Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Official Masquerade Topic - Winter 2020

Alfred's eyes grew when he saw Cassia draw near and he quickly turned to grab something to put in his hand in a panic. The first thing was a goblet of wine and he pretended to sip it, through his mask. What was he doing? At the sound of her voice, he turned around.

“Ah-- Yes. Thank you!” Alfred raised his glass to her and cleared his throat again. It was something he would have to keep doing to ward off the raspiness. “I’m Alfred. And.. You are?” He never found himself to be so confident, though he had never gotten the chance to find out. He felt giddy and he had yet to have any wine to blame it on.

Guests part, staring open-mouthed as Cosmic Spectrolite trots through the crowd and approaches the rose. The rose glows brighter, almost seeming to greet the alicorn in its own way. The longer he gazes on it, the stronger grows the compulsion, to rear, to gallop, to frolic -- to do something a little wild. And oh, this joyful feeling! Why would anyone ever want to let it fade? Perhaps there is some way to capture it forever. Perhaps if one pressed themselves against the rose? Perhaps if one even ate the rose, they would feel this joy forever and ever and--

"Please, rise," the duchess says to the Sword. "We are all friends here, and you are most welcome." She gestures to the approaching Dragoness. "See? Already you are attracting new friends."

Meanwhile, the lone snow cloud continues to follow Aspen around. But oddly, the dusting of snow trailing behind him seems to spell out a rhyme…

Party goers! Speak unto me
Original poems three
Or only snow will I give to thee

The cloud puffs out an extra flurry of snow onto Aspen, as if to emphasize that he will continue to be its lone target until it gets what it wants.

The Sword's stance faltered upon hearing Nebular's question. He hesitantly rose. "I, ah--bowing to you, my lady? Out of respect?" His hands nervously went to his sash again, until he was approached by a new lady in the guise of a dragon. "Ah, th-thank you," he said, his shaky fingers touching his mask gently. "Aye, I have come from far corners--or so I think. For honestly I can't say where we currently are ..."

Elora was trying to keep her mouth shut. Every time she tried to say something, it came out as a song instead. Against her better judgement, she took another sip of her wine, and as she did, an idea began to form in her head. She suddenly had an idea of how to fix this, but it was going to be tricky to pull off.

Since she was still hanging out with Cassia, she figured she'd try singing to her first. "I think this night might be more fun if I had your mask and you had mine," she sang, fighting hard to hold back her embarrassment. "Care to trade, if just for a little while?"

The spirit's entrance was swift and silent, unsure of whether they yet wanted to stay. Despite their walking form, they seemed to hover everywhere they explored. Their pale eyes scanned the room from behind their mask, a delicate smile blessing their face. They quite enjoyed the aura the room was presenting them with and the positivity they felt.

They clipped their lantern into their belt, but did not remove their cloak. They kept their mittens on their pale hands, adjusting the skates hanging from their shoulder. They dared not approach anyone, slightly afraid of what may come of it. If someone were to approach they would gladly interact, but if not then they were most likely to fade away into the night once more.

A smile graced her face at The Sword's response, only to fade slightly as she shook her head in agreement. "Nor do I," she mused. "But it's quite pretty. ...Have you come alone?"

"Oh- but what have I done to earn your respect? Have we met already?" she put a hand to her chin, pondering what this could mean. Nobody had ever bowed to her back in the village- perhaps this was something everyone did around here? And perhaps that was why she went unacknowledged before? "...Hrm. Should.... Should I be bowing back..?" She asked slowly, hoping not to make The Sword uncomfortable.

(Sorry that I was gone!)
Yukina looked over at the spirit, then gave them a friendly smile. She walked over to see them. "Hello there. I'm guessing you are the shy type? If so, I'm alright with it!"

"Why, you're at my Winter Gala, of course! Where else would you be?" the Duchess interjects smoothly, answering and yet not answering the question that the Sword and the Dragoness seem to share. "And you, my dear, have our respect until you do something to have it withdrawn," she answers The Nebular. "But bowing or curtsying couldn't hurt, to show the same to your fellow revelers..."

Gustav let out a laugh, "I can see that! I wouldn't consider it a bad thing though, you're fairly good at it" he complimented, though the music was rather enticing he never really considered himself much of a dancer. But, he figured tonight would an alright excuse to lighten up a little bit, "I could help you in breaking the spell but would you prefer if I joined?" he asked. It was admittedly a risky move but what could be the harm in just dancing, after all this was a gala and the music surely wasn't playing for nothing.

They looked upon the girl who had approached, and offered an equally friendly smile. "I suppose thats what many would assume," They spoke softly, quieter than usual. They didn't want to attract attention where it wasn't wanted or wasn't needed. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," they bowed slightly, cloak following their movements.

Much to his surprise, regret didn't fill the void left behind from the shadow. Instead the joy of the rose washed over him, restoring the light he knew as a colt.

A smile showed as he bobbed his head a few times. Suddenly he kept into the air and flew circles over the guests, dancing and spinning in a graceful display. The flight ended over the rose when he spread his wings and a flash of magic rushed over the area, blessing all with the crystalline beauty of winter. To never let such joy fade again.

Once his hooves touched the ground, he looked around sheepishly before regaining his noble composure. " Pardon me...I...don't know what came over me"

Torie smiled some at the compliment. "That is thanks to boredom and a dance instructor being the only person around...." He had random times of doing things out of the blue, like learning to dance. "If you'd like you can join!" He smiled. "I am not picky about dance partners."

The Sword shifted uncomfortably under Chiffon's questioning, until he was saved by their host's interjection. "Aye, lady--'tis a manner of etiquette." He smiled faintly, a crooked little expression that was a little warped on the left side. "I ... I came alone, aye," he told the Dragoness. "Though I'm looking for someone." Green eyes scanned the dance floor and the field beyond the twinkling lights. "I have come in search of the Sun."

This mysterious mission, however, is interrupted by the cloud that had chosen Aspen as it's unfortunate victim. "Well, I'm no wordsmith, but well, let's see ...
There was an old sword on the wall,
Who lives … who did live each day standing so tall--nay, growing greyer than … growing white as a funeral pall,
He … lives to defend,
But then in the end,
Is that really living at all?”

It came out a little more depressing than he had intended, and it is followed by the sheepish return of his lopsided smile.

Aspen wasn't sure what to think of this snow cloud following him around, but it was starting to annoy him. He kept thinking that it was his ice magic tricking him, but his hands weren't cold. As soon as the Duchess stepped away from him and the other guests, Aspen looked away. However, he didn't mind the snow too much. He stepped outside and looked at the moon above him. Aspen smiled as the cloud continued to follow him and disappear into a puff, leaving snow behind. He grew used to it eventually. He saw some other guests outside, talking and dancing away. Aspen smiled and watched on for a bit before looking back at the moon.

"Oh, it's more of a blanket term? I s-" her sentence was interrupted by the dramatic display of Cosmic Spectrolite, resulting in a slight panic on her part. "Gah-" she shook her head, impressed by the wonderous creature she had seemingly missed. She sensed an odd familiarity in them, perhaps something the Arcana had sensed? Either way, she excused herself and made her way over towards it, despite having no real plan. Even just a closer look at them would be appreciated, but ideally she'd be able to think of an approach soon.

The duchess' eyebrows lift high, and for the first time, a look of doubt crosses her face. "You seek... the sun? At a moonlit, winter gala? I wish you luck, friend. I think you may need it. Though I see you are a quick wit!"

Having received its first poem, the snow cloud seems to puff up larger than before, almost as if it is growing fat and happy. The flakes it continues to rain on Aspen grow more elaborate than before, so that it is almost possible to see their grand structures with the naked eye.

Amusement lit Cass's eyes as she watched the being.. Was it a man or some other type of creature? She had yet to discern that for the strange mask, but in any case he seemed to be a bit disconcerted by... Her of all people. She almost glanced around to figure out why he'd be nervous. But then she just chuckled and pointed at his drink. "If you actually taste that you'd be amazed at the depth of its fruity flavor. It's not too dry, not too sweet, but the notes are so smooth and airy. Truly." Her words were earnest as she offered her thoughts after her own sips.

"-and If I told you my name I'd commit the same faux pas twice in a row. I can't be expected to do that you know, if word got back to my family, well I'd be stuck in more stifling lessons than you could dream of." She paused, her gaze caught by the snow flurry yet again and the strange words it spelled out. Realizing she wasn't being polite she turned and inclined her head at Alfred. "It is a pleasure though, and I'm sure I must give you some sort of name, so you may call me Cass. That's not telling too much, I dare say." She almost winked but then thought of her mother's appalled face and settled for a smile before gesturing toward the unfortunately Aspen. "Perhaps... We should help him? Might you, under that mask of yours,have a bent for poetry?"

Elora looked up as a strange creature flew over the gala, showering everyone with magic. It was beautiful. "It's alright, you were quite a sight," she sang to Cosmic Spectrolite. The dark elf was beginning to worry that she wasn't going to be able to fix this, but she had to keep trying. It was a slight comfort, at least, to see that she wasn't the only one who had fallen victim to the strange magics at play here. She made her way over towards the dance floor, dodging around the snowy cloud that was demanding poems from the party goers.

"Would someone care to trade their mask? I don't think this one suits me right now," she sang to everyone who would listen. "Just for a few moments, that's all I ask."

The Sword chuckled softly upon hearing the duchess's doubt. "'Tis an unusual quest, I know," he said. "And I may find no success here, but I am sure I'll have a lovely night regardless." He finally resigned himself to the fact that his sash was just going to be a little crooked no matter what. "Perhaps I should have aught to drink ..."