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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Agent Larke is also Newt the niffler

Newt the Niffler was encouraged by Anon to steal the jewelry so that Agent Larke would more urgently investigate the Grotto so that Anon could steal her body in preparation for the dance.

Micah is running back through the door of the lodge when it occurs to him that maybe he should've gone to Coppertale to meet up with Hazel. Except oh man it's so far away? Why are all the camps so far apart from each other? Who the heck planned this out?

He leans against the doorway, trying to catch his breath again. The bells keep jingling on every inhale and exhale. (Dude, this is going to be great.) Is it past 7 already? Oh yeah, it's past 7. He's late. Craaap. That means they're all anonymous now. How is he going to find her?

Micah puts his hands around his mouth and starts shouting. "HAZEL. HAZELLLLLL. HAZEL!!!!!"

Essie is on the PROWL tonight and she is going to dance with so many cute boys!!! They may actually just consist of the entire freshmen class but that's okay because in Essie's mind they're all super handsome seniors. ヾ(o✪‿✪o)ｼ

BEST NIGHT EVER!!!

"You should feel fortunate you get the chance to eat my spit," Jesse taunts; beneath the safety of Mr. Calderon-Boots anonymity charms, he can say anything he wants.

Wait ... are those embroidered gold flowers? Oh my goooood, fuuuuu---

Hopping on this general bandwagon - because clearly these girls are ridiculously coordinated and thematic at all times - Frankie's mask is light blue and suitably butterflyish. And her dress was chosen entirely based upon it's twirlability. (She has no other real base criteria for dresses. It has remained the twirl-test since her First Communion and will probably continue to be this way forever.)

"Ree's right," she confirms. "You look great. Ten thousand percent smoochable."

Zav shrugs, "I gotta be at the top of my game to keep up with you gents."

Jaime had made an effort to craft his own mask using no magic at the crafting party, because why not, and, well... it maybe looks like a 6 year old girl made it. But he's got no shame! He's owning this mask along with the rest of his brightly colored ensemble. He's thrilled about the chance to have no idea who anyone is - he can dance with whoever he wants without feeling weird, and the best part? It's school sanctioned, so he can have fun with zero worries about getting into trouble (probably)!!

Sorry roomies, Jaime is ridiculous and probably won't be able to help you much in getting ready because he's fidgeting with his own clothes a lot in his excitement, but expect perky compliments before he makes his way to the Lodge!

Upon spotting Jacob, Isaiah just briefly relaxes, because hey, at least he wasn't stood up.

And then he immediately gets nervous again, because wow. Suits and masks are kind of a great look for everyone, but still.

"No," he says quickly, and then coughs and gives a lopsided smile. "I mean. Hello. You look...don't ditch the tie."

"I'm not listeniiiing." Addy sings out, because being not-sweet isn't a crime, but oh god she didn't ever like to think too much about her roommates plus anonymity. That's a problem to think about a different day. Addy's going very surprisingly kind of simple tonight. It makes sense; she doesn't really need to prowl for anyone, and either way, it's not her normal style. She has to get a running start on anonymity; any time she opens her mouth it gives her away. She tugs on a string of pearls, and then turns to fuss over her roommates who look god, so pretty.

"You could like. Wear them all at once." She addresses Riley's pile of masks, smiling. "TRIPLE ANON." (That's probably not how Charms work.)

It's strange, the end of the night. Z hasn't been keeping track of the time, but somehow senses that the close is coming; when the music slows into romantic ballads and soft instrumentals she finds herself slowing, too, wandering aimlessly through the crowd in her blue velvet and boots.

She lost track of Ryan what feels like forever ago, and has been calmly searching for him ever since. It's given the whole Masquerade the funny feeling of a quest: maybe the echo of what things will be like once she graduates, when everything she thinks she knows and wants might be just out of reach without a little legwork. It's all good, though; she feels almost heavy with simple happiness tonight. Maybe it's the anonymity? She's not totally herself tonight.

Eventually Z stops on the periphery of the dance floor and gazes softly at her dancing schoolmates. Even if she can't find Ryan now, at least midnight is on the way.

Cecil smiles sheepishly, but doesn't have a chance to praise Diego and Mina's ingenuity or thank his friend before Jesse and Levi have joined them. Levi's dramatic response overshadows everything else for a moment and forces him to lower his eyes. His cheeks are already starting to burn, but it doesn't show at all. "...You look nice too, Levi," he teases quietly, as if his boyfriend had casually complimented him or at least managed actual words, then turns his gaze back to Diego, curious. A spy?

"Good luck," he says brightly after a small pause, having no idea what his friend is talking about but deciding that he seems happy enough about it, "And, I promise, no biting anonymous strangers. Or Jesse." He watches Diego go, then crosses the room to his boyfriend. He reaches for the boy's hand and leans in, as if he's going to quickly kiss his cheek or lips as he almost always does when coming or going from his company. Instead, though...he kisses his neck. Because if he's doing this to please Levi...he might as well go big. That's how vampires say hello, surely.

It's slower than usual but still relatively brief and once he straightens again he suggests, "We should get going too?"

Sorry, Jesse.

Saira is on the Event Committee. She's on the Event Committee largely because she imagines it will look good on her resume someday and she understands that networking can be important for one's career. Sadly, it doesn't matter if one is on the Event Committee for these reasons rather than due to an actual love of Events. One still has to turn up at the events.

She's been considering leaving early, however, as her integrity doesn't extend to hanging around when no one will actually know for sure that she hasn't. Taking a break on the balcony seems like a decent compromise, at least for a few minutes, until she works herself up to actually ditching.

Of course it can't be fully unoccupied. But it's an opportunity: Saira is still utterly fascinated by the effects of the anonymity charm. Perhaps it won't work as well one-on-one as it does in a crowd. No time like the present to find out.

"Interesting mask," she says, by way of greeting. "Apt, I think."

Addy a hundred percent takes tonight for all it's worth. She probably tells all the couples dancing close that they're really cute together (for more than one song, because like, she wants to make sure they're actual couples). If she'd thought to wear wings tonight, she'd be like. A compliment fairy. She usually leaves without further explanation, but the sentiment is genuine. She will dance with people, too, of course, but takes particular joy in flitting around from partner to partner and leaving. This is a lot how she used to be, but with a lot more making out. It's fun, okay?

Hazel is maybe already at the chocolate fountain, ok? She figures she'll find Micah eventually by yelling (they are maybe the same flavor of ridiculous), and it hadn't really occurred to her either that it might be kind of important to meet up before the dance because of the anonymity charm. She wanted to be an independent woman and walk herself there with her friends! Whoops.

When she hears her name being called she perks up, looking around before following the voice with slight difficulty through the noise. She's pretty amused and has to seriously resist the urge to yell "DUMBASS???" out into the crowd. This is going to be great! She makes her way back towards the entrance, catching sight of her date.

"Micah??" She's pretty sure that wheezing person is him.

Xavier manages to psych himself out in the short walk from the Ribbonfin cabins to the lodge. Maybe he shouldn't have worn the crown. Originally, he had hoped it would be a great big "this is that goofball that will embarrass you, do not ask him to dance" warning sign, but now he's realizing that being more identifiable is kind of an instant disadvantage.

He considers taking it off. Running it back to camp. But, it really ties the outfit together. And, god damn does he look good. And, oh, are those cupcakes??

Vanity and dessert win out.

Ty can't think of any reason Chris wouldn't be pumped about the dance and the fact that he might not even go never occurs to him (despite Chris' history of skipping dances), so he just grins and nods and gives a playful little bow once he's finished, both because his tie tying skills clearly deserves applause and as a silent 'thank you' for the compliment. "Well. We're always hot as fuck. Now we're just dapper and hot as fuck." He pauses, then gently pokes the corner of his friend's mask, "That is my favorite part. I had no idea you were a Crafts Master."

Asher is occasionally jotting down notes and doodling in his notebook (making it pretty obvious that that person in the cat mask is probably him), but nothing about his posture suggests that he's unapproachable. He's happy to talk or dance with anyone that wants to, and he even occasionally ventures out onto the dance floor solo.

There's a grunt and a confused shout from the vicinity of Robin's bunk, followed by a fluttering of the privacy curtain. Oh, hey, Robin's here too. And apparently he was taking a nap.

"Ah, fuck," he grumbles, pushing the curtain aside to see people looking all fancy and shit, and his kilt's still shoved under his desk from winter formal.

He shoves himself off the bed, slams to the ground like super gracefully, and stumbles to the door. Well. Might as well see what Trix is gonna make him wear. "Peace, bitches, catch y'all in a minute."

And now Robin is no longer there.

Continue with what you were doing.

Jaime is going to dance all night if he can help it! He loves dancing, and while he's not normally the shy type being anonymous just makes him feel even more free! He's seriously enjoying having fleeting dances with anyone that passes by, and occasionally he tries to (nicely!) rope someone into dancing with him longer.

Serious approval from Asher, yaaaaaaas 80s songs

"I think we do enough of that at the Grotto," Ivy says with an over-exaggerated roll of her eyes. You really gotta emote for it to get through the mask. "Come on. If we get chocolate fountain plague they'll never let us have a chocolate fountain again," she adds, shooing the mystery double-dipper away from the chocolate.

Ravi keeps the back of the room, eyes on the main entrance waiting for Diego to appear. As soon as Ravi spots that telltale plague doctor mask, he turns, in search of the first phase of the game.

"Asher!" He would've been easy to spot even if Ravi hadn't already seen his mask back in their cabin. Nothing happens at Gooseberry without Asher taking copious notes on it. "I need you to do me a favour. Trade masks with me, please?"

Truth: Leo actually really hates this charm. The dance is beautiful. However, he keeps his back to the wall whenever he can. At the back of his mind, he knows that these are just his classmates,and they're not inherently dangerous. He doesn't like not seeing faces. He tries to stick to Rafael, mostly. That's just smart. He really doesn't want to be separated permanently tonight; he tried to memorize every detail of his clothes and mask. But when he's not with his date, he's standing around, dancing and talking only sometimes, very tense til he knows who he's with. He'll be a blast at this party, if you like monosyllables.

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Page 9 of 38

MASQUERADE

Re: Anon Theory #38

no subject

Micah & Hazel

Essie!!!

Ivy the Chocolate Popo & Jesse the Fool

Soph Azurbab(i)es

RSB - In which they all miss the dance because they spend the evening complimenting each other.

Junior Azurbros

Re: Isaiah & Jacob

Jr Azurbabes

Z & Ryan

Senior Azurgents

Wilde & Saira

Addy; a stalker flirt

Micah & Hazel

Xavier

Senior Coppertale Boys, aka the Cold War

Asher

Senior Coppertale Boys, aka the Cold War

Jaime

In the distance, Chris's shipping intensifies

Re: ANONYMOUS DANGER ZONE

Ivy the Chocolate Popo & Jesse the Fool

Asher & Ravi

Leo ; the paranoid