The Season of Whitecold

The few hours of warmer colours encourage frolicking in the snow, enjoying life in the downpour of glittering, fluttering stars. Just for those few moments before the approaching dark arrives. 

As the light wanes, darker creatures emerge from under the stairs, from the shadows, from the frozen spaces between the quick touches of sun.

They appear solid frozen as first, and you might have to glance at them from the corner of your eye to see them move at all, but as golden tones turn to blue, they are suddenly everywhere, skittering on the ice.

Cold cannot hurt them. They, and many other creatures of the night, indulge in the longdark, in the frost, in the starlight captured in small glints on the snow. It is their season, the season of whitecold.

Scene:
Stairs: {anc} NO LIMITS. Stairs for moonlight 46Li RARE
Chapel: {anc} EDEN. chapel / old . 35Li
Snow: {anc} snow ground (mesh uneven ground) white 1Li
Doves: {anc} NO LIMITS // various different doves
Hound: meadowWorks – Greyhound Poser*
Imps: lassitude & ennui – Mischievous Imps Gacha*

Character:
Skin: Pink Fuel – Doll V2 <Vamp>
Hair: !lamb. Bang Bang Ink
Eyes: IKON – Deadshine Eyes Paradise
Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious
Nails: Beautiful Freak – Dead of Winter*
Coat & Hat: Fallen Gods Inc. & FAIDA – Ekaterina White*
at Wayward Winter (event ends on 31st January)
Necklace: House of Rain – The Luxury of Tears*
Hands: Slink Casual

Poses:
NanTra – Eternal Beauty 6M
:Picture This!: Jewelry Model 3 Mirror
NanTra – Requiem 1 mirror

The Golem Runes

The runes called to me. I could hear them in my slumber, the shift of colours, the pulse of light, the gathering of energies.

They called to me, awakened me, shaped me. I could feel their melody singing new forms to life, drawing new lines, connecting them, giving them thought, purpose, spirit.

When I withdrew from stone I could still feel them. Each spark of colours pulsed magic in my veins, responded, conversed, connected. I did not know much of the world outside the runes, but my understanding of their secrets filled me, made me a living being. Separate, moving unit. A part of something bigger.

They kept singing to me, the runes. They kept singing and as they did, my veins pulsed to the melody, my limbs moved with it and slowly, steadily, I found my ability to move. Ability to live. To dance.

Scene:
Garden of Dreams – Floating Island*
Cerridwen’s Cauldron – Fae Waystones Set*

Avatar:
Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Coal Golem, female* at Fantasy Gacha Carnival
Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – The Name of Water* at Fantasy Gacha Carnival
Eyes: Fallen Gods Inc. – Glowing Eyes
Hair: Analog Dog – Pipe Dream Splash
Body: Maitreya Lara & Slink Hands & Feet

Poses: !bang – Taurus 5 & Intuition 1 | Picture This! Dance [Gift]

The Sun in Selidor

The sun in Selidor is always warm. The eternal summer embraces all visitors, inviting them to rest on the soft grass and to watch the wonder that is summer sky.

The magic runs deep in the veins of the island, not a remnant of the incarnated gods, but a living, breathing, growing presence. Selidor has a spirit of its own.

It whispers words of beauty to each new deity taking shape in its arms, words of truth from the realm where magic flows as easily as air.

“Be all that you are, creature of elements, spirit of growth. Breathe in experiences, embrace changes and always, always face the sun.”

The Fallen Gods Inc. 8th Anniversary Festival week has officially started off! The roof top of the temple hosts an Eternal Market featuring wondrous things for sale (or as gifts), the Fortune Teller inside the temple is still offering free Infinity Sidera avatars for both men and women that find their match, and the week is full of events! Today there’s a live music concert by Phoenix J at 2PM SLT, more schedule details here.

Scene: Eternal Market at Selidor

Body:
Skin & Appliers: Fallen Gods Inc. – Sidera Infinity PG at Fortune Teller in Selidor
Mesh Parts: Maitreya Lara Mesh Body | Slink Hands & Feet
Hair: Wasabi Pills – Sharon Mesh Hair Sidera at the Eternal Market
Eyes: IKON – Immortal Eyes Parchment

Outfit:
Outfit: !deviousMind – Hekate Diamond Sheer* at the Eternal Market
Necklace & Earrings: House of Rain – Ouija Set* at the Eternal Market
Particle Magic: Cole’s Corner – Infinite Halo & Fireflies* at the Eternal Market

Poses: Kirin – Athena Pose 1 | Picture This! Jewelry Model 2 | Kirin – Hera Pose 1

Dream Bubbles

Dreams are bubbles over water, glittering in the sun, dancing to the quiet melodies within. We create as easy as we breathe — ideas, thoughts, concepts, dreams — they all float and flutter and escape from our mindscapes with every exhale.

Most of our ideas pop like sparkling soap bubbles, perfect for that one brief moment, then gone, forgotten. Some linger long enough to take form, to grow wings, gain life. It is still a fragile life, in constant need of light and warm winds to carry them, to care and support. 

It takes an immense amount of focus, care and perseverence for the brilliant little bubbles to turn into a full-fledged dream in all her complexities and details, for the creation, the project, the thought to become reality.

But when it happens, when you watch your creation complete and fall up into the sky exactly as you imagined, or even better, exactly as she grew out to be — it is worth all the faded soap bubbles bursting in the sun. Worth keeping breathing, keeping dreaming, one deep inhale at a time.

The delightful bubble dress by chocolate Atelier is from the current round of Gacha Garden and pretty much inspired the whole thing. It is one of the so called Seeds of Inspiration, which means you get it automatically from their machine after you’ve played it 20 times.

Scene: {anc} Bubbles & Ephmera Clear | +Half-Deer+ Bubble Brigade Crab Orange

Body: Skin: Pink Fuel – Doll V2 Vamp Pure (blkbrow) | Hair: MINA Hair – Roosje | Eyes: IKON – Odyssey Eyes Clarity | Hands & Feet: Slink | Body: Maitreya | Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Ammonite (past hunt prize during Fantasy Faire 2015) | Nails: Beautiful Freak – Romantic*

Bubble Outfit: chocolate Atelier – Tiffany Bubble Dress

Poses: Exposeur – Underwater 7 | Picture This! – Submerge 2 Mirror & Submerge 5

The Seasons of Persephone: Winter

Summer was always too short. The time to return took her by surprise every year despite the signs beginning to appear: her skin paled, her hair lost its vibrant colour, the summer greens changed to darker winter tones.

The butterflies transformed to small spirits, twirling around her, eager to return back to Hades. Flower decorations became chains and bones, metals and gemstones. 

The blooming lines across her body sharpened into a strong mask befitting the Queen of the Underworld, the one whose name was barely whispered aloud in fear it would call her attention. Call the attention of the one carrying into effect the curses of men upon the souls of the dead.

As the nature quiets into its winter hibernation, Persephone returns to Hades: the realm and the god. She returns and she rules by his side until the awakening spring calls her back to the warmth of summer.

The dress by Fallen Gods Inc. & [FAIDA] is one of the exclusives in The Epiphany. You can acquire the exclusives by redeeming in your gacha prizes, that way you can get rid of the commons you don’t want and get exclusive shinies in return! The halo by Cerberus Xing is a gacha prize in the same event. The tattoo by Fallen Gods Inc. is available in Create Your Own Tarot event, the skin by Fallen Gods Inc. is from Wayward Carnival, the hair by EMO-tions from Hair Fair and the necklace by !deviousMind from the current Underworld round of Genre.

Scene: Annon

Body: Skin: Fallen Gods Inc. – Pure Ivory* | Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – The Emperor Complete + Gold Filigree* | Hair: EMO-tions – Stephanie | Eyes: IKON – Immortal Eyes Parchment | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hands & Feet: Slink | Body: Maitreya

Outfit: Dress: Fallen Gods Inc. & [FAIDA] – Jour Reveur Diabolique* | Crown: Aisling – Savage Winter Crown (snow) | Halo: Cerberus Xing – Tsukiyomi’s Halo (Gold + B) | Necklace: !deviousMind – Lasombra – Vampire Necklace Gold/Silver* | Bracelets – Bliensen + MaiTai – Mano Bracelets Gold* | Spirits: Cole’s Corner – Mana Comet Companion, Mushi Chain Companion, Water Faerie Companion*

Poses: Picture This! – Jewelry Model 3 | {NanTra} – Eternal Beauty 8M | {NanTra} – Eternal Beauty 1M

Eleven Days of Enchantment

The transition was smoother this year. No lands were lost and the amount of magical energy required to form the Fairelands was at such high levels that the continent grew to the size never seen before.

The Fairelands are awake now and like all living things, reaching toward the spring light, basking in it, full of life and promise. Full of magic and enchantment.
All is prepared, the feasts have been set, the portals polished, the welcoming fairy dances practiced, the dragons pre-lectured about not eating any visitors.
The Fairelands are here, the magic has arrived. You have eleven days to step through a portal and join the Faire Folk before the spells anchoring the Fairelands into reality fade once more. Eleven days to live in the fantasy world continent, eleven days to be all you want to be. Eleven days of enchantment. 

Fantasy Faire 2015 has just opened! You can begin your journey here in the Fairelands Junction, which has portals to all the other sims. This year there’s ten shopping sims and three additional ones: Fairelands Junction, Poseidon’s Abyss (Arts & Entertainment) and Ravenshold (The Lost Land Hunt). There’s Literary Festival, dance and particle shows, DJs, roleplay groups, May Day Ball, jail & bails, auctions… the eleven days are packed. Read more about it all in the Fantasy Faire website.

You can find The Muses and Analog Dog Hair in Tangleshimmer Grove, [Gauze] in YoZakura, [MUSE] and Stitched in Spires of Andolys and .:Soul:. and Cole’s Corner in Ichi-go Ichi-e. The tattoo by Fallen Gods Inc. is a hunt prize in the Fairelands Hunt: The Lost Land.

Scene: YoZakura in Fantasy Faire 2015 | The Muses – Titania’s Feast & Chaise*

Body: .:Soul:. Davina (F4) Violent Toned FB* | Eyes: IKON – Hope Eyes Leonine | Lashes: Redgrave – 39 – Luscious | Hair: Analog Dog – Sola Splash* | Tattoo: Fallen Gods Inc. – Ammonite Full 100%*

Outfit: Dress: The Muses – Coil* | Shoes: .:Soul:. Cthu Shoes* | Bracers: Stitched – Astraea Bracelets* | Collar & Crown: [MUSE] – Maiden of Tuatha Gold* | Staff: [Gauze] – Alchemist Staff Animated Mana* | Sprite: Cole’s Corner – Water Faerie Companion* |

Poses: {NanTra} Eternal Beauty 6M | Picture This! Magi 2 | (*chanimations – alchemy_look

The Truth About Fluffzoid 8

“This whole nonsense about sending defenseless tourists into Fluffzoid 8 is insanity. These are no ordinary rabbits, these lagomorphs. They have a vicious streak a standard distance unit wide.”

“They require an expert training hand and unquestioned authority to tame properly and even then they might occasionally… leap and… nibble.”

“The point is that as much as this travel arrangement brings in credits home to Gothulon, it must be organized with extreme care. Obligatory life insurance is not enough, there’s reputation at stake as well.”

“Every expedition must have a trip leader from Gothulon with sufficient authority to keep the cuddle of bunnies at bay and every tourist must be equipped with appeasement carrots. In case of an emergency, remember the distraction power of the light and sound display throwables of Antioch.”

Futurewave has its travel teleports still open until midnight March 1st. If you haven’t visited yet, zoom on over! The jacket by Senzafine, android legs and hands by Star Quality, makeup by Beautiful Freak, eyes by Pin Me Down and the eyeware and data pad by BluPrintz are all available there.

Scene: Futurewave

Body: Skin: League – Sia Fair Bloom | Hair: ~Tableau Vivant~ Snowbunny hair | Eyes: Pin Me Down: Mecha 16* | Makeup: Beautiful Freak – Circuit Makeover Black*

Outfit: Jacket: Senzafine – Eclipse Womens Jacket Carbon* | Legs: Star Quality – Android Legs Black* | Hands: Star Quality – Cyberhand Black* | Eyeware: BluPrintz – Tech Spaces Moon* | Data Pad: BluPrintz – Data Pad* | Headpiece: @->~ISD – An Alien Cure Headpiece Red*

Poses: :Picture This!: Jewelry Model 1 & Magi 2 Mirror | {NanTra} Eternal Beauty 6M*

Dropping the Masks

If we let our masks drop, Mr. K, and walk into the desert to watch the moons, to swim in the wine-filled canals, to speak to each other in soft melodies, would the fire flowers bloom for us again?

If we abandoned the routines, the rituals, the appropriate behaviour, if all the masks of joviality, stern moments of disapproval, gold and silver and paint, if all of them dropped on the red Martian sand, would we be able to connect again?

If we forgot assumptions and covers, if we opened our minds and bodies to touch once more, reached out toward each other and found ourselves in the telepathic sharing, would you hold me as tenderly as you do the ancient books that sing to you?

If you did, I would not dream of strange metal crafts and white skinned men of Earth. If you did, the calling would be answered by someone else. If you did, our days would be a flight of flame birds across the sky: sparkling fireworks in the heavens.

The second round of A Tattered Page has just started, and it’s focusing on The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury. The book is a collection of short stories written in 1950, the stories spanning the imagined years of 1999 – 2026 of Mars colonization. The first story, Ylla, features Mr. and Mrs. K, a married Martian couple. Their marriage has faded into familiar routines and rut, until Mrs. K begins having dreams of a strange white-skinned, black-haired man of Earth, arriving in a silver craft. It is my favourite of the whole book, both because it shows the Martian culture most, but also because Ylla is so heartbreakingly easy to sympathize with.

A Tattered Page has a central Library now for your shopping convenience, although the items are also available in the main stores. The skins and eyes by Fallen Gods Inc., the fire flowers by @->~ISD, the masks by Roawenwood and the arm-strap mask by .Luminary. are all from the event.

Mr. K is fittingly represented by Alia Baroque, of course. After photobombing Mrs. K he managed to change the whole direction of where the post was going for the better.

Scene: Garden of Dreams – The Desert* | Fire Flowers: @->~ISD – Martian Fire Flower Pretty Face Pack | Masks: Roawenwood – Moody Martian Masks*

Mr and Mrs. K: Skins & Eyes: Fallen Gods Inc. – Mr. & Mrs. K.* | Hairs: Mrs. K: Exile – Rain Natural Fusion | Mr. K: Exile – Tidal Light Blondes | Arm Strap Mask on Mrs. K: .Luminary. – Peregrine Pauldron*

Poses: :Picture This!: – Dance [Gift] | !bang – carefree 5 | N/A (dance, not a pose)

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)*