You've been invited to a fancy dancing ball. The place? Paris, France. The period? Late 17th century.

A) what are appropriate topics of conversation?
B) what would be inappropriate/offensive? What could get you kicked out or inadvertently ruin your host's reputation?
C) what dances were popular at the time?

Tom

This is Baroque period; so you'd need to research baroque period dances and music.

As for what conversations are allowed/expected, assuming these are nobles of the court, the answer is "GOSSIP-O-RAMA" as the topic of conversation; the important thing is that it is behind the subject's back (one does not wish to be rude and possibly end up challenged to a duel).

As the GM, you should cook up a few scandals to be "all the talk" of the party. Maybe have 1 of these pertinent to the plot of the game, the rest are just in there for fun.

As for what can get you "kicked out" / "ruin reputations" the answer is also Gossip. However it would be where you directly accuse someone of something within their hearing (or it is reported back to them that YOU were the one who initiated the rumor).

Needless to say, Gossip can be an interesting adventure generator, either to give the PCs a plot hook, or the create one from thin air by getting them involved in a duel.

Note also that not all gossip need be scandalous. Some of it can be idle speculations, etc. like "I think the count has his eye on the youngest daughter of the Marquis... they were walking through the palace gardens together after the reception." Stuff like that. It need not be the sort of thing that demands satisfaction when repeated.

Also it might not be what is said, but the way that it is said that makes it scandalous. Saying things in blunt direct language is going to lead to problems. Saying "The Marquis' youngest sure has been spending a lot of time with her violin tutor" is very different from saying "The Marquis' daughter is having an affair with her violin tutor."

Perfect!  Thanks Bashman!

I'm prepping some material for a demo event that will be based around a dancing ball and just need to give it some color to make it pop.

Anyone got some suggestions for "scandalous gossip" that can be thrown into the mix?

Tom

BASHMAN is right on target with gossip. To that I'd add attempts at seduction and political scheming as well.

I posted on period music recently, though you are in a later part of the 17th century than I am focused on. The part that might apply is about half way through the post.

The Air de cour is out of court favor by then and the Chanson pour boire is a French drinking song, frequently coupled with chanson pour danser (or "song for dancing") it was used up until about 1670, but it sounds too informal or ribald for a formal dance, unless the host is trying to be provocative.

You might check out Michel Lambert. He was the maître de musique de la chambre du roi and kept this position until his death in 1696. You might also check out his son-in-law, Lully who was big in French Baroque music and was popular with Louis XIV.

Depending on the location and timing of the ball, it might be preceded by gambling, either cards or dice. I plan to post about gambling in France at some later time, but in the meanwhile you could use Hazard, which is a dice game, and Triomphe or Trump, which is a popular trick-taking card game for 4 players, to add some period flavor. Gambling can serve as a way of engaging the PCs in a smaller group as a backdrop for the gossiping and scheming.

Cool thread. I will have to steal from Bren's work.

Not my area of historical expertise, I'm afraid.