gooseberryhigh | MASQUERADE

MASQUERADE

MASQUERADE

Classes are not cancelled this afternoon, which leaves Event Committee scrambling after 3 PM to get everything in order in the Atrium. Students having dinner are given only 30 minutes before they’re ushered out past the privacy curtains again, since EC claims they need the cafeteria for a “special surprise.” At 7 PM sharp, the Atrium opens, and the Anonymity Charm activates.

Mardi Gras is the theme of the night, and the Atrium has been decorated all over in purple, green and yellow. Floor-to-ceiling backdrops are arranged along the walls, depicting a festive city street, and painted figures of masked performers tumble, juggle, swallow swords and perform magic tricks for the students. The ceiling is decorated with glimmering, stylized stars and a smiling silver moon, and multicoloured confetti falls continuously, vanishing just above everyone’s heads. Purple, green and yellow balloons are strewn across the dance floor, but will magically skitter out of the way so no one accidentally steps on one.

The refreshments table is the real star of the night, with a chocolate fountain surrounded by plates of various fresh fruits, marshmallows, caramels, cream puffs and cakes. A long table features treats styled after the theme, with mask-shaped cookies, cupcakes with edible beads, macarons in purple, green and yellow; glittery cake pops, and sprinkles on literally everything. (A few special treats have been set aside for vegan students, and Prospero will point to them.) At the far end of the table is an open bar adorned with feathers and colourful silk, where students can order mocktails from a menu. Isabelle Sargent, Ursula de Luca and Todd Skynner all volunteer to take shifts behind the bar for an hour (or two), and make conversation with their anonymous classmates while serving up drinks. A masked house-elf will always be present behind the bar, if no one wants to play bartender.

Step through the doors into the cafeteria and you’ll discover a stage has been set up with anonymous karaoke. Have you been too afraid to sing in front of your classmates? Now, if you perform badly, no one will know who you are, so get up there! This room is also popular for the MVSC photobooth in the corner, which automatically spits out a strip of four animated photographs for the low, low price of a half-dragot.

If you want a quiet moment, then the balcony is the place to go. The decorations out here are just as bright and glittery, but the little benches have comfortable purple, green and yellow cushions, and there’s bluebell flame lamps providing warmth and light on this chilly but romantic February night.

Staff is present and also wearing masks, but they aren’t using the Anonymity Charm, to make it easier for students to get help if there’s any trouble. Anyone who’s using anonymity to harass others will be given only one warning before they’re ejected from the dance. Observant partygoers will spot Dr. O’Hare on the arm of Mrs. O’Hare (appropriately, they’re wearing matching rabbit masks), but his partner, Agent Larke, is nowhere to be seen…

Just before midnight, Mr. Oakes presents an awe-inspiring fireworks show right above the lake. You can walk outside for the full view, but the backdrops will be taken down so you also watch from the tall windows of the Atrium. The last fireworks light up the sky at the stroke of midnight, when the Anonymity Charm ends.

HOW THIS WORKS

Decorating the Atrium begins around 3:15 PM, and the cafeteria is cleared at 6:30 PM.

Cocktail dress code. That’s party dresses and suits, but you won’t be dinged for getting too fancy or dressing slightly more casually. No jeans or t-shirts, though!

The dance starts at 7:00 PM, and runs until around 12:00 AM. These are also the hours of the Anonymity Charm: the charm activates just as the clock strikes 7:00 PM, and only within the confines of the lodge and the immediate surrounding area, and permanently deactivates at midnight. If students don’t have a charmed mask of their own, a simple domino will be issued to them at the door.

Anyone wearing a charmed mask becomes unrecognizable to those looking at them. You might have known a person by their voice, height, hair, skin, or lips, but now suddenly… you aren’t certain. This could be anyone.

This effectively means that you can’t guess the identity of an individual by their physical traits. However, you might recognize them either from their speech patterns, or something they tell you.

It’s easier to recognize people by their masks, but if you want your character to struggle with this as well, you may. (The same applies to clothing.) This means you might be at risk of losing track of your date if you come as a couple. This is up to individual players.

Mr. Calderon-Boot has the power to take the charm away, though, so if you act in a truly horrendous manner or break a rule, you could still get caught. Not to mention that a lot of people will remember if the guy in the blue domino mask was being a total dick all night, and someone might later see it amongst your possessions.

If you leave the dance, the charm deactivates until you return. If you remove your mask, the charm deactivates, but will reactivate once you put your mask back on.

» Setting Up: In the afternoon, Event Committee works on getting the Atrium looking its best. Event Committee has thrown up magically impenetrable curtains around the Atrium, so even students exiting dinner at 6:30 PM won't be able to see what they're working on.

» Before the Dance: Dress to impress! Do you let your friends see your mask, or are you hiding it until you get to the dance? The trails have been swept by Mr. Covington, to make it easy as possible for students get to the lodge. (He recommends wearing your boots, and changing footwear once you reach the lodge.) Doors open at 7 PM.

» Beginning of the Dance: Students are allowed into the Atrium and get to admire the decorations and everyone's masks. The music aims to get everyone dancing with a playlist that’s heavy on the jazz, ragtime and brass band. (~7:00 PM)

» Refreshments Table & Open Bar: Food and drinks are available all night, and there’s little tables, decked in colourful tablecloths, if you want somewhere to sit. Head to the bar if you want someone to mix a drink for you—all non-alcoholic, of course. (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» Anonymous Karaoke: Through the doors to the cafeteria is a stage with a karaoke setup. Can you guess which one of your classmates is performing? (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» Photobooth: In the corner of the cafeteria, you can take instant mementos of your night. Just insert a half-dragot coin, and strike a pose! Note that the Anonymity Charm does not work in photographs, so your pictures might give away your identity... (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» Balcony: The balcony overlooks the lake, and some students mingle out here to chat or appreciate the scenery. (~8:00-11:00 PM)

» End of the Night: The music winds down with some slower, romantic songs. Just before midnight, there’s a fireworks show. The charm immediately ends at the stroke of midnight, Cinderella. So either leave the dance by then, or stand around with everyone else to unmask and see who you’ve been talking to! (~11:00 PM-12:00 AM)

» OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

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i like that marin's the only person who tagged her characters on this post

all of my scenes are TOO GOOD i needed to make sure i didn't lose them :C

"I was checking out Aldebaran. That's... I guess it's kind of the eye in the head of Taurus, but in the Middle Ages they used to call it the bull's heart."

Wilde is saying more than he usually would. Apparently, too, he is far more honest with his words when his face isn't attached to them.

"And... I needed the air. I guess." He waves a hand at the entrance back to the party. Voices and music drift through. "There's a lot going on in there. You could, um... Wanna join me?"

it's actually my instinct to tag my characters in literally everything they do so i always feel like i've gotten permission when someone else does it first

He lifts her legs and drapes them over his thighs, so he can squeeze himself onto the photo booth bench beside her. "I am the bat," he says, a little wistfully. It's his last chance at getting a laugh before ditching his Batman alter-ego for the rest of the night.

"No, but seriously, it's Jesse," he says, after a substantial pause, and pushes his mask to the top of his head. "I need a new outfit. Can you work some artsy magic on me?"

"Actually, I can't," Wilde admits. "This charm is crazy."

He kind of... likes it. Words seem to come a bit freer, looser. He doesn't sound sharp and rehearsed, the way he usually does. Maybe it's the flask, maybe not.

"Thanks. I am vengeance and the night, I guess that's kind of hard to beat."

Ree squirms a little, making herself cfortable, and waits him out. When he finally reveals himself, she laughs.

"Oh, hey, babe. I should've known, no one throws me around like you do. Why? I like the bat thing, where'd it go wrong?"

"Um, I just," Laurel starts, then stops. How to even explain? The guy didn't even do anything. There is literally no reason to feel this way, and maybe if she keeps talking about it she'll just keep feeling worse, so --

She just kind of shrugs. "I got hot in there? I guess?"

It doesn't sound 100% convincing, but Laurel sticks with it.

His first instinct is to deflect the compliment and downplay his ability, but he stops himself. He does not need to appear humble. He does not need to appear as anything. This is a genuine compliment from a stranger to a stranger on the quality of his mask he worked hard on.

"Thank you," he answers, with a little too much sincerity behind it for a simple compliment. "I'm glad."

He cants his head again as he observes her blush with mild fascination. Ennis Harper doesn't make girls blush. At least not to his knowledge. He's usually the one who turns his eyes away and ducks his head first. Was it because she was embarrassed? Was it because he accidentally called her out on her artistic inability? Was it something entirely different? Maybe it's because she's talking to a stranger. If Anonymity didn't make him feel so separate from his usual self, he might be blushing too.

Yeah, that was probably it. In response, he drops an Ina Garten meme on her, "If you can't travel to Venice to have a smith handcraft a custom filigree mask, store bought is fine." ... Do many wizards even know who Ina Garten is? ... Probably not. He won't dwell on it because his face and name aren't attached to it. "It looks nice."

Is he supposed to ask her to dance now? That's the next step, right? He's been practicing a fair bit while alone in the Grotto and in his cabin, but the practice is mostly useless without a partner. "How do you dance?" he asks, too blunt in his phrasing to be charming but there is genuine and innocent curiosity in his tone.

Rafael shakes his head and puts a hand on Leo's chest. As much as Leo's willingness to find the strange girl is moving, Rafael has the distinct impression she meant no harm. And that she was also very young, and Leo doesn't need to be fighting any freshmen. "I think she was trying to be concerned, it just came out badly," he sighs, and then shakes his head. Eventually, he finds a smile. "We should talk about other things, though. Tonight should be a good night. You are not a captain, I am not a prefect."

Jacob takes the hint and relaxes on the metaphorical pigtail tugging. Try hard not to fuck this one up, Wood, he reminds himself.

"Yeah, okay, both is good," he says, letting Isaiah set the pace for the evening. "You're the expert, wanna find us some prime skulking real estate?"

Saira knows that. Of course she does : she is in Astrology, after all, and she is Saira. She doesn't do things by halves. Still, she listens like this is fascinating. In a way, it is. Who at Gooseberry would prefer to be outside giving impromptu lessons on the night sky than inside dancing and being ridiculous? Well, she would, obviously, but the one person whom she is certain is not the one in front of her is herself.

"I do, " she says, almost impulsively. That's a new feeling. She very, very rarely does impulsive. She did it during bonding and felt off and guilty about it for days. Though not too guilty. The Library is far more useful than bonding anyway. "Where else will I learn medieval nicknames for the stars? Unless I am in Astrology after all."

The anonymity charm has Cole genuinely disoriented and, even with Calvin addressing him directly and looking at him through a mask that he made, it takes him a moment to recognize his date with anything like certainty. He glances down at the other boy's wrist, sees the bracelet of green ribbon secured there, and finally looks relieved. "Thanks, Calvin," he says quietly, his dark eyes glancing between the drinks and lingering on the one with the sprig of rosemary before he moves to take it. Then he adds, "I think they're pretty."

Isaiah chuckles. It's funny. Jacob is funny. Funny and cute and doesn't think he's too weird to bother eith, and that's-

Ok. He doesn't need to talk himself out of this. He just needs to take a deep breath and not freak out.

Corners are always a good bet. He nods toward the nearest and heads toward it, still keeping hold of Jacob's hand.

"I'll be honest, I usually need a few minutes to get my bearings at these things," he says a little sheepishly. And then he usually leaves. Though less so this year. He's been trying.

Honestly, Avery had been slightly nervous about the Anonymity of this dance. As had been seen plenty of times, not all Gooseberry students could be trusted with total anonymity - they could be cruel, and this was another medium for people to be rude with no repercussions.

Maybe it was the supervision, but so far everyone had been really nice, and the complete sincerity in this person's voice made her light up. Everything about her night so far had been really refreshing and pleasantly surprising.

Her embarrassment over her inability to create her own mask like many other people did was short-lived, but the blush lingered on her cheeks. Maybe it was warm in here, or her newfound confidence in approaching people was wearing off and she was feeling nervous again. Either way, the blush stayed put, but then so did she. No shying away, not tonight.

The Ina Garten reference did not go over her head - though she hadn't watched much TV when she lived with her birth parents, once she moved in with Ollie she'd been allowed to watch TV, and cooking shows were a bit of a guilty pleasure. "I mean really, those pre-made pie crusts have been the same recipe for like a hundred years, they've basically perfected it. I'm sure the same thing goes for masks." She smiled when he complimented her mask back, even though she had no reason to be so proud - not like he did, anyway. "Thanks."

When he asked how she danced as opposed to asking her to dance, Avery rose a brow for a second and then laughed. "Oh, I'm not much better at dancing than I am arts and crafts but I get around well enough. I just happen to be mostly limbs." Being nearly six feet tall would do that to you. "But if you're asking, I would like to dance."

She is 100% Not Buying It, but Issy doesn't press. From definite experience, she knows pressing for information can sometimes backfire, so she let's it go.

"It's pretty warm in there. I'd suggest getting a Well Mixed Mocktail from the Bartender." She replies, trying to lighten the mood with a joke and a laugh.

"Except not when it's me, I over-mixed all the drinks."

Cricket does look a little battle weary by the time she makes it back to Ebonhide. The tip of her nose is flushed red from the cold and wisps of hair are coming loose from the bun at the nape of her neck, but she's already smiling as she pushes open the door to her cabin. "Oh, I love that book," she chimes in, having only caught the tail end of their conversation.

"Maggie, you look beautiful!" she coos the second her eyes swivel toward the armchair. She doesn't need to pause and assess her best friend's outfit--Maggie's looks are always perfect.

Knowing she'd be crunched for time, Cricket laid out her dress before she left for Event Committee and a few mask options.

"Is matchin' lame or cute? I can never decide."

"Baby!" Ree cheers, though she has no clue who it is crowding in with her. The spell is good. It's kind of freaking her out, but she's refusing to give into that. "Or...wait, are you going for Count Dracula or Edward Cullen? Because I gotta tell you, one of those is the wrong answer and I'll kick you in the nuts."

"More like Count Chocula. I ate so many fucking cupcakes, Ree, I felt like that fat kid in Matilda. Do you have any gum or mints or whatever? I'm hoping for some vampire-on-vampire action tonight and all I've got is Firewhisky to wash the chocolate vom taste down." Yep, that's Levi.

"Thank you," he throws his head back dramatically when she does finally laugh. He knew it was funny. Alas, he can no longer be The Bat.

"I said something dumb to a cute girl and I need a do-over," he explains without hesitation. "It's not technically lying! Just minimal deceiving," he adds, before she can protest, "And it wasn't mean or anything."

The absurdity of the statement - the whole situation - bubbles over into another laugh from Xavier. Unselfconscious this time. Zav's tightly pulled smile eases into a more comfortable grin. He shakes his head. What in the hell. "Huh. Well, we're talking now, Swan B--guy."

Okay, weird. He shoves his hands into his pockets and shifts his weight to one side. It makes him seem a little more relaxed, though not by much. "So, you're not clownin' on me?" It's a rhetorical question. "What made you, uh, decide on the swan get up?"

The pout makes him smile for about a second, and he feels a little bad. But better that than disappointing her later. "Sorry." He still feels apologizing is the gentlemanly thing to do, as he leads her to the dance floor. Leo is at least able to make a good show of leading, thanks to his few months of dancing with foxes. "Glad to be stolen. How's the dance so far?"

Ree laughs. "Nah. No mints. Sorry, sweetie. Who else is a vamp, though? Cecil? Or are you just trying to mack on random strangers with coordinating costumes because this Anonymity spell is kinda foolproof?"

Ree's eyes narrow. It sounds a lot like lying. Then agsin, this whole party is a lot like lying. "Nope. More info before I'm into this plot. What did you say, and why does it matter? And are you just gonna keep switching costumes til she falls into your arms? That sounds creepy, Jesse. Don't be creepy."

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MASQUERADE

Re: 🎭 OOC - Questions, comments, concerns! 🎭

Re: 🎭 OOC - Questions, comments, concerns! 🎭

Wilde & Saira

Re: 🎭 OOC - Questions, comments, concerns! 🎭

Ree & Jesse

Wilde & Roxie

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Laurel & Isabelle

Ennis + Avery

Leo & Rafael

Isaiah & Jacob

Re: Wilde & Saira

Calvin & Cole

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Ennis + Avery

Laurel & Isabelle

Senior Ebonladies

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Ree & Levi

Ree & Jesse

Reid & Xavier

i fucking love jesse

Leo & CUTEST PARTY CRASHER EVER

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Re: Ree & Jesse