Category:A Twist of Taessaet: Difference between revisions

Summary

This is a 2024 mini-storyline that began on March 17, 2024.

17 Charlatos 5124 (March 17, 2024)

A Twist of Roses boutique was reopened after several months being closed. This was a joint effort between the owners as well as Ladies Oirisu and Penelia. Botanist Vanathys accompanied Oirisu to the event, and Lord Yfane and Lady Auvyra were there as well. New wares were revealed as well as a new garden and an edifice on the grounds for fashion events.

During the course of this reopening affair, Yfane and Auvyra revealed that they have made great strides in recreating taessaet, but are still missing key components to its manufacture. They have stumbled upon the name of a couture student from Ta'Illistim who apprenticed in Ta'Nalfein during the height of taessaet's popularity, and they have reached out to the library to see if any information is stored in the archives regarding this student. Her name was Kivaera, and it was, of course, several thousand years ago, but there is hope that there will be records somewhere. The library has responded and set an appointment for the 19th.

19th Charlatos 5124 (March 19, 2024)

Yfane and Auvyra and several adventurers went to the library where Loremaster Aiwin met them with additional information. Kivaera was discovered to be one Kivaera Astielern, a fashion designer who rose to be First Couturier several thousand years ago. The library archives had a small amount of information in her files, but Aiwin suggested also speaking to the First Couturier's office in case additional records or information were stored elsewhere. According to Aiwin, the family name died out after someone in the Astierlern line married into a Ta'Loenthran family, but she did not have a record of that particular name or current status.

Lady Auvyra stated she would petition Lord Clessar for an audience.

Additional information on the looks, reads, etc. of the items can be found here.

20th Charlatos 5124 (March 20, 2024)

Lady Auvyra petitioned Lord Clessar who granted an audience for the 24th at noon. Auvyra ensured all interested parties were made aware of the invitation.

24th Charlatos 5124 (March 24, 2024)

Yfane and Auvyra met up with several adventurers again just outside the Ta'Illistim Keep. Clessar joined them and led them to a sort of "catch-all" storage room the First Couturier's office has used. Everyone very carefully went through a lot of items and found numerous trinkets and historical treasures. Most importantly to Yfane, however, a box was found with a journal and a scrap of taessaet, as well as a scrap of elesine with an old note referencing some sort of journal document about the making of it. This seems to further tie the making of taessaet and elesine together, at least as tangentially related, but how that is remains unknown. The journal itself is very delicate and could not be touched without damaging it.

At Auvyra's request, she took the bit of taessaet and elesine for further study by Yfane. Lord Clessar will take the journal to the library to see if their restoration processes can preserve it so it can be read. Auvyra mentioned sending in a few apprentices to do a second sweep of the storage room later, just in case.

Probably unrelated to the events at hand, a ring was found with an inscription from "Harold." It was in a bolt of material belonging to Clessar, but he claims no knowledge of anyone named Harold. It was discussed that this was not a very elven-sounding name, and it was also remembered that the proprietor of the Pig and Whistle was named Harold. Make of that what you will. See also The Hazards of Being Harold for more information on that Harold at least.

Additional information on the looks, reads, etc. of the items can be found here.

5th Olaesta 5124 (April 5, 2024)

The library alerted Auvyra that the journal remains fragile but several pages were able to be transcribed and copies were left on the table in the Octagonal Hall.

7th Olaesta 5124 (April 7, 2024)

A group of adventurers joined Auvyra at the library to discuss the journal pages and hypothesize ideas of what they all mean. The Rumplesnoots Adventuring Company was mentioned, so Anstara will be reaching out to Ordim to see if that group can contact Auvyra. At everyone's suggestion, Auvyra will also reach out to Vanathys (this time in his botany capacity) to see about meeting in Ta'Nalfein to look at the roses. Several others will be researching the mention of "nielira elixir" and alchemy to see if any alchemists know of it, and Auvyra will ask the librarian, Aiwin, if she can put out a call to other libraries across the continent as well. In addition, the Library of Biblia came up as somewhere that may have information.

The library will keep several copies of these pages available for anyone else who wishes to take them to review.

Additional information on the looks, reads, etc. of the journal entries can be found here.

5 Ivastaen 5124 (May 5, 2024)

While adventurers were assisting Fryc & Shives Laboratories ("FSL") resolve their troubles and woes at Rumor Woods, one of their apprentices, Fizwixit, mentioned that the new dwarven assistant, Uvaldov, can help with her loom research. Anstara questioned this and mentioned that Yfane and company were on the look out for loom information. He explained about taessaet/rosesilk and elesine, and he also mentioned a jellyfish/glimaerstone elixir. This piqued Fizwixit's curiosity, and she mentioned their "hangover elixir," and Shives agreed it sounded like that. Fizwixit said she would reach out to this Yfane and see what they need, as this may be a new revenue stream for FSL.

2 Lumnea 5124 (June 2, 2024)

Lady Auvyra had sent a call out to both Vanathys and Rumplesnoots asking for assistance (see the vignettes section). Upon arriving, Auvyra and Vanathys discussed botany, with Vanathys informing her that his research led him to believe that the ruffled taerethil, while not seen for hundreds if not thousands, of years were a hardy varietal and may be one that can be found still if searching private gardens and such. In addition, it was known to go dormant at times and could crop back up. This reminded Vhaelynia, one of his students, of her childhood explorations of her home city of Ta'Nalfein and the various hidden and abandoned gardens she had found in various areas. She then led Vanathys, Feriae, Auvyra, and several adventurers to the cliffside areas near the harbor where she eventually found the hidden garden. There, they found several different types of roses, including the one sought after. In addition, the adventurers had their bug jars and noted several tassaet spiders. Vanathys gathered soil samples, seeds, etc. The botanists stayed behind to study the garden and the flowers. Meanwhile, the Rumplesnoots Adventuring Company docked and met with our adventurers. Lady Auvyra had asked them about special nielira or tassaet from their files. Aubrige found a parchment that eventually led them, with the help and suggestions of one Lady Naevys, to a gated off area of the cliffs near the harbor. Following a semi-treacherous path, the group found themselves in a hidden cove. Numerous unusual nielira were found. Lady Auvyra left to go report the findings and promised to see about procuring live specimens for alchemists to use in the nielira elixir attempts.

Additional information on the parchment can be found here.

2 Koaratos 5124 (July 28, 2024)

Lord Yfane and Lady Auvyra (with accompaniment by Valciaran) met in the abandoned rose garden with Lady Naevys, who was joined by the Living Canvas, Eruien, as well as several adventurers. Yfane thanked everyone for producing the nielira elixir and walked them through the experimentations he had been doing to recreate rosesilk. It came down to requiring a specific taerethil, tassaet, and nielira, but it was still a very slow process. Fortunately, the burghal gnomes had met up with Yfane's team, and the loom designs proved effective in making taessaet. Yfane mentioned also, as an aside, that the gnomes had devised an elesine loom that was much more effective in weaving that cloth.

Yfane presented Naevys with a small bolt of taessaet, the first seen in thousands of years. She will take this back to the Throne, and Yfane volunteered to create whatever Their Majesties desired so they may be the first to have taessaet after all this time.

Auvyra announced that production would be slow for quite awhile, but everyone was doing what they could to ensure the health and propagation of the necessary ingredients for taessaet. In addition, she has created a locket and Yfane has placed a small bit of taessaet in each. Her apprentices at A Twist of Roses in Ta'Illistim will ensure this is available as a souvenir for people. [OOC Note: this will be in ATOR for a week, see the discord announcement made on 7/28]

Cast of Characters

• Yfane: Yfane is a well-known fashion designer from Ta'Nalfein. He is co-owner of A Twist of Roses boutique in Ta'Illistim and has been researching taessaet for several years now. Played by GM Xynwen
• Auvyra, Caelesta, and Valciaran: The other co-owners of A Twist of Roses. Auvyra is from Ta'Illistim and is a master jeweler. Caelesta is from Ta'Loenthra and deals in cosmetics and inking. Valciaran is married to Caelesta, but has also served as Yfane's lutist. Played by GM Xynwen
• Oirisu:
• Penelia:
• Vanathys: The Royal Botanist of Ta'Vaalor, not a model. Played by GM Casil.

Official Vignettes

• The Petitioning of the First Couturier - 20 March 2024
• The Journal of Kivaera Astielern - 5 April 2024
• A Twist of Terms: Negotiations with Yfane - 27 May 2024
• Letters from Auvyra - 27 May 2024
• Breakthroughs - 5 June 2024

Logs

Anyone is welcome to add a log if they took one of a particular event for this mini-storyline.

Additional Information

• A Twist of Taessaet (storyline)/A Twist of Taessaet Prop Inventory - details on props found at different events

Credits

Forthcoming