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

[battlebound]

( he could have bothered, but really, it's just added fuss and Steak has never been one for all the excessive parts of such events. like swirling wine before drinking it, it all gets you drunk in the end so does it matter that it may taste a fraction nicer for that moment? )

Thank you. ( but he's not completely mannerless, even if a certain purple haired vampire might say so. and then he nods. ) It's fun. There's a lot on offer and it can be useful to meet other Mirrorbound.

( whether for friendship, or work, or something else entirely. ) Did you attend last year's?

[silentsavant]

Yes.

[It had its upsides, but oh, the downsides. If Steak is at all perceptive, he might notice a pensive quality to the mystery man's following silence. Otherwise, it's just a positive-minimal response, nothing more.

The spiritous surprises are scooted across the counter for their enjoyment.]

[battlebound]

( Steak is many things, but perceptive when it comes to other people is not one of those things. so he doesn't notice that silence, or the tension behind it, instead concentrating on thanking the bartender and taking a sip of his drink.

which burns, hot with alcohol and spice — though, not straight up chili oil, as Steak had once used. )

Ack— ( it's not unpleasant, but it is unexpected, and he needs a minute. ) That's strong.

( which is nice, really. just... it's a lot. )

[silentsavant]

[The bartender erupts in hearty laughter at Steak's reaction to their brew while Soren watches him falter for a moment, then peers down at his glass suspiciously.]

Dare I even give it a chance?

[battlebound]

( goddammit. this is what you get for serving spicy things to a dude who asks for his takoyaki plain, though. )

It's fine. ( say that when you're a bit less flushed, Steak. ) I didn't expect it to be spicy.

( but now he is determined to finish it. god help us all. )

[silentsavant]

[ Soren goes ahead and lifts his glass with the intention to go for it. ]

Well, at least I have an idea what I'm getting myself into. Thank you for your boldness in taking the first sip.

[ Gingerly, the masked dragon pushes the rim to his mouth and lets a small trickle of it filter in. He swallows quickly and parts from the glass, blinking rapidly and pursing his lips. When he speaks next, a hoarser quality scrapes at his voice. ]

Oh, I understand now... [ He clears his throat. The bartender keeps sniggering. ]

[battlebound]

( despite his own reaction to the drink being no better, Steak can't help but join in with the bartender's laughter, the burn of his drink forgotten in his amusement. )

You look like you're going to breathe fire! ( oh, he needed that laugh. )

[silentsavant]

[ It's funny he says that, considering he has no idea he's a dragon. Soren sets his drink back down and remains mirthless as ever, though a wry edge enters. ]

Oh, and you didn't? You look more like a fire-breathing dragon than I do.

[battlebound]

( he does not!

... is it the horns? it's probably the horns. )

Don't be ridiculous! I was fine!

( lies. )

[silentsavant]

[ It's totally the horns. And the red hair, to boot. Soren leans his elbow onto the counter and one corner of his mouth pulls up. ]

You're certainly getting heated about this. Well, since you were fine, I'm sure you could handle another sip.

[battlebound]

( and there's something about that particular wording, the teasing and taunting, which is all too familiar. while Steak knows this isn't Red Wine — too many things are off for that to be the case — they're more than capable of riling him up in the same way. )

Hmph. Fine.

( and he doesn't just take a sip, he downs the rest of the drink, the burn rising up into his face, flushing it bright red as he tries to resist the urge to cough and splutter.

he's fine. he's fine. )

[silentsavant]

[ Ah, so he's this kind of idiot, easy to manipulate by goading him on... which is further confirmed by how he tilts the whole thing back and pours it down his throat like it ain't no thing.

But his face tells a different story. He might even be ready to cry at any glancing second... ]

Well, if you were trying to prove anything to anyone, you certainly didn't to me.

[ He sips at his own drink, but a very modest amount that he can handle now that he knows just how spicy he should expect. Annoyingly enough, he doesn't look bothered by it at all. ]

[battlebound]

( far too easy to manipulate like that, yes. but he's not going to cry. his nose might be running, but he won't cry.

he will, however, grumble quietly as this person sips his drink casually, dismissing all of Steak's work in downing his own.

rude. but at least the bartender takes pity on him, mixing him something less spicy and more simple. )

Che... Show-off.

( says the guy who downed his whole drink out of a stubborn need to prove he can. )

[silentsavant]

[ Soren makes no boast to that, setting his drink back down on the counter with nonchalance and turning his attention back to his current company. He changes the subject. ]

You're not really a dragon, are you?

[ It's his way of asking what in the world Steak is. About the only thing 'monstrous' about this man so far are his horns. Other than that, he can't identify a single visual change. A faun or a chimera would be just as likely. The spice of the mixed drink saturates his sense of taste and smell utterly; otherwise, the subtle whiff of magic could tip him off... but even then, there are plenty of witches and their magical presences lingering about. ]

[battlebound]

( ah, that question. it's a little differently worded — not, for once, the result of his name — but Steak knows this dance already. )

I'm a Witch. ( the horns are just part of him. ) And a Food Soul.

[silentsavant]

[ He straightens from his counter lean, curious about what is sure to be a strange concept from another completely different world. It's up there with one of the strangest-sounding, that's for sure. ]

A... Food Soul? I've never heard of that.

[ No doubt he must have had this conversation dozens of times, unless his world is the odd one out, like how so many folks he meets here has prior familiarity with radios. But something tells him this is probably not one of those cases. ]

[battlebound]

( yeah, this... is not news to Steak. apparently Tierra is the only world with such a concept, although people like Marie and Saber seem to come from places with similar occurrences, just without the food part. )

We're created from the energy in food and drink and summoned by humans to serve and protect them from the Fallen Angels on Tierra.

( he rattles this off so quickly it's obvious he has said iterations of this to many, many people in Aefenglom. )

[silentsavant]

[ The summoning part? That makes sense. Even the idea of him being some kind of soul or spirit doesn't register to Soren as being all that odd. It's the whole... fact that somehow, an animate entity can be formed from the... "energy" found in sustenance. He scoots his spicy spirits closer, watches as the earthy red liquid sloshes about in the glass before looking back up at Steak. ]

In other words, you are... the living embodiment of something I could consume?

[ Let's not get technical here — anything once living could be consumed, after all... But when it's framed like that, it almost starts to make a bit of sense. Maybe he's the ghost of a dead ungulate slaughtered for supper?

...

Still weird. ]

[battlebound]

( Steak nods.

what's so difficult about that? he's just the soul of steak — the energy it provides, the fires used to cook it, the memories of meals and celebrations and indulgent nights which revolve around such a food — given human form. )

We're companions, soldiers and servants for humans on Tierra.

[silentsavant]

[ There's nothing like that where he comes from. Soren takes another light sip, growing more accustomed of the drink the longer he imbibes it. ]

Was that your sole purpose? Fighting for humans?

[battlebound]

( that gets a nod. at least, as far as Steak is concerned, that's their main purpose. he can't bring himself to understand a Food Soul who wouldn't consider helping humans their main duty.

even after everything which forced him to leave the home he'd known for decades. even after the circumstances which brought Gingerbread to the knights' doorstep. )

At the very least, aiding them. Some Food Souls are more suited to assist in restaurants and the like.

( all of them to some extent, given their creation. Steak himself is a pretty deft touch with food. nowhere near the likes of Souls like Pastel de Nata, but no slouch either. )

[silentsavant]

[ Restaurants... How fitting. It still seems a little strange, though. Being borne of food, cooking with food... Honestly, the whole concept of Food Souls is still a little hard to digest. ]

Go figure. Were you based off of a particular type of food?