Mantillon (The Masked Empire)


 * ''The Orlesians have a saying: You must dance with the dowager if you want to play the Game.


 * ''To a foreigner, this might sound like some sort of proverb. In fact, Dowager Lady Mantillon has been one of the most influential members of the Imperial Court for over thirty years, and nobody advances in the Game without her favor. The rumors surrounding her are many: She was Emperor Florian's mistress. She was Florian's assassin. She placed Empress Celene on the throne. She once killed a rival with only harsh words. She rules Orlais from the shadows.


 * ''One thing is certain, however. If you must have the best society in Orlais, ask a dance of the dowager.


 * —From A Guide to Good Society, by Lady Alcyone

Dowager Lady Mantillon, or Lady Mantillon, is a deceased Orlesian nobleman of reknown. A master player and gatekeeper of the Grand Game, she had a reputation for manipulating others to suit her own goals, as well as rewarding those players who impressed her.

Background
Lady Mantillon was mistress to Emperor Florian before turning to his niece, the future Empress Celene I, as successor. Though not seemingly a ruler herself, Lady Mantillon moved behind the scenes of many political situations in Orlais during her life. She instructed many in the bardic arts.