[open mingle: the sunlight at midnight gala]

[badfeyth]

WHO: Anyone attending the Sunlight at Midnight gala!
WHAT: KISS PEOPLE AND DANCE IDK
WHERE: The freshly-renovated Planetarium in District 4!
WHEN: Saturday, December 2
WARNINGS: None for the log itself; please warn responsibly in individual top-levels!

THE VENUE

Upon entry to the newly-renovated venue space that was once a planetarium, guests will quickly notice that the space has been transformed into a three-layered affair, ranging from the very well-lit upper level down to the more romantic ambiance of the dance floor and performance space, with a comfortable tier of seating and standing tables in the middle.


Not intended by Ghost (badfeyth) and Kaveh (fussiest), yet still mysteriously appearing at random places throughout the venue, are sprigs of magical kissing mistletoe!

The mistletoe will cause characters to at least pause underneath it, and will give them a mild compulsion to kiss whoever they're with, but the compulsion will not be unavoidable and characters can easily break free of the "hold" the mistletoe has on them. Even so, partygoers will quickly learn to be mindful of what's overhead — or not!

UPPER TIER

On the well-lit upper tier, guests will find plenty of generalized mingle room, including two patios with casual seating on either side of the space. Throughout the center are a variety of stations and attractions, as well as some helpful resources for the discerning partygoer.

For the fashionably un-forward, you may wish to visit (or find yourselves forcibly dragged into) Lestat's on-site fashion consulting lair, which boasts a small and curtained-off space where partygoers in need can receive last-minute fashion advice, do wardrobe finishing touches, and address any other aesthetic concerns under the discerning eye of LESTAT DE LIONCOURT (perfectdevil). This is also where a selection of basic cosmetics and beauty supplies can be found, in case of a need for an emergency touch-up, safety pin, or spot removal!

Continuing onward, guests will find four individual food stations, each with their own set of color-coded disposable dishware! Perhaps they'd like to take a sampling of:

• STATION #1 — TSURUNO (fanstheflames): Fried rice in the shape of Christmas trees, dumplings with carrot reindeer antlers and red pepper noses, and fortune cookies that tell you to go dance with somebody already!
• STATION #2 — ROLAND (gradenine): Hotpot with mild and spicy soup bases plus a variety of vegetables and meats, and KBBQ with chicken, pork, and beef cuts, plus sides!
• STATION #3 — RENO (astraphilia): Whipped goat cheese figs, brie and prosciutto stuffed dates, and sprouting cauliflower with brown butter and lemon — paired with a couple of simple cocktails (a negroni and a Bombay mule)!
• STATION #4 — WANDERER (featheradrift): Samosas, panipuri, Japanese-style sandwiches, and a lot of sweets and desserts like chocolate truffles, pâte de fruit, candied nuts, madeleines, and custards!

Champagne (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) is also circulating around the venue under the watchful eye of KANEKI (anthropophagite), and a small selection of coffee is available at a nearby station as well!

Finally, at the far end of the upper concourse, one can find a partitioned-off space for photo opportunities featuring a black-and-gold backdrop, an arch aglow with fairy lights, and a few idle props like chairs and small movable tables that partygoers can use to coordinate their souvenir photos. PROMPTO (burstmodes) will be around to do formal event photography, but there'll also be a Polaroid available so that people can take their own photos and develop them instantly!

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

         

MIDDLE TIER

On the mid-tier halfway down the stairs that flank the venue on either side, partygoers will find a landing with an assortment of standing tables covered in black tablecloths and tied with gold bows, where guests can enjoy their refreshments, engage in conversation, and people-watch the goings-on taking place below them on the dance floor! To prevent any mischief or accidental spilling of food onto hapless dancers below, each landing is lined with a courtesy railing, and immediately below the railing is an arrangement of tasteful decor.

Between the two landings, guests can find the remnants of the planetarium seating — fold-down auditorium chairs with comfortable cushions arranged in gently circular rows, giving the people relaxing there a perfect view of the dance floor and the spectacle of lights taking place below it.

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

    

LOWER TIER

The lowest level of the venue, at the very bottom of the stairs, is the most dimly-lit of the three levels and is mostly comprised of the dance floor. Along the back wall and parts of the sides runs a slightly-raised platform stage upon which are arranged a piano, an electric guitar, a stereo system, and a few microphones for the convenience of any vocalists in the house. The stage is wide enough for one or two people to walk around comfortably, but generally is fairly modest to leave the majority of the room for the dance floor.

It's on the dance floor that the real "sunlight at midnight" theme takes its shape, as this is where the bulk of Kaveh's artificial lighting technology has been put into play. Along with standard party enhancements like a few spotlights and an overhead disco ball, the perimeter is also dotted with round arrays of stained glass with light fixtures behind them, causing panels of colored light to cast onto the hardwood of the dance floor. These arrays can also be rotated like kaleidoscopes, allowing for the patterns of light to change throughout the course of the evening — adding an element of renewable interest in the continuing aesthetic.

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

    

ENTERTAINMENT

Throughout the course of the evening, music will be provided by a rotating set list of performers, interspersed with prearranged playlists courtesy of the new media store. Entertainers will be informed of their set lengths, obligations, and timeslots well in advance of the venue by Ghost, and any necessary instruments or microphone hookups will be ready and available at the time of the performance.

Performers on deck include:

• HYTHLODAEUS (nomoresharks) and EMET-SELCH (recreator): Jazz piano bops along with some ragtime arrangements.
• EDDIE (thefreak): A mix of slow rock ballads and hard rock dance numbers, on electric guitar!

In addition to the live performances, the venue will also be treated to some traditional mid-2000s party favorites such as:

• BLORBOLICIOUS, by Gurgi (feat. Bill.i.was)
• HIPS SOMETIMES LIE, by The Kira
• SANDSQUALL, by DaNice
• MAYBE GONNA GIVE YOU UP, by Rickard Dastley
• MAMBO NO. 4 AND A HALF, by Stu Vega
• THE CHA-CHA HUSTLE, by DJ FriendlyGhost
• VIRUS, by Boo Boo Dolls

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

    

LIVEBLOG

Looking to add some network spam to your gala experience? Check out our dedicated IC NETWORK POST!

credit.

Comments

[astraphilia]

[ far from being offended by a counteroffer, to Reno it's actually delightful—he's never been asked to dance before by anyone, lady or gentleman or whatever else in between, so there's a novelty to this experience for him too. he watches her undergo her mental training montage with some amusement, and when she steps forward again Reno sets his glass down where it had been moments before. ]

You notice correctly, [ he says, fighting against the grin that wants to pull at the corners of his mouth. the flourish is good—or at least it seems good to Reno, who knows very little about flourishes—and he puts his hand in hers without hesitation. ] And of course you may, milady.

[ it's with all the charm that Reno can summon from his late nights watching dramas about people much fancier than he is that Reno lets her lead the way out onto the dance floor, where the music is blessedly slow enough that he doesn't worry about having to come up with the steps immediately.

his usual slangy accent seems a little low for this particular moment, so Reno tries to at least clear the cusses and the ain'ts out of his vocabulary when he asks, ] Y'know, realizin' we're doing this in the wrong order—I don't think I got your name.

[savewell]

[The initial anxiety now dissipated as they make their way onto the dance floor — as she leads him onto the dance floor, how exciting! — a great deal more of Rosella's natural confidence begins to return, now that she's back in her element on the dance floor as she was during the weeks leading up to the gala.]

That's rather the way of modern things, though, isn't it? Doing proper things, only turned on their head, or backwards, or in the wrong order entirely! So I'll not worry about any impropriety if you won't.

[She winks at him, already arranging the two of them into a reasonable dancing position with the same businesslike air she'd had for her lessons.]

My name is Rosella, from the kingdom of Daventry. And may I ask yours as well?

[astraphilia]

[ the explanation makes Reno grin. Midgar would probably blow this girl's mind, he thinks. ]

Well, Rosella from the kingdom of Daventry. I'm Reno from the city of Midgar.

[ he lets her lead, since the confidence with which she'd brought them out onto the dance floor makes Reno think she probably has experience in this. whatever position her body language suggests they adopt, Reno is happy to give it a shot. what's a gala for if not making a fool of yourself dancing? ]

What's it like where you're from, if all of this seems modern?

[ because girls and girls, guys and guys, girls asking guys to dance, dancing before knowing each other's names—all that seems pretty normal to Reno. ]

[savewell]

Well...in our better years, very beautiful. Daventry is a kingdom of green fields and forests and lovely clear lakes, and all manner of things like elves and fairies and leprechauns. Do you know, that's where I learned how to dance, myself? My father had me learn from the King of the Leprechauns — I was only a girl, but we were just about the same height!

[Which, the longer she goes on, seems to indicate that she's a bit missed the point of his actual question, but on the other hand...she does seem so happy to be talking about it.]

Of course, that all changed when the dragon came, but...

[A beat. Another. But only those two, before she recovers quickly.]

Is your Midgar very similar? You called it a city, is it much like the one we're in at present, then?

[astraphilia]

That sounds real pretty. [ sure, she's sort of missing the point of the question, but she's so charming about it Reno can't even find it in him to mind. he can imagine a kingdom like that—or, well, he can imagine the kingdom from the movie he and Thancred watched, and assumes that Daventry probably isn't all that far off. ]

Leprechauns must not be that tall then, eh? [ Reno says, like he's any taller than 5'7" himself and therefore at least a couple inches shorter than the very girl before him. not that it bothers him, not that he even seems to have noticed.

the sudden mention of a dragon feels like a cloud passing in front of the sun, so Reno chooses, at least for now, not to mention it. better to learn that particular piece of lore later, he thinks. when they're not in the middle of what's meant to be sunlight, dancing in a kaleidoscope of colors. ]

Midgar... I guess it ain't all that far off from this. More people, obviously. [ not that it's hard to have more people than there are here. what is their current population anyway, like 125? ] Real busy, industrial. Sounds like it'd be kinda a bummer compared to Daventry.

[savewell]

Oh, goodness, no. They don't come up much higher than one's knee! So you can see why one would make such a perfect partner for a little girl.

[EVEN BACK IN HER CHILDHOOD DAYS ROSELLA WAS OUT HERE DANCING WITH SHORT KINGS.]

In...dustrial? Do you mean like mills and smiths? Yes, I can certainly imagine how that might keep one busy. I suppose you must at least have horses?

[astraphilia]

[ she truly is a merciful ruler!!!

industrial like mills and smiths. well, if there were any doubt about Daventry being basically like the place from the movie, that about quashes it. Reno considers the question, then nods, because... well, it's not exactly on the mark, but it's not exactly off it, either. ]

Somethin' like that. We got a lot of buildings, real tall. Lots of people livin' close together and not that much open space. Everybody's got jobs to do, and most of those jobs are about making stuff. Producing something.

[ truly a capitalist's wet dream, Midgar is. Reno shakes his head a little. ]

What's a horse?

[savewell]

[She smiles brightly, thoroughly charmed as though he's just made some sort of powerfully clever joke, and breaks away from their stance just long enough to do a pretty twirl and come back into position again, so effortlessly that you almost wouldn't realize that Reno didn't guide her into it, unless you were actually looking for it.]

Why, what's a horse, of course, of course?

[It's only after a minute — maybe a minute and then some — before it occurs to her that there are plenty of things about the city that she's never experienced before, and so as odd as it might sound...

...well, could it be he really doesn't know....?]

Oh. Well, they're animals used for travel, most often! One can ride on their backs with the help of a saddle and reins, or in a carriage or wagon pulled behind them. They can be of use on farms, as well, for plowing and such. But, er...I suppose they do need rather a lot of open space, so perhaps they wouldn't be very well suited to your Midgar, after all...

[astraphilia]

[ Reno does look sort of bemused as he twirls her—or, rather, lets her twirl herself using him as a support—but it quickly becomes apparent that she doesn't think he's serious. ]

Horses must be real common in Daventry, huh? [ otherwise, ain't no way she assumes he's joking about not knowing what one is. ] We got an animal we use for a lot of those things, though. Chocobos.

[ which are decidedly not horses. for now, Reno decides to forgo the experience of explaining cars and mass transit to Rosella—that can be a topic for another day. ]

They're more like birds, though. Two legs, feathery, real quick. You can ride 'em or race 'em or use them to pull carts.