Elanthian Vogue/Lumnea 5120

This is a creative work set in the world of Elanthia, attributed to its original author(s). It does not necessarily represent the official lore of GemStone IV.

Title: Elanthian Vogue: Lumnea 5120

Author: The Looking Glass

This Month's Edition

Editor-in-Chief: Rohese Bayvel-Timsh'l

Editor's Thoughts

I can hardly believe it: we're halfway through 5120 and Lumnea is upon us with the promise of summer and all that its' longer days and shorter nights have in store for us. This year, the month of Lumnea sees the return of the biennial festival held in its name and the re-opening of the Rumor Woods.

We began the year by looking at changing the pace a little and at relaxation – a good habit to get into for well-being. There are many benefits to occasionally "getting away from it all" and with a definite feel of summer in the air, now would seem to be a good time to practice it.

This month's edition of Elanthian Vogue considers the call of the wild. Some choose to live outside the norm; eschewing a comfortable bed in a home or inn for a suitable tree bower or canvas tent. Others opt to step away from the daily grind by getting back to nature from time-to-time, whether that's retreating to their Patron's shrine, going for a horse ride, taking a walk in the woods, or simply closing their door for some much-needed quiet time.

Both the Festival of Lumnea and Rumor Woods provide opportunities to spend a short time away from the hustle and bustle of city life but for those looking to venture further afield, you might be interested in hearing from someone who opted to live a simpler life after being a Mayor of Wehnimer's Landing.

As always, don't forget to send us your comments on any of the articles in this month's publication or suggestions for future editions!

Editor

Lumnea Looks

While the Festival of Lumnea is not on the scale of many other Elanthian festivals, it is a welcome distraction for a few days and a chance to learn more about elven culture through lectures, social events, and artisan shops. The setting is idyllic, being held on the Lumnea Meadow just outside the city gates, and there is an opportunity to mingle with members of elven society, including the Argent Mirror and her entourage.

The highlight of the weekend is always the Baerl Mystiaem ball and this year's masquerade spectacular was no exception with a showcase of creative talent. It was hard to choose which dignitaries to feature as there were so many amazing outfits but we all agreed that those selected were exemplar.

The Beguiler, the Rake, and the Imperatrix

You see Lucrecea Ruin the Beguiler. She appears to be an Ardenai Elf. She is of a slight height and has a svelte figure. She has scintillating prismatic rose-gold fire agates for eyes and smoothly tanned skin. She has gentle curls of long, bronze-swept silky raven black hair flowing down her back in a wild mane, errant tresses escaping in an artful disarray from beneath a slender diadem of sharply twisting lasimor tines. She has a sculpted draconic half-mask wrought from hammered gold over her face and long, slender ears ending in thinly tapering tips. She has a burnished autumnal gold glaze brushed onto her manicured fingernails. She has sharply tapering strokes inked in deep ebony sweeping upward from the corners of her eyes. She is wearing a wrought gold gorget dripping faceted crimson blazestars, a gathered flyrsilk capelet fastened with a thin chain, a sculpted cap-sleeve gown of layered fiery golden aqilorn scales, a golvern-bladed painted silk fan awash with sunset hues, and some vibrant saffron sandals perched on narrow gold spikes.

You see Lord Orthir Duranel Loenthra the Rake. He appears to be an Elf. He is strikingly tall and has a lean, rangy build. He appears to have come of age. He has brooding, mismatched dark and pale silver eyes and fair skin. He has shorn, loose white blonde hair broken by several long, slender woven plaits that fall from behind the curve of his ears and are each capped with jet and pewter beads. He has an ivory whiskered full-face mask molded with feline features fully covering his face and long pointed ears that end in thin sharply curving tips. He has some sleek lustrous onyx rings in the upper ridge of his right ear. He is wearing a neatly tied white silk cravat secured by a foliate petrified wyrmwood brooch, a split-tailed pale suede longcoat with a thick tawny lion mane collar, a cream-colored pallid silk waistcoat over a fitted white linen shirt washed in gold tones, a heavy pewter signet ring, a crossed double sword belt, some mahogany leather pants with metallic topstitching, and a pair of whiskey brown oilskin riding boots edged with gold.

You see Imperatrix Lylia Rashere the Sorceress. She appears to be a Faendryl Dark Elf. She is taller than average and has a slender build. She appears to be in the spring of life. She has wide-set storm grey eyes and alabaster skin. She has waist length, thick auburn hair with the top layer twisted into an elaborate half-knot secured by a pair of silver-twisted zorchar hairsticks. She has a carved and painted porcelain mask ablaze with stylized greenish-black flames partially covering her face. The strikingly smooth transitions between her otherwise angular features lend a distinctly patrician quality to her aspect. She has a haze of velvety kohl darkening her eyes. She is wearing an oval-shaped intaglio bleakstone locket, a cobweb-fine black reticella wrap, a coruscating shoulder-baring obsidian silk gown sheathed in greenish-black flame, a pair of chased silver armbands bearing a stylized dreamvine motif, some sleek shoulder-length ebon leather gloves, a ruby and silver wedding band, and a pair of onyx damask shoes set on slim glaes heels.

The Fey, the Healer, and the Scholar

You see Akenna Laeraun the Hedgewizard. She appears to be a Half-Elf. She is of a slight height and has a balletic body. She appears to be young. She has sizable dark blue-green eyes and honey-freckled, creamy white skin. She has long, deep sienna hair bound into a twisted infinity knot by some etched vaalin hairsticks. She has a stiff zaffre raw silk mask fixed with a spray of vaalin-hued feathers covering the upper half of her face and petal pink, bow-shaped lips. The ridges of her long, pointed ears each bear three naturally occurring notches, and a graceful aquamarine pattern climbs the left side of her neck, curls around her cheekbone, and splits into tendrils that encircle her left eye. She has rings of cobalt and aquamarine sigils inked on her left palm. She is holding a dainty ebony and silk fan in her right hand. She is wearing a collar of splayed shimmarglin sapphire branches, a rich zaffre charmeuse gown sheathed in a netting of vaalin filament, and a pair of cobalt blue chainsil pointy-toed slippers.

You see Alosaka the Healer. He appears to be a Human from Seareach. He is average height. He appears to be very young. He has beautifully silvery black-outlined long-lashed chestnut eyes and nut brown skin. He has short, unruly brown hair. He has a delicate face and a small nose. He has an inked leafing acantha vine crawling across a trellis of slender bones on his arm. He is wearing an expressionless mask, a bone-inlaid sterling silver circlet, a pale white velvet longcoat, an ivory silk shirt with topaz-pinned cuffs, a bronze and golden topaz band, a thin gold ring, a waxed black leather pouch, some dark silver-buttoned breeches, and some supple tawny doeskin slippers with bone beadwork.

You see Magister Raelee Svala the Scholar of the Hall of Mages. She appears to be a Human from Chastonia. She is shorter than average and has a small-boned build. She appears to be an adult. She has distant, gold-flecked snow white eyes and milky white skin. She has long, loosely ringleted copper red hair. She has a small, tangled burn mark on her neck. She has a slender, porcelain-like countenance, made more striking by the rounded angles of her face. She has an inky black sigil on her wrist, a quartet of tiny glyphs tattooed vertically along the inside of her left forearm, a pale pattern of gold lines and sigils tattooed up her right arm, and a complex gold circular tattoo on the back of her right hand. She is wearing a translucent glass face mask, an intricate gold wire choker suspending three faceted white sunstones, an off-shoulder sunlight golden gossamer gown with cut lace patterns on the trailing skirt, a blue-jeweled heavy gold ring, a sunstone-set bronze and gold band, and a pair of gold-patterned ivory brocade slippers.

Retreats

Occasionally, we need to pause - and step away from the daily grind of Elanthian life. One way to do this is to heed the call of the wild and go on retreat. Stepping away offers us time to ourselves to rest, heal, reflect on our experiences, and renew our spirit. It is a time to cocoon so that we may emerge renewed, refreshed, and ready to return to our everyday lives with a new perspective. A retreat gives us time for uninterrupted meditation so that we may go deep within and spend time with ourselves.

A retreat may offer quiet, solitude, and sometimes even silence. They often take place in humble dwellings with simple fare so that our senses may be reawakened to the beauty of unadorned tastes and the sights and sounds of nature. When we spend days in contemplation, we can more easily hear our heart when it speaks to us. We also are able to really listen when a bird sings, appreciate the smell of flowers, and truly experience the beauty of our surroundings. When we go on retreat we have time to connect to the sacred geometry of a space, discover epiphanies through meditation, or take a long, reflective walk through the woods where we can give each element our full attention.

Without the pull of guild tasks and bounties, the pressure of artisan skill progression, and draw of personal relationships, we give ourselves time to go deep into our own solitude where we can fully reflect on our joys, sorrows, and fears, owning and releasing them as needed. We may even come to know and understand our life path more deeply. Hopefully, when we return, we can take a little bit of this time alone back with us and create the space for deep reflection on a daily basis. We also may come back to our normal life renewed and ready to take on new adventures. The beauty of going on retreat is that no matter where you go or how long you stay, you'll always meet yourself when you get there.

Into the Woods

This month sees a return to Rumor Woods and all that that usually entails: mounts, jousting, and fox hunting!

Last year's supplement covered horse riding and hunting etiquette, which is all still relevant for those who prefer equine mounts. We encourage you to read it, or re-read it and remind yourself of the protocol.

For those who would prefer an alternative, it is rumored that cryptodira will be available for your leisure and travel needs. Very different to horses, tortoises allow for a more comfortable approach to outfits. They are generally reclusive and relaxed in nature; perfectly in keeping with this month's theme.

Regardless of your choice of mount, a good pair of boots is a must. Whether for walking in the woods or riding and hunting in the wilds, boots will ensure that you are practically equipped as well as fashionably attired. Put The Galloping Gait at the top of your shopping list, you won't regret it.

On the Spot

Every so often we take the opportunity to put someone "on the spot" with 5 random questions to give us a quick peek into their lifestyle. This month we are delighted to put Puptilian, the former Mayor of Wehnimer's Landing, on the spot and see why he so often heeds the call of the wild.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: I am a quiet little ranger that has called Wehnimer's Landing home for the last 12 years. After coming of age, I left Ubl to travel up and down the coast until I found myself getting off the docks of the Landing. Having no more money, I had to take several odd jobs to save up for my next trip. The time spent saving, I found I liked the little town, its pace, and isolation from large cities found in the empire. I also came to find friends among the many adventurers. Outside occasional trips to far off areas I find that my travels always bring me back home to the Landing.

I find my desire to protect my home, protect my friends, and protect the people of the town as my biggest motivation to get up every morning. I joined the militia as a scout spending a large portion of the day training regulars and recruits. When I am not doing work for the militia, I can be found gardening at Imaera's shrine. I find working in the garden helps to clear my head and calm my soul while speaking with others at the shrine helps to reinforce my morals and motivation to protect those that cannot protect themselves.

What do you consider to be the appeal for being one with nature? I would not use the word appeal. I always had an affinity to nature. Since a young age it was recognized by many that I could easily befriend animals and had a control over them not normal to humans. I could recognize and find plants, track animals and people, and never seem to get lost even in new areas. To me it is natural to look around and recognize the beauty of Imaera's work, to see her design in things, and have a feeling that I am where I belong among this amazing work.

Give us a little insight into your clothing: When away from town or any other civilization, my clothes are very practical. Nature does not care if you have fine silks, matching cloak and shoes, or the latest fashion on. You dress for the environment you are walking towards. North around Icemule you want heavy furs, thick skins, and protection from the cold. In the Sea of Fire, where you think little to no clothes will help with the heat, you are wrong. Several layers of cloth are needed to protect you from the hot sun, the harsh breeze that constantly hits you with sand, and cold nights that would see you freeze. Around the Landing, I have thick sole shoes to protect the feet for long walks, fitted by slightly loose pants and shirt to allow you to move in case you have to climb, run, or swim, a long hooded cloak to hide under when it rains or keep you warm, then enough containers to hold road rations and medical supplies.

Tell us about your companion: My best friend is a forest wolf named Aatu. He comes from the local wolf packs native to Wehnimer's Landing and has been at my side for over 12 years now. He stays by my side and fights as fiercely as I do to protect the helpless around us. He is known to be a bit lazy about hunting and can be found begging anyone to feed them scraps of food. Thanks to my friend Kiske's constant feeding of him sweets, Aatu has grown a kind of sweet tooth and will shamelessly eat treats instead.

What would be my spirit animal and why? Easily it would be a wolf. I have learned as much about being a wolf as Aatu has of living with humans. Having had a wolf by my side and learning about how wolves live and protect the pack at all cost, I feel in some ways I have taken on that same instinct. I think about the "pack" first and myself second: that my sacrifice may be needed to let the rest live. The wolf cares for others and do what they can for others and that is something I try to follow in my everyday life.

Vogue Gallery

Our 5119 Vogue Gallery entrant for this month just happens to be our Editor-in-Chief. We are pleased to share a portrait of her that was sketched by Eugenides Dothstar some years ago.

Lumnea
Rohese Bayvel-Timsh'l Illistim 
Numerous angular lines fill the page, forming a field of grass in which a slender woman with ears that taper to fine points is laying, waves of hair reaching to her hips trapped beneath her body.  Subtly inked curvature lends form to the flowing robes that cover her body, giving way to exposed skin as fabric falls away from her bent knees. The toes of her bare feet are nestled deep within the blades of grass, her sandals carelessly discarded off to one side.  Though she is holding a book above her head, her gaze looks towards the sky, shaded lips curved in an expression of pure bliss.
Portrait as featured in the 5119 Vogue Gallery

When asked if she had anything to say, she simply wanted us to remind you that FashionFest 5120 is coming soon! Mark the dates - the 11th and 12th days in the month of Koaratos - in your calendar and we hope to see you there!