September Event - Waltz of the Harlequin

[pumpkinhollow]

**Plain text version here.

WALTZ OF THE HARLEQUIN

ACT ONE: MAKE AN ENTRANCE

{ CONTENT WARNINGS: None }

SCENE: Leeds Estate Ballroom, night. Music can be heard from a small string band in the corner. Enter PARTYGOERS, stage right.

The estate is beautifully decorated, as it always is, in vivid blues against dark wood. Flowers made from blue and golden silk adorn the walls and furniture. Candles burn in tasteful centerpieces on the round dining tables. Delicious-looking foods can be seen on the serving tables, ready to be claimed and devoured. A member of DAHLIA’S diligent staff tends an ornate bar near the door and dancers in fine clothes twirl on the dance floor to upbeat string music.

DAHLIA can be seen in the center of the room, wearing a golden gown embroidered with roses and surrounded by her ENTOURAGE, which consists of DAISY, LAIOS, RADAR, and JEFF. All of them wear the colors of House Leeds---- blue and gold. She welcomes the PARTYGOERS warmly.

DAHLIA, going for an appropriate greeting for the person she is speaking to--- a handshake, a hug, a kiss on the cheek.
Welcome. So glad you could make it. You look ravishing. Please help yourself to something to eat, and enjoy your night.

It is a beautiful night. Formal only in appearances, the energy of the Gala is casual and light, if not a bit decadent. All seems well.

ACT TWO: ALL IS REVEALED

{ CONTENT WARNINGS: rotten food, blood, forced body transformation, unreality. }

SCENE: Leeds Estate Ballroom, one hour later. The party is well underway. When the grandfather clock chimes, it sounds strange and distorted.

The sound immediately draws the attention of DAHLIA, who grows concerned. The sour chiming continues. In the center of the ballroom, a plume of sickly yellow smog bursts as if from a smoke bomb, flooding the room and causing PARTYGOERS to stagger and cough. When it fades, the environment has changed.

Enter MENDEL, from the smoke burst.

The decor in the space has changed drastically. Where once the space was deep, cool browns and shades of blue accented with gold, it is now filled with ruddy browns, jaundiced yellows, plummy purples, and searing reds. The bundles of silk flowers are replaced with bouquets of decaying fishing nets, bloody gauze, and rotten fruit which seems to bloom from splitting bruises. Tattered swags in mismatched patterns line the walls, and each PARTYGOER is now in a masquerade mask designed to fit with their outfit.

DAHLIA, lightly panicked.
What are you doing here?

MENDEL, laughing raucously.
Surprise! Oh, I do so hate to cut in, but I simply could not go another year without doing something special for my favorite niece.

He wraps his arms, which look like graying, exposed meat, around DAHLIA.

MENDEL
You see, everyone---- Darling Dahlia here has been lying to you. Her whole life, even! Can you believe it? You see, her father was never Japhet Leeds. The man couldn’t stand her! Jane Leeds was still her mother, oh yes, but her father---

DAHLIA attempts to cut in, but MENDEL grips her tighter, clamping a hand over her mouth as he presents her to the crowd. His claws dig into her arm and her cheek. He continues to snicker as he speaks, and DAHLIA struggles.

MENDEL
Her father is my own baby brother, Prince Aster of the Dark Feast! Isn’t that a funny prank? But I think the joke has overstayed its welcome. It’s time to show your little friends who you really are, isn’t it, princess?

In a swift motion, MENDEL pulls DAHLIA into a twirl, as if dancing, sending her spinning toward the crowd. When it ceases, DAHLIA stands before her gala, changed. Her complexion is blue now, and her hair, raven black. A pair of bat-like wings adorn her back, and a crown of antlers like that of a deer wreath her head.

MENDEL
Ah, no, that’s not quite what I was going for. Let me try again.

With a snap of MENDEL’S fingers, DAHLIA changes again, her body shifting against her will. Her well-kept black locks morph into wiry ashen hair which covers her body. Her face extends into that of a cow-like skull with sharp teeth. Her hands become clawed, and her feet become cloven hooves. Before the crowd now stands THE PINE DEVIL.

MENDEL
There’s our birthday girl!

THE PINE DEVIL (DAHLIA) attempts to lunge at MENDEL, but with another snap of his fingers, his streamers and swags lash out at her like vines and lash her tightly.

MENDEL
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some catching up to do with my darling niece. And you all have a party to enjoy! I leave you in the care of my talented assistants.

He starts to turn away, but then holds up a finger to shake and turns back. Oh, one more thing, I almost forgot. I’ve left all of you some party favors in those masks. Have fun!

MENDEL grabs a bound and helpless DAHLIA and disappears once more in another plume of smoke.

Enter BLANCHE and SEEMINGLY (GLEE MASK), opposite sides of the stage. The pair of them meet eyes, and pantomime tugging on an invisible rope in opposite directions, and suddenly the ballroom expands as if unrolled like a scroll, becoming a sprawling labyrinth of tiny ballrooms, winding corridors, and secret alcoves. The PARTYGOERS are separated from one another. At the same time, the magic in their masks activates, inflicting one of the following curses:

• Leaky Bucket: deprives the party goer of their short-term memory. They know who they are, and why they're here insofar as understanding it's Dahlia's birthday gala, but all new information tends to leave their mind after a few minutes. (Think Dory from Finding Nemo.)
• Amnesiac's Lament: deprives the individual of long-term memory. All new information is retained, but they have no idea who they are or why they're here. How distressing this is can be at the player's discretion. Perhaps they despair at the memory loss and are trying to find a way to escape the ball, perhaps they don't see anything wrong with their lack of context and are just trying to enjoy this weird party.
• False Friend: the opposite of Zone of Truth, those with this affliction will be unable to tell the truth and can ONLY tell lies. Any fact from the most mundane to the most complex can only be lied about. Whether or not the person is cognizant of their new habit is the player's choice.
• The World Revolving: those afflicted suffer frequent bouts of vertigo which makes the space feel as though it is spinning, sometimes very slowly, sometimes very quickly.
• Dirge of Delusion: this particular curse will cause the mask-wearer to struggle to perceive reality correctly. Objects will appear as other objects, people as different people, rooms as some other place, or even the entire ball as somewhere entirely different. These disorienting visions will come and go at times.
• Feeling Funny: the wearers of these masks will find that their emotions are completely out of control, sometimes bursting into fits of laughter, tears, or abrupt paranoia, before going completely numb for a while.

All PARTYGOERS will find their masks incapable of being removed. Those with infernal resistance from NEIL or the HOUSE OF CARDS will find their masks are less impactful, but the resistance is imperfect. However, ALICE DYER and SAMAMA KHALID will find that they have absolutely no effect from the masks at all, due to the BOON OF DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY acquired by ALICE.

The party resumes.

ACT THREE: Dance with the Devil

{ CONTENT WARNINGS: rotten food being eaten, imprisonment, impending violence }

SCENE: a distorted Leeds Estate, time unknown. As the party devolves into chaos, a clandestine meeting is arranged to locate the host.

Somewhere in the distorted estate, ALICE locates JEAN. Once she gets the Golden Wolf Mask in their hands, JEAN will be able to remove their current mask to wear the new one, which has a unique effect---- the ability to see the path of MENDEL through its eyes.

JEAN and ALICE, along with anyone they are able to recruit for help, will find MENDEL and DAHLIA on the second floor, which has transformed into a large theater balcony overlooking the party. DAHLIA is caged, and MENDEL seems to be enjoying the view as he eats half-rotten tomatoes as if they are apples.

MENDEL’S assailants choose how to make their approach. When he is destroyed, the party will end.

GRAND FINALE

{ CONTENT WARNINGS: fire }

SCENE: Leeds Estate ballroom, late night. The stage has returned to its prior state, and we are left to the aftermath.

When MENDEL is at last destroyed, the ballroom is restored to its normal size and coloration, as if the events of the night never occurred. Masks fall away, and DAHLIA stands center stage, looking exactly as her friends and neighbors remember her. However, the memory of what has occurred here tonight cannot be wiped away, as evidenced from all the onlookers around her. Are their expressions concerned? Angry? Fearful? Hurt?

Does it matter?

DAHLIA, quietly.
Get out.

There is a moment of stillness and consideration, before she speaks again, louder.

DAHLIA, shouting.
GET. OUT.

As she speaks the second word, a massive burst of blue flame erupts behind her. Glass breaks. Tables topple. DAHLIA’s hair flutters in the force of the blast. She stands stiffly, unafraid as the hot, raging blue flames consume her ballroom, peeling the wallpaper and cracking the wood. She means to chase everyone out, even if it means bringing the room down upon herself.

When everyone is gone, the flames seem to retreat, as if sucked up into their original blast point. DAHLIA, spent, collapses to her knees in the burnt shell of her own birthday party, and sobs.

Blackout. Curtains fall.

After the event ends, Dahlia will be absent from town and her home only open to close CR until further notice. She will not be answering her sending stone or her phone calls.

Comments

Epilogue

[redlightgreenlight]

The whole ordeal was nothing short of a disaster, and in the aftermath, it had taken every ounce of will she possessed to not call upon Aster and demand answers. The demons may always not work against each other, but she's certain that he would at least have known of his later brother's plans. On the other hand, the fact that he sat by and allowed Dahlia to suffer meant that Dahlia was not in league with him. She'd be lying if she told anyone she wasn't relieved by that.

Even if she had been angry with the young woman for killing Miles. Still, she understands why Dahlia had to keep her secret, which is why she's now walking toward the manor to see Daisy. A giant hound might seem more threatening to Dahlia and her friends, but it is equally as threatening to anyone who may stand against Dahlia, and Daisy knows her too well to make assumptions.

Daisy.

She knows the other wolf is here somewhere.

[hadnoright]

Valdis.

She's laid across the ground behind the front gate, taking what counts for rest when she refuses to leave the perimeter. In this shape, she doesn't have to be on the move to be a visible threat.

She can't talk normally like this, anymore, not without universal translation, but the privacy of Valdis's telepathy may be for the best anyway.

[redlightgreenlight]

You wasted no time showing your loyalty.

Valdis steps up to the gate and settles her bulk on the ground, shifting her weight into one side. Daisy would recognize it both as a lack of hostility and of trust.

I have heard whispers in town, some don't know what to do, others tentatively defend her, others...have more violent opinions."

[hadnoright]

You that surprised? We're alike. Even if we weren't also involved.

Ending up on Dahlia's side of the line was almost an inevitability, given how things have played out.

They can talk violence all they like. I'm not letting anyone hurt her.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis tips her head.

No. But there was a time when you would have seen her as a monster. You’ve changed so much since I first met you, and that’s not a bad thing.

A low sigh. While she and Daisy are not on opposite sides in this, they easily could be. If the Ocularum decided to make any moves…or if the enforcers decided they needed to act, she’s not sure what she would do. The greatest challenge with picking sides was realizing that your friends might oppose you. She’s sure Daisy is concerned about the sane thing, even if she is steadfast.

I have no wish to harm Dahlia, but I cannot speak for the rest of my people.

[hadnoright]

Daisy huffs air from her snout in a way that is distinctly the sound of someone who doesn't know how to properly accept a genuine positive comment on her personal growth. Mm. Guess so.

How she approaches other monsters has changed a lot, over the last few years. Though after everything with Calvin recently... ugh, she doesn't want to dwell on that.

They're the ones I'm worried about. Least most of 'em can't touch me.

She can't begin to understand how to handle the trickier things, the problems centred on Dahlia's social standing most of all, but she can stand between Dahlia and physical harm for as long as possible.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis watches Daisy for several moments.

Of the members of the Ocularum, Neil and Jean perhaps could cause you harm. Neil could put me down with ease if I didn’t take him out fast enough, so it would be much the same for you. I know less about Jean, but they did just kill a demon prince.

She doesn’t believe that Neil would use his power to attack Dahlia, but she’s not sure what she would do if he did.

[hadnoright]

Neil, probably, she admits begrudgingly, because she knows magic will always be a weakness she can't account for. Jean, she's less sure of. With a physical fighter, it comes down to much more than might. They have to know how to get her to stop getting back up. The other one I dunno. Depends. Didn't exactly see the fight.

But it can't be ruled out. She told Dahlia about her own limits for a reason. As strong as she is against the average threat, there are always outliers.

Her ear flicks. She's quiet, for a moment, then:

...just. Don't break in again or whatever.

[redlightgreenlight]

Her lip twitches. Of course Dahlia knew she had been there, but without evidence on either part, there was nothing to be done. Though Dahlia’s uncle had seen to it that her identity and heritage had been announced anyway.

I don’t need to break in. She replies. You know that.

Neil also knows that, and while she doesn’t think he would ever ask her, the longer this conversation continues, the less sure she is about him not taking action. He had been ruined, ridiculed, cast out…even the vindication of knowing he was right may not be enough.

And she had just told Daisy how dangerous he was.

I promise you I will not go after Dahlia, but I will defend Neil if any of you try to harm him.

[hadnoright]

I'm not gonna touch him. Not unless he makes me. You wouldn't be the only one pissed at me if I did.

Jon and Neil may no longer be together, but that doesn't mean Jon would be any happier with her for hurting him, she's sure. As far as Daisy's concerned, she's not going to go after anyone; any violence from her will be solely defensive.

And I know you don't need to break in to do your thing. Only ask that 'cause I don't want Dahlia— she makes a weird noise aloud, thinking. The estate's the only place she's not being scrutinised, right now.

She wants her to have that much of a refuge.

[redlightgreenlight]

I suppose we will have to hope that Neil doesn’t come here

Or any other members of the Ocularum. If Neil hadn’t reminded her so much of Palamedes…perhaps she would have remained a neutral party. But not even immortals can remain neutral forever, not once they learn to care.

I have no need to go into the manor anymore. I have all the information I need and nothing to prove.

[hadnoright]

Good.

It's not that she even expected her to, it's just... the messiness of caring. Seeing Dahlia so stressed has her scrambled in herself. Her head drops to rest between her front paws.

What a fucking mess.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis mirrors Daisy, dropping her head to her paws.

Nothing stays secret forever. Eventually this was always going to come to light…and it will get worse before it gets better.

[hadnoright]

Maybe. But it should've been her choice.

Daisy's feelings about choice and lack thereof are as strong and complicated as ever. It was never going to be that simple for Dahlia, not with the way Aster meddles and how this truth upturns her life so completely, but that doesn't mean Daisy doesn't wish she could have come around to it on her terms.

[redlightgreenlight]

I don't disagree with you, but she ruined someone's life to keep her secret. It would have been less painful for him if she had killed him.

Valdis huffs softly, her sides expanding sharply.

There is nothing more painful than knowing you are right and suffering for it. Except of course for what Dahlia experienced. The pain of keeping a secret that helps you as much as it hurts you. The pain and fear she experienced is great and terrible. It's a complicated situation...I dislike being in the middle of it.

[hadnoright]

Think that goes for all of us.

If for differing reasons for everyone. She doesn't know how to comment on what the Leeds have done to Neil, knowing well that she's biased and knowing well that she's ruined many a life in her own time.

I dunno what we're gonna do.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis remains silent, thinking of a solution that will benefit everyone, but she simply can't see a world with Neil forgiving Dahlia. Nor would she ever expect him to.

Mendel is dead, therefore the remaining archdemons can also be killed. The Chaos god may or may not still be in play, though considering Linette's death was by his cultists and it's what created the barrier...I would guess there's something left of him. But killing the demon princes and freeing the Goddesses should be our primary goal.

[hadnoright]

Daisy's lips curl back over her teeth and a low growl rumbles out. The second we get any sort of opening on Aster...

It won't be easy, and she doesn't expect it to be. He's playing the game too well right now and killing the demons clearly isn't as simple as just going for the throat. But her hatred for Aster is personal, after everything.

...Dahlia did say the demons and chaos god have. A truce? Begrudgingly, I think.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis tips her head, curious about this new information, and the fact it meant that Daisy knew. Her friend knew who Dahlia was long before the rest of them, and while she understands keeping the secret, she can't help but feel a little betrayed.

Does she know if he is still around then?

[hadnoright]

No idea. Didn't ask. Only told me that bit earlier. And I was more worried about her than asking demon questions.

She'd rather leave all of that until later, when Dahlia isn't still reeling from this whole disaster.

[redlightgreenlight]

I suppose that is fair, but when you can, it could be important.

Valdis pauses again, pondering if she should ask the next question.

Are you certain Dahlia has no loyalty to her father?

[hadnoright]

Daisy huffs. Maybe she did once, I dunno. But not now. She's been acting against him. Telling me. Helping people. Using his warnings to save people. She's just... scared. I think. Of what happens if she pushes back more.

It's a fear Daisy recognises, not in the form of a father but in the form of something just as horrid as Aster. When you fight back against someone or something so much more powerful than you for the first time, it's terrifying.

And she can't stop feeding any more than I could. She's just got a worse deal.

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis' lip curls back to show her teeth for a very brief moment.

She may need to feed like the rest of us, but it was foolish to do it within her own manor. I might have dismissed the rumors if nothing had happened there during the blight, but she made a decision that I couldn't ignore.

It had been foolish, starving oneself never helped, Daisy found that out first hand back on the Eterna.

I do not wish her ill, I know her remaining family is rotten and she's doing her best, but old biases do not readily die.

[hadnoright]

Not saying you shouldn't be pissed about her eating someone. Never even say that about me.

You don't expect forgiveness or a lack of anger for these things, she knows that. But right now, she has no idea what Dahlia's even going to do next time she needs to feed.

...just want her to have the chance I've had.

[redlightgreenlight]

I will not stand in the way of that chance without good reason.

Daisy can trust her on that.