Octavia Thistledown wishes to announce the first of her events for this year; upon the evening of Saturday, the 9th day of March, 1811, she will host a small salon, major theme or themes to be decided. It will commence at 4 of the o'clock in the afternoon, include an informal supper, and continue. If you are interested in suggesting a theme, please respond to this invitation. The theme(s) will be announced during the week prior to the salon and you may decide at that time whether you wish to attend.
A salon is a gathering of people held by an inspiring host. During the gathering they amuse one another and increase their knowledge through conversation. These gatherings often consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate" (Latin: aut delectare aut prodesse).
The salon was an Italian invention of the 16th century, which flourished in France throughout the 17th and 18th centuries. The salon continued to flourish in Italy throughout the 19th century. In 16th-century Italy, some brilliant circles formed in the smaller courts which resembled salons, often galvanized by the presence of a beautiful and educated patroness such as Isabella d'Este or Elisabetta Gonzaga.
Salons were an important place for the exchange of ideas.
Before the end of the 17th century, these gatherings were frequently held in the bedroom (treated as a more private form of drawing room):[2] a lady, reclining on her bed, would receive close friends who would sit on chairs or stools drawn around. This practice may be contrasted with the greater formalities of Louis XIV's petit lever, where all stood. Ruelle, literally meaning "narrow street" or "lane", designates the space between a bed and the wall in a bedroom; it was used commonly to designate the gatherings of the "précieuses", the intellectual and literary circles that formed around women in the first half of the 17th century.
I must admit, I don't completely understand how a pandemic would work. If characters have no pre determined connections, how would they gain them if everyone is literally introducing themselves because meeting in person is not happening? maybe this will be coming clear after reading the newsletter? It would seem that some characters should know each other but would they? Who determines that?
hey guys, just a gentle reminder, Athena wants all RP to be in the letters. The forum is just for out of game communication character tie building.
@Octavia Thistledown (Tavvi) / (JL) Perhaps characters who miss having academic salons (like a certain MP who found them the really only enjoyable form of social gathering) can try to organize a kind of by-mail salon. Interested parties can mail in their opinions on a topic to the host/hostess or to each other as a form of ongoing discussion.
It is with great sadness that Octavia announces the postponement of her salon, due to the encroaching pandemic, until further notice. She would still entertain discourse with anyone who wishes to discuss any of the current topics of the day.
Hi Octavia and all! I do realize there may have been some confusion around the pre-event posted by another player, but there should not be physical events occurring on these forums. The forums are not for in-game character communication. All of that should be happening through letters which are the official form of play. I allowed that one to allow for more connections to be made for those who were wanting to before official "game on" was called. A way for folks to get their feet wet and establish some lines of communication to start with.
As the game begins, on March 1st, there is a pandemic which will prematurely end the season and result in us having to carry on our courting and communication all by letter.
This is a game mechanics requirement as it allows the GMs to maintain insight into what is happening in a controlled environment. It also allows for people who do not want to be on their computers to not feel like they are missing things. It is also a thematic design choice, to give another option of play and communication that is not as explored in our modern time.
In the future when our real pandemic is over I hope that we can host real world gatherings and the restrictions placed on our characters in that way can be lifted, but for now please take into account that as of March 1st all Society gatherings will be postponed and it will all be letters only for a time.
Thank you for your understanding,
Athena
There was no pandemic in 1811. These are simply fictitious writings about fictitious events among fictitious people. Much of the larger game will be conducted one person to one person at a time, sending actual mail, with perhaps a single interaction each week, at most. Some of us hope that this sort of salon / dinner / soirée will provide an alternate pathway where several folk can interact together at one time.
Ah, sorry. It said pre-season and I thought it mean that it was taking place before the game rather than during. So that the Pre-Season event already happened and was before the pandemic hit, or however that's working in this world. Unless I'm missing something, @Athena Peters ? I'm sure throwing Soirees is something Octavia could do, but probably not during the timeline of game start. Sorry, I'm just confused 😓
Please go and look at the Forum: “Invitation! A Pre-Season Winter Day Event in London”. This will be conducted in similar manner. Does that make sense? People can have a locale to meet new folk, to conduct business, flirtations, and intellectual conversations. That is Tavvi‘s intentions, unless overruled by Athena. In her introduction Octavia mentioned that she frequently holds such events.
I thought the game set during a pandemic which is why we're all writing letters? Are there going to be get-togethers?