i've been cooking up an excuse for the crows to have fancy balls and i think i've nailed it.
antiva has connections to every nation's aristocracy through alliances. so i imagine they invite foreign dignitaries over quite frequently to entertain them. balls and feasts are a great way to do that.
i also imagine the crows have many operatives planted in the antivan ruling class. this includes the royal family and the merchant princes that rule individual cities. these might be aides, bodyguards, prostitutes, and courtiers. hell, i wouldn't be surprised if there were merchant families owned by the crows so certain houses have fronts.
parties, feasts, and balls are great places for completing contracts. so every year there is at least one crow ball. the important part is that only the crows know it is the crow ball. ostensibly, it needs to appear to the rest of the world that this is a normal ball hosted by the nobility, so targets attend and aren't much more suspicious than normal.
the nobility of antiva know that there is a crow ball every year, so they have learned how to dissuade attempts on them at regular balls and events. they have techniques and plans for evading the crows while appearing tactful and polite to high society.
meanwhile, the crows are doing a lot of politicking here. historically, one of the major families in antiva city hosts (such as the arainais). or whichever house holds the seat of first talon. but since the fall of house arainai and the appearance of the black shadow, there is more competition for hosting. since then, even a cuchillo has managed to host the crow ball.
i've been thinking about this as a fun setting to bring together an eclectic collection of folks.
Any Antivan Crow character. Whether completing a contract, attending to represent their family, undercover as a member of someone's court, or as a newly minted crow to be shown off to the other houses. Guildmasters could be bargaining for the rights to take contracts in different territories, making deals to help remove a talon or climb up another rank in the talons.
Royal or noble characters as guests. Montilyets, Trevelyans, Aeducans, and Couslands could all make appearances. Whoever you made rulers of Ferelden, Orzammar, and Orlais. Tevinter magisters like Dorian or Maevaris.
MCs from other games. I mean, who wouldn't want to claim they managed to get the Champion of Kirkwall, Hero of Ferelden, and Inquisitor in one place. Your Rook if they're a Crow or if you're setting the ball after Veilguard. Also, a great place for people to try and kill them.
the most important part of this is to remember that the ball still needs to ostensibly be a ball! the food needs to be fit for nobility, a good band for music, appropriate decor, a suitable theme, etc.
if bioware wont give me antivan lore i will make it
