Tracing the Threads of History and Fantasy

Dark Heritage

July 13, 2025

A beautiful butterfly, trapped in a dark forest mansion.

With the return of gachas, deviousMind released the gorgeous and elaborate Papillon set. I admit, I did not have much luck, but the Marketplace helped me out so I at least could get covered. ;) And it seemed like a dark and a bit decadent setting would suit this look well, which I achieved using a selection of new pieces from DICTATORSHOPs Heritage collection. These are timeless pieces and in particular the aged leather look on the Salon Loveseat was perfect for this setup. The Loveseat is an Adult Vanilla piece with 169 animations available and a choice of 11 aged leathers, 10 wood and 5 metal textures. The Hope Chest is a pure decor piece, but with the same beautiful finishing and a choice of 10 woods and 5 metals. And the Rug cCllection is perfect for tying the room together, with three different rug shapes and 8 textures to choose from. The lamps are also from the Heritage range, but those I have featured before as well.

I also added a distinctly more gothic piece in the shape of a skull-adorned mirror from Petrichor. I just love the texture of the mirror glass, it has some lovely aging and distortion to it. And the materials on the frame are gorgeous. Speaking of materials, do take a closer look at the Beach Day hair from Truth and Wasabi. It has some amazing materials added which look stunning in shifting light.

Seascapes

July 03, 2025

My gorgeous hippocampus, one of Teegle’s releases for last year’s Fantasy Faire, is taking me beneath the waves today. But appearances are deceiving, because this is a photo backdrop by Petrichor rather than an actual underwater scene. It is almost like a little aquarium and it cleverly allows you to shoot from different angles using walls that are transparent from one side. The photodrop is available in single colour setups or as a fatpack where you can customise it to your heart’s content. There are also a few mermaid poses included that will have you lounging on the central rock. Oh, and it is actually quite a bit smaller by default than shown here, I sized it up to fit my hippocampus in.

The gorgeous skin with the beautiful blue and green scales is also by Petrichor, in collaboration with TRAP, and comes in a huge range of different base tones with different tattoos on. It is also available for both male and female avatars and each pack includes a ton of customisation options and fits for many different bodies and add-ons.  You will find the skin (alongside many other Petrichor items) at the SL22B Shop & Hop.

Pink Boudoir

May 16, 2025

The beautiful Swan Lake series from DICTATORSHOP is getting a bathroom addition, starting with among other things a lovely sink and a tall mirror. The sink comes in PG (63 animations) and Adult Vanilla (116 animations) and offers five wood colours and two gilding options.  The opulence of this series makes it the perfect way to create a luxurious personal space and the addition of PBR-capable mirrors gives an extra dimension to your rooms and your photos. I will note that, as it says in the information regarding the mirrors, these reflections have sacrificed some detail over clarity of textures. I think I would personally have preferred it the other way around, so I suggest demoing to see what you prefer yourself. And if you do not want to use PBR at all, legacy versions are also included.

Such opulent surroundings called for something extravagant to wear and I found it in this set from Petrichor and Ersch, featuring a lace bodice, puffy lace sleeves and stockings, all of it with gold ornaments to match the decor. And with the many texture and color options available, it was easy to find a lovely shade of dusty pink that worked very well with the whole setup. The icing on the cake is the short, flirty hairstyle from Wasabi, an unrigged style that offers two versions of the bangs plus mirrored versions.

Starlight Muse

May 10, 2025

Wonderous We Love Role-Play has a fantastic birthday round—that means gifts for group members!—to soothe the withdrawal pangs following the end of the Fantasy Faire. From the Muses, a romantic gown with lace adornments on sleeve and bodice. Its sold as a HUD fatpack, allowing you to mix and match the colours applied to sleeves, bodice and skirt. And from new-to-me Montell, a jewellery set that suggests Art Deco influences to me.  Both the dress and the jewellery somehow feel quite at home in the Starlight Villa by Tirrany Designs, an elegant elven structure with soaring arches, tall windows and an integrated fantastical tree.

I added a few things that I had not yet covered from the Fantasy Faire. First, the Flowari accessories from Petrichor, a large set of different orbs and miniature spears, as well as some jewellery. The holdable pieces come with a selection of animations for each and they are texture changed via a HUD. I also added in the Elven Scroll Stand from Harshlands in the background, one of the gifts from the Quest.

Finally, the charming updo with its soft loose strands and casual bun is by Wasabi for Access.