Holiday Ball [December 2018 GM Event]

[Game Master]

Welcome to the Harper Rock Holiday Ball! This formal event has been put on by Bancroft in hopes of bridging the gap between humans and vampires in these trying times. After all; it is the holiday season, and that means it's time to put aside prejudices and differences. It's time for a community to come together, to help the less fortunate, and feel the spirit of giving.

Put together by one of the personal assistants to Bancroft, the event has been meticulously planned, and all denizens of Harper Rock are invited. Held on Christmas Eve (December 24th), just after the sun has gone down, the Holiday Ball takes place at the Mayor's Mansion, in an enormous gilded ballroom, which opens onto a moonlit courtyard. There is ample staff supplying any number drinks, from champagne to blood (given by very willing donors), as well as hors d'oeuvres. Clad in black, deep red and green, they blend into the background seamlessly and are fairly easy to ignore. Only a trained eye might pick up the vague outlines of firearms hidden on their persons should the worst happen. Of course. That measure is purely for the sake of defense.

Near the center of the room are a pair of large Christmas trees, which are there for more than display. Everyone in attendance is encouraged (but not required) to bring a wrapped gift to place under the trees, which will then be donated to charity, to go to less privileged children in Harper Rock. A donation box has been set up on a close-by table to allow attendees to make a monetary gift to the Harper Rock City Revitalization fund. No expense has been spared on food, drink, decoration, and a live string quartet has even been hired on to provide Christmas carols to the party-goers. People are free to dance, to mingle and to converse!

Outside the residence, several temporary structures dotted the lawn. Their white exteriors hiding all hint of what potential treasures would be found within. Only the most observant of the guests, though, would be able to pick out the guards roaming around the grounds.

Here is some mood music!

I N F O R M A T I O N

This GM event is character driven. What this means is that the GM team is not going to be providing much in the way of plot direction or prompting. Rather, the event will take the shape the participants desire.

About once per day, one small prompt will be provided. People can choose to respond to them or not. They are most likely to be on the either beneficial or silly side though. There more to provide opportunity for people to interact, than to provide solid plot points. Expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one! Expect the first prompt tomorrow around this time!

As well, there will be a special NPC for this event - Bancroft's personal assistant. She is open to be approached or communicated with.

Rewritten from the original version by Az with his permission.

[Game Master]

Penelope Dupuis <> Bancroft’s Personal Assistant <> #14B4BC

After the success of the ball, last year, Penelope Dupuis had known she would have her work cut out for her to ensure a repeat of that success. The month following the ball had found her and her staff combing through the events of the night to determine what had been received favorably and that with which they could do away. The reindeer had been the first, though not the last, to get the ax.

The blonde woman had taken a proactive role this year, not only in the planning, but also the setup of the event. As she eyed the grand Christmas tree under which guests were to place their gifts for the children, her mind wandered back to the arguments that had threatened the event. Some of the Mayor’s advisors had been strongly opposed to holding such an event in the city’s current climate. Presented with a stringent security plan along with a detailed list of precisely why this ball must go on, they had hesitantly relented. She was of the firm belief that the people needed something positive with which to end their and to provide respite from the day to day monotony that had seemed to settle upon the city.

Returning to the present, she stooped to carefully tuck her wrapped gift beneath the tree. A smile tugged at her lips at the thought of what was hidden inside for some child to discover. She could only hope that they would as much joy in it as she had picking it out. Straightening, her dark blue eyes swept the ballroom seeking to ensure all was properly placed. As very little had changed from the previous year, setup had been simple, if time consuming. The blonde was pleased that things were as they should be given the guests would be arriving soon.

Penelope had liberated her green faux-velvet dress from her closet for the occasion. It loosely hugged her figure ensuring it was the right mixture of festive and work-friendly making it perfect for the evening. Unconsciously, her palms slid down the material, smoothing it in an effort to ensure she herself met her exacting standards for the evening. Everything appeared to be in place, thus, all that was left to do before the appointed hour was to ensure her staff knew their roles.

Gone was the Bluetooth headset she had used the previous year, near instant communication between all staff members was one of the issues that had been brought up in their debriefing. Thus, she has acquired a set of military-grade hardened headsets for use during the event. If things went well tonight, they’d be used in other applications throughout the year. Activating her unit, she systematically checked in with each staff member to both ensure the electronics worked and that things were in place.

The bells heralding in the hour change also indicated that the appointed hour for guests to arrive had come. With a satisfied nod, she spoke over the headset to her entire staff, ”Places, everyone. Let’s give our guests a night to remember.” With the connection closed, she made her way to the temporary command center she had set up in an unused room off the kitchen corridor. There it was both readily accessible while being out of the way of the guests. Once inside, she shut the door and crossed over to the table that had been commandeered for the occasion. Sinking into the unoccupied chair, she glanced over the various monitors, each depicting a different view of the manor and grounds. ”All is ready, Jerome?” she queried gently confident in the man’s ability to oversee security of the night. Receiving his reply in the affirmative, she leaned back to wait for their guests to arrive. She would join the festivities in a bit; first she wanted confirmation, via her own eyes, that everything was as it should be.

[Every]

outfit - 1 | 2 | 3 | 4
wrapped gifts

---

A lot had changed in the period of a year.

Perhaps that was why when Every stepped out of the limousine that had been under Mercy Devereux’s name, she hesitated briefly as she looked up at the mansion. A frown had crawled across her lips unconsciously as she took in the memories that floated back to her without filter. In a years time, the bonds that had been created over years had shifted in an instant, the connections that had been silently growing over a period of time had been strengthened. There had been smiles and laughter the night previously, even if Every had altered the photographs hanging on the wall to commemorate the memories to suit her own petty need to attempt and forget specifics. Not all of the changes had been for the negative. Although she wasn’t particularly one for it, change had brought growth - she was stronger, mentally and emotionally, for the mistakes that had followed some of those changes.

2018 had been a time of personal growth, even if she had taken some time for it. Although, as she caught sight of the woman that she possessed in the mirror to her left, Every exhaled to remind herself that she was there as the Devereux bond broker. She’d been invited by investors, and it had aided in her decision on going that evening. There would be information floating around, loosened by the lips of those that would be drinking. Even if it wasn’t said directly, keen senses allowed for overhearing things. And after the incident in the throne room where she’d compared Theodosia’s aura with Bancroft’s master… it was certainly something she wanted to check out herself. With the gifts tucked under her arm, Every pushed the door shut behind her after smoothing out her red dress. “This damn thing is so puffy.” She thought, making a mental note to add it to the pile of Mercy’s clothing that Every had no intention on keeping, ever, and would burn later.

Once the gifts were set under the tree and her coat removed, Every blended in with the crowd. A few of the early guests were not faces that she remembered from her connections, but some of the investors that recognized the body that she possessed. Nevertheless, when she was smiled at, Every returned it. Her green hazel eyes searched the bodies of the staff members first, taking note of the firearms present and shifted her attention to the partygoers, noticing the majority were disarmed. With every step she took further into the room, she made note of the exits and the entrances as she moved towards a window and looked out, quietly counting the moving patterns of the staff around the room. As always, there was a method to her madness and she made her observations.

Putting her hands together, she pushed her fingers together as if she were anxious, allowing her fingers to lace together as she looked over the room. It wasn’t entirely a surprise to see the representative of the Hebigumo Foundation, Ayuka Mori, to be missing from that evening's festivities. There was a half minded temptation to reach into the woman’s email out to leave a message, but she decided against it. “Seems as if they’ve all but disappeared since they were forced out of the Labyrinth…” She thought to herself, her eyebrows furrowing in consideration as she lifted her hand to brush her thumb underneath the curve of one red lip before smiling at one of Mercy’s investor - a doctor of some sort, if she remembered correctly, interested in the control of something a government employee was investing on - and his wife before she moved on.

[Game Master]

R O L E P L A Y + P R O M P T + ! ! !

Right as everyone is still arriving, a 'Jolly Old Elf' makes an appearance through an unseen door at the side of the ballroom. The staff had learned their lesson last year as this time the white bearded, Saint Nick, is accompanied by a pair of elves. As they wander through the crowd, the jolly man hands out strands of beads which glimmer like Christmas tinsel from his never-deflating bag to anyone within reach with a loud chorus of ‘Ho ho ho!’. Discreetly, a photographer followed behind the trio snapping random pictures.

Once his rounds were complete, Saint Nick and his helpers took their place in the sitting room, off the ballroom, between the two tall Christmas trees flanking one wall. During his walk, the staff had quickly set up a chair for Santa to sit upon. Taking the offered seat, the jolly old man directed his elves to place his bag within easy reach. The photographer took up position nearby to take photos of any who wanted to come visit the man in red. Aside from the photo, those that came to visit the head of the North Pole would receive a reindeer-shaped pin from the man himself and a candy cane from his elves.

The bespectacled senior elf, whom people in attendance last year would recognize, makes a brief appearance once Santa and his helpers are in place. He silently thanks the gods that the sound system appears to be in working order as his clip on mic, wirelessly tuned to the hidden speakers both in the ballroom and the courtyard outside (which the ballroom spills into), catches the sound of him clearing his throat. ”Ladies and Gentlemen, Santa, the busy man that he is, has decided to stay a while and visit.” His voice is oddly high pitched, which indicates the potential use of a synthetic augmentation device, or some skill in voice acting. ”If you’d like to visit, please make your way to the sitting room, just off the grand ballroom, where he and his helpers will be waiting. All photos taken will be of professional quality and are free of charge, though some may be used by various media outlets in the near future! Happy holidays!"

[Everyone who has posted thus far receives free 1,000 RPP!]
[Santa is a super busy man this evening so will only be staying a short amount of time. Get your pictures while you can!]

[Amalea]

Dress
Gift

It was odd to consider an entire year had passed since the last time she had set eyes upon the Mayor’s Mansion. There was very little that remained the same as it was last year. Amalea’s arrival was a testament to that; she had ensured that she would have a chauffeur for the evening rather than drive herself as she had done the previous year. It was one of the few welcome changes that had taken place over the three hundred and sixty five day period. There were many, of course, some good and some not so great, but each had had their effect on the red-head. There was no denying that 2018 had been a rather interesting year; Amalea, though, was hoping that the new year was much less dramatic than the current had been.

Silver shoes carried the woman up the steps into the mansion proper where she allowed the attendants to take possession of her coat. A quick glance at the mirror assured the human that her red free flowing tresses and light makeup were still as she intended. Hidden beneath her dress for the evening was her usual variety of weaponry given she was never without. Bearing her wrapped gift, another board game, she entered the ballroom with its impeccable decorations. Having placed her gift, she stepped away from the trees, taking a moment she paused to scan the crowd, wondering whom else had already arrived.

Her perusal of the gathered masses was temporarily halted by the arrival of one Saint Nick. Thankfully, though, the jolly man wasn’t accompanied by his sleigh and four-legged entourage as he had been the previous year. That had been an interesting, though ill-conceived, concept that Amalea was glad the staff seemed to have learned from. It gave her hope that the other issues that had cropped up last year wouldn’t be repeated this year. She had remembered her lessons from last year and had ensured she had taken all of her allergy meds before coming this evening.

Graciously, she accepted the beads that Santa offered her, tucking them into one of several hidden pockets; another byproduct of the previous years festivities. An eyebrow raised slightly at the announcement by the elf. Slowly, a smile tugged at her lips as an idea formed in her mind. As the party goers returned to their conversations, her eyes continued their aborted scan. The red-head wasn’t particularly surprised that Ayuka, the Hebigumo’s representative, wasn’t in attendance after the events earlier in the year. She had rather hoped to see the siren again, but she couldn’t fault the Foundation for staying away.

Spotting a semi-familiar face in the sea of people, she carefully started to make her way through the ballroom to greet the woman. As she drew closer, Amalea couldn’t help but giggle lightly. It was quite obvious to her that her query’s outfit had been found in the closet that belonged to her new body. It was far too poofy to have been chosen off the rack in a store by the woman. She supposed that it was to be expected as she knew only a small handful of people were aware of the woman’s new visage and identity. Nevermind that the former occupant of the body had been, or rather, still was via the new occupant, a very reputable bonds broker from what hse knew.

Sidling up to the woman, she smiled, ”Miss Devereux, I presume.” Her voice was light and soft so that none nearby would overhear. ”I dare say you look well tonight.” Hazel eyes twinkled merrily as her head inclined towards the sitting room, ”Perhaps I might entice you towards the festivities? I had the thought that perhaps a picture for the occasion wouldn’t go amiss.” The implication that it would be a nice replacement for the one taken last year was left unsaid.

[Zodiac]

She stared at the invitation long and hard while debating the matter. Last year had turned into a strange mish mash of things she still had not made satisfactory conclusions of all of it. It was also a turning point that put things in a spiral she was powerless to stop.

Several people she cared deeply for had vanished during the year. Was it the end result of vocalizing their displeasure at what was going on? Last year played out like a Mexican standoff. A strange way for a party that was promoting the Christmas spirit to turn out.

Of all the cards she had signed and passed out that night, only one never was turned in. Perhaps a blessing in disguise. Despite how curious she was on the subject of ‘Lady’ Ayuka, caution won out over the urge to seek the ‘woman’ out and try to learn more. Nothing of tactical value, of course, but she was sure those who fawned before her that night would have insisted otherwise. Like the Fae, the Drider could be a point of madness if the gypsy dwelled too deeply on it. To find oneself living among things she had been told of since childhood, and not a clue of what they truly were, their history or culture beyond the fact they did exist. Hell, wasn’t she herself such a thing now and even then, what background information she had learned was sketchy at best. Even the so called elders that managed to escape the Nexus were somewhat lacking (or reluctant) to tell the full story (and with no way to discover if it was truth or lies– did it matter?)

Elders? Anyone seen any of them recently? They lasted less time than they did the first go around on the immortality merry go round.

”Farts in the wind,” she thought while making a raspberry sound out loud.

She’d feel a lot better about going if Mordie was around. Not that she actually needed a bodyguard (Mordie seemed to think so) but if something unique or unusual happened, he would want to know. She had not seen him since that night of the party last year and she was used to him vanishing for periods of time, but never for this long and so had several others, which brought her back to the idea some of them have had ‘accidents’ of sorts.

Everything was not a conspiracy, but with so little evidence to go on, it was hard not to think of it that way.

So the decision remained. Zodiac supposed it would not hurt to do a quick round of the event. Pass out some info on her operations to some bigger fish in the business world. PR was PR and a chance at marketing and making some connections on this scale did not happen daily. She stood up and approached her closet to decide what to wear.

to be clear, Zodiac has not arrived yet, but will be there soon

[Zodiac]

Simple or amazing.

She went simple. A purple dress with black trim that stopped just below her knees, with matching heels and dark hose. She had done amazing last year in her full regalia and was ignored (”Peasants!”) Even her make up was simple. Frame those hypnotic eyes to perfection, but none of the patterns she would wear in the shops. After brushing out her hair and adding a small choke collar, she typed out a text. Why not, she reasoned, the woman said she wanted them to spend more time together.

Hey you.
I’m heading out to check out the Mayor’s Xmas party.
(I know you got an invite to it)
Come mingle with the business elite and make new friends among them.
So, if you want to join me and dazzle the masses with our presence, c’mon down.
If not, I will find you afterwards.
Love, Z

A quick spritz of her favorite perfume followed. A small bag that would serve as her purse as well sat waiting. Inside were numbered folders that she would pass out to business elite. Hiding under those was her favorite firearm and extra clips. (”Always be prepared.”) Her ever present straight razor rested in its favorite spot. Just as she left her place, she hit SEND on her phone. She did a quick stop enroute at the storage facility where her own toy drive was being managed. Zodiac had done food drives as well as toys discreetly since she was financially able to do so. Food and toys delivered to shelters and such anonymously for people in need. She let her nose guide her as she took one gift each from the boys and girls piles. Chemistry sets, with a microscope included in each judging by the weight of them.

”Who says boys don’t want to blow things up as well?”

*****

She parked and walked along the path to the entrance. Outside of the decorations and a bit less snow, the place was totally the same. The whole scene was a flashback of last year. She paused and took a calming breath before entering. She checked her cloak and took a spot out of the way of the flow of guests arriving and looked about to get an idea of the room. Who was there and the like.

One eyebrow arched slightly as one familiar face came into view. ”So it’s true,” she thought to herself as her eyes continued to inspect the crowd. ”The guilty always return to the scene of the crime.” No crime had actually been committed here last year, unless one counted Noelle stampeding the reindeers away from the party, but this was the beginning of a chain of events that plagued this town for the past year. And there was Amalea. She wasn’t sure who she was latching her claws into this time, nor did she care. Her, Every, and some others had already done their damage and are just now peeking out of their holes again (or was it she doing the peeking?). Whatever Theodosia was doing, no one was trying to stop it. She hoped whatever Amelia and the others got out of setting that ancient thing free was worth it. It only had screwed over everyone who didn’t think like they did.

As she continued to take in the area, she breathed deeply a few times, seeing what scents she might discover. Vampire, human, nothing like she had smelled those few moments when she ‘spoke’ to Ayuka herself last year. Either the driders were not here yet or else their business was done and had no reason to return. Again, this was not her problem anymore, despite the fact she had questions only someone like Ayuka could answer.

Seeing nothing or no one else she should be concerned about, she made her way to the tree and added her gifts to the ever growing pile. Amelia and her whatever was possibly debating getting in line for pictures, so she decided to get to work. Besides, if her ‘guest’ arrived, she’d insist on a picture. She remembered last year and inspected drinks till she found an area with drinks safe for her. She took a glass and was about to sip.

“Excuse me?” Zodiac turned and looked at the older woman standing there. “I saw you here last year. Someone told me you told fortunes for a living? How does that work in the current state of the economy?”

She smiled as she pulled a packet from her back. Between sign language and notes, she began to explain herself and the nature of her business to the lady.

Sorry for the split post.

[Game Master]

R O L E P L A Y + P R O M P T + ! ! !

As the string quartet finishes their song, the sound of lightly chiming bells fill the ballroom thanks to the sound system. Quickly and quietly, the staff clears the middle of the floor just in time for the entrance of several well-dressed gentlemen and ladies, all in matching outfits. The golden-gowned women line up beside their tuxedo-clad partners made an impressive sight. The sound of the bells fades leaving the ballroom dead silent for the brief moment it takes for Tchaikovsky’s Waltz of the Flowers to begin playing.

The real magic starts as the music took hold of the room. Together the dancers execute what could only be a well-rehearsed dance performance. It is quite clear that these are exceptionally trained individuals. As the number comes to an end, the string quartet resumes control of the musical duties.

The dancers, in a surprise move, instead of departing, disperse into the crowd. Each seeks out a partner from the gathered partygoers. The councilmen in attendance seem to be a favorite of the golden ladies. A young, raven-haired, man approaches EVERY offering her his hand as he requests the favor of this dance.

The same question is put to ZODIAC by a taller, more mature blond. His manners are impeccable as he greets her with a bow before making his offer.

AMALEA draws the eye of a brunette male only slightly taller than she this evening. His request for a dance is made quietly as though he is shy around the ladies.


[Sorry, ladies! No luck of the draw here since there's only three of you.

Anyone who joins between now and the next prompt, though, is welcome to write themselves being invited to to floor by one of the dancers.

Santa’ elves are starting to get twitchy so time is ticking! Get your pictures soon!]

[Licones]

The appearance of the invitation came as a shock to Licones. Although she'd lived in the city for close to 8 years, she had never been to anything close to a social event. Indeed, she barely knew that there WAS a mayor, much less who he was. It intrigued her, though. At one time, such parties were a regular part of her life. That was her old life. Before she chose to leave it all behind.

She stared at the postcard again, took a deep breath and said aloud. "yes, I need to go." From that moment, it was what kept her busy. Finding a dress, finding shoes. Hell, she had to find makeup. It was a challenge to find makeup to work. After all, she could not use regular mirrors. It had been so engrained into her that she could not reveal who and what she was. Otherwise going to a salon might have been an option.

Finally, the night arrived. Midnight blue cocktail dress, the sequins sparkling in the moonlight. Patent leather stillettos and a silvery wrap. She smiled inwardly. She would know no one there but it didn't matter. She grabbed a cab and strolled into the ballroom with a confidence that was reminiscent of a time long past. A time when flirting with politicians was a normal Saturday.

Drinks, and even a dance with someone she didn't know, but that was okay. He was a good dancer. She made her way into the side room where Santa was perched on a decorated stage. She had no requests. To simply be part of something with other people was all she'd wanted that night.

As the orchestra began Waltz of the Flowers, her mind brought her to the stage, years before. Pointe shoes and a costume and the music transforming her to that mystical land. She remembered the steps clearly, and twirled across a corner of the dance floor.

[Charlie]

Appearance

Drinks on someone else’s dime? Really, it was as good an excuse to attend as any. The opportunities to make merry in Harper Rock were far and few in between lately, and Charlie’d be damned if she didn’t jump at the chance. As the saying went, third time’s the charm.

(Her first Christmas in Harper Rock had been spent in agony: reliant on her sire’s vein, tucked away in a windowless room below ground battling death. Her second Christmas had been uneventful given she’d spent all of it behind the bar facilitating other people’s celebrations. Her sire had given her quite a marvellous ring to mark the occasion though—which she sported tonight—and had thus made it far more memorable than it would otherwise have been.)

Working at Serpentine meant the allurist saw her fair share of merriment night-in night-out throughout the year, but live concerts and spilled beer hardly held a candle to a ball at the Mayor’s Mansion. There was also the matter of her birthday—mortal and immortal alike. A birthday squared, so to speak. The nature of Jesse’s curse meant her transition from human to vampire had peaked a week after being bitten, and thus fell, almost poetically, on her birthday. When the bell tolled midnight on December 24th, Charlie could add another notch to her years lived column.

Twenty-five! (And counting, though with a necessary footnote ascribed to the latter two—and all subsequent years—in order to account for the liberty taken when using the word lived.)

Charlie had never had a life-long hankering to attend a ball or have her Tale as old as Time moment, but variety was the spice of life, new experiences the artery through which it was administered, and so she committed. Tonight she’d cleaned up beyond recognition, sparing no expense and allowing for every luxury. Her roots had been retouched for the first time in years and her make-up had been left to a professional’s capable hands. Her healthy glow—a blessing shared by few amongst their kind she’d come to learn—rendered a smooth porcelain finish that served as the perfect canvas for the bright red accents that softened the edginess of her attire.

After shedding her coat at the door and dropping off her gift under the towering Christmas trees, Charlie took a turn about ballroom.

Few stood out amongst the crowd. Those who did she recognised from newspapers, television, databases, and even—she noticed him on-duty stationed stoically by a doorway—Serpentine. There were no other Fforde to be seen yet, though that was to be expected. (In fact, the ’yet’ was an optimistic clause.) However, there was one very familiar face amongst the attendees, and she found herself drawn to it.

The announcement in regards to taking pictures with him had preceded her arrival, but it was easy to read the scene. Untucking her purse from under her arm, the allurist threw her hands over her head and—aware no one’s toes were at risk of being stepped on—beamed: “Santa! Baby!”