Topic: Triberg House (formerly Lustheim)

Azjah · Date: 2008-06-05 12:36 EST

Dominik listened intently, committing everything she said to memory in preparation for their arrival.

?We will be met at the spaceport, and news will travel quickly of our presence. We will have our audience within the week. I do not expect the Kaiser to keep me waiting too awfully long.? Perhaps it was wishful thinking, perhaps not, but Azjah knew she could no longer live the life she had been for the last two years.

Dominik then asked her about her home here, seeking to distract her for at least a few moments. They had only been flying for six hours, be he felt the tension in his charge?s body as though it were a palpable thing.

Azjah smiled, let me pull some images up for you, it will be easier than trying to describe my home. She activated a computer screen and summoned up the images as she spoke.

The Danaan Estate on Rigel.

Established 734 years ago, it has seen Danaan?s as the owners in a contiguous succession since it was built. Initially called Lustheim, it was renamed to Triberg House 340 years ago. Azjah gave Dominik a smile, ?I think it is a good thing it is no longer called Lustheim.?

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/RigelHouseLustheim.jpg
(In real life, this is Lustheim in Germany)

The estate is on Octans Way in Festungsmauer along the bluffs, and has an unobstructed view of the Imperial Palace from the front driveway. From the rear of the house, the harbor is visible nearly 600 meters below. The house sits on just over 18 hectares of land along the main road for the town homes of the Peerage.

Triberg House is not the oldest of the estates. The Imperial Palace outdates all of the town homes in Festungsmauer. However, the Grand Duke?s house is dated at 844 years of age, and the Albrecht House is dated at 765 years of age.

Inside the front doors, the foyer opens from the front all the way through to the back side of the house. The semicircular view overlooks the grounds as well as the harbor. The arched window embellishments from the front entry are carried through above the arched windows of the foyer and the arched doorways leading to the rest of the house.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/Vaux-le-Vicomte_Fontainebleau_Barbi.jpg
(In real ife, this is Vaux-le-Vicomte at Fontainebleau castle.)

The left side of the residence, as viewed from the outside is the formal entertaining and reception area. This is the Great Hall of the house, done in reds and golds.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/WindsorWhiteDrawingRoom-1.png
(In real life, this is the White Drawing Room at Windsor Palace, England.)

Dancing and revelry is accomplished for large groups in the ball room, just beyond the Great Hall of Triberg House. Since the death of the Grand Duke, this room has not been used.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/KremlinHolyChamberFaceted.png
(In real life, this is the Kremlin Holy Chamber of the Faceted Rooms.)

A small reception room at Triberg House.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/kremlinEmpressReceptionroom.png
(This is the Empress? Reception room at The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia)

The estate office, used by the Seneschal and the Major Domo is the first room on the right of the foyer. The running of the grounds and estate are managed here, and several ranking house staff have desks in this room.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/hermitage-roomofcoins2.jpg
(In real life, this is the Room of Coins in The Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia.)

The library is across the hall from the office area, it overlooks the back side of the house, across a formal garden and out over the bluffs. There is a warm reading area in shades of beige, green and gold across a hallway from the book shelves along the far side of the room.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/ElyseeLoungeoftheAmbassadors.png
(In real life, this is the Elysee Lounge of the Ambassadors)

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/DSC07664.jpg
(In real life, this is the library at Versailles)

Beyond the library are the kitchens for the house.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/kuechekitchen.jpg
(In real life, these are the kitchens for Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria Germany.)

A white marble staircase gives access to the second story of the house. The railings are verdigris and gold providing the only color along the grand staircase.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/DSC07663.jpg
(This is a stair at Versailles, France)

The transverse hall runs the length of the house in both directions at the top of the stairs. To the left, above the public side of the first floor are the guest suites and apartments. They are variously decorated for dignitaries and guests from many regions of the Empire. These suits do not see a lot of guests as the Marchioness does very little entertaining in Rigel.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/fontainbleauCounselroom.jpg
(In real life, this is the Counsel Room at Fontainebleau, France)

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/Buckingham-CrimsonDrawingRoom.jpg
(In real life, this is the Crimson Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.)

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/ankleidezimmerfirstfloorsalon.jpg
Sitting parlor on the second floor, one of the guest suites.

Ascending another staircase takes the guest to the third floor of Triberg house, where the private family resides.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/thDSC07665.jpg

There is a sitting room, the Duke?s suite, and the Duchess? suite.

The third floor is a study in blue.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/2062_drawing_room_in_neuschwanstein.jpg
(In real life, this is the Drawing Room in Neuschwanstein, Germany)

This sitting room separates the Duke and Duchess suites. It is a common space where the family may share private time without the intrusion or distraction of the rest of the house.

Through the doors on the right are the Duchess? chambers.

The Duchess? dressing room.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/KremlinEmperorStudy.png
(In real life, this is the Emperor?s study, The Kremlin, Moscow)

The Duchess? bedroom

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/KremlinEmperorsBedroom.png
(In real life, this is the Emperor?s bedroom, The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia.)

The Duke?s suite, entry hall and sitting room.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/DSC07667.jpg
(In real life, this is the King?s suite at Versailles)

The Duke?s Study

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/FontainebleauStLouis.png
(In real life, this is the King?s study at Fontainebleau, France)

The Duke?s bedroom, to the right at the fireplace.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj171/Azjahh/Rigel/schlafzimmerNeuguestsuite-1.jpg
(In real life, this is the King?s bedroom at Neuschwanstein, King Ludwig of Bavaria.)

Azjah · Date: 2008-07-03 23:31 EST

Rigelian Holidays are overseen by the Surveyor of Ceremonies, whose job is to oversee the feast and its festivities. Usually the Surveyor of Ceremonies carries a large gold key attached to a heavy chain about his neck. He welcomes guests with a hearty shout, ?Wassail, wassail, leavu freond!? (Welcome, welcome good cheer dear friend!) A Rigelian holiday is as much about theatrical ceremony as it is about food. Food must have rich texture, fabulous coloring and form. Dishes are alternated with entertainment.

At a feast, the Surveyor presents the salt to the guests at the high table. Salt is in an elaborate, extravagantly shaped salt container. It has both a practical and a symbolic purpose. The pantler cuts the upper crust after being summoned by the Surveyor. The pantler is in charge of the bread. He wears a long, fringed fabric on his shoulder called a portpayne for ceremonial carrying of loaves of bread. The Pantler uses special knives and horizontally cuts the top of the bread to present it to the most important guest, it represents the ?Upper Crust?.

The Surveyor then calls the Laverer with the Aquamanile. The Laverer wears fringes on a long scarflike towel around his neck. He helps each guest wash their hands with spiced and herbed warm water from a pitcher called an aquamanile. The Aquamanile is usually amusingly shaped like a lion, or dragon or wolf whose mouth is the water spout.

After the Surveyor directs these steps, the next is the Cup Bearer who must test the wine. Drink is poured by the butler, who is responsible for casks and bottles and barrels. The Cup Bearer tests the wine to assure the guests that it is safe and fit to drink. The test is called credence.

Once the Credence test is completed, the feasters raise their glasses to drink. The Surveyor once again exuberantly says ?Wassail, wassail! Drink Well! To your health!? The guests respond, ?Wassail, wassail!? The resident clergy then says the blessing of the food and drink. This is followed by horns, trumpets, coronets, shaums, drums and bells that signal the first of between 17, 29, 77 or 127 courses. The courses are very small portions. Usually the food is shaped to be eaten as elegant finger food. The courses are chosen specifically for contrasts of color or design or spice. A sharp food alternates with a sweet, a lighter with a heavier; a delicately fragranced herb cake follows a heavily spiced meat and so forth.

Dishes are marched ceremonially around the table for guests to see before serving. The variety of tastes, textures and food types is astonishing. Feathered birds are roasted and then re-feathered in their own plumage. The beaks and claws are gilded.

Frequently food appears to be one thing and is in fact something else. These are called Glorious Illusion Foods. Example: golden apples are actually delicately spiced meat balls wrapped in gold tinted pastry with marzipan green leaves. St. John?s Urcheon looks like a hedge hog, but isn?t, it is a whimsical animal sculpture made of meat and wrapped in brown carob pastry with edible quills.

Subtleties are dramatic festival foods. A Subtletie is a large, spun sugar, almond past, marzipan or pastry sculpture. It may be shaped like an animal, such as an elephant, lion, or fire breathing dragon (when camphor and cotton in its mouth is set ablaze). Subtleties are created by the Warner.

Banquet music not only announces courses, but serves as entertainment. They may walk around the room, or play from a special musician?s gallery.

The feaster?s personalities play a role in determining the order of food service. The Surveyor announces the Chief Cook, who directs the Temperamental dishes, those foods thought to be important for health. The Chief Cook walks and talks with authority. He wears a long handled spoon swinging like a medallion from a heavy chain, he also carries a large feather, this is a brush for food painting. His job is two fold. He must protect the health of the diner, and create food art.

The carver must cut meat into portions, but his motions must be graceful as a dancer?s. He must know how to handle specialty blades and use proper finger positions.

The Banquet officers include:
Surveyor, symbol is a very large key, responsible for directing all activities of the feast
Almoner, symbol is a large alms dish, responsible to collect and dispenses food gifts to the poor,
Butler, symbols are large keys to the wine cellar, responsible for protecting and mixing wines,
Carver, symbols are several knives, responsible for carving meat at the table,
Chief Cook, symbol is a tasting spoon and painting feather, responsible for feasters health and creating food art.
Cup Bearer, symbol is a tasting cup, responsible for tasting wines and drinks for purity and safety
Dresser, symbol tweezers or scissors, responsible for arranging food on serving platters
Juggler, symbol are balls, daggers and rings, responsible for feats of juggling
Laverer, symbol is the Aquamanile and fringed towel, responsible for ceremonial washing of hands
Magician, symbol are balls, scarves and boxes, responsible for feats of magic.
Master of Venerie, symbol is the hunting horn, responsible for presenting important game animals as hunt trophies
Mime, symbol is a mask, responsible for performing wordless drama
Minstrel, symbol is a lute, responsible for entertaining by songs
Musician, symbol is a horn or stringed instrument, responsible for performing fanfares, music for pleasure, melodies for digestion.
Pages, symbol is a small cap with feather, responsible for directing guests to table and refilling drinking cups
Pantler, symbol is the Portpayne, responsible for cutting upper crust and preparing trenchers
Patisser, symbol is an icing comb, responsible for making and decorating pastry and cakes
Quistron, symbols are heavy gloves, responsible for turning spits for roasting meats
Rotsser, symbols are long needles, responsible for designing, preparing and presenting roasted food.
Saucer, symbol is a stirring spoon, responsible for preparing sauces and glazes
Servitor, symbol is a Baldric, a ribbon from shoulder to hip, responsible for ceremonially serving foods at table
Warner, symbol is a painting feather and sculpturing knife, responsible for creating subtleties

Specific holidays require specific foods and decorations, resulting in ornate, but temporary structures being built for the event.

Azjah · Date: 2008-11-14 18:27 EST

Triberg House needed a new valet for the duration of Colonel Savage's presence. His first one had been slain in the capital city.

The Merchant has made the short list of candidates, and 4 potential valets arrived at the house for final interviews.

Baumann has run through the expectations and inquired if anyone had questions.

When there were no further questions, Baumann dismissed them pending the return of the Marchioness and Colonel.

That perked the Merchant's interest, so they had left the city? He needed to find out where they had gone. Perhaps Margit would know.