Otherworldly

alaskametro has several new releases out for Skin Fair, which runs from March 8th to March 25th. The “Fit” body skin has received a significant update, which includes new tones and new add-ons. The skin is now sold in 4 packs with 3 tones in each, which at L$250 per pack remains a fantastic bargain for a great body skin. And, if you have bought the “Fit” body before, make sure to check which packs you get redelivered as Alaska is generously providing updates for previous purchases.  This body skin is in my top three for sure, it is so natural and well-balanced in terms of texture and shading. Not too shiny, not too shaded, not too exaggerated in any way. I am definitely very happy to have even more tones to play with and to potentially match with other face skins.

Of course, Alaska also provides some very nice face skin. For Skin Fair, she has updated Abby (again, check for redeliveries if you bought her before) and created two new faces; Amber, a Genus or SLUV skin, and Maya, an EvoX Asian skin. I decided to photo all three ladies in the Basix underwear from alaskametro outlet on the Marketplace and posing on the Gelato limited edition of the Valentine furniture from DICTATORSHOP, available at Cosmo until the 16th of March.

Sometimes, you just have to go full Sword & Sorcery and seeing the Apophis snake from Axis Mundi immediately put me in that mood. The huge cobra can be extensively customised via the HUD and will slither along with you as you walk or slither in a coil around you when you are standing still. To dress the part I selected Superdoll’s Stardust Sorceress, a cute little fantasy outfit which also offers a lot of texture options. As accessories, Nefekalum’s impressive Shrike headdress, with sweeping horns and dangling chains, and a dagger from Thorn’s set of several variants. Each dagger is scripted for quite a few different hand/arm poses which you access through clicking the weapon. The final piece from We Love Role-Play is the Dragon Teeth collection by Cerridwen’s Cauldron, which helps create a fantastical landscape.

In addition to the new releases from WLRP I am also Wasabi’s latest hair release, out this weekend for FLF, and my skin is from alaskametro for the Skin Fair, though you’ll get to see that in more detailed in a separate post.

We Love Role-Play welcomes you to its March round. Its definitely getting to be spring weather outside in real life, but the Thyra outfit from Rakshasa with its luxurious fur wrap on top of the gown and the apron still made me think of snow. I love all the options in the fatpack, not just in the way of textures but you can also choose your sleeve length and of course go with or without the apron and the fur. The braided headband with the gold ornaments looks like it might have been a part of the Rakshasa outfit, but it is actually from Bliensen + MaiTai.  It sits very prettily on the thick braid from No.Match. I am also wearing new eye appliers from lovelysweet, from a pretty set called Kore that features beautiful jewel tones.

The rustic well is by MoonSha and comes in four different texture variants and include one version without animations and one with single animations (male and female) and couple animations.

For Valentine’s Day, Dutchie sent out a lovely vanity for her subscribers. It features the usual well-selected animations and impeccable mesh and textures, as well as a bonus feature: mirrors using PBR. Now, the included notecard explains that using PBR for mirrors is still in its early stages and still has a lot of issues, but of the implementations I have tried, Dutchie’s is the best I have seen and it really does add something to the room to have a mirror. Because of this, I made a short video showing a couple of the animations and what the mirror effect looks like. Note, I misspoke a little in the video; there’s several (10, in fact) couple animations under the Kiss menu. And if you like the look of this vanity, there will be an adult version coming as well, with an option for subscribers to get a L$1000 rebate. I also did not explore the texture options for the vanity since it fit so well into the look of Dutchie’s Waterland house out of the box.

Also worn in the video is a new Truth Collective hair and a sexy new Petrichor release (just Petrichor, not a collaboration this time as I think I may have said in the video). For additional credits and links, look below the video.

A long-forgotten throne, hidden away in a secret chamber. And its guardian, waiting for someone to rediscover the treasures of an ancient empire.

Lore has a fabulous set of Egyptian-inspired pieces out at We Love Role-Play, as well as some matching vases available at the mainstore. The throne includes single and couple poses, though I have to repeat my little niggle from the MoonSha throne: I would love some more throne-appropriate sits. Otherwise, I love the look of this gaudy, over-the-top throne. The large ankh floats mysteriously in the air and the smaller versions attach to your hand and float above your palm.  You have several options for metal and gem textures via a hud, for both the throne and the ankhs.

For my outfit I wanted something a bit Sword & Sorcery, which the Amarylis set from Petrichor and Ersch provided. It comes, as always, with a ton of texture options. My hair is another Wasabi & Truth collaboration, a very long and sleek style called Spirit.

This highly irregular vlogger has made a video again! This time to show off Dottie the Dalmatian, the latest Teeglepet which has been released at We Love Role-Play, and a gorgeous gown from returning favourite the Muses, also out at the same event. I think I will let the video do most of the talking this time, but of course you can find credits below the image as usual.

We Love Role-Play remains open for two more days, until the 28 of September, so don’t miss the chance to check out all the great deals for this round. You will find new releases at 15% to 30% discounts, such as the lovely Cerridwen gown from Ruxy and the Butterfly Hennin by Grasshopper St. The gown is definitely more of a fantasy piece whereas the headgear is appropriately medieval. The ensemble gave me a reason to revisit my little Renaissance-inspired town, built with Del-ka Aedilis’s Medici Series of buildings. I also added a fountain from Hextraordinary to fill out the central square some.

“You. Step inside, and you will learn what the future holds for you. Surely you are not afraid to know?”

The current round of Chronicles & Legends, “the Oracle’s Oasis”, is all about fortune telling. Fantavatar & Moonstruck has two new releases out, Fancy Divinator Chair and the Book of Major Arcana. The chair includes 4 female and 2 male poses and the book can be clicked to flip through different cards from the major arcana. You also get the book stand without the book on it.

I used a previous release from F & M, the Medieval Country Tent, to make a fortune teller setup in the middle of the woods. I ended up using a separate sitting pose rather than the ones included in the Divinator chair since those did not work so well with the long, slit skirt of the sexy Coriane dress from Petrichor & Ersch. Also from Petrichor & Ersch is the Makri headdress with matching earrings and bindi. Since both the dress and the headdress featured pearls (whose colours I could match up with the included HUDs) I thought the two went very nicely together even though they weren’t made as a set.

I have shown off several builds from the Medici series by Del-ka Aedilis already (and you can see a couple at the edges of these shots, making up the little renaissance town I’ve built up), but the Palazzo Leonardo is definitely the grandest of the set. Here you are treated to three opulent floors, three different balconies and a beautiful bell tower. This is undoubtedly the seat of someone wealthy and influential, used to hosting fabulous masquerades for nobles from far and away.  This could function as a stand-alone build in the center of a garden or as the ruling lord’s residence in a city.

A bit of a different beach photo, with dark clouds in the sky and dark waves rolling in over the sand. I wanted dramatic lighting to match the slightly windblown style of Imani, the latest Truth Collective collaboration between Truth and Wasabi. I also thought it suited the other collaboration I am wearing, namely the Bariel Bodysuit by Petrichor and Ersch. The dark blue shade I selected on the Gloss HUD, one of several available texture packs, put me in mind of a sea at night.

For today, two reminders of events that are ending soon.

First we have Hair Fair, ending on July 2nd. For curls, Analog Dog is my favourite, and this is a lovely style called Mer. I have also been a fan of their browns and reds for many, many years.

Then Redeux, which ends on June 30th. There you can find an elegant Roman townhouse, perhaps belonging to a wealthy citizen or a prosperous foreign merchant, that is the latest release from Del-ka Aedilis as a part of their new Rome series.

With Ryo, the latest NextUp release from deviousMind, you too can become an exotic sword dancer, wearing silk and jewellery and both enticing and intimidating with your skills. This set paired beautifully with an old pose set from HopScotch called Dancing Blades as well as with a brand new hairstyle from Navy and Copper for the Hair Fair. This gorgeous braid can be worn over either shoulder or down the back and the accessory and be hidden for a less ostentatious appearance. But for this, the jewellery was the perfect touch.

Hair Fair runs until July 2nd and as usual the event benefits Wigs for Kids, with all styles sold at the Fair donating a percentage of the sale price. Many sellers also offer lovely gifts, so make sure you browse all the booths on the six sims.

I love how ornate the Carai outfit from Petrichor and Ersch for the Warehouse Sale manages to be even though there isn’t a lot of it! The thin chains drape beautifully from the pieces of filigree and the fabric (for which there are several different HUDs) is subtly patterned.  There is, of course, also a HUD for the metal which offers lots of different textures.  Prefer feminine pastels or darkly sensual hues? The choice is yours.  I am always drawn to lush colours and I wanted something suited for a courtesan to lounge about in an opulent bed in. Speaking of the bed, it is a favourite of mine, the renaissance canopy bed from Fantavatar & Moonstruck.  The other new release in this post is the hair from Wasabi, featuring two thick braids that can be draped over your shoulders or pushed back behind them. Here I’ve got one of each. You will find it at the Fifty.

What better way to go hunting in the deep woods than with a bow and your trusted wolf?

The gnarly bridge leading over the stream and providing access to the woods is by Lore, as is the tree arch at the end of it. The bridge is almost made to look like it has grown into this shape, with the ends looking like roots. With the tree arch placed at one end, the impression is strengthened. You’ll find both at the current round of We Love Role-Play.

My tunic and my boots are also available at We Love Role-Play, from Viki and Kegel, respectively. The gorgeous long hair is another collaboration between Truth and Wasabi and features four different style options.  The poses and the bow are an older set from HopScotch. And finally, the wolf is of course Teegle’s new release from the Fantasy Faire, here with an applier from The Flying Pony.

The Fantasy Faire closed yesterday, but thankfully bloggers had a chance to wander the sims a final time today. I took the opportunity to ride through some of the sims on one of my trusty Teegle steeds and take a few last photos. I hope everyone has enjoyed the Faire and done lots of shopping and exploring. Until next year!