Interview: Independant Objects @ Fair Play

„Welcome to my contemporary world!“ acclaims me Susan Independent, the creative mind behind her brand Independent Objects. I am standing in the middle of a modern pavillon, furnished with a modern table and modern chairs, and: with christmas trees. „Christmas trees at the beginning of September?“, I wonder surprised. „I am used to such phenomenom in the superstores where they sell ginger bread and almond bisuits already in autumn. Is this part of your business?“ Susan has a chuckle to herself and enlightens me: „No. These are breedable plant pets. If you water it, every 52 days a descendant will spawn. Sometimes, something else spawns out of the christmas tree. A tulip, for example.“ I find that hilarious, and Susan explains that her friend inspired her. But what you actually find in Susan’s shop are roleplay-inspired clothes and costumes, and everything you need for landscaping a roleplay sim such as plants, houses, furniture and decoration. 

Like for many others designers, Susan started her business for the simple reason that she needed reasonable priced buildings which also suited her setting vision. „At the time, I was not willing to spent thousands of L$ for pixelated objects. That has changed a lot“, she laughs. „So I just tried to stack one prim on another, and looked where it lead me to.“ In 2009, she took her first steps in building but it was already two years later when she finally set her first item on sale. „I have learned most of my building skills by myself but also some of them with the help of a few close friends.“

Today, Susan shares two sims with Sweetgwendoline Bailey, owner of Sweet Revolutions, and four friends who have installed little shops on location. „The sim next to our store sim is a gorean roleplay area which serves also as our showroom.“ Susan tells me that she has been into Gor roleplay for a long time but then gave up. Since a few weeks, she’s finally active in an elven roleplay again after a two-years-hiatus without long-pointed ears. Apart from having her own store and being a roleplayer, she’s also very active in various events. „Isn’t it time-consuming? How do you manage all that?“, I want to know.

„I have no idea how I make it“, she admits laughingly. „But what I can assure you is that a day is too short. For me, every day should have 96 hours at least.“ I have read her store name in events like Fair Play, Fantasy Faire, 30L Saturday, or 35L Sunday. In which events may we expect her next? „I am participating in the Twisted Hunt which starts on September 19th. Another hunt starts on October 1st: the Medieval Fantasy Hunt hosted by Eldowyn Inshan. This hunt and the Medieval Fantasy Fair are one of my favourite events on the grid.“ While we talk about various popular and famous fantasy events in Second Life where we both love to shop regularly, Susan reveals also one of her biggest dreams as an SL merchant to me: to be a participant in the We <3 RP event.

„You are specialised on ancient, medieval and fantasy items so far. Trees, plants and everything for nature is in a certain way timeless. But have you ever made an excursion to modern age, so to speak?“ -- „Oh, sure! There is almost nothing which I wouldn’t give a try. My friends tell me quite often to specialize. But then I have to reply: I can’t! I love to build too much to restrict myself to limits. So far, I have also made steampunk outfits, or a modern hospital, as well as some custom-built outfits for an urban roleplay environment. Mostly, I build everything which my friends and I currently need or want for a roleplay.“

I ask for examples what this could look like, and Susan rezzes a shelf with scrolls: „We were searching desperately a shelf that would allow us to store our healer scrolls. We also wanted that the notecards in the scrolls would be available for everybody with a simple menu. Low on prims, and with an appropriate design to match the furniture in our elven treehouse. But we couldn’t find the right shelf for us. So I built this one, and my friend was totally happy with it.“ She remembers another story: „Years ago, we had a roleplay where we visited a duke. We thought, a little souvenir would be reasonable, and I built some Elven Potions.“ As a farewell gift, she hands over a copy of these Elven Potions to me before I have to leave for now. A big thank you to Susan for the invitation and the nice talk!

All landscape pictures have been taken on Autumn Isle (mainstore sim) and Silken Dreams (roleplay and showroom sim).

LINKS & SURLS
>> Independent Objects @ Second Life <<

>> Independent Objects @ marketplace <<
>> Independent Objects @ Facebook <<

>> Flickr Picture Stream of Independent Objects <<
>> Independent Objects @ Fair Play <<

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Since I have blogged the current exclusive Catherine dress offer from Indepedent Objects already here, I decided to show you another one of her offers: It is the Moroccan House 8 which I have seen at the Fantasy Faire for the first time. It was a perfect match for the other exclusives I wanted to show you from this Fair Play round: Suleika's Room by Tiar, and PoshTale's Deiphe dress.

HOUSE: Independent Objects Moroccan House 8
FURNITURE: Tiar Suleika's Room @ Fair Play: El Mundo tyvm!
PALMS:
1) Botha Palm YS @ marketplace - free
2) Botha Palm YSL @ marketplace - free
3) DaD Design Single Palmetto @ marketplace - dollarbie
4) L&Short 15 Palms Trees Group Curve Mod.2 Light Foliage @ marketplace - dollarbie
5) L&Short Maldives's Island Off Sim @ marketplace - dollarbie

HEAD / HEAD & BODY APPLIER: Genesis Lab Naomi. Cocoa - currently on sale

BODY: Maitreya Lara body + SLink hands
HAIR: CATWA RockStar

EYES: IKON Triumph. Armor - free group gift / no fee

EARS: [MANDALA] Steking Ears Season 5

FACECHAIN: The Forge Singh @ The Fantasy Collective
JEWELRY SET: Secret Love Anne tyvm!
DRESS: PoshTale Deiphe. Aqua @ Fair Play: El Mundo tyvm!

POSES:
1) elephante poses Part of Your World tyvm!
2) Aerial portrait gift pose 2 @ marketplace - dollarbie

I Love Flowers

HEAD: LeLutka Mesh Head Stella
HEAD APPLIER: Glam Affair Leda Applier. Exotic. Ghot Party @ LeLutka - free gift (lipstick object on table)

BODY / BODY APPLIER: Maitreya Lara body/hands
HAIR: Lamb Date Night @ The Arcade Gacha - Gacha

EYES: IKON Triumph. Armor - free group gift / no fee

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies

HEADPIECE: LODE Bitter Berries Crown. Violet @ The Arcade Gacha - Gacha
NECKLACE: *OAL*/*SP* RPGear Elemental. Citrine
DRESS: Independent Objects Catherine. Red @ Fair Play: El Mundo tyvm!

POSE W/FLOWERS: nani blooming daisies @ marketplace - dollarbie

Interview: Del-ka Aedilis

For this interview, I met Nea Narstrom and Beric01 Resident, the two creative minds behind Del-ka Aedilis. This label might not be so well-known already. But I have seen various sim designs from the two and was always surprised when they came up with something new. Everytime, everything matched smoothly: landscape, buildings, furniture, decoration. Even if I didn’t participate in the proposed roleplays, the sims invited to stay and hang out for a good while. So I absolutely had to introduce them to you.

Nea, me and Beric on top of the wall

Their passion for roleplay and their wish for suitable roleplay environments was the headstone to give building a try. „As passionate roleplayers, we discovered the need of low-prim, well-built and nicely textured buildings, especially for gorean and ancient greek or roman settings“, they explain on their homepage. „I think, the first time we built was at the time, when we couldn’t find suiting houses for Selnar. Either we didn’t like it, or it had too much prims“, tells Nea while Beric adds: „Also we realized that many houses were great but unfortunately inappropriate for our roleplay intentions. So we started to modify the buildings we bought. We started little by little, and over time, we became more and more courageous. Victoria was the first sim on which all houses were self-built.“

It was a long path over months, even years for them to come from re-building to self-made. They took even a step further and are nowadays specialised in creating whole sim settings. They want to provide „the perfect roleplaying environment where terraforming, city or village layout, buildings, interior, decoration and everything else appears to be from the same mold“. But where does their inspiration come from? Nea explains: „Actually, we realize everything which would excite us for a roleplay. You have a certain idea about a roleplay environment in mind, and therefore a goal you’d like to achieve. It also makes it easier to work on it.“ -- „And my inspiration is the challenge to create something with recognition value!“, Beric points out with a big enthusiastic smile.

One of their latest releases from the Ellaria Series

One of their recent remittance works that made a whole roleplay sim community flabbergasting, was the reconstruction of Kasra. The german gorean roleplay sim on which Kasra was located had a big challenge when they decided to merge with another sim, Belnend, and that their part with the Kasra city would need a total new layout but now only on one half of the sim. The leadership of Kasra gave them a huge leap of faith when Nea and Beric were asked to rebuild and reconstruct it ‚as they see fit‘. With that granted freedom, they realized their vision of Kasra within a very short time. And Kasra’s expectation was not disappointed. It was even outstripped.

Ironrath at Wolfswood is another roleplay sim design by Del-ka Aedilis, inspired by Game of Thrones

„Would you ever consider to participate in events?“, I ask. Both are a bit hesitant but for a reason: „So far, we didn’t have the courage to apply for such events. Even though it would be a nice option since our portfolio is gradually growing and is already quite considerably by now. On the other hand, we are aware that such events have often strict requirements and datelines because it is needed. Since we also feel that we want and need a certain connection to our works, we fear that we couldn’t cope with this kind of  business.“ I do realize how important it is for them to feel comfortable with their projects and to have a certain bound with it. I want the details: „If someone would love to hire you, what would they need to know?“-- „First of, the general conditions: the setting, the time frame, and if it is a full or homestead sim. Second, the ideas or visions the sim owner already has. After putting all that together, we can decide if we are able to accept the challenge.“

What about the costs? Except from the buildings which are available for fixed prices at the mainstore, a whole sim design is a matter of negotiation. „All income from the shop is supposed to cover our sim costs. For any sim design by us, we ask to donate to a non-profit organisation only“, they explain. I am already sure about which organsisation they are talking because I remember their installation Terra Nostra in December 2014/January 2015. And indeed, all donations go to Doctors Without Borders, they confirm.

After so many information, I want to visit their newest sim, Castle Black and The Wall. Most will notice immediately that this sim is inspired by Game of Thrones. „It does look quite realistic. How did you do it? Did you study the books, the series…?“, I want to know as I look up that wall that seems to have no end. „It is a fusion of what we have read in the books, what we have seen in the series -- I, myself, have watched the scenes about Castle Black forth and back! -- , and everything we could find from ‚behind the scenes‘ information. A big help was a Youtube video from a student who modelled the castle in a game engine.“

Courtyard of Castle Black. In the background: the elevator to the top of the wall

Now I want to explore the sim! Nea and Beric suggest to get on that huge wall so I could have a nice view from above. I agree. They recommend to activate the sounds. To which I follow. Then we step into the elevator. The doors squeak, and finally, the elevator starts to move. „Justin Joseppe said, if ever anyone would build this elevator, he would provide the script. And he kept his word.“ I wished, he didn’t. They laugh. I don’t. I cringe, and grit my teeth. This is the best and, at the same time, the most horrific elevator ride I had so far in my whole Second Life! I have no words for that. This is an experience you will have to make yourself!

View from above. The wall has a dizzying height!

But the panorama I have on the top of the wall outweighs the horror I had to go through. It snows a little and it’s currently rather calm than windy on that simple platform which is fixed in a dizzying height. I thank my two interview partners for their time and take a snapshot with them. In this moment, innocent me, even forgot that I still had to take the elevator to get back on the ground… 

LINKS & SURLS
>> Official Homepage of Del-ka Aedilis <<
>> Del-ka Aedilis @ Second Life <<

>> Del-ka Aedilis @ marketplace <<
>> Castle Black and The Wall <<

During the interview, I was wearing the following stuff:

HEAD: LeLutka Mesh Head Stella

BODY: Maitreya Lara body/hands
HEAD / BODY APPLIER: Lumae Niska - 4 - Peach // Sangria - Lazy Sunday

HAIR: Magika Shine

EYES: IKON Triumph. Armor - free GG / no fee

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies

EARS: [MANDALA] Steking Ears Season 5

HEADPIECE: Independent Objects Mearwen Circlet tyvm!
OUTFIT: FDD Stories Trissa @ The Fantasy Gacha - Gacha

In a Ninth World

Who said that gothic is black and darkish only? Here's my idea! As always, I did quite a mix & match from different outfits, and spiced it up with various accessoires. Most items are from this round at Fair Play. It reopened just a few days ago on Aug 1st, so you have still plenty of time to check out all the great offers!

HEAD: ABSOLUT CREATION EVE'olution-head

BODY: Maitreya Lara body + SLink hands/feet
HEAD / BODY APPLIER: Van Luck Valkyries. Meyo (appliers: Omega/SLink head/body) tyvm! - Gacha

HAIR: Besom Rat

EYES: Byte Sized Shapes Nocturnal 1 L$ @ marketplace
TONGUE: OtherSkin Truth tyvm!

NAIL APPLIER: La Boheme Carbonite. Silver (SLink) soon @ Addicted To Appliers Hunt tyvm!
TATTOO CHEST: Speakeasy Dishonor (appliers: Omega, TMP, SLink)
TATTOO LEGS: Things Maita (appliers: Belleza, Omega, TMP, SLink)


CROWN: DirtyStories Lost Crown tyvm!
HOOD w/horns: ImmateriA Vampire Crusades tyvm!
HEADPIECE (w/skull): Van Luck Valkyries. Skull & Flowers headdress @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm! - Gacha
HEADPIECE / PAULDRONS / NECKLACE / BRACELET (flowers): MdiMODA [00E] @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm! - Gacha
EYEPATCH: Suicide Gurls Aegis. Silver @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm!
NECK CORSET: ALEGRIA Isabel. Black tyvm!
SHOULDER PADS: DirtyStories Soul Hunter Rose w/color HUD tyvm!
PAULDRONS / BRACELETS: Dita Couture Spring Goddesses.red @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm!
ARMBAND: DirtyStories Demonic w/color HUD @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm!
STAFF: [Gauze] Alchemist. Power tyvm!


STRIPES TOP: Van Luck Valkyries. Black outfit (appliers: Omega) @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm! - Gacha
BRA: RAPTURE Dress-APO-Vampire - part of full outfit @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm!
SKIRT: ImmateriA Guardian of Reims - part of full outfit @ Fair Play: El Mundo *new* tyvm!
DRAPE: Vengeful Threads Morrigan - part of dress tyvm!
FOOT JEWELRY: Independent Objects Alia. Blue (SLink high) tyvm!

To the Sands with Secret Affair

Just a few hours ago, The Secret Affair has opened its new round themed "To the Sands". I am showing you items from aisling's newest gacha: Aphrodite. I made a version a bit more moderate and was happy to see how well it matched with a few pieces from a previous release by aisling, the Dangara gacha. 

The gem colors of the Aphrodite commons can be changed via HUD. For the hands, you get even two versions! A circle, or a shell. To wrap up my outfit, I have mixed it with brand new bracers from EarthStones which are currently available at Fair Play, and two other recent releases: first, the Shaaswat hair by little bones which includes a version with and without an attached scarf, and which allows you to hide or show the headpiece as well as change your scarf & gem colors from the headpiece via HUD. And second, the Princess of Lunimba tiara by Independent Objects which was first seen at this year's Fantasy Faire. Finally, I found a nice facepaint at Madrid Solo which is free for the Body Art Hunt. This hunt offers many great prizes, I highly recommend it! And the best is, you have all previews on the official homepage, and it's also not a big hunt so you can easily finish it during a short time within an evening.

And before I give you the full credits, I really have to show you a peek of The Secret Affair's event location! I was totally excited about this huge arena and its decoration, and had to take a few snapshots. Though my pictures can't even do it justice, you really should go and visit yourself!

SKIN: Van Luck Penelope (appliers: Omega head/body, SLink body/hands/feet) @ Fair Play: El Mundo tyvm!

BODY: Maitreya Lara body + SLink hands/feet
SHAPE: 7 Deadly s{K}ins Temperance - modded tyvm!

HAIR: little bones Shaaswat - includes 2 versions: w/ and w/o scarf; headpiece can be hidden; w/scarf & gem color change HUD

EYES: IKON Odyssey. Clarity

EYELASHES: Mon Cheri Falsies
EYELINER: Glam Affair Couture

FACEPAINT: Madrid Solo Weird Carnivale free - Body Art Hunt (Jul 1-31)
NAIL APPLIER: La Boheme Burlesque LT. Silver (SLink) @ My Slink Obsession tyvm!

OUTFIT 1: aisling Aphrodite @ The Secret Affair *new* - Gacha
OUTFIT 2: aisling Dangara - Gacha
TIARA: Independent Objects Princess of Lunimba w/gem color change HUD tyvm!
BRACERS (upper arm): EarthStones Calliope Armlet. Lovely @ Fair Play: El Mundo tyvm!