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

Levi is giddy about karaoke. ... He's giddy about everything tonight, but right now he's especially giddy about karaoke. "I'm gonna sing you a song!" he proudly announces to Cecil, pecking him on the neck (that's The Thing now) before darting on to the stage for a performance of Venus by Sleeping At Last. Even though he's only backing vocals in Diego's band (and even then, Zoey's female vocals take preference) he's quite the songbird and thrives during his three minutes and twenty seconds of spotlight as if he were the leading man all along. (Po'Boy Peepshow hmu)

At the end, he takes a breath and then blows a kiss to Cecil before returning the mic to its stand and rejoining his boyfriend.

Celestial themed song. Obnoxious couple. Plenty of PDA. Yeah, that's definitely Cecil and Levi under those masks.

Cecil is nothing short of overwhelmed by this performance and he's at a loss for words by the time Levi descends from the stage. The color rising in his cheeks may still be invisible thanks to the makeup and the mask, but the way that he wordlessly takes the other boy's hands and the way he looks at him like he's the only person in the world speak for themselves. He's touched. Eventually, he manages to tell Levi that he's amazing and gives the boy a very deep kiss for his trouble.

Yep. Definitely Cecil and Levi.

Swapping spit in the karaoke room, no big deal. Levi's a bit too amorous for a school dance as he grabs Cecil by the hips and pulls him flush against him, even managing a little booty-touching action. It's fine because they're anonymous, right? Nobody can see through their CLEVER VAMPIRE DISGUISES, right??

"Well, shit, I'll sing you a whole fucking concert if that's how you feel about it," he enthuses after he's pulled back and taken a breath. "You want me to go again?"

He'll just keep singing until they skedaddle their happy asses to spread PDA elsewhere, honestly.

Uttering a small sound of surprise as Levi pulls him closer and gets a bit too amorous for a school dance, Cecil is immediately flustered. He doesn't trust their anonymity quite as much as Levi does and that's not the point anyway. He'd react in much the same way if the two of them were completely alone. What the other boy has to say, though, makes him laugh and he relaxes in Levi's grip, shaking his head, "You don't have to do that. It's just...it was very sweet. You're sweet."

He glances briefly toward the stage. He'd thought about getting up there himself, finally, emboldened by the sense of being unrecognizable...but his heart is beating too hard now and he's too embarrassed. He'd definitely freeze up. He turns his dark eyes back to Levi and sets one hand against the boy's chest. "Think...we can go get a drink?"

Levi's expression softens when Cecil calls him sweet and he lifts a hand to place it over the one on his chest. His gaze follow's Cecil's to the stage, lingering a bit longer as he discerns the meaning of that look before glancing back to Cecil and grinning. "Yeah, whatever you wanna do!" he agrees easily, taking hold of his hand and lacing their fingers together. He lets Cecil lead them, making idle chitchat on the way. "Do you think, like... any teenagers are actually ordering the Bloody Marys? Does anyone even like Bloody Marys or do they just pretend to like it?"

Smiling gratefully, Cecil lets Levi's fingers flip between his and leads the way toward the bar. The question earns a sheepish laugh. "You're asking me? I...don't even know what's in a Bloody Mary. Apart from tomato juice." And why would he? He's never had one and never made one. But he still looks embarrassed. After a moment, he adds, "I had a pink 'champagne' earlier. I can recommend that?"

Is it a surprise to anyone that he'd pick one of the sweetest drinks available? Probably not.

"It's cold tomato soup with hot sauce and vodka and some other shit in it," Levi helpfully explains, wearing a grimace. He's never had one either. And why would he? Sounds gross. "I'm surprised you didn't go with the sunset-looking one with the pink sugar rim," he jests as he sees another student walk by with one. For a brief moment, he considers just ordering plain apple cider to mix his firewhisky into but decides better than that. "I want that one I've been seeing with the rock candy in it, but... I want two rock candies. And if they won't give me two rock candies, then I want two of the drinks with the rock candy in it." Ahh, a man of refined taste.

Cecil grimaces along with Levi -- a Bloody Mary really does sound awful -- and laughs, shaking his head, "Let's...not get that." Then a sheepish smile spreads over his lips and his dark eyes flit downward to look at the floor; his boyfriend knows him. And his hopeless sweet tooth. "It was my second choice," he admits, then looks at the other boy fondly, squeezing his hand, "Second drink of the night, so I guess I'll try it? And I bet they can spare a second swizzle stick. They've gone all out tonight."

MASQUERADE

ANONYMOUS MUSICAL VAMPIRES THAT TOTALLY AREN'T LEVI AND CECIL

ANONYMOUS MUSICAL VAMPIRES THAT TOTALLY AREN'T LEVI AND CECIL

ANONYMOUS MUSICAL VAMPIRES THAT TOTALLY AREN'T LEVI AND CECIL

ANONYMOUS MUSICAL VAMPIRES THAT TOTALLY AREN'T LEVI AND CECIL - Continued via email!