The Winter Ball

[central_librarymods]

The Winter Ball

As the Library prepares for the turning of the seasons, another of its rooms opens to the patrons. It is different than the others with a wide, sweeping marble floor inlaid with patterns of holly and snowflakes that is uncluttered by books and shelves. Music drifts through the hall, hinting that the patrons should dance. Do not worry about the gently falling snow; none will slip upon the marble unless they wish to do so.

Tables are scattered well away from the dance floor to allow patrons to gather and talk in small, intimate groups. Along one wall is a table stacked high with holiday foods from dozens of different realities. Evergreens decorated with globes of colored lights and frost remind the patrons that not everything fades with winter's cold. Presents can be found beneath the decorated boughs. Everywhere is a reminder of holidays from worlds near and far, some grounded in reality and some that patrons thought only existed in imagination.

The Library welcomes each patron and wishes each to enjoy an evening of music and festivities. Happy Winter Holidays to all who have answered the Head Librarian's invitation!

Prompts

The Dance Floor

1. Filling Your Dance Card. Each patron will find a dance card in his or her possession. Each being is encouraged to fill the card by dancing with five different people. Those who do will find a surprise waiting for them beneath one of the evergreen. (See note below)

2. Dancing on Air. Sometimes it feels like a song will sweep you off your feet. During this musical number, that can be literally true. While in the midst of a dance, patrons might notice that they're feeling lighter than usual and their feet barely touch the floor. That's because they've started to float above the dance floor. It may be unsettling at first but once the song ends the patrons be earthbound again.

3. The SnowBALL. Someone forgot that this is a formal dance, not a playground. When a patron steps on a certain pattern of snowflakes on the floor, snowballs will begin to fly. Patrons shouldn't worry too much if they in the middle of the action. These are magic snowballs and will not ruin gowns and suits. They can even be lobbed at other patrons if someone is feeling mischievous.

Mingling

4. Eat, Drink, and be Merry! The food at the buffet looks tempting and this time there are not magical side effects (except what might happen in the reality that the food is from). Enjoy a few treats from another world. Enjoy a drink or two... just remember that someone most likely has spiked the punch and that could have exciting or disastrous results!

5. Don't be a Wallflower. People who stay too long in one spot will find small winter flowers and leaves growing around their feet. These are harmless, but encouraging patrons to mingle and move and socialize with each other; especially dance.

Winter is the Darkest Time of the Year

6. In the Dark of the Night. If a patron wanders too far away from the main group, he or she will notice that the candles don't seem as bright and the fairy lights seem to fade. The Library is dark, darker than normal. Nothing more illuminating than a candle, except where Patrons gather. Those who wander away might find themselves lost and need someone to rescue them from the shadows that linger beyond the ball.

7. Tick Tock. In one corner of the ballroom, patrons might notice an item that looks strangely out of place. The old grandfather clock is decorated with scenes of different winter holidays that seem to draw the eye... and the unwary patron. Get too close and the clock case will spring open and a boggart will appear. Those familiar with a certain wizarding world might know the right spell that will banish the spirit and find themselves able to cast it with ease. Those who don't may find themselves confronting their greatest fears.

8. The Mirror of Dreams... and Nightmares. Like the Mirror of Erised, the mirror will show a patron the most desperate desire of a person's heart. At first this may seem innocent but some will be unable to look away and later... The forces that inhabit the Library may take an interest in what patrons see and these visions might come back to haunt them later.

((Note: The dance card prompt will allow players to earn extra points for the event. If a patron tags with prompt 1 and has five patrons tag their entry and the player returns those tags, they will earn extra points. The Cat will be available for dances if someone adds an ooc not to their prompt. Special thanks to wanna_bash_heads mun for assisting the mod team with the prompts. This will also be included in the test drive to encourage new players into the Library.)

Comments

[scarredpsyche]

"Mmm." Neither of those things, really. "Why I'm feeling-" there was a word for this. Not-stressed. Not-anxious. "-relaxed." For the first time since coming here, he felt chill. Apparently all it took was getting a little tipsy. "If I hadn't heard you talk before, I would've thought that was the alcohol too." But he knew better.

[enlightenedfeline]

"The punch could be one reason. The other could be that this place is relatively safe." Even a Librarian couldn't guarantee perfect safety but the Cat knew that, for now, the patrons would not be in danger.

The Cat let out an amused purr. "I almost regret that you didn't know that I could speak. I enjoy seeing people react to my presence."

[scarredpsyche]

"Maybe. I haven't had a whole lot of 'safe' in my life." Not that he'd been directly in danger, but he'd been looking over his shoulder a lot. Now he didn't have to do that as much because his reason for all the looking? Knew he was there. There was no point in hiding any more.

"If I was a talking cat, I'd probably enjoy that, too."

[enlightenedfeline]

"This is a different chapter of your life." Yes, he had to make book references. It was one of the more amusing part of his duties. "No one from your past life can enter the Library if they mean any of the patrons harm." Risking a paw on the table, the Cat stretched up so that his chest rested against the edge. "No patron may intentionally harm another patron physically without. Those who attempt it will be punished. That is one of the key rules of the Library."

The Cat flipped his tail, pleased that Thomas understood his reasoning. "After being alone so long it's amusing hobby."

[scarredpsyche]

Well...he didn't know if he'd ever had to worry about Grant hurting him, but his brother had made it a point to hurt the people around them. "Punished how?" he asked. That was better than diving into his personal life, even if the people who'd brought them all here seemed to know a lot about them.

"How long have you been alone?"