<strong>The First Tale: Roses and Thorns</strong><br/><br/>In the winter of your ascension, your liege gives you one final task before granting you your rank formally: the young, beautiful, and dangerous Shara Yvarai is having her coming-out party, and your liege desires that the opportunity to snare a Contract of Servitude is one that must not be missed.  Knowing that, as newly arrived nobility, you lack the resources to provide the appropriate gifts yourselves, the Countess has provided appropriate tokens for you to present on her behalf.<br/><br/>Your task is a simple one: convince Shara to sign a contract with your liege.  Since just about every other ven at the party will no doubt be attempting something similar, this won't be easy.<br/><br/>The party, which is held in Yvarai Castle, Shara's personal holding, takes place on Midwinter's Eve, and as you might all expect, everybody who is anybody (or at least anybody worth being somebody) was invited!  That means that along with your official business, there are plenty of other opportunities to be had.<br/><br/>Thus the stage is set.  The pieces are placed on the board.  And the orchestra swells as the curtain rises...<br/><br/>+++<br/><br/>Entering the Great Hall, one of course presents the appropriate token of esteem to one's host or hostess, and indulges in a brief pleasantry or two: this is expected.  This is normal.  Shara handles each guest in turn, smiling more at some than others, lingering longer over the courtesies from time to time with one of her more important guests.  Each gift is solemnly received and noted by the tall vassal who stands at her left shoulder and intones the name of each guest and the general nature of each item to the scribe beside him.<br/><br/>More guests continue to file in after you arrive, of course--some are more than fashionably late!  For now, however, the order of the hour is to mingle and enjoy refreshments, to socialize and generally chat...in other words, the last thing that Cinsel wants to do is precisely what's expected!<br/><br/>Looking about, each of you spots familiar faces--there is the infamous Lady Peacock, Duchess of Q’var.  Over on the balcony, Lord Valin Burghe, Baron of Ishnavay, and Dannin Steele, Duke of Shyvala, seem deep in conversation about some weighty matter.  Somewhere nearby, no doubt plotting mischief, Lady No, Countess of Ival, stalks yet another prospective husband...<br/><br/>As yet, however, you do not see your fellow vassal, Niassa Mwrr.  You are pretty certain she was coming, and it isn't like her to be so fashionable.<br/><br/><br/>