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[h2][color=darkorchid][i][b]Victoria Belmont[/b][/i][/color][/h2][i][b][color=9932cc]Half-Elf, Bard, Level 5[/color][/b][/i]
[color=9932cc][i][b]HP:[/b][/i][/color] 33 / 33	[color=9932cc][i][b]Armor Class:[/b][/i][/color] 16	[color=9932cc][i][b]Conditions:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Location:[/b][/i][/color] Rose River Vineyard (Coach House -> Tasting Room)
[color=9932cc][i][b]Action:[/b][/i][/color] [color=dimgray][i]Familiar[/i] Stuff[/color], [color=black]Morty[/color]
[color=9932cc][i][b]Bonus Action:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
[color=9932cc][i][b]Reaction:[/b][/i][/color] N/A
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[right][img]https://i.ibb.co/84xS62pB/Victoria-Alt-7-ss.png[/img][/right]
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	It had been a busy, but ultimately fulfilling past few weeks. Knowledge that Victoria had been busy penning her own, personal medical library was fairly liberating. While her progress did not go any faster, it was taken on with a greater sense of gratitude and optimism. If anything, her writing got slightly more tidy, her lines a hair more distinct. Tracings of diagrams were set to with gusto. She was working on something which she might reference in her continued studies of medical and anatomical sciences. It was at this moment that she felt a second part of gratitude; this time to her father who insisted that a much younger (but no less troublesome) Victoria spend serious study time with her tutors. Taking a whetstone to her wit had been useful as a child, and while she was no amazingly innovative mind, the lady was smarter than your average traveling minstrel. This helped her greatly in her present studies. 

	But in time, these too had to be put away for her true passion - socialization. Rubbing elbows with what passed for aristocracy in this area, particularly in a wine-tasting event was exactly the kind of thing she was comfortable doing in her "off hours." If she looked at the event with the eyes of a potential social climber, then this wine tasting would form the base level of soiree for her to attend, seeing as the host was of a similar social strata to her own family, common-born, wealthy, property holding persons of professional background. While the L'Rose family was agricultural winemaking, Victoria's own were mercantile and artistic people. She might have longed for the day that she would take over after her parents retired, prompting her to hire managers to handle her affairs and keep her to her truer passions while the unspoken threat of something breathtakingly horrible as a consequence of disloyalty maintained their honesty. However, the flaw to this whole line of thinking (concerning the party, at any rate) was that there were no ladders to climb here. If Cecily represented the highest placed person present, then she had no reason to deliberately ingratiate herself to others. Perhaps this meant that she might just enjoy herself. Imagine that. 

	Victoria did try to give the benefit of her expertise to the others in her adventuring party. While the thought it might have been the most difficult to assist Kathryn, owing to a general rarity of any displays of upper-class mannerisms, she found that it was actually not so bad. She did have a good base, owing to her lineage. Also, she did possess what could be called a "noble bearing," even if this might be different from grander region to grander region. When she was asked to help Kathryn with her cosmetics, Victoria was happy to help. Eager, even. So the much smaller woman went upstairs to grab her abundant performance kit, a mirror, and some accoutrements, to quickly return downstairs and get to it. It didn't take long at all to apply a decent foundation and accent a few natural highlights. She even gave decent advice on how to move forward, like, [color=9932cc]"Those cheekbones are glorious, Kathryn. Let's bring those out and draw some attention to your eyes,"[/color] and, as she readied a small pair of tweezers, [color=9932cc]"Eyebrows. There should be two of them."[/color] Victoria gave the slightest giggle as she worked. [color=9932cc]"This will be beautiful, just beautiful. I'm doing all but the most final touches now. Then your hair. Then we get the details before we leave. Always check for a touch-up before you walk out the door, and as this is a wine tasting, we're going to keep the lips minimal."[/color] Before she began to work on the hair, Victoria leaned back and beamed a smile down to her physically tankier associate. She pitched her voice a little lower of octave and half-whispered, [color=9932cc]"Oh my, [i]there's[/i] our Lady Kathryn."[/color] 

	Interaction with Kosara went a little differently. She only asked for advice, not help, and so was responded to with this in mind. However, she did not quite maintain the colder eye of one giving professional critique as she saw how the bubbly Warlock had dressed herself. [color=9932cc]"That is quite the dress, Kosara. And I positively adore the alterations. You make it look like it was designed for the Tiefling physique. And I so love this cut; alluring without being insistent. Between you and Kathryn, I'm afraid that I shall simply not stand out this evening."[/color] She leaned her head forward and cut into a faux quiet voice, [color=9932cc]"I must rely purely on personality rather than just a pretty face. In seriousness, you look like an illumination from a storybook. You might be making me jealous, I think."[/color] The smile he gave was warm and even a little disarming. 

	The smile came to a somewhat confused lopside as she looked to Baronfjord. [color=9932cc]"If I am being honest, Master Chedgusah? Hmm... You do not have skin that will readily accept the cosmetics I have with me. You have no head hair for me to style. And your clothing is the rugged sort of traveler's garb that has seen a respectable amount of the road and an equal amount of steadfast care from loving hands. I would put this attire in a chest with a fine blade and healing elixir for the next time adventure calls, and be honored to do so. However much of a place of honor it deserves, I cannot in good conscience recommend any level of accessorizing which might make this suitable for anything but a casual affair."[/color] Victoria hoped that this rather diplomatic form of expression carried her point across without being insulting. She was usually good at things of this nature, even if one couldn't be too careful. [color=9932cc]"Perhaps an array of wraps? Or something neutral of color that will allow the greater, azure luster of your heritage to display foremost?"[/color] This was the longest string of words she had used in a while to essentially say [i]"I don't know,"[/i] but to be fair, vanity might have been a weak point for her. 

        The appointed hour for the wine tasting was drawing near, and Victoria took it upon herself to ease into the social situation by partaking of another of the Rose River Vineyard's products - this one a little older and more expressive of spirit. She took up one of her teacups and made her way to the cask, pouring out a couple of ounces of the potent liquid within. The flavor was exactly as she had been sampling for the past few weeks; angelically smooth with a hint of rising darkness. She then turned to offer any to those assembled with a broad statement, [color=9932cc]"Would anyone care to join me for a drink of something questionable before we're off?"[/color] After all, it [i]was[/i] amazing brandy. That fact alone almost completely made up for the very real possibility of incredibly specific nightmares. 

        When the time came to depart for the event, Victoria was surprised to see that Cecily and Lizbeth both showed up to escort them. It felt out of place as they were the hosts, though Victoria supposed that things were probably handled a little differently in this part of the realm. Still, they were a welcome sight. She extended welcome greetings appropriate to the situation, even gifting the both of them with a curtsy. [color=9932cc]"Think nothing of it, Madame L'Rose. I am at your immediate service, of course."[/color] The last part was a polite bit of banter, manners might dictate saying so despite a lack of willingness to actually work for her that evening. [color=9932cc]"And Mademoiselle Lizbeth! You look like quite the lady!"[/color] A sly smile formed on the Bard's face, [color=9932cc]"...and I love that belt."[/color] 

	Victoria handed off her sword to Morty, who was detached from the errand cart usually present during travel times or shopping trips about town. She issued a mental command to prime the smoky, meaty thrall to respond to a stimulus. Then she summoned her Raven and did the same. Preparations complete in case of some emergency or another, Victoria allowed herself to be led onward, toward her first society function in far too long. Trailing behind her was the faintest scent of spiced lavender. 

        The quick tour of the Winery, proper, was a source of interest for the young Half-Elf. She had seen these kinds of things before on her travels, but never this well put together and never this far away from an urban area or main trade route. It was artistic as well as industrious, and the fact that Lizbeth appeared to feel perfectly at home here was impressive. Maybe one day soon, she would be exactly the right person to take over her family's business. It stood in stark contrast to the Belmont's holdings back home, in that there was a craft being crafted here, and masterfully so. Back in Ashhaven (and places beyond on major trade routes), her own people had warehouses in varying degrees of business, dockside offices, etc. Her parents were merchants. Traders. Movers of existing product from one place to another for a profit. The product was essentially dispassionate, even if the experiences upon the road were not. This place felt alive. And that thought brought with it a feeling of irony. 

	When Lizbeth opened the final door after what was a truly grand look at a well-respected winery, Victoria stepped through at her convenience. Immediately a look of delight spread across her face as she saw the familiar faces of Tarace and Barbal, be their association om the road fairly short in comparison to others, and noted the presence of the man introduced as Monsieur Laurent. The prospect laid out bluntly before them of a reward was accepted without much in the way of personal insight, and she responded to the introduction in an open but mostly formal manner. [color=9932cc]"Monsieur Laurent, it is an honest pleasure to put a face to the name. You have some truly lovely farmland. Spacious, ample. And naught but the [i]tiniest[/i] difficulty with oxen-sized mantids."[/color] She extended her hand and offered, [color=9932cc]"Please forgive, I am quite enamored with the circumstance of the evening. I am called Miss Victoria Belmont, of the Ashhaven Belmonts, and it is my privilege to make your acquaintance."[/color] The smile remained, genial and proper as usual, but her eyes found another person she wished to speak with. [color=9932cc]"We should share our opinions on the wine later, but for now I simply must give my salutations elsewhere. Please excuse me."[/color]

	The other salutations were intended for the Mosswaters, but she had her eye out for her personal guest. She said that she would be there, but nothing yet. It wasn't until she was midpoint to the Halfling farmers that her Plus One revealed herself from the far side of a column. [color=9932cc]"Annick! I am happy you could make it."[/color] Victoria strode over the remaining two paces to give her a light hug. Informal at best, but this was with purpose. The Medician was her mentor, and indeed her better, while they were training. But as she never signed any apprenticeship papers and this was a mercantile exchange of service for knowledge, they were equals in this place. Victoria wanted her to establish this dynamic immediately. She was no cup-bearer in what was temporarily her home as well. [color=9932cc]"So, Madame Floquet, what do you make of that very interesting door over there?"[/color]

	Annick did not seem to be annoyed by the sudden informality. The almost perpetual scowl was even subdued upon the older woman's face. She seemed dressed for trouble or travel more than anything else. Finery was not part of her her style, but solidly comfortable and utilitarian garb was. Clean and slightly worn black boots peeked out from beneath long skirts of charcoal grey. A matching cowl and armslit cloak hung about her strong, slender frame and halfway covered an ivory colored top with off-center buttons, and a belt with what appeared to be a tool pouch or sporran upon it overlapped a fringed, hunter green wrap. Her thick, wavy, grey hair was pulled up and back with a silvery comb and dangerous-looking hairpin. Without any trace of formality whatsoever, Annick peered questioningly as her student before answering, [color=darkgray][b]"I don't know. I have never been in here before. Nobody puts a door like that in a gathering place unless they're keeping something away from folks."[/b][/color] She studied Victoria again, intoning in a quiet, sharp voice, [color=darkgray][b]"[i]Hey[/i]. Don't hit the wine too hard. Stories about this place recently... Just don't blur your magic, right?"[/b][/color]

	Victoria's response was jovial to the point of sarcasm, [color=9932cc]"You're going to be a lot of fun tonight. I can tell."[/color] The smile remained on her face as she spoke, which no longer reached her eyes. It served to give some camouflage to the discreet wink.