“Insufficient facts always invite danger.” – Mister Spock

“Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before”

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Treck: The Next Generation]

I was a Star Treck addicted since I saw the first episodes on TV back when I was a kid. I always was a little dreamer and the idea of having worlds out of reach, that no one yet had explored and either Captain Kirk or Captain Jean-Luc Picard just took us on their journeys to do exactly that, was just amazing. How often we sat, with the family or with friends, together in front of the TV and watched with excitement, what they would find and if it would be good or bad. For my age it first was Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I was about 10 years old when the first season came out on TV and when my mom realized I do love the whole story, she introduced me to the “older Star Treck” episodes with Captain Kirk and Mister Spock. Even if Jean-Luc will be my all time favorite, I did enjoy the older ones too, especially Mister Spock. The idea of having a life with no emotions, can be attractive if you are a very emotional kid and run into problems all the time*snickers*

That addiction to unknown space and fantasy stories did never go away… it did even grow over the time. Nowadays I still love Star Treck but as well all kind of post apocalyptic movies like Resident Evil, Mad Max, Book of Eli and many more. Fantasy or Sci-Fi as well is a genre that I do love a lot. The idea of machines that get some kind of personality like I Robot, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report or Ex Machina as well are an amazing yet dangerous idea… if artificial intelligences decide, that humans are the major problem in the the end – I would not wanna be part of that. What was an interesting movie as well and maybe a future vision of Second Life, was Surrogates. A world, where people never leave home again and just operate machines to do their jobs. When I saw the movie first, I thought it would be a cool idea, but the more I was thinking about that it was a scaring vision to me. I do have a love for such fictions and I am sure a few were part of what inspired me for todays post.

When I saw the “Space 2099” gacha set from Salt & Pepper, I instantly felt the 60s/70s, retro mood of the old Start Trek series. Then I saw, that Ex Machina made a matching scenery to exactly that gacha, there was no way that I would not blog that amazing collaboration. 2 of my favorite designers, collaborating on a sci-fi inspired set – priceless!

The gacha set from Salt & Pepper contains a body, shoes with long leg parts, sleeves and 2 different interactive tools that cooperate with the clothing AND with the matching props and skyebox from Ex Machina!!! While you can have 5 different colors for the clothing you get 3 options of guns. each gun shoots a different color (slime, hexagon glitter, holo swirls), while you can remove all the splashes with the scanner, which as well is part of the gacha. Sadly I found no other person, as I first had the idea of having a pixel fight with someone and colored slime splashes all over, but then I came on a different idea anyways. Maybe I will do some fun with that interactive gacha in the future ;). The VIP prize, a visor with a color HUD to match the clothing colors. The matching gacha from Ex Machina, as well called “Space 2099”, contains various props, a modular tunnel system and a skybox as rare.

For todays post I used the 2 gachas, but as well some other matching designs from Ex Machina. Hatris Panacek recently released some amazing sci-fi items that just were perfect to furnish the skybox. I first made one level with the modular tunnel system and all the gacha props. When I rezzed the skybox, I immediately had the idea of having a laboratory inside of it as a second level of my interstellar home *grins*. Who does not dream of a separated work/life balance *winks*

When I was done and satisfied with the look (I will credit all parts properly in the end of this post) I again came back on my initial idea of foreign spaces and forms of life. That brought up the neat idea with the little dragon , that just was born in my laboratory. First it looked super cute and then it did demonstrate it’s power and I had to run :p

I do love to tell little stories with my pictures and with that amount of items I wanted to showcase, it had to be a few more pictures than usual, but they all went so well together that I did not want to part them for a post.

Again I used the Axis HUD from LeLutka to animate my face. I know there is various face expressions out there at the moment, but I still think, that LeLutka had the most genius idea with that animation HUD. I already did talk about my first steps and tries wit the Axis HUD (HERE), but I seriously cannot stop to tell how amazing that HUD is. you can make expressions completely personalized and to exact purpose you need it. Sometimes I even modify existing expressions (certainly I mostly use the awesome, pre-made expressions from LeLutka as well), if I just want a little tweak and like the general attitude of the expression. If you not yet tried it, you really should. There is as well a demo HUD available where you can test the way how it works at the LeLutka main store.First I wanted to include a gyazo of my LeLutka HUD in action, with all the worked bones, but  with all my excitement about taking pictures… I again forgot to do that. I will try to remember that for the net time, when I have it excessively in use 😉

Clothing

Body: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “Space 2099 Body” (Maitreya, Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Sleeves: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “Space 2099 Sleeves” (Maitreya, Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Shoes: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “Space 2099 Boots” (Maitreya, Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Accessories

Face Implant: Wicca’s Originals – “Edge Implant” – NEW @ Driftwood August 2019

Leg Lights: Normandy – “Leg Implants” (Maitreya)

Nails: [CX] – “Shredder Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Heart: NeurolaB Inc. – “Heart Reactor MK-6”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: lock&tuft – “Stranded (woman fit1)”

Lashes: alaskametro<3 – “Slay” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: NOX. – “Incomplete Lip” (Omega Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Head: LeLutka – “Aida 3.3”

Skin: ~Jeanette’s Joint~ – “Android 2.0 Skin and Tattoo” (Omega Applier)

Eyes: CURELESS[+] – “Spookshow Eyes / Dialated”

Ears: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Nepthune V2”

Facetattoo: the crone – “flesh shell” (LeLutka & Maitreya Applier)

Metal Tattoo: *YS&YS* – Pris Tone ELF” (LeLutka & Omega Applier)

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: Poseidon

Set 1 (pictures 2 & 3):

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 SkyRoom” (Gacha, Rare) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “THX Sci Fi Botanical Lab”

Ex Machina – “THX Sci Fi set” (Console, Cannister, Crate)

Ex Machina – “THX Sci Fi set 2” (Vertical Console, Suspension Pod)

Ex Machina – “Advanced Teleporter Pod v1.5”

lassitude & ennui – “Dragon whelp – mystic” (Gacha, Rare)

Set 2 (pictures 1, 4 & 5)

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Corridor Ending A” (Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Corridor Ending B” (Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Corridor” (Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Intersection” (Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Crate 1-3 Black & Teal” (Gacha, Commons) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Power Washer – Black & Teal” (Gacha, Commons) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Sign 1-3 Black” (Gacha, Commons) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 Info Center – Teal” (Gacha, Common) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Space 2099 teleporter” (Gacha, VIP prize) – NEW @ Epiphany July 2019

Ex Machina – “Planetary Holographic Scanner”

Tool: LeLutka – “Axis HUD Face 1.1”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

 

Wicca’s Originals @ ROMP // August 2019

Wicca’s Wardrobe @ ROMP // August 11th-25h

Come meet Renee at this round of ROMP. She is a sexy new gacha we have created just for you. Renee offers 2 rares and 18 commons. Rare #1 is a thigh high boot and garter belt. The boot is accented with studs and rings and a deadly heel, perfect to dominate in. The boot and garter combination come with a HUD that offers you 6 leather and metal options. Rare #2 is a studded bra that also comes with the metal and leather HUD offering 6 colors choices. Commons 1-6 are a provocative, high waisted painty, with cutouts in all the right places. Commons 7-12 are collars adorned with a ring. Both come with a HUD that offers you 6 metals choices. Commons 13-18 are titillating thigh-high stocking (which as well can be worn with the garter belt), that come with a HUD offering 6 leather and metal color choices. As you can see, Renee has a lot to offer. Come check her out and take her home. Made for Maitreya’s Lara.

Taxi: ROMP

 

Wicca’s Originals @ Driftwood // August 2019

Wicca’s Originals @ Driftwood (5th August – 5th September)

The Edge Implant. Some say it is a synaptic accelerator, increasing the brain’s own ability to process information. Some say it is able to provide the wearer with augmented reality, through induction points near key optical nerves. Still others claim that it is being used to control the behavior and condition the thoughts of slaves. One thing everyone agrees on is that it looks amazing, and is a must-have for any cyberpunk style! The Edge Implant comes with a HUD that offers you 13 colors to choose from. It is unisex and modifiable so you can size it to fit your head no matter if it is mesh or system.

Taxi: Driftwood

Wicca’s Originals @ FeverFete 2019 // July 2019

Wicca’s Originals @ FeverFete 2019 (July 17 – August 3)

We are thrilled to be a part of FeverFete – a brand new, sim-wide, one-time sales event that strives to bring residents together like Coachella and Glastonbury. The event not only showcases but celebrates original mesh creators and the many talented live musicians from all around the grid. That being said, we at Wicca’s Originals were inspired by the rock side of the musical spectrum when we created Saera just for you. These knee-high, platform boots definitely convey a rock attitude with their metal plates, buckles and chains. Saera fits all the popular bodies: Lara, Freya and Hourglass. We have also included a HUD with 10 color textures and 6 metal textures for you to choose from. Saera is just the boot you need to party all night long in!

Taxi: FeverFete

“I am not here to fit in your World – I am here to make my own!”

“It is a law of nature we overlook, that intellectual versatility is the compensation for change, danger, and trouble. An animal perfectly in harmony with its environment is a perfect mechanism. Nature never appeals to intelligence until habit and instinct are useless. There is no intelligence where there is no change and no need of change. Only those animals partake of intelligence that have a huge variety of needs and dangers.”

[H.G. Wells, The Time Machine]

Steampunk always had something that pulled me closer… I do not know what exactly it is, but maybe it has to do with today’s title. It always had something active to me… something that develops forward never staying still somehow. Maybe that is part of the attraction it has to me 🙂 The Victorian epoch, was a time of inventions, so no wonder that the steampunk era was put into that time frame somehow. But what exactly is steampunk? Lets see what Wikipedia has to say 😉

“Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery. Although its literary origins are sometimes associated with the cyberpunk genre, steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century British Victorian era or the American “Wild West”, in a future during which steam power has maintained mainstream usage, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. However, steampunk and neo-Victorian are different in that the neo-Victorian movement does not extrapolate on technology while technology is a key aspect of steampunk.

Steampunk most recognizably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era’s perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technologies may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or of the modern authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, Stephen Hunt, and China Miéville. Other examples of steampunk contain alternative-history-style presentations of such technology as steam cannons, lighter-than-air airships, analogue computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine.

Steampunk may also incorporate additional elements from the genres of fantasy, horror, historical fiction, alternate history, or other branches of speculative fiction, making it often a hybrid genre. The first known appearance of the term steampunk was in 1987, though it now retroactively refers to many works of fiction created as far back as the 1950s or 1960s.

Steampunk also refers to any of the artistic styles, clothing fashions, or subcultures that have developed from the aesthetics of steampunk fiction, Victorian-era fiction, art nouveau design, and films from the mid-20th century. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual artisans into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical “steampunk” style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk.” [Wikipedia]

So steampunk is nothing that really existed back then, but was invented by the desire of the thoughts what time back then could have been with its future thoughts… yeah sounds crazy, but it does make sense if you get deeper into it 😉

Maybe it is as well the colors that are assigned to that kind of styles. I love the combination of muted, dark colors and the gold and copper metals. It just falls together so well most of the time and you always get a lightly elegant touch even if you do not wear a long gown :p Maybe it is the feeling of strength, that all the gear and leather gives most of the outfits and the huge buildings, vehicles and structures you can find if you look up steampunk in SL or google about steampunk in RL.

Whatever it is, steampunk does have a huge fascination for me and I do enjoy those styles and looks a lot, so that won’t be the last time I am styling up like a Victorian steampunk or a dieselpunk ‘Conqueror’ to discover new and unexplored space and maybe get more information about the mystery of the time machines 😉

Clothing

Dress: Wicca’s Originals – “Cecilia”

Sleeves: Wicca’s Originals – “Amity Arms” (Maitreya, Gacha, Rare)

Shoes & Socks: Eudora3D – “Yana Boots” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Mask: [ContraptioN] – “Maskineri II Eye *???*”

Necklace: Codex – “Vintage Time”

Rings: Meva – “Victorian Bento Rings” (Maitreya, Bento)

Nails: Formanails – “Cris Claws” (Maitreya, Bento)

Wings: Luas – “Steam Commander Bento Wings Beige” (Maitreya, Bento, Gacha, Common)

Hair & Makeup

Makeup: alaskametro<3 – “Molten Eyeshadow” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: alaskametro<3 – “London” (LeLutka Applier)

Hair: no.match – “No.Ring” NEW @ Salon 52

Body & Tattoo

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Head: LeLutka – “Piper 3.3”

Skin: *YS&YS* – “Petal Tone 02 Skin Applier” (LeLutka/Maitreya Applier)

Ears: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Nepthune”

Shape: .{ wren’s nest } – “Piper Shape for LeLutka Piper Bento Head”

Poses & Props

Poses: Foxcity

Set:

DRD – “Steampunk Airship – Ground”

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Antique Gramophone” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Drum Table” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Pipes Lamp” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Armchair” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Bike Figurine” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Cart Table” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Glass Of Red Wine” (Gacha, Common)

22769 – “Steampunk Salon – Wine Bottle” (Gacha, Common)

::Static:: – “Vintage Lighting – 15 Bulb Lamp” (Gacha, Common)

::Static:: – “Vintage Lighting – 11 Desk Light” (Gacha, Common)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Wicca’s Originals @ eBENTO // July 2019

Wicca’s Originals @ eBENTO (July 11th – 31st)

At this round of eBENTO capture vintage inspired style in our newest lace-up booties. Our Karen Booties will soon be your go to casual bootie thanks to their versatility and stylishness. A platform base combined with a sexy tapered heel, elevates our Karen Booties to the next level of style. Karen fits Maitreya, Slink and Belleza. Our booties also come with a HUD packed with 10 color options and 6 metal options.

Taxi: eBENTO

Sirens – The Dark Side of the Mermaid Family

Ok, if someone would have told me, that I would do a mermaid post… I would have broken down laughing. I always faced mermaids as the sweet and cute pink, purple or pastel colored girly sweethearts… until I came across a TV show called Sirens last year. I read about the dark side in some mermaid stories but I never saw them so dark before that show. I love the events from Flair for Events and when this year the sign up for the Mermaid Cove came out, I could not resist to apply as a designer, thinking we could do something that works for those dark sirens.

We did –  we made the “Amatheia” claws. A combination of bracelet and claws, connected by chains and decorated with some shells. When we set up our booth, I saw the super awesome cool release from The White Crow right beside us. It must have been fate, that we were assigned right beside each other, both enjoying the darker side of the theme :p

-[TWC]- made those amazing tentacles, which come out of your nose and mouth together with a cool matching makeup/lips combo. I so loved the “Sea Witch” I had to make a dark and scary siren using  that one 🙂

There were so many other cool items, so the look came together really fast. Arise made those neat face scales in 3 different styles and the super cool “Sea Ghoul Eyes” with a matching makeup were made by BLAXIUM. I realized, that I discovered BLAXIUM for me lately as they to kick ass cool designs and piercings, that are not mainstream focused only.

First I tried to set up an underwater scene but, since SL water doesn’t really do much from below the water surface, I decided to go for a little dark cave, only lighted by a few moon beams, that come through the ceiling of it. When I had placed my siren on the awesome rocks (I really love their materials!) with the cool poses, that WetCat released at the Mermaid Cove event, I missed something in the back. Just open sea looked kinda boring and I decided to put a ship, that hit a rock because of the siren singing in front of the cave aka into my back.

To get a feeling of a rough sea, I had to cheat in Photoshop as I could not find waves and foam in SL that did what I wanted it to do. With most of the stuff I found, I ended up with weird pixelated white “something” in my back.

First I thought I do have to wear any kind of clothing to cover my chest, but the combination of the “Sandra” hair from MINA and the “Body Scales” from Cynefin did hide everything needed.

I had so much fun doing those pictures… I can’t promise that I won’t come up with another dark mermaid look and pictures in the future 😉

Accessories

Horns: [Eternus] – “Kirin Horns” NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Collar: .Quirky. – “Scales Collar” NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Hand Tentacles: .Drastic. – “Tentacle Jewelry” (Maitreya)

Handaccessoriess with Claws: Wicca’s Originals – “Amatheia Claws” (Maitreya, Bento) NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Face Tentacles: -[TWC]- – “Sea Witch / Dark Green” NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Bellypiercing: PUNCH – “Navel Piercing / Diamond Pearl” (Maitreya) NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Hair & Makeup

Hair: MINA Hair – “Sandra”

Facetattoo 1: -[TWC]- – “Sea Witch Ink -Full-” (Omega Applier) NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Facetattoo 2: ARISE – “Face Scales Style 2” (Omega Applier) NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Eyes & Eyeshadow: BLAXIUM – “Sea Ghoul Eyes” NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.3”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Skin: Lumae – “Eirtae – Storm” (LeLutka/Maitreya Applier)

Body Scales: ~Cynefin ~ – “Body Scales (Shades)” (Maitreya Applier)

 Tail: ~ Cynefin ~ – “Lorelei Bento Mermaid Tail (Shades)” (Maitreya, Bento)

Poses & Props

Poses: ::WetCat:: “‘Part Of Your World’ Mermaid Prop” (Bento, arms lightly edited with anypose) NEW @ Mermaid Cove

Rocks: [FOURTH WALL] – “Mossy Rocks Pack”

Ship: MUSHILU – “JonJamesV – Caravel”

Skull taken of the La Catrina pose set from Poseidon

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Wicca’s Originals @ Mermaid Cove // July 2019

Wicca’s Originals @ Mermaid Cove (July 5th – 26th)

Whether you are the sort of mermaid associated with perilous events or the sort that is benevolent and falls in love with humans, our Amatheia Claws are perfect for any fashion-forward Mer. They are designed to fit Maitreya’s Lara, are Bento enabled, and come with that HUD that offers you 10 colors for the wrist band, chains, shells, and claws.

Taxi: Mermaid Cove by Flair for Events

 

Wicca’s Originals @ We ♥ RP // July 2019

Wicca’s Originals @ We ♥ RP (July 4th – 31st)

The world may be ending, but your lungs don’t have to. Keep dust and disease out of your system with this new accessory by Wicca’s Originals. This unique Havoc Mask is the face protection for the fashionable post-apocalyptic survivor. Fits either sex, and comes with 6 color options, plus 4 camouflage style textures.

TAXI: We ♥Roleplay

Wicca’s Originals @ eBENTO // June 2019

Wicca’s Originals @ eBENTO (June 11th – 30st)

At eBento this round, we have created the Lillian Corset. It comes in two parts…a sleek, slimming overbust corset to give that tempting hourglass shape, and a pair of matching panties. They’re decorated with metal studs, to give a tough, but very feminine appearance. It is designed for Lara, and comes comes with a HUD that offers 10 different texture options. As always, Lillian is discounted for the event, so don’t waste any time getting your very own!

Taxi: eBENTO