Ellani has been weaving webs her entire life, and has become quite good at it. The larger than average sized spider, since moving into the Velenosa estate, has created hundreds of thousands of delicate strands of silk which is usually cleaned weekly and removed from the entire rooms she decorates with her beautiful and intricate designs. It seems like a complete waste of art.

Empowered by the spidersilk baby blanket her son owns, knowing full well the silk can be used to make a strong yet rare material, Jaenelle has sought out to see that the webbing is put to use instead of destroyed. She gets aide in her project from House Tessere, hoping to use their experience in creating a new cloth so that House Velenosa might be known for such themselves. Tailors to work with the threads, apothecaries to assist in making sure they withstand the weaving process, and merchants to see that the resource is spoken about and interest is gathered. House Acheron is tapped due to their experience with spiders, and those of the peerage who have offered aide are welcomed without question to see that this cloth becomes a thing and not just an idea on paper.

Jaenelle promised Ellani that she would show her the beauty the world has to offer, little did the spider know but it would be her who helps to create it.

Berenice once helped House Tessere in their establishment of cloth-of-neodymium, and she is /delighted/ to turn her skills to efforts of her own house. Berenice makes sure that everyone who is needed to convince to invest in this process and project are persuaded to do so: she is one of the foremost fashionistas of Arx, after all, and she will /ensure/ that the end result takes the city by storm. With that in mind, how could someone ever decline to be a part of it?

The finest fabric artists in Arvum dwell in Iriscal and Sabine commits them all. /All/. 10,000 resources worth of all. They are accustomed to her demands to experiment with odd material and they work best under the pressure of the Marquessa's chill, expectant gaze, bringing with them centuries of technique, innovation, and more than a little professional pride, to figure out how to turn spider silk into cloth.

And not one of them, from Sabine down to the most green apprentice, makes any bones about their intentions of taking what they learn from this little experiment back to Iriscal to craft their /own/ unnaturally strong material down the road. This is the test run.

Brianna is using her exceptional skills of organization and delegation to help with the administrative side of these efforts. When there's pretty dresses involved, she is highly motivated.

Lady Tesha Telmar would like to assist in this wonderful venture of spider silk as she has a fondness for them in general, along with most other animals. She is going to use her skills with Propaganda in spreading the properties of spider silk and how wonderous it is and hoping that it becomes a hit.

Mabelle is thrilled to finally practice her alchemical skills on anything other than perfumes and .. perfumes. She intends to test the fabric and assures its durability as well as be one of the models to showcase it around the city once it's finally woven.

Mailys might be a merchant, but it's her skill with textiles that she's bringing to this table. She'll get right into the process, helping with spinning silk, weaving, all of it. She wants to know how it feels in her hands, against her skin. She wants to be able to guide the process, if some technique might be better than the one currently being used.

Apollo could try to apply some novel tanning techniques to some samples of the spider silk produced, just to see if anything changes the properties of the material in interesting or useful ways. But no. He knows that the stuff is going to be in short supply, produced by - apparently - a single spider. His valuable expertise, here, is in understanding how materials with a limited and variable supply can be managed so they reach market smoothly and don't vary wildly in perceived value. He'll study the output and the various factors that go into the production of the spider silk, and determine where there are bottlenecks, places where a likely point of failure would stop production entirely or slow it greatly, and decide in what ways supply should be stored and released to market in order to maximize its value.

Alexio Donatti is a handsome, cunning, and charming man; the merchants know it, both the men and ladies know it, everybody knows it! He also has an uncanny way with words to get people to _do_ what //he// wants them to think //they// want to do. It's incredible, really! This time it is no exception. Once the textile creation is finalized, he begins his work. He makes sure to spread the news vis-a-vis spider-silk a stone's throw away and off the beaten track. News begin to spread thin and wide about the wonderful properties of the strong and rare textile; and, once you get the people's tongue rolling, well...it is very hard to get them to stop. Isn't it? At least that's the hope!

The crafters guild is a powerful guild. Most just never realize it. But Josephine on behalf of the crafters guild has listened to Jaenelle's proposition and is prepared to throw the might of the guild's bank and it's people behind her and Tessere. A good portion of the guild's coffers are emptied, contracts are called in and the crafters of Arx band together. 500,000 silver from the guilds coffers are put forther, 250,000 from Josephine's own personal funds as well. 20,000 economic resources, some of it gathered by it's members, or procured specifically for this project are laid out. And they turn out in numbers to assist. Whether it's the skilled hands of weavers, market specialists who can gather the supplemental materials to make this new fabric and in the amount necessary to ensure no hitch in supplies that might hinder experimentation. Josephine reaches out to the other crafters guilds across the compact to inquire of anyone of their numbers who are willing to travel to the city and lend their expertise or brainstorming to make the Archduchess regent's vision come true and Elloni's silks something to behold and marvel. This is the Crafters Guild and she will show the city and compact that the guild remains as ever, -the- guild, and instrumental in this process.

Nurie has always been focused on spinning her sister's dreams into something tangible, the creation of Tessere's brocade being one pinnacle of such a thing. It's lit a fire within the baseborn tailor to continue on with research and further creativity. The use of spider's silk as a completely new kind of material to incorporate stokes her imagination and excitement (and of course what Sabine wants Sabine gets as far as her aid), and as part of the Tessere delegation she lends her expertise and skill directly in its creation, investing a great deal of her personal time to work with and provide feedback to the team of artisans.

Spider silk cloth is the dream of a certain sort of tailor with a romantic bent and a level of ambition that lesser men and women might call ‘unrealistic’. But Jaenelle is able to gather together people who are determined to make it happen, and who are willing to invest heavily and wager that it can be, will be done. First, they gather the discarded webs made by Ellani, and attempt to spin it into thread. If only it were that easy! Sadly, the old webs are unsuitable and shred to pieces. Ellani - after much persuasion and treats of her favorite insects for days - agrees to hold still and allow Jaenelle to draw out a little bit of fresh silk from her spinnerets. The fresh silk has the strength and flexibility they need, but it’s clear that one spider could never produce enough for cloth. Also, Ellani makes it clear she has better things to do with her time.

Back to the drawing board. The investments by Josephine and Sabine go into buying a warehouse - a very well sealed warehouse - and doing some experiments. With spiders. Big spiders, little spiders, angry spiders (they’re all angry spiders). Mabelle and Nurie work together, with Tesha serving as main spider wrangler, to develop a sort of...spider spinning harness. Lock the spider in at one end, and someone can sit at the other and slowly draw the silk out into a spool. It takes hours every day. It takes thousands of spiders.The spiders bite their handlers, they eat each other, many escape or die, and the warehouse has to be stocked with every fly, beetle, and other bug the local urchins can provide, making for an awkward working environment. Brianna’s meticulous notes help them discover which breeds of spiders have the best silk-to-horrible-arachnid-behavior ratio, and it’s only Alexio’s charm and Josephine’s authority that can keep people from quitting when they realize they’ve been hired to spin silk out of spider butts. Ellani seems interested in the process, in her way, but shows little sympathy for the servitude of her fellows; it’s a spider-eat-spider world.

Eventually, the spiders die, since spider breeding is not, yet, an Arvani branch of animal husbandry. But through blood, sweat, tears, and hundreds of spider bites, the experimenters have enough spools of thread to work with. Mabelle and Apollo brainstorm ways to ensure that the precious, limited thread can be maximized for production. Working together with Mailys and Nurie’s textile expertise, the thread is woven into a single, precious supply of spidersilk cloth, with not even an inch wasted. It feels like cool air on the skin, it’s surprisingly strong, and it takes dyes beautifully. Some varieties of spider even seem to naturally produce lightly colored silk, and now they have documentation about which ones. Without some other breakthrough, this is never going to be a sustainable industry, but for this moment, they have enough cloth to create a few precious outfits. More, thanks to the skillful promotion of Berenice, Tesha, and Alexio, the city realizes that it is these people, and the incomparable House Velenosa, which has done the impossible: spidersilk cloth.

50 portions have been given to Jaenelle - this is not a mass production process, so you'll need to do further actions to gain more, or refine the process. You also each get a clue proving that you know how to make spidersilk the hard way!

Aurora has been working with local merchants, notable people in the city, and the Keaton goat herders to create something fashionable to wear within the cooler months. With their help, and her legendary abilities in working with fabrics, she has created a new type of wool; goat fibers mixed with seasilk to fashion an extremely durable, yet super soft fabric with a shimmering shot through quality. Considering the materials, the name Aurora has been calling this is Seatouched Cashmere (Or Seatouched Wool if Cashmere is too modern and specific region).

This new material will be somewhat expensive, as it uses a very specific goat to create, and hopefully with the material incorporating seasilk as an ingredient, it will raise the price of seasilk to where it once was as it is being used beyond for clothing.

Who better than the merchants of House Champagne to take hold of this fabulous new invention of the legendary seamstress and peddle it to esteemed clients of the Peerage and other well-to-do echelons of society? Yasmine, for her part, extols on the virtues of such a lovely and luxurious new fabric. Look how beautiful the seatouched cashmere (or wool) can be when worked into such a comely piece of clothing! How it shimmers in the light, and doesn't itch on the skin. Cold? Not her! It's as warm as it's luxurious!

New opportunity you say? A chance to fund a project with her two proteges you say? Keaton Cas... er Seatouched Wool you say?? Count Reigna in! She KNEW those goats were going to be a hit! And now there is a chance to utilize them beyond their current Pets or Food (and leather!) fates! She's all on board for this project and has JUST the place in mind to sell it, when the Acheron market opens. Reigna does love her money and has gotten pretty damn good at learning how to make the most out of the opportunities it presents her with. She'll be working her Economic Mojo and contributing some of her accumulated debts owed into making sure this project gets off the ground and is successful.

Aurora has approached and Josephine is more than glad to help a fellow crafter and merchanter. It's an interesting concept but been proven to have worked for that Lycene house. Neodynium and Silk, gods it's so noisy, she avoids it where she can. Josephine however is thrilled at the idea of this sea-touched wool. So while Lore strives to work the markets, josephine goes to barter and haggle with the various enclaves that harbor and guard the secret to making seasilk. Ahhh clam lip hair, who doesn't love clam lip hair! She'll even get on a boat. An actual boat. Take note.

With goats, she works to source herds of the little bleating things, champion breeders and for a good price to be given to the keatons so they can begin their breeding program while working with Lore to see to some of the already marketable goat fur to be procured and delivered to aurora for testing and creation. If someone needs to barter or haggle, josephine is there, taking the time to travel and do so.

A new fabric, you say? With seasilk, you say? Something both decadently delicious to the touch yet warm enough to ward off the interminable chill of these cold northern months, you say??? Lore is eager to get in on the ground floor of such an amazing and needed new invention!! She will happily work her magic with the markets to ensure that Aurora has all the seasilk and goat fibers that she could possibly need to make such a wonderful thing happen! Further, while she gathers materials up in bulk, Lore will start dropping hints of this wonderful new fabric to start generating hype and buzz to help create a demand in the market for its debut.

As winter wanes, a new winter line is suddenly rumored amongst the fashionable set. And the biggest rumors are bubbling up about a potential new material from the legendary tailor Aurora. Made from the hair of a particular goat bred by House Keaton farmers, this new "seatouched wool" is soft like a cloud, gentle on the skin, and flows like fine silk while providing the warmth of good wool. Does it sound too good to be true? Maybe it is and maybe it isn't. Certainly Marquessa Reigna seems to think it's the fashion, as she's talking about it at every opportunity. Others - Mistress Josephine Arcuri, Mistress Yasmine Champagne, and Mistress Lore Artiglio are also talking about it, having either seen it themselves or, as more rumors would have it, been instrumental in the creation of this new luxury fabric. The buzz is real - but will the product live up to the hype, or will this be a single-season fad? Only time - and the fashionistas - will tell.

Venturo is seeking those who are interested in partnership to expand the Raconteur Enterprises for the betterment of all of Arvum. He campaigns for further breweries to bring jobs to fealties and to lower the cost of safe drinks for the general populace. To expand the Kismet Carnivals and their games of luck and chance.

And for those looking to invest more, to bring races that only the everyday man can participate in for the chance to win a purse of money provided by Venturo himself. Horse races, hunting races, foot races, obstacle course races. Not only will they give something that truly belongs to the people that they can demonstrate their skill, but it will allow the nobles to find the most skilled in their lands.

Lastly, he wants to offer local tavern owners the chance to come under the Raconteur brand. They would still own and run their tavern, but would be provided discounts on the alcohol from the Raconteur, and would be provided entertainers to draw in even more of their patrons. In exchange, they would run under the Raconteur label, and a nominal, small part of their proceeds would go back to the Raconteur.

TLDR for Expansion:
More Breweries
Expanded Kismet Carnivals
Locals owning Raconteur Branded Taverns
Bards, poets, entertainers for thsoe Taverns
Horse, foot, obstacle and hunting races for the everyday man.
Allows the nobles to find the most skilled athletes, boatsmen, horsemen and hunters in their lands.

Nuala may not know horse races, but she sure knows how to mobilize a crew of people to plot out the best course for the horse races in the Kismet Carnival. She reaches out to the best riders in Farhaven and those of her acquaintances in Valardin lands, the Lyceum (especially Tor, where she grew up) and other assorted connections. She can additionally tap the Academy of War for riding trainers to help create a fiendishly exciting course with many obstacles, smart turns, and surprises for both rider and mount to make the event memorable. Getting all these minds together, they will plot out an impressive path and take into account the natural environment and landscape. Nuala uses every ounce of charisma she has to keep them focused on a singular purpose.

Who better to introduce new entertainment to the Lyceum than a Princess of Lenosia? Berenice focuses on wining and dining with those well-positioned to introduce new and exciting horse races to their various domains. Because, in Berenice's opinion, horse racing is the BEST and MOST EXCITING part of what Venturo's working on, hence her involvement in the First Annual Raconteur Cup Horse Race. She'll talk to various noble leaders and even some of the upper class mercantile commoner families about the acclaim and prestige they'll earn themselves by sponsoring such events, and she'll be full of flattery and flirting where necessary to get the job done.

Everybody loves musicians! Well, alright, not everybody, but bards are a good source of entertainment. What does Gianna have? Access to a lot of bards. Not just the ones in Arx, but the bards that come through the College on their way to other places, bards who might be convinced to play at these Raconteur-associated taverns. She'll be convincing entertainers - storytellers, singers, musicians - to go the route.

Having been part of Venturo's original unveiling of the Kismet Carnival as well as expanding the cultivation of more crops and a brewery, Gwenna of course pitches in to assist him with the planned expansion. She will support her fellow Redrain, Princess Nuala, with her efforts in Farhaven, and remind the people there how much fun was had at the last carnival. As done before, she will spend the first day of the festival handing out 10,000 of her own silver so that those who might not have much disposable income can partake in the games. Her main effort, though, will be visiting the taverns and farmers in the hopes that Venturo's branding idea and more breweries might strike interest as well as better income for them.

Pasquale views the success of Venturo - his Marquessa's protege - as success for Nilanza. He spreads the word in the Malespero domain about the carnival and encourages participation in it among the common folk, even pitching in for the purse for the prize money. He'll also do a bit of PR with the local tavern keepers so they'll see this venture as an opportunity rather than competition, and be more inclined to go in for it.

Mirk, on behalf of the Halfshavs, is throwing his support behind Venturo and the Raconteur expansion. He spreads the word of their coming expansion, building anticipation for the carnivals and the taverns that are going to be opened, and offers assistance in finding local owners and businessmen to run their tavern under the Raconteur brand. If he makes a point to find well-placed tavern owners in Whitehold and Cascade Springs, well, that's a part of his duties as Halfshav Minister of Coin. Regardless, he'll do whatever he can to make sure that Venturo's efforts are a success.

Sandreef Point is a port place. And every port place needs a good Tavern and, even better, a good brew to make and call their own. To draw the crowds and bring the cheer. So it is that Violet, the Quartermaster as well as Baroness, sets aside land and even some acreage for a brewing operation. Enough land to brew hops, barley, malt, or even grapes and space in the city for a tavern. This can only bring in more commerce and provide more jobs for those who need and want them.

As Kael has had an amiable working relationship with Venturo in the past, he is looking forward to seeing this new venture through. With his blessing, Venturo is allowed to approach tavern owners to join up under the Raconteur brand and he will personally write concerning how profitable associations with Venture Thayne has been in the past. Not only this but he has offered to help train up guards, not to mention supply equipment for them, so that the caravan and traveling members of Ranconteur Enterprises has less to fear of banditry. He supplies a map of the safest routes through his domain, and as other lands agree to join in, would offer to provide what he sees as the safest navigation routes.

In the city of Setarco, Alrec Magaldi, admiral and minister of the ruling house, uses his position of priviledge to ensure that Venturo has everything he needs to establish his brand in the Saffron Chains. He uses his reputation and notoriety to advertise Raconteur, hoping to associate their drinks with him for his fans. The staff of the carnival is seen to with board and food, their security handled by his own people.

There's very little the Mourning Isles likes better than drinking: perhaps, drinking and a show! Sorrel will represent Thrax's interests in this expansion of breweries and carnivals as Minister of Productivity for Maelstrom and the Mourning Isles. She'll be sure that at least some of the jobs on offer here go to former thralls who are renovating their lives, and that a certain amount of effort is paid to recruiting such, though by no means exclusively. There are plenty of commoners who would like to own their own businesses, and she'll promote that enthusiastically. She'll also make sure there are boat races available at the carnivals, and use the winners of these boat races to recruit into the Thrax military, especially if they aren't already.

Grady got in on the ground floor of the Kismet Carnivals to help develop Deepwood lands - particularly their cideries. He is excited about the expansion of the carnivals, as that always brings good taxes in, and as it gives the people of Old Oak a festival and some extra fun. Enjoying horse races and fine alcohol is a hallmark of civilization in Grady's opinion, and he gladly makes sure the funding is there to make the Carnivals in Old Oak exceptional indeed. Deepwood trades well with Raconteur Brewing too, and a friendly rivalry has gone up between Raconteur enterprises and Deepwood's own cideries. Will there be competition at the carnival? You better believe it. All in good fun, of course!

Though not in on the ground floor, the Kismet Carnivals and Venturo's spreading out across the compact works in tandem with Josephines own grand works. You won't find a stall, not in the least. As Josephine will point out, you don't get arcuri goods in mere stalls. But she does work with her family to see prizes made of all kinds to be supplied as prizes. From jewelry, to trinkets and even nudging a son in law to see about a blade or two, the Arcuri's time, energy and her payrons funds to ensuring even the most low ranked of men should tgey happen to winthese horse races have sonethingspecial as a prize.

Truthfully, it's a little alarming at how wide it spreads, and how much notice it gets throughout the Compact. People REALLY like Carnivals, it seems, with Farhaven, Nilanza, Whitehold, Sandreef Point, Oakhaven, Deepwood, Maelstrom, Setarco and more all expanding in an uptick in trade, and massive gains in the prestige of all involved.

It's no secret that Lady Monique Greenmarch has been at odds with the Faith lately. It's something the Minx of the Marches is trying to rectify. She has plans to search out an artifact or lost piece of lore for each of the gods she feels closest to: Gild, Petrichor, Skald, Vellichor. She will recruit her friends to help her, and with each success, will donate said artifact or information to the Pantheon.

The first attempt, and the Goddess the Greenmarch is closest to, Gild. Perhaps ambitious, but the Lady has heard stories about the dwarven kingdom to the north, Aviaron. She seeks some lost relic of Gild beneath the Peak of the Dwarves, or perhaps renewed contact and Faith with those who live under the mountain.

Etienne will, out of a great sense of at least curiosity, travel to find the Gild loving Dwarves beneath the mountain. Eager and developing a burgeoning sense of adventure goes forth with some protests of need for comfort and trappings of civilization in hopes to share stories, knowledge, and appreciation for the goddess with the sub-terranean dwellers and aid in the recovery of some relic. Etienne would bring textiles of all moderate sorts as gifts. (such as seasilk, umbra, and aeterna).

Sparte has long been on good terms with Lady Monique, and he knows what it is to be at odds with a group and have to make amends. That Lady Monique seeks amends is something he finds admirable. Her choice of method is a dangerous one, so he is seeing this expedition as a risky venture to be planned for accordingly. He will be collecting supplies and equipment through the Society of Explorers to help ensure the mission's success. He will of course also be going, and taking the same risks.

Marian will go on the trek, assisting with the security and protecting the group from harm. She's the warrior so she'll be first in line to attack anything that proves to be a threat to the group. She will also use her knowledge of the Northlands and survival to navigate any difficult areas. Keeping a sharp eye out of any ambushes or attacks.

Jhond will go on the trek as a member of the expedition. His specialty is as a guide and in reaching hard to reach places if its needed. Cliff to climb to drop a drop, river for swim to help the others ford, etc as well as facing whatever danger may prevent itself with steel if needed.

Initially brought in as a tent-buddy, Alrec, gains some weight and makes sure to bring a lot of games, alcohol, and furs. Still, wanting to be respectful to the cause, he amasses a few writs to trade along the route (and one can only hope, with the dwarves also).

Cadern is happy to join the search for the Dwarves to further his research in . Cadern in particular will go along to research the fascinating culture and take note of what they learn. His primary goal to smooth relations within the group and with others they encounter, dwarves or otherwise. He'll also bring along trinkets to trade particularly things he thinks they may not have such as glass and masks in particular, and no doubt extra booze.

Dwarves. It's... well. As she stated to Monique. Oh no dear Lady, not you too. But Monique is a good client, and for good clients Josephine will go out of the way and if a potential (likely false and laughable claim made by others) lineage makes things easier for one of her favourite clients? Well, Josephine will go. Armed in heavy furs, a sturdy cane, bearing gifts of brass namely in the shape of a series of tomes of brass sheets engraved with the history of the people since the reckoning as a communal gift, and a dragonweep stone in a lovely iridescite box made by Josephine, she's venturing forth. The worst? They find nothing and Josephine has at least experienced the far north and can quietly laugh to herself. The best? They find these dwarves and Monqiue's purpose is achieved. Either way, she's along for the journey and it's at least NOT via a boat.

Dwarves? Princess Helena's eyes lit up with wonder and awe when she heard of the quest to Aviaron, so much so that poor Monique probably felt she had to ask the Redrain to go along. Still, Helena's of the north and knows much of the journey well, and she's going along to add her own knowledge of the north and its lore to the wealth of knowledge of her party mates and to chronicle the event should they actually meet the storied dwarves of Aviaron, for that would be a story worth retelling.

Estelle is coming along to assist in any way that the Mercy is able! She is most likely to assist in the capacity of a healer however, keeping everyone healthy and in one piece for the trek as well as helping out with negotiations if need be.

The Knights of Solace are more then interested in making contact with these worshipers of Gild and Andry is one of the knights assigned as escort. He will also do what he can to bring along whatever supplies may be needed.

Lora, possessed of a keen interest in Brass and his associates, will first assist Josephine with the design and creation of brass objects, partially to show affinity to the Knight and partially to create some kind of pictorial communication device. She will join the expedition as a diplomatic asset, bringing coin to hopefully make the journey easier, and then her skills as a communicator in case they actually find who they're looking for.

It is, in a word, daunting.

Rumors of dwarves have swirled in whispers for a long, long time, but any more precise details that would take them from legend to an actual meeting are impossibly elusive. Ultimately, the most promising lead came from a seraph of a small village near Aviaron's Peak, who had some local Northlands legends about them. From there, it was a long trek of chasing the local legends that were disappointments, and then came a story of the Red Mine of Underhill Fortress, which was an abandoned set of mines from veins of gold and silver long since run dry, but legend had connected to a fortress miles deeper in the mountain that once had dwarves. Several days of searching there does find what once was obviously a massive fortress built deep in the earth, but almost completely shattered ages ago, possibly before the Reckoning, with some skeletons of what likely were dwarves there. With luck though, they find writing on stone tablets near the entrance with a single skeleton by itself next to the tablets. Etched in Arvani, speaking of 'the Last Stand of Clan Underhill against Ruin'. The etchings say, 'Ruin was understood too late. Cannot be stopped by swords or spells. Cannot be stopped by strength or will. Bound by words, but not by magic. Needed a treaty. A pact. Perhaps the copy of the treaty forming this new alliance in the South? Blessed by Gild. That might have saved us all."

In the days leading up to the Commoner's Ball, Baroness Skye Blackshore is going to organize a few workshops with the Knights of Solace to teach orphans in the Lowers how to craft their own masquerade ball ensemble. Workshops on masks, formal wear, footwear and jewelry are taught by well-known crafters in Arx. Dancing and ettiquette are taught by well-known courtiers. On the day of the event, a mini version of the ball will be thrown with the orphans at the Empyrean before the real Commoner's Ball.

Josephine is only more than happy to help out and the Velvet Box is closed down for two days leading up to the ball so that the older orphans and youngers ones and quite frankly even other commoners, can learn to make some jewelry, their own masks or any other adornment they may want. Paste gems, semiprecious gems and even the tiny chips leftover from the cutting of gems are used to gashion necklaces, simple tiara's, you name it. Someone's sparkle might have the tiniest bit of epiphanite or dusk/dawnstone in it. Who knows. But she sets aside stock after haggling at the market and an abundance of Saik glass is used as well. She'll ensure that every child has something sparkly or dashing to wear.

Petal will join this operation and will set up a work-shop helping to teach orphans how to sew. She will also help by getting together simple costumes for those of the lowers who don't have such. She will put in 10k silver to provide her own supplies for this, which will be wool, linen and felt to help make the costumes with. She will design the clothing she makes in such way that the dresses, tops, shoes and cloaks can be reworn as normal clothing after the ball.

Thesbe will be assisting Skye by teaching commoner's children how to sew, and helping them make simple costumes and masks, using her tailor skill.

Dycard is one of those teaching dancing and etiquette. The formal dances learned at his mother's knee can be made into games about footwork and clapping and spinning 'til you're dizzy, while the intricacies of bowing and curtseying don't have to be taken seriously.

Vayne throws a lot of Shrine resources into this. He gets mirrormask nobles to lend their aid in helping educate the youngsters, for one, and even to lend their staff for the night of the Ball, to help each and every child look their very best. And Vayne is there, too. While etiquette is not his thing to teach, Vayne is a very enthusiastic dance partner or go-fer, or butler, or really whatever else is needed. He's also a cheerleader, encouraging the children to be their best, look their best, and have a blast doing it. It would appear that, even if he's not technically the most skilled, he's at least trying for most enthusiastic.

In the days leading up to the Commoner's Ball, Baroness Skye Blackshore organizes a few workshops with the Knights of Solace to teach orphans in the Lowers how to craft their own masquerade ball ensemble. Workshops on masks, formal wear, footwear and jewelry are taught by well-known crafters in Arx. Dancing and ettiquette are taught by well-known courtiers. On the day of the event, a mini version of the ball will be thrown with the orphans at the Empyrean before the real Commoner's Ball. Mistress Josphine, Mistress Petal, and Mistress Thesbe help, with Archlector Vayne and Lord Dycard helping teach the children everything they need. It's a mixed benefit too - teaching them useful skills for later in life, and preparing them for a Children's Ball. Everyone loves the result, and the children are thrilled. Joy abounds!