undergrounds | Game Opening: May Ball

LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED.

It had to be done.

Welcome all to the Redbright Institute's May Ball! This evening is a celebration of the Institute's achievements over the past year. Students aged 16 and above can attend on their own, while younger students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Meanwhile, friends and guests of the Institute are invited as a gesture of friendship and harmony between the various factions.

Rules and etiquette
• This is a black tie event. Formal attire is required.
• No weapons. This is a school, there are children present. Any weapons or objects that could be used as weapons will be confiscated.
• No drugs or alcohol. Obviously. Don't try to sneak any in.
• No violence.

There is security within the school and present at the event. (In fact, if your character is a member of the Redbright Institute, you could have them acting as security if you want.) They will respond to and put a stop to any trouble.

Places to go
The main action takes place in the large Assembly Hall. This is where the Chancellor Sylvia Redbright will give her address. It's also where you can party later on. The disco is family-friendly – not exactly a rave, but the kids will love it.

Drinks and snacks are available in the dining hall. The drinks are non-alcoholic. Vampires, no need to worry about your cravings: blood cocktails are provided! They're given in good faith on the assumption that you won't be snacking on anyone else tonight.

Just off the dining hall, one of the classrooms has been converted into a chill-out area. The lights are off, the desks and chairs have been replaced by beanbags and there's a table in the corner with a chocolate fountain, marshmallows and strawberries. A video of young witches taking part in various night-time rituals (they mostly seem to involve chanting and bonfires) plays silently on the screen.

One of the lecture theatres has been opened up to showcase students' work from the past year. On the screen you can watch a slideshow of notable events and achievements. Strangely enough there aren't many people in this room.

Outside, there is a giant chessboard on the lawn. The pieces are made of plastic and can easily be moved around. Why, you ask? Why not, is the answer.

Finally, a large marquee has been set up in the quad. This is the adults-only area, with wine and cocktails served at the bar, nibbles available at a few high tables dotted around and a sophisticated atmosphere. No children under 18 allowed. (Note that the legal drinking age is 18.)

Timeline of events
20:00 – Doors open.
20:57 – Sunset.
21:15 – Sylvia Redbright makes her address in the Assembly Hall.
22:00 – Disco in the Assembly Hall. The DJ has atrocious taste.
01:00 – Disco stops. The event officially ends.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's not the first person to just give her one name, but she doesn't blame anyone. She knows the power of names. Her spellwork has taught her that much, but her name is known. She can't hide it if she tries, which might be why her family has such bad luck. They're so known. Still, she can't help but smile a little.

"A pleasure. What brings you to Redbright?"

"Oh, the pleasure of making the acquaintance of some very interestin' folks." His tone is light, but his eyes carry a more serious look. This is a prime opportunity to forge alliances and find out where he stood with possible enemies. Plus, there was clan pride to think of. As a Baron, it was his duty to represent Islington in the best possible light.

"'N what about you, girlie? What brought you out this night?"

"I suppose it's pretty much the same reason. I've heard a lot about the Institute, and I wanted a chance to see it for myself." She'd also wanted to meet Sylvia Redbright, which she had. She still wasn't sure what to make of that, too.

"It's been a nice night, I think."

"You said your name was Widdowson. That sounds like somethin' I've heard before." Cooper pauses as he wracks his brain for the connection. He snaps his fingers as it comes to him. "Old family of witches, am I right?"

"Old family, 'Widdowson curse,' dark magic," she says it all with a dismissive wave of her hand, as if none of it is of any importance, like she can just laugh off her family name. Which she sometimes so wishes she could do. It would make her life much, much easier. "That just about sums us up."

Along with the strange pattern that could be noted by anyone who'd seen generations of the family or saw the line of portraits: the women were always tall, pale, and blonde. An image Abigail fit to a t.

"Sounds like you come from quite the family line." The mention of curses and dark magic has perked his interest. Folks that had lives like that were rarely boring. They could also make powerful allies. Both meant that Abigail is now a much more valuable person to talk to than he previously thought.

"So which faction d'you belong to?"

"I..."

That was the question, and it showed that Abigail gave it more than usual consideration. She had to practice summoning; she had to make a deal with a fae. If she didn't, she would die long before she was ready, and her line would end. She was not willing to sacrifice herself for a centuries' old curse whose caster was dead and the crimes for which it was laid were long past.

Yet, she couldn't belong to a Circle Daybreak coven if she practised those things. That was dark magic, and the Night Council wouldn't allow it. She couldn't join a coven she intended to lie to from the very first day she took a place among their ranks.

"don't."

"That's not good. The lone wolf thing doesn't really work around here. Try t'stick it out and you'll end up wishing you had friends to help bail you out of trouble." His words come out a little bit blunt, but they come from a place of truth. He'd spent many years trying to go it alone and had found it to be a long, tough road to follow. All he'd had to show for it at the end was a line of corpses behind him and a lot of blood on his hands.

"Take it from me, girlie. Find someone t'hitch your wagon to. You won't regret it," he says.

"Unless I pick the wrong horse," she points out with a small smirk. There's no way to be sure, especially with Sylvia's announcement, what the right position to be in is. Without a coven, she is in a particularly vulnerable spot, but she's also very flexible for the same reason. She can slip into wherever she needs to be. "Then, that wagon might go right off a cliff."

She can't let the situation get out of hand in any direction, but she can't be alone forever. That's, ultimately, why she's here. To see some of the players. To try and get the information she needs to solidify her footing.

"At least then you've picked something t'follow, come hell or high water. It's better than just wandering around aimlessly, waiting for something to fall out out of the sky that seems right to you." Cooper had a lot of experience with waiting around until he'd found someone to give his loyalty to. Really, it was a wonder he'd ever survived his first years as a vampire without ending up staked by an eager hunter.

"Trust me, I've done it both ways and the second takes a lot longer to happen, if it ever does."

"I just have to decide where my loyalties lie," Abby muttered. It wasn't something she was proud of, being torn between the Circles, but it mattered. She needed to be sure of herself before she made a choice from which there was no easy path back. Or maybe she was just procrastinating. "I won't wait very long, though."

Hopefully.

"Good. You'll pick wisely, and if you don't, you're about ready t'have a few regrets in your life." Because that's such sound advice, Cooper. He would've been better off not saying anything at all. He runs a hand through his hair as he realizes what he's said. "Or you can just ignore me. I belong to a group of arrogant pricks, so clearly I got my priorities straight."

"No, you're right." And she knows it. It's a decision she has to make, even if she doesn't want it. Perhaps the best thing to do, actually, is keep an eye on Barnet, see how things are dealt with there. That will give her an idea what to expect from Redbright Institute, the Night Council, and Circle Daybreak.

"I've just never had a coven. So, choosing which one to join is a big decision. I don't want to make it rashly."

"You'll be fine. You seem t'have a better head on your shoulders than most people your age. That's a good first step." Most teenagers that Cooper had encountered were dumb, impulsive creatures who ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. He'd met quite a few of them already tonight. It was hard to believe he'd ever been that stupid. Then again, he'd taken part in a rebellion that had gotten him killed and gone to the gallows cursing God and the devil alike, so his record as a teen wasn't exactly spotless either.

You'll be fine.

Unless, of course, she made the wrong choice. If she stood with the wrong people at the wrong place, she could lose everything. Her house, her family, her line, her life. This was a gamble, and it was precarious. Still, she had to make a choice. She just had to be sure. Which she couldn't be.

"My family taught me well, I suppose."

"If you ever need advice, don't hesitate to ask me. I've lived long enough 'n made enough stupid mistakes to know how to avoid them by now." Well, at least he hoped he was making different mistakes than the ones he had made two hundred years ago. Doing the same thing over and over again was a surefire way to end up on the path to madness.

Game Opening: May Ball

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