Magical Innovation Centre: The Grand Opening

[undergroundmods]

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It's evening in Richmond and the grand opening of the Magical Innovation Centre is about to begin. Doors open at 6.30pm with the event closing at 10pm. This is a black tie event, so get out your evening gowns and tuxedos. You won't be allowed in if you're wearing trainers or jeans.

Fae are forbidden from entering. Any fae who wish to sneak in must do so under a glamour and are likely to be discovered and kicked out if they linger for too long. Alternatively, they could pretend to be in service to one of the witches attending the event, if they have any witch allies willing to do that. Fae already in service to Circle Daybreak are the exception to the rule and this will be the first Daybreak event where a number of witches in attendance will be accompanied by their familiars in various forms. Ever since Samantha took her crown as Mother of Witches with a certain cat on her lap, familiars have started to become fashionable again.

Order of Events
6.30-7pm: Doors open
The first half hour allows time for guests to arrive and mingle. There's strict security around the centre: everyone who enters must sign in and get a name badge at the reception desk.

7-7.30pm: Samantha's speech
Standing on the staircase in the foyer, the Mother of Witches will address her audience with a speech to announce the opening of the centre.

7.30-8.30pm: Tour of the centre
During this hour, guests can join a tour of the centre. There will be three tours of around fifteen minutes each. Guests will be shown the following:

• Starting in the main foyer, the tour guide will give a brief overview of the centre's purpose.
• Next, the Potions Lab, which looks very much like any modern lab except that the bottles on display are magical rather than chemical.
• Then, the Pentacle Room which is an empty classroom with several intricate pentacles drawn on the floor. Cabinets along one wall hold shelves of herbs and charms that are used to strengthen or protect the pentacles, as well as shelves of spellbooks. An empty iron bird cage sits on one of the cabinets. This room is where witches can work together to perform powerful magic or to summon fae from the Other Realm.
• Then, the Botanical Garden which is what it sounds like. Herbs and plants of many kinds are grown here, and there are tables where witches can cut and dry the plants to prepare them for use in spellcraft and potion-making.
• Finally, the Magic Lab which looks very much like the Potions Lab except that there's more space. This is where witches will experiment with creating new spells.

The tour is guided and guests may only spend a limited amount of time in each room. They can't go back to the rooms after they're closed; security is tight and anyone trying to sneak around will be quickly spotted.

8.30-10pm: Networking
The rest of the event is open for mingling. There are information stands in the main foyer where witches are handing out leaflets outlining the purpose of the centre and inviting witches to join. If you're not a witch, you can still look and ask questions, but you can't register your interest to work or study at the centre. There's also a screen playing an artfully shot video of Samantha and several young witches looking alternately mystical and windswept on a moor, then clever and industrious in one of the laboratories. Tradition meets the modern world.

Coffee, champagne and canapes are all available, and are served by handsome fae waiters dressed in sparkly blue tuxedos. Despite several setbacks (none of which will be mentioned by Samantha or any of the staff) including the recent loss of Croydon to the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, it seems that Circle Daybreak is still intent on portraying an image of success. The Daybreak fae here are tame, well-mannered and subservient. Everything is under control.

Comments

[specifiercity]

"Can you do it from outside? There's no point in us staying any longer, is there?"

Arthur would like to know how it works and also propose every single thing he can think of just in case.

[falsify]

"It doesn't..." Eames sighs, trying not to get annoyed. It's not Arthur's fault he's not familiar with the intricacies of how sensing magic works, but it's also annoying to be questioned as if he hasn't considered any of this.

"I could tell you there's a lot of magic in the building, maybe pick out any particularly strong presence," he says, exasperated already. "I'm not a fucking dowsing rod."

Maybe he's a bit annoyed.

[specifiercity]

Arthur sets his jaw in exasperation but manages to keep his comments to himself. He was just making suggestions, indicating that he's not opposed to leaving if that would help. Maybe it would still help anyway, judging by Eames' mood.

"We should just get out of here," he says.

[falsify]

He glances back the way they came, unable to ignore how badly he wants to see what's behind those doors now Arthur's set him off. And he was doing such a good job ignoring it.

"Maybe," he finally agrees, "I don't think we'll find much else except how many times security can escort me back before I get kicked out."

[specifiercity]

Arthur gives him a bit of a wry smile.

"You pull the same trick with someone else?"

[falsify]

"And cheat on my date?" He puts a hand on his chest, positively scandalised, "Arthur, what kind of man do you think I am?'

[specifiercity]

Arthur smirks and responds, "the kind who sneaks around where he's not supposed to be."

He wouldn't even mind.

[falsify]

Eames laughs, shaking his head and lightly nudging Arthur with his elbow.

"How about we get out of here and I tell you all the sordid details?"

[specifiercity]

"Sure," Arthur says, grinning at Eames and then down at his phone as he checks the time and then proceeds to start calling for a cab.