Lanterns drift like fallen stars across the sky upon the waters of Oborozuki-Tei. Beyond the mist veiled pond music carries softly through the night air -distant shamisen strings, the low breath of a flute, the hush of silk against polished wood. Guests arrive in hushed tones and painted smiles, drawn by rumour, reputation or simple curiosity toward the famed Hazy Moon Pavilion, where every performance is said to linger in the heart long after the final note fades.

But tonight, something is wrong.

The musicians play without conviction. Servants move with careful urgency. The mist seems to hang thicker than usual across the water, swallowing lanternlight whole at the edges of the veranda. Whispers pass between attendants who avoid meeting the eyes of their patrons. The evening's celebrated dancer, Tsukihana no Mae, has refused to perform.

No explanation has been offered. Some claim illness, others murmur of disagreements heard behind closed doors. A few insist they saw someone standing along upon the pavilion bridge long after midnight - a figure obscured by mist, watching the water in silence before vanishing without a sound.

-oOo-

The proprietor of the exclusive and famed Oborozuki-Tei has grown increasingly panicked. It has been weeks since Tsukihana no Mae last took the stage, and the pavilion’s guests grow impatient with each passing night. Now she will not dance, she will not practice, and the meals left outside her door are barely touched.

In their increasing desperation, the pavilion has quietly extended invitations to an eclectic gathering of individuals in the hope that someone among them might uncover what truly lies behind the dancer’s silence, and restore Oborozuki-Tei before its reputation is irreparable.

Pacing and Active Times:
While this has been listed as slowform - the goal will be to complete the scene within one week of it's starts. I will be largely available during roughly 9am to 1am AEST (GMT+10), with the exception of a few hours in the evening 2-3 nights of the week. The first 24 hours of the session will be a soft open to the scene allowing the players to stagger their arrivals and make introductions based on their timezones/availability after which the scene will begin proper.