party, for no one seemed to know her name, but even then, our results were inconclusive. Deciding to bring the ring back to the Round Table for someone else to inspect the origins of it and to hopefully discover who this woman actually was, we wrapped up our investigation into the matter. Lady Matsumoto, for her part, seemed to have a fair taste of disdain for the murdered woman, though she was overall content with how the party had turned out.

With the party now officially over, we collected our payment and made our leave. Though we could not catch the assassin, no further harm was done, all things considered, and Lady Matsumoto herself seemed satisfied with our work. I would, as such, consider this a success.

A Social Overture - Revision history