breathe you in, 'til I hallucinate

I spent my morning trying to win Fallen Gods' Oracle skin for the year, and this happened:

[12:06] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): Aly, if you'd care to sit?
[12:07] Alysisa Heartsong: sure just waiting on rezzing
[12:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr): The heartbreak of slow rez
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ❀Let it rez, Let it rez❀
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ❀Can't see the colors no more❀
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ❀Let it rez, Let it rez❀
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ☻ I'll catch up whent the colors flow ☻
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ▧ ▨ Here i stand, in the blur of gray ▧ ▨
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ●○● Let the world rez in!!!! ●○●
[12:08] Emilly Shatner-Orr (emilly.orr) cackles
[12:08] Alysisa Heartsong: ▧ ▨The gray never bothered me anyway▧ ▨

Not anonymized, because this was just so damned clever. The gesture came with a high little chibi voiced song, too. So much fun.

Meantime, I went to see Return to Darkwood, because I'd been told it was closing for the season on the 31st.

[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: Welcome to Calas Galadhon's 2020 Halloween build, RETURN TO DARKWOOD !
[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: For best viewing accept our Region's Windlight setting and have Advanced Lighting Model (PREFERENCES/GRAPHICS) enabled.
[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: You'll find watching in a darkened room is best.
[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: For those not familar with our Calas history, our original 'Darkwood' was our
[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: 2014 Halloween build.

I dimly remember going through Darkwood at some point in the past, but it was a walking tour. This was a series of interconnected waterways. I picked up a flashlight at the entrance, then ended up not needing it at all.



I was told after we'd started on the water tour that most of the haunt could be walked. The ride by boat took a bit over half an hour, all told, but...I'm very glad we took the boat option.



Recommended was midnight for lighting and the music stream being on. The music stream was heavily thematic, reminiscent of Lord of the Rings and other orchestral compositions. And, as the boat sailed through, on both sides were tucked away little glimpses of the surreal, or the haunting.

[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: we are happy to bring back a part of it this year.
[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: Though different, its spirit remains :)
[22:44] Elven Boat whispers: Be sure to turn on SOUNDS & Truck's amazing music stream. Enjoy the journey!

This seemed to be the only place with spiders, and they were never close to the boat.



Around swamp shacks, bridges overgrown with ivy, strange, surreal plants from other dimensions, the random dancing skeleton, the occasional troll...all to the lush sounds on the music stream and the teal/cyan glow of unseen lights.



And then...we left the water, and rose into the sky. In this shot, you can make out the swamp village we sailed through, with another boat making their languid way through the same waters.



I don't think words exist to explain how magical this was. While not purely a haunt, in the traditional sense, I was thoroughly swept away by the sheer immensity of it, the sweeping visuals, the pure romance of the moments spent, in water or air. It was...perfect.

[23:17] Elven Boat whispers: We'll be landing soon.
[23:17] Elven Boat whispers: There will a Portal nearby to take you back to the beginning so you can explore on foot.
[23:18] Elven Boat whispers: We hope you've enjoyed this year's Halloween tour and that it lifts the heart, if just a bit
[23:18] Elven Boat whispers: out of some of the darkness we've all experienced this year

And...yes, I think it did. And then we landed, and ended up in an evening meadow that led to a dance stage, and--of course, we had to finish the evening with a dance.

I may post more of this set of photos--I took so many, they wouldn't all fit in this one. Or I'll pick the best and throw them into a Flickr folder. Something. But all in all, this was the very very last of the season.

And the veil between the worlds begins to solidify again, and the mystery and terror of the previous weeks will slowly descend into stillness, soon to be covered in snow, to wait for the first soft touches of spring to come. The cycle goes round and round, ever spinning, world without end, regardless of what humanity feels. And nights like this, that's actually a comfort.

And I think the memory of this night will warm me through for weeks to come.