Equinox Ball - Speech

It was a moment later that Beranhond found himself pushed up a circular staircase to a platform for the formal speech that begun the ball.
"Greetings Lords, Nobles, Merchants, and Free Peoples of Baldur's Gate on this most blessed day! I wish you fair weather, fair wealth, fair justice, and always, fair wine and song. I am told that it is on this day that important announcements regarding the future are announced and I am glad, nay exuberant, that the city council has chosen me to announce them." He swallowed and looked around catching eyes.
"First, one of the pleasures of being in front of so many people is that I have a chance to present a version of myself that is straight from my mouth instead of from the mouth of others. It is true that several years ago I was a part of a group named Kilink that sought to find out the source of the earthquake that so damaged the city." There was some booing at this, but Beranond continued. "It is true that we discovered the source." Some minor booing. "Yes, we did, though, I will freely admit that we did not manage to bring it to full justice."
"Still, it is a new year, a new season, and a new one of hope. The group I am a part of is back, it is renewed, and it has the full backing of the council to seek out and harass the undead pirates that ravage our shipping, our coast, and our very lives." He slammed his hand onto the podium. This wasn't entirely true as yet, but Beranhond figured that making such a bold statement would help firm up the weaker parts of the council. Besides, they asked him to give the speech in part to humiliate him, but they should have known better.
"Yet, we shall not be alone! The city has agreed to reach out to other privateer and to sttart the active formation of a grand flotilla to actively reclaim the waters around the sea. As a city we have been far too passive in our defense, we have let the city fall into waste and that will not continue."
"Tonight, one behalf of the city council, I ask you nobles, you merchants, and you free people to join together in helping to finance and outfit this flotilla. I ask you to join your hands together so that we might make a better Baldur's Gate!" He raised his fist as clapping tumbled around him. "Though, at this moment I mostly ask that you raise your glass, that the band strike up a sound, and that we celebrate the beginning of a new dawn." The room thundered with applause. Beranhond smiled around, beaming. It wasn't his best speech, but it was good enough on short notice.
At that, the doors opened up and the grandballroom was open for the party to enter.

At this point you can spread out and move around. There will be five locations you can wander around in.

1. Grand ballroom A: City Council, Orlando
2. Grand Ballroom B: Drinking and Dancing
3. Entrance, this room we are in.
4. Upstairs overlook - a more secluded section with some darker sections.
 5. The commoner's dance

Feel free to start the posts off as you like. I'll add in the locations that not one has posted yet tomorrow.