Diary of an Apprentice Scent Hunter, Day 2

I’m back with more updates on my progress through the ranks of Throrian Scent Hunters. I’m still a humble Apprentice but I’ve finally progressed past the first chamber. The Scientists’ council has decided I’ve polished enough empty vials to get my hands on some fragrance-making tools!
Nothing too complicated (or delicate) yet, but I’m thrilled to be moving forward. Maybe in another hundred years or so I’ll even get to mix a couple of ingredients together.

My current task is distilling essential oils from the eggs of winged lizards.

This seemingly humble ingredient had profound symbolic value to the ancient Stratinites of planet Thror. The pure essence of the winged lizard egg was seen as a symbol of fertility and procreation and is still very popular for wedding perfumes and as a birthday gift for young Throrian ladies entering marriageable age. Understandably, there is a very high demand for this component and Throrian Scientists produce gallons of it every day.

The preferred method for obtaining essence of winged lizard egg is distillation - a process commonly used on Earth for plant-based material. The material to be distilled is placed in a massive water-filled cauldron-like contraption called a still and heated at a temperature just below boiling point. The vapors created by this process rise through cooled pipes where they condense back into liquid form. The resulting fragrant oil is collected in a flask.

The whole thing is enormously exciting in theory of course, but the process can take up to twenty-four hours depending on the substance being distilled. Hence, the unfortunate Apprentice is left alone in the dark with no companion but a steaming metal barrel while true Scientists go off to hone their exquisite senses over a nice lunch. And this goes on for days. Behold the grisly images that now haunt my nightmares:

The instant I close my eyes, I am violently jolted awake by the blood-curdling thought that my burbling still has overheated by fraction of a degree or that an errant tongue of flame has licked the bottom of the tank tainting the entire batch with with a burnt odor.

Turns out scent making is about more than delicate rose petals and provocatively-shaped bottles. It’s about blood, sweat and tears (just don’t get any of that into your freshly-distilled essential oils!)

Diary of an Apprentice Scent Hunter, Day 1

As a writer I have always had my own take on the infamous piece advice given to many aspiring writers - “write what you know.” Personally, I believe in knowing what I write instead. I may not know what it’s like to be an ancient Throrian Scientist, but I can sure find out.

This is why, as part of my work on the sequel to Digging in the Stars, I have decided to come back to Thror and become an Apprentice Scent-Maker in one of the most legendary scent laboratories in the Known Galaxies. I’m studying hard, hoping to make it all the way to Journeyman level. Unfortunately, I have yet to make it past the first chamber, where I am kept busy washing and polishing scent vials. I haven’t seen so much as a sliver of tree bark. Not worthy yet. This may not sound like the most exciting job in the universe, but it has its benefits.

The vials are magnificent, each more precious and elegant than the one before. Like Throrian scents, vials have their own meanings and symbolism and pairing a newly brewed scent with the right vial is a large part of the Scientist’s skill. Each vial is unique. The key moment  of the ceremony of ushering a young Throrian into adulthood (at the tender age of seventy-five) is the unveiling of his or her own signature essence, as unique as a fingerprint. The scent is presented in a custom-designed vial carved of rock crystal or semi-precious stone, cast in shimmering metal, or whittled out of polished sea-wood taken deep from the watery mantle of Thror’s frozen core. This scent will define the young Throrian for the rest of his or her life, announcing their presence, serving as an introduction and mixing with scents of conversation, command, entreaty, celebration or love.

These are some of the vials whose company I have been enjoying, all glowing from inside and shimmering with brilliant colors. I can’t wait until the day I’m deemed ready to know their meanings and feel the fragrances locked in their hearts. I hope my mentor will be that charming young scientist with the fuzzy rose-colored head tentacles and the timid smile. Everyone calls him Rosebud.

Stratum 1 - The King

The first and highest Stratum had only one member - the king. These images show King Loreval the Magnificent, the uniter of the Nine Strata and the most legendary ruler of Thror. He was responsible for Thror’s Golden Age, but his glorious facade hid dark and terrible secrets. His multi-layered robes and ornate golden mask combined materials imported from different galaxies. His tomb was known as the most glamorous and exquisitely designed in all the known galaxies. This is the tomb that Carter and her friends will risk everything to uncover. Read Digging in the Stars to find out if they do!

Stratum 2 - The Nobility

Members of the Second Stratum, the Nobility, held most of the wealth and power of Thror in their webbed hands. The Vizier was always chosen from among the Second Stratum. Their impracticably long, ornate beaks, flowing robes, and floor-length, iridescent cerata were a mark of their privileged position and life of luxury and leisure. They were all ambitious, competitive, and dreamed of occupying the throne.

Stratum 3 - The Military

The third Stratum was occupied by the Military - the army of planet Thror. Their armor was designed to maintain the necessary level of moisture for long journeys on dry land, and was light and flexible enough for both running and swimming. Each of their sensitive cerata was enclosed in an individual sheath of pure Bjornium plates. Their scaly masks had short, sturdy, practical beaks. Their main weapons were poison darts and collapsible nets on long poles.

Stratum 4 - The Treasurers

The Treasurers were responsible for maintaining, calculating and increasing the wealth of the Nine Strata. They established trade relations with many other galaxies and were valued for their intellect, quick-wittedness and diplomatic abilities. One of the most famous Treasurers of ancient Thror, Vanadival, left behind extensive chronicles that are among our main sources of information about the Throrian Golden Age.

Stratum 5 - The Scientists

The Scientists created all the scents of Thror. That included personal scents, mood scents, formal scents for public speeches, and dark scents such as poisons and nose-clouders. Although they were among the Middle Strata their secret power was immense and they bore no fragrance of their own. As the Throrians say, “Silent of step and silent of scent, such is the way of the Scientists.” Always engaged in the process of creating and blending new scents, Scientists never traveled far from their lab without garlands of vials, sachets and portable burners. The nose plugs built into their work masks protected them from some of the more dangerous products of their trade.

The Language of Scents

Blaze Publishing, Jennifer Malone Wright and I are throwing a party for the official Digging in the Stars Cover Reveal January 11 and 12, 2017! It will take place on Facebook so you can join in the celebration from anywhere on Earth (or anywhere in the Milky Way, or any other galaxy with an internet connection): 

https://www.facebook.com/events/356770771333659/

There will be all kinds of entertaining games, quizzes, giveaways and guest hosts, as well as some exclusive details about the characters and world of Digging in the Stars. It’s going to be almost as enlightening as a trip to planet Thror, only without the mind-numbing spaceship journey and occasional asteroid collisions.

Prizes will be involved and I want all of my guests and fellow Stardiggers to have a chance at winning. I’ll be sharing some hints, tips and resources on this blog to help you on this journey. Do your homework and you won’t leave the party empty-handed!

Clue #1: The culture of ancient Thror was profoundly “scentient” - that means scents, smells, fragrances, perfumes, essences, odors, aromas, and miscellaneous redolences played an immense role in the way Throrians viewed their world and expressed themselves. Scents were the main method for constructing one’s identity; they could be used to convey moods, show feelings, make specific statements, seal agreements, issue commands, connect with one another, celebrate special occasions and create atmosphere. The following diagram represents only a small fraction of the vast range of ingredients used by the Throrians to brew their scents, along with some examples of scent burners, vials, scent-bearing jewelry, and other important scent-related equipment. The shapes, colors and textures of scent vials always corresponded with the purpose and meaning of the substance contained within.

In preparation for the party, think about some of your favorite scents. What are they made of? What do you think they say about you? What do they mean to you? What do you keep them in and/or how do you disburse them? Join the party to find out what your personal scent signature would be on Thror!

Sea Slugs and Hairstyles

Now that I’ve shared some of the preparations for my journey, I believe it is time to reveal more about the civilization that I am actually exploring. I am planning a series of in-depth posts about the species that inhabit Planet Thror, their appearance, their cultures, food preferences, traditional costumes, art and languages.

Today’s transmission is all about the Stratinites, an ancient culture that inhabited Thror for centuries and left behind a wealth of mysterious subterranean chambers, beautiful art and some very dramatic historical records. But today we will not be talking about revolutions, brutal assassinations, and horribly disfigured corpses.

This post is about hair, or lack thereof. Instead of hair, the Stratinites had something similar to the cerata of Earthian sea slugs or the external gill rami and filaments of axolotls. The cerata of the Stratinites were just as vibrantly colored and sometimes phosphorescent and they could also absorb oxygen and nutrients from air and water.

As the Stratinites were much larger than our sea slugs (just taller than the average modern human), their cerata were far longer and more powerful and could operate on land as well as underwater.

Fragile and vulnerable, but also beautiful and surprisingly agile, Stratinite cerata were equally a source of vanity and anxiety. They could change color in moments of danger or strong emotion, much as a human face can grow pale or blush. As cerata are much thicker and more sensitive than human hair, Stratinites avoided sharp or constricting ornaments, preferring loose styles and light but bold details.
  

Much thought and effort was lavished on protecting one’s cerata. The Military (left) even wore specially designed armor - each ceras was individually plated with flexible tubes of impenetrable Bjornium metal. The Tunnellers (right) who worked in harsh conditions, digging tunnels and passageways in the planet’s frozen core protected their cerata from flying shards of rock and sub-zero temperatures with thick leather “head aprons.”

           

Some of the busier Stratinites, like Treasurers and Scientists, found innovative and practical uses for their muscular cerata. The cerata of the Treasurer below seem as delicate as those of the sea slug beside him, but they are dexterous enough to hold on to his most precious and secret keys at all times. He never has to let them out of his sight (or head).

 This Scientist has cleverly woven nose plugs into his front cerata, always ready to block out a poisonous or foul-smelling chemical. On Thror, it’s always best to prepared for a poisonous gas attack.

The length, color and condition of one’s cerata are also a mark of status. The higher up a Stratinite is and the less he is exposed to danger and hard manual labor, the more he can allow his cerata to grow long and flow freely. The Grand Vizier (below) takes great pride in the sophisticated blue-rose hue of his fine, floor-length cerata. They are almost translucent like those of this gorgeous sea slug beside him and every bit as decorative. Of course he can’t get far trailing those around after him.
          

Come back next week to find out more about Throrian fashions and the unconventional native materials they use. You never know when you may be summoned to a Grand Council meeting only to find that your ceremonial robes are all out of fashion.