riverviewlogs | [OPEN] Halloween Haunt at The Apothecary

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[OPEN] Halloween Haunt at The Apothecary

who: Magnus Bane (

appetitive) & anyone who'd like to come!
what: Halloween & Samhain party featuring transformative potions
when: October 31st at dusk through November 2nd at dawn
where: The Apothecary (formerly known as The Quarantine Bar)
warnings: please tag threads individually as needed!

The Apothecary's Halloween Haunt

For the entirety of October, The Apothecary bar has been and will continue to be decorated in deep shades of purple and orange, not to mention a whole lot of black and an array of convincingly grim yet decidedly elegant decorations. The real party doesn't start until the sun sets on Halloween night, stretching past the witching hours and through the following day in celebration of the lesser-known Samhain. From dusk of October 31st to dawn on November 2nd, the bar is alive with magic largely thanks to the menu of six alcoholic potions whose effects are posted on menus around the bar. These menus will be placed in clear sight with moving images of each drink so that guests are fully aware of their magical properties—if someone hands you a mystery drink, you're encouraged (but not obliged) to find out what it'll do to you before partaking. Each potion lasts an average of three hours, or until an antidote is drunk. And though multiple potions can be "stacked" by drinking them without an antidote in-between, party-goers will be cautioned that some potions may mix to create strange results. Luckily, the host will be attending from dusk to dawn in order to sort out any dangerous effects.

While the drink menu is the main event, there will be plenty of other ways to find some ghoulish entertainment. Tables are laden with a variety of both sweet and savory appetizers which all paying customers are welcome to enjoy. Because of the length of the party, the kitchen will be serving a limited menu of main-course items during typical mealtimes throughout the days. And because no party would be complete without music, there will be a "live" skeleton band performing jazz, rock, and the occasional but obligatory Halloween song upon request—please use this power wisely and save your fellow party-goers from two hours of continuous Witchy Woman.

Given that this is a Halloween party, costumes are highly recommended and will be rewarded with a free drink upon arrival. If you come without a costume, bartenders will recommend trying the Monster Mash or Werewolves of London potions in order to get you more into the spirit of Halloween. Though the bar will be dotted with large couches, plush armchairs, and piles of floor pillows, dozing guests will be encouraged to go home and sleep between festivities. If you're unable to handle over thirty-six hours of continuous partying, go enjoy a nap and then return to the bar for another round later on!

◇MONSTER MASH FLAVOR flat, warm; spiced rum, cranberry juice, grenadine EFFECTS Forget your costume at home? Don't worry, because drinking this potion while result in a full-body change into a classic Halloween creature, with a twist: it's either the sexy version, or the scary one. Though the drinker will be partially recognizable beneath it, the change can be a costume of its own. Some common transformations include but are not limited to: vampires, werewolves, zombies, witches, demons, and Frankenstein's monster	◇THRILLER FLAVOR flat, chilled; whiskey, bitters, sugar, orange zest EFFECTS If you're craving a change, this is the drink for you. The potion will bring about a random shift in the color of the drinker's hair, eyes, or both. Differences can range anywhere from natural shades to neon hues, as well as a variety of patterns and multi-colored or mismatched options. And don't worry, any facial hair you may have won't be left out of the fun!
◇TIME WARP FLAVOR flat, chilled; light rum, creme de menthe, lemon juice EFFECTS For those party-goers looking for a whole new perspective on Halloween, this drink offers two unique experiences. When sharing with another guest, knock the glasses together and drink simultaneously for a body swap. Feeling really adventerous? Get multiple people to join in on the fun! If you're drinking alone, you'll find that your biological sex will change from male to female, or vice versa.	◇WEREWOLVES OF LONDON FLAVOR sparkling, chilled; vodka, chambord, sparkling limeade EFFECTS Get ready to howl at the moon, or maybe fly off towards it, after trying this drink. Shortly after imbibing, partakers will manifest any number of animal traits, though all from the same animal. Perhaps it's as simple as a pair of bird's wings, or a full set of cat ears, tail, and eyes. The potion will pick up on any animal-like traits you may have, so snakes and rats beware.
◇I PUT A SPELL ON YOU FLAVOR flat, chilled; gin, vermouth, creme de cassis EFFECTS This potion is for anyone who's ever wanted to live out their dreams of being a teenaged wizard at boarding school. Though it may take a few tries to get perfect certain tricks, drinkers will be able to perform low-level spells with their hands such as: levitation, creating colored sparks, turning items invisible, elemental manipulation, summoning or conjouring items, short-distance teleporation, and a number of other simple tricks. (Any violent abuse of these abilities will result in immediate and forceful administration of an antidote and expulsion from the bar.)	◇HIGHWAY TO HELL FLAVOR flat, warm; absinthe, sugar, heatless fire EFFECTS Though this drink doesn't contain a potion, does it really need to when you're drinking something that's still on fire? This shot of absinthe, though adorned with a multicolored and edible flame, will warm you through and have you breathing the same cool fire for as long as it takes the sugar cube to dissolve on your tongue.

◇DON'T FEAR THE REAPER

FLAVOR
sparkling, chilled; blackberry syrup, cola
EFFECTS
These shots are free of alcohol and provide an antidote to every other drink on the menu. One splash of this delightfully chilled and refreshing drink will reserve all transformative effects as well as void all magical abilities. And though it is non-alcoholic, it does not provide any sobering qualities.

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Yeah, it's pretty packed in here, huh?

[ Cisco glances over his shoulder at the party, and all the guests milling around in their costumes. It's quite a lively gathering, and Cisco knows for a fact that the invitations had gone out wide. After all, he's never actually met the host before, or been to this bar.

Which also means he has no way of recognizing Alec or having any idea who he's speaking to when he asks, kindly: ]

There are antidote potions, if the wings are bothering you. You want me to get one for you?

[ And then, because it only seems polite, he says: ]

I'm Cisco, by the way. Cisco Ramon.

It's usually busy but I forgot how Magnus' parties could get.

[They'd thrown a party in Wayward Pines, but it looked like there was more than the entire town's population packed in the Apothecary. And there's no fights for dominance going on like at the one Magnus had thrown for the Chairman's birthday.]

Thank you, but I'm okay with the wings. It's just a different type of weight than I'm used to carrying around. Magnus will pout if I get rid of them too soon. [That isn't quite true since he knows that Magnus would magic them away if they were starting to bother him.]

I'm Alec Lightwood-Bane. My husband's the one that conjured most of this up.

Ooooh. Got it! My bad.

[ It would explain why, if he isn't the most fond of crowds, Alec would be sticking around; kind of hard to ditch the big elaborate Halloween party if your husband was the one throwing it. That makes a lot of things snap into place for Cisco, and he feels a bit silly, now, for the whole swooping in and trying to help thing. He tucks his hair back behind his ears, a little nervous as he admits: ]

I haven't actually met Magnus yet, but he throws a hell of a party. So are you, like, a wizard too?

[ Cisco doesn't know the right terminology; his main reference on all things magic stuff is Taako and the IPRE crew, but even when though they'd explained the differences between wizards and warlocks and druids and clerics, most of it just went right over Cisco's head. ]

It's okay. I'm glad that someone else is keeping an eye on the patrons. [Magnus is, of course. Alec has caught a glimpse of him 'mingling' which really was more than that. Magnus is keeping an eye on the crowd and the magic that was making very obvious appearances throughout the bar.] Magnus is careful, but accidents can still happen or people think they know how to handle the potions.

[Laughing softly, he shakes his head, wings flaring out slightly. He still hasn't quite gotten the knack for them yet.] Magnus is a warlock, not wizard. There's no wizards in our world. I'm a demon hunter. No magic unless Magnus lets me share. Is there magic in your world?

Sooooo pretty much just like regular booze, but with more fangs.

[ Cisco had seen more than a few people who have tried the potions that turn them into vampires, and werewolves, or half-cats or whatever. Comparatively, he'd only tried one of the relatively tame ones, so far. He'll probably branch out more later in the night, when he meets back up with Eddie and is feeling a little more relaxed. ]

Oh, sure. Warlock. I'ma just... pretend I know what the difference between those is.

[ Maybe it's only a question of terminology - the same way he's met people here with powers who in their world are called mutants rather than metahumans. Or maybe the two things are vastly different and he's just exposing his ignorance by not realizing it.

Cisco's eyes go round when Alec says that he is a demon hunter and for a moment Cisco is uncertain. Is this a prank? It could be a prank. Alec could be messing with him, seeing how much he can get Cisco to believe, since he clearly knows nothing about this stuff. But he doesn't laugh or say psych. ]

Are you playing? A demon hunter - for real?

[ The question about magic in his world is probably more for confirmation than anything else, but Cisco shakes his head emphatically. ]

Not even a little bit. We've got some people with powers, but it's more of a superhero type situation, if you know what those are.

Here, less fangs. Back home, more fangs. The vampires and werewolves fight over invitations to Magnus' parties.

[Belatedly, Alec realizes that Ciisco might not know that supernatural beings were real... other than the host of the party. He might be a Mundane that had never really seen beings from the Downworld before. His reaction to warlock seems to confirm that.]

I think it's a reality difference, mostly. Magic users in my world are either related to the Fae or they're warlocks. [Since he's not sure if Magnus will be wearing his glamours less often at the bar, he doesn't mention the main way of knowing the difference between warlocks and wizards.

When Cisco doesn't laugh at the idea of demons, Alec gives him a wry smile.]

I'm not joking. My world has demons. We swear a holy vow to spend our lives protecting the world from them.

[It sounds like one of those shows Simon made them marathon during the holidays but it is true, or as close to it as Alec wants to get while talking to a Mundane.]

Superheroes. Like in comic books?

[ There was a time in Cisco's life where he would have openly laughed at the idea of werewolves and vampires, but he's been living on this moon for almost half a year, now. He is friends with elves and aliens and space travelers and mutants and demigods. So he accepts the whole thing with just a sage nod, because sure, why not? Of course vampires and werewolves fight for invites. Why wouldn't they? Clearly Magnus throws the best parties, everyone would want to get in. ]

Damn. Sounds intense. So you're on, like, some warrior-monk shit?

[ His word choice might be somewhat irreverent, but there's no mistaking the admiration in his voice. Sure, it's manifesting in a different way, but from the sound of it Alec is just like Barry, or Oliver - dedicating his life to protecting people who can't protect themselves. And Cisco is all about that. ]

Yeah, exactly. See, where I come from, demons and demon hunters and warlocks are only in books and movies, but people in costumes running around fighting crime and saving people is like, oh it's just another Tuesday. Sounds like it's maybe the opposite in your neck of the woods.

[ At least from the sound of it Alec has some concept of the sort of thing he's talking about, and Cisco doesn't have to launch into a whole explanation about why there are costumes and what 'powers' even means. ]

Aren't monks usually celibate? [Somehow he manages to keep his expression neutral as he asks the question while thinking of Magnus' reaction to that idea. Laughter until he falls into a chair or offended by the idea of not being able to touch his husband.] I'm not sure if it's intense or not. All of my kin become demon hunters. We don't really have any other way of life.

[Cisco's the second person to think what Shadowhunters did is something important. It's a strange concept that Alec doesn't quite grasp. He does his job. It's the life they're born into. The idea that it might be special isn't something he's really considered since most beings hate Nephilim.]

It is the opposite unless you count dressing up as leather armor as a costume? How do people become superheros?

[It might not be that different unless it does involve radioactivity and lab experiments... Okay, he shouldn't think too hard on that option.]

Edited 2017-10-30 16:34 (UTC)

Okay, good point.

[ He laughs, shaking his head a little - hey, maybe the monks in Alec's world could get married, he doesn't know! ]

So, wait, you're saying like, your mom and dad and siblings and uncles and cousins and whatever are all demon hunters?

[ Cisco's immediate reaction is to think that that sounds pretty damn restrictive, but he isn't going to come out and say that right away. He's aware that there are a lot of people (okay... most people) who have healthier and closer relationships to their families than he does. The idea only inspires knee-jerk horror from him because of that, not because it's inherently bad. ]

Naw, it's not just the costume, though most of them are leather armor and not the silly spandex kinda stuff you might see in a comic book. You're not a superhero unless you've got a recognizable costume and look, and a nickname, and you're somebody that people know, y'know? Somebody who saves people but also gives them hope.

[ Not a perfect definition, of course, but it's good enough for the purposes of a conversation like this one. ]

Well, I mean, it's not like there's only one way to become a superhero. It's a little bit different for every one I've met. [ Evidently Cisco doesn't just come from a world with heroes, but in fact knows them, works with them. Something that will only become clearer when he explains: ] Some heroes haven't got powers, they're just highly trained in combat, like the Green Arrow, and sometime use advanced tech like Black Canary. But other heroes are metahumans - that's people who can, say, run faster than the speed of sound, like the Flash.

We have strict rules, but thankfully they're not that bad. [Bad enough that he wouldn't have been allowed to marry Magnus, but he isn't going to dwell on that when they were somewhere that most of the population accepted them without question.]

Every member of my family. Parents, siblings, extended family. We've hunted demons for hundreds of years.

[Now that he's been around Mundanes and traveled the world - technically traveled through a few different realities - he knows how strange that sounds. And how stifling it seems to those who aren't Shadowhunters.]

The spandex never made sense to me. Maybe if you were invulnerable it would work but you need some kind of armor if you're going to fight the kind of villains that are in the comic books. [Was that offensive?] Are they called villains or something else?

Are those the only types of superheros? There's no one in the shadows, helping others without people really knowing who they are? Or a support crew? In the stories from my world, they do as much as the one wearing the costume.

[Thinking of Magnus' comic collection, he has a dozen questions about what might be real and what is artistic license when a certain word catches his attention.] Green Arrow?

[He's an archer, he's going to notice something related to his favorite weapon.]

Are metahumans people who are born different abilities than the average person?

[ To Cisco "strict but it's not that bad" sure sounds like "terrible but I'm in denial or don't know any better yet". But he keeps that thought to himself, because it's none of his business, and no one likes advice or judgment from strangers. ]

So what do you do, like, here? I mean - there aren't demons on this moon, right?

[ AT LEAST CISCO SURE HOPES THERE AREN'T. ]

Nobody's invulnerable. Not completely. There are some people who've got accelerated healing, and there was a guy who could turn his skin to steel, but... everybody's got weaknesses. Anyone can get killed.

[ He says it frankly - it's the sort of detail he might have left out if he were talking to someone else, but Alec had just said he is a fighter, that his family has been fighting against the forces of evil for many generations. He doesn't seem like the kind who would be made uncomfortable by the mention of mortality and danger. ]

We call them villains, yep.

[ Alec's question about support teams has Cisco smiling a little, against his will, shifting his weight from foot to foot and admitting: ]

Most superheroes have a team. They work with other heroes and... and people behind the scenes. That's what I did, back on Earth. I was on Team Flash, doing all the tech stuff, strategy, that sort of thing. But I'm not, like, a hero.

[ That much, at least, Cisco knows - other people are heroes. He just... helps out, a little. As much as he can. ]

He's pretty much what you'd expect - he wears green hood and he's like, disturbingly good with a bow and arrow. It's this whole Robin Hood situation.

[ The question about metahumans is not an unexpected one, since most people in this place haven't heard of them, so it is easy for Cisco to correct: ]

Not born, no. There was a particle accelerator explosion, about a year and a half ago. It released a bunch of dark matter and exotic energies into the city and gave about 1% of the population these abilities... teleporting, controlling the weather, visions of the future, that kinda thing.

I haven't run into any demons and no one told us we're needed for that skill set. [But Alec does patrol the city occasionally to make sure there's no sign of demonic activity. Better safe than having Mundanes torn apart by things that they didn't even know existed.

Alec gestures to where Jace is tending bar, looking sheepish when one wing starts to mimic the gesture before he remembers to keep it closer to his back.] The blond over there - Jace - We're both part of the Perimeter Guard. [He points toward Izzy, smiling fondly when she glances over at him.] That's my sister, Izzy. She's a forensic pathologist with the police.

I didn't think there'd be people who are completely invulnerable. There's only a few types of beings that are truly immortal. [The details of people being able to heal or turn their skin to steel isn't that weird for him considering some of the things he's seen magic do. It's not that much of a logic jump to imaging those traits on some of the Downworlders he's met.]

The people who don't have the powers are the ones who are brave. [As he speaks he can't help thinking of Simon.] They do the right thing because they want to protect people, not because of some gift that they were given or special vows. If the fighters didn't have support from other people, we wouldn't be able to fight.

Disturbingly good with a bow and arrow. [He can't stop himself from grinning at that. He's going to mention that description to Jace while teasing him about his complete lack of archery skills.] Is he that good or do archers freak you out?

I guess abilities in our world are something people are usually born with. Magnus was born with magic and some people are born with the Sight. Most of the abilities in your world sound like what magic users in my world can do with spells.

[ Cisco looks between the two people that Alec points to, nodding. ]

Oh, wow. You got your husband and your sister and a friend from your world all here? That's awesome. There's only one other person from my world, here.

[ And he's somewhere amidst the crowd, here. Eddie and Cisco had agreed that they shouldn't just spend all the time at the party with one another and that they ought to mingle a bit separately. They're supposed to meet up again in a half hour.

He feels his face going hot at what Alec says about the importance of people who support warriors. The ones "without powers". It's partly guilt, at the lie of omission, as he sips his drink and definitely pretends that yep, he sure is one of those people, no powers here, thanks very much. Another part, though, is flattered pleasure at the fact that Alec thinks what he does, what people like him do, is brave. It flusters him enough that all he can do is blush and grin and stare down at his hands for a bit. it's clear that, if nothing else, Cisco isn't all that used to people so adamantly valuing what he does - and by extension, him.

The question about Oliver is easier to answer than figuring out how to say thank you, or if that would be weird. ]

He's that good. Well. He's really that skilled at archery. In terms of moral goodness he's uh, little further into the grey area than most. Kind of a super intense dude. Like... real intense.

[ Cisco nods; he's not surprised by the comparison Alec draws. He's had similar conversations, with Lucretia and others. ]

Can... can people like Magnus... can they not use their magic? I mean, is it... a skill they have the potential to learn, or is it more like... something inside them they have to control and hold back?

Edited 2017-11-16 02:18 (UTC)

I don't know how we managed it unless it was because Magnus, Izzy and I were all together when we were brought here. Jace and my little brother arrived at the same time. [And, thankfully, not his parents or anyone who might harm his family. He still worries if Valentine or Sebastian might arrive someday.

Cisco's response to his comment surprises him before he realizes that it shouldn't. How often had he been caught off guard when someone praised him instead of Jace? It also brings a pang of guilt that he can say the right thing to Cisco but he'd struggled to find the words to thank Simon for everything he'd done. Even with the strength and speed of a vampire, Simon had been support for the rest of them... and turned out to be the bravest of them all. If he ever shows up in Quarantine, maybe Alec will finally know what to say to his friend.]

Too bad he's not around. I'd like to have another archer to talk to. No one appreciates bows here. But if he's that... intense he probably wouldn't like being stuck here.

[Without realizing it, Alec glances over to where he'd last seen Magnus, smiling when he notices familiar, blue flames.] For Magnus, it's a little of both. He had to learn to control his magic but he had to learn how to use it for spells. The Sight is something people have that's just there. Some people in my world try to learn magic without the innate power, but usually it doesn't end well.

[ Perhaps Alec is right - Cisco doesn't know enough about how the portal works to know if there is some kind of bias towards bringing whole groups of people, if they are together at a particular time. It sounds plausible enough. In his case, he'd been all on his own when he arrived (both in the physical sense of being alone at S.T.A.R. Labs, and also in the sense of feeling very isolated and lonely). ]

He'd hate it here. And I wouldn't feel too bad about it. He's not big on talking, in general.

[ But Cisco's smiling a little as he says that; despite his many flaws, Cisco still likes Oliver, gruff and grumpy as he may be. ]

And I appreciate bows. From a technical standpoint, anyway. No good at actually firing them, but I've designed a few.

[ Cisco nods, listening to the explanation of Magnus's magic. He's going to have to make a point of talking to Magnus, later. Sounds like an interesting guy. ]

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[OPEN] Halloween Haunt at The Apothecary

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