Back to Nature

Who knows where the evolution will take us? Who knows where it might have taken other civilizations elsewhere, merging and combining with their surroundings instead of taking control over them with tools.

Perhaps there can be a symbiosis between humanoid life and flora, if nowhere else than in our imaginations. Sinking in limb-like roots that allow moving about, skin absorbing alien lights, humanoid hands kept for their usefulness, hearing becoming less vital when the senses are attuned to pollen and pheromones…

I have always enjoyed such moments of trying to envision how life would look like through the eyes of something so alien that their priorities and needs in life differ completely from human. It gives perspective.

Almost all of the alien plant can be acquired from the new round of Genre that focuses on scifi. The skin by Jalwa is not actually green, I just played with windlights. The tentacle outfit by The Stringer Mausoleum went perfectly together with the mask and ear pieces by Spyralle, hair is by Analog Dog and the Biologic Evolution body tattoo by Fallen Gods Inc. completes the look.

Scene: Alien Plants: Cerridwen’s Cauldron – Paradise Bat Orchids, Gnome Toes, Wisp Mushrooms

Alien: Skin: Jalwa Skins – Jezebel Vamp Ethereal* | Body Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Biologic Evolution (overlay, Light) Spores* | Hair: Analog Dog – ism kale | Eyes: Repulse – Lacerated v2 Green | Tentacles: The Stringer Mausoleum – Troiian Tentacles S.E. Ship Slime | Mask & Ear Pieces: Spyralle – Sensory Enhancement Modules

Poses: Orc Inc. – Stand 77 & 78

Sharp Edges

People have them. Life has them. We might learn to protect ourselves by wearing armor, by dodging, by keeping safe distance, but safety comes with the price of limitations in both motions and room to move in.

The spaces, the edges, the armors are very rarely physical. They are all in our heads, in our own limitations and comfort zones. Leaving them, daring the edges will get you easily cut. But perhaps you win more room to move in by learning exactly where the edge is. Perhaps the edges move in time and should be revisited.

And maybe, just maybe, once you learn where the sharp edges lie, you will learn how to wield and control them without hurting yourself.

The Bloodborn and Coalborn upper body tattoos by Fallen Gods Inc. are available in World Goth Fair Cursed. The Ghost skin underneath is also by Fallen Gods Inc., the War version currently on discount in We Love Role-play Event. The beautiful katana is a new release by [EZ] Weaponry.

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. - Ghost War* | Upper Body Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Bloodborn & Coalborn* | Eyes: Fallen Gods Inc. – Coalborn* | Hair: Lamb. – Whoop Dee Doo Ink & Restaurant Ketchup

Katana: [EZ] Weaponry – Izo Katana  -novo2.02 & Sheath*

Poses: Poise – GA 3 | Exposeur – She’s Crafty 5

Black and White

Sometimes they are both red. Every story has at least two sides to it and often one is painted black, the other white. Fairytales do this, many books and movies do this, presenting the side that the main character is not on in simplistic unlikeable hues. One can always recognize a more realistic story from having more than two sides, none of them truly evil or good, but with more developed agendas of their own.

Despite all this we all enjoy a story with clear cut division. We were raised on fairytales, with heroes and villains, with arch-enemies worth an epic struggle. There are many such pairings in fantasy, but one of the more popular ones in recent years has been vampires and werewolves. Both traditionally evil, simply different viewpoints to their supernatural existences. Vampires tend to at least pretend to be urban, civilized, cultured and decadent. Werewolves are seen to represent nature, uncontrolled passions, rage and brutality.  Maybe that is why they have been so popular lately: a step away from black and white, both dancing in their own shades of grey, always ready to be covered in red.

No matter which side of the red you favor, both skins by Fallen Gods Inc. are currently available in the We Love Role-play event and you can locate the werewolf’s scale pauldrons by [HANDverk] in there as well. Both outfits are new releases by [ SAKIDE ] and both hairdos are by Alice Project, the vampire’s curls can be found in the current round of FaMESHed.

Vampire: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Ghost xx War SB* | Hair: Alice Project – Serena* | Eyes: Repulse – Mystic Eyes Red | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Lipstick: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Sarah Jane’s Bloody Lipcolor | Blood: A Netherworld – Mmmm Blood! | Outfit: [ SAKIDE ] – Prima Outfit & Voulez-vous Corset* | Necklace: [HANDverk] Pearl Necklace Black/Silver*

Werewolf: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Fur xx Red/beast runner* | Hair: Alice Project – Sari* | Eyes: Repulse – Lacerated v2 Green | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Outfit: [ SAKIDE ] – Lush Top Black, Lush Leather Shorts & Appeal Boots Black* | Pauldrons: [HANDverk] Scale Pauldrons Black Small*

Poses: aDORKable Poses – Melancholy 4&4M | Exposeur – Call the Shots 3&3M

The Tree Spirit

The return to the alien planet of glowing plantlife brings us this tiny dryad shaped tree spirit, luminescent and glowing like the plants she embodies.

Sentient and curious, the spirits wander from plant to another, peeking at the signs of civilization found underneath the trees. One must wonder what would happen if a dryad would sink their roots in beer such as in the jug here and drink.

Perhaps even finding and picking up pieces of jewelry, adorning themselves on a whim. The starfish and pearls must have been brought to the jungle by bigger humanoids, unless they exist on the alien forest bottom, too.

If you have ever wished to be a petite — tiny tree spirit or otherwise — there is no better place to begin than Fantasy Faire.

The spirit dryad petites by Fallen Gods Inc. and the dishware by Gwen’s Hearth are both available in Magnificat. The alien plants by Cerridwen’s Cauldron and the jewelry by AZE Jewelry Designs can be found in Titan’s Hollow and the poses by c( Two Cats ) from Evensong Woods.

Scene: Alien Plants: Cerridwen’s Cauldron – Paradise Bat Orchids, Gnome Toes, Wisp Mushrooms, Dryad Pitcher Plants | Dishware: Gwen’s Hearth – Egyptian Barley Beer & Fresh Apple Bowl*

Spirit Dryad: Petite: Fallen Gods Inc. – Spirit Dryad* | Jewelry: AZE Jewelry Designs – Petite RFL Starfish & Pearls Set*

Poses: c( Two Cats ) – Magical 3 | Magical 4 | Magical 2*

Moonlight in the Jungle

Surreal, vivid, alien. Both the horned female covered in intricate scales and the jungle surrounding her. Even the moonlight dancing on her bare skin seems out of this world, tinting her in camouflaging tones.

Perhaps the atmosphere in this world dyes the moonlight different, stronger. Perhaps the plants themselves soak it up and reflect it on the passing creatures. Whatever the reason, this night does not hide anything in the shadows, but reveals, basks and delights in a feast of colours.

For those of you who are seduced by brilliant colour combinations, you can find these wondrous plants by Cerridwen’s Cauldron in Fantasy Faire at the moment, in Titan’s Hollow. The scaled, draco toned skins by Fallen Gods Inc. and the Erika hairstyle by Wasabi Pills can be found in Magnificat. The horns by [europa] are available in Ravenshard and the poses by c( Two Cats ) in Evensong Woods.

Scene: Cerridwen’s Cauldron – Paradise Bat Orchids & Dryad Pitcher Plants

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Draco Moonlight/Mithril + Serpent scales* | Hair: Wasabi Pills – Erika Mesh Hair Crystal Violet | Horns: [europa] – Maelus Horns Violet | Eyes: Repulse – Mystic Eyes Violet | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious

Poses: c( Two Cats) – Miqo’te 3 & Miqo’te 1*

Forest Dragon

Not all dragons are roaring flames and burninating the countryside (sorry, I could not help myself). Nor are they dark menace made out of greed and tyranny. Some of them are protective, nourishing forces of nature.

Forest dragons must prefer shapechanging for practical reasons, not much left of the forest if you stomp through them as a dragon. It is also easier to aid other creatures when they are not expecting you to snack on them any given moment.

If you lack the ability to shapechange or help with magic, there is an excellent opportunity to do so with a much more mundane means: money. Isle of Wyrms is holding a spring festival that will benefit St. Tiggywinkes Animal Hospital in the UK. You can find many a wondrous thing on their marketplace, for example this Draco Laguna skin by Fallen Gods Inc. Half of the price will go to the charity while the festival is going on (skins available afterwards in the main store). The festival will end tomorrow (April 14th), so fly over to shop while you still can!

Scene: Forest: Studio Skye – Enchanted Woods | Arch: Coco Creations – Regal Arch (Pose Fair until April 14th)

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Draco Laguna Scaled Marks Dormient | Hair: Alice Project – Heather* | Eyes: Repulse – Cyborg v3 Eyes Red 

Outfit: Mask: *~*Illusions*~* Unseelie Mask & Headpiece

Poses: Part of the arch.

Growth

Once upon a time I roleplayed a dryad called Halava. She was a lithe little thing, recently re-emerged from her sanctuary tree, fully recovered from the catastrophic wounds of the past but still young as dryads go. She wore a skin from Fallen Gods Inc. and very little else, so when the new tone of Crystals appeared in Skin Fair, I knew Halava would grow up.

More magic-infused than her younger self, she glows of the regenerative powers coursing ever so slowly through the veins that would bleed sap instead of blood. Her resemblance has turned more human due to spending more time with these brief-lived, rushing, nonsensical  creatures.

Experience comes slow to tree dryads as they take their time to observe and consider, not unlike the ents of other myths. Her younger self was oblivious to humanoid cultures beyond ancient mythical Greek ones and considered everything she witnessed with non-judgmental eyes, accepting everything as equally strange and normal part of the human behaviour. Given enough years she would have matured and formed opinions on what is good for growth and what unnaturally detrimental.

I would like to think that despite gaining more experience, more maturity, she would have kept her simple view on life, innocence and acceptance. Nurturing growth and avoiding the rot, as trees do.

The musk tone of Crystal line is currently available in the Skin Fair and they come in both female and male versions, as usual. The only decoration a dryad needs is actually a fascinator by Zibska, a part of the set available in L’Accessoires. The Victoria hairstyle by Alice Project is one of her new releases and it is tinted with the new anime hair colour HUD that is available in the Anime Hunt 2.

Scene: Studio Skye – Enchanted Tree Tunnel

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Crystal Musk OpalFae Gloss* | Eyes: IKON – Eternal Eyes Green XL | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Alice Project - Victoria * 

Outfit: Leaves in Hair: Zibska – Leigh Fascinator*

Poses: aDORKable Poses – 25 of 25 2012 | PoseMonster – Stand 58 & Stand 54

Night Is Not A Colour

It’s a sensation. It’s a state of mind. A scent, a sound, an understanding. Best felt with eyes closed. Night cannot be a colour for it is full of colours, darkness painted with subtle hues, decorated with lights, constructed of shadows. The longer you watch the night, the more you see that it could never be caught in a one simple hue.

Day reveals what our shapes seem to be, lighting our forms, showing the outer surfaces, bringing every curve, scar and scale to plain sight. Night hides the surfaces and lets you breathe with your senses. It allows you to feel as a whole being instead of a spirit bound in a flesh prison.

Night is not a colour: it is the safety of a hiding place, being unseen. It is the danger of all the monsters in your mind lurking around you. It is freedom from norms, it is a palette of shades, a feeling at the back of your neck that is ancient: be awake, be aware, be wary.

New round of Genre has started and this time the focus is on gothic beauty. The Blood Snakes skin by Fallen Gods Inc., Futakuchi Onna outfit by Bare@Rose and the bench by Painfully Divine are all available in Genre.

Scene: The Ruins: *~by Nacht – The Abbey | Bench: Painfully Divine – Little Gothic Bench Onyx

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Blood Snakes xx + Dark Tears (Genre Special)* | Eyes: Repulse – Demonic v3 Eyes Red | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Alice Project – Zephyra*

Outfit: Bare@Rose – Futakuchi Onna

Poses: PoseMonster – Stand 100 | Part of the furniture. | PoseMonster – Stand 90

Silver Lining

It’s always there if you know how to look. The very least there’s the experience you’ve gained, but usually it’s much more than that. It’s difficult to see when in the middle of the events that make us wish for one: it tends to require stepping back, taking a deep breath and observing for a while from the distance.

It’s especially difficult to see if you’re dragged down by the weight of worries, kept too close to the problems by a collar of thorns that limits your sight and forces your gaze to be fixed and unmoving. Raising your head to look into the horizon can feel like an overwhelming task, but if you just dare to lift your gaze, it will be there to greet you: the silver lining.

The whole look was inspired by the Moriko collar and hat set by Zibska. They felt like they had a story to tell with their intricate sharp twists and turns. After I set them to silver I knew I wanted to play with whites and greys. The pictures are not desaturated, the look just consists purely of monochromes. I don’t usually credit windlights, but in this case I had to since it pretty much crowned the shoot.

Windlight: Strawberry Singh Silver

Body: Skin: Nuuna’s Skins – White Skin | Eyes: Fallen Gods Inc. – Glowing Eyes v.2 | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Liner: Nomine – Megaliner Tattoo Swirlique* | Lipstick: Zibska – Anya Nine* | Hair: Analog Dog – schnapp winter | Body tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Children of Void Intense Silver

Outfit: Pants: LeeZu – Lea Vivendi Silver | Collar & Hat: Zibska – Moriko Set* | Brow attachment: Zibska – Zed*

Poses: aDORKable Poses – 3 of 25 2012 | PoseMonster – Behind 1*

PetitesFest

The petites have been running, skipping, frolicking, flying and flittering around the grid for a year now. To celebrate the occasion there’s the biggest cake ever in the Petite Kingdom with plenty of party games on the second layer and a market for shopping fun on the first.

Here’s a peaceful little sapling, slowly meandering through the area, trying not to get too giddy from the root-contact to the sugary floor when she spots an axe. Such a suspicious area with big jar and cage and a cauldron… time to slink away in a hurry! Or whatever pace passes as hurry for trees.

After escaping from the traps and axe-threat, the little wood sprite had blanched a little and her peaceful runes had turned to red in alarm. She sank her roots into the giant cake reflexively, to draw nourishment and to soothe herself. After that… well, have you ever seen a tree with a sugar-high? Good thing her tiny roots were not settled under anything important.

You can find these petite dryads by Fallen Gods Inc. in the market as well: they’re brand new addition to the petite family and for the duration of the PetitesFest they’re on -30% discount. They come with a HUD that allows you to change the type of wood they are, decide on their makeup, body runes, colour for the outfit and eyes and control whether your little dryad is a PG version or not. You can have several little wood sprites conveniently in one.

Scene: Petite Kingdom

Avatar: Fallen Gods Inc. – Petites Dryad Female*

Poses: Exposeur – When You’re Smiling 3 | Exposeur – Advent Gift 6 F | aDORKable Poses – 4 of 25 2012