gooseberryhigh | 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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sun-mi arrives at the dance wearing a dragon scale mask and a flirty pink dress chosen for its swish and twirl appeal. As with every other dance, she's basically a permanent fixture on the dance floor except those rare pauses for refreshments. Ladies and gentlemen, she is happily accepting any and all dance partners, though don't be surprised if she takes the lead.

Get her talking and dancing and, well, it's possible she could be mistaken for Rafael, but the dress is likely a dead giveaway.

"There's a princess here who could use some abducting by a charming dragon," Kenzie teases, after having seen this mystery girl tear up the dance floor a few times. "Hopefully no knights interrupt us."

"Ah, I will be quick to chase off any knights," Sun-mi replies, snapping her teeth lightly for effect and extending her hand to Kenzie. "They are no match for me, princess."

While his date is busy teaching not-ghosts to dance, Leo's watching everyone to find him again. The professional dance movements of the girl in the pink dress keep catching his eye. They remind him of Rafael. Weirdly, so do the snips of her conversation he hears. So either Rafael's randomly changed into a dress, which seems...vaguely unlikely, or he thinks he knows who else this is. Either way, at this point, it's probably rude not to approach her. "Hi, it's Leo." He's not really interested in playing Anonymous. "Have you seen Rafael?"

Sun-mi pauses in her dancing to glance up at Leo and... she's pretty sure that this actually is Leo. Well, she's pretty sure it could be Leo. Unfortuately, she's too giddy from dancing to respond to him with the appropriate level of seriousness. "Ah, are you sure that you are Leo? I cannot be giving out information to just anyone," she teases, taking Leo's hand and trying to coax him into dancing with her with a shake of her hips.

(She actually has no idea where Rafael is. Whoops.)

Well. Now he was pretty sure he knew who it was, doubly. He plays along, though, because he kind of started it. And he admires the sentiment, anyway. "You shouldn't." He concedes and steps towards her, absolutely letting her take the lead while dancing. "Leo's an easy name. I could be anyone. Technically."

This, he hopes, will be clear proof that he is actually himself.

The ease with which Leo lets Sun-mi take over the lead is by far the most convincing piece of his claim to actually being Leo - she's seen Rafael sweep him across a dance floor enough times. "Ah, yes, this is very true. Though I wonder what nefarious things someone may have in mind by claiming to be Leo," Sun-mi says with a mock gasp as she leads him through the dance. She isn't going to let Leo's four or so inches on her stop her from twirling him. He's absolutely getting twirled.

He isn't especially used to being twirled still, but at some point has learned that sometimes that happens in dancing. So he spins like a good sport, and then very stubbornly tries to twirl her right back. Fair's fair. "Plenty. He's a lucky asshole." He points out. "Maybe someone's trying to steal his secrets."

As Sun-mi and Etta both seem to have the same approach to dance partners (gotta catch 'em all!) it's inevitable that at some point during the night, they end up dancing together. "You've got moves," Etta says admiringly, lifting her arm so that Sun-mi can twirl. The ease with which she can do this suggests that she's taller than the other girl... although to be fair, that could apply to most of the girls (and a few of the boys) here at Gooseberry. Still, there's something familiar about the way this girl dances...

"You are not so bad yourself", Sun-mi says as she completes the twirl and closes the distance between herself and her dance partner. The other girl doesn't seem to shy away when Sun-mi presses closer than absolutely necessary; it feels like they've danced like this before. There aren't many girls that Sun-mi will let take the lead, or who even try, and this is one mystery tonight that she can't resist trying to solve.

As they turn, Sun-mi catches the scent of the other girl's perfume and she's hit with a wave of nostalgia that makes her heart beat faster. She slides her fingers into the other girl's hair and the familiar curls confirm what she already knows: she's dancing with Etta.

"Oh," Sun-mi gasps with pleasure. "Hello, beautiful girl. I was hoping I would find you tonight."

MASQUERADE

Sun-mi

Kenzie & Sun-mi

Kenzie & Sun-mi

Sun-mi and Leo :|

Sun-mi :) and Leo :|

Sun-mi :) and Leo :| AND I DIDN'T MEAN TO STALK ALL OF YOUR PEOPLE WITH HIM SORRY :(

Sun-mi :) and Leo :| lmao WE STALKED EACH OTHER AT THE SAME TIME IT'S OKAY!!!

Sun-mi :) and Leo :|

Sun-mi & Etta

Sun-mi & Etta