Tag Archives: backdrop

I want more…

by

TUNES

Some people get by with a little understandingSome people get by with a whole lot moreI don’t know, why you gotta be so undemandingOne thing I know, I want more, I want more

[- The Sisters of Mercy -]
Clothing

Outfit: [CX] – “Blazing Vixen (Monotone)” (Maitreya)
Shoes: L’Emporio – “:::Ravage:::” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Horns: [CX] – “Diablos Aries Horns”
Earrings 2: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Piercing (Mouth): LittleFish – “EziliV2” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon
Glasses: [CX] – “Farseer Glasses – Silver”
Rings:  L’Emporio – “::Dedalus” (Maitreya, Bento)
Ellbows: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Nyar ElbowPad” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Kinky // March 2023
Knees: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Sorsha Kneepad” (Maitreya)
Nails: [CX] – “Essential Dirty Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Exile – “Brooklyn 1”
Face Tattoo: BodyArts – “Fantasia – Black” (LeL.EvoX BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “Siwa 3.1”
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.3”
Tattoo: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo ( Dark ) Peony vBlack” (BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: L.A. BoS – “Down Poses”
Backdrop: .PALETO.Backdrop. – “EVIL NIGHT”
Cats: [Rezz Room] – “Bombay Cat Animesh (Holdable) v2.0.0”
Books 1: DRD – “TAH – Medical books” (Gacha)
Books 2: 22769 – “Stack of Books” (Gacha)
Books 3: 22769 – “Tied Books” (Gacha)
Books 4: 22769 – “Candle Books” (Gacha)

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

“Nothing ’bout me is ordinary…”

by

TUNES

Nothing ’bout me is ordinary
My friends all say I’m going crazy
I don’t hear a word that they say
‘Cause the voices in my head are legendary
But I’ll never tell ’em where the bodies are buried
Keeps them coming back every day

[- Shinedown -]

Back again with some cool news from NEO Japan. Today with that amazing outfit from AsteroidBox called “Ayden”. Rigged for Maitreya Lara, Maitreya Petite, V-Tech, Belleza Freya, Legacy Female, Belleza Jake and Legacy Male, it comes in 10 colors to choose from. Each color includes a plain and an ornamented design of the corset and comes in a huge color range for all different parts – if you get the fatpack you will get all of that awesome options, too just with all 10 colors at once :p

The cool messy hair I as well found at NEO Japan, made my monso. What I loved a lot about it, is that the hair has 3 different style options. It is really awesome that nowadays you will get some options for one hairstyle, so you can adapt it to different outfits and pictures. I had it so often that I wished I could shift the hair from the left to the right side and now you can find such things on some HUDs of certain brands – I really enjoy that.

Clothing

Outfit: AsteroidBox – “Ayden Outfit” (Maitreya) – NEW @ NEO Japan // March 2021

Shoes & Socks: L’Emporio&PL – “*Asahi*” (Maitreya) – NEW @ NEO Japan // March 2021

Accessories

Face Chain: [CX] – Tyrant’s Chain (Silver) R”

Septum: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inferno Septum”

Rings & Nails: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Infernal Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Backpack: CULT – “Wild Unisex” – NEW @ Kinky // March 2021

Hair & Makeup

Hair: [monso] – “Choi Hair” – NEW @ NEO Japan // March 2021

Face Art:  Nefekalum Tattoos – “Hunger” (BoM, Materials enabled)

Face Scars: . The Rotting Lab . – “Waster – Scar – Pale” (BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “Erin 2.5”

Ears: .:BoD:. – “Sasha Croses BoM & Tint Ears” – NEW @ Necrosis // March 2021

Body: Maitreya – “Lara V5.3”

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: Foxcity

Backdrop: PALETO – “Backdrop:. LMP-78”

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Lines of Light

by

“Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by children being taught mathematical concepts… A graphic representation of data abstracted from banks of every computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity. Lines of light ranged in the nonspace of the mind, clusters and constellations of data. Like city lights, receding…”
[-William Gibson, Neuromancer-]

I wanted to post this way earlier as it does mostly feature designs from the ACCESS Cyberfair, but as I already write about… with looking for a new job my RL is completely upside down and takes more attention that usual. I do hate it  – I am usually a person that likes to have at least something stable in my life where I can fill all the other gaps with my own schedule and activities. At the moment I do not even know what the next day will bring as I try to find a new job and run from one appointment to another – it does pay off I have to admit but it is exhausting and time consuming. But I do not want to complain about – that is life. I am just trying to explain why my posts are sometimes a little behind.  I hope you will find all the amazing items in the designers main stores by now 😉

Nevertheless I want to put your attention on some of the amazing creations I am wearing in my pictures today. Since we have the closeup right above, Please take a closer look at that fantastic neon eyebrows and eye-covers. They are made by Madame Noir and they come with a color HUD, which allows you to customize this fantastic design to all of your cyber styling! What as well we can see are parts of the incredible vest and top from A&Y. The “Raizer” top and vest as well were released at the Cyberfair and like all oof the amazing designs of A&Y they perfectly fit together and as well do have a huge HUD to color ever little face of that incredible cyber creations.

Since I slaughtered the backdrop on my first picture with PS so much, I just left it untouched in the other 2 pictures, so you can get an idea what that incredible backdrop actually looks like 😉

I hope that I can post more regularly soon – I really miss my “free time” which I usually take, to make pictures and relax from busy, stressy days.

Clothing

Vest: A&Y – “Raizer Vest” (Maitreya)

Top: A&Y – “Raizer Top” (Maitreya)

Bodysuit: Graves – “G648 Impulse – Clasic Body” (BoM)

Gloves: MEVA – “Andra Gloves 2” (Maitreya)

Shoes: [Salem] – “Lethal Boots” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Headpiece: .{PSYCHO:Byts}. – “Peresephonix – Horns”

Glasses: – TRIGGERED – – “The Crow Gacha (Glasses-Black) (Gacha, Rare)

Piercing 1: LeLUTKA – “Ryn.Piercing.Lip.Ashley/Laubert” (part of the Ryn head)

Piercing 2: LeLUTKA – “Ryn.Piercing.Lips. Frenulum/Tongue” (part of the Ryn head)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: A&Y – “Medusa Cyber Hair”

Eyeliner: CAZIMI – “Basic B Eyeliners (LeLUTKA) Bonus Liners” (LeLUTKA Evo. HD Applier)

Lipstick: VELOUR – “New Gods HD Lipstick [LeLUTKA Evo RYN]” (LeLutka HD Evo Applier)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “Ryn 2.0”

Eyebrows & Eyes: Madame Noir – “Neon Set”

Lashes: CAZIMI – “Starlet Lashes” (LeLUTKA Evo. Applier)

Body: Maitreya – “Lara v5.3”

Tattoo: Harana – “Artificial Human – 02 [Flesh Ver.] Dark” (BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Backdrop: .PALETO. Backdrop. “30X-SPACE (MATERIAL)(LIGHT)”

Poses: Poseidon

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

A Nightout!

by

It was the hat!

I wanted to make a post with that cool hat and thought so long about, what I could do with it – Finally I had an idea!

I rarely based a style of a hat only, but this time the hat was too cool and I had to find something that goes with it without loosing the focus 😉 The cap was made by Peculiar Things for the last round of the Eclipse Event, but I am sure you can find it at the main store now. The “Burning Glory Cap” is available in 5 colors plus one limited color! I certainly had to use the black one…

The cap is a masterpiece of materials. It combines the shimmering gemstones with a more muted basic fabric and it reacts amazingly on SL lights!

The cool backdrop I got at Foxcity. I really do adore her poses and backdrops.

Speaking of backdrops… I have to admit I am addicted to backdrops, even if I add some things here and there to make them more “me”, but the much I love them, the more I am sad that you usually just use them once or twice at max, as it feels like you would bore your flickr followers, if you have the same backdrop over and over, even if they are uber cool. I love back drops even more if they have more than one room or different corners. That gives me the option to use them more than just 2 times 🙂

As well most backdrops are cool for editorials, like the Foxcity ones with the amazing lights and materials but if you really want to have a natural looking environment, I guess you need the skills to really built y scene yourself using all those amazing designs, that people make for environment and accessorizing places. I still learn how to make a cool scene and I really be grateful for the ready to shoot backdrops, so I think a good mixture of both will be the goal – at least for me, as I do like both and if I do not have to decide I am happy!

 

Outfit

Top & Pants: JF Design – “Dream” (Maitreya)

Shoes: {Livalle} – “Payne – Combat Boots” (Maitreya)

Stockings: .:Avanti:. – “Ripped Nylons” (Maitreya Applier)

Gloves: amias – “Ari black” (Maitreya, Bento)

Accessories

Cap: Peculiar Things – “Burning Glory Cap”

Collar: .:Avanti:. – “Nayomi Collar”

Earrings: Aurealis Jewellery – “Promesa Earrings” – NEW @ Dubai

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Opale – “Yunjin”

Makeup & Lipstick: Zibska – “Radi” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.3”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Tattoo: [White~Widow] – “Replicas” (Maitreya Applier)

Eyebrows: Bossie – “Nyx Eyebrows” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: FOXCITY – “Lucid” (Bento)

Backdrop: FOXCITY – “Photo Booth – Lit”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

 

Are you ready?

by

TUNES

Are you ready for a good time
Then get ready for the night line

[AC/DC]

Outfit & Accessories

Coat: A&Y – “Flash Cyber Coat” (Maitreya)

Dress: A&Y – “Lexa Latex Dress” (Maitreya)

Gloves: A&Y  – “Lorna Armwarmers” (Maitreya)

Shoes: UTOPIA@Design – “Kaliska” (Maitreya)

Headpiece: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Kanjiro”

Rings: :Moon Amore: – “Arcano Rings” (Maitreya, Bento)

Nails: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Obsess Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: -FABIA- Mesh Hair – “Saura”

Makeup: .ARISE. – “Crackling Mask / 2” (Omega Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Hildis” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Ears: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Meraxes”

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Backdrop: .:Joplino:. – “Backdrop Shrine”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Shades of Purple

by

TUNES

In the still of the night
Once again I hold you tight
Tho’ you’re gone your love lives on when light beams
And as long as my heart will beat
Sweet lover, we’ll always meet
Here in my deep purple dreams
[Ella Fitzgerald]

Outfit & Accessories

Top: [The Forge] – “Xella” (Maitreya)

Pants: Maddict – “Seren” (Maitreya)

Shoes: [Gos] – “Kendall Boots” (Maitreya)

Gloves: Salt & Pepper – “Winona Gloves” (Maitreya, part of an outfit)

Collar: CURELESS[+] – “Sentinent Collar”

Choker: Mossu – “Temptress Choker Black” (Maitreya)

Earrings: !Rebel Hope – “Tassel Earrings”

Rings: *Bonita* – “Rings Love” (Maitreya, Bento)

Nails: Meva – “Nails 3” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Tansfer” – NEW @ MoM

Makeup: Flair – “Eyeshadow – Sheer” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Tattoo: Queen of Ink – “Legend Tattoo”

Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Lashes: Flair – “Eylashes – Diva” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props

Poses: Fairey Poses

Backdrop: FOXCITY – “K-POP Star 2 – Ringa Linga (3)” (Gacha, Rare)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Music was my first Love

by

Music was my first love
And it’ll be my last
Music of the future
And music of the past.
To live without my music
Would be impossible to do
In this world of troubles
my music pulls me through

[John Miles]

When I saw the outfit from today, I immediately had something in mind for pictures. As usual it did not wanna come out as intended and I had to think about something else.

The “Melodic Doll” from CURELESS[+] is another masterpiece of their amazing design. I always loved CURELESS[+] as they are creating things that are usually outside the box and very special. The details and the incredible skills of designing always was something that was marvelling. Every little detail is sharp and crisp and their creations usually need more than just one look to see their full beauty.

The whole set is rigged to fit the Maitreya Lara mesh body and with the alpha HUD you can fit the outfit perfectly to your avatar. The arms and legs of the “Melodic Doll” look typically like the ball jointed dolls, which we all might know from your childhood play toys 😉 I totally love the look on my avatar now as well 🙂 The limbs are a little thinner as your regular mesh body ones but that even more gives you the doll feeling.

The “Quaver” shoes of the gacha set are only working with the common dolly legs and won’t work with normal human feet. Some other unrigged shoes of mine did fit the dolly feet as well, but for the post I certainly chose the matching ones from the “Melodic Doll” gacha of CURELESS[+]. The box has no special animations in it but you can adjust it to every pose that you use easily.

The RARES of the set do have a HUD for full customization, while the COMMONS only have little HUDs that change the details.

As a musician, I adore the whole set and it was a must have for me. I hope you will have the same fun and happy feelings that I had when you get your “Melodic Doll”!

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit (incl. Torso, Arms & Legs): CURELESS[+] – “Melodic Doll” (Gacha,Maitreya, Bento) – NEW @ Epiphany

Doll Key: Cybernetics – “Ornamental Doll Key”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Arrest”

Hairbase: MINA – “Myla” (LeLutka Applier)

Makeup & Lipstick: Zibska – “Agafia” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Skin: .la petite morte. – “Amalthea Unicorn” (LaLutka, MaitreyaApplier)

Eyes: Anatomy – “Angel Eyes – Silver”

Poses & Props

Backdrop: CMYK// – “2. pastel magical studio” (Gacha)

Butterflies: Wasabi Pills – “Butterflies Swarm” (FaMESHed Birthday Gift 2018)

Poses: Foxcity

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Rock’n’Roll ain’t Noise Pollution!

by

TUNES

After all those nice, sweet and girly posts, I really had the desire to do something more ‘me’ again 🙂

Today I wanted to do something with short hair and the “No.Scene” hair style from no.match was exactly what I felt for today. You can find the hair style for a few more days at the MOM event before it probably hits the main store. Yes you heard right – MOM (Men Only Monthly). The hair comes in 2 different sizes, so male and female short hair lovers can wear it. For the “No.Scene” style you have an optional add on wisp, which I completely loved as it makes the whole look a little more ‘messy’ and loosely.

With that kind of hair, you cannot do a pretty. beauty look only… it needs a bot more character and power. The first thing I wanted to add was the “Kings” tattoo from [White~Widow]. It was at We ♥ RP last month already, but I was not able to put a look together that made that amazing tattoo shine enough until now.

What I more and more enjoy are the braces that are part of all of the LeLutka heads. It is only a tiny detail but together with the septum from [ kunst ] it just made perfect sense to me. O love such little details that are barely to see, but I know they are there :p

The glasses actually are super old ones, but I still do love them for pictures. [Steinwerk] was always one of my favorite brands for glasses and it is so sad that they did not release any new designs for quite a while, but you still can find all the fabulous creations at their inworld main store.

When I was trying to place myself onto the “Alleyway” backdrop, I had a feeling that it needs a ghetto blaster and some headphones to complete the look.

Such a cool look requires kick ass poses and where else than at Poseidon you can find such poses :p. The set I used is the “Anime” set, which was released for the ‘Notice Me, Senpai’ event but O am sure they are already at the Poseidon main store now, since the event closed a few days ago. If you want to know which poses I used exactly, just scroll down to the credits, this time I named each single one I used in order of appearance of the picture.

Outfit & Accessories

Outfit: [sYs] – “Assia” (Maitreya)

Shoes: DECO – “Mesh Classic Sneakers small”

Glasses: [Steinwerk] – GT Sunglasses

Gloves: L’Emporio – “Fingerless Gloves” (Maitreya, Bento)

Headphones: [Figure 8] – “Gold Headphones” (Gacha)

Piercing: [ kunst ] – “Anuket Septum Ring”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No.Scene” – NEW @ Mens Only Monthly

Body & Tattoo

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Tattoo: [White~Widow] – “Kings” (Maitreya Applier)

Poses & Props

Background: Wartz Store – “Alleyway” (Gacha)

Ghettoblaster: [Since1975] – “BoomBox” (Gacha)

Poses: Poseidon – “Anime Ghoul 1rev”, “Anime Ghoul 2 rev”, “Anime Mako 2rev”, “Anime Saeko 7”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Vibrant Lights

by

“I think there is beauty in everything what ‘normal’ people would perceive as ugly. I can usually see something of beauty in it.”

[Alexander McQueen]

YAY! Fetish Fair extends for one week! More time to get all the goodies 😉 Speaking of goodies, many parts of my todays post are from exactly that Fetish Fair…

The cool mask, what made me start with my styling today, comes from E-Clipse Design. It is part of a full outfit called “Anu”. The outfit comes with dress, mask, boots and as well a whip. The boots and the whip I did not use for todays post.

The mask caught my attention immediately – I LOVE such neat accessories that are outside the mainstream range… I am sure thats nothing new 😉 All the little details, the gear and tubes already make this a stunning accessory and if you take a closer look at the textures, you will see why I fell in love with it. The dress as well is something special. The fabric is opaque, but has a wonderful shining texture and you get the imagination of it being slightly sheer even if it is not. Speaking of details… take a look how awesome the strings are wrapped around the body held by those amazing metal rings!

The cool boots would fit perfectly into the Fetish Fair as well, but those are out now at the Cosmopolitan event. The “Camala” boots are calf high boots with an amazing lace down at the sides of the feet. I have no clue how Elisabetta Hyun does her textures, but they are so incredible realistic and you never have any seams where the shoes have none. The “Camala” boots come with a huge HUD to customize several parts of the boots like the main boot, the laces, the inner and outer sole as well as the heel and metals. I know I already mentioned that, but what I do like a lot with the UTOPIA@Design shoes is the preset tab on the HUD where Elisabetta already makes 9 presets ready to wear and as well the possibility to choose about the glossiness of the whole shoe.

The collar and the cool garter – yes, it is a mesh body rigged garter that is a standalone without the stockings – I as well found at the Fetish Fair. Recently I look into .:Avanti:. more and more as I really do like the way Intoxicate, owner and designer of .:Avanti:., creates her things. I rarely saw so many different way of stockings like she did and what I love the most – they are different high on the thighs depending on their style. That makes it possible, that you can either connect them to garters or wear them even under thigh high boots and see the tiny boarder peeking still 😉 and certainly I cannot forget to mention that I adore her texture skills for her appliers!

Last but not least, I would like to drag your attention towards the amazing hand accessories I am wearing. I always look for something I can wear on my hands, I am addicted to all kind of nails, rings, gloves and what not 😉 This time I chose the super cool “No Mercy Rings” from [Since1975].  They combine some leather straps wrapped around your hands and as well unusual, kick ass rings and little gems on the fingernails. All are perfectly rigged for bento hands and react awesome to all kind of finger movement and posing. With the HUD you can decide what metal colors you would like to have and as well you can hide rinsg and gems single, to not have a perfect mirror on both hands. That I like a lot, as you usually never have all the same rings mirrored on each hand at the same time and I am anyways a lover of non symmetric things.

But now I will make my way back to the Fetish Fair again – since I have one week more to go – and see what neat accessories I can find for my next post 😉

Details:

Outfit & Accessories:

Outfit & Mask: E-Clipse Design (ED) – “Anu Dress” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Fetish Fair 2018

Shoes: UTOPIA@Design – “Camala” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Cosmopolitan

Stockings: .:Avanti:. – “Ripped Nylons” (Maitreya Applier)

Garter: .:Avanti:. – “Mina Garter” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Fetish Fair 2018

Collar: .:Avanti:. – “Nayomi Collar” – NEW @ Fetish Fair 2018

Hand Accessories: [Since1975] – “No Mercy Rings” (Maitreya) – NEW @ Fetish Fair 2018

Nailpolish: alme. – “Silver Lines Dark” (Maitreya Applier)

Hair & Makeup:

Hair: [KoKoLoReS] Hair – “Oakes”

Hairbase: Mina – “Myla” (LeLutka Applier, comes with a hair style)

Makeup: ALMA – “Hela” (LeLutka Applier)

Makeup:

Body & Tattoo:

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.0”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Face: Izzie’s – “Pores & Blemishes” (LeLutka Applier)

Tattoo: [Hipster Style] – “Black Tattoo” (Maitreya & LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props:

Backdrop: anxiety – “%bedside” (Group Gift)

Poses: s26 – “Soraya” (Bento), Belle Poses – “Mi” & “Margery” (Bento) & Body Language “Fine Sand” (Bento)

Model & Photographer:

Wicca Merlin

Hand me my Leather…

by

Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 2

Leather

TUNES

Look I’m standing naked before you
Don’t you want more than my sex
I can scream as loud as your last one
But I can’t claim innocence

Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 3
Oh God, could it be the weather?
Oh God, why am I here?
If love isn’t forever
And it’s not the weather
Hand me my leather

Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 8
I could just pretend that you love me
The night would lose all sense of fear
But why do I need you to love me
When you can’t hold what I hold dear?
Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 5
Oh God, could it be the weather?
Oh God, why am I here?
If love isn’t forever
And it’s not the weather
Hand me my leather
Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 6
I almost ran over an angel
He had a nice big fat cigar
“In a sense,” he said, “You’re alone here
So if you jump, you best jump far”
Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 7
Oh God, could it be the weather?
Oh God, why am I here?
If love isn’t forever
And it’s not the weather
Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 1
Oh God, could it be the weather?
Oh God, it’s all very clear
If love isn’t forever
And it’s not the weather
Hand me my leather

[Tori Amos]

Asteria-S&P-EMOtions 4

Details

Outfit: Asteria – “Julia”

Tights: Izzie’s – “Sheer Tights”

Shoes: Glamistry – “Begonia”

Hair: EMO-tions – “Keona”

Glasses: Glamistry – “Sunglasses PU2002”

Collar: Salt&Pepper (S&P) – “Anastacia”

Backdrop: ChiC Buildings – “Wallflowers”

Torch: 22769 ~ [bauwerk] – “Beach Torch”

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin