The Floral Masquerade

The average person who lives in Talnor believes that everything is fine and dandy in the Court of the Hearth, the highest court in the kingdom... but that couldn't be further from the truth.
It is easy to forget that nearly half of the noble families that still attend the Court of the Hearth are descended from those that loved and adored the Sorcerer Queen and the power she granted them. Though they like to claim that they despise the tyrannical monarch, that couldn't be farther from the truth.
The Floral Masquerade is a product of this deceit. Its name is a deception, a redirection from the group's true intentions, yet also so, so painfully obvious, something that has never ceased to amuse the group's Madam. It is a floral masquerade, a court of fine young ladies who care for their garden and mingle with those who come to admire the beauty of their flowers—but underneath it all, hidden under layers upon layers of deception, their true purpose is to sow discord.
Indeed, the Floral Masquerade is an information network, tea service, circle of gardening maidens, but also a... brothel.
Prostitution and brothels are heavily disapproved of and outright banned in the kingdom of Talnor, and those who are caught in the conduct of such egregious actions are swiftly punished. But that doesn't stop those who lurk in the dark sides of the court, and thus the Floral Masquerade was formed.
The Garden was masterminded by the wife of one of these shadowy families—though which one is unknown and her name is hidden. To the outside world, she is known as 'Lily'₁, a mysterious lady and the leader and keeper of the Garden that no one can seem to get to know. Secrets seem to dance in her eyes and a coy smile curves her lips whenever there is suspicion to be had.

by M.R.R. Shelswell via Artbreeder

On average, ten maidens dwell in the garden at one time. Their appearances range across the spectrum and each and every one of them are gorgeous beyond compare. They come to live in the garden through various means—some were orphaned and found a home there, some came there when their meager savings ran out, and a few came when they were lost and had no idea where they were. Young girls under the age of sixteen can also be found in the Garden, considered girls-in-training, assistant gardeners, and maids-in-waiting as they wait for a position to open in the roster of women in the Floral Masquerade.
What women live and work in the garden changes slowly as Madam Lily works to manipulate and infiltrate the noble families that are loyal to the king. Occasionally, when Madam Lily catches sight of a victim she knows could be manipulated, she prepares one of the women for what must be done. Taught by the madam about seduction and how to tease out information and how to wrap men around her fingers, the madam releases her into the court, where she integrates herself into the comings and goings of the nobility until the sight of her is normal and no longer out of place. And that is when she makes her move.
Current members of the Floral Masquerade have given up their real names long ago and go by the floral name Madam Lily gives them when she joins the Garden. This is extended to the young girls who are brought into the garden when they were orphaned, effectively causing them to forget their original identities as they grow up and become women—a natural process that often happens to children brought into new families when they were young.
It is hard to conceptualize just how many Blossoms from the Garden are spread throughout the nobility of the Court of the Hearth... and perhaps beyond. When they leave the garden, they change their names to something that fits in, that keeps them from standing out, so it is nearly impossible to keep track of them once they leave.

Current Known Members:

• Madam Lily
• Hyacinth
• Rose
• Diphylleia
• Eyebright
• Fern
• Hollyhock
• Hydrangea
• Iris
• Larkspur
• Laurel
• Laurestine
• Lobelia
• Quilete
• Marigold
• Mulberry
• Nasturtium
• Peony
• Brugmansia
• Protea
• Rosemary
• Rue
• Thistle
• Thyme

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¹

Show spoiler

Many visitors to the garden have tried to decipher the meaning behind Lily's moniker. The hints to it are obvious: the orange lily she wears in her hair, her personality, the way flecks of orange and black dance along the muted green of her dress...
The truth is, there are many layers to Lily's moniker and when each layer is removed an even more dangerous truth is revealed.
At first glance, Lily seems to be named after the Orange Lily, which can mean desire, passion, or even hatred. But that doesn't really make much sense since it doesn't fit her role or her attitude. So after a bit more digging, perhaps she's named after the Tiger Lily? A Tiger Lily can mean pride, confidence, and abundance. But that doesn't fit either.
In truth, Lily is named after the red Spider Lily, the Flower of Death.

Type

Information Network

Leader Title

Madam

Location

Thím Gûthuwal

by M.R.R. Shelswell via Artbreeder