I see trouble on the way.

[lacquers]

Characters: Everyone! Yes, you too!
Summary: Mandy's Masquerade hosts a fantastic Halloween party with a costume contest, some very special cocktails, and a few other surprises.
Date(s): Late in the month of October.
Warnings/Notes: Please mark any threads that need content warnings.

Mandy's is looking a bit festive this evening. Arrayed with spiderwebs, pumpkins, and other ghoulish decorations, the interior resembles a spooky haunted house. Spooky, not scary! Everyone's invited to stop by and celebrate All Hallow's Eve with spirited drinks, excellent company, and a lot of that Magnus flair.

You can loosen up on the dance floor to Monster Mash, Thriller, Dead Man's Party, or maybe something from this list. The spooky sky's the limit! Visit the bar for one of several special drinks you won't soon forget. You can also sample some tasty and holiday-appropriate baked goods, courtesy of the other Mr. Lightwood-Bane. Finally, stop by the table with the MAGIC 8 BALL to learn a little more about your fellow partygoers.

---

Potions.
drink list

Siren Song
If you're a little tone-deaf, don't fret. This drink will turn you into a master at serenading. It won't actually give you the ability to influence anyone via magical means, but maybe if your song choice is apt, you'll woo someone either way!

Firework!
A drink that comes with a portable fireworks show hovering over its surface. Drinking it will give you the sensation of ingesting liquid pop-rocks.

Blacklight
Does what it says on the tin and makes the drinker glow under a black light. It's also kind of sour.

Frankenstein's Monster
This drink is quite shocking. Not dangerously so, but when you drink it, you'll have the impression of getting a tingling little jolt of electricity down your spine. It's aliiiiive.

To Be or Not To Be (A Daemon)
Drink this and you will find you've been magically swapped with your daemon. It only lasts ten minutes, but hey! You'll get to see how the other half lives. A note: you won't inherit one another's abilities!

---

Who Wore It Best?
costume contest

Congratulations to our costume contest winners!

In first place for individual costumes...

Rafa wins for his devilish costume and he'll be awarded 2 potions: the first of which will up his luck stat, granting him good fortune in an endeavor (it says "Deal with the Devil" on the bottle) and the second will up his persuasion stat, helping him to be more successful in an argument (it says "The Devil's Advocate" on the bottle).

In second place for individual costumes...

Nico plunders the second place spot and will be given a treasure chest full of chocolates that are rum flavored. Careful, they pack a bit of a punch and when consumed, they'll make whoever eats them feel especially happy. No sad drunks here!

In third place for individual costumes...

Zeke and his amazingly sunny costume are in third and he wins a sunflower plant that will never cease to bloom and seems to have a bit of a glow about it. Plus, perpetual supply of sunflower seeds?

In first place for couples costumes...

Magnus and Alec came first for their portrayal of... each other... and they win a pair of seemingly mundane t-shirts that say "Bennet" and "Darcy" on them. What's that about?

In second place for couples costumes...

Vex and Kenzi delighted with their take on the Addams' family patriarch and matriarch and won second place. As a prize, Kenzi will be given a shampoo and conditioner set that seems pretty innocuous until you check out the writing on the bottles: 'Have YOU ever wanted hair like Cousin Itt? Are you ever in luck!' Just a small amount will make her locks lustrous and smooth. Vex will be given a very lifelike and animated hand in a box.

In third place for couples costumes...

Rose and Kaz were drop dead gorgeous in their mafia-inspired garb. As prizes, they will receive the following: for Rose, a pair of magical die that make music when thrown, and for Kaz, a set of playing cards that are intricately illustrated with astonishing art that seems to move. Watch out for the face cards, they get very opinionated about your playing. They both also receive a chip that can be relinquished to Magnus for a small magical favor.

Comments

[deathkid]

[ laughing at the face she makes, he shrugs. vex is who he is and there's no changing that part of him, but nico can appreciate rosie's disdain. ]

You pretty much got it. He's also the god of travelers and thieves. So if you've traveled a lot, you'd fit in.

[deathkid]

This isn't particularly a night of [ finger quotes ] drunken revelry. Halloween has always been a time to celebrate the weakening of the boundaries between the mortal and spirit realms. Honoring the dead comes hand in hand with that.

[ another pause because he knows he's on thin ice. ]

I can pour some libations for her and burn a should, though I'm sure that or something similar was already done.

[astralera]

[ why not? Era gives it a shake.

What was your favorite thing to play with as a child? Why?

...

She will just... give it another shake. ]

'If you had to get a tattoo (no choice here) and it had to be larger than 3 inch by 3 inch, and you could never have it removed, what would you get and where would you get it?'

[ the tattoos many of her Scion companions have aren't the symbol of the Scions, but a symbol to show one is part of the Circle of Knowing. so that is out of the question... ]

...For myself, the Fortemps coat of arms, just above my hip.

[mordacita]

Now you begin to understand. In truth it has been some time since I have found any food truly appetising. Aside from ice cream, of course.

[mordacita]

But we would be rid of the smell, Rosie.

In the old days, they made jack-o-lanterns from swedes. They are more solid, less disgusting, and last longer. I recommend a return to form, personally.

[mordacita]

[ Rafa's eyes narrow. ]

Yes. That overly spiced mush. Did you ever wonder why it required so many additions before any would eat it?

[mordacita]

You can be spooky.

[ Rafa smiles at him. He has always liked that about Nico, along with the dark aura he exudes sometimes. It has never made Rafa feel afraid; rather, it draws him. Perhaps because he is not mortal. He doesn't really know. ]

Do you think any true ghosts will join us tonight, or will they be offended by our posturing? The humans once believed these costumes would scare the monsters away. I always found that amusing.

[mordacita]

A fair comment. Gods are allowed to be demanding, I suppose. Do you truly think it would be hard to find?

I think you could charm any one of them, if you put your mind to it.

[mordacita]

[ Rafa doesn't look surprised until that very last wish, at which point his face softens considerably. He hadn't known Alec was thinking about children.

But he would make a good father. That's very obvious.

He can't answer so quickly, or so certainly. But at length, he says: ]

For my world to be safe from D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. Then for myself, Shane, Hunter, and Hunter's boy to return to it, without incident or separation. And the last...

[ More hesitation. Then he lifts his shoulders. ]

For peace that lasts. The most impossible of all.

[ He looks up at Alec. ]

You are ready for children? Truly?

B

[mordacita]

[ Rafa lifts his glass with a smile, and without hesitation says: ]

Και σε εσένα, φίλε μου.

[ He takes a sip of his drink, the delightfully named Frankenstein's Monster. It immediately sends a little shiver along his spine, and he grins at Nico. ]

I must wonder at Italians who prefer Greek, you know. Our own tongue is so much sweeter, Nico.

[helical]

( alec smiles softly at rafa's enumeration. it's pretty much what he would have expected from his friend, and they're good wishes. in all of their differences, their desire to protect their loved one and see peace are shared. )

Good ones. ( he shifts a little on his feet, letting rafa's question hang before taking another sip of his drink. a hand comes to the back of his neck to rub at it. it's not sheepish, though. there's a lot they have to deal with, together, after recent events back home, and surely more to come and throw a wrench in any future plans they make. but alec has always wanted a family, and his certainty that magnus is the person he wants it with is ironclad. )

One day. Not yet, but — I don't want it to take too long, either. I didn't think it'd be possible before I was immortal. ( and now that it is, he hopes it doesn't take three centuries. )

[helical]

( ah, the vampire card. he looks aside and away, taking a breath and deciding not to comment on that. )

Is your friend in danger, is that why? ( that he'd understand somewhat more. )

[helical]

Really. Didn't notice. ( :| )

[helical]

You could definitely take advantage of it like that. If it's over five years, you could get one now anyway, then the other two in that span of time. ( so... shrugs. the answer's simple and clean, here!

also, you're tall, dude. and sharky. peers up.)

[helical]

Same thing. Wouldn't need to think about it. ( oh, and: ) Just Alec is fine.

[helical]

( ... he doesn't like this question either. )

I wouldn't really want to.

[helical]

It does. I don't know how either of you do it.

( always covered in... stuff. alec's usually wearing a max of two layers.

he rolls his eyes just a bit in response to the wink, but can tell it's meant to be friendly rather than flirty. even if it had been the latter, he knows vex is just vex and can't help himself. though a lecherous comment might have had him waving a hand and made vex spin on his heels to face the other direction, or taping his mouth shut.

might as well make use of having magic for a night. )

I didn't think we'd win anything... ( he does sound surprised. ) Just wanted to make it fun.

[mordacita]

[ Ah, there's that familiar shyness. Rafa has to smile. Alec might be dressed as Magnus, but those gestures make him unmistakably Alec. He touches his hand, gentle and affectionate. ]

Anything is possible. You would make a good father. Look at how you care for all around you.

[ He lowers his voice a little. ]

What does Magnus think? Have you told him how you feel?

[helical]

( why are u picking on his answer. he answered the question! that's the point of this thing! exasperated sigh.)

You asked a question, I gave you my answer. I don't see what that has anything to do with it.

[helical]

( he... does not like the sound of space cows. tbh. )

Right. Space sounds... interesting.

[helical]

( his thoughts were not entirely pure, which always gives alec a moment of brief concern that someone in the room can read his mind, until he shakes off the possibility. even if someone did, it's not like it's a crime for his thoughts to wander in that direction when slightly inebriated and toward the end of a fun party magnus threw while looking handsome in a less common way.

right. )

Wh — hey, stop! ( he waves a hand her way, looking over at where magnus is to make sure he didn't hear that. not that he's embarrassed that magnus will find out, but... almost chiding: ) He's busy with stuff.

( so he will keep a respectful distance until it looks like magnus is done entertaining and wanders back his way, okay!! he's so concerned about leaving magnus up to having fun doing what he loves he forgets to protest the cute comment. )

[helical]

( he forgot he was meant to emulate magnus for a bit there, but the conversation warrants a bit more honesty than playing pretend and teasing magnus by imitating him, so he's dropping it. something flashes in his face when rafa says he'd be a good father, but it's gone quickly. he really hopes he will be. he wants to be, especially with the simmering bitterness he feels toward his own. he wants to be better. )

Thanks. ( it's soft, but very grateful. he doesn't think he's there yet, not in a place where he could be the best father he could possibly be, but he thinks he and magnus will both know when they are. ) I have, yeah. Before we went back home for a bit.

( the smile that tugs on his lips is clear enough of a response on how that conversation went. )

Have you thought about that kind of stuff?

[smileslie]

[It's actually hard for Mandy not to laugh hysterically when she shakes the eight ball, because...well, Arthur at least will understand part of why. She does smirk, at least]

If you had to use a fake name, what fake name would you make up?

[astralera]

[ ...what kind of a question is that? she's no stranger to vegetables of all kinds, considering her love for botany. so she knows which one would be most apt for this - ]

...A Wizard Eggplant, I suppose.

[astralera]

[ she absolutely adores wearing colours of all kinds, but she's also practical. there are times in combat and war where you need to be stealthy. ]

...Black.

[ which she can brighten up with a wide assortment of colourful accessories! ]