Peacock Gazette/Issue 17
Title: Peacock Gazette: Issue 17
Author: Various
Headline: Oirisu Steals the Summer Spotlight
The season's first true flutter of excitement did not come with the blooming of taerethil or the arrival of warmer days, but with the appearance of one Lady Oirisu Venleth Nalfein at the Pavonated Atelier. And what an appearance it was!
Swathed in ethereal chiffons and crowned in a halo of fritillaries and pearls, Lady Oirisu did not merely attend the summer fashion lecture, she embodied it. Though Lord Clessar Ryvvuel was expected to lead the discussion, Oirisu's entrance was all the confirmation needed that she had, quite literally, taken matters into her own, immaculately manicured, hands.
With her signature blend of authority and amusement, she ushered in the estival season by delivering a masterclass in Nalfein couture with the capable assistance of her beau - if the rumours on the Peacock Grapevine are to be believed - Lord Vanathys Ravistel. Her voice, warm as a sun-drenched terrace in Ta'Nalfein, danced across fabrics and trends with the confidence of one who not only dictates fashion but defines it. From pastel-to-vibrant tonal pairings to the resurgence of brocaded slippers, bejeweled sleeves, and back pendants, she guided her rapt audience through the many temptations of the upcoming Mairiseth Telearat.
It must be said, the talk itself was a performance. With expressive gestures that sent chinks of alarm through nearby carafes and decanters, she warned that fashion, much like her lecture, is not for the timid. Those seated too close may well have found themselves conscripted into modeling duties too or at least brushed by a swish of chiffon.
Lady Oirisu's charm lies not only in her artistry but in her audacity. She openly mused on glittering evening cosmetics, the tactical use of parasols, and, dare we say, corset vests. Her observations on foot traffic and practicality were a rare, grounded moment in a lecture otherwise alight with glamour and delight.
Ever attuned to nuance, Lady Oirisu did not neglect to acknowledge the evolving tastes of Ta'Illistim's own fashion-forward elite and was cornered by yours truly later for a brief word. "I believe the Illistimi will add their own refinements to the current trends of their cousins, perhaps a unique twist upon the statement brooch or combination of sheer layers backed in a gradient chiffon," she mused. "Illistimi have immersed themselves fully in welcoming all cultures through its gates, it's only fitting that they've gained new tidbits of knowledge in the study of fashion and the people behind each piece." One can only imagine what graceful innovations will bloom amid such cultural cross-pollination.
One cannot also help but wonder: did the Lady mean to merely lecture, or was this the opening salvo of a larger sartorial campaign? With whispers of her return for private tailoring sessions, and the promise of another lecture "with more models," we suspect this was but the first stitch in a larger embroidered piece.
Until then, we raise our parasols or canes, and adjust our hemlines. Summer is coming and Oirisu has already dressed for it.
Headline: Secrets and Silk at Pagination Booksellers
Tucked between the timeworn grandeur of Moonglae Var and the fragrant breath of lilac hedges lies a little bookshop with an awfully grand reputation. Pagination Booksellers may appear, at first glance, a modest haven of paper and prose, but dear readers, do not be fooled. Beneath its quiet facade lies a veritable paper palace of whispered secrets, scandalous subtext, and more footnotes than a case for the Ta'Illistim Inquisitors.
At the heart of this literary labyrinth is its enigmatic proprietor, Kiolana Laish Illistim - a woman whose composure is as precise as the braided loop of her ink-dark hair. With pale blue eyes lined in kohl and a gown that whispers blue silk sophistication, she is the sort of woman who makes silence feel intentional. Customers speak in hushed tones around her, as though afraid their gossip might be alphabetized and archived on the shelves.
And what shelves they are! From leather-bound treatises on lunar alchemy to tattered volumes of romantic fiction (authored anonymously, of course, but bearing suspicious resemblance to the writings of a certain courtier), Pagination's collection is as discerning as it is dangerous. The upstairs reading room has been the site of everything from clandestine trysts to not-so-accidental page annotations in banned volumes. One hears tell that a recent debate on the morality of magically animated tomes became so heated that a table was scorched and three Loremasters now refuse to be in the same room together.
Kiolana, naturally, remains above it all. Whether she is recommending a book of elven poetry or subtly guiding young scribes away from the more "spirited" shelves, she does so with the effortless grace of one who knows exactly what you came in to find - even if you do not. And should you inquire about her personal reading habits? Expect only a faint smile and the cryptic reply: "I keep my most beloved books memorised."
In a city where power is often displayed by the wearing of glimaerstones or the brandishing of a lengthy quill, Kiolana Laish wields hers with ink, intellect, and a whisper of perfume between the pages. One might call her quiet. I, dear reader, would call her formidable. And I wouldn't be at all surprised if, behind the shop's more respectable ledger, there exists a second catalogue; one marked by secrets, pseudonyms, and a record of every volume ever requested by the Sapphire Guard.
So if you find yourself on Moonglae Var and tempted to wander in for a light read, do so with care. You may well leave with more than a book or you may find your name in someone else's.
Headline: News from Vornavis
While we rarely reports on happenings beyond Ta'Illistim, we did wish to note some recent developments from Vornavis that may be of interest to our readers, especially those who wish to visit the home of the Malwinds.
The Hall of Mages announced that they would build a satellite hall in the Freeport of Solhaven, much like those in Nydds and Elstreth. However, when Magister Odelgarde Brindlestraffe shared blueprints of the hall already in progress, she announced that it was no mere satellite but rather a full Hall for what Lady Athalia Malwind calls "The Western Bastion of the Empire."
In addition to a first floor that will most likely be open to all and four additional floors available only to students and staff, the grounds boast a series of gardens devoted to the Elements: Earth, Fire, Air, Ice, and Water, each with a devoted alcove honoring the elementals. Much to the excitement of many gathered, Magister Brindlestraffe shared that there will be an orrery across the canal from the gardens, also open to all who wish to study celestial bodies and their movements.
Lady Malwind seems determined to have a firm control on this Hall, beginning with the insistence that the Grandmaster be accessible to the public. Her mark continues with the Kannalan name: Lyceum Gwerthaen - as Gwerth can speak of worth, essence, or truth, the name can mean "The Essence of the Elements", "The Worth of the Elements", or "The Truth of the Elements." All of which are valid with the chosen motto of "The Scroll Opens to Those who Endure."
Finally, while insisting on a display of the Vornavis crest at the Hall's entry, Lady Malwind is petitioning for an update to the design. Although it is not yet finalized, the submitted image makes clear that the Malwinds revere hospitality and openness...and is perhaps a pointed message to both the Hall of Mages and to Tamzyrr that the Malwinds intend for this particular Scroll to be truly open.
Headline: Court Circulars and Announcements
Mark your calendar, dear reader, as Mairiseth Telearat returns to the sun-drenched terraces of Ta'Nalfein on the 6th and 7th days of Lumnea! This iconic night market is more than a seasonal gathering - it is the summer migration for the fashion-conscious elite. Expect breezy silks, bejeweled backs, and the rustle of chiffon as society's finest descend on the port city to shop, socialise, and strut. If you're not in Ta'Nalfein, are you even summering?
Yours in ink and intrigue,
The Gilded Quill đȘ¶