exsiliumlogs | [open] welcome to the masquerade

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[open] welcome to the masquerade

Date & Time: Friday the 7th, 4pm to midnight.
Location: Palace of Versailles, France, 1772.
Characters: anyone! Even characters not yet accepted as of when this log goes up. 8)
Summary: It's just some fancy masquerade dance with spiked punch.
Warnings: here be pictures, slow connections beware.

Welcome to Versailles.

The decorations are arranged, the food is prepared and laid out, the music has been rehearsed, and... most people have their costumes and masks ready. At precisely 1600, the Transporter machine activates, and a full room of people and all of their decorations, food, musical instruments, and costumes are sent back to 1772. The Palace of Versailles is in the height of its splendor, the weather is perfect and cloudless, and the gardens are in full bloom for the spring.

➣ Explore the Palace

Holy shit look at this, you have the chance to get your grubby little fingers all over history before it even becomes properly history. Do you know how many famous butts sat in all these plush velvet chairs? Or are going to sit in these plush velvet chairs? And they were all probably just talking the hell out of French, too. Wow. Go invade some bedrooms, poke your head into the kitchens (but no more than that, or territorial cooking elves might take offense), just. Touch everything. Everything. Just know that where ever you are, there's no escaping that beautiful music your fellow Transports are inflicting on you, that shit's just echoing all over the place tonight.

➣ Admire the Gardens

Jeez look at this, these people just had way too much money. But you get to benefit from it! You can basically just get yourself lost for hours here, so try not to starve or anything. Meet all the statues, go streaking through the fountains (please don't, no one wants to see that), get lost and desperately burst through cute little trees in your increasingly frantic attempts to find the exit. There's all sorts of fun you can have!

Just don't wander too close to the edge of the grounds, or you'll encounter (run into?) the invisible forcefield set up to keep wandering guests from utterly ruining history. That's probably a good way to get yourself a bloody nose.

➣ Enjoy the Banquet

There's tables and tables of this finger-licking good finery here, and it's all for you. And can you believe how fancy it is? Oh my god, those sausages have adorable little spears through them. And those spoons gently cradling their cheesy goodness? Yeah. They're made of crackers. And don't even get me started on these desserts. This is amazing. You've never eaten this good. And naturally, each drink (some of which are spiked, you're welcome) has adorable little frozen flowers in the ice cubes. Who even comes up with this stuff? Elves, that's who.

[[ HEY LOOK: AN OVERFLOW LOG! You're not required to move your threads there, but you're welcome to, in case this entry is getting difficult to load for anyone! ]]

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[ DANG KOLTIRA, LOOKIN GOOD GURL is about the line of admiring thought here, until Ashraf takes note of that look of pain. And he totally knows what that means. There's a quick round of calculations here as he thinks back to the last time Koltira had had a fight, and — it's not good results. So he hurries forward, already looking concerned. ]

Koltira— are you well? [ like you don't already know, Ashraf. ]

[YOU KNOW YOU LIKE IT, ASHRAF.

He is the precise opposite of well--but he's just not ready to admit it yet.]

I'm fine. Go find a nice woman to dance with.

[ Ouch, bro. He manages not to wince, but really, it must be pretty bad if that's the new greeting. He ignores the suggestion entirely, instead moving up next to Koltira with a hand for his forearm.

Low: ] Should you be here, my friend?

[Koltira shrugs him off; grinds his teeth. Sorry, sweetie, it's not him, it's the drugs.]

You are not my keeper.

[ His hand hovers for a moment, unwilling to just give up — then waves slightly as he aligns a blessing with Koltira. It should soothe a little bit, at least. And then he drops his hand back to his side. ]

No, but I am a friend concerned for your well-being. [ And, you know, everyone else's too. ]

[It is a very nice blessing, and the crease between his eyebrows lightens just slightly for a few moments. But he is truly on the precipice here, and a moment later he's clutching his temples, in both pain and agitation.]

You need not be. I have full mastery over myself.

[for the moment.]

No, I know that much. You would not be here, were it otherwise. [ He hopes. ] It is only you that I am concerned for.

[ He watches him a few seconds longer, not at all happy with what he sees. The blessing had done basically nothing, and recasting it now, before it's run out naturally, would have no additional effect. He holds back a sigh. ]

Will you accompany me to the gardens?

[Koltira stares him down for a few moments.]

You only want me away from the crowds. [because you don't trust me, being the silent implication.]

[ And he stares right back, long past the point of being any kind of uncomfortable with that glowing stare. ]

I think being away from them would soothe you somewhat. If I am wrong, then I withdraw the suggestion.

[Koltira looks away, because Ashraf is not wrong.]

Fine. I will go with you. Lead the way.

[ He almost smiles, but doesn't quite manage it. So instead he turns, starting for where he remembers the door to the gardens to be. He goes silently, preferring to get to what's on his mind when they're in relative privacy. ]

[Koltira follows in sullen, obedient silence, looking around him as he goes. Magnificent as his homeland was, he has to admit that there's more than a little splendor to this place--and that the gardens they eventually find are lovely, tranquil, and manicured. Were he not so beset by his own pain, he might even appreciate them.]

[ He stops only when they're among the greenery, and moves to take a seat on a marble bench in a quiet corner, trusting Koltira to join him on it.

Almost immediately: ] I'll speak with the Initiative as soon as we return. I am certain a mission can be arranged for you.

[he sits, albeit awkwardly, his coattails fanning out on the seat. He pulls at his ornate gloves, frowning.]

I forbid it.

[ That sets him temporarily at a loss, and for a second all he can do is blink at him. ]

I... Why?

Because I will not go.

[ koltira what is... wrong with you... ]

Then... I ask again, why?

There are too many threats here. I cannot go on missions, not with Arthas stalking about.

[ He pauses for a moment, gathering his next reply. ]

There are others who might look after him.

[firmly, because he super doubts that.]

None that I know of.

[ oh come on now Kolts, really. He purses his lips, but refrains from any kind of a flippant answer. Just because the route is obvious to him, doesn't mean it's obvious all around. ]

Yours is not the only strength the Initiative has gathered, Koltira. And even then, it would be many versus one, and a short trip besides. This can be managed.

It is not a matter of strength. Most of the residents here do not take Arthas for a serious threat. They can't be trusted to understand the gravity of his presence in Exsilium.

Alright. And then what if you stay to oversee him, and if the Initiative has no group missions planned for us in the near future? What does that mean for you?

[ He can guess what it means, and he clearly remembers the solution he'd employed last time for it. He'll do it again, if he has to. ]

It means that I must simply restrain myself.

[no problem, right? Right. He winces.]

[ And Ashraf just. stares, so flatly. ]

I hope it hasn't escaped your notice that your suffering causes your friends endless worry for your sake, as well. I may trust you to retain control, but that makes me no happier to see you like this.

(no subject)

deadelfwalking - 2012-12-15 21:27 (UTC) - Expand

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