Longest Night Midwinter Masque – Page 19 – Longest Night Midwinter Masque

Video: Odilia Gets The Letter

(click image to open video)

SCENE: [ODILIA is looking out the window, pensive, worried, something weighing on her mind.]

ROSANNA: (offscreen) Odilia?

[ODILIA turns to look at ROSANNA waiting by the couch, she manages a smile]

ODILIA: Rosanna.

[ROSANNA knows her friend, she knows better than to believe the smile.]

ROSANNA: What is it?

[ODILIA crosses to the low table and hands ROSANNA the letter lying there.]

ROSANNA: The royal seal…

ODILIA: Read it.

[ODILIA sits at her couch and sips her wine, watching ROSANNA read. She sits slowly too as she reads aloud.]

ROSANNA: (reading aloud) “Dearest Odilia, In these uncertain times when I have more on my mind than ever, I find my thoughts turning to you more and more.”
(breaking off) Odilia, this seems personal…

ODILIA: Keep going.

ROSANNA: (reading aloud) “The loss of my beloved brother weighs heavily on me, nearly as heavily as that weight that I never thought to bear. As the nights grow longer, I have more time than ever to consider that which lays before me. Mon coeur, I long for your arms and for your advice as to what is next for me. For us. I must take the crown and my mother has warned me that the weight of it will change everything. I stand at the precipice of something new, knowing now more than ever I will need guidance. And so I have made a choice. The Longest Night celebrations will soon overtake the city but my heart is not in them. Instead, I will stand Cassiel’s Vigil through the night, praying for Elua’s guidance and blessing. I regret I cannot share the evening with you as I had wished but to that end I ask for your assistance. As I cannot attend the fete at Cereus House, go in my stead and speak with my voice and represent me among your peers and other guests-”
(breaking off) Odilia, this means something.

ODILIA: Yes, it does.

ROSANNA: Has he asked you to be….?

ODILIA: No. Not yet. I thought he might but then the plague and the loss of his brother…there was no time.

ROSANNA: (reading aloud) “I can trust this to no other for no other is the queen of my heart the way you are, no other knows my heart and mind the way you do. I have every faith in you and place my trust in you completely. I miss you and pray the spring will bring us together again. Yours ever devotedly, Gustav.”

[She sets the letter aside and looks at her friend. ODILIA is valiantly trying to keep her composure but ROSANNA knows her friend too well.]

ROSANNA: Are you alright?

[ODILIA stifles a laugh. ROSANNA takes her hand.]

ROSANNA: Are you ready for this?

ODILIA: I have to be.

Join us for a full weekend of events!

The full schedule of events for the 2021 Virtual Masque is now available!

ALL TIMES GIVEN IN US EASTERN STANDARD TIME (EST/GMT-5)

Friday, January 8, 2021

- 5:30pm: In Character (IC) channels open to socialize in character
- 5:30pm: Out Of Character (OOC) channels open to socialize out of character
- 5:30-7:30pm: RP workshop in Dungeons and D’Angelines channels
  - get help developing your character or getting started with RP
- 7:30-8:30pm: Lord Niklos Shahrizai will be hosting a lavish dinner party at the Shahrizai hunting lodge in the Noble District channel
- 8:30pm: D&D game for beginners – signup form will be emailed to ticketed guests

Saturday, January 9, 2021

- House salons open all day for specific entertainment and socializing on Mont Nuit
- IC lounge and OOC lounge open all day for in character and out of character socializing.
  - Discuss educational panels in the panel text channels
- Kink/NSFW channel open all day: post your erotic art and/or writing to share, ask questions about kink.
- Workshops and discussion groups
  - 9:00-10:00am: The Crossover Episode: House Affiliations of other fictional characters, both TdA and other movies, and book and TV series
  - 11:00-12 noon: Living the Night Court: House Canons in Real Life
  - 1:00-2:00pm: Sacred Sexuality
  - 3:00-4:00pm: Medieval Depictions of Sexuality
  - 5:00-6:00pm: Models of Resilience in Terre D’Ange
  - 8:00pm: The Masque Ball: live party at a virtual Cereus House hosted on Gather

Sunday, January 10, 2021

- 12 noon: brunch in the OOC lounge.
  - Bring your food and drink as appropriate for your timezone!
- 2:00pm: D&D game for advanced players – signup form will be emailed to ticketed guests
- 5:30pm: House salons close
- 5:30pm: IC lounge closes
- 5:30pm: OOC closes

2021 Longest Night Midwinter Masque moving online

We care about the health and safety of our guests and community members. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, therefore, we will be moving the upcoming 2021 Longest Night Midwinter Masque weekend online with our own private Discord server for the January 8-10, 2021 event. Tickets will be available on our website for $5. Your ticket grants you access to all online parties, classes, and other events of the 2021 Masque weekend.

Previously purchased 2021 tickets may be rolled over to 2022 Longest Night Midwinter Masque. Rolled over tickets grant access to the 2021 virtual Masque weekend. Current ticketholders should contact info@thelongestnightmasque.com for more information.

Details about the 2021 Longest Night Midwinter Masque weekend will be coming soon, so make sure you’re following us on social media and subscribed to our blog so that you’re in the know.

Stay safe, D’Angelines and, as always, love as thou wilt.

Purchase a Customized Poem for your Beloved!

writing quill

Longing to declare your love from the rooftops of the night’s doorstep, but not gifted with a silver tongue?

For a few gold coins, an Eglantine adept will pen and perform an ode to your beloved.

Click Here to purchase this unique gift for your special person. After purchasing, you will receive an email within one week (seven calendar days) from poet@thelongestnightmasque.com to inquire about your beloved for inspiration.

Proceeds from the Masque go to benefit the Human Rights Campaign.

What is Alyssum?

Sweet Alyssum plant
Alyssum or Alisons (Lobularia maritima syn. Alyssum maritimum)

House Alyssum :: With Eyes Averted

Alyssum is one of the most difficult to reconcile Houses in The Court of Night-Blooming Flowers. Modesty? With Eyes Averted? How do these co-exist in a world that places such high value on Love As Thou Will?

If you follow Imriel’s line of thinking, Alyssum lies in the same area as Valerian only instead of physical discomfort, Alyssum provides shame to its patrons.

I’d like to offer another way of looking at it, taken from the ideas of modesty and the characteristics of the plant as well as it’s meaning and the lore of Terre d’Ange.

Modesty isn’t an inherently negative thing, it is often based in the desire to keep things away from people that will not appreciate them as they deserve. In this way, Alyssum is the same; you go to Alyssum for what is kept hidden from the eyes of the undeserving.

House Alyssum is approached via a drive lined with cypress trees; cypress trees are revered in many traditions for their upright growth and their resistance to fire. What shame can survive a fire? Rather than shame, a knowledge of one’s own value is what survives, particularly if we are to assume that the Adepts of Alyssum are consenting in their trysts.

The Alyssum plant itself is incredibly hardy, surviving drought and flood when other perennial plants do not. This is not a plant that symbolizes weakness or susceptibility to outside influence.

An Adept that displays the virtues of House Alyssum is not an Adept that is weak as many assume modesty to imply. The Adept Imriel sees isn’t shamed by her desires or his, she isn’t uncertain. To me, this is a House of hidden strength, a House of Adepts that, though they may blush to speak what they wish, know what they desire. They know themselves in a way we all can aspire to.

Face Mask-erade

Garb yourself in our attractive, limited edition protective face masks. Drawing inspiration from the characters and stories of the Kushiel’s Legacy books, the adepts of the Night Court have toiled away at these special garments.

These cloth face masks are available in very limited quantities only through Longest Night Midwinter Masque website. Proceeds from the Longest Night Midwinter Masque go to benefit the Human Rights Campaign.

View our current selection here and check back for new styles!

Stay safe and healthy and, as always, love as thou wilt.

Masque Prep Fanfic: Rosanna Baphinol nó Valerian

Almost from the moment the rumor began of an Official Consort to the Dauphin Mont Nuit had been aflame with questions. Supposedly said potential Consort was a close friend of hers, therefore to gossiping minds Rosanna just had to know all the details of how and why and when this affair had begun. Not that Rosanna would ever tell, of course. But with the future King choosing to shy away from the biggest party of the year, well the queries had started to arrive in more and more imaginative forms.

“A donation to the construction of a new shrine?” Rosanna rolled her eyes and continued to look over the collection of masks laid out for her inspection.

“So they say,” her Second replied with a shrug. Tryphosa made a note of who sent that letter and went back to sorting the growing stack of correspondence. “As though we need a new one. Besides, where would we put it? And in return for information on Lady Dahlia’s particular favorite gifts?”

“They are desperate to ingratiate themselves to her inner circle, if the rumors are true. As though I would give them anything.” She examined a mask covered in peacock feathers. “Besides, it’s more fun to watch them wriggle and guess.”

“Are you sure Mandrake didn’t bid for your marque?”

“Not at all. I just like the games of court and Odilia is giving them the spectator sport of their lives. A member of the Court of Night Blooming Flowers maybe becoming Royal Consort? And not a Cereus? It’s a scandal and I love a good scandal.” No, that mask wouldn’t do, she returned it to the pile and continued looking through the choices. One caught her eye, it was made up entirely of the most delicate, silver chains she had ever seen. silver chain masque It took both hands to hold it up properly, the metal glittering in the candlelight. Oh yes.

“Do you think he’ll be a good king?” Tryphosa leaned back on the settee, a lock of platinum hair falling becomingly across her face. Rosanna looked at her over her shoulder, studying her friend and Second. “What with his brother passing away so unexpectedly, the whole country turned on its head for months in mourning and gossip.”

“I admit I wasn’t ready when I had to take up being Dowayne,” she replied and held up the mask to her face. Even if her costume had been complete for some time she had yet to find just the right mask to complete her disguise. It all felt rather like a metaphor to life in court – any court. “My predecessor did leave quite suddenly, I thought I had more time to prepare for this. I imagine it was similar for him, on a far greater scale mind you.”

“But your family is, well,” Tryphosa waved her hand looking for just the right word to describe Rosanna’s huge family.

“Overbearing?”

“Rich is more what I was going for. Well connected is polite. They expected you to make Dowayne one day, so did you and never hid it.”

“True,” Rosanna gave a laugh. “But an assertive Valerian? It sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? But as the youngest in a brood I never wanted to end up in my siblings’ collective shadows, so I do not think I can be blamed for pushing ahead. No matter how impromptu my promotion came.”

“Maybe the Dauphin is like that too. He’s so sweet, from what I’ve heard, perhaps people underestimate him. Does your friend hint at any of that?”

“If I am not going to hand over pillow talk to a high paying patron why would I give it to you?”

Tryphosa threw a pillow and Rosanna just barely ducked in time.

“Resorting to violence? Now who belongs in Mandrake?”

To be completely honest the girlish play was soothing. Rosanna did know quite a lot, enough to worry her over just what sort of traps the court was placing for her friend and the Dahlia’s golden prince. Being born into the nobility herself, she knew just how vicious the landed class could be. But she had faith in the Precept, which she held steadfast in her heart, and that Blessed Elua would be watching over them all on this holy night. Such devoted thoughts were cut short by the touch of a flesh and blood hand on her shoulder, and Rosanna pulled herself together.

“Oh hush,” Tryphosa grinned despite not getting the gossip she desired. “Are you done picking your mask? We have a ball to get to.”

Read the story of our Masque here and submit your fanfic story.

Masque Prep Fanfic: Petrea nó Cereus

Petrea nó Cereus stood in front of the full length mirror as an adept of Eglantine House busied himself around her with fabric and bric-a-brac, sketching and stitching the beginnings of her costume for this year’s Midwinter Masque. She frowned at the mirror, unhappy with her reflection. She was getting on in the years, the beauty of her youth seeming to fade faster and faster every day. But wasn’t that almost the point of Cereus House – for one’s beauty to fade? How was that supposed to be something to be admired? Petrea sighed. How had she ever risen to Second of the most glorious and noble House of the Night Court with thoughts like that?

Outside the room, Petrea could hear adepts gossiping in low tones. Of course, no one could stop talking about the affair between the Dauphin and Odilia nó Dahlia, and certainly not in the Night Court. The mood in Cereus House seemed to be one of the biggest topics of discussion and whether or not the Prince choosing a Dahlia was seen as a slight to the oldest and most noble House. Petrea shook her head and absently stroked the Eglantine adept’s head. Did people really think that the Prince had purposely fallen in love with Odilia out of spite? The social politics of the Night Court – and noble Court, for that matter – drove her practically to madness at times. But gossip as thou wilt was practically a second tenet of the City, so she could not ignore it, lest she look foolish to her patrons and bring dishonor to her House.

Turning her thoughts back to the grand plans for the Masque, Petrea reminded herself to make sure her private invitations had been delivered. The position of Second did allow her certain privileges and she didn’t hesitate to take advantage of them when it suited her. It had been a difficult year and she planned to enjoy every moment of the Longest Night.

Read the story of our Masque here and submit your fanfic story.

This year’s charity: Human Rights Campaign

We are proud to announce that the 2021 Masque will be raising funds to support the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

A national organization fighting for the civil rights of the LGBTQ community, HRC works tirelessly to bring about change that will ensure than lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people are recognized as equals in all aspects of their lives.

hrc logo The Mission Statement of the organization, from its website is as follows:

The Human Rights Campaign and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation together serve as America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBTQ equality. By inspiring and engaging individuals and communities, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBTQ people and realize a world that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

The Human Rights Campaign envisions a world where lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people are ensured equality and embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Proceeds from our event will be donated to HRC, as we strive to contribute to a society where all can love as they wilt.

Summer Ticket Sale!

Get $15 off your Masque* tickets with our special coupon code.

From the June 21, 2020 (summer solstice) to September 22, 2020 (autumnal equinox) enter the code SUMMER at check to receive your discount!

*discount only applies to Saturday night Masque Ball tickets, not valid on tickets to other weekend events.