Open: In a shout of joy at the only shrine where you come benighted and leave benign

[vineleaves]

Dark has come and gone again, which means it’s time to party.

In some ways the party is very similar to last year’s - same large banquet room in the mansion, a similarly large abundance of food and drink, and the promise of a night full of letting loose for everyone in attendance. It’s far from a direct clone of the previous party though. For starters, Dionysus has had Claudius help him in all of the planning (sometimes a god’s blessings come in the form of enrichment for one’s enclosure). They’ve gotten several of the mansion’s residents to agree to play live music during the night, and Dionysus was able to find some, ah, more widely appreciated CDs to play during the breaks between performers.

The room has been decorated to the nines again, but where last year he had green vines draping on the walls diffusing the glow from the twinkling fairy lights, this year he has strung up swooping vines of silver, glittering almost like tinsel. The large food tables have an almost ridiculous amount of things to munch on; there should be something for everyone there.

It should go without saying that the beverage tables are well-stocked, considering the host.

The festivities are starting a little earlier this year than last, out of respect for those who may or may not have earlier bedtimes. Come dressed in your finest, it’s a yearly tradition now!




Just as there was last year, there is to be an ‘after party’. If your character is part of the standard Orgy Invite Crew, they will have received another invitation to that half of the evening as well. Just like last year, this part of the event is to be handwaved, for obvious reasons.

Comments

[vineleaves]

Dionysus can be found all evening greeting people as they arrive and generally sort of flitting around, making sure everyone is having a good time, that they’ve got whatever they need, and that their glasses are never empty. He was able to find a beautiful silver beaded dress with sleeves that reach the floor (and look, he thinks, really impressive whenever he’s using his powers). His hair has been styled in a lovely updo with a few curls purposefully placed to frame his face just so, and the vine leaves in his hair are silver to match the theme.

[minor_variation]

Gaheris has never been to a party without Gawain before, because no one has ever invited him to a party at all. Usually what happens is that Gawain gets invited, and he brings all them along, unless Agravain is feeling surly and obviously is a danger to himself and everyone else, or unless Mordred has something better to do, or unless Sagramore has a seizure to recover from -- all right, so usually it's just Gawain and Gaheris, and Gaheris tries to stay out of the way and keep his mouth shut and just watch Gawain being charming.

But he likes Dionysus, and also he has that luck potion, and girls, he's pretty sure, are often seen at parties.

He turns up in a suit the closet made for him, which seems incredibly modern and sophisticated, and hovers shyly by the drinks table, the vial of Liquid Luck in his pocket.

[sagramore]

Given the occasion, Sagramore has a dressy ensemble; his beard is neatly trimmed, his hair is long enough that he has it back in a braid tied off with burnt orange ribbon; he's wearing his dog pendant, and a pair of earrings that Sunny picked out for him. The sleeveless mesh shirt shows off his tattoos: the constellation over his heart, the music on his ribs, which shines bronze and blue, and the sicanje on his right arm.

It's a special occasion, and he's been sober for so long, that he reasons one glass of champagne is all right. After all, he does still have a brandy now and then, with Laertes for accountability. One drink at a party -- it should be all right.

[sagramore]

"Sweet-heart, thou art radiant!"

[futaille]

It's the first real event since Grantaire found himself proposing, and he knew right away something that would make Dionysus happy, that being choosing his outfit. And it absolutely worked.

Therefore, he's in a bedazzled jacket, over a black shirt with the top few buttons undone ("It's an attractive amount of chest, love!"), with well-tailored black dress pants and some silvery vine leaves twined among his curls.

He's not sure if it quite makes him a co-host or not, but he'd be happily doing rounds anyway, wineglass in hand and delighted smile on his face.

[biteybaby]

Sometimes people tell Sunny that she's going to a party, and it's really fun, like the Galad party that Magnu threw back before the wedding happened. Other times people tell her she's going to a party and it turns out to be incredibly boring and just a bunch of grown ups standing around talking, like the actual wedding had been. She doesn't know what to expect from this party, but she has been promised that when she's ready to leave, or when it's her bedtime (whichever comes first) she gets to go home with Magnu and he's going to babysit her, so she's excited about that part.

She is wearing a new party dress and has a bow clip sweeping her hair back to the side instead of in her usual ponytail.

She brought Second Quigley to play with and he's got on a pink dress too, a phrase which here means "Sunny put several pink beaded stretchy bracelets around his soft little doggy torso".

[keep_the_peace]

There's a few moments when Benvolio first enters the party and looks around at everyone where he is incredibly self-conscious about the outfit he selected for the party, and wants to leave. Then he notices the drinks table and finds he doesn't care anymore. It's going to be a fun night.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"You'll be the new lad from Camelot, then?" Susan asks, snagging a third glass of champagne. She's in a sleeveless royal blue halter gown with a low back that frames all her best assets remarkably well; the hair that's usually braided in a crown or brushed, shining and smooth, down her back has been wrangled into an updo with soft curls framing her face. The matching stole - to ward off any chill she might encounter between her rooms and this one - has been long since abandoned on a chair on the side of the room.

[summerdude]

For once, Magnus is fully enthused for a party... mostly because he has a clear exit strategy in the form of a little sister with a strict bedtime. He lets Sunny and Alex dress him up, so he's wearing a very loud shirt with the pinnacle of dressy pants: khaki slacks (slimline, with a front crease and a narrow belt that Alex forced him to put on). Obviously, hiking sandals are completing the look. As usual, he'll be a wallflower and/or bopping around on the sidelines with Galahad unless someone drags him into activities or shenanigans.

[sporesprouter]

The dress that Tress's closet provided her is fancier than anything she normally wears, but the end of Dark is a special occasion, and it fits well enough, so it's fine. Like the last time, she's grown a verdant vine to braid into her hair, with the addition of a necklace fashioned with a braid of a few more. Dark went so much better overall than the last one. It's absolutely a reason to celebrate.

[vineleaves]

Dionysus wraps his arms around Sagramore's waist and goes up on his tiptoes to give him a kiss. "Thank you, love! You look --" there's actually a lot of different adjectives bouncing around in Dionysus's mind right now as he leans back enough to rake his eyes over Sagramore's outfit, his gaze getting particularly stuck at the point where the mesh of the top meets the waistband of his trousers, showing off the line of hair there... "This is a very, very nice outfit. You look fucking hot."

[involuntaryturncoat]

Asmodean, of course, is one of the musicians that has been recruited to play, and he happily does so, choosing a few pieces which he plays with a variety of instruments. Thankfully, though, there is plenty of other music to be had, which leaves time to enjoy the refreshments and the mingling.

He's wearing a slightly different silhouette than usual, the color matching the freshly redone streak in his hair. He's certainly more relaxed now than he was at the previous year's bacchanal and is actually quite enjoying himself.

[vineleaves]

At some point Dionysus comes up and hugs Grantaire from behind and whispers something fairly dirty into his ear (or, as close to it as he can get, being several inches shorter) about how nice he looks with vine leaves in his hair, and what he's planning on doing later once the after party starts. You know, normal behavior.

[futaille]

Asa Dionysus goes on, Grantaire leans back against him with a laugh. "Pity you're needed for hosting duties or I'd drag you away now."

[biteybaby]

Sunny runs over to Smodean and lifts her arms up for him to pick her up. "Smodean! I like you shiny outfit!"

[involuntaryturncoat]

He smiles and sweeps her up. "Thank you, Sunny. No one's opinion matters more. And you look lovely as well."

[temnota]

Aleksander had survived another Dark and he was absolutely jubilant about it. He'd dressed up for the occasion and was happily circulating around the room. He'd had a few glasses of champagne and was feeling happy and in love with the world. Tomorrow's fears were for tomorrow - tonight was for joy.

[sagramore]

Sagramore beams, gazing down at him. "Well, it is a orgy, I wanted to dress suitably."

[sagramore]

"Oh, thou lookst so good--" He has a glass of wine for Asmodean in one of the set breaks. "It's so good to hear thee play."

[sagramore]

"Art thou having fun, little rabbit?"

[involuntaryturncoat]

Asmodean walks up to Aleks with a smile. "Congratulations on making it through the season again."

[involuntaryturncoat]

Asmodean takes the wine with a grateful smile. "Thank you. Although, speaking of looking good..."

[minor_variation]

It takes him a moment to clock that he's the one being addressed, because why would he be? And then his gaze lands on her, all of her, and his mouth just hangs open. "L-lady?"

[minor_variation]

Oh God, oh Jesus, she's so pretty. Gaheris quickly turns away, hoping to find a quiet space to dart into for a moment's hyperventilation, and promptly walks into a wall.

[biteybaby]

Sunny thinks it's cool that her Apu is wearing an invisible shirt, and also that he got her to help him pick out earrings. They're flowers, because he likes flowers, and they're dangly because that means they are fancy. Fancy people wear dangly earrings.

When he asks her that, she nods (not wanting to be rude at this slightly-boring party), and asks, "Apu, um, canst help me get snacks? Table is too big." Then she remembers that this is Sissy's party and Claudi's party, and adds, "Unless everything is jello. If it jello I just wait until Magnu take me home." You can never be too careful.