High Society Daily: Chronicles of the Nine Realms

TIME: Morning, 1st Month of Autumn
LOCATION: Main Parlor, Prince Julian's Estate
STATUS: New Debutante, First Day at Manor
CURRENT GOAL: Settle in, make a good first impression on Julian
INFORMATION BULLETIN: • Debutante selection concluded • All betrothed ladies must report to their assigned lord's estate within 3 days • Court welcome ball scheduled for the end of the first season
RELATIONSHIP MATRIX: Julian (10/200), Lily (20/100), Arthur (0/200), Reginald (0/200), Valerius (0/200)

PLAYER CHARACTER SHEET
Name: Lin Wan
Age: 17
Gender: Female
Appearance: Soft chestnut hair braided with jasmine, warm amber eyes, wears plain silk gowns stitched with wild pear blossoms from her home realm
Origin: Cloudcrest Realm (small agricultural realm, monthly allowance +200 Silvers)
Monthly Allowance: 500 Silver Sovereigns
Skills: Culinary (15), Stewardship (10), Commerce (5), Intrigue (5), Social Influence (10), Martial Arts (0)
Talents: Quick study of etiquette, can identify rare spices by scent
Starting Items: Handwritten recipe book from her mother, Cloudcrest jasmine tea set, 50 silver pocket money, formal debutante gown

The oak carriage rolls

to a gentle stop.

Crunch of gravel under

your leather shoes

as you step down.

Sunlight filters through

maple trees lining

the stone drive.

The estate’s main doors

swing open before you,

a gray-haired butler

bowing deeply.

“Lady Lin, welcome to

Prince Julian’s home.

His Highness awaits you

in the main parlor.”

You smooth the fabric

of your debutante gown,

fingers brushing the

pear blossom embroidery

your mother stitched.

The butler leads you

down a high-ceilinged hall,

tapestries of Nine Realms

legends lining the walls.

He pauses before carved

double doors, rapping

once before pushing them

open to reveal the parlor.

A small fire crackles

in the marble hearth.

Prince Julian sits at

a dark walnut desk,

a half-read scroll of

manor accounts in his hands.

He looks up, his sharp

dark eyes softening

just slightly as he stands.

“Lady Lin. I am glad you

arrived safely. The journey

from Cloudcrest is long.”

A young woman with a

smudge of flour on her

cheek pops out from

behind a silk curtain,

grinning widely. It’s Lily,

the only other consort

already settled at the

estate, who sent you

a warm welcome letter last week.

“I saved honey cakes for

your first day! I knew you’d

be hungry from the ride.”

Julian huffs a quiet laugh,

setting his scroll aside.

“We were just discussing

the seasonal harvest for

the estate’s kitchens.

Would you like to join us,

or would you prefer to

rest in your chambers first?”

The butler waits by the door,

ready to carry your trunks

upstairs if you wish to rest.

Lily holds out a crumbly

golden honey cake on a

porcelain plate, her eyes

bright with excitement.

Julian’s gaze rests on you,

patient, waiting for your

answer.