Lady Lydia Cavendish enter the masquerade ball in a light pink dress, almost white but when she dances the pink tule of her petticoats are revealed. The dress accentuates her small frame, and compliments her coloring. Her blonde locks are pilled high on her head, and adorned with rose’s from her famed rose garden, leaving an intoxicating floral sent whenever where she goes. Her slim neck is accented by a neckless of pink diamonds which perfectly matches the mask hiding her face. Her face is lightly painted, making her resemble a china doll.
𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇 𝟏𝟕𝟗𝟏 ––– letters will be delivered to each fashionable address in London, inviting the gentleman and lady of the home to the Season’s opening event. The Prince Regent has invited his court to a Masquerade Ball at Almack’s, the most exclusive venue in Georgian London. Each letter is individually stamped with the Duchess of Marlborough’s approval, and only with her unique voucher can one be admitted entrance. For the sake of gameplay, all characters will be granted an invite.
Attendees are expected to dress in their finest, transforming the illustrious ballroom–– adorned with gilded columns and pilasters, classic medallions and behemoth mirrors–– into a glittering example of aristocratic society’s wealth and prestige. Moreover, members of the ton have been asked to regale themselves in masquerade masks. Those who are sniffed out by fellow members of the ton will have the opportunity to reveal themselves to the court, setting the tone for a splendid Season to come!
𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐓.
The event will last out of character from the 19th to the 24th of April.
We ask that all non-event related starters be put on hold during that time; you may continue pre-existing threads if you wish. Event threads will be permitted after the 24th if you wish to continue them, but no new ones can be posted after that date.
All members are encouraged to write threads involving this event.
EVENT RELATED CHALLENGE.
We encourage members to post their characters’ attire for the event! This is the Season’s opening event and will set the scene for the remainder of the Season. It is your characters’ first opportunity to be visible to the entirety of London, so keep this in mind when selecting your characters’ ensemble.
Make sure to include your characters’ masquerade mask, and a quick description of their attire as well as why they chose to wear it.
(Georgian-era fashion can easily be found on Pinterest, although I do have a much recommended board here.)
GUIDELINES.
Tag any challenges with #ls.challenge.
Submit any challenge completions in the Discord channel labeled #challenges-and-hcs.
Tag any starters with #ls.event as well as the traditional starter tag.
Should you have any questions, feel free to contact the admin!
FEARS : Being vulnerable, repeating past mistakes, not being in control
LIKES : The arts, drinking, gambling, flirting
AESTHETICS : The clink of ice in a glass of whisky, red velvet curtains, petals falling from a rose, a crackling fireplace
FACECLAIM : Aidan Turner
HEIGHT : 6′1
RECOGNISABLE FEATURES : Dark curls, warm brown eyes, scar on his left shoulder from a pub brawl
How is your character viewed by the ton? :
A figure of notoriety, with enough scandal behind him to fill an entire gazette if only the proof could be found. Despite this, he is something of a condoned annoyance - happily humoured by those susceptible to his charm, and those who dislike him would at least begrudgingly concede he has the intelligence and skills of manipulation to keep himself secure, whether they agree with his choices or not.
GAZETTE QUESTIONAIRE.
what are two potential plotlines you would be interested in exploring with your character? It would be intriguing to delve more into his relationship with his first wife and the circumstances around her death. Having to await her death to remarry opens so many doors to the truth of what happened - Was there are foul play involved in her death to be rid of her faster? Was her death natural causes, but he is still plagued with guilt that their marriage was not a better one, or guilty because he felt relieved at her passing? Despite their marriage being completely unsuited, what were his feelings for his first wife? Did he hold her in contempt, did he care for her in a platonic way? How has his first marriage influenced how he behaves in his second? These are all questions I’d love to delve into it and figure out the truth of everything and how it has shaped him into the man he is now. Another plotline would be delving into how his relationship with his current wife works, if they are aware of each other’s romantic interests outside of their marriage, and if they are then is there any jealousy or is it a simple arrangement that they agreed upon for the sake of them both. I also really want to delve into his backstory and upbringing to flesh out how that has influenced him, and I think his relationships with family, friends and romantic partners are key to unlocking it.
how does this character’s reputation differ from who they actually are? The expression ‘his reputation precedes him’ is very well suited to the Earl of Jersey as he is notorious amongst the ton. Rumours persist everywhere he goes, ranging from idle gossip about the state of his marriage to rumours of gambling addiction and even suspicion surrounding the circumstances of his first wife’s untimely passing. The Earl enjoys playing along with some of these stories, as he knows which are true and which are fiction drummed up by those seeking scandal. He has a reputation for being something of a rogue and has been known to indulge in a few drinks too many and openly flirting with multiple women with his wife stood no more than a few feet away. He maintains this reputation as an easy mask to disguise his softer, more vulnerable nature as a man with a keen interest in beauty and the arts. His patronage of the arts is no secret, but few would believe the Earl of Jersey would shed a single tear watching a performance of a tragedy, nor would they believe his sleepless nights where he often awakes in a cold sweat, his face haunted by the spectres of guilt that invaded his dreams. He would much prefer the ton to gossip about the scandals he is able to control and influence himself by acting the rogue, and if he was ever to overhear a rumour about him that was too close to a hidden truth for comfort, he would be swift in using his reputation to his advantage to distract them with a new rumour to toy with, like a cat pawing at a piece of string and forgetting the mouse they were chasing across the floor moment ago.
––– 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐎𝐂𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍, the Countess of Jersey has selected to wear a Robe à la Française that will surely turn heads and garner the attention she desires, given its theatrically large silhouette that will no doubt become the subject of satire on the morn for its extreme grandiosity. Whilst not a style icon per se, Henrietta’s blonde curls have been brushed into a voluminous, yet elegant pile atop her head, complimented by large feathers, a rose coloured masquerade mask, and pearls dripping from her ears that were a gift from the French Queen during her time abroad.
––– 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐈𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 to be used in relation to the Prince Regent. Albeit his face may be veiled in a golden masque, Frederick’s ritzy costume may reveal his identity before his head of fiery red hair has a chance to. Dressed to the nines from head to toe and dripping with golden accents, pearls, and priceless rubescent heirlooms, he has yet another trick up his sleeve should his attire fail to generate talk. Gossip swirls around the miniature of a woman’s eye has has chosen to wear beneath the gilded lapels of his jacket. The lady’s identity remains a secret, and few but those in the Prince’s inner circle of boyhood friends would know that the ruse is merely a sleight-of-hand trick to kindle interest.
𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄 #𝟎𝟎𝟏: getting to know you.
Members, welcome to our first challenge! In order to complete it, members are asked to:
Read over the checklist, and make sure their submitted blog complies with our roleplay guidelines. Any questions should be referred here.
Create an about page for your character using this template. This should be placed on a customizable page on your characters’ blog that is linked, at least, somewhere visible.
If you have one written, members may also choose to upload a complete biography for their characters. As this was not required as part of the application process, this is a chance for members to explore their character and get to know others!
Members will be rewarded with two anonymous questions specifically about their muses if they complete either the template or post a character biography. Once completed, please leave a comment below saying that you’ve finished!
The Earl of Jersey arrives dressed in a rather simple ensemble compared to the grandeur of the other guests, but in his choosing of more muted silvers and charcoal greys, he is able to stand out amongst the bright pastels and jewel tones present at the ball. His outfit is all about clean lines and detailing. The pure silk jacket, intricate woven waistcoat and highly polished leather boots are all signs of wealth to those who know how to look. He opts to forgo the powdered wig in favour of his natural dark curls, styled with a little pomade to tame them into submission, and his only accessory besides the hand-carved mask fitted perfectly to his face is a silver ring with a black diamond. Not the most ostentatious piece of jewellery, but it does serve a purpose. A clasp is hidden within the metalwork that enables him to flip up the diamond to reveal a small secret compartment. What is kept in there is only for him to know.
