faderift | SATINALIA 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.

WHO: All
WHAT: A second crack at celebrating Satinalia, because we deserve nice things.
WHEN: Mid-Firstfall
WHERE: The Gallows, in the gardens.
NOTES: n/a

It's twilight when Second Satinalia is in its fullest swing. The weather is unseasonably warm, and so they've made use of the gardens as the site for partying. Carefully placed lanterns shine through the odd tree or hover over bushes that have since lost their flowers.

However, decoration makes up for the lack of springtime flora. The space is decorated in shining garlands of gold and silver ribbons, paper flowers, and hanging ornamentations that flip between moons and suns. (If they look a little used, it's because these are second-hand decorations from slightly more affluent Satinalia parties been and gone, borrowed or donated.) There is also a firepit, providing a source of warmth and light.

In the invitations that went out, everyone was encouraged to come in costume as they'd intended to, but noted that for those whom their costumes were ruined or they would simply like to wear something different, there will be masks available, along with some costume pieces—fake jewelry, big hats, faux-velvet and harlequin coats, and so on, though they must be given back, s'il vous plaît. Florent will also offer his abilities in face painting and makeup prior to the party beginning, and will talk you into going spooky in case more skeletons come and they need to blend in to throw them off. (He can be found with his own stylish paintwork, a skeletal design in silver and white and grey.)

Everyone has also been invited to bring along some food and drink if they have it, as their budget is run a bit thin, but there will definitely be enough wine to go around, and some fruits and sweet pastries purchased from the market that day all offered on a table.

There is some music, a few local musicians (who have been promised, variously, tickets to shows, or work opportunities with certain prominent Orlesian playhouses, which may or may not be legitimate) set up with a fiddle, some percussion instruments, something that resembles a very elaborate xylophone, all playing a diverse array of up tempo tunes that allow for a bit of dancing in the more open area of the garden, but otherwise suffuses the shadows and fractured conversations with pleasant noise.

Drink, be merry, don't kill anyone.

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It appears that everyone is quite fancy by comparison to Dante, someone who has evolved stylistically throughout his lifetime. From an edgy shithead teenager, to moody repressed young adult, to something out of a spaghetti western, and now his final evolution old-enough-not-to-give-a-shit. He isn't above theatrics, but he doesn't see the need to draw attention to himself either, that will probably happen eventually.

As for what defines remarkable, well Dante's standards a probably different from most people. Remarkable doesn't have to mean extraordinary beauty, someone this young with a collection of scars and one or two old injuries that he's quick to pick up on and quick to normalize has, in his opinion, lived a life. That is interesting.

On to her game Dante plucks up one of the drinks she's nodding to, not a pinkie out kind of person, but he is a pain-in-your-whole-ass kind of person. He moves to offer her the drink, but dangles it just out of reach, "as a responsible adult I have a proof-of-age policy kiddo."

Responsible adult. Two words that ought never be associated with Dante, but after giving the girl a shit-eating grin he relents and gives her the glass letting her know that he plays as well.

"I was shit out of a Rift a few days ago...maybe longer? Not that I remember any of it, I wasn't conscious for the ride."

Ellie half reaches up to accept the drink, then finds it dangling just out of reach. She goes through a journey with her expressions. Disbelief and mingled amusement and anger, a spark of steel in the back of her eyes that doesn't quite leap out, become a naked blade.

All that tension breaks with a snap and teeters, then tips to good. Her smile is sharp as she reaches up to pluck the glass from his fingers.

Kiddo.

"Oh, please. This is Riftwatch. Nobody here is a responsible adult."

Ellie takes a swig from the glass, laughing under her breath.

"If you were here for the last couple of parties then you might be a contender for shittiest welcome."

"Excuse me you are in the presence of the most responsible adult anywhere," right, not very convincing after he just yielded the alcohol, but he at least makes an effort to sound indignant. For his part, however, Dante isn't drinking, not that he doesn't enjoy drinking, but his body has undergone several changes since he arrived and whether or not he wanted to get drunk considering the stories he's heard so far...well, he'll save it for another time.

"Unfortunately, I missed the last bash they had. I heard it was unforgettable," honestly it sounds as though he would like to have been there to see it.

"Oh yeah. Clearly." Ellie raises both eyebrows and makes a very, very convincing effort of not smiling. About as convincing as Dante's, really.

"Well. That's one word for getting the shit kicked out of you while you're already down."

Ellie shrugs one shoulder.

"I missed it, but I was here for the Chantry asshole turning into a dead one. That was the-" she pauses, doing the math in her head. "-day before."

Dante gave his head a sanctimonious nod as if to say glad we're in agreement. In spite of the fact that he was the furthest thing from any sort of responsible adult.

"But you're here to tell the tale and that counts for something."

Let's be honest, Dante enjoys fighting so missing out was moderately disappointing especially considering he might have been unconscious during that time as well and more than capable of doing something if he'd been otherwise awake.

"I heard something about a fanatic attempting to do a murder before he got his ass slapped. Is he the exception to the rule or is he a fanatic among many?" Cults and fanatics were always a concern for Dante, he had limited experience, but he did have experience and it wasn't the good kind.

"Yeah, but for what?" Ellie asks rhetorically, then snorts a laugh into the edge of her glass. Definitely the first time she's thought about the dude getting spanked.

Maybe she should be more offended about someone being cavalier over the dead, but. The guy was an asshole.

"It was a whole lot of murder he was attempting to do, but he got his ass slapped from a lot of different directions at once. Was over before I even got to the door."

Rude, really.

"From what I've seen it's not all that common. But I guess... Corypheus's army could sort of count as a cult? Fuck, I don't know. He's an assface riding a giant zombie dragon, something about a dead god and wanting to rule the world."

"I get the satisfaction of your company," Dante said holding up his index finger, the question might be rhetorical, but it would be much harder to have this sort of banter were she not here for it.

Likewise, Dante had very little attachment to the person in question and less sympathy for people who attempt to murder, especially in the name of fanaticism. He was compassionate and would likely not lift much of a finger against people in battle, but the outcome in this case seemed justified enough.

"I almost feel sorry for the poor bastard, or maybe I should feel sorry for you. No action? You have my condolences."

Though if he was taken down that quickly then there was something to be said for efficiency. So, a plus perhaps?

"Corypheus? Yeah, I heard he was big, burly, and morbidly assfaced...but nobody said anything about a zombie dragon. Now I've gotta meet him."

"There's that," Ellie agrees loftily -- though hopefully he'll be able to see the playful sarcasm there. She might look like a young debutante right now, but the next time he sees her, she'll be in leathers, probably covered in a light layer of dirt, with one or more bloodstains and plenty of weaponry.

"And yeah- no ass left for me to kick."

Ellie gives an expansive shrug. "I've never actually seen the guy, but if it's a fight you want, there's plenty of shit to swing a sword at. The war keeps us pretty busy, and even without that there's the Rifts, and the Darkspawn, and the random dragons... and if you hang out around Darktown long enough some idiot'll try their luck."

To be fair, Dante rarely knows what to do with people in fancy clothes, odds are Ellie bedecked in all of her gear, weaponry, and dirt will feel more familiar than anything associated with this masquerade.

"What a damper that must've been, you have my condolences," no asses left to kick, it's an absolute tragedy!

Dante's still trying to catch up on some of the language, things like Darkspawn he's never heard of, but it sounds menacing enough. The Rifts and Demons he's familiar with and dragons...well now he's curious, "I'd feel sorry for the idiot...but dragons huh? That sounds like a good time."

Thankfully, most of the jargon is self-explanatory. Once you see a Darkspawn it's obvious that yep, that thing's definitely a Darkspawn.

But Ellie is smiling, and finally feeling like this party is more fun than not, so she laughs under her breath.

"Yeah, they learn quick who not to fuck with. I haven't met any dragons in the flesh yet, but I think they've got some parts here for study? Gross."

Ellie tips her head to one side. "What're you used to fighting?"

SATINALIA 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.

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