A velvet-clad skeleton stands at the center of a grand, high-ceilinged ballroom, surrounded by lavish chandeliers and intricately carved wooden panels, hosting a masquerade where guests wear elaborate masks and formal attire, the skeleton's bony fingers grasping a microphone as it addresses the crowd with a charismatic grin, its velvet suit a deep, rich purple with a subtle sheen, a black domino mask covering its empty eye sockets, a giant made of steel and steam looming in the background, its body a complex latticework of interlocking gears and hissing pipes, a top hat and a black cape draped over its broad, mechanical shoulders, the giant's face a mesh of copper filigree with glowing blue optics, its massive metal hands clasped behind its back as it observes the masquerade with an air of quiet curiosity, the ballroom filled with the soft glow of candelabras and the distant strains of a string quartet, the air thick with the scent of smoke and machine oil.