You are invited to a ball given by Lord Semichastny at his estate on Delbalso.

Be prepared for:

• The Great Trog Chase, a marvel of bureaucratic befuddlement compounded by the appearance of an imposter rivaling Torve himself for Troggish charm, though not unpredictability;
• The winders of Peelgrunt at Xenakis' Centre (the only place on Delbalso even mentioned by Wu and Fabricant);
• A family of bourgeois con-artists keeping up appearances as interstellar rug salesmen;
• The first intimations of the Universal Pantograph;
• The Last Christian; and
• The Monist Association's Xochitl Sodality Night (who says middle-aged men are too old for green hats with feathers?), culminating in a citywide game of Wonders and Marvels well worth donning a mask to attend!