Salvage Station / Cyber Fair: Something Beautiful Survives (Escape from Club Apophis, 43)

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STORYLINE: Cold mud pressed against Echo’s cheek.

For a long, disoriented moment, she didn’t know where she was. The air tasted of rust, wet ash, and the heavy, metallic tang of unwashed bodies. Her upper torso felt like it was on fire, a rhythmic, white-hot throb pulsing right against her collarbone.

She rolled over with a choked groan, looking up through blurred vision at towering, gunmetal-gray walls that swallowed the sky. Massive iron bars bisected the gloom.

The Pen.

She sat up too fast and regretted it immediately. Blinking away the sting of ash, she scanned the nearest clusters of captives, looking for any familiar face from Jae Won University. Row after row of hollow, unfamiliar faces looked back at her or looked away entirely. 

The reality of it slammed into her, bringing the memory rushing back in a terrifying, jagged flash. 

The heavy, calloused fist of the Dokkaebi Guard twisting into her hair. The brutal drag across the slippery marble floor of the clinic. The way she had clawed at the ground, her oversized jacket tearing, screaming that she didn't know where the other six escapees were. And then, the forge. The guard lifting the heavy iron rod, its tip glowing a blinding, angry orange with the insignia of Monstrum. The searing stench of her own flesh. The scream that had died in her throat before the blackness took her. 

Echo curled into a tight ball in the dirt, her breath coming in ragged, shallow gasps. She clutched her hands over her ears, trying to shut out the low, miserable hum of the cursed energy barrier and the shuffle of a hundred captive humans awaiting their doom. 

She was the only one who had been caught.

The self-loathing hit her worse than the physical pain. The moral center? The one who always insisted on doing the right thing? What a fool.

She was the one who had pleaded with the group not to abandon Jihoon after he caught fire two months ago. Her sentimentality had dragged them all into this. She had frozen when the Nuns attacked. Bit her lip when scared, her blood giving away their hiding spot. Not once. Twice.

Worse, she had coaxed the Black Snakeskin Box's core into containment. Played PONG with it. Treated it like misunderstood tech. Instead of what it truly was.

A fragment of Apophis.

She had literally befriended a demon because she couldn't stand the thought of something being lonely.

Liability.

The word echoed through her skull. Everyone would have been safer without her.

She shook her head hard enough to hurt. No more thoughts. Just hands.

Echo’s hands instinctively began to move through the mud. She picked up a strip of frayed copper wire. A cracked, dead circuit board. A rusted washer. Sitting cross-legged, she began to fit the pieces together, forcing order onto the chaos, building a tiny, fragile junk garden in the filth.

A necklace of bottle caps. A tree decorated with glass bottles. Tiny robots of scrap metal.

A small shadow fell over her hands.

"That mark," the child pointed. "I've never seen one like that. No one else has a mark like that. Are you special?"

Echo flinched, pulling her collar up to hide the raw, blistered brand. A little girl in an oversized, grime-streaked shirt was looking down at her, her eyes wide with a strange kind of reverence.

"It's ugly," Echo whispered, her voice cracking.

The child sat down cross-legged right across from her, staring at her brand. "You look healthy. You escaped, didn't you? That's why you got that special mark. You're dangerous."

Echo laughed bitterly. "I'm not dangerous if I was recaptured."

The girl jumped to her feet, her eyes shining. "I knew it! You escaped!"

"I'm not a hero," Echo choked out, fresh tears tracking through the grime on her cheeks. "I'm a failure. I'm alone. None of the others got caught."

The child didn't look dissuaded. Instead, she reached out and gently guided Echo's own hand to cup the air around her neck, shielding the burn. "The brand pain fades after a day if you don't touch it. Don't let the air hit it straight on."

Echo blinked through her tears. The world was upside down. She had dreamed of being the one to rescue the people of The Pen, and here a ragged child was teaching her how to survive.

"Watch the Enforcers on the north wall," the girl whispered, pointing with her chin. "The ones with the red armbands do the same route every hour. Stay away from the center courtyard after dark." Then, the child looked at the tiny toy robot in Echo's lap. "My mom has moldy bread. I'll trade it for your robot."

"Moldy bread?"

The girl nodded. "It helps wounds."

"Oh! I get it," Echo brightened. "Is that The Pen's version of Penicillin?"

"Pen a what?" The girl grew bored, her eyes searching Echo's collection of junk. "Have you seen a teddy bear around here? I lost him before they moved me out of this block."

Echo froze. The robot in her hand rolled out.

Teddy.

The dirt-stained, lonely bear she had found half-buried in the mud a day ago. The one that had broken her heart.

"You're... you're his owner?" Echo whispered. Her chest heaved as she pulled the little girl into a sudden, tight hug. "Thank God you're alive."

"You found him?" the girl asked softly against her shoulder.

Echo pulled back, gripping the girl's small shoulders, her determination flaring back to life. "Yes, I did. Teddy is on a very special mission. He's escaping The Pen. He's carrying proof of what's happening inside this place. He's going to tell the outside world we're trapped. Teddy is going to save us all. Help is coming."

Hot tears of relief cut fresh tracks down Echo's face.

A woman stepped forward from the shadow of a nearby shipping container home, having watched them warily from the gloom. Her eyes were wide with a sudden, electrifying hope. "Is that true? You know a way out?"

Echo nodded. “The vampires can't cross water. Teddy is our message in a bottle, sealed with proof of what's happening in here, sent to the outside world.” 

A discarded, bones-bare radio sitting on a nearby crate crackled. For half a second, a girl's voice whispered through the static. Then silence. A loose copper washer on the ground rattled, sliding an inch closer to Echo's boot entirely on its own. 

Echo barely registered it, assuming her mind was finally fracturing under the trauma.

The mother didn't notice it either. She was focused on Echo's brand, then at the carefully arranged junk garden, and finally at her daughter. She gave a quiet, respectful nod.

"Come with me," the mother said softly, her posture shifting from wary to protective. "There is someone you need to meet."

Echo stood up, her hand still cupped over her burning collarbone. As she followed them through the crowd, a ripple went through the tents. The story of the teddy bear whispered from prisoner to prisoner.

Behind them in the dirt, the toy robot's eyes glowed white. It turned its head and watched them move away. 

The mother led her deep into the ruins of a collapsed administrative building. She pushed a heavy desk aside and rolled up a dusty Persian rug, revealing a hidden hatch. The smell of mildew and old paper drifted up from the darkness beneath. She knocked on the metal with a rhythm that sounded like Morse Code. 

They waited.

Then the hatch groaned open.

"You need to meet our leader. The one who keeps us organized," the mother whispered, stepping aside. "The one who puts the pieces together. Tell him about the bear."

Echo climbed down into a shadowed room as the mother covered the hatch once more.

The ever-present hum of the cursed energy barrier disappeared. It was a hidden Safe Zone, right inside The Pen.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, her heart stopped.

Sitting at a makeshift desk covered in hand-drawn maps of the underground tunnels was the leader of the resistance. The Ice Cream Man mask hanging on the wall behind him.

She recognized the mask. Her throat tightened.

He looked up, his eyes meeting hers. There was no surprise in his gaze, only the calm, calculated look of a chess master whose missing piece had finally landed on the board. The Guardian of the Barrier.

Hwan.

He closed his ledger. "Welcome to the real fight, Echo. Now what is this rumor about a teddy bear?"

On her, Echo:
Outfit: Web Dew - Skirt, Leggings, Blue, Lara X [mesh](Salvage Station)(250L)

Jacket: Web Dew - Jacket Lyzz, Blue, Lara X [mesh](Salvage Station)(250L)

Boots: Web Dew - Boots [mesh](Salvage Station)(750L)

Visor: Web Dew - Boots [mesh](Salvage Station)(250L)
Hair: Usagi Society - Rogue Hair, Misc [mesh](Salvage Station)(350L)

Pet: REKT - MEKARAPTOR, silver [mesh](CyberFair)(350L)

Tattoo: AURO - Reaper Tattoo // BLOOD [BOM](Salvage Station)(450L)

Tattoo: SOMEONE - Sun Damage Set [BOM](Salvage Station)(450L)

Tattoo: SOMEONE - Rugged Skin Detail Set [BOM](Salvage Station)(550L)

Tattoo: SOMEONE - Chapped Lips, peeling [BOM](Salvage Station)(300L)

Nails: Opulent - Living Dead Nails - Hand and Feet Blood & Dirt [BOM](Salvage Station)(500L)

Eyes: Mana - Plague Eye [BOM, Applier](300L)

Head, eyes: LeLUTKA lel EvoX LILLY 3.1 [mesh](3990L)

Body: Maitreya Mesh Body Lara [mesh](2750L)

Setting:

Robot: What's Lost Spirits - WLS - JUNK ROBOT [mesh](Salvage Station)(300L)

Tree: Candle & Cauldron C&C - Bottle Tree  [mesh](Salvage Station)(179L)

Chair: Cica's - Robo Chair 1[mesh](Salvage Station)(300L)

Wagon: Cica's - Wagon [mesh](Salvage Station)(300L)

Chair, clutter: Dirty Rat - Stripped Seat [PBR] [mesh](Salvage Station)(375L)

Set: LORE - Atomotel Kit & Deco, fatpack  [mesh](Salvage Station)(2250L)

Props: Random Matter - Junk Jeweler II - Hand Display [Light] [mesh](Salvage Station)(140L)

Props: Random Matter - Junk Jeweler II - Oil [mesh](Salvage Station)(100L)

Neighborhood: LORE Atomic Estates Fatpack [mesh](1200L)

Bench: Dirty Rat - Derelict Bench [mesh](415L)

Dunes: Fundati - Beach Cliffs [mesh]

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky:

Cyber Fair: The Weight of Eternity (Escape from Club Apophis, 36)

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STORYLINE: Jihoon panted with exhaustion. The burning baseball stadium slowly reformed around him, a nightmare refusing to end.

"Take my hand, and we may journey to a place where we can speak privately. Away from your shadow."

Jihoon looked down at the massive, armored hand extended to him. He didn’t move.

The Ruler chuckled, a sound like grinding stones. "Caution is wise. But surely you do not wish to remain in the ash?"

"And go where, exactly?" Jihoon asked, his voice raw.

"To my own sanctuary.” He tapped his forehead. "I possess a rare gift. I can enter the minds of others, and open my own in return. Do not worry. You will be shielded from your other self. You may exit at the time of your choosing." He offered his hand again.

Jihoon glanced back at Lathandro, who was beginning to twitch in the dirt. He was waking up. They would just fight again. And again. And again.

Taking a shallow breath, Jihoon reached out and grasped the offered hand.

The burning stadium blew away like ash.

The suffocating heat of the fire was immediately replaced by a biting, arid chill. The cold scraped through his torn clothes like broken glass. Jihoon spun around, shivering. They were standing on a dune of pale sand under a vast, star-choked sky. The edges of the Milky Way bled across the horizon. There was no city. No neon. No signs of civilization in any direction.

"Where are we?" Jihoon breathed, wrapping his arms around himself. "Is this place real?"

"Yes. It is real." The Ruler spoke calmly. "A memory of my home, hidden far below the sands.”

He clapped his hands once.

The sand trembled. A sleek obsidian hovercar condensed from the desert winds, assembling itself like blown glass, its gull-wing doors sweeping upward in total silence. A few yards ahead, the desert floor parted. A colossal, hidden hangar door groaned as it lifted toward the sky, revealing a shaft of pure darkness leading deep into the earth.

"Few have ever seen my private residence. Come,” the Ruler said, gesturing to the vehicle.

With nowhere to run and the cold biting through his ruined clothes, Jihoon climbed into the passenger seat. The Ruler sat beside him, and the hovercar glided forward, plunging into the subterranean abyss.

The massive hangar doors sealed shut above them. For a moment, the darkness was absolute.

Golden lights flared to life, revealing a colossal tunnel. The hovercar hummed through miles of carved stone corridor.

Jihoon spun in his seat. They were traveling down a causeway so large he wasn't sure where it ended. Towering limestone statues lined both sides of the corridor, illuminated by severe under-lighting.

As the hovercar sped past them, Jihoon noticed a pattern. The statues were all of the same person. Same posture. Same severe jaw. Same stern stare. Then he recognized the face. As they drove deeper, the artistic styles shifted.

"The statues," Jihoon stammered, his mind struggling to process the scale. "They are all you?"

"It is a tradition, begun long ago. Every decade, without fail. I commission a new likeness."

"Wait, what?" Jihoon stared ahead. The corridor had no visible end. The glowing statues blurred together. He gripped the door handle as the world began to spin. Acid welled up and stung his throat. "How old are you? Really?"

The Ruler kept his golden eyes fixed on the road ahead. "These monuments are no different from a modern photograph. A memory caught in stone, so I might remember who I was."

Silence filled the cabin.

Jihoon watched, paralyzed, as the fashion and art styles of the statues evolved outside the window. He saw the Ruler carved as an ancient pharaoh, then sculpted as a marble Greek god, then cast in bronze as a Roman conqueror. The materials changed to steel, then carbon fiber, and finally, towering holographic projections that flickered in the dark.

The air left his lungs as if a boulder had been dropped on his chest.

The hovercar finally slowed, gliding into a sprawling, subterranean cave. Rising from black sand stood massive pyramids of basalt, laced with glowing gold circuitry that pulsed like living veins.

The Ruler parked, and stepped out, his boots sinking onto the soft shifting black sand.

"Was it really necessary to show me all that?" Jihoon asked, climbing out on shaking legs. He eyed the ancient being warily.

"Yes," the Ruler said. He produced a clove cigarette and lit it. The scent of burnt spice drifted into the air, the embers flaring bright orange in the dim light. He exhaled a thin stream of fragrant smoke. "That causeway is your future, young Jihoon. I needed you to see the scope of eternity. Do you have a plan for your long life? These are the things we must discuss before I permanently bind your soul in the Opening of the Mouth ritual."

Jihoon shot up from his defensive slouch. "Stop playing games with me. That isn't funny."

The Ruler smoked calmly, looking utterly bored by Jihoon's panic. "It is not a jest."

"You watched me get beaten half to death from the bleachers and didn't move. Not to mention, you are literally a monster!” Jihoon yelled, the echo ringing off the pyramids. "Why should I trust anything you say?"

The Ruler held up one massive, armored finger. "Cursed. Not a monster. There is a difference."

He began to stroll towards the pyramids. Light beams shot up from their capstones to illuminate the vast volcanic chamber. It was so large that a dense fog hid the roof. Water seeped from the lava tube walls and collected into reflective pools below.

Jihoon scanned the cave. There was no other exit. He had no choice but to follow.

The cavern was utterly silent except for the soft splashes and the rhythmic pulse of the gold circuitry in the pyramid walls. No wind. No insects. Just the smell of clove smoke, dampness, and something older underneath it. It smelled like stone that had never seen the sun.

Jihoon stopped walking. He looked up at the nearest pyramid, flanked by two colossal statues of a jackal-headed god. It was taller than his university's main building. Taller than anything had a right to be underground.

"You are cursed, Jihoon. There is nothing you can do to change that fact. But you can choose for yourself how you wish to live with it. I faced this same reality once myself. My solution was to guide the world from the shadows. To uphold my ancient faith of Ma’at. Order. Balance."

Jihoon rubbed his aching head. He gazed at the immense neon-lit pyramid. "And what if I don't take this deal?"

As if his actions were a reply, the Ruler took a final drag of his cigarette, dropped it to the stone path, and crushed it beneath his boot.

Sweat dripped down Jihoon's back. The cave seemed to lean closer around them.

"My servant, Lucian, has claimed your other half," the Ruler finally said, turning to face Jihoon. "Lathandro is his child now. But your human half, the boy I speak to right now, remains unclaimed. Unanchored. I can offer you the power to combat Lathandro. I can ensure he never steals your body from you."

Jihoon’s shoulders slumped. The adrenaline of the fight finally drained away, leaving his bones feeling like lead. "I don't trust you. And I don't trust your offer. But go ahead. Tell me the price."

The Ruler’s golden eyes seemed to glow brighter in the dark.

"I will become your Master, just as Lucian is the Master of Lathandro. I will be the Order to his Chaos. This is the only way to balance the Apophis gift locked inside you before Lucian unleashes it upon the world." The ancient vampire extended his hand one final time.

"Say yes, Yoon Jihoon.”

I really loved the idea in this chapter, and being able to fuse Cyberpunk and Ancient Egypt!   ...The pyramid in front is The Bearded Guy's Nova Citadel at Cyber Fair. I tinted its glow from cyber to gold. And the large pyramid in the back is the LORE's Cultist Temple, which I also tinted its golds. I love how both of them have a cyberpunk cult type of feel. I'm so happy I could show you them both.   ... The Ruler is wearing the Rodex Urbacifix jacket and pants at Cyber Fair. I got the black and gold one, but there are other color options you can choose.   ...From REKT X NEO is the amazing Beast Gauntlets. These aren't just for looks, they come with badass special effects and attacks. The punching the floor move and razzed giant hole in the ground is brilliant! Love it. Check out the animated clips pf the effects below.  ...The VR goggles are from SOLE and they come in wide range of color choices. They are unrigged and mod, so you can adjust and position how you want.   ...In the image below you can the sporty ShoeMinati XBakin shoes the Ruler is wearing. I used the black and then choose what shoelace color I wanted, but there are much more colorful and inventive color combinations you can purchase at Cyber Fair.

On him, The Ruler of the Night:
Jacket: Rodex - Urbacifix Jacket LegacyM [mesh](Cyber Fair)(199L)
Pants: Rodex - Urbacifix Pant Legacy [mesh](Cyber Fair)(199L)
Visor: SOLE - SA - Visor EDGE WALKER, Dirty [mesh](Cyber Fair)(359L)

Shoes: Shoeminati - xBakin - Black, LegacyM [mesh](Cyber Fair)(350L)
Armor: REKT X NEO - BEAST GAUNTLETS [mesh](Cyber Fair)(349L)
Hair: NO.MATCH - NO.BACKUP, male [mesh]

Head: LeLUTKA - CAMDEN 4.0 [mesh](3990L)

Body: TheShops - [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.7.1) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: Del May - DM Stand still 

Setting:

Small Pyramid: The Beared Guy - Nova Citadel [mesh](Cyber Fair)(299L)

Large Pyramid: LORE Cultist Temple [mesh]

Statue: meadowWorks Anubis Sandstone Statue [mesh](250L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky:

 

Cyber Fair: Escape from Club Apophis, 4

STORYLINE: One day ago, at Baseball Practice

The bat cracked like a whip.

Another ball soared past the outfield net, denting the fence. The batter didn’t even flinch. His body moved with frightening precision, hips snapping, arms fluid, as if something else was swinging through him.

“Who is that?” someone muttered near the dugout.

That’s when the high-pitched whirring answered. A sleek drone, pearlescent blue and humming with quiet excitement, zipped into view and hovered ten feet above the field. On its glossy chassis, the glowing insignia of The HEXA Herald, the university’s omni-channel newsstream, blinked to life.

RECORDING IN PROGRESS: BASEBALL PRACTICE, DAY 4
SUBJECT OF INTEREST: UNREGISTERED PLAYER? UNKNOWN TALENT?

“Zoom and enhance,” chirped a girl’s voice through the drone's speaker. “Is that... our team?”

The bot adjusted its lens, capturing the impressive player’s stance and the datapoints pulsing from his bat’s smart-core. An on-field player laughed: “Yo, Lathandro! Leave some fence for the rest of us!”

The drone froze mid-hover.

“Did he say Lathandro?” the voice asked, amused. “That can’t be right… Wait. Did the coach say it too? Rewind five minutes.”

The bot rewound.

"ROOKIE ROLL CALL!" Coach’s gravelly voice bellowed. “Lee? Minwoo? Kang? Sohyeon? Lathandro?”

Jihoon’s voice, calm and automatic: “Here.”

A pause. Then a gasp. “Oh my cyber-soul. That’s not even a real name on file, is it? M10, scrape the registry.”

Another pause. Then the data appears:

LATHANDRO
TRANSFER: LISTED TWO WEEKS AGO
MAJOR: UNDECLARED
FILE ORIGIN: RESTRICTED ADMIN LEVEL

“Ohhh, this is a story,” the reporter whispered, her voice brimming with glee.

The drone zipped away, collecting interviews. Girls giggling behind their visors:

“He’s, like, part machine or something.”
“I swear his bat glows.”
“Did you see his gloves? They look like something out of a noir assassin sim!

When asked about the mysterious rookie ringer, the coach only grunted: "Lathandro? No, no. That’s Yoon Jihoon. He calls his bat ‘Lathandro,' like it’s some kinda good luck charm. Hell of a swing on that kid. Hey, ... I don’t ask questions. I’m only interested in results.”

“Ahhhh, I see. So Lathandro is the bat,” the reporter said, barely hiding a smirk. The moment the mystery boy hit the ball, she knew he was marketable.

She already had her headline.

Later, that night — livestream from Jae Won Stadium

The HEXA Herald’s stream overlay sparkled to life. A stunning crimson glass cyborg girl with antennae, slick letterman jacket, and oversized holographic-enabled sneakers sat on the bleachers, holding a mic that gleamed like polished metal.

“Hey there, Dragonlets! It’s your girl, Reporter Lisa Liemawr, with Bot M10,” she winked. “Coming to you live from Jae Won Stadium, where I just discovered an incredible talent!"

M10 projected a montage of Jihoon’s footage: the swing in slo-mo, the glowing bat, the dented fence.

"...Mysterious, gorgeous, and slightly terrifying. It's... Lathandro!”

The floating bot squeaked happily beside her.

“And guess what?” Lisa grinned, raising one foot toward the camera. “There’s already merch! Check out these totally outrageous AHEGAO Lathandro slippers!”

She kicked her feet back and forth—the slippers, black and white with exaggerated cartoonish Jihoon faces, complete with drooling tongues and googly eyes, jiggled like a toy.

“He hates them. Like, absolutely hates them. Which is why I ordered ten more pairs!”

She leaned in, stage-whispering, “Naturally, they’re selling like hotcakes. Grab yours before the Friday opener and wear them loud, proud, and slightly cursed. Just 3,600 credits. Buy it now!”

Bot M10 flashed the QR code in midair with a happy ding.

“Lathandro’s legend is just getting started,” Lisa purred. “And The HEXA Herald has the exclusive!”

Laughs.  This was so crazy fun to do. Thanks to my fellow Blogger Bats, Aarya and Akira, for brainstorming and encouraging this wacky post.   ... The REKT Glass Automata is very cool. It come with cyborg skeleton and exoskeleton of glass. With the detailed image of the texture hud you can change the colors of the various parts. It's mod, so I rezzed the Exo Arms to hide the arms so they wouldn't clip the jacket.   ...Speaking of, the Pallas jacket and pants is by Kira. It has a wealth of color options. I went with a letter jacket type look instead of a cyberpunk style.   ...The Ursidxe Hair, Digital V2, worked perfectly with the Paw Paw headphones, BTRFLK-X01. The hair has many textures and streak options. The headphones come with butterfly wings, but you can hide them like I did. It also has a lot of texture options.   ...The Antenna-like horns, Tech Horn by {ID}, and the bridge augment add even more Reporter on the Scene type of vibe. They include texture options.  ...The eyes are Pixelated. Arcade Eyes, by IKON. They look smooth from the distance, but get up close and you get that 8 Bit artificial feeling.   ...The Face Implants are a tattooo layer by Physique X. They include a few options for different internal views and color wires.   ...The sunny college girl skin is Kyka by GLOOM. It's very nice, and I love the many color options. I used the Dracula, and then tinted the face to match the glass body as closely as I could. Then I made the skin Fulbright with a slight glow to match the head and body. Pretty cool trick!   ... M10 is the InkMe Space Robot 10. You Rez on the ground and click him to start his wander. The face blinks and glows.   ...But you guys want to talk about the funny shoes right? Diaboli Design's Mindbreak Slippers are another wild and eye-catching pair of shoes. This time with an anime face on it, making uh... funny faces. lol Lots of color and animation options, rigged. and unrigged.

On her, Reporter Lisa Liemawr:

Body, skeleton: REKT Glass Automata, Legacy [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Hair: URSIDXE Digital V2  [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Headphones: PawPaw BTRFLK-X01 Set [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Horns: {ID} Tech Horn, and Bridge Augment [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Outfit: Kiru Pallas Jacket (Fatpack) Legacy [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Shoes: Diaboli Design MindBreak Slippers Disco [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Eyes: IKON Arcade Eyes (BOM) - Paradise [BOM](CyberFair)( L)

Tattoo: Physique X FI02 Face Implants Cyber ZR-33 / v1 [BOM](CyberFair)( L)

Skin: Gloom Kyla Skin, Velour Fantasy, Dracula, tinted [BOM](CyberFair)( L)

Microphone: Infinite Karaogay Microphone  [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Collar: Madame Noir Elsa Collar LEGACY [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

Head, eyes: LeLUTKA lel EvoX LILLY 3.1 [mesh](3990L)

Pose: Foxcity Licky

Setting:

Pet: ::InkMe:: Space Robots 10 [mesh](CyberFair)( L)
Bleachers: ANTINATURAL[+] Deathracer / Neon Bleachers [mesh](CyberFair)( L)

BONUS IMAGES: inworld raw shots, hi-res, midday sky.

(Note: pants not included because they clipped the glass body)

Salvage Station: Nuclear Winter

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Moments before the nuclear warhead detonated over Cairo, a lone being with supernatural speed flew deep inside the womb of his ancient origins. It was a fitting place to die, he thought, the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza. But the blinding nuclear flash did not penetrate the 2.3 million bricks surrounding him. There was impossible heat, the ground trembled, and then slowly the stone turned colder and colder. He didn’t know how long he sat in the dark hoping to hear any signs of life, the flutter of bat wings, the scamper of a beetle.... Nothing. Silence. It wasn’t until finally the thirst grew so intense it drove him out of hiding. There was no way to prepare for the horror he witnessed. He fell to his knees. He had once been so regal, so proud, so convinced of his divine right to rule, but now the tears flowed and there was no one to dry his eyes. No birds in the sky. No creatures on the land. The Nile was frozen and buried under snow and ash. What had once been a bustling city of 9.5 million was vaporized like it never existed. The only proof humans had ever lived there at all was a shadow of a man burned into the pyramid’s stone. He was frozen from the shock, and then an old saying unexpectedly came to mind, "Man fears time, but time fears the Pyramids." Yes, like these 4,500 year old stones, he too endures. He took a deep breath, brushed the hair off his face, and plunged deep into the radioactive snow. He had a new purpose now, -- find survivors of the apocalypse. Not to kill. No, those times were over, but to nurture. It was a bitter irony for an old monster like him who cared so little about "the food." There was no time to waste. He detected a faint scent of living blood on the cruel winds. A woman of breeding age was nearing death. Could he get there in time…?

SLS Syndicate brings to you a brand new event, Salvage Station! Round one takes place in a post-acoplyslic wintery world cobbled together from technology from multiple eras, whatever gets the job done. The sim is decorated on theme and even includes a cool hunt to find objects and use them in recipes to create new objects. Nice touch!  This post was inspired by my Blogger Bat buddy Aarya, as we came up ideas for her post. A story grew and then lead to this one. (For the next part in this story, head over to Aarya Phamtohive's post. Salvage Station: Languish)

From Krieger is the Industrial Respirator. Touch it to bring up a menu to change its look. From Requistion is the Zombiehunter's Claymore which comes with animations you can access by touching it. Wicca's Scavanger Coat comes with fits for men and woman and a hud to change the textures. From Persephone + apocalyptic is what every survivor needs, a good pair of goggles.

I also want to take a moment to thank a hero to me, Anne Rice. She passed away yesterday at age 80 from complications of a stroke. Her imagination, and point of view on many topics deeply resonated with me. Her influence will live on inside me, and her creative spark still burns bright on the printed page. RIP

On him, Kaiser Kruel:

Respirator: Krieger Industrial Respirator 1.0 [mesh](Salvage Station)(400L)

Weapon: Requisition The Zombiehunter's Claymore [mesh](Salvage Station)(500L)

Coat: Wicca's Originals Scavanger Coat Jake [mesh](Salvage Station)(499L)

Goggles: persephone + apocalyptic goggles [mesh(Salvage Station)(249L)

Belt: The Forge Aftermath Belts [mesh](Salvage Station)(350L)

Capelet: Rekt Wanderer Scarf Gold  [mesh](100L)

Pants: Lapointe & Bastchild L&B Swear Havoc Leather Pants [mesh](379L)

Hair: No Match NO FICTION [mesh](200L)

Makeup: TT Industries ::TT::. Unisex Right-Eye Horus Eye Tattoo (49L)

Claws: Tardfish Distressed Claws, male yellow [mesh](149L)

Earrings: Quixe Crusade Earrings Male [mesh](299L)

Gloves: Contraption Dapper Dandy's Gloves soot [mesh](350L)

Cape: Cureless Senshi of the End  Senshi Cloth, gacha [mesh](100L) 

Hair: Air Kazura A01_Tail white [mesh](200L)

Tattoo: Nuuna makeups v12  7 male (300L)

Makeup: Pin Me Down Tili in black, Cheeks

Head: LeLUTKA lel EvoX KANE 3.1 [mesh](3990L)

Setting:

Giza Plateau: Kalopsia Pyramid Flat [mesh]

Footprints: Shax Homes & iNteriors -SHN- Snow Prints Straight [mesh](75L)

Land: Studio Skye Skye Land Forms Snow 64m Flat [mesh](199L)

Fantasy Faire 2021: Khol Dracys

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: Red embers drifted upwards in the smoke choked red sky above the hidden Canyon of Khol Dracys. Above the sound of the roaring wildfire, a bellowing screech suddenly echoed off the rocky cliffs. A terrifying sound not heard in over a thousand years. Villagers huddled tightly together in the town's central circle. A man towering over them on the village's sacred stone of the dead, shouted "Behold a dragon born of fire and ash!" He was dressed in the royal colors of House Targaryen. The villagers looked nervously at the eerie red flames consuming their homes, and then at strange animated bones of the long dead dragon, before returning to their unwelcome visitor who most certainly dug up the bones of the dragon their ancestors had slayed a millennia ago. What witchcraft was this? More importantly, how does one defeat something already dead? The mad Targaryen began to dance wildly to a tune only he heard, "Fire cannot kill a Dragon!" he said, and then repeated it many times. "Fire cannot kill a Dragon!" 

The Fantasy Faire is stunning this year, even bigger than last year with 20 sims!  And I'm happy to tell you the Shopping Guide has been updated based on all the feedback from past years. It's now on the main website and even has sections for male items and special avatars. You can see it all here: https://fantasyfairesl.wordpress.com/

As always, I'm so happy to help out on the catalog. This year I cataloged Khol Dracys, the fun Dragon and Dinosaur sim created by Wanders Nowhere of Prehistorica. The image above is inspired by Khol Dracys, the viking themed items on Fallen God's sim Valahlla, and leaked images of the upcoming House of the Dragon series on HBO. (Can't wait!) The Dragon and Stone monument are gifts from the Faireland Quest, part 1, Language of Birds.  

BishieStyleSL will be on hiatus until I am settled in at my new home in about 2 to 3 weeks.

Thanks for your help, Aarya!

On Him, the Targaryen Necromancer:
Outfit: R3D Viking Tunic Njord - Legacy m [mesh](Fantasy Faire 2021, Scrimshaw Warrens)(250L)

Boots: R3D Boots Runar - Black - Legacy m [mesh](Fantasy Faire 2021, Scrimshaw Warrens)(199L)

Fur: REKT Fantasy Furrneck White - Legacy [mesh](200L)
Crown: NOIR Aegon The Conquer Crown [mesh]

Hair: RavenBell Aster Hair M1 [mesh](350L)

Tattoo: Lovely Disarray Battle Ready : Warpaint - Complete Double (230L)

Head: LeLUTKA Kane Evolution .2.5 [mesh](3990L)
Body: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Meshbody (Legacy)(m) (1.0) [mesh](5000L)

Pose: sakupose+ yzk mens pose 4 hero1 (70L)

Setting:

Dragon: Prehistorica Animesh Skeletal Dragon, language of birds quest HUD [mesh](Fantasy Faire 2021, Khol Dracys)(350L with outfit)

Rocks: Fallen Gods Valhalla Memorial, language of birds quest HUD [mesh](Fantasy Faire 2021, Valhalla)(350L with outfit)

House: Del-ka Aedilis Guthrum C/M - Summer [mesh](Fantasy Faire 2021, Valhalla)(549L)

Mist: {anc} mist cloud [sungold] 1prim sculpt (288L)

Trees: FelixvonKotwitz 1 Li Mesh Pine Season d1a [mesh](295L)

Land: Jumbo Core Plat  River,19 li [mesh] (95L)

Engine Room: The Alliance

(click to enlarge)

STORYLINE: The defenders of the natural world gathered their forces. Stepping before the howling troops was General Pa-Hin, Chief and Shamen of the Sioux Nation. His name meant porcupine. "Today is a day that will go down into legend," he began slowly, his booming voice echoing in the warehouse full of heavily armed Lycans. The rowdy beasts calmed down and looked up at their leader, hypnotized by his every word. "It is an honor you accept me as one of your own, and allow me to lead you. Today is the last day of the life-sucking blight upon the Earth. Now is our time!" A young wolf began to howl, and his peers chastised him for loosing his cool. His ears drooped. The general smiled benevolently at the excitable pup, then continued, "While our arrogant enemy is preoccupied with the human's war and petty squabbles for power among themselves, they have forgotten to protect their most precious members." He dramatically pointed his cane towards the Castle of the Elders in the distance, "Kill them and all their blood sucking slaves join them in oblivion." Rolling hoots and howls erupted. The ground shook below their pounding paws. But with one small wave of Pa-Hin's hand, they silenced again. "This task will fall to the hands of our new dear ally, the esteemed Vampire Hunter's Association. Their representative, Mademoiselle Jacqueline, only asks that we get her elite squad of assassins inside. It is our job to SMASH their walls and break their defenses to safely deliver the hunters inside." He hands her a scroll,  "Thanks to this valuable map, her team knows exactly where the Fiends sleep."

This finale post was inspired by the dieselpunk offerings at the Engine Room and Indigenous Peoples Day. The porcupine jacket by Hotdog includes fits for men and women. The Butanik83 Life-support Boiler and matching gift Arm Pressirizer include a hud to change the textures. Seka eyepatch has a textures and matching Rusty nail septum is a gift I repurposed to be an earring. The crow headed walking cane is by The White Crow and includes a version that smackable weapon. For more details on what Aarya is wearing, visit her blog Dark Phantom

You can see the Engine Room’s shopping catalog here: Shopping Guide. Visit here before its gone Oct 20th.

On him, General Pa-Hin:
Jacket: Hotdog Porcupine jacket BJ/S/SG Brown [mesh](Engine Room)(250L)
Backpack: Butanik83 Life-support Boiler Machine [mesh](Engine Room)(250L)
Armband: Butanik83 Upper Arm Pressurizer [mesh](Engine Room)(gift)
Eyepatch: SEKA's Rusti Eye R [mesh](Engine Room)(375L)
Earring: SEKA's Rusti Nail Giftie [mesh](Engine Room)(gift)

Cane: The White Crow TWC Senior Crow, Gold [mesh](Engine Room)(500L)
Hand: REKT_Gentlesteam_HAND L Scorched, gacha [mesh](Engine Room)(50L)

Hat: Silvery K Military Girl PeakedCap Green 2, gacha [mesh](80L)
Collar: Pucca Firecaster PFC~Bones - choker, gacha [mesh](75L)

Hair: Wasabi Pills Cayden Mesh Hair [mesh](250L)
Claws: L'Emporio&PL Oblio Vampire Claws male [mesh](350L)
Pants, boots: Contraption Airship Deck Crew [mesh](400L)
Skin, head:  Genesis Labs Skin_JUNG_05, gacha [mesh](100L)

Tattoo: Ghost'Ink StarBlood Tattoo, gacha (50L)

Body, skin: TheShops [BODY] Athletic Legacy (m) (1.2) [mesh](5500L)
Pose: momomuller / 3M _3M_stick1_2 (40L)

On Her, Jacqueline of the Vampire Hunter's Association:

Guest appearance: Aarya Phantomhive. For more story & style credits, go to the Dark Phantom blog

Outfit: Eliavah Regius Attire [mesh](Engine Room)(119L)

Makeup: TF Machinest [BOM](Engine Room)(275L)

Hat: bonbon martha hair [mesh](Engine Room)(250L)

Boots: A&Y Neo-Victorian Boots [mesh](Engine Room)(450L)

Weapon: Omise A.S.S.BUNKER [mesh](Engine Room)(500L)

Location:
Tulagi Seaport & WWII Central