Perfumes

Xorus was kind enough to log this and shows the talk from his perspective.

Lylia asks, "As we are already enjoying scents, let us start not with a statement, but with a question: What smells better to you than anything else in the world?"

Lylia gazes with interest at her surroundings.

Anstara says, "After rain."

Ysharra says, "Jessamine."

Ysharra says, "Maybe cinnamon."

Nazarr says, "I'm rather fond of spice and pine needles."

Speaking to Lylia, Kayse teases, "Money?"

Lylia has tendrils of opium-tainted smoke wrapping themselves around a base of blackish mahogany, creating a haunting silhouette against a velvet-like backdrop of night-blooming jasmine. Clutched by the dark trio of notes is the barest metallic whisper of freshly spilled blood, the twisted melange left untempered against her skin.

You say, "Opium-tainted smoke and blackish mahogany."

Lylia says to you, "Right answer."

Lylia laughs softly, trying to hide her amusement.

Kayse agrees, "Rain is a lovely scent."

Hadya quietly says, "I do like incense, the hemlock in the temple... always reminds me of my Master."

Lylia says, "Now, think about why that is, especially if the scents you mentioned are not considered especially perfume-like, nor even necessarily appealing."

Lylia explains, "Scent is the sense of memory, evocative and ephemeral."

Ysharra quietly says, "Jessamine blooms at night."

Lylia says, "We know it on such a deep emotional level that it feels akin to magic. You do not merely smell the scent of honeysuckle, but are taken for a moment to where you experienced them: to a childhood home where the vines grew wild and you played among them, or to your first love's perfume."

Lylia says, "Perhaps it is bundles of cinnamon bark drying and curling in the sun that you recall, as I do, or the pungent tang of alchemical reagents. It might even be the fetor of a swamp or a tannery's dye vats that sparks a pleasant memory, if that is what you knew best."

Lylia says, "Scent is idiosyncratic in that way."

Anstara says, "Swamps do actually kind of smell good in a way."

Lylia says, "We return to certain scents not only because we find them pleasant, but also because we enjoy the magic, that unique ability to evoke memories. The perfumer's art allows us to explore those memories, or to create new ones that we can then enjoy years later merely by lifting a bottle's stopper."

Lylia agrees, "They can, yes. They can also churn up some rankness."

Speaking to Anstara, Ysharra says, "If Kothos were here he'd interrupt the Imperatrix to go on and on about it."

Lylia says, "I am fond of swamps myself."

Lylia says, "But as powerfully evocative as scent is, it is largely unconsidered, at least on a conscious level. We do not even have the vocabulary to describe scent the way we do a piece of music or a painting, yet the composition of fine fragrance is an art just the same."

Lylia says, "We often describe it in terms of other things -- textures or colors -- but it has its own unspoken language."

Lylia continues, "Today, we seek a greater understanding of this art, learning something of its language and discovering how it is created. We shall look at the effort behind it and discuss how a simple blossom or branch can become so much more."

Lylia muses, "What, then, elevates perfumery from mere copies of nature?"

Lylia removes a wild black rose from in her wrap.

Lylia continues, "A flower may smell sweet, but placing it in context is what makes the perfumer's craft something more than mimicry. Give me a rose, and I shall enjoy its fragrance; give me a rose perfume surrounded by notes of ozone and brimstone, and I am transported to the Bleaklands in the space of a breath."

Lylia shows you a wild black rose, which she is holding in her right hand. The rose's doubled petals start as velvety black at their outer edges and meld to the hue of lush dark red of venous blood at the blossom's heart. The tightly furled petals at its center give off a sweet, slightly spicy aroma undercut with a hint of brimstone. Its short stem bears twin thorns, each one as wickedly sharp as the other.

Lylia says, "For those of us who travel far from New Ta'Faendryl or wherever our roots are set, perfume is especially meaningful as it is a way to carry a bit of home with us. What is exotic in the Landing is familiar to Faendryl senses, although happily, some cultivars thrive here too, as Ysharra will discuss."

The sharp scents of ozone and ash linger briefly before a passing breeze dispels them, leaving only a trace of incense in the air.

Lylia says, "In fact, I shall step aside now and welcome her to share more about local ingredients and the harvesting thereof. Her Agrestis roots run deep although she has transplanted herself in rich new soil, and she can teach us a great deal about growth."

Lylia nods respectfully at Ysharra.

Ysharra drops smoothly into a deep curtsy before Lylia, sweeping her arms grandly to her sides.

Lylia takes a few steps back.

Ysharra warmly says, "Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome. I can't promise to be brief, but I will be poetic, for my subject lends itself to it by its very nature."

Ysharra kneels down.

Ysharra forages briefly and manages to find an orris root!

Ysharra forages briefly and manages to find an iris blossom!

Ysharra stands up.

(Ysharra holds up a small, brown clump of woody stem that is coiled into a fleshy bulb with a few leafy green tufts extending out of the top. She drags her thumbnail down one side, splitting the clump open to show the multiple rings. She then holds up the brilliant white blossom in her other hand, running her finger across the wide, frilled petals.)

Ysharra explains, "This is called orris root, though the term is somewhat misleading. It isn't a root at all, but a rhizome, a stem that grows partially or fully under the ground. This particular stem is from this flower, the bearded iris, one of the largest and most versatile perennials in the whole Elanith continent, not to mention one of the hardiest."

Ysharra continues, "Plants with this rhizome structure- the ones with stems underground- tend to be easy to grow in almost any environment, as they require less water and fewer soil nutrients than most flowers."

Ysharra instructs, "The iris plant is what commercial gardeners call a keystone, as it is used not just as a cut flower due to its great beauty and large blooms, but the orris here is used to flavor food, form the base of fine perfumes, and it and the bloom itself can be used in herbal and medicinal teas."

Ysharra says, "Irises have even been known to be used as currency under barter systems, exchanged for food, services, and even left as offerings for the Arkati. While it is probably most associated with Oleani, due to being a cultivar rather than a wildflower, it s been found in shrines to the guardian of River's Rest, Aeia, as well."

Speaking admiringly to her iris blossom, Ysharra says, "The Faendryl have been growing irises since they reclaimed the land from the wastes of Rhoska Tor. As mentioned, they grow with relatively little effort or resources, and they are a tame flower, despite their arresting beauty, dramatic color and scent."

Ysharra adds, "One can grow them next to the blooms that will be used in the scent and tea industry; chamomile, roses and so on, without these huge beauties taking over. Their vibrant hue and curved petals are great attractors for honeybees, so you'll often find them planted around hives as a nestled industry in commercial plantations."

Ysharra says, "Irises have a symbolism given to them by the Nalfein, in their intricate bouquets, the presence of an iris means the message contained is authentic. Thus, the telltale bloom means "Believe." Fanciful as it is, I prefer to think of them with the slightly more elaborate meaning, Believe in me, where irises line the path to stability, beauty, and mastery."

Ysharra says, "The Faendryl share cultivation of the iris and orris root with Solhaven, River's Rest, Ta'Nalfein and many other parts of Elanith, Here in the Landing, they are grown all over the city and available in the florist just over the bridge."

Ysharra offers Lylia an orris root.

Lylia accepts Ysharra's orris root.

Ysharra forages briefly and manages to find a sprig of jasmine!

(Ysharra holds aloft a cluster of tiny, amber-throated white flowers. The slender tendril flutters in the small breeze, the petals delicate and full of rich scent. The leaves are a deep evergreen, with a waxy shine.)

Ysharra affectionately says, "Here is one of my personal favorites, the jasmine blossom. The petals are not the showy skirts of the iris, true, but I bet all of you can already smell the honey-tinged sweetness of its aroma."

Ysharra explains, "Jasmine is used extensively in tea, perfumes and oil, and a cultivar often referred to as "night-blooming jasmine" is particularly special to the Faendryl. Dried, ground and turned into a resin, night-blooming jasmine is often used as a ritual component of Summoning the Igaesha, the smoke demons who are used for divination."

Ysharra continues, "In truth, night-blooming jasmine is more a jessamine plant than a true jasmine flower, but their scents and growing regimen are similar enough that the name is being well-used. Night-blooming varieties are drought-hardy and love warmth and direct sun, so they are very easy to grow in New Ta Faendryl."

Ysharra says, "The plant grows in columnar vines that can be trained over nearly any boundary, making them ideal for privacy, another virtue the Faendryl value. As the sun goes down, the long, slender blooms open, making the night air rich with their heady scent."

Ysharra forages briefly and manages to find a sprig of mournbloom!

(Ysharra turns toward the gathered with a small, curled sprig laden with trumpet-shaped deep purple, near-black flowers. The blooms that are fully open show hints of a white throat. The sprig is also covered with a number of protruding woody spines, while the leaves are oval-shaped and sage green.)

Ysharra says, "The mournbloom also plays a popular and starring role in the world of commercial gardening. Unlike the jasmine here, it does not like to be in direct light, and thus makes a good plant to put upon the ground, close to your gum lac trees or cypress, for it enjoys shade and protection."

Ysharra says, "Out of the ones I've showed you today, this is the most delicate, despite being both a cultivar and a wildflower. Mournblooms require more water than most pollinators, and in demanding such, they have given us something unusual in return."

Ysharra helpfully adds, "You will note the color is unlike nearly any other flower in the forest, field and swamp. The theory is that they started off a blue color much like their relative the violet, but the darker varieties were selected by us gardeners so much that eventually it evolved into what you see now. The mournbloom used our aesthetic to propagate itself much as a rose uses its scent for the same."

Ysharra says, "Just think. Your eyes craft a new hybrid, and lend it survival."

Ysharra says, "Speaking of scent, the mournbloom is used much like the other two, in perfumes, teas, and decoration. It gets its name from the sylvan tradition of covering the bier of a loved one, as when the bloom is caught in the breeze, the wind causes it to peal out softly, sounding like a grief-stricken sob."

Ysharra continues, "The mournbloom's scent, however, is far more robust than its lore and history. The oil distilled from the mournbloom's petals, spines and leaves becomes a thick fluid that has a sharp, earthy and spicy aroma to it."

Ysharra concludes, "It can be watered down to a more delicate note, but if used as a base, the statement is bold and aromatic. Perhaps the more recent association with Mularos has lent some of its tang to the flower's melange. You will find this bloom tattooed upon the skin of many of His adherents."

Ysharra turns to face Lylia.

Speaking reverently to Lylia, Ysharra says, "Please, my friend. Take the root I have given you, and in your hands, I know your wisdom and prose will make it bloom."

Lylia nods appreciatively at Ysharra.

Lylia says, "I think it would go well in the gardens here, near the pool, or perhaps in Brigatta's."

Lylia put an orris root in her wrap.

(Kayse brings the sprig of jasmine to her nose momentarily.)

Speaking to Ysharra, Lylia says, "I am glad you brought up base notes earlier, Ysharra, as that is key to understanding how fragrances are built. Most of my family are Spicers, but they supplied many Perfumers with ingredients, and I learned something of their craft."

Lylia animatedly explains, "Perfumers discuss scents in terms of three categories: base, heart, and top notes. Most balanced fragrances contain all three types of scents, but as in visual art, sometimes a bit of dynamic imbalance is more exciting, and a fragrance may have only one plangent top note soaring high above a collection of base notes or a symphony of heart notes designed to mellow throughout the dry-down, although..."

Lylia clears her throat.

(Lylia trails off.)

Lylia confesses, "I am getting ahead of myself in my enthusiasm for the subject, I think. Let me go back a pace and discuss what 'notes' are to perfumers."

Lylia explains, "The base notes are the underlying foundations of the fragrance, typically resinous or animal-derived compounds that have such staying power that millennia-old jars of perfumed oils are still redolent of them."

Lylia says, "If you have ever smelled the scents of certain animals in their rutting season, or if you have encountered ambergris on the sands, you know these scents can be overpoweringly unpleasant in their raw state. Perfumers are able to strip away the stench and leave the staying power."

Lylia says, "Well, most of the stench, anyway."

Anstara asks, "Kind of like how skunk smells kind of good if it's at an appropriate distance?"

Ysharra says, "It's a fascinating power to wield."

Lylia adds, "Many Faendryl perfumers feel that the tiniest fraction of something vile enhances the sweetness of the rest. That is a matter of taste, but it is often true of the more animalic perfumes."

Lylia says, "Exactly that! And I have noticed that too. It smells quite fine from a far enough distance."

Speaking to Anstara, Melikor asks, "What distance is that?"

You mutter hobbits.

Speaking to Melikor, Anstara says, "Bout a half mile."

Lylia gives you a series of teasing little prods along the spine.

Ysharra says, "I tend to think there's a cultural component, too. Blood, ash, smoke- things we usually think of as being foul and offensive, yet, mixed with florals and spices..."

Lylia says, "Absolutely."

Ysharra says, "It feels apropos, for a Faendryl to wear upon their skin."

Lylia says, "Heart notes, though, tend to be more universally appealing."

Lylia continues, "Heart notes are the scents that predominate in a perfume and can be quite varied. Floral, herbal, fruity, and spicy notes fall into this category. The Perfumers Guild could tell you more about upper-register and lower-register notes and other abstruse details that I could not."

Lylia says, "I am most familiar, of course, with the spicy notes that combine so well with florals."

Anstara grins.

Hadya quietly says, "Blood always reminds me of offerings."

Lylia says, "And top notes are those fleeting flourishes your nose first encounters when you breathe in a perfume."

Lylia notes, "They do not last long, and they are not meant to as the evolution of a fragrance is part of its charm. Citrus oils, light florals, and other volatile botanicals are often used as top notes."

Lylia says, "The journey from soil to vine to bottle is even more complex for fragrances than it is for wine, and I shall touch on only a few of them. I suspect some are guild secrets that even my cousins could not pry loose from their contacts."

Lylia says, "I am most familiar with maceration and enfleurage, both of which smell magnificent as they are happening."

Lylia says, "Speaking of happy childhood fragrances."

Lylia smiles quietly to herself.

Lylia explains, "Maceration is a bit like making tea, only with oils, white spirits, or wine to extract the scent. It is also one of the earliest forms of gathering fragrance ingredients, being well suited to the desert wastes and extreme heat of Rhoska-Tor."

Lylia says, "Resins and gums -- the 'tears of the desert' such as opoponax, olibanum, and myrrh -- lend themselves well to maceration. Placing them in heated oil and burying the sealed pot in hot sands for a few weeks results in a thick honey-colored liquid that forms the essence of many traditional Faendryl fragrances."

Lylia adds, "These are also particularly well used in incenses, as I am sure you know."

Lylia nods at Hadya.

Hadya nods.

Lylia says, "Being resins, they naturally burn well and long over charcoal."

Lylia murmurs, "I still adore these intense scents myself, sometimes with no accompaniment at all. Just the oil, please."

Anstara says, "Good for intense meditations and studying."

Lylia says, "The flowers Ysharra has plucked for us, such as the jasmine or mournbloom, would be ideal for the other method I mentioned: enfleurage, which involves layering fragrant petals or herbs directly on an oiled surface. The delicate blooms give up their fragrance to the oil below them, and when they are spent, the perfumer changes them out for a fresh layer."

Lylia says, "It is a time-consuming but poetic means of extraction as the flowers' essences are transmuted to the oils on which they lay."

Lylia says, "They die for the art, but they live on in the bottle."

Ysharra says, "It's a fascinating alchemy that they create."

Lylia says, "The understanding of base, heart, and top notes parallels the evolution of Faendryl perfumery during our post-Exile history in New Ta'Faendryl. We took what the desert had to offer us, the tears of myrrh and sandalwood dust, to transform it into the foundations of fine fragrance."

Lylia says, "As we brought life to the wastes, we cultivated flowers and herbs that found their way into our fragrances, forming the heart notes that still bewitch wearers today."

Lylia says, "Top notes of citrus zest are the newest arrival both in fragrance and in our gardens."

Lylia says, "So a well-composed perfume, if seen through the lens of history, is a story as well as a fragrance."

Lylia says, "Of course, we are no longer reliant solely on what we cultivate ourselves. Ysharra and I and many others in our local Enclave are proof that the Faendryl are travelers and traders. Blending in local ingredients that grow well here in the Landing adds novelty to the depth and character of traditionally composed fragrances."

Lylia continues, "And with the Darkstone Bay Consortium bringing economic stability to the region, this is an even more promising avenue to explore."

Ysharra says, "Growing herbs and flowers and fruit allowed us to stomach eating the animals we had to hunt in the Wastes."

Lylia says, "When I visit New Ta'Faendryl again, I bring something of the Landing with me to remind me of here, using a little of scent's magic to remind me that this, too, is home."

Lylia says, "That concludes any formal statements I had prepared, but I would be happy to answer questions."