[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

ii

[unrequite]

[ Oh, Midnight knows that word. He spins around, spots the person who said it, the champagne flute in his hand tipping dizzily with him. ]

Light of the Kshahrewar...? Say, won't you tell me what that means? Never heard of that before.

[ For someone clearly mildly drunk and with pointed ears clearly foreign to Teyvat, he pronounces the word "Kshahrewar" as though he uses it daily. Midnight himself has no problem with studying the lights with him, the dazzling lights flowing through his immensely soggy brain. It's very pleasing. He thinks Kaveh may have made this for him, if this was Kaveh's work. ]

[featheradrift]

[ For someone he's never seen before, and who's clearly drunk, he pronounces Kshahrewar with startling accuracy. It's not hard to figure out why though—the man must know Kaveh or Alhaitham somehow. Given the number of people that have off-handedly mentioned Kaveh in today's gala as if they were his friend, the architect must be a popular man around here, he thinks. ]

It's Kaveh's moniker. He's a famous architect back in my world, and a shining beacon of his Darshan, Kshahrewar, hence the title.

[ He eyes Midnight with curiosity and slight disgust at the man's drunkenness. ]

Yet another one of his friends from here, aren't you?

[unrequite]

He has a monocle? A monocle. A moniker, there we are.

[ He laughs, taking his inability to say words correctly with drunken grace. If he notices his new acquaintance's ire, he appears unaffected by it. ]

A friend... Oh, I do hope so. I'm going to tell him to wear one, he'll listen if he's fond of me. A monocle, you know. I'm thinking about it now. He'd look very distinguished.

[ He puts his fingers in a ring over his eye in demonstration, thinks about it for a moment, and bursts into laughter. It would be so handsome, Kaveh would hate it. (Sorry, Wanderer. Welcome to the Midnight experience.) ]

[featheradrift]

[ The man is incredibly drunk. There's no hope of having a coherent conversation with him. But the idea of a monocle on Kaveh, he Huff's in amusement. ]

He'd look good in anything. That's the perk of being a beautiful man. But I don't think he'd stand for it.

[ He can't imagine Kaveh wanting to wear anything that didn't fit his idea of aesthetic.

[unrequite]

He should, though. He's so lovely, he should indulge in the advantages of it. If not for himself, then for me...

[ Midnight leans into this new acquaintance's space. This is an accident, his sense of personal space is altered at the moment, but 183 cm of drunk vampire towering over someone still can't be all that reassuring... ]

What's your name, darling? Call me Midnight. I'm at your service.

[ He bows, catches himself on the poor lad's shoulder, mumbles an apology. He's... a mess! ]

[featheradrift]

[ His face twists as the man leans over him. This man reeks of alcohol. He doesn't shift his posture at all though, instead glaring up at the taller man with crossed arms.

It's only when Midnight touches him that he finally moves, shoving Midnight off and taking a step back. ]

I have no name for a drunkard like you. Stop invading my space.

[unrequite]

[ Whoa. Midnight sways, but stays where he's put, hands back at his sides, grinning easily. Has he realized that he needs to keep his hands to himself? Honestly, who knows. ]

Ah, so if I could bring myself back to... sobri-ety. You would have a name? I can't offer such miracles, but if you would be so kind as to wait for my senses to return to me, I'd be most obliged.

[ For a drunk, his vocabulary is excellent, if a bit slurred. ]

[featheradrift]

[ Something about that grin ticks him off, and he narrows his eyes, entirely unamused. That he hasn't already walked off already is entirely because this man is Kaveh's friend, and only that. ]

Oh, and what exactly are you offering to make me stay long enough? The company of an inebriated man doesn't sound like my idea of a good time.

[unrequite]

So you're looking for a good time... Ah, most are.

[ Midnight gives an extremely dramatic sigh. ]

Perhaps there is something I can provide upon that front, intoxicated as I am... I am the premier experience in happiness, after all. Simply a guaranteed good time.

[featheradrift]

[ He narrows his eyes in suspicion. He may not be intimately familiar with some aspects of human nature, but he isn't so clueless as to be unfamiliar with the more physical side of human interaction. ]

Not interested. Try again.

[unrequite]

Hm? You don't enjoy happiness?

[ Midnight, for his own part, is highly clueless. He had absolutely no idea what that sounded like, genuinely meant to offer his new friend a game to play, or some sort of activity that could keep them both occupied.

He shrugs, though. Different strokes. ]

Perhaps you're the competitive sort, then. The kind who wants for challenges, contests... Or perhaps you're married to your job. Irrelevant in this city, of course, but one must consider all possibilities...

[featheradrift]

[ That he might have misread Midnight's intentions just... augh, this man is frustrating to interact with. He exhales, trying to release the annoyance he holds. He shouldn't lose his temper at an inebriated man. He shouldn't lose his temper at Kaveh's friend. ]

Fine. Name a game, or whatever it is you want to do. You just want company, right?

[ He can deal with a drunk man, no problem. ]

[unrequite]

Mm. Very kind of you to offer.

[ The happiness bubbles right off of Midnight in a halo. He is either too drunk or too stupid to notice the young man's ire. (Or both.) (It's both.) ]

Have you been upstairs yet? To the third floor, with all of the food and the activities. I haven't. I've been borrowing drinks all night. Help me find my own drink, darling.

[ He shoos them both to the stairs. It is time for Adventure.]

[featheradrift]

[ It's so easy to please this guy, which is good, until he starts shooing him towards the stairs. Now is when he wants to explore?? When he's drunk and two steps away from tripping over his own feet? ]

If you fall, I'm not helping you up.

[ He lets himself be herded in the direction of the stairs anyway. ]

[unrequite]

Do not fret... My senses might be altered, but with it comes flexibility and an immunity to pain. Furthermore, I am beyond such petty concerns... The future awaits, and I, the fervid lover of possibility, must pursue it.

[ ... Oh, he is drunk drunk. He takes the railing, he's no fool, but off he goes, wobbling his way up the stairs, waiting like a hound with wagging tail every two steps to check if his nameless friend is following him. ]

You may share such glory, my friend, when I achieve it. You do me a great service, walking with me in such a state. I am very drunk.

[ He says it with the classic drunken sense of conspiracy. As though he's hidden it very well, and this is a revelation to everyone in earshot. ]

[featheradrift]

[ He's drunk enough to be amusing, actually, and the drifter relaxes slightly. If he gets to watch this guy stumble about making an idiot out of himself, well, he's not about to say no to free entertainment. ]

At least you're aware. Are you planning on drinking yourself into unconsciousness?

[unrequite]

Mm? Not yet. Still quite a bit of party to enjoy. Later, perhaps, when the festivities come to an end.

[ Midnight waves a hand, teetering up the stairs, waiting for his mystery friend at the landing. ]

Or perhaps not. I want to walk Miss Johanna home... Have you ever met her? Miss Johanna Constantine... Beautiful woman. My date. Very kind, even if she doesn't seem to think so.

[featheradrift]

And yet you insist on drinking more, despite your current state.

[ He follows the man up the stairs and arrives at the landing, where he waits for Midnight to continue forward. ]

Never heard of her.

[unrequite]

You should hear about her. I know so much about her... She's from Earth, you know. Odd place. Stationary. Most worlds seem to be...

[ Midnight waves a hand, sets out in the general direction of the photo booths. ]

I don't insist upon the bottle, you know. I happen to enjoy it, when it comes to me, but I must drink more during parties. Isn't any good drinking alone, is it?

[featheradrift]

Oh, am I meant to be drinking with you now?

[ He sure doesn't remember agreeing to that. But he has no issue with it anyway. It's been a while since he's had any alcohol. ]

[unrequite]

No, heavens no. I have drunk, and because of you, I am not alone. You are doing quite well, lad.

[ Completely forgetting that this friend is not a touching sort of friend, Midnight reaches out to pat him on the head. Then he pauses, a tad uncertain. ]

Say, are you old enough for the bottle? Forgive me, I can never tell one's maturity level, these days...

[featheradrift]

[ Of course, he shoves Midnight's hand off his head. No touchy, dude.

The question lands him a baleful glare. ]

Don't mistake my appearance as an indication of my age. I'm far older than you'd ever think to guess.

[ Ah, that's revealing too much. Oh well, what's said has been said. ]

[unrequite]

[ Midnight nods, placidly soaking that information in. ]

Like a Durin, then. Or a vampire, the decent sort. One of the ones from Earth... they're all quite nice, aren't they? Oh, but I shouldn't say, they seem quite shy about it.

[ Midnight clumsily mimes zipping his mouth up, then throwing the key away, smiling. ]

You don't seem the sort to be terribly stuck in your own ways. Wouldn't be here if you were, accompanying a drunk like me. Right kind of you, isn't it?

[featheradrift]

[ He has no idea what this guy is talking about. Well, no idea what a Durin is. He knows what a vampire is. The rest, he could just chalk it up to drunk rambling. ]

I just have nothing better to do right now. I'm not about to say no to free entertainment.

[unrequite]

Do I entertain you? Good.

[ Midnight laughs, peeking into the photo stations, studying them... Does he want a picture? He's rather philosophically opposed to them, but it might be fun for the novelty of it. ]

I'm assuming you didn't come here with Kaveh... Did you have a date?