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

[linny]

I have to gather my own ingredients too.

[ He nodded in understanding. ]

Which crafts?

[astralera]

Goldsmithing, leatherworking, blacksmithing, armorsmithing, weaving, alchemy, carpentry, and culinary. I fish, mine and harvest to supply myself with materials.

[ she thinks that's all of them... ]

...But those are all secondary to my combat training.

[linny]

That's.. wow, you're very talented!

[ Because honestly, that was a lot! He couldn't even imagine having the time to dabble in all of that, she was clearly impressive. ]

Combat? What kind?

[astralera]

I am a quick learner, though would not say I'm talented in all of my crafts.

[ ...just sort of passable. She tries to work on them during any downtime she gets but that's a rare thing to get tbh.

Era gives a small shrug of the shoulders and a wave of a hand, feeling awkward. While she's fine with admitting all that she's skilled at (she worked very hard, after all) she doesn't really talking about it. ]

Any kind.

[linny]

Swords? Bows?

[ Was she really able to do anything? ]

[astralera]

Yes. Greatswords, longswords, katanas, rapiers, daggers, and bows.

[ a beat. ]

...Spears, axes, knuckles, grimoires, codexes, astroglobes, rods, canes, and guns.

[linny]

[ s t a r e ]

That's... very impressive.

[ Link might feel intimidated if he was the sort to compare himself to others, but he wasn't. As it was, he was just stunned by Era's apparent ease at wielding any weapon that comes her way. ]

Astroglobe?

[astralera]

[ an astroglobe is kind of... hard to explain... so she'll just pull hers out (from where? we just don't know) and keep it drawn for Link to examine. ]

[linny]

Oh, what does it do?

[astralera]

Draws on the power of the stars. Primarily it is used for healing, or gifting someone with temporary enhancements using cards of the arcana.

[ she'll draw a card ^{(beware the loud music)} from those orbiting the globe, glance at it, then toss it away, allowing it to dissolve into light. ]

I cannot choose which card I draw, but I am able to find a use for most all of them in combat.

[ and then she puts it away (where??? ?? it is also a mystery) so as not to draw unnecessary attention to them. ]

[linny]

[ Link stared at that display with interest. ]

I've never seen anything like it! Power from the stars...

[ Era you are blowing the poor hero's mind. ]

[astralera]

While not my favourite method of healing, but it is certainly the most aesthetically appealing.

[ she's not a fan of rng. and would much rather pew pew pew everything between healing people... ]

[linny]

It was pretty, in a way.

[ Link was used to weird glow-y technology so he wasn't too shocked.

Of course, at this point he now falls into awkward silence. Socializing is hard, okay? ]

[astralera]

I agree. It is one of the flashier of the magic disciplines.

[ silence is good! but she is also kind of a nerd. and likes to share knowledge of one of her favourite things ever - MAGIC! ]

...The woman who taught me came from afar, breaking the law to spread the knowledge of astromancy to Eorzea.

[ she was fucking hardcore. ]

Her father had tried to do the same decades past and was assassinated for the attempt.

[linny]

[ Geez, Era. Assassinations weren't the best party topics, but Link rolled with it. ]

Why was it against the law? Is there danger from taking power from the stars?

[astralera]

[ what are good party topics??? she thought this was a pretty neat one. also suited to spoopy creppy halloween! ]

She was from Sharlayan, an isolationist city-state who hoards all knowledge and dislikes sharing it with Eorzeans. They did not approve of sharing knowledge of astromancy with astronomers in Ishgard.

[linny]

That's a shame. She must have been very brave to teach you despite laws.

[ THIS IS A TERRIBLE PARTY TOPIC. ]

[astralera]

She is. And she is a very good teacher.

[ no it's gr8 omg. leveva is awesome so obvs the topic must be too. ]

Are you trained in combat?

[linny]

[ His smile was slight and he nodded. ]

Yes, I am. Not as... prolific as you are, but. Swords and bows, halberds and spears, shields and magical rods. I trained to become a knight for the princess of Hyrule.

[astralera]

That is still quite a range of knowledge.

[ a princess? so... similar to the Sultansworn then! ]

You would likely be classed as a paladin in my world. Sworn protectors of those who cannot protect themselves.

[linny]

Thank you, but if you can keep a secret... I like cooking better than weapons.

[ He admitted, slightly sheepish. ]

But only death would stop me from protecting others. I couldn't retire even if I wanted to, though I don't think i'd ever want to.

[astralera]

I prefer healing and botany.

But I am the same way. I can do what others cannot, and will continue to aid until I'm no longer able.

end? :D

[linny]

[ He nodded in agreement, his smile gentle. ]

Me too.