Party at Pettonta Castle

So, the party at Pettonta Castle is about to start, and many guests are flocking to the huge building that is located up on the hill, overseeing most of Galucca.

The party is a new tradition; in order to celebrate the new Count and Countess of Galucca, the more eminent residents are invited to the castle. It has of course been talk of the town for days, who were invited and who were not?

Tonight Baron Gustavian will get the Count title, and his wife, Baroness Maria, gets the Countess title. The couple has already been head of Pettonta Castle for a while, but the titles were not available while Count Jonathan was alive and healthy.

Here some of the guests arrive the castle. We recognize (left side) Doctor Alfonso Brugster with wife Rudbeckia, Industry leader Jim Garton with wife Ellen, Baker Ludwig Heisserclump with wife Myrianne, and even Sculptor Jack Sculler with wife Darling. And (right side) Fashion store owner Bertin Tackott with wife Lisa, Machine trader Roman Rivers with wife Elmira, Farmer Hendric von Salamand with wife Lady Dora, and Onion farmer Bert Onioon with wife Toya. Also the Woomings, the Turmingtons and the Dipperwells were invited.

Guests came from the entire countship, except Moon District.

Everybody gathered in the butterfly room, to witness the formal ceremony. First Baron Gustavian removed the Baron ring from his hand, held it up in the air to bless his descendants. Gustavian then put on the Countship ring, before he handed the Baron ring over to his son, Junato, who by this gesture got the Baron title. The Baron title can only be given to the oldest son, but in this case there is just one son in the family.

Then the daughters were officially given their Lady title, Lady Ronda and Lady Helena. Normally a Count's daughters get the title at birth, but that would of course require that their father was a Count and not just a Baron, at the time of the daughter's birth.

There are also a few costume traditions, like the blue scarf for the Count and the Baron, as well as the white earrings worn by Countess Maria.

- The Count is dead! Long live the Count!

Some of the guests were carried away, cheering more enthusiastically than strictly required. Ellen P. Garton (centered on the left picture above) is Count Gustavian's cousin, and although she completely accept that her own father was only the honorable Maurice Pettonta, while her uncle, Jonathan Pettonta was the Baron, she was now filled with pride for the future of her cousin's family.

The other cheering woman is... uhm, I'm not sure, might be Mrs Heisserclump with a random hairdo (randomness seems to be the new fashion in this town). I'll fill in later. (Edit: It's indeed the Baker's wife, Mrs Heisserclump.)

On the right side picture, the elderly woman is (my favourite) Darling Q. Sculler. She has never set foot inside the castle before, but her hubby, Jack Sculler (next to her), is a respected Sculptor who even sold a sculptor to the late Count Jonathan. Darling is very proud, her daughter Patricia was hired as a castle cook, and in a while her food will be served.

Everyone entered the dining room, and were served some simple, but still... edible, food. The guests were all coloured by the special occasion, but Countess Maria was very upset over the new cook. The food was a disaster, nothing less!

After the meal there were fireworks from the top of the castle. It could be seen from most of the town. Over at Moon District, a person was watching it all, actually a little too far away. She had not been invited. Oh, how she hated the Pettontas!