Lady Arachne's Summer Garden Masque - all visitors welcome!

At various locations around the Nexus, giant posters are going up advertising a garden party in the name of the mysterious Lady Arachne. Each poster includes a full-sized mirror, although right now they are clouded over. If anyone does step through one, they'll arrive in a teleportation circle, surrounded by various fruit and nut bearing bushes and vines and lined with rustic wooden benches. There's an arch to one side, but it is currently blocked off by a web held in place by several large spiders. There's a sign in the middle that says "Staff only please until 1500." The given time is still a few hours in the future though.

Masque Entrance

The party hasn't started yet, but someone comes through the portal anyway. One particularly odd golem that begins drifting around the place in the vague general direction of the host, as if simultaneously lost and being pulled somewhere.

Masque Entrance

The golem will find the only way out is blocked by a very large spider web. In the middle, a golden orb-weaver gestures to the "Staff Only until 1500" sign and politely waves towards a bench.

[Masque Entrance]

"I'm here to volunteer my services to the gracious host." says Anri to the spider, with some pretty clear mental desire to be turned away so she can continue trying to go home.
Also, her chassis is much too large for that bench, which only makes her sad about her shape for probably the one hundred and fifth time this year. That at least hasn't changed since the curse.

Masque Entrance

The spider puts up one leg in a "wait" gesture, then chitters to a second spider, who runs off for a minute. She then waves the newcomer to a particularly large bench over in one corner. It does pay to be prepared for all body types in the Nexus.

A few minutes later, the web lifts and the second spider beckons her to follow into another grove.

Masque Entrance

Anri doesn't bother sitting, mostly because she has found to great distress that she no longer is capable of feeling tired (or sleeping) and so sitting doesn't have much of a point anymore. She feels like a lot of things don't.
Still, despite her subconscious protests she's been invited inside, and finds herself following the spider in.

Into the Grove

The spider leads her into another section, where Lady Arachne is sitting at a delicate table under arched dogwoods, sipping a cup of tea under her mask. She looks the newcomer up and down for a minute before speaking. I understand you are looking for work?
I believe I could offer some interesting volumes from my private library in payment. You will have to be careful with them though, the parchment is quite old.

Into the Grove

Anri bows, and at the promise of pay visibly calms. At last, someone with courtesy. That's almost new. So far only a couple of polite college students who tipped her have been the only ones to realize that being sapient means you should probably be paid for work, even if you don't ask for it (stupid programming).
"That would be very gracious, Ma'am. I can provide a variety of functions for your function. If you would like an explanation, a service performed, or for me to change uniform, you need only ask." And for once she means it. The place is rather classy. She wouldn't mind sitting here a few hours if she's being paid, she supposes. It's early enough that if she went back to the city she'd probably be pulled somewhere much worse...

Into the Grove

The party hostess gets up. If you'll come this way? She takes her to a grove fairly near the back, with strange silver bushes and a large flat rock beside a pool, which Lady Arachne indicates with a wave. If you could stay around here, I think that would work well. This grove is meant mostly for chatting and socializing, so we'll want something quiet but upbeat. Perhaps a jazz theme? And if you could come up with a blue dress that would be ideal, perhaps something in the flapper style. I will have one of the servers check up on you periodically.

Into the Grove

Anri smiles gladly at the dress request, though sadly sighing with relief is not within her abilities.
"Of course, Madam. Though, I'm afraid I never got your name. You may call me Anri, or really whatever you want. But I prefer Anri." A classy but short dress materializes around her from a wisp of orange smoke. At the other request, there's a wiring as she adjusts some knobs on the back of her spider half where her sound system is. Before Anri could manipulate functions from her spider half but they always felt...separate from her. Now her golem body has made it so that she barely feels any particular attachment to any of her parts, not even her head. "She" isn't anywhere in it, the way a human's brain is in the head. The knobs of her radio and her shiny spigots feel as necessary and equal to her body as her fingers, and frankly it's rather distressing. She's also not sure how she still has a sense of touch, but she's very glad she does; losing her taste is quite bad enough.
Still, just playing some jazz? She's more than happy to do that for a few hours, even if she still hates the way the music reverberates through her entire body. She picks something upbeat as requested.

Into the Grove

It's Lady Arachne. I will have someone check up on you in a bit; just let the spiders know if you need anything. With that, she departs - but Anri might notice a small spider hanging out near the edge of the water, dangling a foot in.

[In the Grove]

Well, nothing to do but wait.
"Just you and me now, buddy. We're in it for the long haul." she tells the spider. Her voice sounds much more natural now that the Host isn't there.

Entrance

Something else arrives! They're constructs, moving quickly considering they have short legs, made of shibuichi patinated black with gold and silver etched into it. They vaguely resemble hatstands, with a slender body on a cluster of three legs, with a tray located about halfway up and five short arms on top able to reach the tray and hand out drinks. Each has been given a unique face, mostly humanoids, each with a different expression. There's a lot of them, too; Pontius has been busy, and pulled out all the stops to create as many as he could for the patron.

[Security Arrival]

Electra steps through the portal, and blinks, still unused to teleportation other than her own. She's the first of the MERC contingent to arrive; her hair drawn back into a simple, but elegant ponytail. She's carrying a small duffel bag with her, presumably tools, or possibly weapons, but it's hard to tell. Her attire might be considered "business casual", a simple pair of black slacks and a white blouse. She looks to the spiders next to the sign.

"Electra, here from MERC. Is Lady Arachne available?"

[Kitchen Arrival]

Sam arrives, wearing his given uniform and carrying a bag. He's groomed his whole coat far more than he usually does, and polished his tusks.
"And I'm here too! Show me the kitchen." he declares, rubbing his hands together.

Entrance - Collected Arrivals

The spiders lift the web-gate as Lady Arachne comes through and greets everyone. She briefly directs the constructs to follow Sam, before turning to him The constructs are programmed to carry food out to people. They should be able to carry whatever you come up with in the kitchen. If you'll follow Elise over here? she waves to a black and white jumping spider, who starts scurrying off to the kitchen. Having said that, she turns to Electra. I suppose a tour is in order, if you will follow me this way?

Entrance - Collected Arrivals

Electra nods with a smile, and gestures for Lady Arachne to lead on, before falling into step with her.

"Certainly. It's good to finally meet you in person."

Going on a Tour

Lady Arachne shows Electra around the premises, making sure to introduce her to Anri as well. There's a couple of different groves with various forms of seating, as well as a large central area bordered by long fountains that is set up for dancing. The cooking area and a couple of other backstage areas are also back here, protected by some sort of metal hedge that does not look friendly for unauthorized visitors. You'll need to bring any other security people back here to be introduced, so the systems will recognize them. There's additional weapons as well as masks back there. Any questions?

In an Enclosed Grove Somewhere

And a Magtok finds himself in a grove surrounded by some sort of silver metallic thorn bushes. There's a spider there, who scribbles on a piece of paper "Please wait, Lady Arachne will be here momentarily" and takes off running. In the meantime he might notice the inside of the grove is completely bare, except for the sigil in which he just arrived and a very large metal shed on one side.

Entrance/Kitchens

Sam nods and follows after the spider, eager to get to work in the kitchens. He’s never had robot servants before. Might be fun to send them off. Lady Arachne is certainly being extravagant on this one.

Kitchens

They aren't robots, but golems, though ones designed and built especially for the event. If Lady Arachne bids it, they will obey Sam to the best of their ability- so long as he doesn't ask them to do anything that threatens the welfare of themselves or others. There's no electricity running through them, and their limbs move without assistance by hydraulics or motors of any kind.

The spiderweb curtain has been removed, and the mirror portals around the Nexus now show a clear view of a shimmering sigil in the middle of a hedge. The weather is just cloudy enough to not be too hot, but with no threat of rain. Visitors will appear in the sigil in front of a fountain, to be greeted by the hostess. She's wearing a delicate lavender gown with a subtle lace design, sweeping down to a layer of gauze that brushes the ground and hides her feet, and a matching pale veil that hides her face except for solid black eyes. She greets each guest and waves them on through the arch.

Beyond the arch are a multitude of different groves, separated by hedges. Some are quiet and set up for talking and eating, including one rather close to the entrance that has a large mechanical drider in a flapper gown playing jazz music and dispensing craft beer. Others are swept clear for dancing. The main center space is cleared, with a stage for any musicians who wish to try their hand, and tables lining the sides in front of two long, narrow pools along the edges.

Food is not out quite yet, but surely there are smells coming from the kitchen area.

Entrance

Sekhmet checks her illusions, steels herself, and passes through the portal. The Tiefling is here to see Pontius' golems in action, and to test her illusion skills. She doesn't look like herself, of course. She is currently in disguise as a fae noble, and looks something like this: She's five foot three, with pale skin and raven black hair which hangs loose around her shoulders. Her face has regal, elfin features, complete with pointed ears, but also sports a pair of antlers which curve up and over her head. A mask covers most of her face in the shape of a raven. Her body is shapely, but not exceptionally so, and she wears a black, sleeveless, floor-length dress the same color as her hair. A tail pokes out through a hidden slit in the back of her skirt, ending in a tuft of black fur. A few ethereal motes of light hovering around her complete her disguise. With what confidence she can muster, the fraudulent fae enters the party trying to look like she belongs there. Of course, senses which can pierce her illusory appearance will get a very different picture, of a Tiefling girl trying her best to look imperious. Some of her is the same: her hair is the same, and the dress she wears is the same style, although blue rather than black. Her skin, however, is a dark red, she has horns like a gazelle's, rather than antlers, and her tail ends in a barb. She lacks elflike features, her ears are rounded like a human's. Furthermore, her figure is more modest than the illusion's, although her height is the same.

The fae lady moves to a place where she can sit down and simply watch new people arriving, hopefully without drawing too much attention to herself.

Entrance

Illusions are a wonderful trick, but not everyone has them at their disposal. Some have to make do with applying their costume design skills to whatever's in the closet and maybe a couple additions picked up at the thrift shop, and Cantata is no exception here. She steps through the portal in a the slinky velvet dress of a lounge singer, soft maroons and gilded touches paired with black stockings and arm-length gloves. A lightweight scarf wraps tightly around her neck and drapes over her bared shoulders like an inky shawl, and her wavy black locks frame a pale mask with upward crescents for eyes. There is no hole for the mouth, only the ghostly suggestion of a smile, and golden accents have been painted on the lower half of the eye holes in small sweeps that accentuate the cheekbones. A pair of jet black cat ears complete the outfit, held on by a headband but convincing enough to pass for the real thing at a glance.

But as cheery as her visage looks, the face behind the mask is quite serious as Cantata steps out into the masquerade, giving the place a once-over as if trying to find someone. She's here for business, not pleasure, and as much as she tries to avoid showing it through her posture it's not completely unnoticeable.

Sigil

A group of four arrives, 3 women and one man, dressed to the nines in 20's fashion. The first woman is short, with a short, well styled, bright red bob cut - although not so bright that it couldn't pass for a natural colour. Her mask is an ornate feathery affair, golden and encrusted with rubies. Her dress is low waisted and short, deep red with a ruffled hem and covered in a pattern of black sequins. The scoop neck shows off a gold necklace with a diamond in an ornate setting. The rest of her jewellery is also golden but nothing is as extravagant as her necklace. She's wearing a pair of shiny black stilettos. It's her that first approaches Lady Arachne, smiling like she's seeing an old friend. Such a pleasure! What an aesthetic you have here - I love the commitment to theme. She says, reaching out for a handshake. If Lady Arachne meets her hand she'll lean in for a cheek-kiss greeting on both sides - leaving a gap between their faces, of course - before releasing it. Very European.

The tallest lady is darker skinned with pitch black curly hair, although she has a cloche hat covering most of it; a deep, deep navy with a swirl of silver sequins. Her dress matches - the vast majority of it the same navy, with a spiral of sequins starting on her chest just off to the side and lessening out as it cascades down her dress. It stops at her knees, with a hem of frills at the bottom that stop at her shins, just above her silver high heels. Her mask is a lot plainer - simple and black, with just a few sequins set into it sparsely. She walks up behind the shorter lady and drapes her arms around her shoulders. Come on Tanwen, leave our host alone. You can't monopolise her time all night. I'm sure she has other people to greet. Now that she's closer Lady Arachne will be able to see that her irises are a stunning silver.

The other two share a quiet conversation between themselves, waiting for the pair talking to their host. The third woman has olive skin and longer, auburn hair, cascading down her back in curls. She has a jewelled headband holding a plumed fascinator in place. Her sleeveless, dark green dress shows off her impressive musculature. The dress ends in a frilled hem as well, and she's wearing a pair of matching green high heels. Her mask is similar to the tall lady's - black, but with a line of sequins along the bottom instead of the sparse smattering she had. The man stands a solid foot above her, wearing a dark brown vest over a tan shirt, with a darker tie underneath. His pants match his vest and his shoes are shiny black leather. His skin is perhaps more noticeable - extremely pale white, with slicked back green hair. His mask contrasts against his skin beautifully - again black, but with a floral decal - fine white petals flaring out the left side of his mask. They talk amongst themselves for a while, surveying the party, before they spot someone interesting.

The Mercenary

Cantata will find that despite her careful surveyal of the party that she has been snuck up on. Seemingly appearing out of thin air is the third woman, immediately going to lean against Cantata and take one of her arms in her own. Arthes. She says - apparently her name. You should relax. Whatever it is, it can wait for a moment, can't it?

Entrance

Somebody else arrives! They're female, and young; probably around twenty, a few years either way. She's got short black hair mixed with matching feathers and grey eyes. She's wearing a mask with a long, upturned nose and a carnival grin, though it leaves her chin bare, and a slit black dress that occasionally grants a glimpse of bare leg and the black hiking boots she wears underneath. The dress is backless, allowing a pair of black feathered wings to rest unconfined. The central joint of the wings bears a grey eye, and she's missing a finger on her left hand. She'll skirt as far away as she can from the fae, giving them a distrustful glare, but is otherwise pretty open to approach.

Among the guests is a man dressed in a dark costume with purple accents. It's slim, hugging his slender form, but longer at the back, trailing behind him, and with loose, wide sleeves. On his head is a mask of a fierce golden dragon, with a pair of curved horns. Fayyaad moves through the crowd with practised ease, mingling, talking, joking, eating and drinking, but his eyes carefully watch the entire assembly.

Entrance

Sekhmet will find various benches around the sigil, or if she goes further there's a small alcove along the entryway with a few benches, several spiders, and a sign that reads "Clothing Repairs." Beyond that the path splits off into different groves.

Lady Arachne greets the guests as they arrive. She does not, however, return any handshakes, instead greeting visitors with a slight bow and a warm Welcome to the garden! Do ask one of the spiders if you need anything. Refreshments will be out shortly. The observant may notice that her bell sleeves hang down over her hands, concealing them from view. There is also a guest book next to her, for any visitors to sign.

Fae? Lady

Sekhmet will find that one second she had the bench entirely to herself, the next she has a partner, sitting just in her blindspot. My lady. He says, when she notices him. He's the tall gentleman that came in the group of four but... wasn't he just over there? Well, he's here now, and he's still talking. I don't believe we've met. Gruffydd. Your antlers are beautiful. He says, with a light smile on his face.

Going on a Tour

Electra nods as Lady Arachne shows her around, making mental notes. When she asks if there are questions, Electra nods.

"Just a few. Can your security system accept outside data? I can pass ID files for all of those who committed to providing security tonight to it if it can. Also, will all security personnel be needing masks, or just those you want to be showing overtly as security? Lastly, you mentioned during our contract negotiations that you would provide costumes, I'm wondering where those are stored so our people can get changed when they arrive."