happy new year! (party edition)

[unrequite]

WHO: Anyone who saw Midnight's network post about Seventh Hell's grand opening!
WHAT: Happy New Year! We survived! (At what cost!?)
WHERE: Seventh Hell
WHEN: New Year's Eve, starting at 6 pm.
WARNINGS: Alcohol! Maybe more, please mind individual thread warnings!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SEVENTH HELL WELCOMES YOU!

It's been a rough half a year. Kidnappings, atmospheric horror, murder (technically), aesthetics, disappearances, reappearances, and the creeping sensation that you aren't alone...

Hey, at least there's drinks.

When you descend the stairs to the underground club, there's music playing, the lights are low, but boy, are there a lot of them. The bartender welcomes you in. Order something, make yourself comfortable! The booths along the mirrored walls, lined with chandeliers and discoballs, are decorated with a sprinkle of shining confetti and host a variety of simple party snacks. (In fact, if your character arrived with some food to share, a bartender will guide you to the tables to help you set it up. They'll get you a drink for your trouble. How thoughtful of them!)

Grab a snack and a drink! It's no planetarium, but there's a variety of party activities to engage in. (Or make up your own! Seriously, this is a pretty casual affair.)

Every guest will receive one ticket for a raffle. There will be three winners, and each winner can choose one out of 3 prizes:

1) One date with one participating host club staff member. (If your character is a current host club staff member who would volunteer for a blind date, please PM me so I can add their name to the list.) Current list of participants: Midnight, Don Quixote, Astarion, Armand
2) One specialty drink named in the winner's honor.
3) One 12 in x 12 in square on one of the mirrors of the Host Club to leave a permanent mark! The winner will be invited back at any time to take paint markers, paint, permanent markers, etc, to leave a short message, work of art, or anything that can fit in a square foot of mirror space in a discreet, aesthetically pleasing area of the host club. (Kaveh chooses where.)

Winners may choose prizes previously chosen by other winners. Winners may forfeit for others to have a chance at a prize, but may not give away their prize to someone else specifically. In the case that one chooses the third prize but lacks the requisite skill or confidence to create a permanent fixture, one can outsource the space to a willing artist or writer within reason.

!

OOC: RAFFLE DETAILS

I will be rolling the results of this raffle on January 2nd, before the start of Alba's player plot! Don't worry about keeping up with the results, I'll PM winners individually. The only requirement for entry is to participate in one thread on this post! If your character would forfeit their prize, please let me know via PM so I can remove their name from the pool! EDIT: All prizes have been claimed! Congratulations to Hob, Yi Sang, and Altria! 🎉

MAIN SEATING (PARTY GAMES)

The back booths of the establishment, along with the standard decorations, have been supplied with small cards. The rules of two different party games are written on each:

NEVER HAVE I EVER

A getting to know you game! For groups of 5 or fewer players, begin with 5 points. For any more than that, it is suggested to start with 10. The goal of the game is to be the last person with points remaining.
1) Everyone in the game starts with five points each. Keep track of your points with your fingers!
2) The first player describes a short scenario that they have never experienced.
3) The other players must put a finger down if they have experienced said scenario. If they, too, have never experienced the scenario, their points remain unaffected.
4) Move onto the next player and repeat steps 2 through 4. The last person with points remaining wins!
5) BONUS: Drinks may be substituted for points. Simply take a drink when you have experienced the scenario! (Please drink responsibly!)

KING'S GAME

This game requires straws, chopsticks or a deck of cards. Please ask a bartender for supplies!
1) For the amount of players in the game, arrange the same amount of straws or chopsticks. For the card version, please use one suit.
2) Assign one chopstick/straw as the "king". For the card version, use one King of your chosen suit. The rest of the cards, chopsticks, or straws should be numbered from 2 to 10 (or however players choose to play.)
3) All players choose a game marker at random. Do not show the other players your number.
4) The King must first reveal themselves. For that round, they must issue a dare to up to two numbered participants. (e.g. Numbers 2 and 5 must end their sentences with "meow" for the next two rounds. The King can choose themselves as one of the participants.)
5) Shuffle the game markers, choose a new King, and repeat!
6) For a challenge, add points for completed dares and drawing the King! The first player to 10 points wins the game. For this mode, it is suggested to add a punishment of a drink for anyone who refuses their dares.

(Please drink responsibly! For the sake of tonight's festivities, we ask that all time based dares end before midnight.)

!

OOC: THREAD SUGGESTIONS

For the purpose of these prompts, feel free to handwave other participants, or to use these prompts as jumping off points for any specific threads you want! For example, one might like to use the King's Game to get into a scenario where one's character has to hold hands with another character for a few minutes for a dare. Please be creative!

THE STAGE (PERFORMANCES)

Eddie Munson (thefreak) will be headlining, with Midnight as backup whenever he can wiggle free from his bartending duties. In between sets, anyone is free to pick up an instrument and a microphone and try their hand at ringing in the new year with a bit of song.

THE BACK ROOMS (NO, NOT LIKE THAT)

There are currently three rooms available for formal guest activities! The rest of the rooms are locked and will require permission for entry. (They're all empty!)

THE GREENHOUSE (featured host: Fearne)

You were... You were underground just a second ago, right? Pull up a seat, settle in, and enjoy being surrounded by plants, a mildly hydrated atmosphere, and light, friendly conversation between fellow guests. There are no activities here, but it does seem like people are free to start up their own round of party games in this somewhat quieter environment... It would be a nice place for a game where one might want to be heard over all that music. (Suggested games: Word Association, 2 Truths and a Lie, 20 Questions.)

THE COFFEE SHOP (featured host: Chesed)

For anyone who needs caffeination to start their new year right. Featuring nondescript coffee shop music, a mildly chill vibe, and comfortable seating, come grab an espresso and pretend you have some important project to deliver by some very specific deadline next year. For this occasion, board games and cards are available for those who want a little more involved with their gaming experience for the new year. (Suggested games: Poker, Uno, Jenga.)

THE PET STATION

Congrats, you printed yourself a dog! Or a cat! Or something! For the purposes of showing off one's pet and getting them some proper socialization, for one night only, there is a pet area monitored closely by one of the club's staff members where one can drop off their furry friend. Get that pet socialized! Get yourself socialized! Please, make a friend before the year ends. It's good for you.

code

[ ooc: If any part of this post is in error, PLEASE do let me know! I made this in like two days in between work and I barely know left from right. Also, host club members especially are encouraged to PM me with any details or updates about this event they'd like for me to add. Thank you, and please enjoy your IRL new year! ]

Comments

slides in pre-party.............

[worldexecute]

( after a little talking with midnight and some directional help from don, angela makes her way to fearne's cozy little room. she thinks about knocking, like someone with manners, like she did so she wouldn't spook midnight before, and then decides fearne's hearing is good enough without the help and moves on it.

it's so green it gives her pause, and instead of looking for the owner of the room directly she decides to do a little exploring instead, ignoring any obvious routes to the center and meandering to look at the flora offered. this is a much nicer greenhouse than the one this city offers—she hasn't been bitten so far or heard any flowers whirring up to speak her worst thoughts yet—and when she does spot fearne, she pauses again.

maybe she should've brought a housewarming gift after all. well, too late for that. )

Good afternoon, Fearne. The room is very... you.

( vibrant and a little too warm for someone like her who is still dressed in long-sleeves and layers. )

Did you grow these all yourself?

its a party always w fearne around

[fauned]

Angela!

( :doggy:

with the preparations for the bigger event underway, she's mostly... not doing that. with such busybodies on the team, why get in their way? she's helping here and there, arranging things and tinkering with a craft or two, but for the most part she's spent majority of her time at the gardens. since, without her higher tier spells - )

Kind of? I had to go get seeds and the potted plants and stuff to cut down on the time it'd take. I can only hurry them along so much with what I can currently do with magic. ( cantrips can only do so much. if she still had plant growth it would've taken faaar less time, but here we are. ) Do you like it? Any kinda flower you want me to put in here too? I think it'd be nice to have some that you guys like.

[worldexecute]

( well, thank goodness fearne didn't fling herself at angela, a step up from don quixote already— )

...Wisteria. ( alriune, midnight. ) Pansies. I don't have much of an eye for flowers, though.

( she never really considered them before here. she'll step in further to peer more at other plants, thoughtful. maybe one or two around the store would be nice. maybe she should find something she personally can't kill on accident, though. the manager had a cactus. hilarious. )

If those are too difficult though, just grow something you think I'd like. I'm not picky. ( She Says, Lying. ) You're not wearing yourself out doing all of this, are you? I don't want to have to lecture you, too.

[fauned]

Good choice. Pretty flowers. I helped someone with wisteria not that long ago though actually? It'll be fine.

( a whole balcony of flowers, from what she recalls. she wonders how it's faring now in the cold rain.. she should hit him up about that at some point.

the last bit makes her laugh. the idea that she's comparable to any of those worth lecturing is a little funny. she's many things, but a candle burning on both ends she is not. she has an undeserved amount of self-worth. more than enough to spare, even, selfish thing that she is. )

Not really. I know when to stop when I get tired. ( unlike Some People. ahem. ) Besides, it's been kind of nice to just have something to decorate like this.

( hmm, but, she has brought it up before, so.. )

Are you worried I'll be too tired to stay at the Bookstore?

[worldexecute]

( ...well, that's...)

Not really. You'd probably come by anyway. ( she keeps her gaze down. ) I... confess that I don't know much about magic--the books I read didn't talk much about it, and though I've seen it firsthand both here and back in the City, the way it works still eludes me.

( is it tiring? does it take from your life, or something else? how does one person help along so many plants to blossom without feeling the strain on themself? she turns back to fearne, crossing her arms. )

...I'd welcome you in even if you were too tired to work though--even if you quit. ( "you're different than the angela i remember." yes, she is. ) It isn't like you wanted to work there anyway, is it? I just decided that if you and Midnight were going to hang around so much, you may as well do something.

[fauned]

( she assumed correctly! )

Oh, well, you've come to just the right person to ask! ( not that the way her magic works is the all-encompassing experience, or that she'd be able to explain it well - but it's the heart that matters right? she sure seems like she knows what she's doing. ) I can answer whatever questions you have. I even taught Laudna how to do fire magic once.

( eh, technically, )

Is Midnight doing both? ( crazy dude. he does way more than fearne does in both places, so. ) I think you should be more worried about him than me. He helped set up most of this too.

[worldexecute]

I've already scolded him, don't worry.

( well...... she fussed at him a little and advised him as someone who's done managing before. that's scolding enough. anyway, forget men, magic time— )

Is Laudna one of your friends? ( no, well. laudna time. )

[fauned]

( somehow? she looks even happier to be asked. )

She is! One of my bestest.

( forget men indeed. on one hand, she always hopes she'll see her again because she does miss her and the others. on the other hand, she's not sure she'd want her stuck here when fearne is trying to get Out. not that it'd be their first time stuck in a strange plane neither here nor there. at least they were together, back then. )

You'd love her. She's one of the nicest, funnest, happiest and most patient gal I know, even after everything that she's been through.

( 'well of course. the worst thing that's ever happened to me has already happened.' )

There's a not very nice woman in her head, and we can't seem to get rid of her. She says we'd kill Laudna if we did.

But somehow, she still finds it in her to make people smile. Like I kind of mentioned before, I'm better for knowing them.

[worldexecute]

( cute... it's always interesting to see others have people they can talk so fondly of from home—perhaps, in a way, asking after them is a way for her to live through those experiences. if things had been able to go nicely, her and the sephirot also would have been colleagues who at least thought well of one another, so... )

Is that so? I'd like to meet her one d... ah. ( ... ) I suppose there's no way for that to happen unless she arrived here.

( not really a fate she'd wish on anyone. fearne looks so happy, so cheerful... mmm... )

Would you tell me about your other friends? Since they've been such good influences on you.

( enough to make fearne think she has a chance to rehabilitate someone like argalia anyway. )

[fauned]

( or if she, y'know, opened a gate between the two realms. it's a work in progress at this point, )

Well I do want to take you all back with me somehow. Bad as it might be now, with Gods possibly getting eaten or whatever, it's still better than the City you guys are from.

( she's not pious. it doesn't matter to her since it's not as if her life nor magic hinges on their benevolence. it'll work out somehow. probably.

but this is a longer conversation, so she's going to reach for angela's hand to lead her off to one of the chairs to sit. it gives her a bit of time to figure out where to even start anyway. )

Orym has known me longer than all of them, and I'm closest with him. Not that Bell's Hells hasn't grown on me, but we've been through a lot together in our first group. He's the best of all of us, and I'm not the only one who thinks that. The rest of us all kind of accept that we're a group of assholes, but he loves us for it anyway no matter how much trouble we get him in or how many of us have lost control and lashed out. Not that he's a pushover, I've seen him get firm with people, but he's the gentle kind of guy who'd sit with you by the fire at night when he sees something's bothering you and knows just when to push and when to just sit tight.

( a hum, fond. proud. her orym is good like that. )

He was the one I looked for first when I got here. I was terrified without him, since he was always right next to me. He always seemed to know what to do and would be refreshingly honest if he didn't. Weirdly enough, even then, everything always seemed like it'd be okay.

( but he hails from a tempestuous terrain, a soldier trained for the worst - he's used to flighty and wild like her. steady, unrelenting orym of the air ashari. )

One of the last things I remember is him telling me how much he loves seeing how much I've grown. ( how she's full of love, and how much she adores all of them. ) He told me he was proud of me, too. So I just.. I want to do right by him. Or try. Sometimes. He knows I'll still get in trouble, though. They all do.

[worldexecute]

( well, she wouldn't disagree with going with fearne, at least. either to sit or to the feywild, the former being more close at hand—she makes herself comfortable but not too comfortable, prim and proper even in such a relaxed environment. she's quiet, attentive, as fearne speaks, and she resists the urge to ask if he'd approve of her friends.

no need to keep pulling at scabs just because she's still unhappy about it. )

He sounds like just what you need. A shame he isn't here. ( maybe fearne would be a little more behaved then— ) Does he like books?

( this is not her litmus for her friends





maybe. )