Within and Waiting

Did you really think we were gone? The phantasms of the night, the grim terrors from under your bed, the dancers in the dark, the seduction of the shadows?

Did you think your rules and laws and denial of your own imagination locked us out? That all your burning mountains of books and censoring of the stories old as time removed us from existence?

You cannot destroy us for there are always those flying on the wings of fantasy, delighting in visions and what-ifs, those who are mortal enemies of the Moral Climates of Realism.

You cannot destroy us for we are within you. Silly human. We are within you and waiting.

I was delighted to find Usher II in Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. Not only because of the goth opportunities it provided, although I admit enjoying classic Poe-induced drama within a scifi mindset, but mostly because of its message. Of humankind becoming an enemy of its own imagination and banning all the flights of fancy, all stories that are not strictly based on reality. Now that is a depressing vision of the future and well worth the vengeance Mr. Stendahl so cunningly wove in the story.

The outfit by Pale Empress and the eyes by !Chop Shop! are both from A Tattered Page. There is now a central Library for your shopping convenience, although the items are also available in the main stores.

Scene: *~ by Nacht ~ The Crypt 

Body: Skin: Kooqla – The Queens Black w/o brows | Brows: +Nuuna+ Black Eyebrows | Liner: Beautiful Freak – Odetta Eye Makeup Blood Red* | Eyes: !Chop Shop! – Crystals | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hands: Slink | Nails: Beautiful Freak – Lucrezia ldg2* | Hair: Analog Dog – Tootsie Blacks

Outfit: Gown & Mask: Pale Empress – Usher II* | Jewelry: House of Rain – Horror Holiday Necklace & Earrings*

Poses: {NanTra} – Eternal Beauty 6M | {R} G1 | {NanTra} – Eternal Beauty 2M

Not an Aloe Vera

“Yes, I know they’re beautiful. Yes, I know they invite you for a closer look. Yes, I know the movement is hypnotizing. Regardless: approach at your own risk.”

“I don’t know how much help we’ve already lost trying to tend to them. Look, they are perfectly fine on their own, they don’t need tending!”

“Just leave them be in the darkness with a few candles, possibly some thematic music on the background, a skull or two, some Lovecraft for literature and they’ll be fine.”

“Not all things beautiful can be tamed, and you should look twice where you aim the hedge cutters.”

“For the last time: the thing growing on the pedestal is not an aloe vera.”

The ad text “Not an Aloe Vera” in the Cthulhu Urns from *~by Nacht amused me so much that the whole story developed around it. What can I say, I’m easily amused. The majority of the shinies are of course from World Goth Fair. You can find the furniture from *~by Nacht and liner and lipstick by Beautiful Freak in Sium, the outfit by :{MV}:, jewelry by House of Rain, tattoo by Fallen Gods Inc. and eyes from ~*By Snow*~ from Cursed. The hair by Damselfly and the boots by Sax Shepherd Designs can be acquired from Port Seraphine.

Furniture: *~by Nacht – Cozy Chtulhu Chair Black, Cthulhu Urn, WGF Salon Tentacular Lamp, WGF Salon Chesterfield, WGF Salon Table, WGF Salon Wingback Chair* | Rugs: ~Libertine~ Green brocade rugs*

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: ~*By Snow*~ Midnight Eyes II Indigo* | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Liner: Beautiful Freak – Demonia Eyeliner Black* | Lipstick: Beautiful Freak – Heavy Metal Violet* | Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Widow Full 20%* | Hair: Damselfly – Octotavia* 

Outfit: Dress, Gloves, Collar: :{MV}: – Prussian* | Boots: Sax Shepherd Designs – Lolita Boots Calavera WDP* | Jewelry: House of Rain – All Depths of Despair – WGF violet*

Poses: N/A | Part of furniture x2 | Kirin – Florence Pose 5

Not Quite Twins

Does it really matter if one prefers pastel glow and the other dragon scales? If one’s hair bounces in curly pigtails and the other goes for crimson red with black streaks?

Does the colour of the dress really matter? Black or white, red or purple. To a point it does: the covers reflect inner choices, decisions, preferences. Personality shows in palettes, poses, fabrics, styles. 

Once you go past the clothes, past the colours, past the surface, you’ll realize that there are more similarities than there are differences. Spices, flavors, nuances do not change the fact that in the larger scale of things we are all the same.

Sisters in different personality wrappings.

Almost everything here is from Gothmas by Gaslight. The skins by Fallen Gods Inc. (now complete with Slink appliers, huzzah!), the surroundings from *~by Nacht and the liner by Pin Me Down can be found in Cursed. The jewelry by Bliensen + MaiTai, shoes by .Enfant Terrible., gothbrellas by Pale Empress (gacha) and the dresses by [ SAKIDE ] are available in Sium.

Scene: *~by Nacht – Chalet d’If, Arch Swing (Winter), GxG Gacha Ultrarare Skelly Chair*

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Anemia Opal & Draco* | Hair: Alice Project – Mika & Bethany* | Eyes: IKON – Lucid Eyes Optimism & Utopia Eyes Dark Red | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Liner on Draco: Pin Me Down – Julie eyeliner 8* | Hands & Feet: Slink 

Outfit: Dress: [ SAKIDE ] – Silent Dress White & Black* | Shoes: .Enfant Terrible. – Wrapped Heels Skull Vio & Red Black* | Brooch & Earrings: Bliensen + MaiTai – Drusilla Bow Tie/Brooch & Pearl Earrings* | Parasols: Pale Empress – Lacey Gothbrella Purple & Black/Red RARE*

Poses: N/A | {Imeka~} – Katie Pose 1 & Reika Pose 8

Take a Bigger Axe

It would solve many problems. At least there are days when it feels like that, isn’t there? Perhaps that is one of the reasons why many roleplaying games feel so liberating: you can solve problems with an axe and not be thrown to jail. Or live with remorse the rest of your life. Most likely you will get a reward, possibly including half a kingdom and hand or some other body part of a royal person. Convenient!

It’s not a bad thing to at least get to emulate such solutions when in reality most of us have to daily just plaster a smile on our faces at people we fervently imagine getting a piece of axe-problemsolving instead. Logging into a virtual world where you can just run around, hack and slash and visibly defeat things is practically a form of therapy.

So truly: when things begin to annoy you the next time, try a game. After a few hours of killing virtual population in inventive ways and being praised for it, the edge of frustration is surely gone. Sometimes taking a bigger axe is the right choice: as long as it’s made of pixels.

The Razivia Valkyrie skin by Fallen Gods Inc., Vale Coat by The Muses and the face chain by .:ellabella:. are all available in the current round of We Love Role-play that has just started. The Axe of Retribution is by [EZ] Weaponry.

Scene: *~by Nacht – The Abbey

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Razivia Valkyrie* | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Aurora | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Alice Project – Willow Low Mirror* 

Outfit: Armour: The Muses – Vale Coat Blood* | Chain Mail Gloves & Pants : The Muses – Rainha Black* | Boots: lassitude & ennui – Edenion black/silver* | Face Chain: .:ellabella:. – Childlike red* | Axe: [EZ] Weaponry – Axe of Retribution (Great Axe)*

Poses: Exposeur – Call the Shots 3 | Olive Juice – True Blood: Sookie Promo 1

Goth Bunnies

They come in many sizes and shapes. Sometimes even without any visible ears or tail. They have white skin (or fur), gothic coloured hair and clothes and a penchant to clap their hands at vampires, instead of running away like more sensible rabbits would.

Who’s to say that bunnies cannot have tiny fangs as well? Or at least a preference for colours that are not pastels? Maybe there’s a secret bunny underground, opposing the damnable association to pink? Begone already, abomination unto the gods of colour!

One must remember though that no matter what colours a bunny wears or style she prefers, they cannot escape their true nature. You can cover them in black and blood-red, give them bad-ass weapons and observe them trying to fang-hiss while wiggling their noses, it’s no use: the cute is always there.

You cannot blame them, though. There are two defences a bunny can have: run fast or be too cute to kill. Have you ever tried to run in high heels or a gala dress? Did not think so.

Most of the things in the post are from World Goth Fair: The swing from *~by Nacht, the bunnies by Crushed Violets and the tiny gothic outfit by Tiny Bit Radikal can be found in Port Seraphine. The Isabella dress by :{MV}:, Khalida skin by +Nuuna+, Pluto eyes by .{Rue}. and the Burn jewelry by House of Rain are available in Cursed. The bunny ears by Adore & Abhor can be purchased in the We Love Role-play Event.

Scene: Forest: Studio Skye – Enchanted Woods | Tree: Garden of Dreams – Relic Tree* | Swing: *~by Nacht – Arch for swing (vine)* | Bunnies on the ground: Crushed Violets –  Rabbits from the Attic

Body: Skin: +Nuuna+  Khalida Skin 6 (Goth) cl. | Lipstick: +Nuuna+ Red lips | Eyes: .{Rue}. Eyes/Pluto: Empress* | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Exile – Fire To The Rain Naturals | Bunny Ears: Adore & Abhor – Bunny Ears White*

Outfit: Dress: :{MV}: Isabella Dress Vitae* | Jewelry: House of Rain – Burn Choker & Rings Ruby*

Tiny: Bunny: WynxWorks – Tiny White Bunny | Outfit & Hair: Tiny Bit Radikal – Gothic Gala Dress

Poses: Studio Sidhe – The Siddean FootFetish 2 & 9 | No pose for the tiny.

Astrid and the Anglerfish

It sounds almost like a story, titled like that. It could easily be one, too. If you manage to have a pet anglerfish, especially one that magically survives out of water, there’s bound to be a story behind the sharp teeth.

There’s something absolutely enchanting in stories, pictures and views that present to us normality with just one thing out of place. Just one surreal detail breaking the surface, pulling us into a story, into a different setting, thought pattern, mindscape.

Somehow the reality surrounding the one strange thing makes the thing even stranger. If you find a piece of magic in what should be an ordinary day, it stands out against all the dull normalcy even brighter. Makes us look at everything more carefully, more in detail. Makes us think. Makes us see.

Perhaps makes us even realize that if you learn how to look, there is magic in our ordinary lives. You just have to remember to attune to it to be able to see it.

The setting, the dress and the anglerfish are all available in the World Goth Fair. The surrounding temple from *~by Nacht and the anglerfish by Oceania Breedables are available in Port Seraphine and the ottoman by ~Libertine~, red furniture set by Senzafine, the dress by Pale Empress and the eyeliner by Pin Me Down can be found in Cursed.

Scene: Surroundings: *~by Nacht – The Temple WGF exclusive* | Red Furniture Set: Senzafine – Evendim Seating Set in Crimson* | Ottoman: ~Libertine~ Goth Marquis Ottoman v.1.1* | Plushie: Oceania Breedables –  WGF “Love the Dark” Anglerfish Collectible Plushie*

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Classic Frozen Silver Bright | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Lamb. – Bang Bang Ink | Makeup: M.O.C.K. Cosmetics – Strawberry Jam on Ice Makeover (eyeshadow/lipcolor) | Liner: Pin Me Down – The liners 6* | Hands: Slink – Mesh Hands (av) Casual

Outfit: Dresss (top&skirt): Pale Empress – Astrid red* | Stockings: LoveLace – Cameo Black* | Boots: lassitude & ennui – Selene black/red* | Bracelets: House of Rain – Horror Holiday ruby/jet/silver*

Poses: Studio Sidhe – The Siddean Foot Fetish 7&8 | middle picture’s pose a part of the ottoman

Conquering the Grid

Roleplay. It’s about time it gets a bigger spotlight on it in Second Life. To me it is what the grid should be about, with all the means to make impossible possible, to turn any vision in your head into reality, to share any flight of fancy you might entertain with others. No definitions but your own.

To me roleplay is more than just swords and spells, to me all the models, children, pageants, even the majority of the people who claim not to roleplay at all still do: it does not have to be an elf or a dragon to count as roleplay. Please do not take this as an accusation of being insincere, take it as an inclusion, a praise of being able to weave around your personality and expand on it, to enjoy parts of yourself that might not get focus in the life behind the screen. We all do this. We all enjoy this. Let’s respect each other for it.

In some ways, the masks we wear might be more true to ourselves, to our spirits, than the mundane details. Where better to let them shine than in the world where anything is possible? I say it’s time to conquer the grid back for roleplay, one prim, pixel and avatar at a time.

If you recognize any of this in yourself, if you feel like taking a step to more traditionally defined roleplay, there is a completely new monthly event called We Love Role-play that has just opened its doors. The shop list is impressive, so I encourage all of you to go and have a look!

The Fire and Blood outfit by The Muses, the Jaw Breaker sword by [EZ] Weaponry and the Unseelie mask by *~*Illusions*~* can all be found in the We Love Role-play event. The Disna hair by Alice Project is available in the current round of FaMESHed.

Scene: Surroundings: *~by Nacht – The Cloisters* | Fountain: Trident – “Crimson Fields” Fountain (KoH hunt, not available anymore)

Body: Skin: Glam Affair – Mia Fairy Tales 2012 03 A | Eyes: IKON – Utopia Eyes Dark Red | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Liner: Pin Me Down – Liner 6* | Hair: Alice Project – Disna*

Outfit: Armored Dress: The Muses – Rainha* | Mask: *~*Illusions*~* Unseelie Mask & Headpiece | Sword: [EZ] Weaponry – Jaw Breaker*

Poses: aDORKable Poses – 19 of 25 2012 | Poise – GA 3*

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

Festive Liaisons

Because they make the festivities all the better, right? The egg on the background is called Liaisons Dangerouses and all the three letters — two on the table, one inside the egg —  contain a quote from the book. It and plenty of other festive things I’m about to show are by ~Libertine~ and can be found in the Midwinter Fair.
The wreath and the set of armlets and anklets (with a necklace I didn’t use for these pictures) are by Trident from the same fair. All the curlique shapes simply went together too well not to combine. The fair has also a hunt going on and the festive pendant I’m wearing can be found in it.The festive balls — and the pendant for the hunt — are also by ~Libertine~ and can be found in the fair. The table with all of them on display is for sale separately, where as the transferable balls are for sale under the big tree in the fair. They are fully modifiable and can be shrunk down to earring-size, as I just did here. As for the outfit, it’s by SAKIDE and it’s actually called Vintage Glam Dress, although to me it felt more appropriate as a set of lingerie. It’s available in Frost Winter Fashion Fair. Even the *~ by Nacht bed from Gothmas by Gaslight continued the curlique leaf motif, so I couldn’t resist it. The surroundings are a Roman bath dream scene by Garden of Dreams because the wreath somehow simply called for it.

Scene: Garden of Dreams – Roman Bath* | Bed: *~ by Nacht – The Ice Queen’s Bed | Festive Balls: ~Libertine~ Glass Low Table with Festive Balls Display & Festive Ball, Diana e Callisto | Egg: ~Libertine~ Liaisons Dangerouses Egg

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Classic Frozen Silver Bright | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Rosy Mood – Satsuma Black 

Outfit: Dress: SAKIDE – Vintage Glam Dress White Sheer* | Necklace: ~Libertine~ Festive Pendant | Earring: ~Libertine~ Festive Ball, Bagnante | Wreath, bracelets & anklets: Trident – Winter Wreath & Idunn Winter Set

Pose: Part of the bed.

Empress by Nacht

A combination of Pale Empress and by Nacht, both of which are featuring in Gothmas by Gaslight. Pale Empress is a new shop making gorgeous gothic creations out of mesh in all of the five standard sizes plus two extra sizes. I must flail about that immediately because one of those, xs+ fits me like a glove. No more cutting off curvier parts to fit in mesh. If you’ve been too top-heavy to live with standard sizes, do try these demos.

The Dreamer-tiara by lassitude & ennui was perfect for the goth empress. The Cake Chandelier earrings by HANDverk gave the royalty a touch of quirkiness, but only if you look close enough to realize that there truly are tiny noms on trays hanging from the ears. Both of these are available in the current round of L’Accessoires. The special Licorice version of the Valerie hair by Wasabi Pills can be found in Together for Sway.

The Ice Queen’s Throne from by Nacht is available in Gothmas by Gaslight, as are all the winter fountains, the latter ones in a gacha. They are all wintry monochrome creations with lovely detailing. The lipstick is from Pin Me Down’s gacha in Gothmas by Gaslight and the pose is from Exposeur’s advent calendar.

Scene: Sim: Gothmas by Gaslight | Furniture: *~by Nacht – Ice Queen’s Throne & Winter Fountain (large)

Body: Skin: Glam Affair – Mia Fairy tales 2012 01 A | Eyes: IKON – Sunrise Eyes Deep Violet | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Lipstick: Pin Me Down – The countesses’s kiss Mystic* | Hair: Wasabi Pills – Valerie mesh hair Licorice

Outfit: Dress: Pale Empress – Gothmas Purple XS+* | Necklace: House of Rain – As Darkness Falls Amethyst/Gold* | Earrings: HANDverk – Cake Chandelier Earrings Gold* | Tiara: lassitude & ennui – Dreamer tiara gold&purple* 

Poses: N/A | Exposeur – Female of the Species 4