EVENT MINGLE | Dreadhorses's Formal Ball

[thespaceopera]

Who: Anyone attending the Ball!
Broadcast: If you’d like.
Action: Orfwyn Dreadhorse’s personal asteroid
When: May 12th - 13th …. 14th if you really like to party.




Welcome to the biggest party of the season! Grab a date, dress up to the nines, and get ready to party the night away! In other words, it’s a mingle! Feel free to make a top level with any prompts or styles you prefer.


Arrival
There is one open point of access on this asteroid, through Mr. Dreadhorse’s personal docking station. Here, shuttles or ships can dock for the night. There are a couple of points of entry out of the dock and into the actual asteroid, all of them manned by guards who will ask for your invitation to the party, as well as make sure you’re appropriately dressed. Any weapons that can be spotted will be confiscated until you leave, or you will be asked to leave them on your ship. The security searches aren’t too invasive, so if a character has means to hide a weapon, they probably can do so successfully (unless you want them to fail, of course).

Anyone staying back on the ships or barred entry are free to explore the docking area, and they’ll find Mr. Dreadhorse was nice enough to stock the docking area with vending machines you’d find on a way-station and even a slushie machine (flavors come in red and blue).


Dance Hall
Once past the docking station, guests will be escorted through the entryway into the Dance Hall. The place itself is massive, with the place looking like a concert hall and a ballroom combined into one. There’s a stage at the front of the hall, where numerous live bands will play throughout the night. The genres of music vary widely so there’s something for everyone, but there’s one popular song that’ll get played by several bands throughout the night: a song about a band of heroes led by Furiosa, liberating an asteroid from pirates.

Mr. Dreadhorse himself will get on stage and introduce each band, with the same eccentric flair that a rockstar would. Interested passengers with musical talent might be even able to convince Mr. Dreadhorse to let them perform as substitutes for any bands that had to cancel last minute, though they’ll have to prove to him they actually know what they’re doing.

Concert enthusiasts can head to the seating in front of the stage to watch the performances up close. Or if you’re more in the dancing mood, there’s a huge dance floor further away. Don’t worry about not being to hear the music - this place was designed by best acoustics engineers in the system, featuring excellent surround sound and practically perfect coverage.


Food & Drink
What’s a party without refreshments? In a room off to the side of the Dance Hall, partygoers will find a couple of open bars, serving the finest drinks you can find in the system - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. The drinks are free, but at each bar, there’s a rather obvious tip jar sitting on the counter. If your character keeps returning to the bar without giving any tips, expect the bartenders to get more passive aggressive.

In another side room, there is a massive buffet of food set up. High quality foods from this system as well as the past couple of systems can be found, all cooked to perfection and placed in a beautiful presentation. Catering staff are constantly bustling about to ensure that the food is fresh, the trays remain full, and everyone is satisfied with the selection.

Between these two side rooms is another, bigger room that connects them, full of tables and places to sit if you’re looking to have a meal or a place to chat. The music can still be heard in this room, but it isn’t so loud that you have to shout to have a conversation. Waitstaff are available to make sure your needs are met, but otherwise, they will remain silent and politely stay off to the side and out of the way. They are all excellent at their jobs, and perhaps you’ll even find that your glass has been refilled before you can even make the request!


Live Entertainment
Looking for something to do besides music? Then head outside of Dance Hall and you’ll find lots of other entertainment options (as well as another open bar and a smaller buffet). There are bioluminescent gardens to walk through, and even a petting zoo full of local animals. Out in the gardens, there’s an outdoor performance stage where theater troupes will be performing different plays all night (including the fleet’s own troupe, who’ll be performing the play “Captain Bree and her Lady Pirates”).

Furthest away from the Dance Hall, you’ll find that Mr. Dreadhorse even has his own personal racetrack, where ATV races are being held throughout the night. Passengers may watch the races, or even take part of one themselves!


Private Spots
This is a crowded party, so it’s expected you might want some privacy. Thankfully, it’s possible for guests to sneak away to numerous nooks and corners all over the place: plenty of hallways, balconies overlooking the gardens, quiet outdoor areas... If you’re looking for somewhere extra private, there just so happens to be an entire wing of Mr. Dreadhorse’s mansion devoted to guest bedrooms. All of them are decorated in a way you’d expect a rock or heavy metal star to decorate a private getaway (circle beds, bold colors and prints, fuzzy stuff, etcetera). They’re free for the taking, but remember to lock the door- other partygoers might get the same idea you have.

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Looking to steal some stuff? The heist mingle can be found here! The heist itself ICly takes place late into the night and will not disrupt the party, so feel free to have your characters do as they like.

If you have any questions, feel free to direct them over to the OOC post.

Comments

[all7seas]

Right! A dance! After this drink!

[Prepare to watch the already-unsteady sailor chug his next shot like a boss.]

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha doesn't finish hers quite so fast. His swaying doesn't inspire the most confidence for the dance to come, but Natasha knows better than to underestimate someone.]

You don't have to rush it. I'll still be here if you take a minute.

[all7seas]

[He takes that as a sign he should order another drink. Which he does. Still:]

In my experience, lovely Natasha, I've learned never to take that sort of thing for granted. What if you're not here?

[The women in his life tend to leave him, some in horrible circumstances. This jovial, playful, tipsy admission hints at some far deeper abandonments. Maybe.]

And it would be criminal to miss a dance with you.

[outstandingbalance]

Says the man who came here to loot the place. [Her tone is light, but not sharp, almost humoring him. When she finishes her drink, she'll offer her hand.

Here's your chance.]

Looks like your dream comes true this time.

[all7seas]

[Inside his brain, tiny Fetches dance about in total joy. He takes her hand gleefully and sweeps a path to the dance floor. Beautiful Natasha, dancing with him! And it's a slow song this time, not that horrible song about Furiosa killing all those poor pirates.]

A man can have lots of reasons behind what he does, eh?

[At least he's a good dancer, Natasha, if nothing else. He leads her into a dance that is surprisingly formal and careful, belying his drunken demeanor during their conversation. He's descended from pirate royalty, however shabby, after all.]

You, however, are a wonderful reason to do anything at all.

[outstandingbalance]

A man can. [She agrees, falling into step with him. Natasha is light on her feet and on his arm, falling into the steps easily even if she doesn't know them exactly.]

You say that. You don't even know me—flattery will get you a lot of places, but not everywhere.

[all7seas]

And you don't know me. Makes it ideal. Level seas. Clean slates.

[She may not be the kind of woman he can talk into bed with him, but she also doesn't actually want to slap, strangle, or murder him. And she is also a delightful enigma. It's a huge plus.

He has his suspicions about her, though. The way she talks about herself, and to him, as though warning him off for his own good. (You know -- that, combined with garden-variety rejection, which he is supremely used to in spite of all the stories he and Gibbs spread around.)

So Jack missteps, makes a clumsy movement -- a bumbling, crass movement in an otherwise graceful dance. How would she recover from it?]

[outstandingbalance]

[When he stumbles after showing off how well he can do this, Natasha gets the impression it's intentional. Why remains a question. She doesn't play along, adjusting her step to avoid having her toe kicked, and steadying him—almost taking the lead as she pulls him back into the flow of the dance.

Natasha is a talented dancer; more than good enough to recover from most of a partner's fumbles.]

Or maybe you just don't see the storm coming.

[all7seas]

[Oooh, that grace and instinctual movement make Jack's dark innards bubble delightfully, like a cinnamon heart falling into a bowl of fizzy drink. He leans enthusiastically back into the graceful pattern. This woman is dangerous and gorgeous and fascinating.]

I always see it coming, lass. That's what makes it fun, really.

[It is. Jack can't not touch the shiny things, even if they carry deadly curses. And here, now, far away from the deadly man who is seeking his soul over the seas, in the arms of a lovely, deadly woman, he can relax. Maybe carelessly so, but there is always a strict, regimented self-preservation kicking around under his surface giddiness, which is probably how he's survived for so long.]

[outstandingbalance]

Do you always run into danger, Captain Sparrow?

[Her chin comes up slightly, almost challenging. She believes that of him. And for some people, it works for a while. Not forever.

Of course, at this point who is she to judge.]

[all7seas]

[That's a tricky one. He's willing to break into a deathful Venezuelan torture-prison to steal an eldritch key and escape in someone else's wave-smashed coffin. But that's only so he can find a way to stop constantly running from worse things.

He has absolutely no idea, of course, that back home, in a few short weeks, Elizabeth Swann will kiss him into chains, and into the very arms of the death he's been avoiding. It will be worth it, at least until the Locker breaks his mind.]

There's some dangers worth running into. Wouldn't you agree?

[outstandingbalance]

Didn't say there wasn't. Still... it raises some questions why. And what you're hoping to get out of it.

[Staying alive is certainly one possible reason. Or getting your freedom, which is why all of them are here tonight, isn't it? At least the ones who came for information.]

[all7seas]

Maybe just this dance, Lady Natasha.

[Why do things have to be more complicated than that? Sigh.]

And information. A man can't hide here forever. And I miss my Pearl. No idea what Gibbs's done to her in the meantime.

[So yes. Freedom is literally the reason behind almost everything Jack does.]

[outstandingbalance]

Well... [Her tone softens just a little. Whatever her impression of Captain Sparrow, she can tell when someone has their own wounds they're hiding. She doesn't need to pick at them.]

If you keep your dreams that wishes, you just may see them come true.

[all7seas]

[And with that, the music is ending...a new set is starting...the band is taking a break. All dances have to end, Jack supposes. He slows to a standstill, still holding on to her. He feels uncomfortably and oddly sober.]

I expect they'll be calling us presently, milady. For our...duty.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha slips back out of his arms, extricating herself as easily as she'd danced and giving him half a bow.]

I expect so. Or soon at least. Which means I still have work to do.

[all7seas]

And I've an Ung to locate and some more drinking to do. But it was lovely, darling.

[A strikingly wonderful interlude in an otherwise plodding evening.]

Take care, eh? Mind the probable deathtraps.

[outstandingbalance]

I always do. [That is a joke. But it's a joke because it's true.]