A Bard's Tale of a White Bat, the Scarred Bear, and a Rabid Red Fox

5.

Gortash's coronation was the event for all of the local nobles and blue-bloods. However, it is his masquerade that draws more attention. Performers play music or dance with silk from the ceiling. Artists were painting the event or giving couples a quick portrait. Catered food for anyone who attends the ball with a free bar. Guilds and professional thieves were working overtime to scout for loot. Some nobles did try to speak out, but it was a legal succession (for the majority of it). Those who did not know about Duke Ravenguard's infection. According to Wyll, he saw a few nobles protesting it during the ceremony. They were taken in by the Flaming Fists or silenced by his Steelwatch's intimidation.

Even though the coronation ball was rescheduled for a week, Lord Enver Gortash had decreed all children with a teddy bear must return them for investigation. Covering up any of his involvement. Making adjustments to his plans. He also labeled it as a charity event for the less fortunate. Much to Karlach's disgust, she was outvoted by the party in terms of getting into the city. Plus, she didn't want Wyll's father to be harmed. At least not yet. He did sound like he might be a noble arse who expected things from his only son. However, everyone else seemed to be having a decent time.

They were all dressed in their best. Even Yenna came along and is now hanging around the camp's mothers, Jaheira and Lae'zel- munching on sweets and fruit juice. Yenna picked out a floral print, pastel blue dress with nice sandals. Gwynnistri made a few Druidic knots in her hair with sea glass barrettes. She picked out a cute, simple half-mask that matched well with her outfit. The Githyanki warrior adorned a silver-gray metallic skirt with a matching crop top. Shadowheart got to do Lae'zel's hair for the evening. Her hair plated tight with a small dagger keeping it in place. Lae'zel even wore a silver mask with chains cascading down her cheeks.

Jaheria kept her hair the same, but she made her dress look better. It's chocolate brown in color with sheer long sleeves and is chocolate brown with a sunflower belt. Simple, but still made her look easy on the eyes. Getting a few people's attention, and how could she not? She was gorgeous without even trying even with her age as she likes to remind people. Her mask is made with red and yellow sunflowers. Gale's suit was of course well-tailored, plum-colored suit patterned with lighter purple shades. His shirt is undone by a few buttons a little to show a little of his orb. The swirl pattern reminded the wizard of The Weave itself. His hair is partially up, and he accessorized himself with an amethyst ring a trader said came from Waterdeep. It had one of the artificers he knew in Waterdeep's signature engraved in the band. Even his beard looked extra nice today as a few people looked over at the wizard from Waterdeep. His mask is an illusion one that he changes every few minutes as he can't make up his mind of what he wanted.

The newly devoted Selunite wore an ivory, sleeveless dress with a celestial pattern embroidered sheer overlay and a light tule skirt. Shadowheart's eyeliner dagger is sharp with dark silver eyeshadow and light pink lipstick. Gwynnistri styled her hair up to look like a Night Orchid with one in her hair. She even wore a Selunite necklace Isobel gave her. The drow from House Baenre wore a midnight blue satin dress with a slit along the leg. Minthara's sleeves look like spiderwebs with a morning dew with pearls. Her mask is black lace mimics spider webbing. Even her hair is down and over her left shoulder.

Meanwhile, Wyll decided to indulge a little in some of his coin purse for him and Karlach. Wearing a lovely burgundy red and black suit with gold embellishments of Wyverns. Karlach helped with his hair and horns. Putting some gold bands with chains cascading down on his horns. She had one around her undamaged horn. She styled his locks to be pulled back mostly, but still loose and ending past his shoulders now. Usually, he had them all the way up. The mask he wore was half black with gold; while the other half red and gold. The ivory parts of it look cracked and aged.

He did buy his partner a red dress. Karlach kept eyeing it and spent a lot of time looking at the mirror while trying it on. Their smile was so bright that she almost burned it when her eyes glowed blue. They didn't want to wear it at this event. She only wanted to wear the bare minimum of the dress code, and he couldn't blame her. However, Wyll told her she could wear it on a date night when they got inside the main city- regardless of how formal it was. Karlach deserves everything and he likes pampering his love.