The foyer of the Mansion starts to get busy around 05:55 with household staff making preparations for the arrival of the first guests for the balls, although it's not until 5 past 6 with the arrival of the first of the buses from the Mizzurian office in town that it really starts to get busy. This means that from 06:05 till 06:30 there is an almost constant stream of guests moving through the front doors and into the portal.
At 06:30 Charlie arrives on the first floor landing and is joined by 3 other girls, from first floor rooms (Agate, Onyx, and Beryl). All are dressed in what would be considered Hollywood 'A' list dress, although not the latest bleeding edge fashions, although none of them look out of place. They are joined by Scott and Gabriel. They will head down stairs and through the portal.

The rest of your cousins will also appear on the landing around 06:30 and make their way down stairs and through the Portal.
Cordelia, again dress in a Hollywood 'A' list dress, and again accompanied by a body guard as for the opening ceremony, is accompanied by a very attractive, regal looking and refined gentleman, dressed in some form of military uniform although none of you can place the style or era.
Stepping through the Portal you find yourselves in the foyer of the convention centre as previously, where you are directed to the hall in which the opening ceremony was held. Late arriving guests from Mizzurian Earth are making their way into the hall.

As you enter the hall an usher will ask your name and hand you a 'tablet', your dance card, there is then a second short queue before your reach the Master of Ceremonies who will announce you to the assemblage.
Other than a few very late arrivals, the last to be announced will be Cordelia and her husband Prince Fredizkhankt. Note she is announced only as President and CEO of Mizzurian, although her husband is announced as Prince Fredizkhankt.

On the left as you enter the hall is a long bar, although drinks ( red, white, rose wine, or champagne) are being distributed by waiters and waitresses. If you want something else you will be able to order it from a waiter/waitress later.
Beyond the bar is and entrance in to a second smaller hall, and beyond this in the far corner is a raised stage there is a small 11 piece orchestra which will provide the music for the ball. Surrounding the large dance floor, which occupies the centre of the hall are two rows of circular tables, each table capable of seating 6 persons.

Entering the smaller hall, the left hand side is given over to supporting the main bar, and the buffet. On the right hand side, and a little way down is another dance floor, and at the far end a modern disco. Again tables capable of seating 6 are arranged down the long sides of the dance floor.

You would estimate there are between four and six hundred people present.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:47, Wed 15 Nov 2023.

Cathal makes sure he gets advice on what to wear and turns up in a fashionable tuxedo. For a break he wears proper shoes, fitting his tuxedo.

He completely ignores Charlie. He follows through the gate and takes a look around.

asking Rhiannon what she wants, he organize a drink for him self and her.

When he is back with the drinks he whispers to Rhiannon. "This is a big event. I'm curious who else will be here."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:31, Fri 17 Nov 2023.

Rhiannon arrived to the landing at 6:30. She bade her cousins a good morning, She was in her elegant gold dress that was snug in all the right places but still long enough to be tasteful. As they went into the portal, she stayed close to Cathal, glad she did when she saw how enormous the event was. When he asked, she just wanted a red wine, but was also wondering at the scale of the ball.

"I'm wondering if we're supposed to be dancing with whomever asks at this Ball. I know we're supposed to at the other one. I suppose I'll brave asking Cordelia. You know how she gets when you ask her something she thought she was clear on."

So your initial impressions of the event, aside from the number of people present, is that there are possibly, and very broadly speaking, 3 groups of people.

• i) The social/professional elite, those used to such events, thus having the type and level of attire in their wardrobe, and being used to wearing it
• ii) The professional middle class, who may attend the odd high functioning social events like work Christmas Parties, Conferences, etc who can afford a level of attire commensurate with their social status and are semi-comfortable in it, and at such an event as this. About 60% of those present probably fall into this category.
• iii) The, and for want of a better term, 'Geek' class. These are generally identifiable by having 'new' suits/dresses that they are obviously not that comfortable in. They're generally nervous, and just 'look' out of place. Possibly 25% to 30% of those present probably fall into this category. A lot of those who were seated up the table from you, at the lunch after the Opening Ceremony, fall into this group.

After this a couple of things also become very quickly obvious
a)Charlie and her 3 friends, who appear to into fit the first group, are almost immediately mobbed by a sizeable contingent of the 'geek' class.
b)Cordelia is placed in a similar position but from those in the social/professional elite group.

Thus as Rhiannon attempts to make her way towards Cordelia to ask her question she will find herself 'shutout' for want of a better term.
At the point she realises she's not going to get to Cordelia she finds a well dressed gentleman in an odd military uniform in front of her.

You can't place his accent.

Cathal turn to his cousins and asks Winter. "Would you do me the pleasure of dancing with me?"

Edward, more used to these situations, quickly scans his cousins in an attempt to determine who looks most insecure, settling on Alana, as it's generally not etiquette, to dance with a member of the same sex, and he doubts Kenneth would appreciate the gesture.
Cassandra also scans those in the immediate vicinity in search of a partner, and thinking she has identified a candidate, is then surprised when Gabriel asks her to dance, which she accepts.
Scott, who had been hoping to dance with one of Charlie's friends, is forced to change tack, and instead asks Natsuki to dance.
With a rapidly diminishing pool of cousins, Natalie will step in and rescue Kenneth who looks very much like a fish out of water.
This just leaves Cormac and Blake to go in search of partners (not that there is actually a shortage).