Midwinter Masque
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In Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Legacy series, the Midwinter Masque is a grand celebration held on the winter solstice at Cereus House, the most famous observation of the Longest Night. It celebrates the passing of the old year and the return of the sun. On this night, only patrons who hold the token of Naamah, a gift given at the Dowayne's discretion, are allowed to attend. Guests toast the new year with a drink called joie, a clear, heady liquor distilled from a white mountain flower, likely akin to champagne.
The focus of the event is the masque itself, a play where in the Winter Queen, always chosen from the adepts of Cereus House, is restored to youth by the Sun Prince, who is selected from any of the Thirteen Houses of the Night Court; superstition holds that the Sun Prince will bring a year's luck to his House. The Winter Queen's mask is held to have been created four hundred years before the events of the series, by Olivier the Oblique. She enters as an old, withered, hobbling crone, and her arrival marks the beginning of the festivities. When the horologists cry the hour of the sun's return, the Sun Prince appears and, in a great spectacle, frees the Winter Queen from her crone mask and reveals a beautiful young woman.
The first year Phèdre witnesses the Midwinter Masque, the Winter Queen is portrayed by Cereus adept Suriah, and the Sun Prince is played by Prince Baudoin de Trevalion. This action is viewed by many as a symbolic indication of Baudoin's right to rule, and his intentions to wed Dauphine Ysandre de la Courcel and become King of Terre d'Ange. At the Masque, Baudoin is given joie by Phèdre, kissed her, and named her joybearer; Phèdre will later consider she only brought him ill luck.
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| Novels | Kushiel's Dart • Kushiel's Chosen • Kushiel's Avatar • Kushiel's Scion |
| Characters | Phèdre nó Delaunay • Anafiel Delaunay • Joscelin Verreuil • Hyacinthe • Melisande Shahrizai • Ysandre de la Courcel • Drustan mab Necthana • Waldemar Selig • Other Characters |
| Groups | Court of Night-Blooming Flowers • Servants of Naamah • Cassiline Brotherhood • Yeshuites • Tsingani • Phèdre's Boys • Stregazza family |
| Places | Terre d'Ange • Skaldia • Alba and Eire • Caerdicca Unitas • Other |
| Mythos & Culture | Elua and His Companions • Anguissette • Midwinter Masque |
| Noble Houses | Courcel • L'Envers • Shahrizai • Somerville • Trevalion |
| History | Battle of the Three Princes • Battle of Troyes-le-Mont |
