The Queen's Circle, On Maids of Honour and Ladies in Waiting

[Deryni]

In your standard fantasy court, the Queen has ladies in waiting, and maids of honour. The former are ladies of lower ranking who provide companionship, while the latter are young ladies basically being fostered with the Queen to learn about the Court (and hopefully be married).

Clearly a Valdemaren Queen, especially one ruling by herself, doesn't have time to train young women to be ladies. And such a Queen likely also wouldn't be interested in sitting in her solar embroidering and gossiping with the other ladies.

Thus, the way it works in Valdemar is that a noble family that wants their daughter to be a maid of honour will send to the Seneschal, requesting that the Queen place their daughter with a lady. The Queen will do so, if she feels it is appropriate and the lady she selects is willing. The young woman is then maid of honour to that lady, but if she feels she is mistreated, she is within her rights to take her issue to the Queen.

As for the Queen's ladies in waiting... Lirah has effectively started something that is now called the Queen's Circle. Every woman in it is invited personally, and they typically have certain characteristics - independent, competent women that can play at both politics and the lady, can discuss issues and academics, and either know how to or are willing to learn how to ride, fight, and hunt - among other things. Of course, these are all at varying levels, and some of the ladies don't start off knowing the latter three (or other unusually active pursuits), but as a general rule, they learn quickly.

At this time, Lirah has seven of them. Sybil and Lauretta are free to adopt as either NPCs or PCs. If there's aspects to them you wish to change, feel free to talk with me, as they're fairly negotiable (especially before they've made many appearances). Lirah may also add other ladies, as is appropriate, but as a general rule, they would be full ladies, and adult.

Mirena: Dery
Tian: Dery
Penny: Ethi
Rowena: Carla
Jevra: Bri
Sybil: Played by Dery
Lauretta: Played by Dery

[Brilana]

D you make such wonderous characters!!!! I'm so torn!!!

I love 3 of them... Rowena, Jevra and Sybil. I like Laura but she's not quite right for me I think.

Oh the dilemma... Any suggests? They are sufficiently differnt from each other (and most of my other charries) that I'm just not sure which is the right pick for me...

I think Jevra is speaking to me the most... Probably because she's closest tome in age... But I love the ideas of both the others as well....

Help? Please... anyone?

[Deryni]

Well, as I describe the remaining four...

• Rowena: The politician, the advisor, the one that makes those wicked little comments that are very well aimed, and the person you go to if you need help with a sticky situation.
  
  
• Jevra: The judge, painfully fair, extremely intelligent and lucky, the one that doesn't let anything or anyone deter her from getting what she wants out of life - career and husband included.
  
  ((Potentially the judge Violetta will mentor with, as Carla had been interested in that when we'd talked))
  
  
• Sybil: The happy Healer, a good head on her shoulders, an excellent confidant and comforter, the one who knows the jokes and the gossip, and the woman who can balance Lady and Healer.
  
  
• Lauretta: The last one you'd ever expect... (she's the one that'll surprise you the most)

I recommend Rowena if you want to play a character that's really got her fingers in every pie - including the Council, since Lirah would turn to her and go 'your husband isn't cooperating with...' and Rowena would work him around.

I recommend Jevra if you're interested in the law and unaffiliate side of things - you may well have overlap with Ethi's Herald Darla, and potentially a mentor aspect to Violetta. Most likely to be tagged outside of the standard Queen's circle at this time.

Sybil is a pretty good all around character, with no particular ties to anything yet. She's least likely of the three to be tagged for anything at this time.

Edit: Of course, a lot of this can change. These are the templates, but as I told Ethi when she claimed Penny, I fully expect their personalities, histories, etc. to flesh out more, and change in some ways. As long as they don't get .complete. reversals, I won't complain at them getting players :)

[Brilana]

Hmm... Well I'm not good at those sorts of comments, well-aimed etc, so I'll have to let Rowena pass me by I think...

So that narrows it to two... Jevra and Sybil...

I'll have to think on it overnight I htink. I'll try to be back on tomorrow with a decision, but if someone else simply has to have one or the other before I'm on again, I'm ok with that too. :)

[Carla O'Brian]

I'm torn between Sybil and Rowena... I don't know if I can take on two new NPCs though... especially if no-one adopts any of Dorana's ladies...

Maybe I'll start with Rowena and then arm wrestle Bri for Sybil later...

*giggles*

[Brilana]

Hmm *prepares for an arm wrestling* I think I'll take on both Jevra and Sybil unless someone has any major objections? Sadly none of Dorana's ladies appeals to me, sorry about that Carla.

I know I'm uber slow lately, but that's a timing thing with the new job and now that I'm settled in I should be ok again until the holiday craziness kicks in.

[Deryni]

Penny: Ethi
Jevra: Bri
Rowena: Carla
Lauretta: Unclaimed
Sybil: In dispute

Carla, as no one is currently adopting ladies, you might be better off sticking to just one... Bri, if you're busy, maybe the same? You two need to talk it out, and let me know what you decide.

[Brilana]

Eh yeah you're probably right, I'll stick with just Jevra for now. And we'll see about Sybil later.

[Deryni]

So that it doesn't disappear:

The Rathallis estate is near Hall. The Valeres estate is the one that controls Tindale and the mines of the area. I'd seen the Jadrain estate as being more northern, but it's up to Ethi. The Gires estate is down between Thornton and Sweetsprings. The Goldfal estate is near Wineboro. The Castille estate will be up to Carla. Torrelt will be up to Bri.

[Brilana]

How about to the south east of Boarsden, in the Armor Hills. That would place it sort of near her hometown... which is Norflank.