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

[helical]

( that halloween had been the first time alec really wore a costume. he hadn't been sure about it, but he'd had fun. enough that he'd looked forward to a new idea for this party.

he sips at his drink, watches magnus in return, his gaze from a distance of before not changed in the least because magnus is closer. )

Was it a long time ago?

[lacquers]

[ That question seems to evoke some thought and Magnus hums a bit, gazing into his glass as if it's some sort of portal to the past. ] When was that?

[ Head cocked to the side, he hums a second time. ] To be honest, I can't remember when I started, but I think it was after I began getting more money from Shadowhunters. It's possible I was showing off a bit.

[ "A bit." ] It was fun.

[helical]

( alec laughs, still finding himself in awe of how fond he is of magnus, how much this type of thing makes him love him all the more. )

Of course you were. ( he doesn't believe that 'a bit' in the least, but it's ok. he loves u for it. ) Kind of deserved.

[lacquers]

[ Yes, "a bit." Extreme use of air quotes here. The way Magnus grins a little seems to indicate he knows his choice of wording isn't lost on Alec. He's fond too, fond of how Alec seems to know him and understand his eccentricities with ease. ]

Oh, maybe a little. I think it helped me earn a reputation. [ That among a lot of other things, some more welcome than others... ]

[helical]

As the most stylish warlock. ( or, yknow. other things, but that's the part alec wants to emphasize. )

[lacquers]

That's quite a feat, too, let me tell you. [ He inhales, shaking his head. ] Warlocks are by and large very fond of making an impression.

[helical]

Making an impression, or showing off? ( VALID QUESTION, OK. not that he's met that many warlocks. he's certainly never met any as... flashy as magnus. )

[lacquers]

Maybe a little of both, [ Magnus offers, by way of both confession and concession. ] Sometimes it's just simple advertising.

[helical]

Does the legendary High Warlock of Brooklyn still have to advertise? ( he'd be surprised. who hasn't heard of magnus bane? he's one of the most powerful warlocks there is.

don't mind alec, he's just inwardly fawning over this for a moment, which may be evident in the way he watches magnus after saying that, a mix of awe and pride. this is who he's married to, after all. )

[lacquers]

[ Magnus hums here, a bit of amusement on his expression. ] Not so much now, no. But I sometimes hear myself mentioned in a list of fictional characters and I admit to occasionally feeling the need to remind people I'm real in one way or another.

[ He looks at Alec again here, happily assessing that sweet look on his face. ] I'm only flesh and blood, not some mythical legend.

[ Alec would certainly know this better than most. Or perhaps better than anyone? ]

[helical]

Really? Fictional characters? ( that's kind of funny. he can see why, though, someone living so long and leaving a trail of wild stories behind... )

I know you're flesh and blood but some of your stories still feel... mythical in a way. Always magical, too.

[lacquers]

Yes, wizards from fantasy novels, usually. [ He gives a somewhat goodnatured roll of his eyes, grinning Alec's way. ] Do I look like a robe-wearing old man with a beard?

I could always grow a beard. What do you think? [ He's clean-shaven tonight to match Alec's normal look, but he strokes his chin where the goatee would normally be anyway. ]

That image might suit the stories more.

[helical]

You could definitely pull that off. ( both of these things, honestly. robe-wearing old man maybe might make him laugh, though...

he looks pretty gleeful as it is, reaching to touch magnus' upper lip with a thumb, as if tracing his usual stubble there. ]

You could get a fancy moustache. Make it curl at the ends.

[lacquers]

[ Brows go up, though not exactly in an incredulous way. More like...

Magnus is actually thinking about it. ] Well, that's a look I've never sported! Maybe I should try it on for size and see how it looks? [ He trails off a bit, as if asking Alec's opinion. ]

Fancy villain mustache or a ponderously long beard? [ He weighs the options in either hand, both now mysteriously free of drinks, before he sidles a bit closer to Alec and puts those hands on his husband's chest. ]

[helical]

( he was kidding, magnus lightwood-bane!!!! )

You'd really want to try that? ( his tone is light, almost curious. ) There's no style you wouldn't try, is there?

( while magnus' hands come to his chest, alec's hands come to magnus' waist. )

[lacquers]

[ He knows that much, Alec Lightwood-Bane. Probably. So hard to tell with this one sometimes, as Alec has astutely noted. ]

I'm of the mind that I should try everything at least once.

[ There are some exceptions, sure. But everything that doesn't involve harming others or himself, essentially. ] How will I know if I like it or not otherwise?

I might love a mustache on Freddie Mercury, but what about sporting one myself?

[helical]

( alec makes somewhat of a face at the name drop, but he's clearly not actually bothered. )

Freddie Mercury, huh? ( he looks thoughtful, though his eyes keep falling to magnus' lips. he's trying to place a proper mercury moustache there. he swears. that's all this is. )

I don't know, that was one impressive moustache.

[lacquers]

[ And in return, Magnus offers an apologetic expression that also has a bit of cheek to it. Sorry your hubby's such a character, Alec! ]

It was, one of the most famous in history, I'd say! [ He does not add a line about kissing people with mustaches.

Nope. He doesn't say a word about kissing, even if he sees that look on Alec's face. The one that makes him smile so. ] I don't think I could reach the heights achieved by such an icon, but I wouldn't count myself out of the running.

[helical]

You say that like you're not an icon of the Downworld.

( magnus absolutely is. come on. maybe not a legend, maybe not a wizened old man with a mile long beard, but definitely some form of iconic. alec would definitely argue that he is, at least, but he's biased. very much so. )

Now I kinda wanna see what you can bring to the table of historic mustaches.

[lacquers]

[ Magnus' brows rise a bit, more in pleasure than confusion. ] Is that what I am?

[ If anyone else had said that, it might taste differently in Magnus' mouth. A little sour. But from Alec? All sweet, without question. Because he knows Alec's speaking with respect and somehow being seen that way...

Well, it's nice. ]

Maybe we're on the verge of a great mustache-related revelation here, Alec!

[helical]

Definitely. [ it sounds like he's saying you're definitely iconic to me, which, well, is exactly what he's saying.

his grin widens, one hand smoothing magnus' shirt at his waist. ]

You think so? You've got to go for it, then.

[lacquers]

[ Why, oh why, oh why did the powers that be see fit to make Alec so, so adorable? Honestly, it's giving Magnus heart trouble.

Guess he better get used to that, huh? ]

I'm going to go for it, [ he says, very matter-of-fact. ] We'll see who wore it better once and for all: the world's most iconic popstar or yours truly.

[helical]

( alec purses his lips and shakes his head fondly. he can't even tease about freddie mercury, because there is absolutely no contest here. pretending that he would think freddie would win that challenge would be entirely unconvincing. )

I think you know my answer to that question.

[lacquers]

[ Kindly stop being so sweet, Alec. Magnus' heart, really. It's already so full as it is! ]

I think I have a slight inkling, yes. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever heard your thoughts on Queen!

[ Is there an educational opportunity about to present itself? ]

[helical]

I don't think I've listened to much.

( or at least not enough to feel like he has an informed opinion on their musical skills! besides, queen and Freddie mercury are iconic for a reason! )

But it makes sense they're so popular.