Lady Severina Kalderash (lady_undeath) wrote in shadowlands_ic, @ 2017-07-26 15:35:00 |
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Entry tags: | severina kalderash |
Who: Severina Kalderash.
What: Reflections over party games.
Where: River Thames.
When: Recent.
Warnings: N/A
Party games of the Victorian era could be an oddly quaint affair. Of the working classes, beer could be a veritable necessity to be consumed by those of all ages, just to get through the exhaustive day. In higher society, there came a form of regimented order alongside the leisurely freedoms.
While humanity had yet to ponder such vexing questions as the nutritional considerations of the undead, Lady Severina Kalderash was no stranger to venues which promised the usual elaborate assortments of syllabubs, alcoholic tipsy cakes and other such dishes; all often laid out upon tables with considerable thought given to the placings of individual food types and beverages.
Whether or not consumed, the purpose behind such gatherings was of a different nature and it might not take long before games with such titles as 'To Play A Kitten' were embarked upon. In that case, the objective being to mewl and otherwise comport oneself as the animal in question, receiving pats on the head by other guests, obligated to say, "Poor puss!" The first among them to smile or laugh, having to offer up a forfeit.
It was the collection of such forfeits, indeed, which was the true objective and, even in this, there was an order to what came next. Often, which involved two of the female guests, with one of whom receiving the party's accumulated forfeits and the other wearing a blindfold. After identifying each item, handkerchiefs and so forth, there would come the challenge to each forfeit, designed to be simultaneously amusing and yet not to cause offence.
Severina would much rather have scandal and offence be the whole idea... A strategy she had applied just recently, by way of the secretive placing of a Rex Beckham novel into the pocket of a gentleman's coat, making sure it would go noticed by others. A development which certainly provoked a good deal more entertainment for a certain Lady Kalderash, standing off to one side and watching the accusations fly with a quiet sense of mirth.
Worth it.
It was later that she looked out over the Thames. A cat-like gaze trailing up into the sky, where vehicular transport of the modern age now criss-crossed the air at altitude. Not in huge numbers, not yet, but there would be progress. A pity, really, that her kind could not take flight and join them, as certain legends of old would have it. At least, not in any way she was aware of. Perhaps it was some forgotten natural talent, as yet untapped and remaining somehow dormant. One of a number of fancies which gave Severina reason to engage the Institute in regards to anything which hinted at secret histories related to the fanged undead. Scholarly research was not something she had either patience nor the intellectual resources for, but they certainly did and, from time to time, The vampiress was hopeful for maps or baubles with hidden locations, engravings and more, which could yet provide the key to some as yet undiscovered vampiric mystery.
One could always hope.
Or even play a kitten.