Wednesday, June 9, 2010
CARNIVAL OF DOOM.. The Movie
Came across this video while reading Rezzable. Some time ago I had blogged about the Carnival Of Doom and you may remember that I was very impressed. Well recently I came across this little video and thought I'd share it with you. It captures the essence of the place way better than words ever could, although nothing as dramatic happened to ME there, dammit.
Maybe it's time to go back?!
Rezzable Check out the Molotov videos while your there!
Carnival Of Doom!
Carnival Of Doom on Flickr
Monday, April 12, 2010
Trilled To Death...And Loving It!
In this village specters live and ghosts whisper stories in your ears by firelight. Search for a hidden heart that tells a tale of tragedy, and you will find it.
Wrap a shroud of fog around your shoulders to comfort yourself after bathing in a river wide of flowing green. For you have arrived at a dimension in between, a world of chilling fun, and accidental, virtual unease!
"....looking up at the Poe Manse you wonder..what could be so bad?..It seems perfectly normal.."
And it is normal of course, until you step inside..., and thus begins every classic horror story, every tale of infamous misfortune. Innocent enough, even charming on the surface, until you discover the unnervingly mysterious secret that lies just beneath The Village Of The Nyght.
Sentimentally familiar old time radio show horror stories play out in your ears as you begin your exploration. Exceptional scripts, eerie music and spectacular voice acting build the mood and heighten the tension you feel before you fall into each trap. And you will fall. You maybe able to imagine part of what is in store for you, but the twists, those you won't see coming, and yes, they are that good. Stumble into a grave and you get cursed, fall through a hole in the forest and be forced to touch a ghost to win your way out. Tangle with a very dead pirate, and lose your arms. Be attacked by poltergeists who though unseen, whirl shelves of books around your body in impassioned rage. Wandering around or touching just about anything will create a startling response and just in case you happen to miss a "misadventure" as you wander from place to place in this shadowy hamlet, strange ideas will suddenly pop into your head, ideas that are sure to make sure you find trouble...,
"Your inner voice whispers: ...so many ghosts...they seem to be rising from beneath..what could be there?"
What indeed? But as you will find out, there is always something there, underneath floors, behind secret doors, under the water, inside treasure chests, graves, rooms, caves, buildings, the forest, and all of these somethings are surprising clever, nothing you will ever suspect, all designed to trill you to death with delight.
If you are searching for a enchantingly frightening place in Second Life to have some fun, well take my advice, make your first and only stop for the night be The Village Of The Nyght. You and your friends will have "lmao" moments just reacting to each others predicaments. Be prepared to be a bit intimidated and add this LM to your favorites. This is one of the best dark places I've ever had the pleasure to visit in SL and it gets a 5 skeleton grins up! Rated PC for Perpetually Creepy!
My machine's in the shop, couldn't edit these photos the way I usually do, still you get the idea..., just go!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
In Loving Memory Of My Friend
Stephen king's pet cemetery had all our animals coming back from the afterlife to make our currant ones a living hell. This pet cemetery won't bring your beloved pal back from the dead, but it will give you a a very fulfilling second chance to mourn him!
In my humble opinion, the Memorial Wall is an even better way to stay close to your pet while grieving, than a traditional cemetery. Here your pets memory photo is displayed along with others of his kind. The owner Vitolo Rossini requests that you give him a photo and a notecard describing your little being and what he brought to your live, and/or the lives of others. When residents click on the photo, they get your notecard and a glimpse of who this little furry person was.
The Memorial Wall is free for all pet owners and not only dogs are remembered here. There are plenty of cats too!
Miata Savannah, Born May 30th 2004 Died April 20th 2009 Bearlock Caesar Hachiko (loyal dog) Born April 24th 2004 Died April 20th 2009 Mia & Bear were the best dogs anyone could ever hope to have. They were very loyal to me. They loved to go down to the water, run on the beach and play in the water. When I would come home they would hear me coming, when I would open the door they would be sitting there waiting with the leashes in their mouth's knowing we would be going for a walk. Bear was the one that would be looking all over investigating everything he come across,sticking his nose in everything while Mia would sit back and watch her buddy. I could almost read her mind saying ,Oh gosh Bear now what are you doing. It was so sweet to watch them for they were truly the bestest friends and did everything together and were never apart. There is so much more that can be said and there isnt enough of space here to share with you all. They were full of life and were TAKEN from us way to soon for Mia and Bear will be sadly missed!!!
Besides the Memorial Wall, Dogland Park also offers a dog park of course, and various dogs for adoption, you'll also find lots of interesting pet supplies to keep you and your pooches second life happy.
Is this dark?
Absolutely! Okay, well in all honesty, I could probably make a baby SEAL dark, I mean darkness is a matter of mind.., and heart. But...,
ask any pet owner and they'll tell you, the death of an animal can be chock full of mind bending darkness...,
Int'l Ch. Affe von Lawhorn UDX MX MXJ RN - "Tex" 07/27-97 - 10/21/09 He is my partner. He is my friend. He is a good dog. I love him very much. He was amazing. I will never forget him. Here is is ready for Halloween at the nursing home where he did pet therapy... he is taking sugar-free candy to the residents. Random Cooljoke
Memorial Wall In Dogland Park
See Bear, Mia and Tex (ready for Halloween); Dogland Flickr Photos
The Door To Pteron
Dark, beautiful, intense, Pteron, a place of serenity and peace, with the edge of the unknown.
Home to the Pyroxene Relax, Pteron is a silent, mysterious tale of an unknown species.
Pteron lies in a dimension in between, a time onto itself. The first thing you experience as you wonder around this profoundly spiritual place, is a sense of the alien. You begin to suspect that Pteron's inhabitants are monetarily out of sight and if you turn around quickly enough, you'll catch them standing eerily behind you, beaming good thoughts your way.
Pteron is made up of two distinct regions; Nostos and Kyklos. Each offer the soothing peace that can be attained only in the dark. On their website Naonao Watanabe describes Pteron as the abyss of mind, a world consciousness connection project in second life. But if this is the abyss, take comfort, Pteron isn't the dark chaotic mess one would imagination that exists at the bottom of the human mind, instead it offers sanity, resolution, and rapture.
Beyond description, take a moment to experience Pteron, and dream.
"Eternal ring exists in your mind. It will flow like a river."
Pteron
Flickr Photos
You can join there inworld group:
Pteron Group
Website: http://naiadspteron.blogspot.com
Secondlife
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Pushing Daisies Was Never Easier!
If you find it hard to get your mind around an afterlife, after real life, now you'll have to try to comprehend a Second Life-After virtual life! Yes, Second life is home to many strange and wondrous places and ideas, and Second Afterlife Cemetery qualifies as both, melding the real with the surreal, and the reality of death, loss and heartbreak occurring in two separate realities, into one solemn experience.
Created in March of 2008 the idea born of Lena Anthony and Rocket Flasheart the purpose of the Second Afterlife Cemetery is to "provide a place for people to officially reach a conclusion to their Second Life and/or the place to honor the memory of an avatars Second Life friends". What they didn't expect was that it would eventually became a place to memorialize real life friends and family as well. Both types of memorials reside here and taking a walk through this virtual cemetery invokes a deep sense of profound loss made poignant by the fact that you are honoring the dead from both worlds, in a virtual one. As any resident can tell you, the loss of an avatar is sad and while strolling through the gracious grounds, you can easily tell the Second Life departed. Their stones carry recent dates; Jan 2008 - March 2009, identify them as avatars and yes, even avatars once lost, what made them unique, just as in real life, cannot be recreated. This is sorrowful enough, but when you come across a tomb dated; 1989 to 2009, you come to the sudden realization that you've crossed into a double story, tragic and stunningly real, in both places, at the same time.
Gone are the days we can touch you
We feel you forever in our hearts
Gone are the days we can see you
We have you in our memories
The Cemetery offers memorial and funeral services. You can purchase a variety of grave/tombstones for the deceased and they encourage you to add the deceased's photos and memories. The grounds are spacious, soothing and tidy, offering a refuge for deep introspection, a place to remember friends and/or family.
In Conclusion, Second Afterlife Cemetery teeters continuously on the edge of the serious, and the preposterous, yet some things that seem trivial today, often turn out to have great meaning tomorrow. Pay a visit to Second life Afterlife Cemetery, and share a vision of the future.
Second Afterlife Cemetery
Second Afterlife Website
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Welcome Back Carter!
Okay, been away awhile, but my hiatus is over! Well at least I'm excited about it.., lol! For this post though, I'd like to share a couple of things. First, I've created an exebook, just for fun, that you can use while your exploring SL You can download it here. It's an exebook so you just download it, double click, than run the book. It's cool software, animated page turning, looks like a little book on your desk top, very cool. All the links are live, just click to go to the slurls.The second thing is what happened to SLGoth? I was nuts about their magazine and there hasn't been a recent issue since August! Although it made this blog moot, I really enjoyed it's sophisticated informative, educational, and especially, entertaining format. Marsha where are you?! If anyone has any news you'd like to share please let me know.
Next post Second Afterlife Cemetery.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Scion Lorefield, Demon God!
What do you get when you combine a love of role play, a vast imagination and a copious amount of talent?
A demon god role playing genius of course!
Scion Lorefield is first and foremost a Second Life role player. Involved in the RPG game Bloodlines, he is a vampire demon god in constant search of souls.
By biting his victims (with their permission of course) he transforms them into hunters, and joins them to a large inworld family of clans which include characters such as blood dolls, wolves, and vampires. What's lessor known is that he creates a lot of the equipment that all such creatures of the night use in their everyday, or every night, existence. Things like dark cathedrals, crypts, graves, bridges and other items needed by the the minions of the night. He creates his masterpieces in his workshop, the Field Of Lorestone. Scion is enthusiastic in helping new recruits get started off right in their new roles. If he doesn't have something they're looking for he'll cheerfully direct them to where to find it.
When he is not hunting he is using his tremendous talent creating builds. I recently had the chance to speak with him during a break in his busy schedule.
Me: What inspires you to build in SL?
Scion: Well I started out following the prims. Just having fun, mostly experimentation. Later people began to say I had a talent for it.
Me: Seems like you have a vivid imagination, what is your inspiration?
Scion: The things I build come from my mind. The ideas just pop in! Sometimes they don't work though! (he laughs) My builds have that nice "sprite" about them. But really I'm just thinking about the prims. My wife Olivia Starbrook, she inspires me too, she's the complete opposite of me.
Me: The angel side?
Scion: Well I guess you could say that she is my angel side. She helps me run my store but has her own shop called OBESSION. I'm the demon, she's the angel!
Me: I'm not sure what you mean by "thinking about the prims." The prim itself or...?
Scion: The shapes, thinking about how things fit together. I'm always striving to recreate what I see in my mind into SL.
(Scion rezs through a succession of builds, a detailed Gothic cathedral, a hauntingly beautiful bridge, each designed with lavish textures.)
Me: Wow, how long does it take you to complete these with all these intricate textures.., cause it would take me about 3 days! (laughing)
Scion: I can complete each in about 3 hours. That's why people tell me I have a talent for it.
Me: I've heard you create a lot of things to help out others is it true?
Scion: Well I do a lot of donations cause I'm an alright guy! (laughs) but seriously, some of these people are like family to me! I've done Greek buildings, vendor walls, battle arenas, landscaping, meeting areas for other people, things like that.
Me: Your avatar is fascinating, tell me about it. Did you create it?
Scion: No actually it's pieced together from various parts. When I first got into SL I looked like the thing from the Grudge! (laughs)
Perhaps Scion started as the Grudge, but today he's moved into his own as the sexy charming, and talented demon god of Bloodlines and Scion Lorefield as content creator or demon god is a creatively interesting and welcome addition to the SL Gothic scene.
Check and buy his work at xstreetsl.com
Want to walk on the wild side and become a vamp yourself? IM Scion Lorefield inworld!
More photos on flickr
Scion's shop Field Of Lorestone
Monday, June 29, 2009
Interview with Wire Frost
So RL had been tossing me around like a small ship in rough waters. Some of those waves were cool and good, some of them were bad, but either way, high seas have kept me from my beloved explorations of the SL darkness.
I've missed writing about these jaunts and perhaps you're missed my ramblings and are dying without my posts too.., okay.., well maybe the "missed" part...,
But good news! There's an new "Go To" magazine in town that will hold you over while I'm doing the chicken thing-Running around, no head-old saying. With it's stunning premiere issue, it's destined to become your new ("second" LOL!) source for information and entertainment! I know it's my new favorite and it's launch has me literally jumping for joy! Let me tell you why.
First SLGoth owned and managed by Marsha Warwillow, is just plain gorgeous. Easily readable as a HUD, the photos are so lush and larger than life, that they seem to jump off of the page.
Second the in depth articles are not only informative, but absolutely usable. The latest issue for example, has "The Top Ten Graveyards and Mausoleums" complete with embedded landmarks! Just click and you're off to check out your dim graveyard of choice!
Thirdly, FREEBIES! The entire magazine is stock full of LMs, info and gifts. Of course for good measure, inside there are also the locations of hot clubs and cutting edge fashion shops that you have no excuse to miss, mostly because you now have the insider secret of where they all are hidden!
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Ms Warwillow. A shrewd business person, she's offering many different opportunities with her magazine. If you're a budding writer or need a place to advertise, you might want to check out the SLGoth website. Beside being a very capable magazine editor, Ms. Warwillow is also witty, and charming with a wondrous sense of humor that comes across brilliantly in her very unique magazine. (This would be considered kissing up if it weren't true, but fortunately for me it all is, every word!)
So to sum it up, while I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off.., on my boat.., in the stormy seas of RL, cozy up with the premiere issue of SLGoth and as always..,
please.., get your dark on!
More shots of the magazine on Flickr
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Film Noir
Have you ever wanted to make a movie of your Second Life dark adventures but found you were a bit intimidated by the whole movie making process?
There's the software to install offworld, camera controlling gadgets to learn inworld, and than of course, you have to stitch it all together, add music and special effects in a video editor..,
OYE!
Well today I'm going a little off topic here to tell you about an online app I found that will rock your video creation world!
No software to install, no gadgets, no editing involved.
All you need are your SL snapshots!
Does this sound like a commercial? It's not, but you could make one for your own SL topic using Animoto in about 5 minutes!
Animoto is a video creation online app that is super easy to use. You upload all those SL snaps from your hard drive, (I know you have quite a few!) and drag them into the order you want. Add text, choose music, (they have really cool soundtracks and lots of choice, or you can add your own.) and Animoto mashes it together to make..., well.., art! The video above was made with Animoto for 19, my art parks in SL.
The first 30 seconds of your video are free. That's about 20 pics or less with text (your text is included like a snapshot). If you need a longer piece Animoto will sell you a full length video for $3.00 and that's a SL price if I ever saw one!
When your video is finished you have the option to upload it to YouTube, download it to your machine, use it on your iphone or Facebook page and email it to your friends! Now how clever is that? They also offer an HD upgrade for $5 bucks. So basically you end up with a HD video that you can be proud of and use on any video sharing site worldwide for about $8.00, I bet you can already think of a lot of uses for your new masterpiece even as you read this!
So what are you waiting for?
The site is designed to let anyone, and I do mean anyone, create a professional looking video. It's brilliant and worth adding to your arsenal of SL tricks.
Check it out and get your "film noir" on, you little movie star you!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Right Recipe
Recipe
Ingredients:
1 dash of romance
2 lbs of Twilight
4 cups of magic
A splash of mystery
Directions: combine ingredients vibrantly!
End result? Darkmoon Angelgate.
Angelgate established and created by the Sanctuary Project (East Anglia, UK) is on a dual mission.
“To create and provide therapeutic approaches to support mental health and well being. (We enable creative, spiritual and therapeutic exploration for individuals and groups.) And to explore the potential of virtual worlds as a medium for personal and community transformation. Angelgate is a virtual space for real life activity.”
Although their statement sounds a bit dry and clinical, what they've created in SL is anything but. In fact Angelgate home both to Darkmoon and Angelos, is an extraordinary environment, an alternate reality within an alternate reality. Rich in mystery and folklore, it is a recipe for a spell that casts the magic of flawless beauty.
Twilight in Darkmoon, is that time of day when light and dark vie for attention while remaining in perfect harmony. Sweets and wine sit on a table nestled inside a charming gazebo atop a rolling hill; a romantic setting to enjoy intimate conversations. In the distance, graceful swan shaped boats rest next to quaint docks bathed in sunset light. All are ready at a moments notice to gently float you through mystical caverns full of strange and wondrous surprises. Tell your friends ghost stories in an ancient cave with petroglyph decorated walls while hunkered down around an ancient campfire. Dance with fairies in an enchanted forest. Deliver a vampire nip to your lovers paled skin throat. Spontaneous role play is encouraged here, but leave your Gor home. This is a place of emotional fantasy and deep spirituality.
Surprisingly, it is also a place of learning! Ever wanted to know the mythical or spiritual traditions of a given culture? Most objects here are clickable and each click delivers delightful snippets of knowledge!
Collect notecards filled with information about everything from the uses of lavender to the details of the Fallen Pillars of Atlantis beneath the sea. Other clicks lead to fascinating web pages that keep you entranced for hours.
Mysterious, magical and romantic. Darkmoon is a dream of yearnings end. Sit on a rock on a hill that overlooks the water and experience a sense of real life tranquility. Get a kiss from your immortal beloved under the mother tree and taste it on your own very real human lips. You'll fall in love with this little slice of heaven. Let it cast it's spell. It's the light, the last sanctuary if you will, of the soul who thirsts for what could be if only one had the right recipe...,
Darkmoon, Angelgate Donate ecstatically!
More Photos On Flickr
Vrtist! Join the network for artists and creative content creators!
19 Night Gallery and Saint George Park Art For The Very Dark!
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Dot In The Exclamation Point
It's like the vampire's teeth.
Or that one riff in the Phantom Of The Opera score
that creeps you out but sets the mood for the entire production.
Sinatra Spook House is those teeth, that note, the icing on the cake.
Hidden inside a large warehouse Sinatra's Spook House amusement ride takes you through his version of the dark and the things that live inside it.
You pay 10L to ride, sit on the contradictory cute little purple train, (cute? purple?) put
your camera in mouselook and type SPOOKY into chat, and the train begins to roll. Slowly you glide through dim corridors full of creepy surprises, a constantly moving kaleidoscope of riot, and color.
It's a quick jaunt through the night, a fun diversion with friends before you're off to darker adventures.
And although it's the dot in the exclamation, it is worthy of mention. Sinatra's Spook House adds that special touch to any dark SL experience.
Sinatra also makes some pretty interesting gadgets and motorbikes, check out the pics on Flickr
Sinatra sings.., well.., Sinatra! Club Sinatra - Hotel and Dance Club!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
THIS IS MADNESS!
Novelist Suzi M or Xirconnia Morph says The Asylum is a tribute to both Limelight, (formerly a club in NYC) and the Eastern State Penitentiary. She states that "It is not a reflection of madness, I promise. :)"
I beg to differ. Suzi I think you're too humble! I think you've perfectly captured a visual metaphor for being just a little bit "off".
What if my reality were not shared by my friends or neighbors, and I could show you exactly what I see from my perspective. What would it look like? What would it feel like?
Well I think it might look a little bit like The Asylum; Stairways and floors are narrow and crooked, cracked and perilous. An ominous merry-go-round spins silently all by itself at the end of a long, cavernous basement room. Skeletons boogie, better than I do, on a psychedelic dance floor. A circular staircase climbs to.., nowhere. Ghosts playfully menace, until they become tedious, and human fish swim in very normal aquariums. Granted, this is not the "I hear my dog telling me to kill you" kind of over the top insanity, but more of a "I'm having trouble focusing on our conversation because there are ghosts poking me in the side," type of crazy. Which raises the question, if I see things like this am I insane? Or creative? And perhaps these states are defined by how beneficial the results?
The genius of The Asylum is that it is educational, you don't notice it's lessons right away, it's oddities creep up on you. Only after you notice something you thought was there, that really wasn't, or find yourself falling through the floors.., yet again, do you begin to understand that what at first seems empty, is chock full of strangeness and surprises. It encourages philosophical musings; is the definition of insanity based on common culture? Are you insane because they don't see what you see, or is it their flaw? If you see crooked floors and human fish, what degree of insane are you? The brilliant layout of the build itself helps keep you off balance as you try to read meaning into what's there, or what's not.
On the real life side Xircon is a writer and has a room dedicated to her written and artistic work in the middle of The Asylum. If you read her novels you'll know that one of her characters wakes up in an asylum and that parts of The Asylum are modeled from the novels. She has a free short story to download on her page with Smiling Goth Productions. It's called The Lazarus Stone and boy was I hooked from the very first sentence;
"The body they carried with them was starting to smell." Insane? Creative? Who cares, it's delicious and all about the results anyway right?
Silent raw and powerful, The Asylum allows you to experience reality from a very different perspective. Uncomfortable of times, it allows you to imagine what it must be like to live with a slightly skewed sense of reality. How at times this view could be frustrating and/or lonely.
But more importantly The Asylum forces you to examine your own ensconced definitions. Maybe you'll think twice before applying labels to people you may not understand, who don't see what you see.
Be prepared to keep this place in your thoughts for a long time, after all, it is a place of the mind.
There is a HUD you can pick up that you can use to mark educational builds in SL You can pick it up at the Asylum or im me and I'll shoot you a copy. And don't forget to mark The Asylum itself!
Suzi's Imortal War Trilogy From Smiling Goth Productions
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A Queer Clockwork Orange...,
The Redrum Public House and Cinema appears normal at first, even a little ho hum, that is until you really start to look at it. The Redrum was inspired by the old house in the movie "Psycho" starring Anthony Perkins and although the actor was not the first thing I thought of when I stepped through the door, I was immediately drawn in and intrigued by how familiar it all felt. There's a well stocked, intimate bar in the back of the open yet gloomy room, and you sense that if you sit down, kicked back and stayed awhile, you'd be rewarded with a cool drink and compelling company.
While you are tipping your drink you are likely to notice the portrait of the proprietor Robbiani Rumpledink that hangs next to the bar. The eyes of the portrait restlessly roam the room and once in a while stop to glare at you, before moving on. Rumpledink looks a little like Johnny Depp as Sweeny Todd, and gazing into those soulful eyes definitely added something to my day!
Even when it's empty this bar is alive! Always there is a the feeling that something is about to happen, but what? Maybe it's down there through the door in the floor?
But let's move on to the theater. The theater is located upstairs and although the house seems really small from the outside, there is more than enough room for you and your friends to sit in the theater style seating and enjoy the movie. Deep red, the theater has the ambience of your local wine theater. The 1971 controversial classic "A Clockwork Orange" was playing when I arrived, delicious!
Next to the theater is a small store where you can purchase some of Rumpledink's creations. Which you may be needing to do after you see his recreation of the Evil Dead House! If the movie is as over the top for you, as it is for me, the Evil Dead House is going to really blow you away!
The house is insanity and sheer terror yet, somehow, without a lot of gore. A miniature reel to reel tells an erie story, while the Evil Dead book lies face up next to it. You can almost feel those Evil Dead racing towards the house as you listen to that tape.
Next to the store are the Kubrick rooms. Fans of the movie will be absolutely delighted! Lurid and colorful, Rumpledink perfectly captures the unique design elements from the film, making this creation a visually stunning knockout!
So psyche up you aspiring psychos, you're in for a real treat! The intimate atmosphere, films of depth and the riveting creations at the Redrum Public House And Cinema will keep you satisfied for at least an hour. Make up your rassoodocks to spend the evening here with your droogs. It's as queer as a clockwork orange!
I'm singing
in the rain,
just
singing in the rain!
Update
Rumpledink has just informed me that he's moved! He's now on Desperation Kelly. I've updated the slurls to reflect the change. Check out his new place and donate generously!!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
10 Fabulous Dark Things
This week I'm deviating from my normal travel 411 to tell you about 10 things that are just have to have. Stunning and useful as well, these are the edgey items to own or at least see, now. Take a look at the pictures on Flickr. I'm sure you'll agree, all of these items are worth writing about. Okay, here we go!
1. I picked up this photo album/box from the Little Outpost General Store in Laudanun. I fell in love with it the second it popped open and begin to play it's sweet sentimental music.
Why is it on the list? Besides the fact that it is quite impressive, I found it on the very dark sim Winderfell. Go check it out and pick up a photobox, I think this item is a must have to display all your virtual photos!
2. I LIVE in these things. Great to walk in with cute skulls and flowers embedded in them. Very Gothic, they go with everything. Skully Shoes
3. I wrote a rather long blog on the Raven, and I'm still nuts about this avatar! Created by An Ballenger, it's well worth every linden!
4. Wear this dress if you want to feel dark, mysterious, and romantic! Another Gothic must have. Here's a photo of me wearing it. Don't I look ready for the next horror movie? Need a new hairdo to go with it though, but as you can see, it makes me look fabulous darling, even without the hair! Extraordinary! Red Gothic Dress
5. 19 Art For The Dark! I know it's cheating to review your own stuff, but hey, why not right? drop by and I'll let you be the judge!
6. DBD Garden Design's Alexith Destiny is creating cutting edge garden flowers, trees and grasses. A lot of them are 1 prim but have like 40 faces, so they look completely 3d and realistic. This particular tree I purchased is only 4 prims, you have to see this to believe it. Spectacular!
7. Neo Kitties, dark and cute. Nuf said.
8. Any creature by Glyph Graves, no I take that back, ANYTHING EVER CREATED by Glyph Graves.
9. Gothic art by Gibril Szondi. Dark and easy on the eyes.
And Finelly
10. Furniture by Nocturna Gothic Designs. You can buy entire sets of Stylish Gothic furniture and decorate your home instantly with sleek sophistication. I picked up a dark-as-night fountain for my cemetery. This place is EPIC, so although it is last on the list, make it your first stop.
There are a lot of links here, please let me know if for some reason they don't get you where you need to go.
And that's it for this week. Happy shopping!
Lots of photos on Flickr
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Calling All Damiens And Antichrist Babies!
Is your name Rosemary?
Did you recently give birth to the Antichrist?
In either case, if you're in need of unholy kid equipment, DarkDhrama is the ultimate place for your evil baby stuff needs. Both store and Horror Mansion, DarkDharma is filled to the brim with delightfully macabre items for everyone, especially for those of you with kids who have..., er, special needs.
As a matter of fact, that big baby crib purchase you've been putting off, buy it here, buy it now!
The coffin crib will make any newborn spawn feel right at home and other mothers, green with envy. With solid wood construction and a deep red lining, your demon child is guaranteed to feel comfy and cozy. When he or she, or "it," or whatever..., gets a little bit older, transfer it to the Exorcist Bed, which rocks violently while inspiring vivid nightmares. The bed also comes with it's own Exorcist Doll. That's right, this doll comes complete with corrupted appearance and spinning head, perfect for little tykes in training.
All children love tea parties and if yours hasn't had any success making new friends at school, the Ghost Tea Party will animate her world while nabbing her lots of new "BFFs." Also If Damian doesn't have enough Teddy Bears to sleep with during the day, (cause we know little Damien never sleeps at night!) here you'll find all the bony fuzzies he'll ever need to cling to!
But wait! There's more! DarkDharma offers plenty of fun for parents too! Send the kiddies outside to chase the bats while you explore the rest of this enticing mansion.
Cooks will love the well stocked witches kitchen. There is everything from tiny dragons in a jar to shelves lined with book-fulls of useful recipes for creating any type of concoction. I loved the poisonous Herbs hanging colorfully in the doorway too. (Hey, take a look at those jars again, no, REALLY, look closely, there are some very "exciting" things in them.)
The rest of the house offers up some gratifying experiences, including a buffet of all your favorite comfort foods, yummy!
If you are one to pay attention, you'll notice the sign at the entrance that instructs you to click on everything to find the hidden Tarot Packs. But If you click on everything you'll probably fall under the influence of some pretty nasty spells. You can easily break these spells by clicking on other things to find the solution. But click carefully, there are some things you cannot recover from. Well you can, but it's painful!
In the living room, an elegant fireplace dominates. The movie Poltergeist plays on the television.., or maybe it's just the static that plays, and the little girl sitting plastered to the front of the TV set, STARING at the static, just reminds me of the film. Either way it's a relaxing family setting. So sit down - yes in that nice big arm chair - that's good.
Oh my god, what happened?
Oh My!
Well no matter, you still look marvelous anyway darling!
On the table to your right you'll find a beating heart in a jar. I do suggest you take one of those home with you. You might need it when the man in your life finally realizes what's in that jar you purchased from DD's wicked kitchen.
When you're done collecting all the goodies, breaking the spells or just finding your way back to earth, join the children outside in the graveyard for a game of hide or seek, or build new torture device playthings in the sandbox.
All in all, DarkDharma is an unwholesome place that's perfect to spend some quality time with your bizarre family members. So make an SL day of it! Enjoy some stress free time with your demon child, you're both gonna love it!
Rated: PD For Pretty Deviant
Photos On Flickr
19 Art For The Dark ( My Place!)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Transylvania, A Celebration Of Life
Sometimes you come across a place in Second Life, that is so striking, it just blows you away.
Such a place is Transylvania. Larger than life, dramatic and provocative, it's a place not just focused on the idea of the dark, but is quintessentially the dark itself.
Shadows seep through every street, and slide around every curve of stone. It is a place born of the vampiritic way of life, not fascinated by death, but a celebration of the vampiric way of being alive.
These people are serious folks, there's the feel of close knit family ties and of shared history. The things you encounter here are the virtual manifestations of secret and passionate beliefs.
Transylvania stresses that it is not a role playing sim; all are welcome here. When I arrived, there was a rapturous party going on in the streets, with various night creatures dancing playfully to the music of a favorite DJ.
I began my tour at the Musee Des Vampyrs, a Gothic palace that houses an extensive history of vampirism. Information on everything to do with vampires can be found here, from The Acid Bath Vampire, a serial killer in England in the late 1940s, to Vlad The Impaler, also known as Dracula.
Particularity fascinating was the information on the currant state of modern day vampirism, such as the psychological and physical effects of vampirism on the individual, or the definition of today's vampire and how to tell if you are one.
You can even read recent news stories about vampires caught in real life action.
Be prepared to spend some time here absorbing all the knowledge available, it is very interesting reading.
On the second floor, you'll find every vampire movie poster ever made! Colorful and magnetic, the posters cover the walls with familiar and not so familiar faces from film and legend. A nostalgic treat!
After my education, I left the building with a deeper understanding and respect for this mysterious species so locked into the darkness. I yearn for more, so I continue my tour through the town.
The shops and other establishments are plentiful, rich and opulent. Lots of good shopping here for unusual items, especially clothing.
Everywhere I wander however, seems poised on the verge of promise; I unconsciously hold my breath, certain that some..., thing, is about to happen.
(Below me a stunningly beautiful couple exchange words, gestures, than part, her dress sweeps around her ankles as she glides away.)
I look up to see a castle suspended over the town, it's anchored in solid rock and is the center of attention. Curious I fly over to take a peek into it's windows and see a scene so dynamic it is again, as though the room itself is waiting in anticipation for the next act to begin.
On the ledge beside me sits a gargoyle, silently watching the performance, all performances, unfold.
It's raining at the cemetery when I arrive. Most appropriate as this place has weight; a sentimental memorial left for a fallen real life friend strikes my heart like an arrow and I realize just how united this community really is.
Gravestones are intricate. The dead reside under them and they've marked them with their individual personalities. As I gaze at the stones I become lost in thought, perhaps, I think, what makes vampires so fascinating is not their raw power, or their undead status, but their strength in bearing the burden of ultimate unknowable despair.
In the end there is one word for this wondrous place;
Exquisite.
If you are not a poet, you will become one as you try to get your mind around Transylvania.
Visit to share your oddness with others. Even if you are not a vampire. You'll be accepted here. Arrive with your sadness and sit a while in the cemetery. Your sadness is understood here. Come with respect, for a way you may not know. Respect is everything here. Come to dance , your joy is shared here. Expect to find new and perhaps mysterious places inside your soul. And lastly, no matter your appearance, come as yourself, for the beings that know death, embrace life in all it's shades and variations of truth, here, there is no room for deceit.
Transylvania The Musee Des Vampyrs
More Photos On Flickr
What is a Sanguinarian?
More info on myths, legends, and truths.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
So Many Corpses......,
Feeling a need to redecorate? Me too. As a matter of fact I was critically assessing the ole laboratory this morning and those bodies piling up in the corner are getting to be just an eyesore, really, they are making my eyes sore.
So I head over to Slurry st. Slurry St. is a dark dismal little store located in Istar. They specialize in supplying all your medical, cold storage, or waste disposal needs, and they didn't disappoint, I was delighted with their selection!
The first thing I looked at was their human cold storage unit. It has 4 cadaver trays that slide in and out, on touch. It also had that all important refrigerator running hum sound. (After all if you can't hear it, it's probably broke right?) Great! I thought, just what I need to solve that corner pile up back at the lab. Only thing is there weren't any bodies included, (bummer) but I guess I am getting a little greedy these days and the ones I have are piling up anyway.....,
Maybe I could just... shift... them? Slurry St. sells very specific mattresses as well. They come in awesome colors, Piss Stained, Blood Splattered, and Blood Soaked! Niccceeee.
An x-ray viewer is always welcome, (I don't have one) perfect for checking the effects of torture damage on your subjects.
The autopsy tables were just my height!
If perchance you have more bodies than you can keep in their storage cabinet, they also sell a very reasonably priced, cremation oven. The oven comes complete with animations and glowing embers. You can even smell it, well I can anyway, burn baby burn!
In their outdoor display, Slurry St's. exquisite attention to detail prevails. Contraptions to torch someone deserving at the stake, or hang em high with a hangman's noose complete with platform to amass that crowd around, flourish. In the cemetery the grave markers have that heavy feel of ancient stone; weight of the years look, so to speak. The Widows Crypt in particular has the sought after mystical ambiance we all search for, at night, in the dark....,
The creepiest thing there though, and you're not going to believe this, was a utterly charming wishing well, that whispered uplifting and sweet quotes! Gasp! Sweet? Charming? What the...? Very scary!
In the end, I particularly liked that you could buy everything in sets. So there's no running from here to there, searching for the important bits and pieces. Also, everything comes with diabolical details, animations, corpse poses, burning pyres, alters, sounds, lights, everything you need to set up your space in about 3 minutes flat! They also carry single items to add interest. Flickering lone light bulbs, voodoo dolls, transfusion kits complete with IV and line, and instrument tables, sinks and extra cabinets for all your specialty eh...tools.
Well I'm off, back to work! Not enough hours in a day or cadavers in my lab! But please, let me know what YOU find at Slurry St. Oh and....,
Happy decorating!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Unholy Needs
Sometimes you just have that need to get down on your knees, put your hands together and worship at the alter of the darklord, but if your alter is that tacky one prim wonder you've got stashed in your bedroom, and your followers are snickering at that childlike chalk pentagram you drew on the ground in your backyard, it maybe time to consider a more legitimate venue.
(You) Legitimate venue Nima? What venue? (Me)How about a church? (You)Sure but which profane church offers the best service with features right for me? (Me) Well listen up my zombie friend, have I got the place for you!
The church at Drykeland castle promises to accommodate all of your unholy needs. Majestic and reverential, the decor of the church is designed to inspire fear and awe. You'll be proud to grovel at the feet of your favorite deity on these ornate floors and there's plenty of room for all your unwholesome friends and relatives to grovel too. If you're the head of ceremonies for your undead group, your evil rituals will shine with the backdrop of cathedral ceilings, an abundance of candles, ancient spell books and a sound track of chanting monks to set the mood.
Virgin sacrifice optional.
After your sinful solemn rites are complete, take a leisurely stroll through the rest of the castle grounds. Step inside one small building and you'll discover WMTs; weapons of mass torture. Inflict satisfying amounts of pain on yourself and your buddies, they'll appreciate the love. And again, if you are the cults head honcho, don't forget to force your disciples to walk across the grass, (where the signs say, "DON'T WALK ON GRASS!") the ground suddenly opens up, dumping your bedraggled crew into a pit and skewering them with man size deadly spikes embedded in the floor. Hint: Use this pit instead of koolaid for that upcoming cult suicide!
After everyone has recovered, stroll through the cemetery or wander the extensive underground catacombs. Tricky and emotionally damaging, Drykeland has perfected the art of creepy secret corridors and ominous hidden rooms. This impressive system is ginormous, and many unpleasant surprises await.
Oh and by the way.., there IS something down there with you....,
Time to relax! Take a break, grab your mug of witches brew and visit the gallery where you'll currently find an exhibition of exquisite HR Gigar paintings and works by other dark and sexy artists.
What is murder and mayhem without a little shopping to top off the day?
4 floors of store feed the need with lots of the gadgets you just played with. Ghoulish avatars and other essential undead items will brighten up your appearance and SL home! Pick up souvenirs to remind you of the death and destruction you were a part of today.
Ah yes, cherish those memories!
Extremely detailed, vivid and utterly romantic. Drykeland Castle is an elaborate and fascinating creation built with love. It's as serious about the dark as you are, yet dramatic and versatile enough for that Gothic wedding or any other dark gathering you have in mind. So what are you waiting for? Stumble and groan your way over there right now and pray to Satan in blissful luxury!
Can you say amen brother?
More photos on Flickr
Monday, February 2, 2009
I Told You I Was Sick...
I recently made a restless midnight run to The Mausoleum and right off the bat I could tell it was a "friendly" creepy kind of place. It had the feel of a haunted social area, a place to gather for lots of fun and good conversation.
I had the opportunity to speak briefly with Eanya Dalek the owner of The Mausoleum, and the leader of the Undertakers Union. I say briefly because approximately 30 seconds into the conversation, my driver crashed, grrrr. But Eanya was nice enough to send me a notecard with all the details of her build and info on the union as well.
Turns out The Mausoleum should be on the historical SL treasure list, well, if there were one! Built in 2004, the original Mausoleum had it's humble beginnings on a sim called Terminous where Eanya sold her creations in a store located in an underground crypt. (Pretty cool idea)
Her currant build originated after seeing the movie Lemony Snicket's "A Series Of Unfortunate Events" and is based on Aunt Josephine's house in the film. (Great flick, rent it tonight, it's worth it!) Later Eanya relocated her establishment to Echo, a sim that happened to have a bluff that overlooked the ocean. Surrounded by protected Linden land all around, Eanya felt this would be the perfect place as The Mausoleum could hang precariously over the edge of the drop. She's been there ever since.
As for her group the Undertakers Union, (the name alone makes me want to join) they get together for dancing, events and host meetings in SL and RL! Eanya has entertained members over the years with games like Trivia, Greedy and once she and her pardner Eldraque staged an elaborate treasure hunt. Solving notes found along the way, participants had to pick up pieces of a costume one at a time. After finding the last piece, the crown, the contestant than had to battle a scripted monster to claim the prize!
Eanya says things are quiet around SL these days. She and Eldraque, her pardner in both worlds, spend more time in RL working on their home, but try to get in SL as often as possible.
Still the couple's well constructed build functions well in their absence. Come enjoy the Gothic theme park, the dance floor with streamed in goth/synth/emo music, 2 dance balls, (one is for tinys) or a steampunk elevator that takes you to a small Gothic sky garden. If you'd like to just sit and chat with friends, there's fishing, and a fire pit to relax by, and of course there's the store inside the Mausoleum, in which you'll find Eanya's unusual avatars and other exciting items.
If you're searching for lots of fascinating things to keep you and your crowd busy, this is the place! I found a couple of new favorites here. The first I'll let you find for yourself, it's such a delightful surprise that I don't want to spoil it ahead of time. (Hint: Go first, than look at the photos on Flickr) The second thing was an unpretentious grave with a single sentence written on it's headstone, that read;
"I told you I was sick."
Discovering that you can whine AFTER death.., priceless!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
I Caaaannn Seeeeeeee Yoouuuuu......
Oh yeah baby, a very creepy someone is watching you work your way through.....,
The Horror Maze, Labyrinth of FEAR!
Don't let the modest entrance fool you, once you start down those long-close-corridors, you're going to wish you had some way to mark your path. BE WARNED; create a landmark now, right here, at the entrance, because chances are once inside, forever inside, unless you teleport to the entrance and start over again. Trust me on this, in fact let me tell you more about my little experience inside of the Horror Maze.
A few steps into the maze I am given a torch to wear to carry with me as I maneuver the corridors. My first thought, why a torch? How dark is it gonna get? I'm not fond of the SL version of the dark, it's the equivalent of a black hole, tar pitch emptiness that disorientates me and immediately induces a virtual and oddly enough, real life sense of panic, you know, like suddenly not being able to see in a nightmare.., what, you've never dreamt you had limited vision in a nightmare? Sure you have, and if the dream was really scary, the instant blindness boosted the scream factor for you, through the roof, am I right?!
So with my new torch and more than a bit of apprehension, I begin my journey.
Straight away the walls set the mood, plastered from top to bottom, are sinister yet some how familiar images of distorted vaguely humanoid beings. Some intentional transparent texture work keeps the monstrous faces flickering constantly. Fog and green mist fill claustrophobic corridors and narrow passage ways, and around every twist and turn, I hear strange cries and demonic laughter. In the shadowy confusion, someone or something whispers thickly,
"I caaannn seeeee yoooou...," The Horror Maze is starting to work on me!
At the next turn a butchered horse's head lies in my path, A BUTCHERED HORSE'S HEAD LIES IN MY PATH! (Awesomeness rating just zoomed to 10!) I step over it to continue!
Bugs skitter out from under walls beneath my feet, spiders tangle in my hair as they swing down from the ceiling. Disturbing art in gilded frames decorate the walls at unfortunately frequent intervals, and just when the images, sounds, and surprises truly fill me with a sense of imminent peril, a shower of blood rain soaks me to the bone as it slowly turns my vision, or at least my screen, that particular shade of deep red.
False starts, dead ends, and frightening distractions don't deter me from trying to find the end of the maze and also, maybe picking up some cash along the way. Yes, for the cash strapped there's money to be made if you can find it, so keep searching, that is, if-you-CAN-keep-searching.
The promise of linden$ and the challenge of escape help stop me from dwelling too much on the delightfully disgusting things happening around me. But still...., I realize I'm secretly glad I'm not trapped in the Horror Maze in real life...., no Disney Halloween nights for this girl!
The maze does have an ultimate ending. I never made it.
Maybe you will...., or...., not.
Bring your courage and your friends, you can hold hands as you shiver your way through the Horror Maze! But pay attention, at the end, you may find that it was not your friend's hand you held in yours that whole time.... but something far less.... pleasant.
Very dark indeed!
The Horror Maze
More Photos
My gallery "19" Art For The Dark and a list of all SL galleries
Update! A big apology to "An" in my Raven piece who I identified as a she when she was actually a he! I fixed it immediately. Thanks for your understanding and also for letting me know!
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