MadPea Legend of the Month: Love Potion No. 9.9 Hunt

The hero of our story, Phinneas Phicklephogg, is an alchemist. He is not a very successful alchemist but it is not because he is not well versed in the magical arts. It's just presently there doesn't seem to be much need for his magical abilities until he receives a letter in the mail that is. A letter requesting his assistance in decoding a recipe for Love Potion No. 9.9.

The letter isn't signed but it is delivered with a bag of gold as a down payment and a promise that if Phinneas can decipher the recipe and create the potion, he will be richly rewarded for his efforts. The recipe states that 15 ingredients must be collected and combined for the potion to work but all that is given in the way of ingredients is a list of books followed by the instruction "Harvest the Essence of Their Love".

Phinneas must decode what this vague instruction means, find the ingredients, mix the potion and deliver the final creation to the mysterious author of the note. Is this even possible? Will you join us in making this quest the best Love inspired event on the grid?

A new month brings a new hunt, and this is a shorter month than most so best get hunting! The MadPea Legend of the Month Hunt, Love Potion No. 9.9 (subtitle: Perfection is Over-rated) has begun. Like all MadPea hunts, purchase the HUD for 50$L on the MadPea Sim to get your start. This is a lighter, brighter hunt, so strap in for the sparkles and love! Remember that once you purchase the HUD, reading the text it puts into local chat is important. Scroll back if you miss anything. I'm including most of the text below, if you get distracted by handing out newbie kits to the flood of baby avatars like I did, but I cannot stress enough the importance of reading your local chat.

.: Welcome to the MadPea Legend of the Month, dear hunter.

.: You are about to discover the story of Phinneas Phicklephogg, a famous Alchemist and brew Love Potion No. 9.9 with him! Before you can begin with the hunt, you must find a recipe for the ingredients that you need to find. Check out the library for an important letter and start your introduction to the game.

Please understand that this game is a point-and-click treasure hunt. Clicking items will give you clues to advance in the game. Your ultimate goal is to find 15 items in grid-wide locations,  eventually taking you to the final game play area where you will be rewarded with 15 high quality prizes.
 
.: Once you click a silhouette of an ITEM on the HUD, it will give you a hint and a SLURL in local chat to a location where an the item has been hidden. Once you find an item the silhouettes on the HUD will turn into letters that will form words. Please note, the hunt items do not give out prizes. You must collect all of them to receive the prizes at once in the end. When you have found all the hunt items and have the magical sentence revealed on your HUD, follow the instructions given in the chat to you. 

.: To HIDE the HUD, simply click the MadPea on top left corner to rotate it.  
For extra help ask in MadPeas group chat. You can also IM Clicquot Oh, Glitch Axelrad, Synful Aeon or Elizabeth Tinsley. Fall into the Madness, Fall in Love, MadPea Productions

Like the Room 326 Hunt, you need to find the beginning of the hunt - the recipe for Love Potion 9.9 - in the Library. Look for a scroll with a list of names on it; they really don't try to hide it. The Library is a little harder to find. Avoid bridges, aim for hills. You can also take advantage of the numerous open books all over the room to get additional hints for the hunt. I've included the text below as well, but it's kind of fun to hunt out each of the books! Unlike any previous hunts, this time you are hunting for a wide variety of items, each of them shown in silhouette and referenced in the book quotes. That makes the hunt a little more difficult, since there's an additional step, but it's not insurmountable. Beyond then, while a few of the locations offer some challenge this isn't the hair-tearing-out hunt like the last one, and all of the hints are very useful and pretty easy to understand. A few times I needed to derender things to find the hidden object, but otherwise I was a relaxing and enjoyable hunt.

What is Love Potion No. 9.9? A recipe to brew True Love? That´s ridiculous! It can't be done. Can it? No of course it can't! And what is this list of ingredients? A list of books to read? That's just foolishness... but still... I do have all of these books in the library. It couldn't hurt to take a look at them. What does this part mean "Harvest the essence of their Love"? Maybe if I read the stories of these famous couples, I will discover what ingredients I need to brew Love Potion No. 9.9. This is the challenge I have been looking for! How ever did the letter writer get this recipe? I wonder... Time to search the books and make my ingredient list!

King and Queen of Dwarves

1. Dwarfins - Not at the fireplace, but within view from it.
Lancelot and Guinevere - The Sword
Le Morte d'Arthur: Guinevere loved her husband. Lancelot loved his Liege. But, in the end, the sword Lancelot vowed to King Arthur's service instead protected his love, Queen Guinevere. The result? Camelot was destroyed and the Round Table cracked in half.

.: This is going to be a long list of ingredients to collect. Lucky for me I had all the books listed in the recipe already in my library. Now that I have discovered what the essence of love was in each of those stories I feel much better about being able to complete the potion. I wonder, maybe I should stop and chat with the Dwarfins, they might have some good ideas about where I can locate some of these items. And besides, they always have a warm roaring fire, a soft chair to sit in and a pint of ale to share. Yes, I will definitely see if they have ideas about where I should look. They might even have the item I need to represent Lancelot and Guinevere. Visit the Dwarfins @ Dwarfins (48,131,23)

Lovepotion 1: Love is... reckless

Paradise Bat Orchid

2. Cerridwen's Cauldron - The easiest way to find the alcove is to fly down to it, but you can see it below where you teleport in. Then look closely at all the living things.
Adam and Eve - The Apple
Bible: Eve shared the sweetness of the apple with Adam, and he shared the bitterness of their exile from Eden with her.

 .: God I love the Dwarfins! So hospitable and I was right, they did have one of the items I needed. I´m off to a good start. They also thought I would be smart to visit the garden alcove that is suspended beneath the floating island retreat of Cerridwen´s Cauldron. For sure the ingredient I need to satisfy Adam and Eve´s part of the recipe will be there. I always wanted to make a visit but who has the time? I hear the air is so pure it smells like citrus on ice and the wind blows warm and fragrant. Only the most rare and enchanted plants grow there. I know Selena would love it. I will have to remember to take her if I succeed in making this potion. It will be our celebration. Journey onward to Cerridwens Cauldron (129,31,983)

Lovepotion 2: Love is... sharing the good times and the bad

Alchemist Furniture Set

3. Chic Buildings - The hint really gives the major clue you need, though from there you'll need to fly to get close enough.
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall - The Whistle
A Bigger than Life Romance: Bogie and Bacall shared a legendary love on screen and off that started when she taught him how to whistle. 

.: Three cheers for the Dwarfins! They didn't steer me wrong. I found my second item and got a hint on where to go for my third. There was a lovely man who I met while exploring the floating island. He suggested I might find the object symbolizing Bogie and Bacall´s love in the bright city lights of Demondrille. He told me that once he had visited the city and climbed to the top of the highest building there, so high it nearly scraped the sky, and as far as the eye could see all there was were more buildings. It was hard for me to believe but he said to see the skyline at night was what it must be like to be in heaven flying between the stars. I have to see it for myself. Search for love between the bright lights of the city skyline @ Demondrille (141,19,3630)

Lovepotion 3: Love is... always having someone just a whistle away

Elixir Pendant

4. Trident - Very far from the entrance, as per usual, but the clue makes it pretty clear what you're looking for.
Odysseus and Penelope - The Hourglass
The Odyssey: A hundred million grains of sand poured through the hourglass from the time Odysseus left Penelope to when he returned but neither ever forgot the other. 

.: He didn't lie. Looking out over the city at night was like being in the middle of a thousand twinkling stars. I have never seen anything like it. While I was searching the skyline I met an angel of a woman who lived among the lights. I told her of my quest to brew Love Potion No. 9.9 and she seemed quite interested. She knew the story of Odysseus and Penelope and immediately was sure that I would find their item among the clutter at a close friend´s shop in Nordmaar. It seems she had not always lived in the city and new a great deal about botany and the use of plants for potions and wards. Her friend is an herbalist and she was sure on her last visit she had spied just the item I am looking for on one of his tables littered with the items of his trade. I´m off to the North country to investigate @ Nordmaar (81,125,500)

Lovepotion 4: Love is... timeless

Water Fae Avatar (male also included)

5. Fantavatar and Moonstruck - Very nearby and while it blends in, it's not hard to find.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert - The Crown
The Rise of Victorian England: Paired by politics, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert quietly built bonds of love that were so strong that when he died, she mourned his passing for forty years. England never let her share her crown with him, but no one else ever held her heart. 

.: The beautiful angel of the city stars lead me to my fourth item. She was right and I will not soon forget her generosity. If I manage to brew this potion I must let her know for I´m sure she will delight in it as much as I. I often think how nice it would be to have someone to talk about the business with but Selena has no head for that sort of thing. She is wonderful but will never understand that alchemy is a science and not just fairy dust and wishing. Selena did manage to help me on my quest though. Her letter today pointed me in the direction of my next ingredient. In her letter she told me she had seen the object I need for Victoria and Albert at the feet of another pair of lovers. Stone lovers locked forever in an embrace. I think this is her way of saying she misses me. Continue the search @ La Bella Luna (100,151,1005)

Lovepotion 5: Love is... devotion

Lingerie

6. Sakide - Although the building is tall, you don't have to go up far.
Paris and Helen - The Mirror
Greek Mythology: Until they met each other, Paris and Helen's greatest loves were their own reflections.  Beautiful and young, they found a love in each other's embrace that rivaled that of any mirror. Unfortunately, Helen's husband wasn't thrilled with his wife's new obsession so when Paris and Helen stole away in the night be launched 1000 ships to bring her back.

.: Another ingredient successfully found! I am very excited that the prospects for gathering all the ingredients is increasing. I stayed tonight at an inn in Dark Tranquility. The area is darker then than the land where I live and the denizens seem to have a certain pallor to their skin and coldness to their touch but are friendly enough. My hostess served me coffee to help stave off the cold. It was a lovely gesture though she herself did not partake which I thought odd. I told her the story of Paris and Helen just in passing and she gifted me with just the object I was needed to fulfill their piece of the recipe. She said it was not an item she had any use for at all. I didn't understand but thanked her for her kindness. I admit I am not sad to be moving on. Stop in for coffee @ Dark Tranquility (121,72,25)

Lovepotion 6: Love is... selfish

Confused Words falling from Hot Air Balloon

7. White Gallery - Hot air rises to the roof, but scrolls hide hella inside of the letters and make me cry.
Heloise and Abelard - The Scroll
The Bonds of Love: Abelard was employed to tutor Heloise in philosophy, instead they schooled each other in the art of love.  Not pleased with the lovers, her uncle sent a pregnant Heloise to a nunnery and had Abelard castrated. Never to see each other again in this life, Abelard and Heloise never let go of their love, writing letters to one another for the rest of their lives. 

.: I am seeing so much of the world. My friends would be surprised to see me now. Everyone I know would paint me as a homebody I suspect. Not one to go on adventures. But I feel like a man possessed in pursuit of these ingredients. I´m not even sure a love potion is possible, but the whole idea is so intriguing how can I deny the possibility? I am catching a hot air balloon today to float over the Battlestar Mountains. I have heard rumors that I might find the item I need to represent Abelard and Heloise. It might be a long shot but I´m halfway to being done with the list. I can´t stop now! Catch a hot air balloon @ Battlestar (45,110,26)

Lovepotion 7: Love is... words and deeds

Full Sized and Petite Outfits

8. Ankle Biter - You have to look down.
Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera - The Paintbrush
The Art of Desire: Painters both, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera shared a passion for life, art, and each other.

.: I feel destiny is leading my steps. I found my seventh ingredient and am now rapidly approaching the place where the eighth one lays. I think the passion Frida and Diego shared inspired my dreams giving me the knowledge of where to find their item. Hidden behind the tools of their trade is where I will find what I seek. Follow your dreams to Bethymine (241,122,35) 

Lovepotion 8: Love is... passionate

Variety of Necklaces

9. Druidamus Whatever - The hint is a really good one, the vial is a really small one.
Romeo and Juliet - The Vial of Poison
Collected Works of William Shakespeare: Devastated and hopeless Romeo drinks deep from a vial of poison at Juliet's grave only  a few minutes before Juliet awakes from her false death sleep. Discovering his body, she quickly follows him back into an eternal slumber, perhaps hoping that the peace to love they were denied in life they will find in death.

.: Selena loves to say "a little bird told me" when I ask her how she knows things. I always rolled my eyes but it seems maybe she wasn't exaggerating. A little bird came and joined me at breakfast this morning as I sat on the veranda. She hopped onto the table nice as you please and started nibbling at my left over toast. I had no reason to be rude and shoo her away, but I never expected what happened next. She looked up at me and then took another hop closer. I should have been surprised but actually I was more intrigued, especially when she said to me in a soft, yet very clear, voice "I believe you are looking for something I might have". Apparently her family is moving into a new treetop home and the item I seek for Romeo and Juliet´s piece of the recipe is crowding out her babies. She says if I remove it, I am welcome to keep it. Help a little bird @ Sylvhara (92,93,2501)

Lovepotion 9: Love is... eternal

Tied Locket

10. Amaranthus -
Buttercup and Wesley - The Mask
The Princess Bride: Buttercup, the Princess Bride, lost her Wesley once and believed their love was over. Masked and with a new identity, he returned from the grave and she vowed never to doubt again the power of True Love.

.: I miss Selena. I feel like I have been away for ages and I am beginning to think this is a fool´s quest. I wanted to do something that had never been done before, but maybe no one has ever been able to brew a True Love potion because it is impossible. Maybe the only real way to True Love is through faith. Like the kind of unwavering belief Buttercup had in Wesley, even death couldn't keep him away from his one True Love. I need to end this soon and return to Selena. I think I have a lead on where to find my next ingredient. I just hope I find it before it is six feet underground. Does love really last beyond the grave? Find out @ Caledon Cape Wrath (11,174,31)

Lovepotion 10: Love is... always believing

Large and Small Chocolate Box Platforms

11. Whimsical Wonders - Like a bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down.
Cinderella and Prince Charming - The Glass Slipper
Grimm's Fairy Tales: Cinderella knew the moment Prince Charming danced with her that they were destined to live happily ever after. Was it luck or fate that she left a glass slipper behind at midnight when she had to run away from his embrace? Either way, the Prince found Cinderella and married her so she wouldn't ever run away again.

.: I don´t know if I believe in "happily ever after". I have spent years making revenge spells for jilted lovers or charms to ward off broken hearts. People come to me and want true love, but when I explain I can't conjure true love, they always seem to be just fine with a seven day lust potion. Is that how long "happily ever after" lasts, seven days? I think it would last longer with Selena. Well it has lasted longer with Selena but maybe that´s because we aren't married. I know she wants it, but life isn't a fairy tale like Cinderella and her Prince. I'm not convinced marriage is a bridge we want to cross. Contemplate Cinderella´s future prospects of wedded bliss @ Furry Fashion (22,115,26)

Lovepotion 11: Love is... magical

Cupcake Locket

12. Warbug Headquarters - Hot Springs are a natural result of volcanic islands.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono - The Guitar
Music in Our Time: John Lennon found musical success with the Beatles but until he played the guitar with Yoko, he never knew his heart could sing.

.: Maybe there is a little magic left in the world. I never expected to get so far in my quest but ingredients seem to be appearing right in front of me. I was in a total funk when I found the last one, and I think it restored some of my faith. I am going home. I think the only way this potion will be finished is to be going toward Selena not away from her. If I am meant to find the other ingredients it will be on the road home. I met a man on the road today and I feel much better because of it. He told me of a lovely secluded spot with hot springs he had happened across just up the road a bit. He stopped and had lunch by the waterfall. It sounds so peaceful. Just what I need. Maybe I will even come across John and Yoko's ingredient if it´s meant to be. Take a rest and enjoy the hot springs @ Black Forest (216,116,23)

Lovepotion 12: Love is... finding the person who makes your heart sing

Watches

13. Zenshi - Some dresses actually have pockets.
Bonnie and Clyde - The Gun
Crimes of Passion: Bank robbers, Bonnie and Clyde saw their love blossom at the end of a gun. Amid shoot outs and police chases, the flames of passion surged high, supercharging their romance and in the end leading to a love that could never die.

.: I have twelve ingredients and I am now determined to find the other three. I got another letter from Selena today. She says the roses are coming out in her garden, and she hopes I will be home soon to see them. Just the thought of seeing her sweet face, dark hair curling against her cheeks, her eyes full of a mixture of merriment and mischief, is making me walk a little faster. I think about Romeo and Juliet, so much in love but given so little time, and I wonder what it is I have been waiting for with Selena. Once this potion is done, I´ll stop making excuses. I know now there isn't anyone else for me! I remember the blue dress she admired on the Avenue at Zanze during our last shopping trip. I will surprise her with it! Buy a dress @ Zenshi South (114,212,27)

Lovepotion 13: Love is... an adrenaline rush

Tattoo and Hot Tub

14. Fallen Gods - Once you find the teleporter, it's so easy!
Antony and Cleopatra - The Serpent
History of the Roman Empire: Unwilling to face life without her lover's embrace, Cleopatra sucked a serpent at her breast to join Antony in death.

.: I can´t believe it! I really am meant to find these ingredients and brew Love Potion No. 9.9. I have to be, there is no other explanation for me finding yet another ingredient sheerly by accident. More then that, I´m now following the man who will surely lead me to Antony and Cleopatra´s item. I was just leaving the store, Selena´s dress in hand, when I saw him stroll past the the window. Tall and powerful in appearance he was a sight to behold and I took a step back until I saw the flash of metal on his hand. Curled around his finger was a symbol I know well. I also know seeing it was no coincidence. To the Temple and then up, as if by magic, to a floating sitting room the Libertine leads me. I am not disappointed by what I find. What does the Libertine reveal? Find out @ Selidor (182,137,22)

Lovepotion 14: Love is... sacrifice

Library from the Hunt

15. MadPea Carnival - NO SOUP FOR YOU!
Marie and Pierre Curie - The Flask
Love at the Bottom of a Test Tube: People often think of science as cold and clinical, but for Marie and Pierre Curie their passion ignited over a bunsen burner and simmered for years in a flask. Condensing into the elements of an ever lasting love.

.: I am almost home! I have 14 ingredients in my bag and Selena on my mind. I thought I would be more excited about the potion but I find that the excitement is all for Selena. I´ll be glad to see her and hold her in my arms. I hope I can share brewing this potion with her. I think if I can share this achievement with her it will cement our bonds forever. I know she doesn't really understand all that I do but maybe it doesn't matter as long as she understands me. Marie and Pierre were lucky to be able to work together, but maybe there are more ways to work side by side then just in a laboratory. Just a quick stop for some lunch at the Carnival outside town before I get home. A hot bowl of soup will warm my insides and then home for a bath before surprising Selena. Visit the Carnival @ MadPea Base (246,179,23)

Lovepotion 15: Love is... chemistry

Endgame: I can´t believe I found all the ingredients! I was skeptical at times it could be done but even now having all of the items in my possession I´m not sure this will work. And what´s this? A magic phrase has been revealed on the recipe. What does it say... amor gignit amorem ... That will surely come in handy! I will make sure to say it as I brew the potion. I have to get to my lab immediately. The sooner I make the potion and get it delivered, the sooner I can see Selena!

Enter the alchemy lab through the library @ Hoshi Island (229,161,42)

To find the lab you have to pass through the vaguely hidden door, find some sparkles, and thread your way through a maze. I mostly just wandered around until I found my way to the very obvious lab

Love Potion Cauldron & Stand: The cauldron brews and boils, the scent of lavender wafts through the air.
 
Love Potion Cauldron & Stand: Congratulations! You have successfully brewed Love Potion No. 9.9. You doubted it could be done but now you are holding in your hand a potion that will bestow True Love. Best deliver it quick before its effects can mellow. Into the woods you go to find the rose cottage and the mysterious letter writer. It's time to receive your reward!

Selena: Oh Phinneas! I knew you would solve the riddle of the recipe. I have watched you for months unsatisfied with your work. I studied every alchemy book I could find, even the most obscure texts, in order to create the recipe for you. I love you and hope you have learned that True Love isn't always perfect or easy but it does exist in all kinds of ways. Marry me! Click the Unlocked Icon on the HUD for your rewards.

Watermelon Spring

This is a gorgeous new release from Dilly Dolls - a spaghetti strap dress with dark detailing and brilliant colors. I found that the medium fit me like a glove out of the box, except for my belly which is unfashionably large; once I shrunk that, I didn't even need an invisible layer - which was good since the included one cut a little too wide across the chest. It's a fun, flirty style accepted by dark black ribbons - a really high contrast look which could only be matched by an older set of her shoes - these really fun skully heels. I could only match the brilliance of the outfit with the watermelon hair coloring from Alice Project. I adore her HUD based coloring system, which means I have an eternity of fades at my fingertips. This one I really adore - green tips, with the melon-white before the hot pink begins; it was perfect for the overall look. Getting jewelry for it was a real challenge, but in my first picture I was inspired to dig deep, and I ended up pulling back up this amazing jewelry set from Eclectica, which allows for dying with different colors.

The final touch was the eye cosmetics from Boom. I really adore these, and my only thought on how they could be improved (eyes open or closed) is if the eyes were each done separately so that I could mix and match more freely. After setting myself up as a living, flying watermelon by tinting my wings from Fancy Fairy and my nails from SLink to match, there was only one place on the grid I could go - to Torley Island. Torley is a Linden who loves hot pink and lime green, and has accumulated a sim full of these things. His usual drop point leaves one in a modernistic world made mostly of white, with the occasional highlight of pink and green. I ended up hunting those up, posing in front of them with careless abandon while I waited for the perfect moment. He also has some free textures available for anyone who wants to have at - so go and enjoy! Me, I'm just enjoying the bright colors which always remind me of that greatest of summer joys, watermelon.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Boom, Eye Paint - watermelon
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick: Mock, Bella Vetro Gloss - appleblossom
Hair: Alice Project, Kumi
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Jewelry: Eclectica, Clusters Jewelry
Dress: Dilly Dolls, Nykki 2 - Pink & Green
Stockings: Grass green thigh highs
Shoes: Dilly Dolls, Dasha Skully Pumps

Poses: Adorkable

Location: Torley Island

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 6 - Poetic Spa

I am a completely different shades of Poetic Spa, but I think I rather like it! Aydryan, from Sublime Shroud Kreations, has been my go-to store for finding twisted color combinations, and I've been shocked at how many I've found. This is no different, though I'm afraid the nature of my pictures means I'm showcasing a few of the flaws of flexible prim clothing, but I think the pictures look awesome anyway. I paired it with an awesome new release from Lelutka which cut into my ears a little, but some judicious ear-moving took care of that, and a gorgeous new release from Glow in the shape of this chocolate heart jewelry.

Keep in mind, the only editing I did on these is cropping; otherwise, they are exactly what I saw on the screen in Second Life. It is significantly disorienting, but you can walk sideways and upside down (much in the same style as Bryn Oh's newest release on Immersiva) around some sort of ball of a world. What really threw me was not having a good sense of where "up" was. Since Second Life's camera starts flipping if you angle perfectly up or down, I kept having my camera freak out on me while I was taking pictures because I thought I was aiming to the side, but I was actually aiming perfectly up or down. Very challenging, but also a whole lot of fun!

Things got really topsy turvy for a while, as you can see, and when I finally stood up from the scripted ball which made the whole thing possible, I took a nozedive for the world far below. It really reminded me strongly of The Little Prince, who traveled between many different planets, most of them small enough that he could easily walk around them. It's a dreamy, slightly disturbing story which I met again through an entirely different culture's eyes in the Boogiepop comics. One of the notes on translations included both the English translation of a second book by Antoine De Saint-Exuprey, and a translation from the Japanese, with the translator noting that the meanings of the prose seemed to transform slightly between languages, and the two step hop was significantly different from the one step hop.

To my eyes, you are filled with gentle nobility. I see a king with the power to grant water, or a friend... Or even an enemy, coming to me through you. Yet at times I know that I no longer have any enemies. (from the Japanese)

And I, in my turn, shall recognize you in the faces of all mankind. You came toward me in an aureole of charity and magnanimity bearing the gift of water. All my friends and all my enemies marched toward me in your person. It did not seem to me that you were rescuing me: rather did it seem that you were forgiving me. And I felt I had no enemy left in all the world. (from the French)

( More pictures here. )

Credits:

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Mock, Triumphant Eyeshadow
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick 1: Mock, May Lipcolor Twine
Lipstick 2: Mock, Lucir LipColor Venom
Hair: LeLutka, Lillian
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Jewelry: Glow, Hatti Vatti
Dress: Sublime Shroud Kreations, Lady Marcella Red
Shoes: Falln Angel Creations, Akito Shoes Yellow

Poses: HelaMiyo

Location: PotPourri Markets
Light Settings: CB's Rouge 5
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

50 Shades of Sexy Challenge: Sexy and Objectification

Recently, Rebecca Watson linked to a TED talk on The Sexy Lie (beginning of an article on the video here), about the objectification of women and what objectification means. Watson has been targeted for sexualized harassment for the last couple of years, along with many other prominent women, and a large section of this harassment has included drawings and images objectifying her in order to humiliate her, and she discusses some of what she receives in the post about this TED talk. In the video, Caroline Heldman begins by establishing what objectification is, which is what made me think about my participation in the 50 Weeks of Sexy Challenge - as part of the cycle is that women learn to objectify ourselves in response to seeing objectified images of women in the media. Much as I've been enjoying the change of pace, and the chance to show off clothing which tends to not emerge from my inventory, taking sexual images of myself - even my virtual self - is emotionally fraught; I have literally been told by a man that because I didn't dress like this all of the time he had no reason to pay attention to anything I said, an example of sexist objectification that still leaves me stunned.

Heldman sets up seven criteria for determining if an image engages in sexual objectification.

1) Does the image show only part(s) of a sexualized person’s body?

I don't think there's any argument than these pictures, by virtue of posing and lack of clothing, are sexualized. By and large, though, except for my feet pictures aimed at showing shoes up close (see below), I tend to take pictures facing the camera. In addition to a shoe pictures, I usually take one picture from behind, but in high contrast to the example in the first article, I don't think I tend to do more atmospheric than bend over and spread images. The images she uses, though, are particularly striking in the generic nature of them; without the facial features and any identifying marks, and with the tendency for models to conform to a narrow physical standard, it can be difficult to tell the women apart - something most noticeable when seeing a number of the images in a row, as she shows in the first article.

2) Does the image present a sexualized person as a stand-in for an object?

I have to admit that, while I don't often indulge in it, I have a weak spot for images of myself as a sculpture or a doll. I'm not quite sure where that impulse comes from, but it's interesting to think of it in the context of a large cultural objectification of women which I have internalized and refashioned that objectification
into self-identifying as cherishable or art itself. Definitely food for thought as I continue to explore Second Life and the various permutations of my identity.

3) Does the image show a sexualized person as interchangeable?

This one is particularly interesting as a standard for determining objectification because once I saw examples of it, it seemed so obvious, but the description of it seemed so unreal I was convinced I'd never seen an ad which did this. It reminds me strongly of one of the complaints Feminists like myself often have about the idea that there is a "right way" and a "wrong way" to pick up a woman - a concept found in it's extreme in the Pickup Artist movement, but apparent more subtly in standard culture perpetuated by media and social interactions, particularly comedy (which often hinges on an idea that women hate sex, love shopping, and accomplish most in their relationships via nagging). There are also populations of men who complain about how women always date "assholes" and won't date "nice guys" which similarly seems to treat women as one interchangeable woman who has set characteristics. In one of my experiences with being friends with a misogynist, I often felt that when that aspect of his personality snapped in, he made very weird judgements about what I would do and why, seemingly based on some Platonic Ideal of "woman" in his head which didn't match me at all. The idea of women as interchangeable and identical is a particularly pernicious one, and very difficult to combat as the characteristics of "All Women" are likely to be found in some women, though it is unlikely all of them would be found in a single woman.

4) Does the image affirm the idea of violating the bodily integrity of a sexualized person that can’t consent?

This concept seems to be much rarer, and I don't feel like it exists in my work at all, but the images associated with it are particularly disturbing, and can be incredibly subtle. One in particular was an iconic picture of a couple kissing after the Second World War ended, which turned out to actually depict a sexual assault - the man kissing the woman did not know her, did not ask her for permission, took her entirely by surprise, and if you look closely at the image you can see that she is not only not participating but is actually trying to push against his chest to get free while he traps her in his embrace. Consent is a thorny issue not because it is confusing or ambiguous, but because women's ability to refuse to consent to what a man or men do to her is threatening to male dominance, and thus it is undermined as much as possible in discussions of sex and rape. Every time a person says of a raped woman, "She was asking for it," they are denying the right of women to be secure in their bodies.

5) Does the image suggest that sexual availability is the defining characteristic of the person?

We're back to things I may participate in, via my cheesecake pictures, and possibly even these, since the goal is to appear "sexy" in them. I'm not quite sure in my mind how to resolve this, since the purpose of sexy images is to attract people, but the implication that an attractive woman wearing lingerie or other scanty outfits is available for any person who approaches is one I find deeply disturbing. Cheesecake was the predecessor to still pornography, though, portraying women as smiling, often vapid or simple figures who are engaged with alluring the viewer instead of accomplishing whatever nominal task they might be engaging in. Again, something to seriously consider going forward.

6) Does the image show a sexualized person as a commodity (something that can be bought and sold)?

At first blush this seems very similar to criteria two, and I think we could consider it a particularly nasty subset of criteria two. I think it's worth it's own notation, though, because this - more than the idea of woman-as-object - is part of the characterization of typical dating. Whether baldly, bluntly, crudely, or obliquely, the idea that the man buys the woman a meal and the woman has sex with the man is everywhere in contemporary Western culture. Even the books and magazines focused on convincing women to not give the man sex focus on the having-of-sex as a reward rather than something the woman herself enjoys (Why buy the cow if you get the milk for free?"). Women are specifically characterized as valuing food/activities/jewelry/marriage/security instead of sex, and expected to use access to their mouths and vaginas as currency for getting what they want. Women who want sex, and seek it out without trading it for something of relatively high value, are viewed as "cheap" not "having a good time." I think this dynamic is part of the pervasive objectification of women, and how women objectify ourselves.

7) Does the image treat a sexualized person’s body as a canvas?

This one again seems to be a subset of criteria two, and is sure to set off people who enjoy extensive tattoos. I think the distinction being made is between a canvas used to print an add or barcode, and a canvas for self-expression, but this is not an area I have much experience in or attraction to.

Next week - part two of this article dealing with part two of Heldman's article on Sexual Objectification, specifically detailing the harm caused by the sexual objectification of women.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Boom, Hard Candy - Pink Sugar
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick: Croire, Glittery Gloss - sugarplum
Hair: Illusory, Yew - sugar
Horns: Rue, S.E. Sugar Skull Horns
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Jewelry: Eolande, White Pearls
Outfit: Evie's Closet, Lumina Nymph
Shoes: Lassitude & Ennui, Blossom Wedge Sandals

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Sugar Mainstore
Light Settings: Bryn Oh's Condos in Heaven

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Art Deco at Right Angles

Art Deco is not one of the styles I was initially drawn to, but I have an awesome friend named Tomoyuki who loves it, and who awoke me to it's charms. I'm still not as much an Art Decophile as he is, but when I found out there was a new art gallery with an Art Deco theme I simply couldn't resist! It's all cream tile, glass, and right angles; shiny and sparkling. It fit this awesome dress from R2 Fashion which is also completely shiny and amazing, and this highly stylish hair from Underscore that was just released. I don't quite match - I'm all silvery while the gallery has a golden cast - but I really like the contrasting metallic and glass all mixing together with soft blacks. The geometric art on the walls is reflected beautifully in the columns and large rugs; I think my favorite was the table made up of overlapping cubes, though the fuzzy rug with long textures comes in a close second. The whole aesthetic is sleek and stylish, shiny and cool; I'm surprised it hasn't come back into style again, but perhaps that's because it is more difficult to accomplish without a lot of effort and an awareness of proportion. When you're only working with a couple of colors, a whole lot of other things suddenly become a lot more important!

A conversation with an acquaintance recently unsettle my foundation in the world - not quite quicksand, but a lot got shaken loose. He's quite a bit older than I am, and despite that works much harder for much less money. He's never resentful of the difference; indeed, he's always been very sweet and friendly and he asked about my holidays. I had a lovely time, flying out of town to visit my family and spending almost two weeks paid vacation lounging around and being pampered. He worked. I don't often think of myself as privileged - I'm no where near having enough money to splurge on things all of the time, for example (HINT universe) - but I have only rarely been running low on food, I have my own apartment and enough clothing, and I have both holiday and sick time enough to take it easy when I want to. In many ways I'm very blessed, with a job I love and am good at, a lovely place to live, and people who love and care for me. I wish more people could have this, though. People shouldn't have to work two jobs to live, though, and they should get holidays and sick time.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeshadow: Elymode, Plum & Gold
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick 1: Mock, Lucir Lipcolor Lavender
Lipstick 2: Mock, Lucir Lipcolor Orchid
Hair: Underscore, Roll-On Hair
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Dress: r2, Metallic Dress Silver
Stockings: Vextra Fashion, Sheer Stockings
Shoes: r2, Kneehigh Boots Silver

Poses: Glitterati

Location: Art India Gallery
Light Settings: Places Babbage
Water Settings: Glassy

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

50 Shades of Sexy: Sexual Healing

Sexual Healing was a fun 50 Shades of Sexy to do, though I didn't have the dress I thought I had bought a while ago from katat0nik. Her nurse hat is really cute, though, and I ended up pairing it with a cute lingerie corseted outfit from Blacklace - check out the texturing along the front and back, and the smooth line of the panty. This is an older set, but I really love it. I didn't like the stockings which came with it, though, so I ended up pairing it with a gorgeous set from Vextra Fashion, complete with a sheer garter belt. I love the lines of it, especially with the slinky lingerie. The shoes are my staples from G Field, the slingback heels which were one of the first ones I bought from her, but which still hold up much later (though I miss the tinting options on her new shoes!). The final touch is a gorgeous Bleeding Heart jewelry from Earthstones, complete with drops of blood leaking from it.

I ended up taking these pictures in the endgame area of the MadPea Hunt, where you combine together the fifteen hidden items and make a secret magical potion of love! I love the effects of combining everything together and the glowing pink and exploding light all over the lab! It was a really cute lab, too, with all kinds of beakers and things on fire, and things that probably will explode if left alone for too long!I adjusted a few things, but then there was some hissing and things started bubbling, so I got out of there fast! So... if you can't find it for the rest of the hunt, I'm sorry?

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeliner: Eternal Darkness, Harlequin Tears
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick: Adore & Abhor, Silent Star
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Sachiko Mesh (promotional item)
Hat: katat0nik, Happy Nurse Hat
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Lingerie: Blacklace, Midnight Affair
Jewelry: Earthstones, Bleeding Hearts
Stockings: Vextra Fashion, Sheer Stockings
Shoes: G Field, Ribbon Slingback Shoes

Poses: Glitterati

Location: MadPea Endgame Location for the Love Potion 9.9 Hunt
Light Settings: TOR, FOGGY The pink tower

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Hunting Across Second Life for Ingrediants

One thing I really like about the new MadPea Hunts is how short they are - fifteen stores from beginning to end, with a little hunting at the beginning and end to fill out the story. This time I decided to take some pictures along the way, one per store, which was a really fun diversion from hunting (and I have some more pictures to take tonight!). I'm not promising that I always took pictures near the hidden thing, and it's never shown in the pictures, but I often found something photographic on the way to where I'll teleport to the next store. I really had fun on this hunt. All of the hints were good. Sometimes you had to travel to find the hint location, but the hint itself was always good and many of the items were large enough to find without straining your eyes and crying. I actually managed it in a single night and really had a fantastic time.

This time, trying to take pictures, I really noticed how many stores had decorative areas in them to enjoy and pose with. Even the smallest stores had a bit of drama outside of the front door, like the gorgeous skyline above, or a little table and shadowy figure, or even actual Dwarfins around a cheery fireplace with chairs they could actually sit in. I wanted to take a picture of one of them in the chair, but at the time another Dwarfin had his head under my skirt and it felt a little indecorous to make a permanent record of. I met a few people along the way, too - a couple of people I passed hints to once I was past where they were, and one newbie I passed my newbie folder to at MadPea Island (which is again entirely remain and entirely awesome). I'm sure the complaining and snideness will show up as the month goes on, as it always seems too, but for now I'm basking in the warm glow of a really fun hunt with a really heart warming storyline.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, RooMee Eyes - Rainbow
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Eyeliner: Eternal Darkness, Harlequin Tears
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick: Adore & Abhor, Silent Star
Hair: Wasabi Pills, Sachiko Mesh (promotional item)
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Dress: katat0nik, Jester Dress - dark pink
Shoes: G Field, Strap Shoes "Alex"

Poses: Glitterati

Location: MadPea Store Hunt Locations
Light Settings: Various

Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only

Twisted Color Challenge: Week 5 - Lilac Suede

With Lilac Suede, I have caught up on the Twisted Color Challenge - and now it's just a matter of staying caught up! This is another unexpectedly lovely combination, though my notes suffered a minor snafu when I began taking the next set of pictures before uploading these! That being said, I was able to reconstruct the look (I think!) except for the eyeshadow. I've been hampered by weird problems rezzing the textures on my head - I think this might be a side effect of the new ways of processing the appearances of avatars. I still think the look is gorgeous, though, complete with tinting the skin slightly lilac to match, and I love the dark green with the very pale violet that resulted. This challenge is definitely stretching my styling skills, but it gave me a chance to pull out this awesome and fantastic hair from Discord Designs - also available for petites. I dressed it up with a gorgeous Lucky Board prize from Indigo Oddities, a fantastic green confection with a very low cut front. The jewelry is from a very different store than I usually wear jewelry from - Sn@tch - and I totally would have forgotten about this set if I hadn't been looking for lilac things and stumbled across it. I'm very glad I did - the style is casual and fun, and really works with the overall look. Sn@tch should totally do more jewelry! Finally, the shoes have been in my inventory a while waiting for the right look to go with; a fun, flower-decorated shoe from Felicity, you can tint the flower separately to make it work with all sorts of color combinations, which clearly means it or one of it's sisters will be back on my feet for another challenge!

This is actually photographs taken at an unusual Art Gallery called The Guild of Lys Noir, with interactive and sometimes difficult to find doors leading you through it. There are some lines on the wall or through the water to guide you on your way, and there are large markers near the doors - which react to your approach - that open a wide variety of ways, including sinking down into the ground! I found it a bit confusing at the beginning, but ended up really enjoying it and the more theatrical effects of the gallery. The addition of water under the pictures so that they can be reflected down and doubled up was really striking, and I have to admit I'd like to see more galleries take a leaf from this tree; it really is an amazing and Second Life specific effect. One problem I have with a lot of galleries is that they seem to be pale shadows of offline ones, but The Guild of Lys Noir really takes advantage of what Second Life has to add to the artistic world.

( More pictures here. )

Credits: 

Skin: De la Soul, Aestali - Cream Rose
Eyes: De La Soul, Realism Eyes - Portal
Eyelashes 1: SLink, Mesh Eyelashes
Eyelashes 2: Flugeln Brise, 05-A
Mock, Kayla's Lilac Maurea Mod Masque
Ears: Illusions, Seelie Ears
Lipstick: Rue, Painted Lip Service
Hair: Discord Designs, Flora lilac
Wings: Fancy Fairy, Azarelle
Hands: SLink, Mesh Hands
Dress: Indigo Oddities, Wistful Wisteria green
Jewelry: Sn@tch, Bellefleur Jewelry Set
Shoes: Felicity, Xana Lilac Suede Stilettos (promotional item)

Poses: Glitterati

Location: The Guild of Lys Noir
 
Photographed by Deoridhe Quandry
Post processing: Cropping, only