Haut Monde

From HollowWiki

Background

Outwardly, Haut Monde caters to the rich and privelaged within Cenril. Their front is that of an entertainment agency, and they are often hired by Cenril's merchant patriciate (or others of note or wealth) to perform for local dinners, salons, balls, and other social engagements. They are well known for keeping several up-and-coming musicians, dancers, and other sorts on staff, and are able to provide everything from classical presentations to the exotic. This has cemented their reputation as being top of the top in Cenril, and their services are often eagerly sought by anyone who is anyone in the city.


But that is not all they are. Those who have fortune and wealth in Cenril are often bound by their reputation and the rules that define their society. To act outside of them is to act in scandal, and when your name is everything to those circles to have it damaged could lead to irreperable damage to one's fortune.


Haut Monde understands that, and it understands that very well. The businessman who owns Haut Monde is savvy with the world of money and expectations, after all. It parades itself as an entertainment group that both throws extravagant engagements for those of wealth and good reputation, and caters to those thrown by the rich and famous. In addition to these extravagances, the owner of Haut Monde also ensures that some part of his profit is donated back to the temples and assorted "needy" within Cenril itself, securing a golden reputation amongst the glittering society. And even when any whiff of a hint of something other than this front even has a chance to turn into the rumor, the public face of Haut Monde -- a woman who is the epitome of good breeding and manners named Cliona -- is quick to tamp them out. Her ability to schmooze, settle ruffled feathers, and sway the unwary when she speaks publicly is second to none. However, it's legetimate front is profitable, yes, but it is not where Haut Monde's excessive wealth comes from.


Those who are in the know are aware of a different side to the group. Those whose fortunes have been made often have darker tastes, and it is in catering to those tastes that Haut Monde receives its true profits. For exorbitant price and fees, Haut Monde guides those with sterling reputations and fortunes to consider through the gutters of Cenril's underbelly, managing the feat with such discreet subtlety that they have never once been discovered by those they do not wish to be seen by. They approach clients carefully, or are referred by satisfied clients, and show them the delights and horrors considered too obscene by society standards to be acceptable to people in such high status.


So they have profited greatly.


Though their business shut down entirely during the invasion and pirate attacks, they appeared afterward almost without pause. Because while business is perhaps slower, it is still booming, and there is much in Cenril to whet even the most questionable appetites of the wealthy and powerful.

Membership

Leadership

Owner: TBD

Description:


Public Face: Cliona

Description:


Head of Hired Security: Goban

Leader of the mercenary group the Protectorate, they have been contracted with Haut Monde for six years. He maintains both his own group, and Haut Monde's guards.

Description: Tawny haired with those extra special first few silver hairs, Goban has unwavering dark eyes and convictions. He has a steady manner that is quite proper by Cenrili standards, and a strict personality. He is very rarely ruffled, and maintains stillness of body and mind when interacting with others. Blunt, to the point, and used to being obeyed.


Head of Musical Entertainment: Javed Gastrell

Description: Javed is, outwardly, that jolly, rich fat man that everyone loves in person and loves to talk about behind his back. A mild-mannered man, it is nearly impossible to get him to show offense. He is well-educated, and silver tongued, but so full of himself that his intelligence and (oftentimes) gift of speech gets swallowed whole in favor of his own ego. Despite that, he is a man who is very astute in the matter of music, dance and acrobatics, and it is by his recommendations that Haut Monde has often flourished.

Before his acquisition as a contract-worker, he was heir to the Gastrell wealth. An old money family, he has upheld the fortune and family name by acting as a patron to up-and-coming bards, theater troupes and others of such creative pursuits. He is well known for his considered taste, and often acts as a respected critic at debuts. He is occasionally invited to comment in local Cenrili newspapers and fliers, and enjoys a fine reputation as a man of discrimination and taste.


Entertainers

Bards on Staff

Keelin, human, female, 19

Violinist. Protege of Javed.


Lale, human, male, 23

Pianist.

Description: Standing at 6'5", Lale is lanky, skinny, and bony. Though he keeps good posture, he has that awkwardness of a young man still growing into his height, and something of a storklike gait. His one saving grace may be his hands, for they are a pianist's hands with long, slender and graceful fingers. He has dark hair and eyes, and a pale complexion. He tends to dress semi-formally, but also with some hints of sloppiness; though he is fond of humor and wit, he is also prone to an artist's dreaminess and could never quite keep up with the vagaries of fashion, even if he wanted to. He is more prone to smiles than frowns, and tends towards mischievousness over seriousness.

Essa, human, male, 20

Harpist.


Sanjar, human, male, 24

Drums/percussion. (specializes in Gualon tribal drums)


Kilala, human, female, 17

Lute.


Dancers on Staff

Patren, human, male, 21


Naomh, human, female, 18


Finnan, human, male, 20


Other Entertainers on Staff

TBD


Temporary Contracted Entertainers

Marija, human, female, 31

Well known violinist, brought on as senior for Keelin.

Description: A saucy woman standing at 5'6" and pleasantly rounded in the way of the matronly, Marija has grabbed hold of success and milked it for all it is worth. Unafraid of speaking her mind, she can be quite tart when it comes to her profession, and might get snarky around those who don't hold the same opinions as herself when it comes to music. Well educated in the local musical history, she's well known for the sensitivity of her ear and her ability to inject her own style into the works of known and respected composers.


General Staff

Chief Secretary Liam, human, male, 28

Under-Secretary [TBD]

Head of Household Staff: Leonie, human, female, 46

Description: Stern and always ready to dish out a tongue lashing, Leonie is a sturdy woman who takes her job most seriously. In charge of the servants, cooks, and the most junior clerks, Leonie takes a no-nonsense approach to life that is reflected in her duties. However, she is also fair, and tends to reciprocate how she is treated. She is very much aware of the pecking order, though, and will not step outside of its bounds. She does make a habit out of asking certain bards (such as Lale) for favors when the work outstrips the help by too much.

Clerks

Sedilia, human, female, 30 Goban's clerk

Description: Happily married and employed within Haut Monde, Sedilia is a woman of good breeding. Though her family teeters on the edge of poor, they have managed to keep themselves afloat. Dark of hair and eyes, she is a modest person with a keen eye for detail. She dresses on the cutting edge of Cenrili fashion, while adding her own personal touches. She is regarding as being stylish and worthy of respect. Despite the warm reception by her peers, her brush with poverty during the Preklek Invasion has kept her humble. She is patient, and treats those she interacts with with a gentle sincerity and genuine friendliness.


Vespasien, human, male, 38 Javed's clerk

Criminal Agents

TBD