The visitors, both those looking to conduct business and those there for appearances, are slowly congregating under the glass roofs of the conservatory. Canapés and drinks are left behind for the time being, albeit reluctantly by some, as the focus of attention leaves the social jockeying in the entrance hall. At least for a while. People move towards the greenery in small groups, slowed down by the need to file through a single entrance. Further holdups are created by those planning to partake in the auctions, who need their names entered into the ledger after paying a participation fee intended to disincentivise fraudulent bidders. Of course, this is only aimed at those who came for the spectacle, to ensure that they do not drive up prices merely for a better show. Determined interference, however, will hardly be discouraged this way.
Kamila, the clerk, manages to pass a hastily scribbled replica of the auction schedule to Mikołaj as he shuffles towards the conservatory doors, a young woman hanging on his arm. She clearly has had a little too much to drink already and is very busy taking in her surroundings, looking around with wide eyes and frequent, almost inaudible giggles whenever she spots a friend or someone she knows mingling in the distance. Even though the sorcerer is unsure why Ana has chosen him specifically as the recipient of her immediate company, she seems to know a number of the other young men and women drifting from one group to the next.
The order of lots being auctioned is secret, to increase tension and to encourage people to stay for the entire event, thus exposing them to more lots they might want to bid on. With the schedule however, Larisa and Mikołaj can quickly figure out what is supposed to happen when. Better yet, they still have some time to strike up conversations with other guests, as assistants are still busy meticulously lining up an array of candles on a table. The process of laying them out and checking them for defects is a very public affair, intended to build trust into the auction format and assure people that the perfect candle will make for a genuinely random end to the auction.
Ana clearly has no interest in or listens to the quick consultation between the two retainers, although Larisa's presence and evident acquaintance with Mikołaj has her a little pouty until the blonde moves away once more. With the crowds it is easy to miss someone, but Larisa is reasonably certain that Kazimir has not arrived just yet. Whether he is running late or already playing an angle beyond these walls, only his eventual arrival will reveal. Judging by the drumming rain and the occasional rumble of distant thunder, he will be able to have a dramatic entry, should he want one.
Clocks
Other Bidders Outmanoeuvred 0/8
Auction Begins 0/4
Lot Secured 0/6
Suspicion 0/6
Agenda
The clocks should be fairly self-explanatory, but to ensure everyone is on the same page: No. 1 limits the options for other parties by encouraging them to spend their funds on other lots, discouraging them from partaking in what you are interested in, etc. The fuller this clock, the easier it will be to fill up clock No. 3, your win condition. The other two are timer/fail condition clocks that will be ticked on bad rolls or to move the story forward.
You can now try to nudge other participants into directions opportune for you, run other sorts of interference, and generally prepare the battlefield for the auction itself. Feel free to come up with NPCs you spot and strike up a conversation with, but try to avoid direct speech and stick to the broad strokes of what topics you touch upon and what you are trying to get them to do. Dialling this in for the right speed of play may end up taking a little time, but for now I'm leaning towards "it's better to barrel through the first errand than to bog down", especially for a game that has so much of its potential during the downtime phase.
If you want to mess with the lots (or anything else), you can do so either by flashback or by stealing away during the auction.
Light loads only for those present on the premises. Kazimir can come with heavier kit depending on the kind of entry he wants to have when his arrival... arrives.
Write up and post your fluff now, we'll then discuss the specifics for the rolls in the ooc thread, add the rolls, and move on to resolution. Similarly, you can ask about flashbacks in ooc first and once we are happy with the angle, commit them to writing.