TREE DECORATING PARTY

[goosemods]

TREE DECORATING PARTY

At 6 PM, the whole school gathers in the huge, maze-like Gardens for the party. The winding paths are swept free of snow, and the leafless trees and hedges are dressed with magical lights. Dinner is set up on long tables in the courtyard at the center of the Gardens, and charmed lamps bathe the area with warmth, so students can enjoy an outdoor winter buffet featuring all kinds of holiday favourites. Vegan and kosher options are provided. Choir Club mounts the risers to sing carols for their classmates, and there's enthusiastic applause when Noel Finnigan-Thomas performs a stunning solo of "All I Want for Christmas Is You".

At 7 PM, tree decorating officially begins. The courtyard is the only safe area. At the north, east, south and west ends of the Gardens, four tall trees have been raised for the four houses. Scattered throughout the Gardens' maze-like paths are waterproof boxes containing various tree ornaments, and everyone is given the go-ahead to rush out and claim boxes for their house. Houses are allowed one hour to create the Best Christmas Tree in Gooseberry.

At 8 PM, the teachers will vote on a winning tree, and that house will be rewarded with bragging rights and a wizard cracker for every member of the house. (OOC: The winning house will also be awarded 2 points for every participating member, to be counted in the House Points Tally at the end of the month.)

TREE DECORATING RULES

• Anything goes for tree decorations, so long as no one gets hurt. Over the years, the "anything goes" rule has translated into students staging raids to steal ornaments from rival houses, but you are no longer allowed to destroy anything, after the calamitous Tree Decorating Party of 2008. (Mr. Elmasry could tell you stories, but he's afraid of giving you ideas.)


• In particular, any fires will result in automatic detention, after the ruinous Tree Decorating Party of 2013.


• Prefects will be trusted to maintain order and judge what is or isn't an acceptable tree ornament. Staff is present in the courtyard, although ever since the disastrous Tree Decorating Party of 2010 when Ms. Rhee and Mr. Merrill got way too competitive, teachers are strictly forbidden from contributing or telling students what to do.


• Anything that makes sense as a Christmas tree decoration can plausibly be found in the supply boxes, e.g. magical lights, tinsel of every colour, ornaments shaped like corgi dogs. With caveats: there won't be any electricity, and the boxes were filled by the teachers, so you're not going to find NSFW things either. However...


• Students are permitted to bring or craft their own tree decorations. Please use your best judgment on what is actually practical for your character to bring to school with them.


• Magical ladders are provided to help people reach the topmost branches of the trees. Safety charms make it unlikely for ladders to topple, but even so, all students should exercise caution!


• The event is not mandatory, but if you want an excuse for your character to take part, you can say their Head of House urged them to join.

HOW IS THE WINNER CALCULATED?

• Post the form to your character's house tree. They have the choice of helping their house, or sabotaging another house.
  • Helping your house includes decorating the tree, running into the Gardens to retrieve boxes of ornaments, or defending your tree from saboteurs.
  • Sabotaging another house includes stealing ornaments or boxes, adding inappropriate ornaments to another house's tree, or obstructing another house in some way.
  <b>Name:</b> <b>Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?:</b> <b>If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?:</b> You can pick only one house. <b>How are they participating?:</b> Describe what your character is doing in the Tree Decorating Party. <b>Anything else?:</b>


• Mods will RNG a score between 1–50 for each character. If you are helping, the number will be added to your house's score. If you are sabotaging, the number will be subtracted from one house of your choosing unless their score is already in the negatives, in which case it will be subtracted from your own house. Be careful! (You will not be penalized if your turn is the one that sends a house into the negatives.)


• All houses start with a base tree score of 50.


• You have until Tuesday, December 12 at 11:59 PM MT to post to your house's tree and have your character be counted.

» Dinner: Everyone gathers in the garden courtyard for a delicious feast and a performance by Choir.

» South Tree: Ebonhide

» West Tree: Ribbonfin

» North Tree: Azurcrest

» East Tree: Coppertale

» Gardens: The winding paths of the Gardens create a maze, and boxes of Christmas ornaments have been hidden all over.

» Courtyard: In the center of the Gardens is the courtyard. During Tree Decorating, this is the only safe zone, i.e. no one can throw snowballs at you or steal your ornaments.

» OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

POINT TOTALS
EBONHIDE	RIBBONFIN	AZURCREST	COPPERTALE
165	136	148	106

Comments

NORTH TREE: AZURCREST

[goosemods]

Noel FT

[noelnoel]

Name: Noël
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping!!!!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/A
How are they participating?: Christmas is about Love, not competition and sabotage!! He's taking his time, dancing in place and singing carols as he decorates. He might venture out into the gardens to help gather ornaments, but he just really loves hanging things on the tree.
Anything else?: A good boy. A wholesome boy. A good and wholesome boy who keeps dangling mistletoe above his friends.

AZURCREST RESULT

[goosemods]

Noel rolls +36 to help their house decorate, boosting Azurcrest's tree score to 86!

Zach

[readingrainbows]

Name: Zachary Zheng, whose name I forgot how to spell the last time I was trashed? I'm sorry, Zachararachy.
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping!!!!!!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/A
How are they participating?: Zach doesn't love the Spirit of Christmas quite as much as fellow junior jay Noel, but he's into the general vibe nonethless. Lights! Decorations! Loving thy fellow man! He spends most of his time POWER WALKING back and forth and back and forth, retrieving boxes so his friends can hang ornaments.
Anything else?: Zach is giving it his all, as per usual, but he's also DISTRACTIBLE, and can honestly probably be SABOTAGED simply by someone coming up to him and saying hi while he's carrying a box. Hi!!!

AZURCREST RESULT

[goosemods]

Zachary rolls +44 to help their house decorate, boosting Azurcrest's tree score to 130!

Addy FH

[addytives]

Name: Adeline Foster-Hayes
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: HELPING. She knows her limits.
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/A
How are they participating?: She isn't exactly the queen of interior design, and is liable to get distracted and is probably easy to steal from. But she's there to helpfully place decorations and has a decent eye for what looks good where. Her PERSONALIZED contribution is a tiny bottle of potion that she will spritz on the end of the pine needles to make them have the effect of freshly fallen snow lighting on the branches. But if her classmates would rather not risk this disaster child, she will not insist on its use. She's very easy. She'll be chatty to other people, whether or not they're supposed to be near her tree, and is in general high spirits. She will absolutely point out the tree she lumberjacked and is very proud of it.
Anything else?: Sry for any fires.

AZURCREST RESULT

[goosemods]

Addy rolls +18 to help their house decorate, boosting Azurcrest's tree score to 148!

Jaded

[odder]

Name: Jade Otterwell
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: I mean, come on. Sabotage. What do you think.
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Ebonhide. She and Ari were joking a while ago about needing to reignite this rivarly, so here she is.
How are they participating?: She definitely plans to turn a routine "going to chat with Ari" into "destroy the Ebonhide Tree." Part of her just wants to knock the entire thing over, but that plan's turned into a huge operation in which she's going to go over, try to scope out which decorations are the most valuable, and steal only those.
Anything else?: I cannot PROMISE no fires.

Lachlan

[lachlangalbraith]

Name: Lachlan Galbraith
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: ...Sabotage.
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Coppertale
How are they participating?: Lachlan doesn't have an artistic bone in his body but he does have a few deceptive ones. He's planning to swing by Coppertale and use some subtle wand work to remove ornaments and the like.
Anything else?: He probably picked Coppertale because they beat Jaime's team in Quidditch recently. You made his friend sad, guys. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Essie!!!

[magitechnically]

Name: Essie Morales-Tran
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: SABOTAGE!!! #1 Bully Essie!!!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Ebonhide. For the crime of letting Mina graduate. X(
How are they participating?: Essie's brought along her articulated mechanical hedgehog ornament again, but the bunny and owl she made for Mina and Diego have since been gifted to them. Her plan to sabotage Ebonhide is absolutely not as sneaky as Jade's. She's just gonna start charming ornaments to start quacking loudly whenever anyone tries to get near the tree. Hers is a truly devious mind at work.
Anything else?: She's maybe probably gonna get distracted harassing Bash, Ari, and Austin a bunch.

Riley Mae

[riledup]

Name: Riley Mae
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Sabotaaaage
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Close my eyes and pick Ebonhide.
How are they participating?: Riley could probably have made a bunch of cute ornaments, or put her artistic talents to some positive use, but that's boring and instead she's running around, stealing tinsel, and wrapping it around herself.
Anything else?: Don't set anything on fire.

Micah

[stclair]

Name: Micah St. Clair
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: n/a
How are they participating?: Noel's presence in the cabin this year inspired Micah to get crafty for this Christmas, so he's made ornaments: small wizard photographs cropped into a square and glued to a blue paper frame and white hanging ribbon. He tried to make sure that every member of Azurcrest is represented in at least one of the photo ornaments (including Merrill and Elmasry), but obviously group shots of the junior jays figure heavily.
Anything else?: I may go back to bed soon so sorry if there's a delay in results :(

Jeffy!!!

[racingstripe]

Name: Jeffy Key!!
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: HELPING!!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: n/a
How are they participating?: Do you need him to grab more ornaments? Hang something up high? Just generally ENCOURAGE you???? Jeffy is your DUDE.
Anything else?: Sweetest boy.

Lucas

[bubblewrapped]

Name: Lucas Kowalski
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping. Like a good boy.
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/A
How are they participating?: Lucas has been amassing a collection of sometimes questionable ornaments since experiencing the competition his freshman year. So, he brings a small box of those to the party. They're mostly blue!! So it totally matches the Azurcrest aesthetic!!
Anything else?: Don't sabotage his Hanukkah shrub please.

GRIFFIN

[cosmonot]

Name: Griffin Flowers
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: SABOTAGING
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Ebonhide looks like they need to be taught a lesson.
How are they participating?: Stealing ornaments and garland, lying down in the middle of the floor like a cow blocking a busy intersection because he's tired.
Anything else?: Worst saboteur.

Jaime~

[lupofiasco]

Name: Jaime Castillo
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: HELPING!!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/A
How are they participating?: Jaime is really bad at crafting, so he's been good and not made any ornaments for fear of self-sabotaging the Azurcrest tree. Instead, he's avoiding the whole artistic side of things and is instead "using" his muscles; he'll happily play errand boy for anyone and everyone and will lift, hold, stabilize ladders, carry things... or whatever. He'll also try to shame anyone attempting to sabotage their tree by being nice at them.
Anything else?: I have so many helpful children??

Pandora

[pandoral]

Name: Panda!
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: HELPING
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/A
How are they participating?: Pan's making this tree look like it was decorated by magpies. EVERYTHING SHINY! Everything TINSEL!
Anything else?: :u

Reece

[peanutbuttercup]

Name: Reece Downing
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?:
How are they participating?: He brought one of these guys with a blue jay hat and a handmade modesty leaf and affixed atop the tree, might it bring all Azurcrests good holiday tidings. The Weird Baby's name is Randy, and Reece strongly encourages everyone to leave him an offering, lest you invoke his wrath.
Anything else?: i own one of these

Mackenzie

[princeprincess]

Name: Mackenzie Prince
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Sabotage. ❤
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Putting Ribbonfin in its place. :)
How are they participating?: Look, it's only so often nowadays that Mackenzie can be terrible and not get in trouble for it. She isn't exactly subtle, though, and is primarily relying on theft + long legs for running.
Anything else?: Bad girl.

Webster

[websterknox]

Name: Webster Knox
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Sabotaging... but only because Lilika is dragging him along
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Ribbonfin
How are they participating?: Webster is following one step behind Lilika, taking ornaments from sweet Ribbonfins. "May I have this?" he'll ask, followed by a "Thank you" and probably an "I'm sorry."
Anything else?: His arms are still very sore from cutting down the trees.

Lilika

[lilipad]

Name: Lilika Ignacz
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Sabotaging 😈
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Little fishies. She refuses to acknowledge Ebonhide as Azurcrests rivals (attention is flattery) and Coppertale ... is already suffering.
How are they participating?: Stealing candy from babies. With Webster at her side, she’s casually approaching the softest, squishiest fish and taking things directly out of their hands. She is especially targeting gullible boys Tobias.
Anything else?: She is very cold but will never admit it.

Re: NORTH TREE: AZURCREST

[inksy]

Name: Karen Zabinsky
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: NA
How are they participating?: Helping design some decorations mainly. Putting her artistic talent to some good use.
Anything else?: Nope.

Oz

[dumb_ass]

Name: Oscar Zabinsky
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Helping!
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: N/a
How are they participating?: Oscar is generally being tall and useful? He's just trying to have a good time, cracks a lot of jokes, and does all the heavy lifting or whatever anyone needs. He doesn't have very good ornaments to help out with, so he mostly hangs whatever anyone else hands him to hang.

Sam

[oh_girl]

Name: Samantha Sweeney
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: Sabotaging
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Ebonhide
How are they participating?: To be fair, she's not trying too hard to sabotage. She's just distracting Solo as much as possible. She says hi to Ari, whatever. She may or may not be taking things down or moving ornaments out of the way when people aren't looking so they can't find them. (She's definitely doing that). She does wander back over to her own tree to hang out and check up on her Azurfam, though.
Anything else?:

London

[beansontoast]

Name: London
Are they HELPING their house, or SABOTAGING another house?: SABOTAGING! She really likes to craft, but the call of chaos is strong.
If they are sabotaging, which house are they targeting?: Coppertale!
How are they participating?: Trying to steal art supplies
Anything else?: