henhursthall | OSTARA MASQUERADE

ostara masquerade

what's up? It's just after 7:00 PM when all those who decided to attend the mysterious masquerade begin to hear traditional Celtic music coming from the stairwells. If they follow it, it leads them to the mysterious 5th floor, where an opened door has appeared. Walk through it, and they'll enter another world.

Party-goers immediately find themselves in a mossy forest, where the trees are decorated with tiny flowing lights and a small stream is all that parts them from a path that leads them to a beautiful party deep in the woods. As soon as the hop over the stream, their outfits change and they're suddenly wearing masks that completely disguise them. Their new outfits are reminiscent of old Celtic dress with a hint of the fantastical, from long gowns to tartan to doublets. Flowers are abundant, both in their hair and on their masks, which are shaped commonly like spring animals. Rabbits, deer, lambs, and (of course) chickens. With the mask on, no one can recognize them, even if they otherwise should be able to by their voice or appearance.

There are giant toadstools that serve as seating, or they can lie down on a patch of moss. Drinks, which are plentiful, are served in large acorns or as improbable dew drops that retain their surface tension despite their size. If they want a snack, there are two bowls of bottomless eggs. The white eggs are the richest, most luxurious soft boiled eggs they've ever tasted. The rainbow colored eggs are a candy shell full of chocolate.

Meanwhile, beautiful snowy white chickens wander through the clearing, unconcerned by the humans.

A ?man? who must be one of the residents is teaching people to make Ostara egg charms: blow out an egg, paint it with something that represents your desires, and then either hang it up if your wish it about a person, or bury it if your wish is about prosperity.

visuals!

how this works! ⬥ How the Anonymity Charm works: Someone wearing a charmed mask is unrecognizable to those looking at them. While it can't immediately be determined who they are from their appearance or their voice, maybe something from their speech patterns will tip your character off — or something they choose to tell them.

⬥ Characters will know intuitively when they're speaking with someone they're related to, but they won't know the nature of that relation. For example, Rose Weasley would know if she were talking to someone she's related to, but she wouldn't know if it was Hugo, Roxanne, or Albus.

⬥ The party begins a little after 7:00 PM, and will last until 3:00 AM. If your character doesn't leave the party on time, they'll fall asleep and reawaken in their bed.

⬥ When your character does exit the party, they're still wearing the fantasy costumes the magic put them in, and they still have their masks, although they no longer disguise the wearer. Hopefully they weren't too attached to the "sexy" outfit they arrived in.

locations! ⬦ WHAT'S UP?: What did your character arrive wearing, and what did the magic of the 5th floor dress them in instead? What's your character up to tonight in general?

⬦ THE TOADSTOOLS: A patch of gigantic toadstools for sitting on, and baskets full of eggs and strange drinks.

⬦ THE WOODS: The woods are quieter, more private.

⬦ EGG CHARMS: Does your character make an egg charm? What are they wishing for?

⬦ SPIN THE CHICKEN: One of these chickens seems keen on facilitating a strange sort of spin the bottle. Pick up the chicken, set the chicken down, and it will choose a (supposedly) random person somewhere in the circle.

⬦ LATE AT NIGHT: The lights all dim, and it seems to be time to head back to the real world. Or perhaps your character already has.

⬦ OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Dominique -- though caught in this curious gaze like a net -- immediately glances behind herself when the woman waves. She can't really be greeting her.

Oh, yes she is! "Yeeeah you," Zso sing songs and waves them over. She prides herself on her intuition but she has absolutely no read on who this person might be. Intrigue! Danger? Maybe both. "Fancy a little chat?"

Edited (why so many spaces after??? grrr) 2021-03-21 01:59 (UTC)

Dom feels a little prickle of nervous energy, but pushes past it to answer the summon, stepping awkwardly closer in the bizarre medieval slippers the magic saw fit for this occasion. She can hardly say no. That would be rude.

"Hullo," she greets, sounding quite confident actually. But things go downhill from here relatively quickly. ".... Have you tried the soft eggs?"

Edited 2021-03-21 02:22 (UTC)

Hmm, not the best chat up line Zso's ever heard. She likes that. The last thing she wants is to be trapped in a conversation of her own design with a complete tosser. "I had a cheese toasty earlier," she explains and shakes her head. "Do you trust them? Big bowl of eggs at a masquerade party?"

The eggs were so sumptuous that it never occurred to Dominique to be suspicious of them. She smiles nervously.

"Well, it's too late now," she sighs. "I'll be whisked away by the fairies by morning."

"So long as you don't tell anyone your real name, you should be alright," Zso reassures, although she's really not so certain. She'll personally be keeping her identity extremely close to her chest, in addition to avoiding all food and drink—soft boiled or otherwise.

"Shall we give you a nickname?"

Is that how it works? Dominique's not particularly well-versed in either fairy tales or fey rules of conduct.

She considers, then shrugs. "The best ones are given."

Edited (my brain is making static noises ) 2021-03-21 23:53 (UTC)

Zso gives this person an appraising once over. While not purposefully malicious, it's none the less a bit intimidating. Especially given their marked height difference.

"Peter, maybe?" The doublet and leggings combination is giving her a vaguely Lost Boy vibe. "Or Pan, if you'd prefer."

Dominique shrinks a little under this scrutiny. Logically she knows that, whoever this is, they don't know her. Can't recognize her. Probably can't even see the bashful color in her cheeks.

But she glances down anyway, hiding, then out at the crowd.

"I like Peter," she agrees, softly. "Is it my turn now?"

Emboldened by her anonymity, Zso shifts her weight evenly onto the balls of her feet and straightens her spine. She loves attention—it would be pointless to deny it—but usually her fear of attracting the evil eye outweighs her vanity. But now she can be as vain as she wants with no repercussions!!!

She smooths her skirts and tilts her chin to just the right angle. "Yes, but be kind. I've been known to be a bit sensitive."

OSTARA MASQUERADE

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?

THE WOODS: An Observant Young Woman & who, me?