Men's Second Style

The Ancient Elf

I am the maker,
The builder, the breaker,
The eagle-winged helper,
The speedy forsaker!

The lance and the lyre,
The water, the fire,
The tooth of oppression,
The lip of desire!

The snare and the wing,
The honey, the sting!
When you seek for me–look
For a different thing!

I, careless and gay,
Never mean what I say,
For my thoughts and my eyes
Look the opposite way!

James Stephens
(1882 – 1950)

I, alas, am no Mr. Oh.  He seems to have a deep and special affinity for the nouveau gothic designs of hyasynth Tiramisu.  I, a mere mortal, can only appreciate hya’s work with my my poor, limited human eyes.  I can only hope and yearn for the seemingly spiritual connection which Mr. Oh seems so effortlessly to enjoy.

It was while thus lamenting my own inadequacies that I imagined a way to approach, perhaps even to approximate (although surely never to equal) Mr. Oh’s blissful mental/spiritual state.  If I were to alter my avatar, my outer self, perhaps I could likewise alter my perspective.  If I could shift my perspective, perhaps my experience would likewise be re-oriented.  If my experience were to take a different path, surely my inner state would also find new direction.  Back to the beginning: to change my own perspective, I would change my outer appearance, and this–if my logic were sound–would ultimately transform my inner self.  And so, the better to inhabit and not just wear this new creation by hya, I embarked upon my personal transformation.  Even if all else failed, I would have fun along the way!

hyasynth’s new Ryou Suit (L$450) is a feast for the eyes and inner senses alike, a delicate explosion of shape, texture and color that delights on every level.  The fantastic set includes pants (for wear with boots or shoes), belted coat with prim cuffs and flexi tails, gloves, and matching flexi scarf.  The heavy brocade coat is embellished with rich artwork repeating the motif of bird wings, and the scarf is likewise trimmed with feathers.  The wing shapes are worked organically into the form and function of the coat, and feel like a natural part of the garment rather than just decorative accents.  The coat can be worn with or without the underlying white dress shirt, but the shirt itself is not provided as a separate piece.  Foregoing the shirt allows for a glimpse of the undershirt-layer tattoo hya has included.  I usually don’t care much for chest tattoos, but this one is really quite beautiful and works wonderfully as part of the whole ensemble.

No detail has been overlooked or short-changed.  The coat’s dual belt closures are interestingly, even fascinatingly reversed one from the other, and ornate metallic accents shine against the fabric.  Perfectly shot white shirt cuffs peek out from the prim coat cuffs; although it’s likely most would never notice the difference, I plan to mod a copy and remove the shirt cuffs, for more realistic wear without the shirt.  Even comparatively small accessory items like the gloves are painstakingly detailed–look closely and you’ll notice feather accents at the wrist, and if you look a second time (or a third) you’ll see that the apparently plain fabric is actually woven in a broad lattice pattern.

At this point I simply must say a few words about the pants.  Pants may well be the most under-appreciated element of any suit or outfit, but of course they’re essential and can be beautiful as well.  In a notecard accompanying the Ryou Suit, hya mentions that these pants are her own personal favorites thus far and worries that their true beauty may be lost under the coat.  While the wonderfully shaded, deeply ribbed fabric texture is there for all to see, it’s true that the bright feather design work is largely obscured by the coat’s belt.  To me, though, this is not lost–I prefer to think of this as a special secret known to me and anyone else with whom I choose to share it.

The Ryou Suit, shown here in Dove, is available in your choice of eight different colors.  Prim components are provided in male and female versions.  Search it out at Silent Sparrow (silent sparrow 195, 41, 21).  I am confident that Mr. Oh would approve.

I’m also wearing the Red Eyes Cat boots by Thea Tamura.  Although I think these were nearly new when I got them, I’ve had them in my inventory for what seems like ages–I so loved their insane detailing but simply didn’t know what to wear them with.  Here, I think their look is rustic and hand-tooled enough to make for a nice contrast with hya’s elegant suit, and the tiny stitchwork, chain links and other surface detail looks great up close without being a distraction at normal viewing distance.  Available in your choice of Black, Brown and Grey leather as high boots (L$280) or low boots (L$270).  At Thea Tamura Fashion (Folk Factory 95, 73, 39).

The magic staff I brandish here with such brazen abandon here is the Staff of Arthedain, one of several newly released wizard staffs created by Celty Westwick.  The collection is finely crafted in rare woods, precious metals and perfectly faceted gemstones (touch to change the color).  Each staff is currently scripted for 32 different spells, enhanced with animations, visual effects and sounds.  Spells are easily accessible via HUD and range from particle effects to manipulation of other avatars (the picture here actually shows two spells, just for effect).  Future plans include expansion of the spells roster, with automatic updates and free upgrades to current owners.  A bonus display version is included with each staff.

Celty’s wizard staffs are priced at L$2699 each and available at Furniture Adagio (Adagio Island 140, 155, 306).  You’ll find them in the Wizard Furniture section.  Permissions are M C T, but you can also buy as a gift from the vendor.