House Alyssum: Modest Desires, Shared Secrets

Each House of the Court of Night Blooming Flowers derives its canon from an interpretation of Naamah’s experience with the King of Persis, whom she lay with to secure Blessed Elua’s freedom.  House Alyssum believes that she trembled to lay aside her modesty.  From this, Alyssum takes modesty as its canon, something very different from the other twelve Houses.  How does modesty play into the act of love?  Is modesty a bad thing?

We are told that patrons who enter Alyssum whisper their desires to the Second and are led to a room of adepts from which they may choose for their assignation.  When Imriel and Mavros visit House Alyssum on their quest to experience every House in the Night Court in Kushiel’s Justice, Imriel chooses an adept and she whispers to him all of her desires.

In Terre d’Ange, sexuality in all its myriad forms is not only accepted openly, but celebrated.  The religion of the d’Angelines is based on the precept of loving who and how one chooses.  Our world does not share these same ideals.  Sex and sexuality are complicated, often controversial matters in our society.  So we close our doors and pull our curtains as we seek to “love as thou wilt.”

And while we would seek to live in a society where love and pleasure in every form and act were celebrated, this does not mean we should reject the beauty and allure of Alyssum’s modesty.

Modesty can often come with one’s first sexual experience: two people, fumbling in the dark, embarrassed by their lack of knowledge.  A person who will only undress with the lights off, ashamed of and fearing the rejection of their physical self.  With time and experience, that modesty can be the doorway to bolder, more adventurous and open sexual experiences.  With trust and love, fear can give way to confidence and self-acceptance.  But not everyone chooses to give up their modesty.  Some prefer to keep the lights off, sharing their desires and physical selves quietly and secretly with only their partner in the privacy of the bedroom.

The lack of open, flaunted sexuality and lovemaking can create a special bond between two lovers – different from the loyalty of House Heliotrope – revealing one’s intimate desires and physical self indicates trust.  You are trusting your partner to accept you in whatever manner you desire, be it tender or sharp; you are safe with this person.  In the darkness, behind our closed doors and drawn curtains, we can reveal our secrets to someone we trust.  Lit only by the afterglow of our lovemaking, we are able to share our true selves.  The trust and sharing between two lovers is truly sacred.

Join Jacqueline Carey on the Night’s Doorstep

Will you come from Hellas, where the sea glitters like a jewel against white cliffs? Or from Menekhet, where the sands stretch into a glimmering haze at the horizon? Will you join us from the wintry slopes of Skaldia or the green, rocky isles of Alba? Or are you a mere carriage ride down the winding, cobblestone avenue of Mont Nuit?

Before you begin your journey home, join the renowned cheese and fruitKushiel’s Legacy author Jacqueline Carey, old comrades, and newfound friends for a parting meal. Our flirtatious and lively Tsingani neighbors have agreed to throw open the doors of Night’s Doorstep the morning after our masquerade! What better way to prepare for the long road ahead?

Brunch on the Night’s Doorstep will be held at the Hyatt Regency Fairfax on January 6th, 2019 from 8am – noon. You can reserve your spot by purchasing ticket here.

Friday Evening Private Reception with Jacqueline Carey

Whether you’ve only read Kushiel’s Dart or you’ve devoured every word she has ever written, you must admit that Jacqueline Carey is a brilliant woman.  She has created world after world and all of the myriad characters that inhabit them, from Phédre nό Delaunay de Montreve of Terre d’Ange to Daisy Johanssen of Pemwoket to the Princess Zariya of the Court of the Sun-Blessed.

Have you ever wanted to sit and chat with Ms. Carey?  Ask her a question or two?  Get her advice on the publishing industry?  Now you can!

Cereus House invites you to join us in our private salon – the Presidential Suite of the Hyatt Fairfax – for a private reception with Ms. Carey.  Enjoy fine wine and gourmet hors d’oeuvres as you socialize with our beloved author and a few other guests.

Tickets are extremely limited.  You don’t want to miss this special event. Claim your spot now!

Call for Art! + Winner of Starless Announced!

Are you a painter or sculptor worthy of Eglantine house? A chef or baker fit for a Palace feast? Perhaps you’re known for your detailed drawings, intricate needlework, or papier-mâché.

Whatever your medium, we invite you submit your original Kushiel’s Legacy and Naamah themed artwork for display on the Longest Night Midwinter Masque website.

Please email a high resolution digital image of your artwork to info@thelongestnightmasque.com with the subject “Fan Art Submission” and your name. Please include the title, the medium used, and any other information you would like referenced.  We will publish all works with a watermark of the artist’s name.

We look forward to seeing all of your creative endeavors and sharing them with the community.  If you have any questions please, as always, direct them to info@thelongestnightmasque.com

A note on tattoos/marques: We will be looking for photos of your Kushiel’s Legacy tattoos and marques later in the summer.  If you are a professional tattoo artist, we welcome your original designs at this time, but we encourage those who have made their marques (or are in the process!) to save that artwork for later.

Please note that you may only submit your own original artwork.

 

ALSO

We are happy to announce that Taylor Gallagher has won a free copy of Jacqueline Carey’s newest book, Starless!  Congratulations, Taylor!

What Jasmine House Means To Us

From the Dowayne of Jasmine House

On this day, the longest day of the year, I begin my count down in earnest looking forward to the Longest Night Masque. As part of Jasmine House, it is all too easy to simply say, “for pleasures sake.” It speaks for itself because nothing is more sensual then pure pleasure. But pleasure is never “simply” for itself – it is a way to express ourselves, to announce ourselves, and in our way, to reveal ourselves to another person in the most intimate way possible. In that intimacy, we discover that the greatest pleasure of all is to give pleasure to another person. That is where true sensuality exists: in giving pure pleasure.

Lilliane nó Scalzi

From the Second of Jasmine House

Jasmine House and what it means to me is a vast and complex subject. It started off as a few hours on an online forum and evolved into a family that spans thousands of miles, with our loves, our disagreements, our successes and our tragedies.

The motto of Jasmine House, for pleasures sake, encompasses many different paths and passions. For me it comes down to one message: do what you love, because you love it, and to hell with everyone else.

Jasmine House is a home to those who feel they don’t quite fit in the other houses or who feel that several of the houses would suit them, those who don’t quite know which path calls the strongest. In Jasmine House every path to pleasure is accepted.

I count every day that I’ve known my Jasmine Sisters and Brothers as a blessing. They have touched my life and my heart more than I have ever been able to tell them.

Jadeh nó Jasmine

What’s Your Pronoun?

Gender, a term that originates from the same source as genre and genesis, is a wholly imagined construct. Protagoras, a pre-Socratic Sophist, is credited by Aristotle to have created the use of grammatical genders seen in romance languages. In the last fifty years, gender as a social construct has been explored in social sciences, drawing distinction from biological sex and even rejecting the notion of feminine and masculine as genders on either end of a spectrum.

Many cultures all over the world acknowledge Third Genders, like India’s hijras or the Native American muxe.  Although awareness of non-binary, gender neutral, and non-gendered identities grow in western countries, those outside traditional male/female gender roles are continually faced with discrimination, intolerance, and hatred.

As an inclusive community, the Longest Night Midwinter Masque honors Preferred Gender Pronouns (or PGP’s). With Pride Month in full swing, supporting gender pronoun conduct is a powerfully effective way to be an ally.

These pronouns continue to develop and information on them is slowly gaining traction, so we understand if these concepts are new to you. The following resources are a great way to learn more:

https://uwm.edu/lgbtrc/support/gender-pronouns/

https://lgbtqia.ucdavis.edu/educated/pronouns.html

The Gender Reveal Podcast http://gender.libsyn.com/

Happy Pride Month to all and Love as thou Wilt!

What Valerian House Means to Us

From the Dowayne, Rosanna Baphinol nό Valerian:

 Were I to compile all that speaks to me of Valerian House, I could easily say this quote from Kushiel’s Dart would do nicely: That which yields is not always weak.”  

Of the thirteen houses of the Court of Night Blooming Flowers only two deal with pain, and as one of those who finds pain to be a kind of pleasure I am often confronted with misunderstanding. It is through the acceptance of such sharper delights that I find a certain sort of peace, just as Phédre does – with the right patrons. The adepts of Valerian House not only take pride in what they do, but they also challenge themselves with their art. That challenge manifests, for me, in the pushing of my own personal boundaries, in many aspects of life, from which I return stronger each time.

When I contemplate the motto, “I Yield,” I know that it is done with the knowledge that I am the one who gives it. At any moment the signalé can be used, and the power of the situation is truly revealed. To yield is a choice. Such devotion is a gift, allowing me the full control of whatever or whoever I deign to submit to. Valerians are delicate flowers with spines of iron. Let not the surface appearance dictate just how strong a person can be, you might be surprised what is hiding underneath.   

 

From the Second, Tryphosa Katseros nό Valerian:

Love is hard, harder than steel and thrice as cruel. It is as inexorable as the tides, and life and death alike follow in its wake.” ~Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel’s Chosen

This quote more than anything embodies for me why Valerian is so important to me. While not about Valerian itself it speaks to the dichotomy of how we who belong to Valerian live. While seemingly soft and demure we revel in being challenged and brought to the edge and beyond of what we can stand. We love our patrons for the pain and cruelty they inflict on us and that love at times can be very hard, but in the end is worth it.

Another core of Valerian is trust. Without a solid core of trust there can be no yielding and without yielding those of Valerian do not achieve what we crave. Through the trust that is required I have learned much of myself and the many different aspects that make me who I am. The ability to give up all control and trust someone else so completely has shaped me into the person that I am. And this is a lesson that came hard and over a long period of time. I am thankful for the values of Valerian and how I can continually learn from them as I grow, yield, and trust in love.

Consent Culture

In Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy and Naamah trilogies, it is explicitly stated, over and over, that any sexual or physical interaction without consent is heresy. Because all that Naamah did for Elua was done consensually, the courtesans of the Night Court and their patrons consider consent a holy part of their ideology. On their many travels, our heroes and heroines struggle with how cultural norms differ from the Precept of Elua that d’Angelines hold sacrosanct. This important theme is one of the major reasons these trilogies remain powerfully relevant today and will remain so for decades to come.  

What is consent culture? As a rebuttal to rape culture, consent culture is the normalization of consent and communication. We support the consent culture of Terre d’Ange and the international movement to normalize consent and communication in our present world.  

We believe rape and sexual assault victims/survivors should be believed and supported, not blamed or ignored. We believe every single person has the right to their bodily autonomy, which includes the right to not be hugged, tickled, or touched in any way without enthusiastic consent. We believe consent is not merely the absence of “no.” We believe that consent is unambiguous and free of coercion. We believe in vigorous self-education on unlearning rape culture and creating consent culture. We believe in consent advocacy.  

There are thousands of website, blogs, podcasts and books regarding consent culture. Here are a few jump starters for continued education: 

https://www.creatingconsentculture.com/ 

http://veganwarriorprincessesattack.com/?s=consent 

Ask: Building Consent Culture, edited by Kitty Stryker 

We Believe You: Survivors of Campus Sexual Assault Speak Out, by Annie E. Clark and Andrea L. Pino 

Yes Means Yes!: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape, by Jaclyn Friedman and Jessica Valenti 

I Never Called It Rape: The Ms. Report on Recognizing, Fighting, and Surviving Date and Acquaintance Rape, by Robin Warshaw 

I Have the Right To: A High School Survivor’s Story of Sexual Assault, Justice, and Hope, by Chessy Prout 

The Hunting Ground: The Inside Story of Sexual Assault on American College Campuses, by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering 

Asking for It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture-and What We Can Do about It, by Kate Harding 

Exit, Pursued by a Bear, by E.K. Johnston 

And, of course, Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy and Naamah trilogies.  

Exciting Announcements ~ New Vendor & Hotel Reservation Info!

As Phédre nό Delaunay and Moirin mac Fainche traversed the world of Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Legacy and Naamah trilogies, they were adorned with gorgeous and unique jewelry at nearly every destination.  Now it’s your turn to wear fantastical adornments like the gifts of the Kore of Kriti, the Pharaoh of Menekhet, and the Queen of Terre d’Ange.

We are excited to announce the first vendor of the Third Annual Longest Night Midwinter Masque: Know Mee The Big Necklace Company!

Founded in 2015 by Rhiannon-Nadine C. Hinnant, this vendor produces extraordinary necklaces for those special occasions when a diaphanous piece simply won’t do.  Her jewelry is diverse, intricate, and eclectic.  These artistic Know Mee pieces are the perfect complement to any Midwinter Masque costume.

Make a statement! Visit www.bignecklace.us to purchase yours today or skim for your favorite to pick up at the Masque! Want to track Hinnant’s new pieces or schedule a runway consultation? Follow Know Mee on Facebook or reach out to Hinnant directly!

ALSO, information on how to reserve your hotel room is now available!

You can book your reservation online by using this portal: https://book.passkey.com/go/LongestNight2019. OR, call the Passkey Reservations team via 888.421.1442. Be sure to mention you are attending the Longest Night Midwinter Masque!

Stay tuned! More exciting announcements to follow.

Concevoir votre Costume

We wore sheer white tunics of gossamer to mimic the effect of snow drifting in the wind, with dagged sleeves beaded in glass that hung down like icicles when we raised our trays in offering. Simple white dominos edged in silver, suitable for children, masked our faces, and we wore only a touch of carmine on the lips for colour. An apprentice ribbonnaire bound our hair, and did a very fine job, too, plaiting our locks with white ribbons to evoke a tumbling fall of snow.” ~ Kushiel’s Dart, Jacqueline Carey

The Longest Night Midwinter Masque is an evening of mystery and frivolity. Your House theme or individual costume can be as complex as those of Cereus House on Phédre’s first Masque and as simple as a doublet and breeches.  The beauty of a masquerade is that you may be whoever you wish.

As you create your ensemble, please keep these guiding principles in mind:

Have questions about your costume?  Email info@thelongestnightmasque.com so we can address your query.

House Cereus looks forward to your gorgeous creation!