A large group has formed at the gate. As the first glimpse of the gate came into view in the distance, the only sound that broke the silence of the woods was the travelers who had dared entered the forest of Shadowell. It seemed as everything was abandoned, that was until in the distance at the other side of the gate men on horseback came tearing down the path. Dead leaves kicking up beneath their hooves as viscous looking dogs barked and bared their teeth; saliva dripping from their jowls with each snap of their jaws. Seven riders and six dogs come to the far side of the gate.

Guns drawn but not lifted to fire, yet, as they come to a halt at the gate. A round man dismounts from his stallion whose nostrils flare and steam rises from them. The man looks to be over six feet in height, nearly as tall as the walls that surround the grounds. His bulging eyes are so green they seem to glow as he eyes you all, there is a twitch on his weathered face and his short mustache looks to frosting over in the cold. His gray hair is long but only on half of his head. The other side is shaved clean to reveal his scalp.

"Hrmph," comes between his lips as the dogs bark cuts through the air. An iron key ring is produced from beneath his coat. Many keys, old and worn, hang heavily from it. One is chosen as he unlocks the gate and steps though. The sound of the gate opening is like a cry of pain that cuts through tension, the dogs go silent. The rest remain on the other side. "Dismount your horses, exit your carriages, they will be tended to for you. Bring what you care to carry and present your invitations to Leo at the gate. No one but those with invitations are allowed past the gate. Any others attempting will be shot." His voice is gruff and firm as he speaks, walking towards you all and through the crowd you have created. Repeating himself several times to ensure he has been heard.

On the other side of the gate another man dismounts as the name Leo is spoken for the first time. Leo is shorter than the man that is speaking, yet he seems much more imposing physically. The man is massive in his build. His pallid skin seems as if it has taken on the feel of the very air itself. His bright orange hair stands out starkly against the color of the forest and is pulled back in tight thin corn rows against his scalp until their blend together in a long thick braid that comes to his waist. Golden eyes flicker beneath droopy eye lids. Each of his foot falls is like the stomping of a giant.

One side of the gate is opened by Leo and it screams again from the motion. He stands there with a hand out to accept and check each invitation as it is presented before motioning to a spot inside the gate. "Wait there," Leo says. His voice is uncharacteristically high pitched from such a large man. It is comical in its tone, even coming from the mans slightly attractive face.

The men on the horses watch each of you closely, adjusting their guns as they rest in their saddles and keep their mounts in place. Several of the dogs are snapping again, growling venomously. Once inside the gate, you can see on the inside of the grounds, that was hidden by the wall, is a track of iron. Two lines running parallel to each other. They look old and slightly rusted where they lay on the ground and the thick lines seem to be partially buried in the ground. There is a thick line of trees and shrubbery on either side of the road that leads off into the distance that you cannot see beyond, it feels as if everything could close in on you at any moment.

Security appeared tight, to say the least. Other than that the forest looked horrible, the gate itself looked questionable and the guards looked rugged and unfriendly. Then again, not many were friendly and lacking this ruggedness, guards - more so than most. There were a few things which greatly bothered the Lady at this moment, and she was looking to evade any issues that could arise from them. Looking around, she spotted many a man and woman, although the number of females was higher than the number of males, which could be seen as concerning. Could it be that this rich and mysterious family was looking for ladies?

She got off her black stallion, who only had a saddle on his back, and pat the animal's side, continuing her observation of the ladies and lords who had been gathered here. Her eyes were drawn to a few, with interesting clothing and masks, but nothing truly grabbed her attention. However, that Leo characters appeared strange. What an unusual hair color, she thought as she looked at the one who would check their invitations.

Seeing as there were no other individuals willing, or interested, in approaching the man first, she figured that she would be the early bird to gut the worm. Trusting those who worked at the manor to take care of her horse, Lady Lechery approached the colossal man, all the while procuring the thick envelope, which seemed to the the thing to save her life from those bloodthirsty guards and their boom-sticks. Disappointed by the poor choice of garden decor, the blue-haired woman inwardly cringed as she realized her dress would become muddied at the lower side. How unfortunate.

"Good evening... Seeing as there are no other brave birds to be found here, I would like to enter the grounds first..." She offered up the envelope to the imposing guard who bore the name of the lion, a sly smile curling her lips... But that remained unnoticed by anybody, as there was a mask obscuring them.

The hardened wood of the trunk nudged into Cobalt's back for the hundredth time. He gritted his teeth slightly, doing his best to ignore it. The trunk was ungainly, awkwardly strapped across the back of his steed, a snow-white gelding called Winter, and he was already regretting his decision to not arrive by carriage. The uncomfortable ride, as well as the chill in the air, could well have made Cobalt reconsider his journey, if it were not for the pressing urgency, and intrigue, of the letter he had received.

He looked around at the group that had gathered outside the imposing gate. Aside from noticing the abundance of females, little grabbed his attention. All the visitors wore masks, just as he did himself, so it was hopeless guessing the age, let alone the identity, of some of his new companions. There was one man, wearing a gold, beaked mask, that set Cobalt on edge. He couldn't be sure why, but he unconsciously shifted slightly, urging Winter forwards to place some more distance between himself and the stranger.

Inadvertently moving nearer the centre of the group, he found himself in the path of the apparent leader, or at least spokesman, for the group of guards that had arrived to meet them at the gates. Looking down from his saddle, Cobalt smiled, nodding his head in greeting.

"Well met, friend. But I wasn't expecting such high security at a party, should we be concerned?"

The man eyed the one who spoke with him. There was a high sense of wanting to answer the man and he just may have if it hadn't been for the sound of guns rustling from the other side of the gate and pointing towards the head of the one who had yet to dismount from his saddle. A darker skinned man with beady bright cerulean eyes spoke up, "Cas, you want.." but his words were cut short as the man finally identified as Cas rose his hand sharply. The rifles lowered almost instantly.

"I would dismount and move through that gate if I were you," Cas stated in a warning tone.

Cobalt glanced warily across at the bright eyed man, but only for an instant. Smiling again, he swung his leg around and dismounted Winter. Pausing to rub behind the horses ear for an instant, he turned to face 'Cas'.

"Of course. My thanks."

Placing Winter's reins into the tall man's hands, Cobalt strode across to where Leo stood in the gateway. Pulling his invitation from a pocket of his thick overcoat, he held it out for the lumbering guard to inspect, the smile never wavering from his face.

Madam Mauve pulled her coat tighter around her with a sigh as she looked out the carriage window, her serene blue eyes peeking out from behind her embellished mask. She bent down slightly in her seat to get a glimpse of the "sky" through the breaks in the thick canopy above. It was really just a film of shifting shades of gray, which coupled with the fog that was rolling in, gave the abeyance of her surroundings an ominous feel to it. How delightful, she thought to herself. She straightened back up in her seat as her gaze moved to take in the rest of the scenery, if that's what one would even call it. It was really up to individual interpretation as to how one felt about the Shadowell Forest in its entirety. To her, well, let's just say that she felt that it had a certain appeal to it. That is if one was into the whole "Trespassers will be shot" type of vibe it had going for it. She could feel the carriage starting to slow down as a crowd of travelers converged, and soon enough, she could make out the faint outline of a large gate through the fog.

As the carriage came to a stop alongside the other partygoers and their varying modes of transportation, she grabbed her purse and doublechecked that she did in fact have her invitation on her. She looked up, lips thinning slightly behind her mask, at the sound of hoofbeats and barking dogs cutting through the relative silence. She watched as the armed guards rode up with their ferocious hounds. She supposed she wouldn't expect anything less from the Ambesires. She winced a bit at the grating sound of the gate being slowly opened. Talk about a nails on chalkboard type of sound. As the visitors were instructed to exit and/or dismount, Mauve stared expectantly at her carriage door, waiting for her chauffeur to open it. She unlaced her intertwined ankles and slowly rose from her seat when the door was finally opened, mind you, without a nasty creaking sound. She looked down at the chauffeur, a look of annoyance flitting across her features. "Ahem," she cleared her throat.

"Oh, my apologies, m'lady," the man suddenly exclaimed, before offering his hand to help her out of the carriage. She cautiously got out of the carriage, careful not to trip over her skirts. Her hand slid out of the man's to smooth out the front of her striking ensemble. She then glanced around at the others, noting with a bit of distaste that two people had brought along their pets with them, one a ferret and the other a raven. She righted herself and nodded her head, before confidently approaching the gate in behind a couple of others. "What does bravery have anything to do with anything? Perhaps some of us just choose to be more fashionably late," she spoke up smoothly in reply to the one woman's comment. She pulled out her invitation and handed it over to the big man by the name of Leo. She gave the man a onceover while he checked her invitation. Once she was given the all clear, she then stepped inside the gate as instructed. She eyed the dogs as they barked and snapped ferociously, several of their gazes seemingly following her. She really hoped that the handlers kept the pooches in check. Her gaze reluctantly left the dogs to take in the rest of her surroundings. It pegged her as odd that a family as wealthy as the Ambesires would leave their estate in such a state of disrepair. However, she kept that little sentiment to herself as her attention returned to the people she would be spending the evening with.

Walnut was humming to herself in an effort to break the silence as her carriage traveled through the woods. She couldn't help but appreciate the haunting beauty of the woods, with the occasional noises of the various creatures. The atmosphere was chilling and she adored it, though hearing the calls of the birds caused her to jump and clench the carriage seat a little tighter. Her heart was hammering much like a bird when they sounded off, yet it didn't stop her piercing eyes from looking out the window, hoping to spot a glimpse of a wolf or another terrifying beast.

When the carriage came to a halt and Walnut existed, she ignored the driver as they explained that they'd see to the carriage themselves. She wasn't going to drive her own carriage naturally and the driver didn't have an invitation, so she hardly cared as they left. With the harsh temperatures, a horse was out of the question - and she couldn't help but be a bit amused, seeing those that had arrived by foot. However, her eyes widening as she spotted a man with a raven on his shoulder and she did a little hop, as if stepping over imaginary cracks or performing an odd dance, to move away from him, her eyes never going away from the bird. Yet at the same time as her heart was hammering, staring at the winged devil, she felt an intense pull to him.

"Oh this will not do, this will not do..." Walnut muttered to herself. She hardly payed attention to the menacing speech of the guards and the terrifying dogs and guns didn't phase her - but that damned bird! If it so much as moved, she was going to run and scream. Most likely in that order, unless plans changed. It was essentially a rodent with wings and she just knew it was going to peck someone's eyes. Preferably not hers. She loved her eyes.

Continuing to do the best as she could to avoid the bird, as much as she felt drawn to the man himself, she walked up behind an opinionated woman in a black and red gown, hearing the power dynamics and social lines already begin to come into play. Once it was her turn, she showed the man her invitation, still just staring at the man with the raven. Her eyes didn't leave the beast even as she walked through the gate, the seeming blood on top of it hardly phasing her.

Shortly a carriage parked just a short distance away from the gate. Madam Envy exited the ride, along with a strong whiff of tobacco that stuck to her flashy coat. She slightly lifted her skirt, carefully taking a step down till finally her foot landing on the ground. The driver didn't seem to be motivated enough in helping the woman, and the moment she got down and closed the door he went on his merry way. Madam Envy was glad that she was wrapped up for the chilly winter eve, her body did not tolerate the cold weather very well. Looking at the manor, it is indeed something to behold if not only a bit dull and depressing for Madam Envy's personal tastes.

The moment she arrived the gate people have already been swarming, some who were obvious guests and some which he figured were the estate's security. And they look like the type who's not afraid to fire those guns at any given situation. She heard one of the guests talking to them, but Madam Envy only figured as much on 'Cas'' forbearing response. Madam Envy approached before the place, let's just say the Madam did not take any sort of pleasure being involved in this unsavoury predicament. None the less, she did not dawdle on her observations for too long. Truth be told she just want this to get it over with.

"No objections here." Madam Envy walked towards them with a usual feminine sway, overhearing the conversation between the two men. Her voice was revealed to be rather deep, raspy, and mature sounding with just a sly hint of accent. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner we all go home, yes?" Under the mask her amber green eyes glanced at this Cas fellow, then languidly shifting to the masked guest.

After Madam Envy presented her invitation to the most imposing butler she had ever seen, she proceeded to enter the gate. The entire place was much more depressing than she initially thought from the outside. She figured that to a superstitious person, the manor would have indeed passed off as somewhat haunted. Regardless, all this waiting in the cold urged Madam Envy to draw another stick of cigarette.

There was really no other choice for the Director but arrive on foot. Even now as the smartly clad figure was shivering in the dusky winter cold, bundled up in top garments, the allure of the Shadowell Forest was too strong to be denied. So Kindle forged onward, following the enrapturing road with its rows of trees on either side. The evening mist was sluggishly rolling low, just a few inches above the dirt road. Director Kindle exhaled shakily and the small puff of air was quickly absorbed by the mystical fog. This trek was the perfect chance to experience the Shadowell in person and the Director would not trade it for anything. There was, of course, the other matter to attend to, hence the mask and fancy dress. But that bridge would be crossed when reached. At this very moment the forest was the only thing on the Director's mind.

The darkened woods with their foreboding silence, cut only by the lonely howl of wolf and croak of bird. Or the occasional snapping of twigs. The Shadowell was almost petrifyingly majestic in its sullen silence. As the Director shook and shivered the frosty winter air attacked the bundled figure with the ferocity of a school of angry, flesh eating fish, almost maniacally searching for exposed skin to sink their multitude of teeth into. And still Director Kindle persevered. The urge to veer off the road was almost overpowering. To lose oneself within the bosom of this dark mistress, but the other matter still loomed over the Director and needed to be taken care of first. And so the figure collected its remaining strength and pushed on until a gate appeared in the distance and a gathering of carriages and people in front of it.

"So this is it then." The Director muttered through chattering teeth. The trek had been long and arduous, even with the pull of the Shadowell so strong as to keep the lonely traveler motivated to move forward. Still, when Director Kindle reached the gate, winter had almost won the battle of wills and the poor soul wanted nothing more than to hide inside a warm place and thaw in peace. But the fates would not have it and as soon as the Director approached the gate with the intent to show the invitation and be let in, the guard dogs took interest in Kindle. They pulled on their leads and erupted in a series of vicious snarls and heinous barks. It was all it took for the tortured soul of Director Kindle to yield. The body already beaten by winter and the will tested by the Shadowell. The Director dropped to the ground, amidst the gathering of visitors, like a doll that had its strings cut. Unconscious to the world!

Swamp, indeed. It was an interesting, if not very accurate pseudonym that was forced upon him, in his estimation. No matter, it would suffice for now. It would probably be for the best that he be lent the use of an alias. The man now known as Dr. Swamp settled back in his seat within his carriage, hoping to get a small nap before it was time to socialize. Try as he might, sleep did not seem to want to take him that hour. His mind was abuzz with a million things, some of which were in preparation for just this night. It would ordinarily be an exceptionally rare privilege to visit the illustrious and secretive Shadowell Manor, but upon this day much of the luster had been taken from the pearl of the event. Hopefully there would be cake. He did rather enjoy cake.

The carriage rolled to a stop near the large, foreboding gates of Shadowell Manor, it's driver resolute in his professional endeavors and yet hesitant about approaching too closely, circumstances given what they were. Instead, he gave a sharp but polite rap on the footrest of his perch, giving final notice to the assertion that they had arrived.

The good Doctor grabbed up his personals and made sure that his mask was comfortable and well-fitting. He would be wearing it for a long time, and under unusual circumstances. Swinging open the door to his fine carriage, Dr. Swamp retrieved a stout, knob headed walking cane, suitable for gentlemanly outings of this nature, and stepped out into the weather of the season. The sudden rush of biting cold struck him; had he forgotten to bring his overcoat again? It seemed a pity, he did very much like his coat and it would have been useful to him at the present. While the Doctor did appreciate the cold over excessive warmth, the telltale shivering that came about him unbidden did convey the fact that he would much rather be indoors at that moment.

A slow, knowing nod was given to the driver, followed by a coin pressed into his palm. Understanding his duties, the driver nodded back and retook his position with the carriage, leaving Dr. Swamp to see to his affairs.

Leaning heavily upon his walking stick, Dr. Swamp moved to join the milling group of people in finery with faces obscured, and settled his gaze over on such individual in particular. Another gentleman, or so he assumed, wearing mask and garb not dissimilar from his own, but of seemingly lesser, almost comical quality. He gave the man long regard before observing the rest of the persons gathered in greater detail, noting the lopsided ratio of ladies present. A smile might have been visible from under his mask, if viewed from the proper angle. Anonymity may lead to other, more interesting forms of trouble, be it tryst or merely social frivolity. Dr. Swamp adjusted the flower on his lapel, a beautiful, delicate thing of clockwork petals rather than its natural counterpart, and produced his invitation from his inside vest pocket.

Dogs and doormen, guns and secrecy. High fences and blood and masks. What joys this night would bring. As it came his turn to step through the gates, the Doctor noted with some reservation that the lady in front of him had chosen that moment to collapse. With a sigh, Dr. Swamp knelt before the prone and prostrate figure of Director Kindle. "I dare not make assumption without a proper evaluation, though a layman might guess that the weather is a factor." he said with a touch of impatience. From his kneeling position, Dr. Swamp held up his invitation to the imposing gatekeeper with a shivering hand, completing his thought aloud, "We need to get her inside immediately. She must have an invitation somewhere." The Doctor took a quick look around, hoping it would be located quickly.

Arriving at Shadowell Manor took a lot of time and that's with her arriving by horse. That said as the daylight slowly ebbed away so were the temperatures getting ever so lower. She was already feeling the cold seep into her body for a good while now. Luckily she had picked rather big clothing that provided comfort and warmth enough for her to barely stand this. Her teeth were chattering and her whole body was shivering as she passed by the road of the gloomy dark forest and arrived at the gateway into the manor. There everything seemed rather lively enough with people arriving and she couldn't help but notice the predominance of dresses over suits. She felt the little ferret she had brought along also shivering in the cold air, snuggling into her clothing as much as it could. She wished to give it more comfort, but frankly it just wasn't possible. She wished to get inside as quick as possible and possibly hug a fire...

Eventually people started entering through the gates as the guards opened them and started letting people one by one after presenting invitations. Shivering through it she dismounted her horse, made sure all she needed was with her and left the poor animal alone to do whatever it wants until it's picked up. She headed to the gate where some kind of commotion was going on right now. Someone seemed to fall unconcious! She was about to go help when a man went to it. She smiled seeing that someone went to help and quickly pulled her own invitation moving to the guards to show it to pass through. Prima was feeling way too cold and shivering to help anyone, so she just showed her invitation, moved around the fallen person and after the quick invitation check moved inside the manor through the gates. The inside seemed as gloomy as all else around here, but them again a lot of the world surrounding it was gloomy too. She just wished to get inside as quick as possible so she can warm up.

It had been a hell of a ride to get the front gate, especially considering the simple fact that the Goliath of a man hadn't bothered to add an additional layer of clothing over his dance attire. There was nothing that he could do about it now and he was handling the cold fine. Leaning back in his saddle he kept watching the others until the loud mouth ordered them off their saddle and through the gate. Huffing under his breath he dismounted and his feet hit the ground heavily. It couldn't be avoided, he was brawny. Walking over he eyed the man now identified as Cas, he seemed to step up to the man.

"Step off lad," Cas warned as the guns started to rise again.

"Sure thing, wouldn't want to step on toes," he seemed to taunt before a grin came to his lips and he winked at Cas. Turning he looked at the man overlooking the one who fainted. Someone had said a her, but was it? He hadn't heard the persons voice yet and they were dressed in pants. Not to mention there were not exactly curves showing. Pushing the thought out of his mind he shrugged to himself. "Back off slim, let a man handle this." His voice was about as cocky as his strut as he walked. Slipping one arm beneath the neck of the figure and the under beneath their knees, Titian lifted them swiftly. Light enough to be a woman or a very young man, could go either way. He could take a peek between the buttons of the shirt.

Not that he noticed the invitation in the vest pocket, but the lift caused enough of a jostle for it to fall out the front vest pocket of the suit and float to the ground. He did however notice it as it fell.

"There's the little bugger," Titian said as he bent down and picked it up. Walking to the gate he handed over both his and Kindles invitation. "And there you are," he added with a smirk on his lips as he stepped through and over to the others waiting on the inside of the gate. "Howdy." The man was still grinning as he shifted Kindle in his arms and greeted the others. "If this is a guy I'm totally disappointed."

Really, good help was hard to find these days.

Or at least that was the thought running through Debutante Blush's head as the idiotic driver rolled the carriage through the forest. She had plainly given the man perfect directions. He must have been touched in the head, really, since he got lost quite easily. She kept pestering him as he drove. When would she get there? Would she be late? How stupid could he be? He drove on in silence. Probably didn't speak her language or didn't understand basic human kindness. The moron.

Eventually, her carriage pulled up to the manor. She looked upon its vastness with both a sense of awe and intrigue. It had been almost like she pictured when she received the invitation. She stepped out, feeling the rush of cold just as her skin exited the comfort of the carriage. She paid the driver no mind, the idiot could get himself back home (though he would probably get lost on the way and get eaten by wolves. What a lovely thought!)

She had not been the first to arrive as she intended, but really, wasn't being late the best way to make an entrance? She also wanted to get inside desperately. Even though she knew she looked beyond what words could describe, it was not the warmest attire and she would do well to stand inside a heated room, perhaps with a nice, hot cup of some drink.

She walked forward, briskly as she could, to the gate and produced her invitation from her ample features. "Here you are, handsome." She continued inside the gated area, where others stood, all dressed accordingly, though she felt as if she nailed the intended theme perfectly. "Good evening everyone. Do tell me we will be heading inside soon? It is quite cold."

Coming upon the manor, Miss Creme was quite relieved. She'd been on foot for a long while now, and even as her coat kept her warm enough in this freezing cold, she was very much looking forward to getting inside and out of the elements. She swallowed the last bit of a peppermint candy she'd been sucking on to distract herself on her journey, and hurriedly walked towards the gate. She had heard the guards telling them to have their invitation ready, and quite afraid of the notion of being shot, she dug into her purse and took out her invitation for inspection. She put her other hand in her coat pocket, trying to make sure she stayed warm and avoided frostbite. Soon enough, it was her turn to present her invite.

Miss Creme approached Leo, and held out her invitation carefully. "Here you are, sir." She said with a small smile, though her bottom lip was noticeably trembling. She was clearly nervous as it was being inspected, even though she had no reason to be scared of being shot in the moment. She didn't like that they started out threatening them, and she was worried it was reflective of the overall tone of the evening. She continued past him once she got the go ahead, and found a place to await further instruction. She stood with her arms folded behind her back, watching on the group that had been called on. She had no idea why any of this was happening to her, why she'd been targeted for blackmail, why she was called here, nothing. She'd just make it through the night, and hope nothing went horribly wrong. It was a party after all! For all she knew, she might be in for a really fun time, but she had a gut feeling that that simply would not be the case.

Once upon a winter dreary, while I wander, weak and weary...

There was something in the air about the forest. Something wicked, something weird, something wondrous. Not just the nip of frost biting at one's ears, nor the forgotten twigs snapping at one's heels. It was the deafening silence, yes the eerie lack of sound muffled by the breathing mists, beckoning the lone traveler deeper into the mesmer. Deeper into the Shadowell, like a siren's call, or a banshee's wail, muted by the rolling fog. This was the white darkness, for not all blindness is black, a bleak miasma breathed over the woods. And alas what one would give to feel a single beam of sunlight filtered through the overhanging canopy to feed the light carried within the soul, to cast off the withered leaves of doubt, duck below the clawing branches of despair, and weave through the gnarled roots of desiccation. Yet even the gloom of the forest seemed to fade away against the curse of winter. The ominous undergrowth wilting along the cold earth, the wheels of carriages and hoof prints of horses making their stamp across the unpaved road. Perhaps the lucky few would find themselves pause to turn around. For only fools would so willingly enter the gates of Hell.

And yet there he stood before the iron gates, ancient and worn as they were, the gates to the House of Ambesire. Dressed in the shabby elegance of his attire, parading in panache and pantaloons, cursing his lack of a winter's cloak for the bitter journey. It was cold, indeed, but cold had not yet stopped him thus far, nor had it his bird. Though the winter air had chilled them, still they survived their trek. The raven claws delicately perched upon his left shoulder away from the fabric of his draping cape, a shiver of black feathers and a reciprocated shudder of shared suffering. A man who looked like a scarecrow dressed quite like a clown and aptly bearing a raven. His hair kept well despite the subtle marks of wear on his clothes, and the mud caked on his soles. The man kept his head cocked towards his bird, watching all who watched him from perhaps a corner of his eye. And to the eyes that watched them, perchance they looked like brothers, both brandishing their beaks.

A grim gaze glazed over the gates, guardsmen, guns, and the gathered guest. Quite a menagerie indeed, judgments to be passed, and verdicts to be given, who amongst the flock would be the devil in guise? Was she a woman of wiles? Was he a demon of a man? A glance at all their faces and figures, afforded as none had accosted him quite yet, perhaps it was the comrade on his shoulder that made them stray, a hidden blessing perhaps? Allowing him to ogle the ladies who had the numbers, in their gorgeous gowns they came, a medley of colors from greens and blues to reds and blacks. Perhaps they came to be gandered at as lovely brides to be, and the men here gathered had other business to confess to the noblesse. And yet all of this security, the intensity of it all, to ensure no stowaway slip into the forest depths for the sake of a single ball? What shall become of these mysterious strangers and their masks? What plot would bind their fates together? To spend a night brushing arms surely ought to glean who they were behind the mask, and beneath their mask of flesh as well.

Five had already acted out, their actions mixed with words. The bodacious-dressed harlot boldly offered her invitation first, her salacious bodice revealing what her mask dare not. And then there was the mounted devil dressed in his overcoat, who pushed the envelope, carried himself about in dismounting but still riding his high airs. Between these two some others fair produced their ticket in, but it was difficult keeping an eye on everyone at once. The commotion came when a man in black fell black and dead, did the journey already claim one for the cold? No evidence of injury, as the bird-skull walker dared assess in his swiftness to act and reveal perhaps a superior craft he commanded by the waggle of his tongue. And finally came the brute, who barged in and flexed his muscles to impress the boy or lady held against his chest, he must have thought the vulturous doctor weak or was he merely cleverer sneak who thought he could get a glimpsing peek?

And with his eye cast at the dogs and men, the hounds first as their tempers flared beyond their masters, certainly of the two the dogs gave chase faster. But a bullet was the fastest of the three, and thus spied he their arms before their arms. And finally then to the unmasked faces, the staff of the House Ambesire came in all manners of size and shape. The commonality between them all, tied together as silver thread, was their vigilance as easily read. Too uptight, too secure, the Shadowell Manor, what secrets do the watchmen keep? For what would a man dare endure the forest, dark and cold? Those watching eyes like burning coals with eager dogs that drool, waiting for an impostor revealed amongst them, but who waits for the fool? The game begins, the thrill of it all, the deception with a mask worn upon a masked mask. Nameless names and faceless faces, amongst the visitants, the mind ponders the question of who shall be the first to ask, and who would be the first to tell?


Thrice cursed, and twice blessed,
Rich in masque, but poor in dress,
Invited the perverse, this cold Mid-Winter
And by this pass, I beg to Enter.

Presented his golden ticket, past the dreadful gates, a finger poised beneath his nose, curled like a question against his lips. For there the tracks, and with no turning back from this point on in here. And what awaited as was fated, to be a night to remember and celebrated for what purposes to be made clear. The grinning jester turned his head for a hand to preen against the chilled feathers of his fiendish friend. A comfort perhaps as he would spend a night in manor and manners strange, a familiar face of beady eyes, and a voice of mocking caws that soothes. Then in turn the bird did nuzzle closely, and with what a could appear to be to be a whisper into his ear, perhaps one could think if a ravens tongue could speak?

She wasn't entirely dumb, sure, she was riding a horse to this event, and it was somewhat in the middle of the winter, but still, she had been prepared. Penance had bundled up well, and made sure she wouldn't get too cold on the ride over. The fact that anyone riding a horse at this time of year wouldn't bundle up at least somewhat was just plain weird to her. When she arrived at the gate, noticing the others, she just shrugged and dismounted from her horse, hitting the ground and she walked over towards the gate. It was definitely an interesting place, and it was clearly heavily guarded, made her wonder more about what was past the gates.

Looking around, she noticed the others who were there, and she found herself a little curious about them. There was certainly quite a few people who were showing up, but she said nothing as she reached into a pocket and pulled out her own invitation when the man asked them to. This was certainly a tight knit party to say the least, which meant that she was probably surrounded by an interesting group of individuals. Some who showed up in carriages clearly had money, at least most likely more than she did, and she couldn't help but be a little jealous of them, since she had shown up on horseback, not really being able to pay for a carriage, despite the fact that she had wanted one.

The Director's body lolled and swayed in the burly embrace of the giant man, uncaring of the happenings in the world of the waking. For even as the body was restricted to the confines of another man's arms, the mind... The mind was free to roam in the world of dreams and memories.

And it plummeted, right into a nightmare!

The stalker followed it's victim from the shadows, unseen. The victim, a noble lord on the prowl for some debauchery. Little did he know that he was being stalked by a more dangerous predator than himself. The Lord was strutting his stuff confidently, gathering the lustful eyes of proper maidens and lecherous ladies of the night alike. And he was loving it! As if the world belonged to him and everyone in it owed him. Women especially! Fret not, little Lord! You'll get what's owed to you! Soon!

The pregnant moon hung heavy over the Lord and the other denizens of the city, as the young man paraded himself along the streets of the capital. He soon came upon a darkened alleyway and sank into the shadows without a moment's hesitation. A mistake he would live to regret! For it was in that moment the stalker struck. The young Lord yelped in fear as he felt cold steel on his neck and a hot breath in his ear.

A shiver ran down Director Kindle's unconscious body.

"Hello, my lovely!" The stalker whispered sickeningly in the young Lord's ear. "I've been watching you, my young Lord!" The body of the stalker pressed harder into the trembling one of the young man. "Trying to sell yourself to all the pretty ladies... And even to the hookers." The stalker stroked the pointed end of the knife down over the horrified young man's neck, until a button on his high collar popped away. "But, see, I know your secret, sweet one! Them ladies, it's all an act. After all, you are the head of the family. Appearances must be kept. No one must know your true colors! But I see how you suffer, my lovely. So I'll give you what you need!" The stalker shifted his position, gripping the man by the throat from behind so the hand with the blade could be free to sneak lower to the young Lord's crotch.

Director Kindle's body shivered uncontrollably in the arms of Mr. Titian as if reacting to a vivid memory. The eyes behind the closed eyelids shifted left and right in lightning speed, looking for a way out of the nightmare.

"But you've been naughty, my sweet Lord. So you'll have to beg for it! Say 'please'!"

"Please!" The quiet word dislodged itself from the Director's lips, the body now limp once more, carried towards Shadowell Manor by a giant of a man.

The young Lord stared dumbstruck at his attacker, a thin saber skewered through his neck!

Each one moved passed the gate, save for two of the ones that could be assumed to be men. One of course had been at least verbally trying to assist the one that passed out at the gate. The other hadn't moved forward yet. "I ain't got all day, in or time to leave," Cas said in a firm voice as he looked at the two in turn. It was time to move if one hadn't already handed over their invitation. Leo looked at Dr. Swamp and fanned out a free hand. The other the invitations were held in.

Placing his fingers to his lips he gave a short loud whistle. Half a heart beat later one could hear rustling in the woods directly to the left and to the right on the inside of the gate. A brief moment later the shrubbery just at the inner side of the gate was moved out of the way. One could see further into the forest and a path that ran along the fence. From each side more men started to walk forward. Males varying in height, weight, and age greatly. The youngest couldn't have even struck puberty yet and barely came up to Leos chest as he walked past. They moved towards the horses and the carriages that were remaining behind and started tending them.

A eerie sound sprung up further inside the gate, down the path that lead into the property. It was like metal rolling over metal, varying and yet constant. There was another noise that accompanied it. Like gear works and fire and steam fighting one another. Puffs of smoke started floating above the tree line into the darkening sky. Two lights seemed like floating orbs moving towards them. They grew in size making it difficult to see what was coming towards them. The men of Shadowell seemed unaffected by this, just watching the guests.

Slowly it came into view. Seated in the contraption was an attractive young man with green eyes and long bronze hair. He was dressed differently than the others. A dark crimson suit that was edged in black fitted over his tall form. Behind the contraption was a line of fifteen chairs. This was something the likes of which did not exist on this level outside of Shadowell. As he reached the group the machine came to a halt the metal shrieked on the tracks. He stood and motioned towards the chairs. "Hey, I'm Owen, this be Shadowell, and yous can have a seat, I'll take you to the manor."

Having stepped through the imposing gates, Cobalt glanced around, almost absentmindedly, at the other guests as they stepped through after him. He allowed himself a slight smile as he watched the string of well-dressed young woman, subconsciously straightening up to his full height, but he didn't speak, and he gave them little more than passing looks. The time for socialising could wait, for now he was simply curious, taking in his surroundings as he glanced around. He patted the pockets of his overcoat, searching for his pipe, before remembering he had forgotten to take it with him. He frowned slightly, resolving instead to put his hands into his pockets, to escape the biting cold. He shifted slightly, wincing at the aches that were a reminder of his ride to the house.

Cobalt flinched slightly at a sudden whistle, and turned to see more servants seemingly stepping from the undergrowth. He watched them emerge, moving to tend to the horses left behind by the guests. A short servant, little more than a boy, tentatively approached Winter, but the gelding gently brought his head towards him, letting the servant take a hold of his reins. Satisfied that the horse was taken care of, Cobalt turned back to the sprawling grounds of Shadowell as an otherworldly sound sprung up, and began to draw closer to the group.

The 'vehicle' was peculiar to look at, and totally alien to Cobalt, but glancing around at his new companions, he shrugged. Stepping forward, he smiled towards the man, who had introduced himself as Owen, and spoke, his breath misting in the cold air.

"An unusual welcome, but I'm always open to new experiences."

With as much dignity as he could manage, Cobalt made his way past the pulsing engine and took his seat on the furthest forward chair, before turning to watch how the other guests reacted.

Lady Lechery had observed all other guests as they came through the gate and stood, waiting for the signal to advance. The light clothing she had picked was now a bit less clean, as the rim of the dress had been dragged through the dirty, unkempt and abandoned at first glance ground, yet she had not allowed it to bother her.

Some of the guests had drawn her wandering eyes, and they had stayed on said guests for a tad too long, while others had appear completely unremarkable to her. Though was that not the way things were? Some caught, others were caught, third were left to rot... The one who had collapsed looked truly sad to her. Who would even bother with coming all the way to THIS forest and almost die in front of the most mysterious of establishments in the world, second only to the Vault, she figured.

Her eyes saw through some of the cracks. Some guests behaved as she would expect from members of the Upper crust. Some seemed to behave a bit less elegantly, as if with more animation within them, adding this unpleasant ruggedness to their persons. The Lady could not help but take note of the fact her hair was the most flamboyant in shade, but was that not a victory for her? After all, that could contribute to the way people originally reacted. Could make a good impression.

When the guardsmen finally started indicating a change in the orders, kindly barked at the guests, Lady Lechery glanced up to the sky, expecting to spy something, but to her dismay there were not enough signs no provide enough information, in which case she decided her own feeling would do. And her feeling told her they had taken quite a long while to present their invitations and enter the manor grounds.

The whistle of Leo had brought about the movement she had anticipated, and it was relatively decent. One, lacking any knowledge, would say this was magic, but to a person, gifted with enough common sense, the Lady could easily tell there people, somehow, moving the shrubbery. Could be said that the brushes danced as they moved around, but for one reason, or another, the movement was really quite smooth. Then came more servants. Young and old, wrinkled and taut, they were the proponents of many shapes and sizes.

The moderate quiet was then destroyed as a strange contraption started making its way towards them. An interesting snake, made out of metal, the head adorned by a pretty fellow in red, followed by a dozen and a few seats. The seats did not look all too comfortable, but one could say that they were intriguing in appearance. The individual was quite endearing, until he opened his mouth.

"Whatever happened to the ladies who were first?" She spoke as she followed the inconspicuous gold-headed devil towards the line of seats, passed by him and climbed into the ninth chair. She crossed her legs and sunk into the surprisingly soft fabric.

Madam Mauve was a picture of elegance, as she stood there with her hands laced in front of her. She looked around at the others, her gaze lingering on the blue haired woman, the one who had blatantly ignored her, for a moment. She looked the woman over, as if to size her up, before she eventually rolled her eyes and looked elsewhere. She noted that there was a woman of a pale complexion similar to her own who seemed to be constantly looking over her shoulder, as if it was some kind of tick. Then there was another woman who appeared to have impeccable style but an unfortunate taste for tobacco if her stench was any indication. Her nose wrinkled slightly underneath her mask, which wasn't thick enough to block out the smell entirely. Her head turned sharply as she heard a small PLOP off to her side. She arched a brow when her gaze landed on the individual who was now sprawled out on the ground. Did the person faint? Did the person die?! Whatever the case, she made no move to intervene. Others were already quick to attend to that unfortunate soul anyways.

One fellow did catch her eye, if even for a moment. It was the large russet skinned giant who walked up brazenly to scoop up that beforementioned poor unfortunate soul. Her head had to tilt upwards slightly to even get a good look at the man in his entirety. Intriguing, she thought, before moving on to study the others. It's not like she had anything better to do anyways. Unfortunately, she wasn't gleaning anything of particular note besides the obvious, you know, the types of things that are plainly written versus those that take some digging to find. She winced as a loud, but thankfully short, whistle ripped through the hubbub. Well, that certainly got her attention, irritatingly so. She looked past Leo at the sound of rustling leaves to see shrubs seemingly being moved before an array of servants popped out. About time. She grimaced as another loud sound pierced through the air, but nevertheless, she stood at attention as the odd contraption rolled up slowly. When the driver told everyone to take a seat, she nodded her head and picked up the edges of her skirt before following in behind two others. The silky fabric rubbed against the leg of a man in a devil's mask as she brushed past him to take a spot two seats down. Once seated, she let out a small sigh, smoothing out the fabric of her dress before looking over at the man with a concealed smile. "How are you this evening, sir?" she inquired, making polite conversation.

It hadn't been long but the wait has been grinding on Madam Envy's patience. If it werent for the stiff cool air she could tolerate waiting until midnight even. Inhaling the coolness made her chest heavy, despite being covered by her shawl and a mask. Then she instinctively for her leather purse, rummaging through it's meagre contents she reached out for a small intricate case. It seemed expensive yet worn out and quite rusted after many years of usage. Opening the small case Madam Envy picked one out of the eighteen pieces of cigarettes lighting it up through the 6 to 7 inch mahogany holder, inhaling it through the narrow slit of her mask, taking comfort against the cool stagnant air, shamelessly and without a care the world.

While they stood there for the time being waiting for the rest of the guests, Madam Envy discreetly eyed the ones that made it in the gate with crossed arms, cigarette hanging in the air with one hand in a relaxed fashion. Her eyes staying for a short moment, one by one she would meet them, either judging under sharp scrutiny or merely regarding them basely from what they chose to wear. For now the people behind the masks did not interest her but rather the clothes that adorned them. So far she has yet to be impressed except for the one woman who had almost left no room for the imagination with that dress, just plainly alluring at best, the rest was in between the range of pleasant to obviously lacking. So far none any fits the Madam Envy's queer and unconventional tastes. If only she had the spare wealth some of the nobles here have in their pockets "I would have substituted this humiliation with an extravagant ensemble, at least." She said to herself, whiffing another breath lazily from her stick, a thread of smoke escaped from her masks holed lips.

The whistle made Madam Envy turn her attention to the source, and in the background she more people revealed themselves from the bushes. For a second there she thought it would've been something else, something sinister. Then followed by another strange sound from a distance, not from a man this time but from an odd machinery. As it came up Madam Envy noticed the lights that flickered along with the sound, she had seen such lights but not in this manner. It came into her full view of what it was, it was unlike anything she had ever seen but never the less it caught her attention, mainly at how odd and fantastic it is. That being said, she was undecided weather to trust it or not.

Never the less Madam Envy dropped the depleted cigarette on the ground and made her way to the seats. "I hope this thing is guaranteed to take us there in one piece, boy." She idly said, meaning it as a slight quip, as she passed by the young driver, then over to the two guest and settled herself behind them.