Gambling Hall- Adult Character OPEN MINGLE

[rollfordiplomacy]

Who: Everett Vaughan and other adult Mirrorbound characters
When: One Early Aguril Night
Where: DiplomaTea's cellar
What: Socializing mingle for Adult characters only, please!
Warnings: Smoking, alcohol, various drugs, and strip poker.



It must say something of Everett's comfort with Aefenglom that he has tossed out the facade hiding his gambling hall. Late last month, he extended an invitation around to his friends of a speakeasy style social night at DiplomaTea. He'd encouraged those he told direct to further extend the invitation to other adult Mirrorbound. Such was easy to have picked up from the grapevine of those Everett knows and who they then told. Do remember the cutesy code required for entry, it's "bees knees".

With all other patrons gone after normal operating hours, the shop is closed up. Yet, the hum of muffled conversation and music gives away the activity within. A simple ring of entry bell will get a delayed response. If it's Lord Viren, he's both very strict the password is given correctly, while also being thoroughly unamused with any answer. Everett himself will simply throw open the door enthusiastically and usher in anybody who is not obviously a child.

I. Drink, Smoke, Be Merry

Once inside, both the top floor and basement level are bustling with people. The space is crowded, but lively and playful. It's easy to join a conversation simply by meandering nearby and nodding ones head a bit. There's a piano in the above level, enchanted to place some background tunes and sometimes being actively played by Everett. Any other party goer is also welcome to take up the seat and play some tunes.

The cellar has kegs of alcoholic cinnamon spiced cider on free tap, an open bar of various liquors, and various... rolled cigarette boxes with different labels. Definitely pay attention which read "tobacco", "cannabis", and "opium" because those will give a very different evening based on choice. Everett is nothing, if not, a very generous host.

I. The Hall

The most active space would be the main gambling hall in the cellar. Everett has three main attractions here. In one corner, simply enough, is a pool table where people can play and watch while leaned up against the wall. Just be mindful when walking by, messing up someone's shot is easy enough if they're not minding their draw back reach.

Opposite that is a large gambling table with many seat. On one side there is a bowl and dice, while the other has cards for various games. Strip poker was, surprising, not Everett's idea. It simply started up and he didn't stop it.

Last and most odd is Everett's large vault beside the bar. Beside it is a set of lockpicks, set out as a challenge. His father, Vaughan, was the finest Springtide Vaultmaker and Everett has a passion for the subject of both creating and cracking difficult locks. This one must be broken the technical way, he's had antimagical runes to counter too easily meddling. Still, it's not impossible to get into and he's supposedly emptied it of anything personal, offering a small cune fortune to any who could break it.

There will be plenty of time and no limit on attempts, the party will be going for the majority of the night.

[OOC: Hi all! This is an OPEN MINGLE for adult characters! Presume all CR with Everett was invited directly and anybody without CR with him could have heard about it through the grapevine. Characters are welcome to use the above prompts or create their own in the setting.

Since these activities are all taking place in both a relatively small area and also at the time, please consider all your threads open to threadjacking and/or being witnessed or overheard by any other characters in attendance! Tag around, jump in and out of each other's conversations, have fun and don't worry about tag orders. Everett will not have his own TL, but I will definitely get him around to as many people as I can.

For characters below the age of 18, sorry, not getting into this party... but feel free to putter around outside, attempt to sneak in, or get turned down at the door!]

Comments

[petcromancer]

[Hector frowns. Not because he's detected the cheating, but because he can hear Everett dancing around the issue, not actually answering them.

He puts down his cards- a sad assortment, with a Jack as a high card and no pairs or straights to speak of. Well, goodbye clothes. Hopefully someone will return them before it's time to walk home or he'll have to turn full sheep, whoops. He's not entirely indecent yet, though he can't afford to play another round but shows no indication that he's quitting.]

Mmmm, confident, but boring. Play with us.

[He's a sheep-faun, but he's trying his hand at puppy-dog eyes. Maybe it'll be enough of a distraction for Iramaat to do whatever last minute magic she needs to do to her hand.]

[wylderrant]

[ Iramaat arches a brow and carefully rearranges her hand before she lays it out. Four sevens and an Ace. WELL, WELL, WELL. ]

Such a pity, Everett. I believe four of a kind beats a full house, doesn't it?

[ She leans forward to start scooping clothing and coins toward her. Look, if she's going to cheat she's going to make sure she wins. At least on this hand, because Everett is being a spoil-sport. ]

Now you have to play the proper way. A deal is a deal.

[rollfordiplomacy]

[Luckily for Iramaat, Everett's was thoroughly distracted by Hector batting eyelashes at him. Cute- Wait- What? He looks back at Iramaat laying down her hand and what might have been a curse under his breathe normally is instead an irritated bleat.]

Blast... Fine! One round on my jacket, but I'm out beyond that. A host isn't stripping naked at his own party. [except he is, standing and unbuttoning his jacket to fold neatly and place down]

Consider that another all in for me. [he draws his cards and doesn't even look at them, letting them remain face down. Whatever they are is his fate, it seems]

[petcromancer]

[Hector lets out a little bleat cackle of victory. Well, he didn't win, and he's here in his underclothes, but Everett's got to play now. He turns to Iramaat with a grin.]

Well done. Think luck will keep favoring you?

[He takes a quick inventory of his remaining clothes, acknowledging even in his tipsy state that Everett will not allow him to remain at the party if he goes fully nude, and turns those puppy eyes on Iramaat.]

Spot me a scarf?

[He'd like to keep playing. He's got a Queen this time! The Queen of Hearts, and he can't put his finger on why that's strange.]

[wylderrant]

You owe me one, dearest-

[ That's to Hector, as she passes him her caravat from her pile of clothing and money. She settles back in and takes her hand as it's dealt out, a broad smile on her face. ]

And I'm always lucky. It's practically written down that heroines must be lucky and that they'll win in the end. Isn't that so?

[ Her attention slides to Everett, a wicked gleam in her eyes. ]

Come now, don't be a prude. You should show off your natural assets...

[rollfordiplomacy]

[Everett straightens out his tunic, which was basically the only thing he had under his jacket, aside from scarce underclothes he's not keen to show off. Taking his seat again and swinging his legs to cross over themselves, he reaches and begins lighting up a cigarette.... meaning blunt, it's a blunt, he's smoking weed at this point, if he's not in need of focusing up to cheat well]

Oh, my people are renowned prudes! I'm positively lecherous compared to the most of them, but I have my limits. [mostly those silly gloves of his, as Hector well knows]

[petcromancer]

[Just as easily as Iramaat hands over her cravat, Hector tosses it right back in the pot. He's not playing to win, just playing to play. What fauns do doesn't have to make sense.]

Mmmmh, he's stubborn about his clothes, Iramaat. You won't see those 'assets' unless you're in private.

[He eyes the pile of clothes at the table, and a mischievous glint lights in his eye.]

Perhaps instead of making him take clothes off, his wager is to put more on, winner's choice. Would you let us dress you?

[Everything but the gloves? It could be fun, and a way to compromise for the sake of the game.]

[wylderrant]

[ Iramaat pouts a little. She was hoping she'd get more of a chance to ogle people, but... Hector's suggestion does have an appeal to it. She sighs and shuffles her hand for a moment as she considers. ]

I suppose that would work. He can be a doll for us.

[rollfordiplomacy]

Why me? Why not have dear Hector play the doll! [he gestures, LOOK AT THIS NAKED LAD....]

He's the one in need of dressing up... Also, he is adorable. You should see his face when I give him nice outfits to wear about. [Everett just... admitting he plays dress up with Hector as a regular thing, whoops, nbd nbd]

[petcromancer]

[Hector's not naked. He's only mostly naked, and nobody else is complaining!! He pouts at Everett too, mirroring Iramaat.]

He's trying to get out of it again. Don't let him distract you.

[How hard or easy it is to dress Hector up is absolutely beside the point and Iramaat should disregard it, his tone says.]

[wylderrant]

Hector is adorable, but I think I'd like to see you in a few fancy outfits. Or a mishmash, depending on what we come up with.

[ She can present a united front! Everett will surely have no choice but to surrender. ]

So - are you going to agree or shall we keep arguing?

[rollfordiplomacy]

Fine, fine, fine- I'm playing upon pure luck, so be it. Match my bet and we shall see who good lady fortune favors- [he hasn't looked at his cards, after all. He puffs his cigarette again before turning them over with a flourish when the time to reveal is met.

His cards are about as poor as they could be, Hector's easily beat him out, Iraamat doing the same would not be difficult.]

Fff-! Ff... Ff... [good job not cursing, Everett, everybody can tell you wanted to]

[petcromancer]

[Hector grins at Everett's surrender to the game. He has a decent hand, but if Iramaat is still cheating, his hand likely won't measure up to hers.

He bets the borrowed scarf, though, and eyes the pot for what he'd like to force Everett to wear. He's drunk and happy and counting his eggs before they hatch. It's fine. He may well find himself indebted to a (former) fae, but he fails to detect the danger in that.]

[wylderrant]

[ Iramaat just looks incredibly smug as she reviews her hand and listens to Everett curse. Or rather, almost curse. Shes happy enough to keep this going for as long as she can. ]

I will match your bet.

[ She replies innocently and slides Hector's shirt out into the pool. ]

Don't tell me you're going to fold?

[rollfordiplomacy]

[Everett's garbage hand utterly disqualifies him, so he just puts his cigarette back in his mouth and crosses his arms petulantly. Just what he gets for not taking fate into his own hands, or rather, up his own sleeve. He realizes belatedly that whoever does win his jacket is likely to shake a few share cards out of it, but oh well. He's not abashed to be caught cheating, it's his own party after all.]

If you're bluffing, Hector, that smile is quite convincing. [quite genuine, really, Hector just wears his feelings all too openly to be much of a bluffer]

[petcromancer]

[It's between Hector and Iramaat, and Hector's really only got one piece of clothing left to bet. But he's too distracted by Everett's behavior to think it through, so keeps playing and calls.

Time to reveal cards. Are there somehow two queens of hearts on the table at one time? How strange and delightful!]

You've got the gods' own luck, Iramaat. I don't think I've seen you lose a hand yet.

[wylderrant]

Well, you know what they say - better luck than good.

[ She flashes both of her opponents a smile collects her winnings. She's also cheating, so in a way she's making her own luck, but she's not going to mention that. ]

Now, what should we put on our dear Everett? Any opinions, dear heart?

[rollfordiplomacy]

[After a brief pause for his high brain to catch up, Everett full well connects that Iraamat must be cheating her hands. Of course he had suspected as much, having also been cheating, but he gets it now.

And still says nothing. He'd only draw attention to their being too many Queen's in the deck to make sense. Standing, he poses like a mannequin at the ready]

Alright, alright, have your fun. What am I to wear? [it's just more fun to play along and be merry about it!]

[petcromancer]

[Hector rifles through the pile of clothes and comes up with his discarded red sash. He holds it up for approval. He's disgustingly taken with Everett, and he enjoys the idea of Everett wearing his clothes.]

What do you think of this...and maybe, hmmm, some sort of hat?

[It was Iramaat's win, so he's just acting as a consultant at this point.]

[wylderrant]

Oh, a hat would be lovely.

[ Iramaat laughs and leans forward across the table, as if she's sizing Everett up. ]

Just make sure there are holes for his horns and he'll look smashing. [ Look, she can appreciate Everett's aesthetic properties (and Hector's for that matter). Win-win for her. ]