The case of the mysterious blooded bandage wings...

Posted by Alpha Auer

Last year, at some location which, alas, I no longer seem to be able to recall, I bought something which touches me so deeply to just look at that I hardly ever wear it in public. I put them on when I am all by myself, on days when I feel particularly reclusive and never for too long even then: They simply make me too sad. My beloved blooded bandage wings. So, it really is more than just a little strange that I am posting about something so very private in as public a place as this. However, with good reason:



Cyia Kanami: She is the creator of these wings and she seems to be lost. I had this idea that I would like to check on her, see what else she might have created over this past year and... She is no longer there! There is no store location in her Picks or her Classified's. No such name exists in any of the better known online metaverse shops either and neither does she seem to have a current blog. And then, in her profile she says:

"... If any of ya ever known what it's like to have your guts turned inside out, your heart ripped to shreads, your soul dipped in burning hot tar, and your brain ground through a meat grinder, ya know how I've felt for the past 5 months..."

I did send her an instant message - to which predictably enough, I got no response. So, has anyone seen or heard from Cyia Kanami? Does anyone know this person or have any idea where she might be? If she is still in Second Life® even?

Since the full name of the wings in my inventory carries the suffix BLD I also teleported to a location called BLD wings (and you can also, directly from here), in the hopes of locating Cyia's work, however that place seems to be owned by another person entirely: Beliria Lumley, a fine NPIRL designer in her own right, who could well merit a post of her own in the future. But as for Cyia? No sign...

Cyia? Are you out there? Are you ok?

You guys sooo rock! *Does a little dance* - Chimp case: CLOSED

Once upon a time, three days ago, (doesn't it seem like a million years ago, already?), l discovered an avatar that enthralled me, and promptly crashed, only to discover that logins had been disabled. I shared the few facts I had - as well as my frustration - with you here and slipped off to bed. Incredibly, the next morning... between this blog, Flickr, Twitter and my email, I found over a dozen suggestions for who the creator might be.

Before I say one more word, I want to wrap my virtual arms around all the imaginative, resourceful, helpful, curious and fascinating folks who people Second Life - especially those of you who immediately chimed in - and give you a giant pixelated hug. You're the bee's knees. You're top shelf! I am madly in love with this community. <3

It was Arahan Claveau who suggested that this character might be based on The Monkey King.

Then, Jamma Newt was the first to suggest that the chimp was a creation by Ripped Winkler, followed by, Jurin Juran via Tweet, and Maya and Constance via email. Logins were still disabled...

Finally, Naxos Loon presented us with a Slex address to buy Ripped Winkler's chimp avatars, and the icing on the cake was Mr. Oh's accurate contribution of the source of the glasses.

Well, I've since exchanged IMs with both Ripped Winkler and the fabulous chimp himself, apes Later, and here's what I learned...


Turns out that the worldly, high-style, cyber-chimp apes Later, had been afk while I had stood there asking him questions on Friday night

The chimp avatar is Ripped Winkler's (teleport directly from here). The glasses are, indeed, AVZ Vision Enhancement specs by !AVZ! Cyberpunk Fashion (teleport directly from here. apes made the stick himself, but the superb animations were by Jackie Jetcity, and can be purchased - dirt cheap, I might add - at his store, J's Factory (teleport directly from here). Jackie thoughtfully provides a free stick.

By the way, if I were a Neko, I would not want to live another day without Jackie's outrageously good feline animations set.

I asked apes if he is a builder, to which he said "no," but he did reply in the affirmative when I inquired if he was just a great shopper. I didn't get an answer when I asked - very nicely - if he'd take me shopping with him sometime... heh... and then he had to leave in a hurry to go food shopping... IRL! Sadly, I did not come away with the sources for his clothes, boots, and crown. Sorry.

Ripped Winkler - who missed all the fuss having been away on a brief holiday - came back to my many IM's and said, "Looks like my chimp avie... ie skin, shape, hair and fur. Any clothing and accessories aren't mine, as I leave that for the customers to get creative with. My monkeys come with full simian AO's, too, so the anims on that avatar are probably in the staff he is holding." Ripped's chimps come in both female and male shapes in the one package and were created last fall. He went on to explain that he made the chimp's skin "with a bit of gimp and avpainter, but I'm using zbrush now, which is so much better to work with."

Money: You can't have it... yet

all photography by Arahan Claveau

About a month ago, NPIRLers had a 24 hour preview of a mysterious sim that is part of an even larger mystery. Last week, I invited master of narrative photography, Arahan Claveau, to go back and capture just a few glimpses... mere hints... of what we saw there, to share with you.





It's as yet incomplete... about 60% there, I'm told. Creation dates appear to begin in December, 2006... and end in April of this year. Built primarily by Light Waves, with several important elements by Pavig Lok and a few by Littletoe Bartlett, this is the same team that gave us the Greenies, but it is not a Rezzable sim.



Doors are open. Someone came or left in a hurry.



Called simply "Money," the sim is dripping with atmosphere and intrigue.



It's clear that something terrible has happened, but we're not sure what or why.



Some discoveries, as you explore, are goose-bump-inducing.



Others seem to be important parts of the puzzle.



In a few days, I'll share a little more of what I've discovered...



...and the answers I have are surprising, indeed.



No slurl... yet.