WINTER MASQUERADE

[goosemods]

WINTER MASQUERADE

The privacy curtains are erected in the Atrium as soon as lunch ends, and it's all hands on deck as Event Committee get ready to transform the Atrium. Students having dinner are given only 30 minutes before they're ushered out past the privacy curtains again, so the cafeteria can be claimed for a "special surprise." At 7 PM sharp, the Atrium opens, and the Anonymity Charm activates.

House-elves will take cloaks and coats when students arrive, and usher them past festive red curtains into a light-filled carnival. Yards of colourful fabric drape out from the center of the ceiling and fall all the way down to the floor, creating the illusion of a circus big top. Blinking holiday lights cover the walls, twisted into familiar designs: candy canes, evergreens, dreidels, green and red candles, etc. At different corners stand four tall trees decorated in honour of the four houses: one in plum and gold with fuzzy bear decorations, one in olive and copper with glass trout, one in azure and white with feathery jays, and one in orange and black with felt foxes. A mystery gift exchange is taking place by the trees, so come claim your present!

The dance floor is outlined with twinkling lights that magically strobe along with the music. Cheer captain Madison Ives has organized a dance spectacle opener with the help of the other cheer captains, and student band The Heretics are set to perform tonight!

The refreshments tables lining one wall features fair foods such as bagged popcorn (mixed with green and red M&M's), hot pretzels, candy apples, funnel cakes, corn dogs, french fries, cotton candy, and endless varieties of fizzy soda. (A few special treats have been set aside for vegan students. Prospero recommends the falafel on a stick.) Communal tables and chairs have been adorned with red-and-white-striped fabric, to give them a candy cane circus feel.

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 carousel-themed photo op, where you and a masked stranger can pose in front of seasonally appropriate mounts in the shape of a reindeer, a polar bear, a two-seat swan with holly and red ribbon around its neck, and a plastic Santa Claus inviting you to sit in his lap. Only once you've stepped up to the carousel mounts will you see the sprig of mistletoe hanging overhead. Event Committee volunteer photographers will take your picture, to be publicly posted later so you can guess who was posing with you!

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 red and green cushions, and there's bluebell flame lamps providing warmth and light on this chilly December night. From here, you can see the sleigh rides running just outside the lodge, within the sphere of the Anonymity Charm. These romantic magical sleighs seat up to three, and circle the lodge on a set track that takes you past trees also decorated with brilliant lights.

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 (1) warning before they're ejected from the dance. The same applies to a handful of MACUSA agents, in identical black masks and black robes, but they appear more interested in patrolling the dance than talking to anyone.

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.

CLICK HERE FOR ANONYMITY CHARM RULES

• 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. Also, the charm also doesn't affect your sense of touch, smell or taste. (But please don't lick anyone to figure out their identity.)


• 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. The effective area of the charm is the lodge and the area immediately surrounding the lodge, enough to cover the sleigh rides.

» Setting Up » Before the Dance » Beginning of the Dance » Refreshments » Mystery Gift Exchange » Anonymous Karaoke » Carousel Photos » Balcony » Sleigh Rides » End of the Night » OOC - Questions, comments, concerns!

Comments

BALCONY

[goosemods]

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

A friendly girl. (open to multiple)

[goosemods]

A friendly looking girl with a bright smile is leaning against the balcony, both elbows on the banister. She's looking like she's catching her breath, taking a moment away from the all the noise and interaction at the party. Though she is clearly having a moment to relax, she doesn't look like she'd be bothered by some company. Her demeanor is generally inviting.

A friendly girl & a cat girl

[cmdrchloe]

"Hi," Chloe says cheerfully, adjusting the cat mask on her face. She's trying to be more sociable this evening, emboldened by the anonymity. It's basically just like the internet, except people can hear the tone in your voice and not have to guess what's sarcasm and what isn't. "Are you having fun tonight?"

A charming girl. (open to multiple)

[goosemods]

With a drink in each hand, a girl weaves confidently through a group of students. She pauses, looking this way and that for someone in particular, but, having lost them in the sea of strangers, shrugs and settles on offering a glass and a brilliant smile to the person nearest her.

A charming girl and a Phineas Bones.

[phin]

Phin takes the drink as though it had always been intended for him. He taps the edge of the glass against the charming girl's, and smiles at her from beneath his raven mask.

"Cheers."

A charming girl & Sy

[threatens]

Sy's first instinct is to get irritated by someone shoving shit at him, but seeing how he just gave away the drink he was meant to be getting for Clem, this isn't exactly the worst offer. He just holds it, and frowns as he stares at the girl's mask.

"You're... not my girlfriend?"

A catlike boy. (open to multiple)

[goosemods]

A boy with a cat mask and a matching feline smile sits perched on the railing of the balcony, unconcerned with the risk of falling backwards off the edge. He's looking around at the milling students with alert eyes, at least until they lock with yours by chance. His smile splits into a grin as he gestures for you to come join him.

A catlike boy and a not

[ashworthless]

Ira tilts his head to the side, and looks behind him, and then at his feet, and then at the boy again. There's no one in either of those places, so he has to step forward or risk looking stupid even under his mask. "There's no one to catch you down there." He points out, helpful.

A catlike boy and a pink girl

[beansontoast]

London grins back at the invitation. Why not? She makes her way over, then hops up onto the railing without a second thought. She's not quite as perfectly balanced as her feline companion, but she doesn't pay a second thought to the possibility of falling. "I love the anonymous dance," she says, with excitement buzzing under her voice, barely contained, like she might squeal with delight over the least little thing.

A catlike boy & a super cool boy

[soundscaped]

Austin is on a mission. Not a mission anyone knows about, not one where anyone can or will hold him accountable, but a mission nonetheless. He's going to ask a boy to dance.

Or, well, he's going to talk to a boy, and, knowing this school, probably a... not unattractive boy. And if the boy is nice and they don't hate each other right off the bat, and he doesn't seem like one of Gaysberry's token straight friends, he might ask the boy to dance.

Maybe.

Depending on how anonymous he still feels. He probably should have put more work into his crude construction paper mask. Only someone this concerned with looking cool and detached would put so little effort into concealing his identity.

But the time is ticking by, the number of anonymous interactions he's talked himself out of is piling up, and when he sees the boy with the cat mask risking fate on the balcony... he makes himself take a step forward. He makes himself take two steps forward. Then he takes all the steps forward, until he's leaning against the railing, trying to look super nonchalant.

"You're right, they probably have a ward there to catch anyone who slips," he says, because starting a conversation in the middle is easier than leading into a new one.

A wallflower. (open to 2)

[goosemods]

A girl acting a bit of the wallflower takes a break from dancing.

A wallflower & Archie

[cherubic]

Next to her, standing by the railing, a boy in a white mask is staring inside. Archie's eyes follow the swirling sea of unrecognizable dancers just beyond the windows, never bothering back at his conversation partner. "Fascinating charm," he says. "Unsettling, though. It could have many nefarious applications." Despite his words, he doesn't sound all that concerned.

An uncertain girl. (open to multiple)

[goosemods]

A girl stands alone, kind of removed from the crowd, though it doesn’t appear she’s upset. She wears a beautiful light blue mask that reminds one of ice, and there’s a soft smile on her face. Her demeanor seems a little uncertain, but inviting, and like she’s hoping for a chance to break her shyness and talk to someone.

An uncertain girl and a nostalgic Wilde.

[destructobot]

The balcony brings back memories. Last Masquerade, Wilde stood out here and looked at the stars with Saira for a long time. Now, a year later, he stands by himself -- but eventually he'll venture back inside, and once he does she'll be there for him to find again.

He gazes out, content to be quiet in the cold air, but eventually offers a greeting to the girl in the icy mask. They're sharing the same space, after all.

"Sup."

A generous girl. (open to multiple)

[goosemods]

The dance is beautiful as always, but the girl in the blue dress with silver stars seems most smitten with the food. She sits in a quiet corner, carefully balancing a candied apple, a pretzel, cotton candy, a cup of soda, and the crowning glory, a fresh funnel cake covered in powdered sugar. "Oh, hi!" she says when someone comes along. "Do you... want some?"

A generous girl and a peckish Pandora

[pandoral]

Pandora's been flitting nervously around the dance all night. For some reason the anonymous charm makes her more shy than bold, which is unexpected. Then again, she's not sure what she had expected, really. The fresh air on the balcony is helpful, though. She feels a bit more like herself out here.

When the girl speaks, she flinches slightly, caught off guard -- but the sight of all that food is enticing. Panda never turns down a snack.

"Um, sure!" Her voice is awkward: maybe slightly too chipper. She smoothes the front of her dress before approaching. "That's... a lot of food." A tittering little giggle. "Hungry much?"

A generous girl & a trash fairy

[riledup]

Riley's hands are full of sugar—not a plate full of sugar, as that would have shown some level of foresight as she pillaged the refreshments table, having greatly underestimated how much fucking delicious stuff they would have. With a cup of soda held between her teeth and half-eaten cotton candy sticking to her hair, she looks around until she sees a girl with similar tastes in the corner. Ah, time for some good old fashioned harassment.

"Yishid dippazel innasda," she says through a mouth full of paper cup. "Hnnon." With no hands, she tilts the cup back, dumping the soda into her mouth and finishing it off in one gulp. There's definitely some soda on her mask. She doesn't seem to mind.

"You should dip the pretzel in the soda," she tries again. "It's, like, fucking life changing."

A sullen girl. (open to multiple)

[goosemods]

It's quiet out on the balcony, and the girl sits on one of the benches, as close as she can get to one of the warming lamps. Glancing down at the sleigh rides below, she lets out a heavy and unenthusiastic sigh.

A sullen girl and a silly boy

[dumb_ass]

Oscar absolutely hates to see people looking sad - especially at a party like this, where people should be having a good time. As he takes a break from dancing at the balcony, to see the lights and get a view of everything else going on, he catches one sad looking girl on the balcony. He doesn't hesitate, but makes his way straight to her with a wide, silly grin.

"Hey, what's up?"

A sullen girl & a morose boy.

[cherubic]

Archie folds his arms on the balcony railing and, like the taller girl, stares down at the sleigh rides like he's personally affronted by their existence. "I don't want to go home," he says aloud, because there are no consequences for admitting it.

Ursula & Ferdie

[cecaelian]

A girl with a shock of rainbow colored hair stands beside the balcony, looking out over the frozen lake. Her hair glows against the night sky and she appears to be spinning a small object attached to a metal chain with her right index finger. As she hears footsteps approach, she looks back over her shoulder and the spinning abruptly stops. You've caught her interest, but are you who she's been waiting for?

Ursula & Ferdie

[ferdie]

Ferdie's honestly a little tired. He thought finding Ursula would be easy. But he's underestimated her again. She's good at hiding. He's not admitting defeat, as he heads out on to the balcony. He's just re-grouping.

That's what he tells himself anyway, even as he thinks about letting this girl with the rainbow hair be. He touches the little silver octopus boutonniere that Ursula gave him at prom last year. He has to at least ask. "Cool hair." He says, by way of greeting.

Phineas, unmasked. (open!)

[phin]

It's late when Phin returns to the balcony again. He's been mingling and dancing for what feels like forever, and though it doesn't tire him exactly, he can use a bit of space and air. The balcony feels halfway safe for a cigarette, too, if he's got the nerve to try lighting up at an event with chaperones. He's not sure that's worth the effort.

He does remove his mask, though. Just for a moment. It's good to be free of the thing, though it isn't uncomfortable; he regains his peripheral vision, for one, and can feel the cool night against his skin.

Phin musses his hair with his free hand, staring out into the darkness, and smiles.

Phin + Sofia

[sovain]

Sofia had tried to strategically find Phin the entire night, but the charm keeping them all anonymous was TOO good. She'd basically given up when she approached the balcony, seeing a familiar figure already standing there. Maybe it was the charm just showing her what she wanted to see, but as she gets close enough to notice that he's HOLDING his mask, it takes every ounce of patience within her not to completely out herself right then and there. No, she was gonna make him work for this.

"It's freezing out here," she blurts out. Smooth, Sofia.

Fern & (Open to Multiple)

[nothalfplaid]

Fern steals away from the dance when it's well underway, slinking through the crowd to make her way to the balcony. She leans against a wall, taking out a cigarette from her clutch and lighting it with her wand tip. She takes a long drag, peering over the banister as she watches the sleigh rides below.