Otherworldly

I did warn that there would be more videos for the 2022 Horse Show and here we go. With cool new idles for the horses and a fancy new cloak for myself, a video was definitely needed. Plus, it made it easier to offer a good look at the three different Dragonkin tack/mod sets from Idunn’s Clutch. I go through all the new items in the video, but for a quick and easy overview of the credits, scroll to the end of this post. On the way, you’ll pass a few photos; I am particularly pleased with the first one but the rest are pretty cool looks at the horses too.

When I spotted the Violette shirt from Rosier, I knew I had to send Ran shopping. One quick jaunt over to the Warehouse Sale later and a bit of inventory hunting and he was ready, having paired the shirt with the very handy BOM leather leggings from Toksik and a pair of boots from Hotdog.

I then setup the Renaissance Canopy Bed from Fantavatar & Moonstruck in the Cosimo Townhouse from Del-ka Aedilis and told him to hop on. The animations are all intended for couples, but quite a few of them work just fine with a single avatar as well.

The sumptuous bed comes with a HUD that offers texture options for the wood and all the various fabrics.

J’adoube, sponsored by The Looking Glass, is a fascinating build filled of both whimsy and beauty. Giant chesspieces, chessboard-patterned flowers and butterflies, boats with trees sprouting from them. It feels like walking into a different reality, a sidestep away from the world as we know it. I could not resist the opportunity to blog some of the beautiful pieces that make up J’adoube, though I knew I could not possibly capture a similar feeling to the full sim. Instead, I opted for showing off some beautiful period clothing from Old Treasures and Portal (including a couple of great gifts/cheapies at the birthday round of We Love Role-Play) over a game of chess in a garden.

As the first entry in a clothing line, Old Treasures has released the Gentilhomme set for the Fantasy Faire. As soon as the Faire opened, I sent Ran over there to get the doublet (he felt the pants looked a little too muscular in the shading for his tastes) and he opted for the very well-priced mixed colour pack in the RFL vendor. This kind of well-made medieval clothing for men is not exactly common in Second Life, so we were both happy to see Old Treasures move into this market. And since he dressed up so prettily, he gained himself an invitation to my private chambers (mild nudity at the end of the post).

One does not simply walk into Faerie, even if one finds one of the gates that leads there. Faerie is an ever-changing realm of both beauty and terror and one needs to be prepared for the dangers that lurk within. A trusty steed, bold and well protected by armour, is a good companion for a perilous journey. An enchanted dagger at one’s side might also help, and jewellery infused with charms of good luck.

(Also, as an aside, if you have not read The Call by Peadar O’Guilin, do so if you want to read a truly frightening account of Faerie.)

In Welsh myth, you can recognize the creatures of Annwn—the Otherworld—by their white coats and red ears. If a pack of white hounds with red-tipped ears races through the woods, take care because the rest of the fairy hunt may follow. This seemed like a very appropriate subject for today. Walpurgis Night, the night before Beltane, is the last day of the Wild Hunt, their last chance until Samhain to cause havoc. Here in Sweden, bonfires are traditionally lit to scare off various supernatural creatures that are about on this night (though in some parts of the country, the bonfires have moved to Easter instead, when they primarily scare away witches).

Somewhere deep in the woods stands a tall tower, where a man wearing a mask has arranged for a secret meeting with a lady. Who is the man who will not reveal his face? And why has the lady agreed to meet with him in such a secluded location? Is there a scandal in the making, perhaps? Or does he know some dark secret that he is using to blackmail her with?

ContraptioN and Hotdog have a fanastic collaboration out at The Men’s Department, a set of fencing swords & poses as well as a set of fencing attire (not shown). This was definitely an excellent reason to do another video; even the poses are static it allowed me to show a much wider variety than I could in a couple of images. But of course I needed to take some cool shots as well, so you will find those after the video together with the full credits for all items worn and used. This post also features new outfits from the Dreaming Thicket and Stitched.

A couple of weeks ago, I took notice of a new (or at least new-to-me) brand called Hotdog thanks to the stylish coat that Ran is wearing in this photo. Around the same time, I also spotted them participating in the Pose Fair with a pack of male poses. It did not take me long to send Ran shopping, though it took us a bit longer to get this post together. But at least the frock coat is available at the Dark Style Fair for a few more days and the same goes for the poses at the Pose Fair. Afterwards, they will presumably find their way to the eclectic Hotdog mainstore which already houses a small collection of releases showing off their unique aesthetics.