Grand Masquerade Palais Lobkowitz

Overview

Evening of 8 August 1814 into the early hours of 9 August. The Grand Masquerade at Palais Lobkowitz was the Brotherhood’s deadline for securing Anna Lindqvist’s voice for the Engine’s ritual performance. It became instead the most consequential public supernatural incident of the Congress of Vienna — a mass-casualty event witnessed by ~200 members of European aristocracy.

What Happened

Arrival and social phase:

• Adrien chose Caroline Hartley as his first dance partner, openly snubbing Lydia Hartley — the Hartley romance arc activated
• Maria von Thun accepted Varrio’s dance and extended a private invitation for the following evening
• Varrio punched Sternberg (drunk, insulting Thomas). Sternberg formally challenged. Thomas Wyndham accepted on Varrio’s behalf. Dawn duel set for August 9 outside the Linienwall gates
• Honoria briefed: Herzfeld isolated at the University; Munich funding via Der Kantor; ritual confirmed August 15; “Desperate action will fail”
• Thurner delivered operational packet to Georgiana via waltz: Café Frauenhuber and Thaliastraße 12 as one-shot Order assets
• Fischbein delivered the Bauer brothers’ Black Bear Tavern location to Freddy, with proof of Vogel’s signature on the release order
• Liesel Hartmann approached Varrio asking about “Brenner” — the murderer met his victim’s seeker
• Nell Coker approached Katherine with blackmail; Katherine recruited her instead
• Nikolai Volkonsky waltzed with Georgiana; received the truth about Adler and committed to the operation

Extraction phase:

• Anna performed on stage. The A=432 Hz resonance shattered multiple wine glasses and caused three seconds of universal apnoea
• Party executed the two-stage extraction (Emma, Georgiana, Katherine, Thomas, Nell). The substitution under Katherine’s cape worked. Anna out of Adler’s control

Combat phase:

• Adler publicly exposed. Kaunitz personally warned Varrio of “accidents.” Kaunitz then walked calmly toward the terrace — functionally a confession of insider knowledge
• Adler struck the command tuning fork. First Wächter dropped through the stained-glass window. Second Wächter appeared in the withdrawing room and tore a civilian guest in half
• Mikhail killed by the first Wächter — tongue-lash and bite
• Adrien fired his pistol and hit an innocent civilian woman in the neck (the “woman in green”)
• Sasha pursued Adler down the refreshment tables
• Combat end of Round 2: corridor cluster (Emma, Anna, Thomas, Nell, Wyndham) at servants’ corridor; Varrio with cudgels; Adler fleeing; Wächter 3 still dormant on carriage roof

Physical Damage

• Stained-glass window above the dance floor: destroyed (first Wächter’s entry point)
• Main chandelier: collapsed (resonance + combat)
• Refreshment tables: wrecked (Adler’s flight)
• Multiple wine glasses shattered by Anna’s resonance, before the Wächter ever deployed
• Withdrawing room: a crime scene (civilian torn in half)

Casualties Confirmed

• Mikhail — Russian Imperial Guard officer, decapitated by Wächter 1
• One civilian guest — torn in half by Wächter 2 in the withdrawing room
• The woman in green — shot in the neck by Adrien (status: dead/dying/wounded undetermined as of Session 8 close)
• Unknown number of additional civilian casualties from the chandelier collapse, glass shards, panic

Why This Matters

• Anna is rescued. The Brotherhood’s ritual is in jeopardy regardless of Session 9 outcomes.
• Adler is exposed publicly. Even if he escapes, he is a known quantity to Vienna’s diplomatic corps. His cover is gone.
• Brotherhood secrecy is broken. The Wächter were witnessed by hundreds of European aristocrats. Even Metternich’s press apparatus can only partially suppress the story.
• Political fallout begins immediately: Metternich summons, Russian demands, Lobkowitz scandal, Vogel’s hunt.