Liliana Vess Defiant Necromancer

Once again, the gate that blocked off the bottom end of Phoenix Way was opened, inviting everyone to the creepy (though much less abandoned) mansion. This time, however, instead of being guided around to the gardens, the lit path led them to the front door, where the a tall figure in a tattered robe and deep cowl gestured for them to step inside the door and get onto a...boat? Once people had climbed in settled themselves, the ferryman began to guide the ship down the River Styx. Or, okay, their long entrance hallway, with blue lights to either side of their boat to mimic water and bathing everyone in an eerie blue glow. (Yes, okay, the boat perhaps wheeled down the hallway rather than floated, but they had not refinished this house just to flood the hallway for verisimilitude. Even if Liliana had considered it for a few minutes.)

The double doors leading to the ballroom were opened, with thick fog rolling out of the doorway. And through that doorway, people could descend the stairs into the Underworld proper. Black and gold were the prevailing color, with deep red nods to a pomegranate motif. Gold coins and loose gemstones added to the decor, a nod to Hades' wealth - but even amidst all the dark opulence, touches of other colors could be seen: tucked away in various corners and small niches were flowering plants, a surprise kiss of springtime to be found in the least likely places. Rather than one large chandelier, they had several, creating areas of both light and shadow around the ballroom.

Welcome to the Underworld, dear friends.

Liliana absolutely did not care about what was happening outside. Texas? Whatever. Dust? Who cared? Ghost town? Well...actually, that had been interesting until Liliana had verified that there were, in fact, no ghosts in the town. But after that, she gave no further thought to what was happening out of doors.

Because within them was their party.

The ballroom doors opened into a space that had been transformed for the evening into an elegant private casino. While there were no slot machines, various tables lined the room: blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, even the odd pool table - and, of course, a table dedicated to Pazaak (with an admittedly anemic deck; Liliana hadn't gotten out to Nar Shadaa yet). Above the room, a chandelier lit the room, magnified by the sconces along the walls. One entire wall was taken up by a large display labeled Exchange, where multiple prizes were on display. The price tags on everything were not in dollars but a weird currency called 'zibs' and 'zinos'. Apparently, no American cash would be accepted or exchanged tonight.

Following the carpet down the entry stairs and into the ballroom proper, each person who entered was greeted by a uniformed croupier and given five gold coins with "1 zino" embossed on one side and a weird triangle design on the other. "You will be able to break these down further at the tables," she murmured as she gestured them further inside where Ignis and Liliana, (for once not in purple but red) waited to greet them properly.

There was alcohol, there was food, there was appropriate background music, as well as plenty of room to dance.

Most importantly, however, the gaming tables were open!

Arrive and Mingle | Gambling and Prizes | High Rollers' Room | Refreshments | Dance Floor | OOC

At 3:20, Liliana flung open the highest window of the house, looking around for squirrels, spotting several. At 3:21, as the eclipse darkened the world around them, she flung up her hands, ropes of purplish-black power shooting up into the sky like tethers. And laughed - not a loud cackle as one might assume, but more of a cold, calculating chuckle.

She stood like that for ten seconds, twenty, thirty...once a full minute had passed, she let the magic dissipate, dropped her arms, and, shaking the soreness out, closed the window and headed back downstairs, humming to herself.

An excellent afternoon's work.

[Open]