The Longest Night
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Historical Tradition of the Longest Night
The Longest Night or also known as the Mid-winter Masque is essentially a night long party that suffuses through the whole city and presumably through the country as a whole. This page however will focus on the two major parties within the city of Elua. The first is the palace affair attended by the nobles. The second is the Cereus house event which rivals and surpasses supposedly, even the Palace affair.
Traditionally held on the longest night of the year, December 21st(Winter Solstice) it is a celebration that sees the passing of the old year in the form of the Winter Crone, via the touch of the Sun Prince, bringer of the new year, to transform her to the Winter Queen, the new year. The tradition has not changed in for for centuries, and even the artifacts involved are spoken of as being the same ones used in the very first Masque. Other private affairs are held in the homes of nobles as they wish. Revelry happens in the streets with music food and spirits. It is a night to throw away the cares of old and usher in the new year.
The Ritual
The ritual itself is not held until not long before the horologist call the midnight hour. THe Winter Crone enters hobbling, announced by whomever is in charge.Minutes later the room is plunged into darkness. From a doorway comes three strikes of a spear butt against a door and in enters the Sun prince, the room lighting up again. The Sun Prince advances on the Winter Crone and drops to one knee in respect. As he rises, the head of his spear presses to the Crone's chest at which point, she removes her rags, wig and mask to be unveiled. The ritual finishes with the Sun Prince now taking the Winter Queens hand and placing his ring on hers and kissing. Once that is finished, the Sun Prince Reveals himself, there is a toast of Joie and the festivities carry on.
Royal Palace Masque
While not holding the grandeur of the fete in Cereus house upon Mont Nuit, the affair at the palace is still one to behold and nobles travel from the far corners to attend the glittering fete. Theme's are often bantered about and rumored, be it fowl one year, a certain style of dress another, or even no theme. Each noble trying to outdo the other and with the money thrown about it can make for some impressive displays. An actors troupe is hired every year to play the part of the Sun Prince and the Winter Crone/Queen.
Cereus House Masque
By far the most prestigious event of the year. Noteably so for while 364 days of the year the Night Courts doors are perpetually open, this is the night courts doors are closed to all but themselves and their esteemed guests. Every house has a masqued affair throughout the year, but it is Cereus house as it has for hundreds of years since it was created that holds the grandest and most important one of all on the Longest night. If you are not an active member of the night court, then you, like all others must vie to gain the only thing that allows those not in service to Naamah on Mont Nuit in through Cereus's ballroom doors. A token. Stamped with the emblem of the house, they are held in the possession of the Dowayne where only by sweet words, sweet deeds or bending to knee and begging can possibly get you the most coveted item within the Night Court.
Most notable too is that on this night, there are no contracts. Anyone can spend the night with anyone provided they are at least debuted into Naamah's service. Free love, so to speak. Those who are undebuted and have chosen to venture into Naamah's service are dressed in white flowing robes, an ivy crown and enjoy the singular honour of passing out Joie. While they cannot enjoy the benefits of being Debuted, none in the night court are denied the pleasure of attending.
The Houses all attend in costume of various themes. These themes are one of the best kept secrets on the Mont that provides for much rivalry and bruised ego's when through the secrecy, overlapping themes occur. They are themes for the house as a whole, the only ones different that night as those who are serving Joie and the guests of the houses.
Key Players
The Winter Crone & Queen
The Winter Crone is who one first sees when the rituals of the longest night start. Dressed in rags, greyed wig and a mask that is rumored to have been used for centuries passed and is carefully maintained by Cereus House, she emerges in the the Night Court and Palace from a mountain crag, thumping her gnarled blackthorn staff. It is when the Sun Prince emerges from doors and touches her breast with his golden spear does she cast off her clothing and reveal who the chosen Winter Queen is, always someone young and always someone from Cereus House. The Prince then gives to her a golden ring to symbolize their joining.
The Sun Prince
The matter of the Sun Prince and the Winter Crone/Queen are a different affair within the Night Court than the palace. No players troupe carries out the midnight hour festivities, and the role of the key players. This honor is done entirely within the night court. The Sun Prince is selected from eligible men within the Night Court, but occasionally from outside the night court. This is a coveted position, so coveted, that for weeks there are bets in Bryony as to who will get the honor. It is another highly kept secret known only to the Dowayne of Cereus, the supposed Sun Prince and the Dowayne of said Prince's house. To be chosen is said to bring a years luck to the house.
Noteable Sun Princes & Winter Queens
From the Kushiel's Legacy Series
- Baudoin Trevalion, a Prince of the Blood was the the Night Court Sun Prince the year he was executed for treason.
- Suriah no Cereus was the Winter Queen to Baudoins Prince, a promising Cereus Courtesan, who eventually became Second.
In Game
- Bastien de Morhban the Duc of Kusheth, played the Sun Prince to Maia's Winter Queen at the palace masque, only days before he was crowned King of Terre d'Ange.
- Ariana no Valerian was the Winter Queen in 1185, the same year she completed her marque.
Joie
Another key component of the longest night is Joie. Joie is a distilled liqueur similar in consistency to an ice wine, made from the crushed petals of a white flower that grows in the wilds of Camlachs mountains. Sweet tasting it may be, the drink, served in small cordial glasses burns as it makes it's way to the stomach. Served by novices in the Night Court fete and servants at the palace. A toast accompanies it, usually to the tune of "Joie to you on this longest night"
Elua's Vigil
The longest night however is not an endless party for everyone. For a portion of the population, throughout Terre d'Ange, instead of attending fetes they make their way to the nearest Temple of Elua or shrine. Most notably, if you are a Cassiline and not in attendance upon the crown, this is where you would be. Through the night, those who observe Elua's vigil form dusk till dawn, kneel before his outstretch effigy in meditation and prayer through what is normally a harsh winter night.
Quotes
- Every House has its own masque at some point throughout the year, and each I am told, is a splendid affair with a worthy history--but the Midwinter Masque is something different. It's roots are older than the coming of Elua, for it celebrates the passing of the old year and the return of the sun. Blessed Elua was so charmed, it is said, by the peasants simple ritual that he embraced it as well, as a rite that honored his mother Earth and her solar consort. -From Kushiel's Dart page 36
- "At midnight, Night's Crier entered the ballroom, sounding his bronze tocsin. We all fell silent and watched as the vast hall was plunged into near-total darkness. Phedre had spoken truly; it was an ancient ritual, unchanged since before the coming of Elua. It was all done by players' tricks, but in ancient Hellas the theatre was sacred. We do not forget. I gasped with the others when the false mountain crag in the musicians' grotto split to reveal the Winter Queen hobbling on her blackthorn staff. I cheered with the others when the ballroom doors were flung open to admit the Sun Prince in his charity. He pointed his gilded spear at the Winter Queen and her rags fell away, revealing a beautiful maiden. In a rush of oil-soaked wicks, the light returned."- From Kushiel's Scion, page 224
- "On the Longest Night, though, there would be no contracts, no exchange of coin. Among the Servants of Naamah and their elect guests, only such liaisons as pleased the fancy would be made; our role was to adorn the festivities. It is tradition to drink joie on Longest Night, that clear, heady liqueur distilled from the juice of a rare white flower which grows in the mountains and blossoms amid the snowdrifts. Were were to circulate among the guests, offering tiny crystalline glasses of joie, which we bore on silver trays." -Kushiel's Dart, page 45
Logs
Longest Night - Cereus House 1186
Longest Night - Palace 1186, pt.1
Longest Night - Palace 1186, pt.2
Longest Night - Palace 1184
