A simple flier, distributed to every member and initiate within the society’s ranks, is delivered with the mail one morning. It provides little information, save for a range of dates and the promise of a harvest moon meeting, but its mandatory command was not lost within the simplistic message.
For long-time members, the save-the-date comes neither as a surprise or a mystery. The Harvest Moon Festival, like the New Moon Ball in the spring, acted as one of the Society’s biannual mandatory meetings with nearly no exceptions granted by the Grand Archon.
For newer initiates, at least, those without a background understanding regarding the inner traditions of the Society, a single notice jumped out at them from the flier: Be mindful of one specific week in October and for the most important date, in particular, set aside for a mandatory meeting.
OOC INFORMATION:
Our October event will be coming up shortly! More information will be sent out, but it will start on October 12th:
IC DATES: October 12th-16th
OOC DATES: October 12th-24th
Like the New Moon Ball, the Harvest Moon will be a mix of mandatory and voluntary events in order to facilitate the schedules of the world’s best and brightest but attendance is highly encouraged, as this week traditionally is used to make connections and gain favor for members and initiates alike.
If there was ever an event Elvyra had wanted to pass up, it was this one. Any one, really, that she couldn’t attend arm-in-arm with a handsome distraction. The invitation had been enticing enough, mysterious and demanding, and a trip to France even more-so, but she was bored by it all. A charity auction? It was too tense and stuffy, no room for a single misstep, especially not as an initiate. But she was desperate for a bit of a mischief. Near the open bar she chose a seat with a jacket already draped across it for that very purpose, despite the array of available options. Just a cavalier swipe of her hand had it slipping to the ground, freeing it up to be perched upon, which she wasted no time doing. A conspirator’s smirk turned her expression feline as she flagged down a server with a cavalier wave. “Enough champagne. Perhaps you can figure out a way to deliver me the makings of a perfect tequila shot without earning me too many scandalized glares, yeah? This is a formal function, after all.” (x)
every member and initiate of the society receives a simple invitation in the mail; though not society sponsored, and therefore not mandatory, the benefit hosted by a newly made member serves to remind members and initiates alike that the society expects as much as it gives. the benefit is an open event, but the high number of society individuals expected in attendance, taking the opportunity to display their generosity, create an unofficial society reunion in new york city.
ooc; our next event will start on FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH, and run until SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH. this event is OPTIONAL, and takes place at the Metropolitan Art Museum, in New York City. if a character cannot or does not want to attend, they are given the opportunity to donate, though again, this is OPTIONAL.
if your muse is attending or donating, please fill out the form below and submit it to the main!
[NAME] will be [ATTENDING/DONATING] with a donation of [AMOUNT] dollars benefitting [COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS/PLANNED PARENTHOOD/GENERAL ASSISTANCE FUND]
Flickering candlelight, the clink of gleaming silverware on china plates, the low hum of contented conversation; after a week of fall festivities, there is a sense of satisfaction in the air. Families chat, friends catch up, and introductions and business deals are made. For once, the drama that seems to seep in to each society gathering has kept its distance, and everyone is simply celebrating being together. For a moment there is peace.
And then....all hell breaks loose.
Dinner is thrown into chaos as security teams grab their charges and hurry them to safety. World Leaders are rushed into private planes and emergency plans are executed. Everyone else is sequestered in one of seven holding rooms in small groups, and though no one knows exactly what’s going on, it doesn’t take long for rumors to begin. Someone has collapsed, whispers inform. Someone has died. Reports on who are conflicting - the Crown Prince of Spain, The Princess of Wales, someone at the head table, the Grand Archon himself. All that anyone knows for sure is that someone important has died, and that they are quarantined in rooms without any contact with anyone outside until further notice.
OOC:
Welcome to the second half of our spooky halloween event! You will all be receiving a link to an event-specific discord server - though the instructions are a bit wordy, it is important that you read them carefully in order to gain access to the next part of the event. The information that your characters know in-game can be found in graphics in their named channel; it is very important that characters don’t know anything they canonically wouldn’t!! If you aren’t sure about something, feel free to ask in the channel designated for questions!!
As the Olympic Games come to a close, so do the parties and nights of revelry associated with them. Many plan to head back to their homelands, or stay Down Under for a longer vacation. But as they do so, even more continues to take place, filling each day of the Olympics to the brim with intrigue.
The whispers from Olympic Village become louder, and the doping results become public knowledge, with several athletes from Russia being disqualified yet again. The gymnastics team, in particular, is completely eliminated from competition, forfeiting seven Gold medals in the process. But not all are so lost as that.
Members and initiates alike are invited to a morning meeting of the Society to discuss changes to the hierarchy on FRIDAY JULY 24. Like the luncheon, this meeting is mandatory, save for those who did not attend the Olympic Games at all. At the meeting, several things are brought up by the Grand Archon, but what is shocking is his stripping of GALINA IVANOVA’S membership for failing to add to her own prestige and to that of the Society. One cannot simply join the most elite group of individuals and then expect to forever rest upon their laurels. The athlete, who also publicly tested positive for doping, falls to the rank of an initiate, with a probationary period during which she cannot participate in any Society events. Unheard of, this action causes whispers among members who suddenly wonder if they’ve been doing enough to truly bring influence and prestige to the Society itself. It also clear to those in attendance that the Grand Archon himself is the reason for the doping scandal coming out, though it is unclear exactly what Ivanova had been taking.
A mentoring system is also devised during this meeting. Though members are not given any tangible benefits to doing so, many are frightened of losing their own positions and so do not argue. Under this system, members may choose one initiate to mentor, though it is completely voluntary. There are, however, some stipulations:
Members may not choose an initiate to mentor that they are related to or that they are having a romantic/sexual relationship with
Members may only mentor one initiate at a time. Conversely, initiates may only have one mentor at a time.
Mentors and initiates must formalize the relationship to the society ( ooc: just send this into the main! )
Sports Medalists
Soccer/Football
Men’s: France (Gold), Brazil (Silver), Canada (Bronze)
Women’s: United States (Gold), Mexico (Silver), Germany (Bronze)
Tennis
Men’s Singles: Great Britain (Gold), Spain (Silver), Japan (Bronze)
Women’s Singles: Czech Republic (Gold), Germany (Silver), Puerto Rico (Bronze)
Men’s Doubles: Romania (Gold), United States (Silver), Brazil (Bronze)
Final Two Countries for Mixed Doubles: Italy (Gold), France (Silver), India (Bronze)
Rowing
Final Two Men’s Coxed Eights: Australia (Gold), Germany (Silver), The Netherlands (Bronze)
Final Two Men’s Coxless Fours: Australia (Gold), Great Britain (Silver), United States (Bronze)
Final Two Women’s Coxed Eights: Great Britain (Gold), United States (Silver), New Zealand (Bronze)
Women’s Coxless Pairs: Great Britain (Gold), Australia (Silver), Denmark (Bronze)
Women’s Single Sculls: United States (Gold -- Dominique Von Renesslaer), New Zealand (Silver), Greece (Bronze)
Rugby
Men’s: Great Britain (Gold), Japan (Silver), Fiji (Bronze)
Women’s: Australia (Gold), New Zealand (Silver), Canada (Bronze)
LOGISTICS
And here’s the wrap-up from the 2020 Melbourne Summer Olympics! Please feel free to continue writing Olympics threads through the end of the games (July 26). If you would like to list any mentor/mentee official relationship, please send that into the main!
We’d also like to take this time to announce a couple of changes (that will be reflected in the point store page). Group members may now accumulate up to 300 points per character and may also now purchase a single extra vote that cancels out one abstention for any initiate. This will cost 200 points total and though it does not have to be used the minute it is purchased, members may not store more than one at any given time. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns!
The premier world event, the summer Olympics take place this year in Melbourne, Australia, and as the crème de la crème that they are, members and initiates of the Society come down under to be seen and to foster connections -- both personal and professional -- that will enable them to continue moving forward in their spheres of influence.
Because so many of the Society come to the Olympics, it only makes sense for there to be several events, with an official Society meeting ending the two-week games, though before that can occur, there are several other opportunities for members and initiates alike to avail themselves of.
Accommodations are not provided by the Society for the two-week event, though there are several luxury and boutique options in the greater Melbourne area. Between hotels, AirBnBs, and family residences, Society members have little trouble finding an abundance of places to stay. Possible locations for accommodations and evening activities include:
Melbourne Central Business District
South Yarra/Prahran
Docklands
The River District
In addition to the plethora of afterparties, personal dinner parties, and sporting events that many attend, the Society hosts several soirees and networking events. The welcoming party, held after the opening ceremonies on JULY 12, is both cocktail party and formal dinner, with guests arriving to 524 Flinders dressed to the nines. This event is compulsory, though nothing stops initiates and members alike from sneaking off for better opportunities after they’ve been seen by those in power. For those who prefer more intellectual conversations, a room has been set aside to discuss politics and the arts while the dance floor is larger than usual to accommodate those who prefer it. It is meant to be a time of socialization, though there is an undercurrent of unease due to the ever-watching presence of the Grand Archon, whose eyes seem to peer through those confident enough to gaze upon him.
During the welcoming party, make sure to stop by the Gifting Suite, where gift bags have been created for all Society members and initiates ( to be delivered to each individual’s accommodations ). Some of the items given include:
A weeklong vacation, to be taken anytime in the next year, at Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, valued at over $20,000. The vacation includes the ability to open any bottle of wine in the wine cellar with no restrictions for the duration of the stay.
Bath bombs with gold leaf and amethyst infusions
The newest iPhone ( in varying sizes, for personal preference )
A case of HFactor ( hydrogen-infused water )
MZ Serum and Night Cream, made from placenta and stem cells
A bottle of Penfolds Grange Shiraz, one of the most valuable bottles of wine produced in Australia
A bottle of CBD simple syrup for cocktails
A three-night stay for 6 at Faro Punto Cumplida in the Canary Islands, valued at over $45,000
Coda Crescendo THC-infused chocolate truffles
On JULY 15, several younger members of the Society rent out Mon Bijou for a more hedonistic experience than the formal dinner party. The penthouse event space includes a pool deck and security is at an all-time high so that even the most public figures are able to attend without worrying about what wagging tongues might say. Some might be photographed leaving in the early hours of the morning, but when compared to all the other celebrities and public figures in Melbourne, it seems worth the risk.
When it comes to the Olympics themselves, however, there is even more for attendees to enjoy. VIP areas are set up for most of the sports and paparazzi abound at the several venues set up for the different sports around the city. Media favorites cheer on their home countries as well as personal friends under the watchful gaze of cameras while drinking champagne in the warm sun.
Week One Sports and Results
The main events competing and their locations are as follows. At the end of Week One, the Final Four for each event are mentioned, save for individual events such as Swimming and Track:
Soccer/Football
Marvel Stadium in the Docklands
The Final Four countries competing for Men’s are: France, Russia, Brazil, Canada
Final Four countries competing for Women’s are: United States, France, Mexico, Germany
Tennis
Melbourne Park
Final Four Countries for Men’s Singles: Great Britain, Spain, Japan, Argentina
Final Four Countries for Women’s Singles: Germany, Puerto Rico, Czech Republic, United States
Final Four Countries for Men’s Doubles: Brazil, Romania, Spain, United States
Final Four Countries for Women’s Doubles: Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Spain
Final Four Countries for Mixed Doubles: France, India, Czech Republic, Italy
Rowing
Melbourne Rowing Club
Final Four Men’s Coxed Eights: Great Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Australia
Final Four Men’s Coxless Fours: Great Britain, Australia, Italy, United States
Final Four Women’s Coxed Eights: United States, Great Britain, Romania, New Zealand
Final Four Women’s Coxless Pairs: Great Britain, France, New Zealand, Denmark
Rugby
Melbourne Park
Final Four countries for Men’s competing are: Great Britain, South Africa, Fiji, Japan
Final Four Countries for Women’s competing are: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France
Track & Field
Olympic Park Stadium
Swimming
Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre
Equestrian
Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre
Gymnastics
Melbourne Arena
LOGISTICS
Please feel free to thread any of these events, as well as any others you might think of! Obviously we couldn’t mention every single sport, but the typical Olympic summer sports are still going on!
One more society event will be posted next Friday, July 17, and the wrap-up of the Olympics (including winners as well as details regarding the compulsory Society meeting) will be posted on the following Wednesday, July 22. If you have any questions, please just ask in the discord server!
The envelope comes without a return address but the red wax and its stamp, a mere simple and plain S, immediately betrays its origins. The letter bids the person come to the Louvre at a specific date and time for a societal event, which is easier said than done considering the sheer size of the French museum. Wandering around its expansive halls, one is almost tempted to ignore the call of responsibility for the sake of gazing at the wonderful masterpieces on display; yet the envelope still clutched in one’s hand bids the attention of a nearby attendant, and one is immediately led away to a closed-off section of the Louvre for the auction. In this room, each piece has been left to stand on its own, free for any passerby to marvel at it; but perhaps the most eye-catching is the sight of van Gogh’s Poppy Flowers, stationed smack-dab in the centre, as if begging to be noticed and to be adored.
THE SOCIETY GIVES BACK.
From out of stately homes, gargantuan palaces, and breath-taking collections comes the pieces of this year’s charity auction. It has always been an event of much anticipation, but this year perhaps promises to be the most memorable one yet. The recovery of Poppy Flowers, long ago stolen and marked missing for years, was perhaps barely even a blip in the lives of the rich and famous with minds better turned towards glory and fame; but its reappearance here in the auction is unprecedented. Its value inestimable, it has already been predicted to be a record-breaking lot, with the funds to be redirected towards a charity.
Indeed, all of the collected funds here would be directed to a charity of the winning bidder’s choosing. It is a time-honoured tradition of their ilk, proof of their worthiness of such power and privilege. This is a crowd that still answers to the call of noblesse oblige, and previous auctions have raised millions—if not billions—for causes as varied as medical research, education, and the like. For some, it is their God-given responsibility to pay back to the world in whatever way they can; for others, it is nothing but yet another feather in their hat, one more stroke in the drawing of their picture-perfect sainted image; and for a few, it is naught but an opportunity for profit and plunder. After all, these same stars head charities and foundations made in their own image; and it is simple enough to choose one’s foundation if one is enterprising enough.
What is perhaps different this year around is the presence of some notable names in the list of lots. At first, it befuddles those of the puritan old vanguard; then, when it is explained to them, it raises their ire instead. They call it a cheapening of the precious art pieces, a mockery of their practice; but who shall pay them any mind, if at all? The Grand Archon has decreed a change, and so there shall be a change.
The bidding wars have begun.
THE ITEMS ON AUCTION.
note: All items are priced in US Dollars.
Date auction with David Baba. [Minimum bid: 5 points]
Date auction with Maverick Hearst. [Minimum bid: 5 points]
Date auction with Astrid van Renneslaer. [Minimum bid: 5 points]
Date auction with Julian Connor. [Minimum bid: 5 points]
A signed first-edition copy of The Picture of Dorian Grey by Oscar Wilde: $100,000. [Minimum bid: 5 points]
A collection of writings of Langston B. Hughes: $250,000. [Minimum bid: 10 points]
Venus of Monruz: $500,000. [Minimum bid: 15 points]
Henry Darger’s spangled blengins. boy king islands. one is a young tuskerhorian the other a human headed Dortherean: $750,000 [Minimum bid: 15 points]
Astrid van Renneslaer’s New York in the Clouds: $1 million. [Minimum bid: 15 points]
Ganymede and the Eagle: $25 million. [Minimum bid: 20 points]
Poppy Flowers by Vincent Van Gogh: Inestimable. [Minimum bid: 50 points]
————— The full roster of masterpieces can be viewed HERE.
OOC NOTE.
Our second event is now live! Just to recap: the society has decided to hold its annual charity auction, open to both members and initiates alike. The funds will be given to a charity of the winning bidder’s choice, while the art piece itself can either be donated the Louvre or be taken into the character’s private collection (though the former will be seen more positively by some).
To place a bid, just message the main with what item your character would bid on. We’ll be closing up shop on the 15th 12nn ET / 4pm GMT so be sure to send us your bids by then. Those without competition for their bids will immediately win their lot. Should there be competing bids, however, we will be creating a specialised auctions channel on the Discord, where you’re then free to bid against each other to your heart’s content. Please note that, aside from the Van Gogh painting and the date auctions, there is no tangible in-character benefit for any of the purchases. You are, however, free to bid for as many as you like! That being said, any purchases made will be deducted from your points balance, so be sure to balance it wisely.
As always, please feel free to post starters, edits, playlists, and other stuff related to the event with the tag gilded:auction. The auction is being held in a wing of the Louvre closed off to civilians, and there have been some mingling and refreshments before hand.
————— THIS EVENT WILL RUN FOR ONE WEEK FROM [ 12TH OF MAY 4PM GMT / 12NN EASTERN ] TO [ 19TH OF MAY 4PM GMT / 12NN EASTERN ]
When the last of the invitations have been sent out, thick envelopes sealed in red wax and stamped with an emblem that means so many things so as to mean nothing at all, there is only the air of careful expectation. For many, this is the chance that they’ve all been waiting for, the history of their families drummed up for them since childhood onward; for others, it is an invitation to a strange and unknown world, one that is beyond their wildest imaginations and could eat them alive if they aren’t careful. Whatever the case, their lives will never be the same ever again.
THE SOCIETY IN ROME.
SETTING: Rome, Italy // pre-22nd of April 2020
One by one, they gather unto Rome, that ever-eternal city that has been the cradle of their society ever since the beginning. It receives them fully, wholeheartedly, and the city opens up before them in a way that it doesn’t for anyone else, as if eager to welcome her children back home. Both members and initiates are allowed special access to places of history, privileged loci of authority that seem to speak of a brighter and better age, where they occupied the halls of power in a more visible position. It is these monuments and these artefacts and these buildings that impresses upon them the legacy which they are heirs to today, the duty they must carry if they are to do justice by their birthright: they are the torchbearers and the luminaries of their age. Power and wealth has been given to them for their enjoyment and perusal, yes, but noblesse oblige compels them to use this power for the greater good—for why else would they be blessed with such privilege? They are the beautiful and the chosen, equipped with authority and the right to rule and the adulation of the masses, and this is the time to mark what is theirs.
THE EVENTS.
A mass at St. Peter’s Basilica: For all those faithful (or professing to be faithful), a mass at St. Peter’s Basilica has been offered, with the Pope himself reportedly to give indulgences to any who seek it immediately afterwards. Let it not be said that the society has forgotten its roots, its special relationship with the Church, and the soft power that the institution still wields.
Exclusive tour of the Vatican Museums: After the mass, the members and initiates of the society are invited for a privileged tour of the Vatican Museums. Members and initiates alike can spend any number of hours inside, free to come and go as they please, with the Museums closed for a whole day (supposedly for “maintenance”) just for their own leisure.
Fine dining at Pierluigi: Pierluigi has transformed from trattoria to tourist spot, claiming world leaders and celebrities as its clientele. Serving fresh fish caught daily at the nearby comune of Ostia, this trattoria offers several seafood-based plates that is sure to be the talk of any who taste its fine maritime delights—and the society has managed to capture a permanent reservation for any member or initiate who wish to experience one of Rome’s best restaurants.
A tour of Rome underground: Above ground, the capital of the world is a majestic many-splendored thing, awash in the glory of the dawn; below ground, it is a mysterious, snaking, sly thing. Swaddled in darkness, there are labyrinthine crypts that can prove one’s end if one is not careful, each turn seeming like the other, the rows of bones in crypts almost haunting. There is the Capuchin Crypt, the Roman Catacombs, and the San Clemente Basilica—all of which can be freely explored with a competent and knowledgeable guide should any daring member or initiate wish to do so.
THE NEW MOON GATHERING.
SETTING: Palazzo della Fraternita // 22nd of April 2020
Here, at last, the culmination of their stay in the eternal city, the reason for their moot in Rome in the first place. The events prior have only been a taste of the vast control that the society could offer them, and now the curtains have been drawn. All masks are off. The tables have been set and all that’s needed is for them to find their place in the tableau. The dawning of the day comes like any other, but it would be wholly a lie to say that this day hasn’t been anticipated. For most of the initiates, this marks their first entry into the society, a journey that will hopefully take them from their middling rank of today to established archons that wield power with the full authority of the society.
Yet for all its love of tradition, the society itself seems to be on a precipice. Never before have they welcomed a batch of initiates this large, and the presence of new money is an unwelcome change for some who wish to keep the identity of the society static and unchanging. The Grand Archon sits on his throne, unmoved and unmoving, as if blind to the whispers and recent developments of the society itself. He is barely even there: a wisp of a shadow of a memory. Blink, and it is as if he disappears. Yet it it is through his machinations that the society has somewhat democratised, he the sole reason for the mass influx of new initiates. There is the feeling of something inevitable, but who knows what?
Through it all: the clinking of wine glasses, the twinkle of crystal chandeliers, the soft lull of piano music in the air. There is the air of civility and sophistication that abounds in the air, forced smiles and laughter like bells resounding in the rooms of the palazzo. All dressed up as they are, it is as if there is nothing wrong with them—a common habit of the privileged, one that has chosen to bare its venomous fangs for this special day.
THE TIMELINE OF EVENTS.
An introduction of the society: The day kicks off with the society gathering in the Palazzo della Fraternita. It is meant to be a quiet event that would take up most of their time up until their luncheon, allowing initiates and members alike to get to know each other a little better in quiet conversation. Some of them might already know each other from before—after all, the society is populated by a cast whose last names are familiar with one another—but there are some whose claim to both power and wealth are evergreen and new, a fact which seems to bring a scowl to some of the society’s more established members. Elsewhere, there are cards and board games, decks made from when rococo was still in vogue and even older, and the chessboard pieces are crafted as crystal and hewn with precious gems, as if every display of wealth and power is to be ostentatious as possible, never once letting a single one of them forget the privilege that the society offers its members.
Luncheon at La Pergola: Come lunchtime, the society is ushered towards atop a towering hotel. The society’s luncheon gives them a privileged place upon which to gaze at the whole of Rome and the Vatican, offered up to them like the oysters that now decorate their fine china plate. They are served course upon course of sumptuous meals, each plate upstaging the last, and offering every sort of cuisine that the mind can imagine—though, of course, there is a certain tendency towards Italian food, a proud emblem of the eternal city’s nourishment of the society seemingly materialising on their plates.
A showing of Mozart’s Don Giovanni: After their luncheon at La Pergola, they are led towards an exclusive showing of Don Giovanni at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, blocked out just for them, with endless champagne and scrumptious hors d’ouvres served on scintillating silver plates during the intermission.
Dinner at the Palazzo: The day ends where it begins. The society congregates once more to the Palazzo to cap off their whole day. Yet another sumptuous feast is provided; but the restrictions on decorum and etiquette are eased somewhat. Conversation flows just as easily as wine from the vintage bottles sourced from the nearby vineyards.
OOC NOTE.
And that officially starts the first event for GILDEDHQ! Just to recap: all members and initiates have been invited to Rome for the 22nd of April, 2020. However, as the society understandably realises that most members will probably be arriving a few days before the actual day itself, it has deigned to organise a very many number of things with which your muse can participate in to pass the time as they wait for the 22nd of April to come. These events are not mandatory, but they should serve as easy starting-off points for starters and the like should you wish to plot out your characters meeting before the Gathering itself. Of course, you are not limited to these events should you so wish to set up a starter in some other place.
The New Moon Gathering itself takes the course of one day. Members and initiates alike are expected to come to the Palazzo della Fraternita to mingle with one another and “formally” acquaint themselves with one another—even if they already know each other before! This is one of the intricate rituals of the society, passed down since time immemorial, and there’s nothing the society loves more than tradition. The schedule is tightly packed and there are almost no opportunities to diverge from the list of events as dictated by the society. Theoretically speaking, your muse can diverge from the event—walk out of Don Giovanni, for example, or disappear completely after the luncheon—but this will have quite significant repercussions for your character and will need admin approval beforehand.
You are encouraged, but not required, to post starters, photosets of your muse, and anything at all related to the event with the tag gilded:new moon. Please only write starters set up until the 22nd of April, as there will be a second part to this event.
————— THIS EVENT WILL RUN FOR ONE WEEK FROM [ 22ND OF APRIL 4PM GMT / 12NN EASTERN ] TO [ 29TH OF APRIL 4PM GMT / 12NN EASTERN ]
