Night Court – Page 16 – Longest Night Midwinter Masque

The Poetry of Mandrake House

mandrake poem Catching my stare from across the room

You shudder in anticipation

Breath heavy, heartbeat rapid

You know what you’re in for

Drinking in every inch of you

I stare, lascivious and rapt

Pulse quickens, mind calculating

I know what you’re in for

Wrists up, eyes averted

You instinctively kneel before me

Ready to serve

I accept

Wrists cuffed, neck collared

I bind you to my servitude

Ready to command

You accept

Whips and floggers flick and arouse

Leaving red kisses on your bare skin

I hold the secrets of their power

Will it be pleasure or discipline?

My leather rustles, your chains shine

Yield, obey, for now you’re mine

A shadow whispers beyond

The blindfold stretches taut

Across a forbidden gaze

Commanding hands brush over

Blueblack bruises blossoming

upon yearning skin

Silhouettes of desire dance

across flagellated flesh, framed

By flushed cheeks and parted lips

Scarlet motes we hold dear

Modesty has no home here

Feeling adrift or seeking renewal?

Surrender to Mandrake House

For “Love is hard, harder than

steel and thrice as cruel”

Sounds of Pleasures at Valerian House

One approaches Valerian House up a long path, flanked on either side by tall and ancient trees. This gives the manse a feel of seclusion, of secrecy, of hidden delights sampled by only the daring. Two adepts greet the visitor, one male and one female – both bare of any raiment. The walls of the salon are decorated with fine tapestries, woven with scenes from dreams and myth. Carnality is the theme, a hint of things to come. Once one descends into the pleasure chambers, the eye catches an unusual sight – for newcomers – in a place of Namaah’s servants. “There was an altar to Kushiel there; a niche with a raised dais and a bronze sculpture contained within, an offering bowl on the dais at his feet.” Valerian House is dimly lit, with lush tones of blood red and accents of black from the chaise cushions to the carving on the dungeon furniture. Nothing is left to the imagination, or the feast for the eyes.

As the patron wanders through the halls, past the private rooms and public salons, one hears things. First comes the refrains of musicians. Pleasures of the flesh cannot always be left in utter silence, setting a mood can often be perfected with just the right strum of a harp or the beat of a drum. Such songs in Valerian House are enjoyed in minor keys, with a dark kind of tone to them, we like it that way. Once the songs fade away, and the reverberations of happy patrons and enthralled courtesans fill the ear. Cracks of whips, cries of pain-laced ecstasy, the rattle of chains, a snap of the flogger, they echo from the dungeons and the bed chambers. Sometimes they are matched to the beat of a song, other times they are enacted in the total absence of any other sound, depriving the senses of all but the assignation at hand.

Upon entering the manse patrons first notice a floral scent faint by the door, which became stronger and more intoxicating as one walks deeper through the halls towards the receiving room. Once inside the receiving room, and pleasure chambers, the floral scent becomes secondary to the mix of frankincense and cinnamon. This reminds patrons of both the sweetness and the spice to be found when seeking pleasure inside the walls of Valerian. The many offerings on the altar of Kushiel add to the potent blend arousing one with anticipation.

The fragrance in the air is so heady an earthy flavour is left in the mouth, heavy and satisfying which is complimented by the rich flavour of the Namarrese wine offered to patrons in the receiving room while awaiting to choose an adept. Should a patron choose to enjoy the lesson all Valerian adepts know well they may indulge in a spiced candy with their wine and savour how the spicy pain leads to greater pleasure.

All Houses of the Night Court thrive off the sensation of touch – it is why patrons attend them. To feel, to experience, to become lost in the little kingdom which worshipped and frolicked in the name of pleasure. In Valerian House one expects pain to be the feeling most felt, at least by those adepts and courtesans who call the place home. Stings from crops, welts from whips, bites and soothing caresses mingle and intoxicate the senses. Cool leather laid in one’s hand was soft despite its ability to sting; wood can be rough but is strong and useful when used to prop up a lover. But not everything is hurt and discomfort. Velvet chaises cradle sated occupants, soft and rich in texture, with feathery cushions beneath. Silky beds awaited a tired patron, and sweet kisses pressed like butterfly wings to warmed skin.

By the time a patron leaves Valerian House, whether one has stayed the night or but a few hours, every detail of the visit has been carefully and lovingly crafted. No element is too insignificant, for the sensations bestowed on the patrons are the delight of those who practice their craft here.

Gentian Dowayne’s Personalized Star Charts

As the diviners of the Masque, Gentian House is pleased to announce that it is offering you the opportunity to purchase personal astrology charts. Astrology charts go zodiac drawing well beyond a typical newspaper horoscope (which tend to focus only on sun signs) and delve into elements such as values, potential, and desires, and include the influences of planets and luminaries on your life.

All charts are hand drawn and personally interpreted by the Gentian House Dowayne, based on her years of experience with divination and astrology. These are not computer generated algorithms or website downloads. Star Charts are hand drawn and interpretations hand written.

Choose from one or more of these charts:

Star Charts ($50-75): A hand drawn star chart that calls out the placement of signs, houses, and planets at your time of birth (or other event). The interpretation version comes complete with a discussion of the influences of these different elements on your life.

Along with the hand drawn birth chart, you may also order one of two options for interpretation. While the birth chart will display the positions of constellations, planets, and houses and call out significant placements such as sun sign, moon sign, and rising sign, the interpretations takes this further. The first option (Option 1) focuses on the day of your birth. This option will discuss the relationships between planets, constellations, and luminaries, and give an overview of what they mean for you. The second interpretation (Option 2) is a deeper exploration of the way these energies manifest in your life through their position at the time of your birth. This interpretation is a story of your birth as told by the heavens.

Prices for Star Charts:

- Chart Only: $50
- Chart Option 1 Interpretation: $65
- Chart Option 2 Interpretation: $75

NEW! Lilith Black Moon Chart ($30): Similar to a birth chart, the Lilith Black Moon chart focuses exclusively on the hidden desires the Black Moon Lilith reveals for you. This chart includes the influence of aspects between Black Moon Lilith and the planets, as well as her placement in your house and zodiac. Do you wish to know what the stars have to say about your most secret dreams and desires? This is a unique type of chart, created and interpreted exclusively by the Dowayne of Gentian.

Star charts can show the energies at work at any given moment, and charts can be created for a wedding, graduation, or other landmark event. If you choose to have a chart made for an event that is not a birth, please indicate so on your order.

To order, please email gentian@thelongestnightmasque.com. The Dowayne will provide you information necessary to process payment for your chart(s).

When you order, please include the following information for the person receiving the chart:

- Date of birth
- Time of birth (including time zone)
- Place of birth (city, state, country)

Please feel free to email the Dowayne at the above address with any questions you may have.

Please note: time and place are required for the second interpretation (Option 2), but are recommended for all orders as they allow for calculation of the rising sign and house placements. Leaving out this information will result in a less detailed and thus, less insightful, chart.

A Visit to Gentian House

Within Gentian is a place of mystery, sensuality, and peace. Our adepts will sooth your worries and bring rest to a troubled mind. The scent of incense wafts through our halls, and at the center of our house lies a pool for bathing, warm and perfumed. Entering Gentian is to step into a place between dreams and waking, where anything may happen, and where hidden things may be revealed.

Incense is usually burning, filling the rooms with sweet, earthy smells. Our house is full of corners for quiet reflection, but in the open areas low, soft melodies can be heard. Our motto, “Truth and Vision” is present in the many books that line our walls, the divination practiced as a sacred art, and the visions we encourage.

Gentian unites the spiritual and the sexual. gentian flower Sexual ecstasy is a magic all its own, and patrons of Gentian house will find themselves enchanted. Gentian adepts provide non-judgmental guidance, mystical experiences, and connection with the parts of ourselves revealed only by dreams. If your sleep is disrupted by insomnia, if fears and anxieties plague your waking hours, you may find solace within our rooms.

Betting on Love at Bryony House

bryony flower When you enter Bryony House, you leave behind the monotony of a normal life and enter a world of chance and pleasure. Our patrons are varied across all types; we turn none away who can afford a seat at our table. We recognize that all pleasure has a cost. At Bryony, we want to make the most of this, by striking a good deal and providing amazing pleasure.

Our motto states that Wealth Seeks Company. This speaks to our values on many different levels. It’s true that Bryony adepts are good with coin. They are good at earning coin, at spotting the best investment for their coin, at negotiating beneficial loans to share their coin, and also at spending their coin. Despite what it might appear on the surface though, Bryony does not adhere to the blind accumulation of wealth. Wealth alone does not satisfy; company is required to experience true pleasure. That is why Bryony adepts might drive a hard bargain but their true goal is always to share their pleasure with their patrons.

The Bryony Hall of Games is the focal point of our Night Court experience. If you have been a guest of the Royal Palace, you will likely notice some similarities. At Bryony, our patrons are treated like royalty; we serve only the finest foods, sleep on the finest bedding and offer the most interesting of adepts. That’s not to say that we cater to your every whim; we are not the house of blind subservience. Favours from a Bryony adept must be negotiated first and they may be won or lost. We are the only house who will happily gamble for our pleasure.

Many Houses in the Court of Night-Blooming Flowers treat their patrons with the utmost secrecy. This is a valued service of the Night Court but you will find that Bryony has a different atmosphere. In the Hall of Games, our patrons gather together openly. They play at card games and dice games, games of chance and games of skill. Many partnerships and business deals have been made in the history of Bryony House, not only in matters of pleasure.

Often the servants of Naamah in the Night Court feel that Naamah’s fulfillment of pleasure lies solely in the bedchamber. While the pleasures of the bedchamber are often wondrous, Bryony adepts value the pleasure that comes before as well; the pleasure of making a great deal. Likewise, many of our patrons find the most pleasure in the unknown, in taking the chance of the gamble. Games of chance have always invigorated the pleasure centers of the brain. At Bryony, we aim to provide pleasure to all aspects of the body… if you can negotiate the right price.

The roll of a dice can change your fortune. A lucky hand could make all your desires come to life. If you are up for a challenge, visit Bryony House for all your pleasure.

~ Arietta de Millazza nó Bryony

Dowayne

The Quiet, Private Love of House Alyssum

Alyssum is the house of modesty, a surprising trait in a society that doesn’t shame love. But for some love is quiet, private. We value the quiet intimacy of love and we honor Naamah in keeping that privacy. “Love as thou wilt,” means that we make room for all types of people and love is not only the bold and brash lover singing their heart out to the person of their affection. It’s also seen the rose blushes on cheeks and the whisper of veils and the soft sound of lovers in the dark. Alyssum doesn’t shout it’s joys from the rooftops rather cherishes them in their hearts. In Alyssum house we were taught that when Naamah went to the King of Persis, whom she lay with to secure Blessed Elua’s freedom, that she trembled to lay aside her modesty. alyssum flower To offer something so personal is no easy task and because of it, her sacrifice on Elua’s behalf is honored in our efforts to mimic and value that modesty. Just as the other houses offer her worship through their choices so do we in our own way.

Some see shame in modesty. Shame of our bodies that we try to hide them, shame of sex and sexuality that we whisper our desires. But modesty does not need to be derived from a sense that something is wrong so much that something is valuable. We view our bodies and the things we do with them as special in much the same way that all of Terre d’Ange does. However we view them as gifts that are reserved for the right time and place and person, shyly shared and privately enjoyed. Closed doors and covered bodies do not ruin the joy in the experience. We want our lovers to come away from the encounter just as fulfilled and pleased as others.

Those who choose to visit Alyssum house come seeking these treasures like a gift wrapped in silk and bows. Some choose to keep their encounters and tastes and loves to themselves not for shame of them but because it is something personal for them. Privacy is something to be respected as much as any other aspect of consent. Some enjoy the blushes and embarrassment of the modest exposed. They come to admire and love those with shy smiles and averted eyes. Finding the erotic teasing of skin hidden behind veils and desires revealed in whispered confessions is an allure for others. Alyssum offers muffled giggles and quiet sighs that do not need to be shared with anyone else. There is beauty in the shared private intimacy that is different than the love that is spoken of freely. Different but no less or more valuable.

~Cyrille nó Alyssum

Dowayne