Peacock Gazette/Issue 11
Title: Peacock Gazette: Issue 11
Author: Various
Headline: A Coronation to Rival all Coronations: Elanthia's Finest Pay Homage
Well, dearest readers, hold on to your fans and pocket watches, for I have just returned from an event so grand, so utterly magnificent, that even my sharp quill can barely contain its excitement. Yes, the whispers on the Peacock Grapevine are true: the coronation of our new illustrious Mirror has officially taken place and Elanthia’s finest - royals, dignitaries, and envoys from all corners of the continent - gathered to pay homage in a display of splendour that will be talked about for centuries.
The spectacle began with a procession fit for the Arkati themselves. Our new sovereign, draped in the finest damask and silk, entered the Wisteria Pavilion to a fanfare that seemed to echo to the skies. The jewels - oh, the jewels! - sparkled like a thousand stars as they adorned the noble brow and sleeves, each gem a reminder of the nation's power, wealth, and, let us be honest, impeccable taste.
But, darlings, as you know, it is not just the sovereign who makes such an event truly extraordinary. Oh no, it is the gathering of Elanthia's glittering elite. First to arrive were the Aelotian, Erithian, Dwarven, Kindred and Gnome delegates. Then came notables from the Vornavian barony and their escorts, all rather resplendent in their swan feathers and polished armor, shimmering like the Great Western Sea itself, and closely followed the Emperor of the Turamzzyrian Empire himself.
Robed in peacock blue and ebon silk, the Index of Inquisitors followed, their every move a measured performance of solemnity and grace, though I did catch more than one glance at the onlookers in the Pergolas. Looking for any hint of trouble? Perhaps.
From the eastern shores, the emissaries of Ta'Loenthra, Ta'Nalfein, Ta'Ardenai and Ta'Vaalor made a striking entrance, clad in the finest elven silks and indigenous flora, a perfect blend of statesmanship, opulence and frivolity (a difficult balance to achieve, I assure you).
And how could I forget the scandalously absent Lord Rassaniel Avelleur. Word on the grapevine is he was "out rather late" the night before. Let's hope nothing untoward has happened to him; we do not want a repeat of last year's series of unfortunate events!
The day was, however, as expected, a glittering triumph of politics, pomp, and power. But amidst the abundance of jewels, silks, and flowers (albeit painted on the back of the Living Canvas), the true highlight was the underlying tension still tantalisingly evident at times in both Pavilion and Pergola. You see, dearest reader, in such grand assemblies, one can always catch the faintest whiff of ego and rivalry. Which of Elanthia’s lords and ladies will rise in favour? And which will fall from grace before the Mirror's luster fades?
Only time will tell, but for now, all of the Elven Nations is left to bask in the afterglow of a coronation unlike any other. As always, I shall keep my quill sharp and my ears open for the next court intrigue. Stay tuned, my dears, for a new game has only just begun.
Headline: The Striving Keep
Now that the final dazzling firework fired in celebration of the ascension of Her Reflection, Argent Mirror Sayilla Illistim, has faded, this writer is ready to turn their attention to speculating on the new administration. Well before her coronation, then-Lady Sayilla announced it was her intention to found two advisory councils, one consisting of members of Houses Avelleur, Chesylrae, Greyvael, Nellereune, Veythorne, as well as envoys from Ardenai, Loenthra, Nalfein, and Vaalor.
The august Wisteria Council will surely provide sage wisdom to our young leader as she grasps the reins of power and steers the Shining City, although this writer wonders if the council may already be wrong-footed by the conspicuous absence of one of the Lords Avelleur from the coronal festivities. It also did not pass without notice that there is a so-far-friendly rivalry between the Living Canvas of Ta'Loenthra and Ta'Vaalor's Lord Legionnaire Commander Jaranzair!
In a bold step forward into the new age of international cooperation, the second council will be made up of delegates from all corners of Elanthia. There were notably a variety of such emissaries present at the coronation, and we must wonder if we will see these same faces again, in advisory roles on the Mirror's second nameless council. One certainly could not help but notice the richness of the gifts proffered by some, no doubt jostling for a seat nearest the Mirror's delicate ear.
All told, the future looks bright for the business of busybodies, and we here at the Peacock Gazette solemnly promise to keep you, our dear readers, in the know!
Headline: A Rich Tapestry of Hope
On the evening before our new Mirror's Coronation, the fashionable and fashion-curious gathered with First Couturier Ryvvuel and Seamstress Lady Caisandoral for a glorious display of how the most recent three Mirrors used their Coronation wear to indicate their hopes and plans for their reigns to come.
The showcase started with the ever-regal Argent Mirror Ardtin, and her theme of Dawn Ascending. With golden hues accented by pearls, lavender jade, and copper, along with Illistim's diamond, she was a vision of the dawn itself. Whether her choice of an ahead-of-its-time coat-styled gown was to be a hint of a touch of prophecy or mere coincidence regarding fashion trends that were still to come, we may never know; however, her nod to her childhood spent among the Burghal Gnomes through the use of starstones, often used for the diminutive people's divination, to create replicas of constellations seen near dawn does lead one to wonder if there was indeed a bit of fortune-telling.
From Dawn Ascending, Couturier Ryvvuel moved to Argent Mirror Irinara's theme of Winter Eclipse, showing off the gorgeous - yet practical - garments that created a perfect vision of the season with touches highlighting her studious nature. Each piece was designed to be worn again in some manner: her ashen jacquard gorget and cloth-of-silver corset were worn on travels beyond Ta'Illistim, and her dove-grey brocade gown and silver-dyed chiffon sleeves were a staple for formal court sessions. Most fascinating was the filament-caged coronet of overlapped vellum quills dripping ink-black pearls, as each quill was a functional writing implement that Irinara would gift to dignitaries from the various elven families, and she used one of these quills to sign the mutual defense treaty with Ta'Vaalor.
Just as spring follows winter, so our next Mirror, Argent Mirror Myasara, chose the theme Vernal Emergent and showed it off with all the flash and extravagance of our beloved peacocks. Paying homage to her childhood companion, a peachick named Teacake, Myasara arrayed herself with peacock feathers across her shoulders (though not Teacake's feathers, we were well assured) and an emerald gown over a sapphire-beaded train. Her knowledge of the language of flowers was on full display with stargazer lily-embroidered sleeves: as a symbol of prosperity, so, too, was this new Mirror looking to ensure and promote Illistim's many riches.
As a special treat, the Couturier and Seamstress provided a sneak peek at Argent Mirror Sayilla's attire to be worn the following day (with many pleas not to touch anything!). As we all now know, the theme was Cultural Showcase, and the Mirror herself was a stunning example with her train consisting of embroidered squares crafted by a different tailor or seamstress she befriended on her journey from diplomat to Mirror Incumbent. Most touching of all, for many of the attendees familiar with the events of 5123, was the shadow tartan framing each square, an honor to the Grishknel Wolf Clan and Jarnsaixa Vargrdoittr, her bodyguard and dear friend, and the pair of clasped hands cradling a red-colored sunflower, a tribute to the murdered Lady Kasendra Malwind of Vornavis. In our illustrious Mirror's own words, passed to those in attendance: "Each square portrays a unique experience, something that has shaped who I am and who I strive to be for the future of Illistim."
As the Couturier said, our attire can tell a story, and there is a richness in the tales of hope portrayed in each piece our Mirrors wore on her Coronation day. To the Light of our Argent Mirror and all Illistim!