last time we talked, the night that I walked, burns like an iron in the back of my mind

OnMark Productions has a page on Buddhist symbols. One of them ties in with the mythological Qilin (Ch'i-lin in China, called Kirin in Japan):

A mythical horned Chinese deer-like creature said to appear only when a sage has appeared. It is a good omen associated with serenity and prosperity. Often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body. In most drawings, its head looks like that of a Chinese dragon (see dragon above). Japanese art typically depicts the Kirin as more deer-like than its Chinese counterpart. Kirin is sometimes translated in English as "unicorn," because it looks similar to the unicorn--the later a hoofed mythological horse-like beast with a single horn on its head. Some accounts describe it as having the body of a deer and the head of a lion.

Why am I mentioning this?

(from the Avatars album)

Because I, like many Westerners, had aligned the Qilin with a sort of Easternized unicorn, and that's far from the case. Some had one horn; some had up to four; some didn't have horns at all. There have been descriptions of Qilin in records from the official to the fictional that describe them as having the attributes of dragons, of deer, of tigers or lions, even of giraffe. There are even those who think qilin had a chimerical humanoid form. And most of the statuary seen to this day more closely resembles dogs than anything else. (Hells, some of the statues, I'm honestly not sure what animal it's supposed to represent!)

(from the Avatars album)

I came very late to the party over at Mithica--a friend of mine had told me about it around 5:30 pm, and I didn't end up going over until 5:38. Miss Piper Shan was standing in the middle of the sim, and it seemed to be--find your egg; wear your egg; go back to her and tell her what you want.

So I thought of everything I knew about hunts in general, and--more guided by whimsy than anything else--wandered towards the shore, because shorelines can have good prims to hide things under.

Turns out there was a small pier at the waterline, and there were two eggs on the end of the pier! As it was a touch one per person sort of hunt, I touched one, and the egg disappeared, giving me a wearable egg in my inventory. Delighted, I ran back to the center of the sim, clutching the large Easter egg to me, and proclaimed that I'd found one!

At which point, Miss Shan asked me what I wanted.

Of anything.

On the sim.

My jaw dropped. I ran back to Rez Fantazy Avatars, staring avidly at the vendors. And one caught my eye, the Female Kirin in Black.

(from the Avatars album)

The first thing is, it's not actually black. Black is in there, but what it really is is black, brown, and purple, with swirls and flame-lick spirals in cream and slate blue. Amazing look to them.

(from the Avatars album)

They come with the hair, horns (changeable by menu), ears, digitigrade legs and hoofpads (that's the only way I can describe them--they're shaped like hooves, but they're not, quite), scripted tail, blinking eyes (also changeable by menu), skin and shape, and a HUD that allows further customization possibilities.

(from the Avatars album; this is the PG skin option [essentially, this option removes the nipples, that's about the only difference] to show the chest shading)

They're definitely horse ears, but the legs and feet aren't, quite. The tail's bound like a horse's, but then ends like several other species. The head is very vulpine, but it's definitely a lion's nose on the end of the muzzle. The eyes are tilted and catlike, but the mane of hair could fit five different animals I can think of. Retail? L$850. And, having walked around in this since I got it, I think worth every Linden of that price.

I joined the group. They also design "Lupans" (wolf-like creations) and "Caprans" (modified goats), as well as a selection of big cats and at least one reindeer. And they seem to have sales around every two months or so. This could be very good.

(from the Avatars album)

The basic thing I'm doing my best to communicate here is that these are seriously impressive avatars, done by people who are really looking towards things that Second Life does not already have in spades. We should be encouraging this.

(Pictures were again taken in Oubliette; and the outfit was Bare Rose's Devilkin, it does not come with the avatar.)

Two things to wrap this entry up: first, the Thrifty Goths group (which I abandoned some while back, as being far too restrictive on what was considered 'gothic', and far too full of insane drama and daily controversy, very little of it gothic in the least) has tossed up an open poll. To wit, should neko parts, skins and outfits be considered gothic?

So far? The "yes let nekos in" crowd is ahead by over half. I'm amused.

The last thing is unfortunate, but must be shared--if you are ever in a position to try to rinse sharp, intense mint-flavored jellybeans from previous o'er-sugary bubblegum flavors, do NOT reach for mango-orange juice, because then your tongue will be very unhappy with you and rebel.

It is not a good thing. I'm just trying to stave off anyone who may be contemplating this situation by providing my own bad example. You're welcome.