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.

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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!

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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

[dothelokimotion]

[ That is surprising. ]

Why not?

[hasitsthorns]

I've never wanted for wealth. I was a roadie, worked for a lot of rich rock stars. It doesn't really make you as happy as everyone hopes.

[ A pause, as she considers her next answer. ]

As for love, it's a many splendored thing! Totally. But it also leaves me way more vulnerable sometimes than I like to be. I would have totally chosen not to fall in love... if it had truly been my choice.

[ Feelings, man. Get ya' every time. ]

[dothelokimotion]

You could always choose to walk away.

[ As Loki had. But he could have gone back. Thor might have even let him come back. ]

[hasitsthorns]

Oh, I tried. Turns out, people get pretty upset when you try to leave them.

[ Of course, Rose had been choosing to walk away for all the wrong reasons. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki huffs, a thread of amusement. ]

Who would have thought?

[hasitsthorns]

Not me, that's for damn sure.

I've been told that's a problem I have though, not thinking. I prefer the term impulsive but. [ S h r u g. ]

[dothelokimotion]

Ah, but it is only considered a problem when it causes one for others.

[hasitsthorns]

Yeah. Funny how that works.

[ Though her tone suggests she doesn't really find it funny at all. ]

Either way, I'm not planning on running off again anytime soon.

[ Then again, she didn't 'plan' on doing it the first time either. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki shrugs casually. ]

I don't think I need any convincing.

[hasitsthorns]

Nah, probably not.

[ Rose is the one who does, most of the time.

A n y w a y. ]

You didn't answer the question, you know. What would you pick?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki grins, all jagged edges in his smile. ]

Was I meant to? I thought I merely had to share it.

[hasitsthorns]

I mean, you don't have to. But where's the fun in that, dude?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Fair enough. He's in a good mood. ]

Wealth holds little interest to me. But I have also never lived without it, so that would be my preference.

[hasitsthorns]

So you like the easy way in life?

[ It doesn't sound

very judgemental. ]

[dothelokimotion]

[ He frowns. Loki isn't particularly annoyed by that supposition and he's more than willing to let it lie, but he finds he does not like the idea, all the same. ]

Money does not imply ease. In my case, it merely implies a constant. Nothing more, nothing less.

[hasitsthorns]

Doesn't that seem... boring though? Constants?

I always like a little change now and then.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He purses his lips. ]

It depends. I am fond of chaos, but even I have limits.

[ Loki is still a God. Still of Asgard, in a way, and they change slowly. Only recently had the changes come at a rate that none of them were prepared for. Loki was still grappling with them. And some days, he doesn't see an end. ]

[hasitsthorns]

Well, I guess. All chaos all the time would be... a lot.

But I'm used to change more than most, maybe. Always moved back home, always liked finding new places to see. Eudio was the longest I stayed in one place for centuries.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki does not reply, taking time to choose his words with care. ]

Gods change slowly. The footsteps we leave behind are legend. We walk softly. And so we are unused to it, the fleeting hectic lives mortals lead.

[hasitsthorns]

[ It's a very... god-like thing to say.]

I love it, [ she admits.] Their lives are so short so they try to do... so much. It definitely has its downsides, sometimes, but I find it really exciting.

My people are kind of the same way as yours. Not gods, but. Long-lived. Not a lot changes and I couldn't stand it.

[dothelokimotion]

[ My people. Loki makes a mental note of it. ]

When you live among mortals, you are forever changed. Whether you expect to be or not.

[ Thor had changed. Violent, bright, undaunted Thor. Who went as a warrior and came back as a peace-loving hypocrite. It shattered Loki, in a way nothing else could. It wasn't his brother but a stranger. And at that time, at that moment, when his entire world was filled with strangers and enemies, it had hurt the most.

It hurts less now, but Loki no longer lets go. ]

[hasitsthorns]

Thing is? I was like that before I met any mortals. [ She gives a casual shrug, an air of detachment from the reality of the fact: ] A defective make, I guess.

[dothelokimotion]

You seem strangely at ease with that.

[ Or that's just Loki. Constantly out of sorts, constantly feeling an itch under his skin. ]

[hasitsthorns]

[ There's a hint of a smile at that. Does she? It's hard to tell after centuries of pretending she's alright with it where the truth ends and the lie begins. ]

Having two boyfriends probably helps, honestly. I can't be all bad if two people like me enough to want to stick around.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki grins. ]

I imagine with enough people, you can drown out just about anything.