Anonymous Encounters at the Halloween Masquerade

[imaginist]

The Halloween Masquerade is this weekend! Each attendee will be issued an illusion-emitting mask that conceals their identity, and to facilitate some mystery connections, we’ll be posting anonymous scene starters during the party. This explainer is... so long, I’m sorry, but I wanted everyone to be clear on the rules so they can plan ahead. :>

(Also, I'm hoping to get the IC/OOC posted a day early on Friday so people get more time to play, but that will depend on my work schedule. Fingers crossed!)

🎭

How does the illusion mask work?

• The mask is a prototype device that emits microscopic Waldinger particles (they’re sadly committed to this name) which are the key to Enoch’s illusions. The device has been configured to create a full-body illusion that a) anonymizes the mask wearer and b) enhances their costume. While nothing physically changes about their appearance, the illusion will manipulate others into seeing, hearing and feeling something different. (Your illusion is also present when you look at yourself, look in a mirror, or take a photograph.)


• On the morning of Sat, Oct 27, every character will receive a plain white domino mask, with a note telling them that the illusion will activate at 6 PM (one hour before the party starts) and last until midnight. Your illusion is only active while you are wearing your mask.


• Once the illusion activates, the mask will take the form of any sort of head ornament that is appropriate for your outfit/costume. So it can be any style of masquerade mask, a hat, a pinned veil, a dramatic ray of light that always falls over your eyes, a full head transformation, etc.


• You will be anonymous. The illusion causes the mask wearer’s face and voice to seem strangely amorphous, and can also obscure body/gender (depending on player preference). When viewing others affected by the anonymity illusion, it’ll be hard to identify them based on their physical traits, but you might be able guess who someone is based on their speech patterns or mannerisms.


• Your costume will look different. The illusion enhancements depend on the outfit underneath, and the strength of the mask wearer’s imagination.
  
  • It must be based on what you’re actually wearing. The costume doesn’t need to be expensive or detailed, but it must be recognizably a costume once the illusion’s off. Your character can wear cat ears and whiskers painted on their face and end up looking like one of the cats from CATS (2019), but they can’t show up in a plain T-shirt and jeans and look like Iron Man.
  
  
  • Your dimensions must stay roughly the same. Illusions can visually obscure someone's true height, but they can't make a five-foot-tall person feel like a six-foot-tall person if they dance with someone. Similarly, while your cat-ears-wearing character can look like a frighteningly humanoid CGI cat, the illusion can't make them look like a tiny proportionally correct cat. On the other hand, if they're wearing a whole papier-mâché horse butt, they can look like a realistic centaur.
  
  
  • It must be easy to tell where your head and face is. What either of those things look like is up to you, but since the mask is on your face, you must have a face.
  
  
  • Otherwise, go buckwild! Animate some wings, be followed by a tiny storm cloud, reject the concept of a physical form, etc. The IC concept is that the complexity of an illusion costume depends on how imaginative/creative the wearer is, but OOC you're allowed to do whatever you think looks coolest.


• What if my character has abilities that allow them to see through illusions? Congrats! For this party, you can choose from the following options:
  
  1. Your character can see through everyone's mask illusions. What this looks like is up to you, and I'm happy to talk it out if you're not sure! Their mask illusion will still work for everyone viewing them, unless you have a reason why it shouldn't.
  
  
  2. Doc's tech creates illusions that are powerful enough to override powers that would normally be able to see through illusions, and your character can fully enjoy the event as intended.
  
  
  3. Something in between? Maybe your character can see through illusions, but it takes time or deliberate concentration to do it. Whatever works!


• Can my character not wear a costume and still receive illusion enhancements? Yes! Everyone is allowed fun effects (or at least a really cool mask). Make your dress super sparkly, etc.

🎭

How will anonymous encounters work?

• Write a short scene starter (1-5 sentences) for your character and submit it below. All submissions are screened.


• When the party IC/OOC goes up, I will post the anonymous scene starters in various locations, and then reply to your screened submission with the link to your starter, so you can track when you get replies.


• Respond to any replies with your own character account like normal, and have fun!


• We'll be accepting anonymous starters even after the IC/OOC has already been posted, so if you want to wait until this weekend before submitting something, that's fine too. (You can also scene like normal at the party.)

Examples of anonymous scene starters:

• A ballerina is leaping and pirouetting around the dance floor, and crashes into someone standing on the sidelines, knocking them to the floor. "Oh my god, sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"


• A person with a glowing neon mask shoves a blood-red drink at you. "This tastes awful. You have to try it." Their grin is bright and mischievous.


• A tall man leans against a wall, watching the wild goings-on with curiosity. He hasn't engaged with anyone yet, but seems like he's working up the courage to approach people.

To help with writing prompts, some locations at the party:

• Dance Floor: Open space where dancing happens. DJ on the decks.


• Open Bar: Bartenders serving drinks behind a counter. A limited number of stools.


• Refreshments: A long buffet table with hors d'oeuvres and non-alcoholic drinks. A few smaller tables with chairs for eating and chatting.


• Balcony: Raised walkway with a railing, overlooking the party. A few cushioned benches just big enough for two people, spaced far apart for privacy.


• Outside: Get some fresh air. Much of the grounds behind the Rec Center is dominated by an enormous hedge maze that sprung up just today.

Please fill out this form to submit an anonymous starter:

Character Name: Preferred Location: If any. Description: This is the only text that will be posted. Please describe your character in 1-5 sentences without explicitly saying who they are. Limit number of replies?: OPEN TO MULTIPLE by default. You can limit the number of replies (i.e. limit to 1/2/3 characters, etc.) if you don't want to get overloaded. Anything else?:

<b>Character Name:</b> <b>Preferred Location:</b> If any. <b>Description:</b> This is the only text that will be posted. Please describe your character in 1-5 sentences without explicitly saying who they are. <b>Limit number of replies?:</b> OPEN TO MULTIPLE by default. You can limit the number of replies (i.e. limit to 1/2/3 characters, etc.) if you don't want to get overloaded. <b>Anything else?:</b>

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