The wealthy and fashionable Lady Josiane possesses a shallow, elegant Catholic faith and treats life with a refined, detached amusement.
Her betrothed, Lord David Dirry-Moir, holds an esteemed position among London's high society and the elite nobility. Alongside Viscount Hereford, Lord David boldly sparks a social revolution by abandoning the omnipresent aristocratic wig in favor of wearing his natural hair, solidifying his status as a daring trendsetter. Lord David also commands the city's vibrant and exclusive club culture, serving as a passionate leader, patron, and referee for various prestigious organizations. This includes the elite gambling den Lady Guinea and the eccentric Ugly Club, which strictly celebrates human deformity.
Following the Restoration of King Charles II, the radical republican clubs of the Cromwellian era were completely abolished, paving the way for hedonistic, royalist institutions designed for aristocratic amusement. Wealthy youths indulge in widespread misconduct through organizations like the She-romps Club, the sacrilegious Hellfire Club, and the violent Head-butting Club. Aristocrats also terrorize lower-class neighborhoods through the Fun Club—committing wanton acts of vandalism and property damage for entertainment—and the malicious Mohock Club, whose members assault ordinary citizens under the guise of casual sport. Lord David enthusiastically participates in these elite pastimes; he burns down cottages only to rebuild them in stone, masterfully trains prize fighters, and expertly prepares roosters for competitive cockfighting. To freely bouse and street-fight with dockworkers in London's underbelly without compromising his naval rank, he disguises himself in a sailor's jacket under the popular alias Tom-Jim-Jack.
Ruling over this decadent society is Queen Anne, a heavy, obstinate, and intellectually short-sighted monarch whose inconsistent nature balances heavy-handed political blunders with a desire to please. Guided by astrologers and elevated by the Revolution of 1688, Anne is a popular Protestant sovereign who rules through Whig politicians despite her personal Tory sympathies. Her reign forces harsh anti-Catholic laws onto Ireland and utilizes aggressive naval press-gangs against her own subjects, highlighting the fragile state of contemporary English liberties. Despite her coarse manners, London intensely idolizes her as an emblem of motherly goodness.
During her rule, the British Empire achieves immense geopolitical and economic prosperity. The nation expands its naval fleet to 150 warships, unifies England with Scotland, and funds major continental conflicts. British forces under the Duke of Marlborough win massive victories over Louis XIV of France at Hochstett and Ramillies, successfully capturing Spanish galleons filled with gold while seizing strategic territories like Gibraltar and Barcelona. Consequently, Anne’s era functions as a British reflection of the French "Grand Siècle." Her court forms a triumphant retinue of monuments, victories, and prominent figures, featuring the architect Christopher Wren as her Mansart and the poet John Dryden as her Racine, allowing the British public to credit their sovereign for the grand achievements of the empire.