MASQUERADE: Noveur 7

[rightfoot]

WELCOME TO THE MASQUERADE

I. Arrival

The event starts early evening, Noveur 7, thanks to the help of several hands. They had worked for a couple of days prior to the start to get the large ballroom decorated to everyone's liking. The day of the event, earlier on, a few may have appeared to do some final touches. Those who had stayed behind to help with some last minute decorating, Louis had cleared out and advised to leave so that they could get ready for the masquerade.

a. Outside

When you approach, you will find that the outside of the building is a perfect location for a masquerade. There's a large ballroom, granted to them for use by the Coven. They had been kind enough to allow them to have the space and necessary supplies in order to throw such a party. And, it's clear that they took every advantage of the granted space and land around them.

There's a gorgeous, outdoor fountain, and lights underneath the water to give it a pleasant, warm glow through the water. If you watch it long enough, the lights seem to shift colors. There's gardens surrounding the building, as well. The gardens, like the fountain, have low, warm lighting around them so that the plant-life will be clear well into the late night.

There's benches outside as well, with a clear view of the fountain - so if someone needs to step outside or take a break from the indoor events, they can enjoy the fresh air and the warm, calming feeling from the fountain and gardens. This is a perfect place to escape when you want to relax away from the bustle of a party.

b. Inside

The entryway has open curtains, gold - and tied back with a burgundy rope. There to make everyone feel as though stepping inside, they are making an entrance of their own. Once you step inside, you'll notice the grand ballroom with high ceilings is fully decorated. It is clear that a lot of effort and time went into this, thanks to the help of many different people and several sets of hands. The colors that seem to be continually present are gold, reds, and purples. Though from time to time there may be splashes of other colors and personal touches from those who had helped in places - mostly in the form of masks hanging on the walls, or balloons scattered in places away from the main dance floor.

From the main ballroom entrance, straight ahead, is the main dance floor and to the right - refreshments. Near the refreshments, there are a several standing tables to set down a drink or stand around to socialize with friends or people you've just met. In addition to the standing tables, there's a couple of dining tables and chairs so that you can sit and eat, drink, or chat.

Inside the main ballroom there's a few gaming tables scattered around - including card games with some dealers around where you can gamble, and pool tables. Make a wager or play for fun, it's all up to you. Additionally, on the floor Kaito will be performing magic tricks to entertain individuals and small groups throughout the floor. You'll be able to catch him periodically through the night.

There are a few hallways leading to several rooms, and it all depends on what you're looking for, but no matter what it is, you can probably find it.

One of the rooms has the silent auction. Here, you can look at some of the things that are up for bidding. There's several interesting, enchanted items including: weapons, jewelry, books, instruments. They are protected, as well, so they can only go home with the winner.

Don't worry - there's signs posted everywhere so you will be able to find what you're looking for.

c. Enchanted Masks

You're welcome to have brought a mask that you had picked out for yourself, or - if you prefer, you can pick up an enchanted mask near the entrance of the party itself. These enchanted masks will conceal all distinguishing features, whether they are as simple as horns and scales, or as large as a set of wings. The only obvious features will be what a character is wearing, whether it is their attire, mask, or both.

You aren't obligated to wear them, of course, but they do provide the total anonymity that is often part of the excitement at a masquerade such as this. These effects are only present when one is wearing the mask. The moment the mask is off, any distinguishing features are immediately visible.

It's a perfect opportunity to have a little fun and engage with someone you may not have spoken with otherwise.

This enchantment will wear off the next day at sunrise, so you may keep the mask you pick out for yourself at the party.

d. Photobooth

Near the front of the ballroom there's a neat looking photobooth set up thanks to the work of both Omi and Prompto. There's props so you can take fun or silly pictures with your friends or date for the night. The backdrop for the photobooth is magical, of course. With a quick flip the background can be changed to one you desire whether it's a different color, an entirely new environment. The photobooth will be available through the night.

Additionally, you'll be able to find Omi on the floor catching candid photos of the attendees. Smile!

II. Refreshments

Away from the dance floor are several tables with matching, deep purple, table cloths. On top of the table are a variety of foods - some brought by the attendees, others brought in thanks to the aid of the coven. You can expect to find at least something that you'll absolutely love when exploring the options. There's everything there - from healthier options like fruits, vegetables, and dip - to less healthy options such as cupcakes, and truffles. Food on sticks, and easy finger foods seem to be a very popular options.

While many of the options wouldn't even require a plate, there are some plates and utensils in shades of blue and gold available to use.

Next to the food there is a table featuring three punch bowls with three different flavors. One seems to be a fruit punch, one seems be purely berry flavored, and one - seems to be a bit of a surprise. It tastes a little bit different to everyone who tries it, but so far - there have been no complaints. Next to them, if you would prefer, there's pitchers of water.

Near the back corner, there's a bar with a bartender, there to serve those who would like a drink. Ask for a surprise, or your favorite drink, and you can have something mixed for you. Next to the bar, there are rows of the most popular bottles of alcohol. Though you won't be stopped if you take one, please tell the bartender so that they can keep their stock replenished for the other guests.

Drinks, of course, come free to those who are able to legally drink. Anyone underage will be met with a powerful enchantment that is acting as a method of preventing that from happening.

III. Dance

a. The Lock Box

Maybe you want to find a new dance partner. Maybe you want to find a new Bond. Maybe you just want to talk to someone new. The Lock Box is near the entrance of the ballroom. It's inaccessible thanks to both a lock and enchantment that are on it.

It's set up neatly on a table, with only it, paper, and a pen so that names can be written and added to the box. When you enter your name, another name will be produced from the box. It is clearly enchanted, of course. Once you're given a name, you and your new dance partner will be compelled to be near one another. This will last for about the length of a song - long enough to dance, or have a conversation.

Usually, only others who have put their names in the box will have their name drawn, but sometimes those who didn't put their name in the box will have their name drawn and will feel compelled to seek out someone who drew their name.

Sorry to those who didn't volunteer, magic isn't always the most predictable! Though you may get lucky and just find your next friend or Bond, so it's hard to get mad about it.

b. Song & Dance

Whether you picked your dance partner yourself, or were compelled to dance with your partner thanks to the Lock Box, the dance floor is ready for you. The music is enchanted, to provide a feeling of calm, relaxation, and joy. Characters will feel at ease, and even those who may not typically dance will want to get out on the dance floor.

Thanks to the talents of several Mirrorbound and collected records you'll have a variety of music all through the night. While much of it is upbeat, as it is encouraging individuals to dance. Whatever your mood, you will find a song that you'd love to dance to, as long as you want to dance.

IV. Gaming

Throughout the venue, there are a variety of gaming tables. There's poker tables with a dealer available so that you can play a game, place a bet - maybe you'll lose some cunes, maybe you'll win big. That's all up to how good you play the game. Note: Dealers (and the party host) are not responsible for any losses that occur when gambling. Play responsibly (or not).

There's also some pool tables available to those who wish to play. These table are open to anyone, and they are free to play. There's only a couple of tables available; however, they are scattered throughout the venue.

Set up near the bar are three long tables with only an array of cups and a printed set of rules for a game that some may recognize as none other than something very closely to beer pong. In place of the ping-pong balls there's a small, plastic coin that is used. Have fun drinking with friends while playing a game. What's not to love?

Are you looking to play a game in a quieter space? Down one of the hallways there's a couple of game rooms where you can not only find decks of cards and a pool table, but also a variety of popular party games such as charades. You'll also be able to find a room for those who want to settle in for a game of chess or checkers.

V. Late Night

The lights dim, just a bit more as it starts to turn into a late night, though there doesn't seem to be any sign that the party is ending. Small, glowing trinkets are brought out when the party seems like it should otherwise be dying down. These trinkets are - of course, to your taste, whether it's a bracelet, a ring, a necklace, or just simple something small that almost resembles a wand. This will glow up to a month, so you should like what you pick: whether it is for for you or is to act as a gift for someone of your choosing.

The music is meant now to entice you to go a little wilder than they may have been earlier in the evening. Most of the food has been replaced and only small, quick snacks have been brought out for those who were still wanting something a bit to eat. Alcohol is still readily available to each and every person who is able to legally drink, of course.

You're welcome to - quite literally - dance until the sun rises or until you just can't stay awake any longer.

Note: Please see the questions thread if you have any for me - don't be afraid to ask. Please assume all characters received fliers this year, and anyone who would have wanted to work would have had the opportunity to help setup. As there are a variety of performers through the night, I did not note any specific ones and will leave that up to the performers discretion.

Please place any warnings, including 18+ content, in the subject line! Thank you!

Comments

outside

[yesdoubt]

[Between performing and dancing and trying to drag reluctant people into partying, Momo's gotten a bit wrapped up in the party and shows no signs of slowing down. However, he goes outside at one point in search of someone he has a sneaking suspicion might've escaped out here after their performance, and he's not going to hesitate to bounce over to any familiar faces.

Here's one he hasn't seen in a while, and while he keeps his jester mask on while approaching, once he gets near enough to the other man he whips it off with a cheeky little grin.]

Ah, are you worn out already? Maybe Momo-chan needs to slow down, I thought I should be the one getting too old for this.

[Since he's on the brink of the ripe old age of...27.]

[weiward]

[wei wuxian offers a friendly enough smile when he notices a masked person approaching, but it brightens even more once the mask is off.]

Momo!

[he immediately wants to deny that he's tired out when the hour is still pretty early - but maybe he is a little tired. mostly for other reasons.]

I don't think your life would be the same without it. You were born for this. [still young, and hopefully without many regrets.] I haven't seen you in awhile, let's get a drink to celebrate!

[yesdoubt]

Maybe so, but getting to grandpa age as I am, I have to think about my weary bones... [He clasps his face overdramatically and sways side-to-side to exaggerate the whole thing to the point of ridiculousness. He is getting old for his industry, which is where all the grandpa jokes come from, but he's still got a few years of that in him yet before he and Yuki will have to consider shifting to the broader music industry.

He won't turn down another drink, though, since he's as heavyweight as ever.]

I'd love to! I'm sure you've got all sorts of saucy new gossip to regale me with, right?

[Clearly the most important kind of catchup.]

[weiward]

If you're a grandpa then I must be an immortal.

[honestly, what is age. wei wuxian, who died young, who has no idea what became of him for those many years that he was dead, who woke up in a body even younger than before. he wouldn't even know what age to tell anyone for himself.

but momo still seems even more youthful to him, and his antics prove it. he surely still has a trick or two to teach the youth.]

Oh, you have no idea. [he puts an arm around momo's shoulder to walk back to the open bar with him.] My brother actually found someone that he likes.

[yesdoubt]

How do I know you're not, though...? [Clearly a very serious question to be taken with the utmost sincerity, before Momo moves on from it and his fake serious demeanour to move on to walking and gossip time.

He does actually have an idea of what the other man might be talking about on this one, though, and his brow arches mischievously.]

Is it Nami? I know she was his date to your wedding, but I hadn't heard much about how things went with them after that. They seemed to be getting on better than I would have thought, at least!

[Nami had even mentioned not finding him as hard to deal with as others had claimed he was.]

[weiward]

That's a good point... [wei wuxian rubs his chin thoughtfully, head full of ideas before he breaks into a grin.] Still, Lan Zhan might get upset with me if I tested it!

[especially with his past.

the puca's eyes grow wider, his mouth dropping open before reshaping itself into its familiar grin.]

So you've heard about them too! Listen, she's the exact opposite of so many things that Cheng Jiang always claimed to like in a girl, but now he's gone and adopted cats with her!

[yesdoubt]

[As amusing as the idea of how to test immortality without pissing off one's husband is, Momo is a soft heart for romantic gossip and he slides onto the topic of Jiang Cheng and Nami all too easily. It's one of those things that's just ingrained now since it used to be how he dealt with not being able to have a romance himself.

He does lean in a bit conspiratorially to discuss it, a big grin on his face.]

Well, people usually don't know what they want as well as they think! It sounds like from what you've said that he hasn't dated much before, so it's hard to tell what you want before you've had a little experience. Besides, opposites attract, you know, so can we really be surprised? Look at you and your husband or me and Yuki.

[Both pretty much polar opposites and yet deeply in love with each other. Momo's always felt he could be as flexible as a romantic partner needed him to be, and it's always been the case with his and Yuki's relationship since they like such different things.]

[weiward]

How could he have? All the ladies of prominent families blacklisted him. But A-Mi seems to tolerate him quite well. I think it's because she wouldn't put up with his shit and Jiang Cheng knows it, so he doesn't even try.

[he laughs, delighted by the idea of it all before snapping his fingers.]

Exactly right! Earth and sky, fire and water, yin and yang. None of these things have any real meaning without the other. You and I have found the one who balances us perfectly.

[it makes him happy to think that his brother might've found the same after all that he's been through. all their disagreements are in the past, and wei wuxian never once stopped loving him.]

Eh, speaking of, I saw Yuki earlier. [his tone and expression turn teasing.] How did Momo manage to peel himself away from him, hmm?

[yesdoubt]

[Momo has to stop himself from laughing at hearing that Jiang Cheng got blacklisted by everyone - Yuki actually had a bit of a track record with that, but for entirely different reasons. Not that he could date anyone anyway with his job.

But he takes the lead of that question and clasps his cheek a bit dramatically for a moment, before he relents and answers the question normally.]

Actually, I came out looking for him. My darling gets tired of big gatherings like this pretty quickly since he's such an introvert, so if I'm still here he'll go find the quietest place. If I can't find him out here, though, I'll just have to go back in and dance with some people. Yuki's jealous streak never fails!

[Neither of their jealous streaks fails, but Momo rarely admits to his.] It's a little bit funny hearing about other guys getting blacklisted, though. There's actually a bunch of actresses back home who won't work with Yuki because they asked him out and he turned them down, it's a real mess...

[Though Momo sounds somewhat amused by it. Mostly because it involved Yuki turning potential other partners down repeatedly.]

[weiward]

And they say I'm wicked!

[wei wuxian laughs at momo's plan. at least when he makes lan zhan jealous it's by accident...mostly. and it really doesn't take much.]

Oh? So why haven't you been blacklisted? [he nudges him gently.] Don't tell me you don't get asked out just as much.

[momo's friendly and funny and charming. women and men are surely drawn to him.]

[yesdoubt]

[Momo grins widely, enough to flash his sharp canines momentarily, at that remark on his plans, because as much as some of it probably falls into questionable behaviour, he knows very well how to deal with Yuki at this point.

He actually laughs at the follow-up, though, waving a hand like the other man is assuming far too much of him.]

Not by coworkers, it's maybe happened once or twice in almost six years? But I usually just pretend I don't get what they're talking about and they back off, because a lot of people think I'm kinda innocent. [He used to be naive enough to not realise people were into him, but he can still use how he knows he reacted in that stage of his life to his advantage with people who barely really know him.] But Yuki has...I feel bad calling it animal attraction? But some people just really lose their sense when they see him because he's so handsome and sexy! He's really honest, though, so even though he tries, he doesn't always let people down as gently as they'd like and then they hold it against him.

[He's nowhere near as bad at it as he used to be, at least, but Yuki unfortunately doesn't have that intuition with knowing how someone wants to be spoken to, and tends to err on the side of blunt.]