undergrounds | The Mother of Witches retires tonight

Watch on YouTube

Today is a big day for the witch community. On 4th December, Sylvia Redbright turns 60 and her reign as Mother of Witches officially comes to an end. To celebrate this momentous occasion, Sylvia is hosting a retirement party at the Redbright Institute. The school will be open to all friendly guests who wish to celebrate with Circle Daybreak or hear about Sylvia's many achievements as Mother of Witches. There will also be a more private gathering during the event for Sylvia's closest friends and allies.

The party takes place from 7pm-12 midnight Sunday 4th December.

Rules of entry
• No weapons. Any weapons or objects that could be used as weapons will be confiscated.
• No drugs or alcohol except that provided at the event. Don't try to sneak any in.
• No violence.

There is security within the school and present during 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 location open for the public is the large Assembly Hall where a live band plays folk music throughout the evening. There are waiters serving champagne and canapés or if you prefer you can go straight to the buffet table yourself. At 8pm, there will be a series of speeches by various high-ranking witches singing Sylvia's praises before Sylvia herself will step up to be presented with a large bouquet of flowers and gifts from the witch community. Her thanks will of course be gracious. After 9pm, there will be a show of magic from some of the most promising young witches in London. It's a music and dance performance that features a dazzling display of colour, light and fire plus other spectacular tricks including levitation, illusory rain and lightning and finally a giant ash tree that grows in the middle of the room to represent the Mother's protection. (None of it is real, of course. It's essentially magical special effects.) In the last two hours of the night, the witches will invite everyone to let loose and dance around the tree. It's probably a good idea to be quite drunk by this point.

If you'd prefer to go somewhere a little quieter, two of the lecture halls are open, each featuring a different video playing on a loop. The first video is a potted history of the tradition of the Mother, Maiden and Crone, describing how they are chosen and what purpose they each serve in the witch community, with a particular focus on Sylvia becoming the Mother. (It does not feature or mention Abigail Widdowson.) In the second lecture hall there is a video telling the story of Sylvia's many achievements as Mother of Witches over the past thirty years, including her efforts to bring peace in London, to unite the witch communities across the UK and to foster a culture of magic that helps rather than hurts people.

Elsewhere, the dining hall is closed to the public because from 9pm there is a private party hosted here consisting of a three-course meal followed by drinks. This is where Sylvia and her closest allies will be for most of the night. Entry is restricted to a select guest list.

Sylvia will reappear in the reception area from just after 11pm to say goodbye to the guests and give her final blessings as Mother of Witches. After today, there will be a transition period until the new Mother is selected, but this will be the last time she hosts any kind of official event in her capacity as Mother of Witches.

[OOC: If you are a high-ranking ally or potential ally of Sylvia's (level 4 or above), you may be invited to her private party! Please check with me if you're not sure. Otherwise, there are opportunities to catch Sylvia and other NPCs during the event. Or just enjoy the free champagne, it's up to you.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Lancelot has been a police officer long enough to know how to keep a careful, discretionary eye on someone without being constantly underfoot. As a result, he keeps himself always a few paces away from her (which, at his speed, is still a good distance) and tries to keep a a track on her movements without being overt. He's dressed about as formally as he can manage, a dark grey suit and lighter grey shirt (with the top button undone, because it makes him feel itchy) -- blue tie a little loose but still done up. He looks tidy enough to pass, and he's largely had little to do in an official capacity beyond carefully and discreetly moving on a couple of drunk Redbright students who crossed the line into irritating and disruptive.

Sylvia may be celebrating retirement, but Lancelot knows well enough that this is only retirement from one of her many roles within the community. She has plenty of disgruntled people who would happily make sure she retires from every position she holds permanently.

When it's about time to move on Lancelot weaves his way through the crowd to her and lowers his voice to inform her of the time, begins to subtly make a path for her through to the dining room so she can escape. The dining hall itself is much quieter, and as he holds open the door he offers her a lopsided smile.

"I'd ask if you think you'll miss this," he says softly, letting someone else take the door once she's through, "but I suppose you'll just be attending the same events with one less title now."

She'll still be Chancellor of Redbright, after all, and President of the Night Council. He imagines those are enough to encompass most of the things you can be invited to for being important.

"It'll save time when they announce my name," she jokes, glancing back over her shoulder as she walks through into the dining hall. "I might even have to find a hobby."

Of course he's right. Somehow she doesn't think she's going to find herself sitting around with nothing to do just because she's no longer Mother of Witches. She has plenty of other work and honestly she's glad of it. Sylvia isn't the type to sit back and relax. She's used to wielding power and the responsibility that comes with it.

The head of the table is saved for Sylvia and so she makes her way over to it. The other guests are beginning to trickle in too.

"Here," she says, patting the seat next to her. It seems only fitting for Lancelot to be her right hand man.

He nods acceptance, slips into the seat beside her and glances up and down the table to try and gauge who else is sitting where. Its a subtle sort of thing, but where people group tends to be important. People who agree with one another tend to bunch up together so they can gossip about the proceedings.

"I've not been here long enough to see many official handovers," he begins. He's only witnessed the one, Abigail, and that one was a little... well. Not quite the norm, he suspects. "I know there are normally... visions, involved. To help choose a successor."

Can she talk about that kind of thing? He isn't sure, but Lancelot is quietly concerned. Daybreak has already begun to show cracks, with ousting Abigail. With the problem of Norrell. It isn't as strong as it was. Sylvia has been an integral part of it for a long time. Whoever takes over has the potential to either fix things or make them a great deal worse.

"Well, we're not handing anything over tonight," she answers, "so you don't have to worry about me keeling over at the table. Between you and me, I'm not one for visions. Too vague. I like clarity." The nonsense with Abigail only proved her views on that. A waiter comes over to ask what sort of wine she'd prefer, distracting Sylvia for a moment. "White, please. Thank you."

While they've been talking, Peter Vrinak has taken a seat on Sylvia's left side. Alexandrie, the school Dean and one of Sylvia's oldest colleagues, is next to him, while Lancelot will have the pleasure of Nora Shannon, the Witch Representative, sitting beside him. Once upon a time at events like these, Dee would have taken a seat much closer to Sylvia. She is after all a High Priestess. But not tonight: she's further up the table.

That surprises Lancelot and at the same time, doesn't. He supposes part of him would assume a witch would prefer to do things in a way that fits tradition for witches, but equally he can understand not wanting to. It is important, after all, who follows Sylvia. They will have a great deal of power. He glances over at Vrinak for a moment in thought, then shoots as smile at Nora as she settles. It could be someone he knows, he could be someone he doesn't know at all. If Sylvia isn't relying on visions, though, then he expects her to pick someone she likes. After the dark magic debacle he somehow doubts that would be Vrinak, unless he has spent a lot of time making it up to her. Which, with how close he's sitting, he might have.

He looks up as the waiter offers him wine, shakes his head silently and offers a smile. Water is fine. Lancelot would rather be sober on the off chance someone does break in and start causing a fuss. Better safe than sorry.

"Well," Lancelot says finally, as the waiter finishes pouring him some water and moves on, "I admit, clarity is preferable to me too, so that I can understand. Visions can be interpreted more than one way, after all."

Something he learnt quickly. He supposes it might not be the same, but every time he touches something and gets a vague sort of sense of magic he can't help but worry he's reading it all wrong. Magic is inadmissible in court, or at least 'claims of visions' are, and Lancelot is glad of that because this way at least he has to find something concrete to match his theories.

"I see that," she replies, nodding at his glass of water. Clarity of mind indeed. "You can have a drink, you know. I'm sure one won't hurt."

She sips her wine, a mischievous look in her eye. This is a celebration, after all, and Lancelot is a guest. She knows he's really here to protect her, but he could afford to loosen up a bit if he wants. The last thing she wants is for this conversation to be too serious. She's hoping that by the end of the three courses they'll all be merry and laughing into their empty glasses.

"I'm afraid I'm a lightweight in that respect," he confesses, looking somewhat sheepish about it. "But, I'd like to think I'm plenty of fun even without the help. I might even manage the whole night without getting out pictures of my dog."

He quirks a self-deprecating smile at that. Lancelot is at least self-aware that not everyone likes dogs despite his enthusiasm.

She laughs. "Are you sure you haven't already done that?"

He does seem inordinately fond of his dog. Sylvia likes dogs, but not enough to have one herself.

"I've resisted so far! Although, if there's someone you'd like to encourage to leave sooner rather than later I can find them and starting going through."

His eyebrows loft playfully, as if daring her to suggest it. He's quite sure if he tried hard enough he could drive someone to desperation simply by going through the hundreds of pictures of Lily on his phone. Lancelot is a very patient person, more patient than most he would wager.

She's amused, but diplomatic about it. "I'll bear that in mind."

Maybe later she'll suggest someone, stop Vrinak mid-speech while he's going off on one of his tangents. As for now, the waiters are bringing over their starters and the atmosphere in the hall is relaxed and jovial. She's looking forward to the meal.

The Mother of Witches retires tonight

dining hall, ish!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject