[Jaykobell]

The two headed for the grand hall inside the mansion. Even from the doors, the food smelled positively delicious and festive. Warmth filled the place, and on top of its charming allure, the mansion looked very welcoming. It was a change from the Halloween one, where it had been hinted that the mansion was...well, far from a pleasant trip down a haunted house.

Sergio almost lost track of Clovis as the smaller man headed straight for the dining room. And Sergio couldn't blame him: the smell was impossible to resist! He couldn't wait to see what kinds of foods were waiting for them.

[Kitsumi]

Myrym wasn't the type to care for decorum, and had no problem with piling food onto her plate. There was just so much of it, that it almost seemed a waste to hold back. Besides, with so many different dishes to taste, even if she just took a couple of bites of each one, it was still sure to fill her up.

Her brother on the other hand was much more selective while filling his plate. Sorin passed over the familiar items, foods that he was able to indulge in fairly regularly. Instead, he sought out the more unfamiliar delicacies, things that he knew he was unlikely to come across again anytime soon. He wasn't even sure what some of the dishes were, but that only made him more excited to taste all of it.

"Let's sit by the fireplace!" he suggested, once the two were finished.

"Sure," Myrym agreed. "I'll grab us a couple of drinks if you want to take my plate with you and find us some seats."

[Wyvern]

Inside the palace’s reception room was a collection of paintings hanging on the flower-patterned walls of pastel shades of color. These paintings depicted a variety of natural landscapes from the Lands, and some were drawings of famous and important figures through history.

The Battlefield Werecain took a few moments to gaze up at the elegantly framed paintings, their rough surfaces lit by the candlelights that hung around the rings of small, silver-tinted chandeliers that hung a few feet down from the ceilings.

Their two tails swished about in excitement and awe at the collective of art and talent. There were even a few pillars of bright, light grey stone with statuettes and sculptures, some were humanoid, while others were of beautiful, mystical creatures. One of these carved sculptures, colored in a soft beige, stood behind a long, antique wooden table that was placed in the centre-most wall of the receptionist’ station. Mir could see a few of the invitees stopping by to look at the statue, before reaching over the table to grab some kind of paper inside a finely woven basket.

As the green lupine had wandered about the room full of artistic displays, they slowly walked back to the reception table. Mir hastily looked around for a while; they swore having seen the silhouette of their lover, Adriana the Serraptor, still standing outside within view of the wide open doors of the palace.

The Werecain saw a pair of figures walk past her, which were dressing quite elegantly, fitting for the occasion. Mir couldn’t help but let out a little laugh entertained by the thought of seeing their partner in some kind of dress or gown. If only Mir knew that people were encouraged to bring formal attire beforehand.

[Adelie]

This was the worst, he decided. The one week out of the year that his dear friend Mirny - bless his workaholic little heart - decided to take some family time and be unavailable for badgering and emotional support, and he'd been plagued with all kinds of vapid events that required media appearances. Some awards ceremony about being the start-up founder of the year, some kind of stupid venture capitalist conference, some kind of holiday celebration for some regional little thing that he didn't even know existed.

God, he really wished Mirny were here right now. This place was boring. Half the people here had no idea who he was, and the other half had way too many ideas about who he was and kept trying to pitch increasingly-ridiculous business propositions to him. There was some guy who asked if he was interested in minting taco-themed NFTs, for god's sake. At least if his friend had been around, he'd have someone to bother.

[zapdragon555]

Well... there was such a thing as making oneself too at home. Someone had filled their poncho with small loaves of bread, and their kiwi companion had swallowed at least two dozen blueberries over the course of a few seconds and was doing their best to pull a hefty tangerine from a basket. With one loaf still between their teeth, Someone sheepishly stood, glad that this area of the table was still relatively deserted. So far from the live music... well, that made sense that most would want to be close, to listen. And it made for a good getaway, too. Someone held onto their poncho-pouch with one hand and took the bread from their mouth with their other, whistling a small tune to the kiwi. Immediately, the small bird shuffled over, tangerine in beak, and hopped up onto Someone's shoulder once they'd lowered down enough for the kiwi to reach.

And just as quickly and carefully as they'd come in, Someone took their leave, laden with bread that they'd give out to passersby, who wouldn't be quite so bold as to walk into such a place as this... and just maybe, they'd feed some pigeons with the leftovers. Both noble causes, indeed.

[GrayGriffin]

When Tweety had brought up that he was going to be sneaking into the mansion party, Nikey had simply wanted to warn him to be careful. Then he heard his sister mention she was going as well. She'd told him to stay at home and wait for her, but the look in her eyes obviously meant that she wanted him there with her. So naturally, he'd asked Tweety how he was planning on getting in.

Unfortunately, the Piyo's route wouldn't really work for him, lacking wings and being much larger in his Kirund form. However, he had sniffed out a back entrance where people were delivering garbage bags, and managed to slip in that way after a particularly distracted employee left the door open.

Now he was wandering through the halls, staying out of the way of everyone else and looking for Tayne. He'd still managed to grab a few bites of meat to eat as well, along with several fried foods and a large slice of cornbread. He was definitely going to bring some of this home to share with everyone else.

[SpringsSong]

The women made their way into the dining hall, taking in everything around them: the decor, the layout, and all of the food that was set up for people to consume. After a few minutes of browsing, the two women had managed to collect a varied assortment of food: Xyshari's plate was composed primarily of meat items, while Lana's was a little more varied.

"You know, I could get rather fond of this holiday," Xyshari said. "Plenty of food, nobody to look at you funny when you fill your plate to the limit with certain food items..."

[Jaykobell]

The feast was truly a sight to behold, both for the eyes and for the expecting stomach that was simply dying from the anticipation. The smell was intoxicating, and the food shone with talent, most likely cooked by talented and experienced hands.

"Oh, my!" Sergio exclaimed as he headed for the table. "Yepha forgive me, but gluttony shan't stay away today," he laughed, just as he reached for the food.

Clovis did much of the same, but in silence. He couldn't speak with his mouth full.

[Kitsumi]

While Sorin was getting cozied up by the fire, Myrym took her time looking over the drinks. She knew that her brother was picky with what he consumed. He called it a 'refined palate' but she knew the truth: he preferred to eat and drink whatever cost the most.

Luckily, she managed to find some mulled wine that would surely be considered an acceptable offering. Filling two mugs with the steaming beverage, she walked over to the seat that her brother had saved for her. "Your beverage, sir," she teased, giving a mock bow. "I hope it's to your liking... because if it isn't, you're going to have to find something yourself. I'm not getting back up until I've eaten." Her stomach growled, as if to confirm the statement.

[zapdragon555]

It wasn't long after that odd wanderer with the banjo left that another strange wanderer took their place—this time, a scraggly man dressed in a long coat and ragged shawls, a broad-brimmed hat atop his head despite the overcast weather. Slung across his body was an old leather medical bag smelling strongly of herbs, the scent nearly drowned out by the smell of warm food filling the hall.

Not that Cerys Crowther could eat a morsel of it. He'd tried, in the past—really, he had—but while he missed the taste of the sorts of foods humans ate, he simply couldn't stomach them anymore. And he'd grown quite used to that, in the hundred-some-odd years he'd been alive. But still... the smell of fresh cinnamon pastries sometimes brought him back.

He was here for a simple request, however. He'd heard tell that the owner of this lavish place was a bit of a magic user himself, and able to produce quantities of food and drink from nothing. It was outlandish to hear of, and Cerys had his doubts over it... but if he could ask the man for help with replenishing his stock of rosemary and sage without having to pick it fresh and wait for it to dry, then he would leap at the opportunity.

[Adelie]

When he'd snuck into the mansion this afternoon, he hadn't expected to spend two hours at the same table.

It was supposed to be a quick job. The mansion - which, by virtue of being a mansion, had to be full of delicious goodies and expensive treasures - was open to be opened to the public for the yearly Thanks for Life celebration. Naturally, there would be a period of time before the official celebration where it would be easy to sneak in under the guise of preparing for the incoming crowd, snatch some jewels or gold or whatever rich people had lying around, and then sneak right out.

Unfortunately, he hadn't expected the table of bread. There was so much bread. He didn't even know that bread came in so many varieties, nor that there were so many different toppings you could even put on it. It made his stomach growl - and say, when was the last time he'd gotten a proper meal with bread and meat and cheese?

So, he'd grabbed some for his bag. And maybe a little more bread, after that. And then, well, he'd already grabbed so much so he may as well just take the whole spread, right? It was a shame to just leave it here, and it wasn't like he wasn't already stealing.

And that's how two hours passed, he supposed. Two hours of nothing but putting slices of bread and cheese into his bag while the dazzling array of food laid out on the table didn't seem to lessen at all. It wasn't even a big table. He just had to go at it a few slices at a time, since the mouth of his bag wasn't particularly large - it might be infinitely large on the inside, but that didn't apply to its outside appearance - and somehow, none of what he was doing seemed to make a dent. It was like an infinite cornucopia, or something.

Well, he wouldn't let that discourage him. He was, if nothing else, thorough.

[Wyvern]

Mir, the Werecain, waited for the other invitees to leave the reception room. She quickly snuck a paw into the woven basket to grab what appeared to be tickets made out of an elegant cloth with a red ribbon wrapping one of the corners.

She took two of them and hid them into her chest fur, before moving along and into the main dining room by entering one of the smaller doors on the sides of the reception table.

"I don't see any signs or instrucions, so it should be fine to take one for someone else, right?" Mir looked around for another brief moment, and then walked into the dining area. Series of long tables filled with chairs, some of which already were occupied, could be seen for well over a dozen metres in front of the decorated entrances. The chitter-chatter, the clanking of glass and cutlery, and the sounds of the invitees enjoying the meals and drinks filled the massive chamber.

There were a few humanoid figures in suits, helping serve and attend the invitees that sat upon the cushioned wooden chairs. At least to the lupine's awareness, nobody seemed to notice her walking inside, all the guests and workers were minding their own business. Mir took a little sniff of the air full of strong aromas of the food served in large porcelain containers and baskets laid across the tables, which were covered in colorful tablecloths, and dimly lit by series of sconces and candles.

"Huh. Might want to grab some seats quickly..."

[crow]

Callum had made it abundantly clear that he didn't want Bran around, and Bran could keep an eye on him just as well from a few meters' distance. Callum had pointed out Bran's distaste for him, but the feeling was evidently mutual. But then, that was hardly a surprise. The people who liked Bran tended to deal with the persona he put on; perceptive types avoided him, or maybe he avoided them. The exception to this was Lyra, but then, she was kin.

For a moment, the thought of Akira crossed his mind. Silly thing to think. He knew for a fact that Akira didn't like him either, not after what had happened with Hazel had come to light.

Callum had entered the house, so Bran drifted in after him. A few people glanced his way as he passed through the foyer, and he smiled agreeably at them. Some of them smiled back, some quickly averted their gaze, while others frowned slightly before returning to whatever they were doing. But no one stopped him.

The house was grand, though Bran had to wonder at the temper of a host who invited anyone who wanted to attend into his home. A man that Bran presumed was the owner of the house was greeting guests, and if Bran hadn't been charged with keeping an eye on Callum, he might have lingered a moment to study the host. Unfortunately, Callum had already moved further in. Bran could see Rory flitting around the great table, marveling at all the dishes. The phantom mimed swiping a guest's forkful of food just as she was about to take a bite, earning him a laugh from Callum. The guest was unaware -- or mostly, anyway. She twitched for a moment, then shivered, as if from a sudden chill, but only pulled her cardigan more tightly around herself.

[GrayGriffin]

"It's nice that we got to go out today, isn't it?" asked Sophur, as he and Dinner swayed back and forth on the dance floor. His wife chuckled, yanking his arm downwards so that he was now dipping her, making him let out a "whoa!" noise.

"It is," she said. "Even if we were stuck in the kitchen for quite a bit of it."

"I mean, we volunteered for that," he pointed out. "We could have quit any time we wanted."

She laughed, patting his chest. "But your pride wouldn't allow that, would it?"

"No, it certainly wouldn't," he agreed.

[SpringsSong]

The two women found a corner of the dining room that was largely unoccupied and settled in to enjoy their food. As they did so, they looked up to see who was in the mansion with them, but as they did so, Xyshari seemed to lose focus as she began to look around the room.

"What is it, my love?" Lana asked.

"Oh, just... you know how it can be, sometimes," Xyshari said. "Ever since I took Loq's crystal from his saber when I found his body on that Aether-forsaken world, his spirit is closer to me... and he's quite interested in what these festivities are."