Lady Alana glances from Brigitte to Sharell, and then back to Brigitte, giving her a small, mischievous grin. “Your chaperone, is she? Well, leave her to me. I’ll see to it she finds some mischief of her own. Enjoy the party.” She inclines her head politely to Brigitte.<br/><br/><div align="center">* * * * *</div><br/>Soraya sets down her glass and takes a dainty tea sandwich from the tray of a passing waiter. “After the patriars come the critics,” she says, gesturing with the sandwich to emphasize her points. “Each has their own way of handling them, so I won’t try to advise you. I can say that Henk Herrold is the most easy going of the lot. He wants everyone to be his friend. Edgar Blount, on the other hand, is rather touchy even on a good day. Handle him with caution. Then there’s Sibyl Demings. She loves to argue and debate, and she likes performers with a backbone. And after the critics, you should consider the priests and officers of the city. If you make fun of sailors or other riverfolk, do it lightly. Allandra Grey of Umberlee has been known to invoke curses on those who offend her. She can be a fearsome enemy or formidable friend. As can all the others. There are politics at play, much of which I haven’t been able to sort out, being an outsider, myself.”<br/><br/>Soraya takes a bite from the sandwich (it looks like watercress and butter) and waves the remainder in the direction of the gambling table. “And then, you might consider your fellow artists. We all get along, as a rule. Mostly. Take Tristan King, for instance. He’s the one with all the winnings. Don’t let him impress you with his tales of adventuring. He’ll pass them off as his own exploits, but in truth they’re the work of other adventurers. He frequents inns where adventurers like to gather, and he’ll ply them with drinks and steal the stories they tell for his own act. So if you’ve had adventures of your own, be careful what you say around him.”