Sword Day, Red Day

Red had traveled under many names, most of them either forgotten by now or branded into myths and legends. Having a mythical name meant these days simply that your parents had played Dungeons and Dragons as youngsters, so she preferred Red.

Horses had changed to bikes, which in general meant they were much easier to fix than their predecessors had been. Sharp pieces of metal had turned to small blunt pieces of metal of beautiful velocity. The ring of swords had become the drums of guns.

In all this time Red had never changed. She was always beautiful, always fiery, always tempting and glamorous. She was glory and fame, power and control, the beauty of fire calling you closer until you burn.

She was all the reasons humanity had ever needed for fighting each other. She was War, and tonight she was riding to town.

New round of A Tattered Page has just started, this time focusing on Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. War is of course one of the Four Horsemen Bikers of the Apocalypse. The boots by Pale Empress and the helmet by Eclectica can be found in the ATP Library.

Scene: The Wastelands

Body: Skin: Jalwa – Gazala Salt Black Brow* | Eyes: IKON – Hope Eyes Leonine | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Exile – Pick Up Lines | Lipstick: Beautiful Freak – Liquid Metal Blood Red* | Hands & Feet: Slink Casual & High | Body Blood Smears: Fallen Gods Inc. – Bloody Flesh 

Outfit: Jacket: Erratic – Tory Cropped Biker Jacket Glossy Red | Pants: Erratic – Zoey Leather Pants Red | Boots: Pale Empress – War Boots* | Helmet: Eclectica – Good Omens War Helmet for ATP Red* | Jewelry: House of Rain – Burn Choker & Rings Ruby* | Sword: Fallen Arms – For the Living Sword* | Particles: Cole’s Corner – Digital Confetti Aura Firey*

Poses: {NanTra} Requiem 3 | !bang Carefree 2 | !bang mini series Overcome 2

The Sound of Bones

The sound of the bones is soothing. They clatter gently in the evening breeze, each touch a hollow sound, echoing into the night. 
They know things, the bones. The older they are, the more they know. Secrets long forgotten, secrets taken to the grave, secrets buried deeper than the graves ever were.

If you listen well, if you can hear with more than your ears, you can catch their whispers, the faded words, the forgotten languages.

If you listen to the silences between the hollow sounds you will understand. Understand and be able to ask questions. Ask, answer and to have whole quiet conversations within the dead echos of the worlds; ours and all the others.

You can find the outfit by Livid, bow tie and nail ornaments by Bliensen + MaiTai, poses by [Black Tulip], eyes by Pin Me Down and the furniture by 22769 ~ [bauwerk], *NeverWish* and Chaos Panic & Disorder all from World Goth Fair.

Scene: 22769 ~ [bauwerk] Balloon Chair Black, Candlehouse, Gothic End Table, Petroleum Lamp, Cognac Bottle & Glass* | *NeverWish* Coffin Chair & Bone Chimes* | Chaos, Panic, & Disorder – Plushie Bat (Black&Red)*

Body: Skin: Pink Fuel – Doll V2 Vamp | Hair: +Spellbound+ Velvet Jet Black | Eyes: Pin Me Down – Mori Greyscale 4* | Eyeshadow: Beautiful Freak – Jackal Red* | Hands: Slink

Outfit: Livid – Batcave Dress Fangtasia Night Out, Gothic Fetish Platform Boots, Bat Ring Black* | Tights: ~Cannibelle~ Gothic Lace Suspender Tights | Nail Ornaments: Bliensen + MaiTai – Rawwr Claws Black | Bow Tie: Bliensen + MaiTai – Drusilla Bow Tie/Brooch | Headdress: Pale Empress – Persephone Crown*

Poses: [Black Tulip] Lost in the Woods*

Twilight Delights

It’s strange to bid farewell to the cold lights and dark nights. Winter can be many things, but it is always familiar. It always encourages safety and comfort instead of whim and curiosity. It is also blissfully dark, the lights dancing within it more natural decor than a light source.

Then suddenly the nights are not dark anymore, there’s nowhere to hide, the light has invaded and won the world. Even the creatures of the night have their share of the soft illumination, brushing against the pale skins and dark strands of hair.

Cloaks and coats are removed, flower-scented air inhaled, warmth of the night experienced as the miracle that it is. There’s no greater magic than the one that returns life to us every spring.

No greater magic than the one that turns the dark starlit nights into warm haze of twilight delights and brings forth the sun that never sleeps, the Magic of Summer.

World Goth Fair has just opened. This year the event takes place only in Cursed (the event area up in the air). The gown by Pale Empress, cloak by @->~ISD and the poses by [Black Tulip] are all available in World Goth Fair. The skin by Fallen Gods Inc. is a rare in the gacha at Fantasy Gacha Carnival and the crown by lassitude & ennui is available at The Secret Affair.

Scene: World Goth Fair

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Lady of the Shadows, Ivory* | Hair: Exile – Never Time At All | Eyes: IKON – Deadshine Eyes | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hands: Slink | Nails: Beautiful Freak – Romantic*

Outfit: Gown: Pale Empress – Nevermore* | Cloak: @->~ISD Her Breedless Cloak ~ Midnight [FittedMesh+Materials]* | Crown: lassitude & ennui – Foreboding crown silver* |

Poses: [Black Tulip] Lost in the Woods*

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

The Call of Winter

She was once a daughter of summer, a child of growth and warmth. Beautiful like a sunny day she caught the eye of Winter, who seduced her to step into the silence, into the realm of ice and snow.

There were attempts to save her, of course, but not before she had tasted the berries, red as the blood in her veins. Not before she had bound herself to the realm of her captor.

Did she know what she was doing when she took a bite? Did she know she’d be forever trapped to travel between the seasons? Did the cold light of winter tempt her to stay willingly? She will never tell.

Never tell how it was a relief to drop her garments and duties, the busy sounds of life, the diverse excitement of all things growing and needing her attention. Never tell how the strength of the blinding light called to her with its single-minded focus.

Called to her until she happily lost sight of everything else and stepped forward to meet it, to embrace it, to be caught in its arms. Seduced.

With the outfit name like Persephone I simply had to do a more season-focused twist on her story. Less about Hades and more about Persephone as the explanation for seasons existing, and even more about her own choices within the situation.

Gothmas by Gaslight is held on two adjacent sims: Cursed and Sium. The skin by Jalwa, the outfit by Pale Empress and the tattoo by Fallen Gods Inc. are all available in the event, the straight booth slurls are in the credits.

Scene: Studio Skye – Enchanted Tree Tunnel v2

Body: Skin: Jalwa – Sameena Gothmas Black Brow* | Makeup: Jalwa – Sameena Gothmas Eyes Ice & Gothmas Lips Scarlet* | Eyes: IKON – Utopia Eyes Dark Red | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hands & Feet: Slink | Hair: Olive – The Anna Hair & The Izzy II Hair | Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Brier Complete full coloured (main look)*

Outfit: Pale Empress – Persephone Gown, Gloves, Crown*

Poses: aDORKable Poses – 17 of 25 2012 | PoseMonster – Behind 3 | an lar [poses] Being Miss Red One (m) | Kirin – Burlesque Poses Cane Pose 2

Skadi Speaks

It is time. The time of darkness lit only by the snow and the wild foxfires across the sky. The time to raise your glass to King Winter and welcome him in.

Let the winds blow and scathe, let the frost bite until all the humans see the wisdom of staying indoors and warming each other. Let the lights blind their eyes until they learn to love the soothing darkness.

Let the frost embrace and cover the world, pulling silence after it like a cloak. Let the snowflakes dance in the air, let the sound of their falling be the only audible thing.

Deep in the frozen silence, where no sound of life dares to emerge, Skadi speaks.

Gothmas by Gaslight opened today and it is held on two sims: Cursed and Sium. The outfit by Pale Empress, pendant by House of Rain, makeup by Beautiful Freak and the two first poses by {NanTra} are all available in the event, the booth slurls in the credits. The hair by Tableau Vivant is from the current round of Collabor88.

As for Skadi that the dress is named after: she’s a Norse goddess of winter, bow-hunting, skiing and mountains, sometimes theorized to be also connected to the darkness. I felt it was just right to let her speak for this one.

Scene: Gothmas by Gaslight

Body: Skin: [KOOQLA] Bisquit . Pure 04 (db) | Eyes: IKON – Spectral Eyes Wight | Hair: ~Tableau Vivant~ Snowdrift Hair B&W | Hands: Slink | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Nails: Beautiful Freak – Dead of Winter Nails* | Makeup: Beautiful Freak – Bitter Winter Makeover Black*

Outfit: Gown & Collar: Pale Empress – Skadi* | Pendant: House of Rain – Daggers Necklace*

Poses: {NanTra} Merry Deathmas 1 (with red goblet)* | {NanTra} Merry Deathmas 4* | Picture This! – Magi 1

Resigned

“Justine shook her head mournfully. “I do not fear to die,” she said; “that pang is past. I leave a sad and bitter world; and if you remember me, and think of me as of one unjustly condemned, I am resigned to the fate awaiting me.” – Frankenstein, chapter 8

Did she feel it, the impending doom in the air? Justine, the maid so dear to the Frankenstein family that she was all but a family member. Perhaps not, perhaps she spent her last days in the contented happiness that the family had provided her, in doting over young William and taking care of the house of her benefactors.

One could hardly blame her for feeling and expressing her gratitude so constantly, for it was the Frankenstein family — especially the late Caroline Frankenstein, Victor’s mother — who had convinced Justine’s mother to let her ignored daughter live at the Frankensteins from the age of twelve.

So it was that Justine’s worry and concern for William, the youngest of the family, became the first step of her downfall. If she had not heard of William gone missing and had not spent so much time looking for him that she had to seek shelter in a barn for the gates of Geneva were closed already, the creature would have never seen her, never felt the bitter twinge for her beauty and therefore would have never placed the incriminating locket in the coat pocket of her sleeping form.

With the locket from around the murdered child’s neck found in her pocket there was no hope for Justine, suddenly seen as the most ungrateful wretch in the world, someone willing to turn against her benefactors in the most dreadful way imaginable. No one seemed to question the logic of this, the only defense laid in the heartfelt pleas of Elizabeth who had only her firm belief in the innocence of Justine on her side.

Justine confessed for the fear of hell, for the threats from her confessor, but in private she still convinced Elizabeth and Victor of her innocence, thus dropping the last of the misplaced guilt off her shoulders. She became the second victim of the creature, albeit indirect, and in doing so: also the second victim of Victor Frankenstein himself.

A Tattered Page is a new in-store event that draws its inspiration from books. The first round focuses on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and you can find the shopping guide from the website. The hair and tears tattoo by Pale Empress, the prison with poses by [Black Tulip] and both dresses — light by .Luminary., dark by Pale Empress — and both necklaces — light by Eclectica, dark by House of Rain are a part of the event.

Scene:
Light: Garden of Dreams – The Atelier
Dark: [Black Tulip] A Prison for your Mind*

Body: Skin: !Imabee – Petal Florentien darkB & Eyeliner 1 | Eyes: IKON – Hope Eyes Denim | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Pale Empress – Justine* | Hands: Slink | Tears Tattoo: Pale Empress – ATP Frankenstein Justine’s Tears*

Outfit:
Light: Gown: .Luminary. – Justine Cream* | Necklace: Eclectica – The Frankenstein Miniature*
Dark: Gown: Pale Empress – Justine Dress* | Necklace: House of Rain – Find Forever Gone Locket Closed*

Poses: flowey – a twinge in your heart | Picture This! – Jewelry Model 3 Mirror | [Black Tulip] A Prison for your Mind (poses part of the prison)*

They Wait

They wait. Between the worlds, in the space of silently slithering thoughts and ancient memories they bide their time. Their time never runs out, nor their patience.

The realms shift, aeons pass, shadows slide in like the tide. They embrace the oldest of mysteries, the best-kept secrets: embrace and absorb before they retreat.

The shadows breathe the secrets into the night air, into flickers at the corner of your eye, into the certainty of someone watching. They dance with every dark story you’ve ever heard, whisper so low that your ears cannot hear, so low that you feel it at the base of your spine: it is all true.

They wait. The worlds turn, years vanish like blinks of an ancient eye. Enticed imaginations reach for them, feel them, fear them: feed them.  

Every primal fear of the dark, every gasp of a frozen prey, every moment of fierce denial of the truth we feel curling around our throats like the slow dance of the python, every held breath of the child within hiding in a corner knows the truth older than our small world: it is true.

They are true. They exist. They wait. There are moments within the world-turns when the doors open, the barriers vanish, the realms merge. Moments that arrive exactly when we wait for them the most.

Soon.

You better have your very own Cthulhu statue to appease (in vain) these particular Halloween guests, yesyes. The altar is a new release by Cerridwen’s Cauldron for Halloween. The naga-parts, accessories and trident are from gachas by !deviousMind, available in the main store.

Scene: Surroundings: Garden of Dreams – The Tomb* | Statue & Braziers: Cerridwen’s Cauldron – Cthulhu Altar Statue, Bonus Tentacle Braziers*

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Scales Terra Egypt* | Eyes: !Chop Shop! – Rabben Red | Hair: MINA Hair – Lena | Hands: Slink | Nail Polish: Pale Empress – Severina* | Tail: !dM deviousMind – NagaTail Garter Carnelian 

Outfit: Body Leaves: !dM deviousMind – Thyia Fancy Foliage Poison Ivy | Crown & Side Fins: !dM deviousMind – NagaQueen Crown & Fins Viper Colors | Trident: (*chanimations – NagaTrident Tentacle Seaweed

Poses: Kirin – Florence Pose 5 | (*chanimations – Alchemy | Picture This! – Jewelry Model 1 | an lar [poses] – Being Miss Red Three-B (m)

The Detectors of the Station

“Miss Sight, I assume you’re busy at work, but perhaps I could have just a few words…?”

“Friendly greeting, Visitor 9321. Your record shows no trespasses or misconduct, your current stay at the Spiral just reached nine days, one hour, forty-five minutes and counting.”

“Yes, that is correct. Is that what you do, the Detectors of the Station? Keep records of the visitors?”

“Record every arrival, record every departure, keep track of current status.”

“…and if there is a …misconduct?”

“Inform the Gaze. The Detectors are not equipped to deal with misdemeanors, we simply observe and record matters.”

“Ah. …may I ask why… how… the Detectors are… trained, exactly?”

“Specific radar implants, broadcast unit for communication and control. Organic blindness for enhanced vision. Nerve-integration to Broca’s.” 

“…that seems very… complete, yes. I’m sure you do your job perfectly well.”

“Error-margin non-existent. Good day, Visitor 9321. You have seven days, five hours and twenty-three minutes left of your stay.”

A Clockwork Spiral has passed its halfway point, lasting to October 1st. If you haven’t yet indulged in the matters of steam and dieselpunk, now’s the time! The jacket and pants by Pale Empress, boots by House of Rain, hand attachment by Unrepentant, the nails by Pin Me Down and the eyes by !Chop Shop! are all available in the Spiral.

Scene: A Clockwork Spiral

Body: Skin: Pink Fuel – Sora <Alabaster> Natural | Eyes: !Chop Shop! – Vibrant Moonstone | Makeup: Pin Me Down – All about the liner Sapphire, One 1, Tiken* | Hair: A&Y Aeon Hair 2 Black | Hands: Slink | Nails: Pin Me Down – Oscarian Modern*

Outfit: Jacket: Pale Empress – Meteora* | Pants: Pale Empress – Diesel Capri* | Boots: House of Rain – Decadencia Boots Black* | Hand Attachment: Unrepentant – The Deep Oil Spill* | Eye Implant: Remarkable Oblivion – Photographers Eye Closed

Poses: (marukin) [volition] back of a bird | !Picture This! – Artistic Nude 2 Mirror | Exposeur – Back to Black 6 | Kirin – Hera Pose 1

Just Be

They’re always there, fluttering. Thoughts, hopes, fears. What-ifs of past, paths of the future. Choices, estimations, considerations, re-considerations. Neverending. Tempting, condemning, promising, despairing.

They can feel like a burden, a swarm around you, never giving you a moment’s peace, drawing you in different directions, pulling your steps from one side to another, turn from your path forward back and around to the past again, caught in a cycle.

Sometimes you can’t leave them behind, sometimes they will simply turn you around again. Sometimes the fears are so mixed with hopes that you cannot tell them apart, all the paths are blocked with both.

Sometimes there’s no path, sometimes all you can do is be. Face them, dance with them and simply be, see where they will fall in the end.

World Goth Fair is still going on (last day June 1st) to cater more darkness to the grid. The corset, skirt and hat are combined from two different outfits by Aliza Karu’s AD Creations Dollhouse available in Port Seraphine. You can find the boots by Sax Shepherd Designs from the same sim. The necklace by lassitude & ennui and the liner by Beautiful Freak can be found in Sium. The petals by Uncertain Smile are a part of separate cage-based pose set, I just used them with other poses for this. The slink applier gloves and nails are from Severina set by Pale Empress and the slink applier gloves are meant to be worn with long system gloves layers and then mesh sleeves on top of them, I just liked them like this. You can find Pale Empress and Uncertain Smile also in Sium.

Scene: Cursed | Petals: Uncertain Smile – La Fete Triste1 Petals*

Body: Skin: Essences – Clover 01 Pale Dust Brunette | Eyes: Poetic Colors – Classic Frozen Silver Bright | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Analog Dog – Schnapp Natural Black | Blush: Zibska – YesNo Two | Bunny Ears & Tail: +Half-Deer+ Velven Bunny Ears (Darkheart) & Bunny Tail | Liner: Beautiful Freak – Demonia Black*

Outfit: Top: LoveLace – Petit Four Licorice | Corset: [AD Creations Dollhouse] Sophie Corset* | Skirt, Pants & Hat: [AD Creations Dollhouse] – Goth1c | Shoes: Sax Shepherd Designs – Lolita Boots Calavera* | Gloves & Nails: Pale Empress – Severina* | Necklace: lassitude & ennui – Ravenskull necklace black* | Ribbon: *BOOM* – Precious Bow Choker pitch 

Poses: Poise – GA_2 | aDORKable Poses – 13 of 25 2012 | !bang – mini series optimistic 3