Belle Époque salon

There are many salons across Avalon. Many for the same purpose as the

Known Salons

The Salon of Vicomtesse Francine de Noailles:The Grand Maison de Noailles & Its Public and Secret Salons

Front-Exterior	Inner Coutyard	The Ansana Room	The Black Hall
Corwin's Room	Cresa Room	An Intimate Room	The Dining Hall
The Pastorial	Red Room	Viscount's Room	Francine Remy

Her home, a grand hôtel particulier, features Lavish drawing rooms for open discussions, Secret tunnels leading to exclusive salons only for trusted members, Hidden wings and archives filled with her late husband’s art and artifacts from across the world.

The Open Salons of the Grand Maison de Noailles(3 Nights a Week, Public but Exclusive)

These salons were prestigious but open to high society—intellectuals, aristocrats, artists, and political thinkers attended.

Salon de Noailles – General Conversation & Society Affairs

Attended by nobles, foreign diplomats, socialites, and writers. Discussions on literature, philosophy, and social trends.

L’Académie des Lumières (The Academy of Lights) – Intellectual Debates & Discoveries

Professors, scientists, and inventors gathered to discuss new ideas in philosophy, technology, and psychology. Early discussions on Freud, electromagnetism, and new political theories.

La Maison Bleue (The Blue House) – Art, Poetry, and Music

Hosted the greatest Parisian artists—painters, musicians, and bohemian writers. Famous Impressionist painters and poets like Monet, Debussy, and Verlaine attended.

The Private & Secret Salons (2+ Nights a Week, Invitation-Only)

These gatherings were whispered about in Parisian high society, but only a select few knew their location. Entry was by invitation only, with some guests arriving through underground passages.

Les Esprits de Montmartre (The Spirits of Montmartre) – Bohemian Society

Held in a hidden wing of the mansion, attracting avant-garde artists, cabaret performers, and radical thinkers. Discussions on anarchism, socialism, and the nature of art.

Les Ombres de la République (The Shadows of the Republic) – Political Intrigue & Secret Diplomacy

The meeting place of revolutionaries, spies, exiled royals, and secret agents. Rumored to have hosted Dreyfus affair sympathizers, Russian émigrés, and German agents.

Le Cœur Noir (The Black Heart) – Secrets of Exploration & Foreign Lands

A shadowy group of explorers, archaeologists, military officers, and occultists. They exchanged knowledge of ancient artifacts, hidden colonies, and secret expeditions.

La Rêverie Parisienne (The Parisian Dream) – The Salon of Free Love

The most controversial and hidden gathering, attracting hedonists, feminists, and sexual radicals. After attending once, her husband asked never to hear of it again.

Potential Storylines & Intrigue

• A Murder at La Maison Bleue

A famous poet is found dead in the mansion after reciting a provocative piece. Was it murder, suicide, or something more sinister?

• A Lost Artifact in Le Cœur Noir

A member of Le Cœur Noir returns from Egypt, claiming to have found an artifact too dangerous for the world. But the artifact disappears, and now the guest is missing too.

• A Spy Among the Shadows

Someone in Les Ombres de la République is secretly working for a foreign power. The Vicomtesse must root them out before her salon is compromised.

• The Dreyfus Affair & A Secret Betrayal

A high-ranking military officer attending the salon might have knowledge that could clear Captain Dreyfus’ name. But will they share it or destroy the evidence?

The Salon of Vicomtesse Francine de Noailles: Power, Art, and Secrets

• A Grand Maison in Paris

The Noailles mansion is more than a home—it is a hub of power, art, and intrigue. Francine has been running salons for thirty years, and her influence reaches politicians, artists, revolutionaries, and spies alike.

Her salons operate on multiple levels:

• Open salons for intellectual debate, literature, and art.
• Exclusive secret gatherings where conspiracies are formed, affairs are arranged, and the fate of nations is whispered about.
• Underground meetings accessible only through hidden tunnels, where only those with true power and purpose are invited.

Notable Historical Figures in Her World

• Politics & Espionage: The Shadows of the Republic

(Les Ombres de la République – Hidden Political & Diplomatic Dealings)
Georges Clemenceau (French Statesman, Future Prime Minister) A fierce republican and journalist, Clemenceau is a frequent guest at the salon, debating liberty, revolution, and war. He and Francine share a complex relationship—both admire the other’s mind, but she keeps her distance from his ruthless political maneuvers. 

Captain Alfred Dreyfus (Infamous Military Officer, Accused of Treason) The Dreyfus Affair (1894–1906) shakes France to its core. Some of Francine’s guests defend him (Émile Zola), others condemn him (nationalist officers). A military informant in her salon secretly holds documents that could clear Dreyfus’ name—but if Francine exposes them, she makes powerful enemies.

Mata Hari (Spy & Courtesan, 1900s) The future femme fatale of espionage attends as a dancer and courtesan, unaware she will later become a spy. She charms Francine, ensuing love affair between them, and the Vicomtesse sees potential in her—but warns her not to trust powerful men too easily.

2. Literature & Philosophy: The Academy of Lights (L’Académie des Lumières – Intellectual Debate & Scientific Advancement) Émile Zola (Novelist & Social Critic) A radical thinker, Zola is a regular guest, debating Dreyfus, injustice, and the corruption of the French state. He and Francine clash often—he is too bold, she prefers subtlety and control—but they respect each other. Marcel Proust (Writer, Young Observer in 1890s) A quiet young man in her salon, Proust observes everything, later immortalizing Francine and her guests in In Search of Lost Time. He is fascinated by her, sensing the hidden depths beneath her noble demeanor. Marie Curie (Scientist & Pioneer in Radiation, 1890s) While science is not the salon’s primary focus, Curie is invited once by Francine out of sheer admiration. The two women, both brilliant yet underestimated, share a private conversation on power, discovery, and legacy.

3. The Art & Music Scene: The Spirits of Montmartre (Les Esprits de Montmartre – Bohemian Artists, Poets, and Musicians) Claude Monet (Painter, Impressionist Master) Attends the Blue House (La Maison Bleue), sketching guests in the golden glow of candlelight. Francine owns one of his early paintings, and he credits her for supporting Impressionism before it was accepted. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (Painter, Bohemian Drunkard) A regular at the wilder salons, often stumbling in drunk from Montmartre’s cabarets. He paints Francine once, capturing her sharp eyes, veiled secrets, and aristocratic grace. Sarah Bernhardt (Actress, The Most Famous Woman in the World) She performs in the salon—reading poetry, acting, and commanding every room she enters. She and Francine are both queens of their domains, respected but feared by men who do not understand them.

4. Secret Societies & Forbidden Knowledge: Le Cœur Noir (Le Cœur Noir – Explorers, Archaeologists, and Mystics) Rudyard Kipling (Writer, Occult Enthusiast, Imperialist Thinker, 1890s) A guest from England, fascinated by exploration and secret knowledge. He introduces Francine to Theosophy, mysticism, and forbidden texts on lost civilizations. Howard Carter (Archaeologist, Future Discoverer of Tutankhamun’s Tomb) A young archaeologist struggling to fund his expeditions. Francine finances some of his digs, years before he finds King Tut’s tomb in 1922. Éliphas Lévi (Occultist, Magician, Writer) One of the most famous mystics of 19th-century France, bringing esoteric knowledge into her circles. His ideas influence secret rites held beneath the Noailles mansion.

The Fall & Legacy of the Salon (1900–1939) By World War I (1914–1918), the salon shifts from luxury to resistance, aiding spies, displaced artists, and war correspondents. By the 1920s, it embraces modernity, welcoming the Surrealists and Jazz Age intellectuals. By 1939, with World War II looming, Francine—now in her 90s—watches Paris change forever. Would you like to expand her influence into World War I & II, focus on a key conspiracy, or develop one historical figure’s relationship with Francine further? ?

IN 1933 converts her fortune to gold bullion and transfers it the the United States. She sets up an estate in the us. Returns to France till the fall of Paris. Maybe throughout the war.

Les Arènes du Peuple (The People’s Arenas) – Sports & Athletic Salon

• Purpose: A salon dedicated to sports, physical training, and community events.
• Popular Activities: Boxing, cycling, early football (soccer), fencing, and wrestling.
• Members: Middle-class workers, apprentices, laborers, and ex-soldiers.
• Location: Often held in back rooms of cafés or gymnasiums.
• Secret Underground Fights: Betting rings operate illegally, and some matches have political overtones—symbolic battles between unionists and anti-labor forces.

La Flamme du Métier (The Flame of the Trade) – Labor & Craft Salon

• Purpose: A workers’ guild and knowledge exchange, dedicated to mastering trades, crafts, and industries.
• Popular Topics: Engineering, metalwork, carpentry, printmaking, fashion design, and mechanics.
• Members: Skilled workers, journeymen, and young apprentices.
• Location: Hosted in workshops, warehouses, or candle-lit basements.
• Precursor to Unions: Some meetings involve organizing labor strikes and worker rights protests.
• Secret Society Links: Some members quietly fund anarchist groups who push for change.

Le Grand Bal du Quartier (The Grand Ball of the District) – The Underground Imitation Nobility

• Purpose: A satirical but deeply political secret society, where poor and middle-class citizens adopt noble titles to mock royalty and aristocracy.
• Activities:
• "Courts" and "Duchies" are formed in urban slums, where self-styled "Dukes, Counts, and Viscounts" organize their communities.
• Lavish masquerade parties are held in hidden locations, with participants dressed in secondhand or self-made aristocratic costumes.
• Some members actually believe in their "titles", while others see it as a social revolution.
• Members: Factory workers, seamstresses, unemployed intellectuals, and failed aristocrats.
• Secret Purpose: This "mock nobility" has deeper roots—it serves as a hidden network for organizing strikes, smuggling, and *underground newspapers.
• Notable Titles & Roles:
• "King of the Commons" – The symbolic leader, chosen from the poorest districts.
• "Duchess of the Factories" – A respected union organizer, secretly leading a strike.
• "Count of the Railways" – A smuggler who controls the hidden supply routes for dissidents.

Conflicts

The People’s Arenas vs. The Elite Sporting Clubs

• Les Arènes du Peuple (The People’s Arenas)** promote **fair play and working-class access to sports**.
• The Société Royale du Sport (Royal Society of Sport)** is **a club of aristocrats** who control major **boxing and horse-racing events**, ensuring **working-class athletes never rise too high**.
  • Conflict:**
• The Royal Society bribes referees to ensure their members win competitions.
• Underground "commoner-only" tournaments defy their rule, leading to violent crackdowns.
• Some fighters from Les Arènes infiltrate elite clubs, exposing corruption and betting scandals.

La Flamme du Métier vs. The Industrial Barons

• La Flamme du Métier (The Flame of the Trade) pushes for worker rights, apprenticeships, and ethical labor practices. The League of Industrial Barons**, controlled by wealthy factory owners, seeks to crush unions and silence dissidents.

Conflicts

• When workers attempt to strike, the Barons hire enforcers to break up meetings.
• Secret "midnight sabotage missions" led by union sympathizers result in machinery mysteriously failing overnight.
• University students caught between both groups, with some choosing reform through education and others choosing revolution through direct action.

Le Grand Bal du Quartier vs. The True Aristocracy

• Le Grand Bal du Quartier (The Grand Ball of the District) is a mock nobility movement where commoners adopt fake titles to expose aristocratic hypocrisy.
• The Old Nobility, backed by Royalist politicians and secret police, sees them as a dangerous insult to tradition.
  • Conflict:**
• Masked "aristocrats" from the Grand Ball infiltrate real noble gatherings, leading to scandalous social embarrassment.
• The Duchess of the Factories, an influential labor leader, is kidnapped by agents of the nobility to force workers back into compliance.
• Underground masquerade balls turn into political uprisings, where speeches against aristocratic rule ignite small revolts.

Secret Society Involvement & Escalation

• L’Ordre du Sceau d’Occiberge (Order of the Sigil of Occiberge) is divided—some sorcerers side with the workers, while others serve the nobility.
• Rogue elements of Les Alchimistes de l’Obscur begin arming dissidents with alchemically-enhanced weapons.
• A young dragon sympathetic to L Grand Bal is discovered posing as a human noble, creating a major scandal among the elite.