Daz 3D is part of 
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
224 S 200 W, Suite #250
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2024 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.Daz 3D is part of
Connect
DAZ Productions, Inc.
224 S 200 W, Suite #250
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Licensing Agreement | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | EULA
© 2024 Daz Productions Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Comments
Just thought I'd check in to see what's happening here:
@Ken - good start to number 4, you have me hooked waiting for the rest ... :bug:
@barbult - nice one, I especially like the 2nd image (nice motion effect)
@Novica - good scene, lots going on there (and finally I understand your "name check" and "board" reference in your Art Studio thread)
And now I really must make some progress on my #2 story (half-assembled scene 1 is as far as I've got so far)
Ask, and thou shalt receive.... (And if you want to take that as a threat, then..., so be it!)
TAG: obanion#04
Story Title: ...And No Lycans Were Harmed in the Making of This Adventure
-- Image #2 --
Image Title: Job Interview
Used from the pull:
Dream Stalker
DMs Mixed Fantasy (various and sundry props)
Also used:
Coco for V4 (Yeah, I know I probably over-use this character, but I like her!)
Sword of Light (a ShareCG freebie - actually, it's the Sword of Vaelen; I know, because I have one hanging on the wall of our guesthouse.)
DMR Moon Cult
On a Certain Night (Background)
Dark Thorn outfit for M4
Rock Star Hair
Nico texture for M4
Crazy Nights for V4 (w/ Starry Nights textures)
Amaya Hair
Sofia texture for V4
Victoria 3
Fantasy Wrap 2 for Victoria 3
Kyoko Hair by Kozaburo
Lynettes Dark Rites (Chalice)
Aiko 3
Mitzu Hair for Aiko 3
Fantasy Wrap 2 for Aiko 3
Beautiful Textures for the Fantasy Wrap
The story continues...
It should come as no surprise to anyone who has even casually followed Martin's exploits that he called the number David had given him. It was arranged that he (and Alexis) would have an audience with the High Priestess Neri of the Temple of the Silver Moon on the evening of three days hence. Martin booked a flight online, decided that they should pack light, and set off on Monday morning. So much for their planned down-time....
Martin and Alexis were brought before the High Priestess. Upon seeing her for the first time, Martin was a bit surprised; he had expected to see a woman dressed in an elaborate, albeit diaphanous and blatantly revealing, gown, adorned with gold and precious gems; something befitting the leader of what David had characterized as more-or-less a cult. (He didn't know where that mental preconception came from -- yeah, right!) Instead, she looked, and was dressed, like a warrior prepared for battle.
The High Priestess' acolytes, on the other hand, were dressed more..., shall we say..., characteristically. Suffice to say that if the young women of the Methodist church that Martin had attended for most of his youth had adopted a similar dress code, he would never have become the 'agnostic deist' that he now was.
The Priestess didn't waste any time. "You come highly recommended, Mr. --" She paused, suddenly realizing that she did not know Martin's full name.
"Lansing," Martin offered, "Martin Lansing. And this," he added, indicating Alexis, who stood beside him, "is Alexis Bennett. We are honored to meet you...." Martin suddenly found himself in the same situation; he didn't know how one addresses a High Priestess.
She smiled. "You may call me Priestss, if you wish to be formal," she said. "Or Neri, since that is, in fact, my name. Just, please, do not call me ma'am." She gave Martin a wry smile. "I get quite enough of that from this gang of unrepentant suck-ups." Her gesture encompassed the acolytes who stood around her.
The Priestess took a step toward them. "As I was saying," she said, "you come highly recommended as someone who can return the Necklace of Dammerung to our order. Although," she added with a touch of irony, "I'm not entirely sold on the source of that recommendation. The gentleman -- and I use that word advisedly -- struck me as rather a...."
"Scumbag?" Alexis suggested.
"That works," the Priestess agreed. "I like you," she added with a smile. "We think alike." She got back down to business. "Now that the Dark Paladin has been eliminated, we very much would like to see the Necklace returned to us. Not only because, well, it belongs to us, but because it is simply not safe for it to be out in the world."
"I was told that the necklace possesses certain..., powers," Martin said.
"It does indeed," the High Priestess acknowledged. "And in the wrong hands, those powers can be extremely dangerous."
"Then I can certainly understand why you would want to have it back under your control." He turned to Alexis. "So let's go get it, shall we?"
Alexis shrugged. "We're already packed," she said. "Might as well."
"There is, however, a possible issue with respect to the matter of your fee," the Priestess said.
"Is that likely to be a problem?" Martin asked. "Because I do not let a client's ability to pay influence my decision to accept an assignment. If money is an issue..., well, we can definitely negotiate. Even after the recovery."
"Not in the sense you appear to be thinking," Neri said. "We have no problem with compensating you for your efforts on our behalf. And the Order can certainly afford it. The only issue that might arise is likely to be how that compensation will be calculated. If my understanding is correct, you ask ten percent of the appraised value of the item recovered, is that not correct?"
"That is correct," Martin confirmed, "but I can be quite accomodating in that regard."
"We wouldn't ask you to. My concern is the question of that term 'appraised'."
"How so?"
"Well," the Priestess said, "the item in question is of -- how best can I put this? -- incalculable value. The gems and precious metals that constitute it are, of course, of considerable value in their own right. But there is also the Necklace's historic value, its value as a cultural artifact, and of course, the powers that the Necklace possesses, which are rather difficult to assess, as you can imagine." She smiled wryly. "An insurance underwriter would be severely hard-pressed to put a number on something like that, don't you think?"
"Hmm," Martin said, "I see your point. How about we do this: let's base my fee solely on the intrinsic value of the materials of which it is made: the gemstones, the gold, silver, platinum, whatever. Keep things simple, that's the lesson I learned from my father."
"Very well," the Priestess said, "if that is acceptable to you, then I believe we can consider the issue resolved."
"Cool," Martin said. "In that case, by your leave, we'll go get it, and bring it home." he turned to Alexis. "Let's roll, baby-cakes!"
...And, here's the third installment (with one more to go):
TAG: obanion#04
Story Title: ...And No Lycans Were Harmed in the Making of This Adventure
-- Image #3 --
Image Title: You'll Never Walk Alone (And That Ain't Always a Good Thing!)
Used from the pull:
Diamonds
DM Mixed Fantasy
Lycan Critter Poses
Also used:
Treasure Chests
Night World Lycanthropos (required by Lycan Critter Poses)
Flashlight prop by 3-D Commune (a ShareCG freebie)
Hardcore for M4
Rock Star Hair
Nico for M4
Happy Camper for V4
Amaya Hair
Sofia texture and head morphs
Glasses001 (another shareCG freebie)
The story continues...
As they made their way through the labyrinth of the temple complex, Alexis could not shake an uneasy feeling that they were being watched..., followed.... Dare she even think it? Hunted, even. She followed closely behind Martin, practically stepping on his heels, all the while casting frequent glances over her shoulder, and to either side of them, looking for..., what, exactly? It was a question to which she was pretty sure she did not want to know the answer.
They entered a small chamber -- well, small for the rest of the complex -- that appeared to have been, at one time, a sort of throne room, or audience chamber, where the Lord of the realm received visitors and emissaries from neighboring fiefdoms, or heard petitions from his subjects. It was surprisingly well-preserved, Alexis noted absently, with no obvious indications of any of the looting that she was certain had to have occurred in the many years since the place was abandoned.
A breath of sound tickled her ears. She turned toward the source, and her own breath caught in her throat.
"There it is!" Martin announced triumphantly. The beam from his flashlight illuminated an old chest, shoved against the wall of the temple. It was open, revealing its contents; the light reflected off a stack of gold coins and assorted other trinkets that any number of people would positively drool over, but Martin had eyes for only one thing: the elaborate diamond necklace that they had been hired to recover. He took a step toward the chest, to retrieve their prize, but Alexis' hand on his back stayed him.
"Um, Martin," Alexis said tentatively, "I think you ought to know..., we're not alone in here."
"What do you mean?" Martin turned to follow Alexis' gaze. His eyes widened as he took in the sight that Alexis had drawn his attention to. "Holy --!" he exclaimed. "What in the God-forsaken Eastern suburbs of Hell is that!?"
The creature stared dispassionately at the two humans for several seemingly-interminable moments. Finally, it spoke, in a deep, growly voice that befitted its nature. "Coming to rob me, are you?" it accused.
"Actually, no," Martin replied calmly. "We're here to recover a piece of property that was, in fact, stolen from someone who very much wants it back. So they engaged my services to recover it."
"And who might this person be?" the creature inquired. "And what is the object that she desires you to recover for her?"
"The object," Martin said, directing the beam of his flashlight into the chest, to illuminate the High Priestess' necklace, "is this: the Necklace of Dammerung. Until it was stolen, it was the property of the Order of the Silver Moon; by all rights, it still is. I have been asked by the High Priestess Neri to recover it, and return it to them."
"Order of the Silver Moon," the creature repeated. "Necklace of Dammerung. High Priestess Neri." The creature nodded its head in apparent approval. "You speak the correct words, which means you either are indeed who you say you are, or you have been carefully and thoroughly coached." It paused a moment, apparently considering its options. "You strike me as an honest man," it said eventually, "so..., Very well. You may return the Necklace to the Order. But touch nothing else," the creature warned, "or it will go badly for you."
"I have no interest in anything else," Martin said. "And thank you." He crouched down to pick up a long stick. With the stick, he carefully fished the necklace out of the chest, and put it into the pocket of his jacket. He turned to Alexis, who had not moved a muscle since she first saw the creature lurking in the shadows. "Looks like our job here is done," he said. She did not respond. "Yo, Lex," Martin tried again to get her attention. Again, bupkis. He waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Lex," Martin said teasingly, laying a hand on her shoulder.
Alexis snapped abruptly out of her daze. "Um, what?" She threw a swift glance toward the creature, who stood watching them with a steady gaze.
"Let's go," Martin said. "We have what we came for, now we need to leave."
"And do not return," the creature added.
"You don't have to tell us twice," Martin said wryly. "Let's go," he said again to Alexis. He gently nudged Alexis back toward the chamber's entrance, and out of the complex, into the moonlit night. The creature followed them every step of the way, to make sure that they left.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/33478/#505977
Another render added. :)
Return of The Golden Hinde
tag: luci45#4
No narrative on this one. I tried to get the whole story in comic book format. :cheese:
Pulled:
Shayarin for V4
Lynette
Lemur
Scottish Hinde (a freebie from ?)
Freak 4
Dies Nefastus
Davy Jones Locker
Baroque Grandeur Poses
Part One
Used:
Shayarin for V4
Lynette (texture)
Lemur
Scottish Hinde
Freak 4
Davy Jones Locker
Baroque Grandeur Poses
Also used:
Skull Cove Complete
Medieval Tavern
Tavern Maid Props
Genessis 2 Male and Female
Doyle texture
Super Dress for G2F
Somber Raven
Ricardi Hair
Brock Morph
Freak 4 Skin Maps 01
Return of the Golden Hinde
Part Two
Used:
Shayarin for V4
Lynette (texture)
Lemur
Scottish Hinde
Dies Nefastus
Freak 4
Davy Jones Locker
Baroque Grandeur Poses
Also used:
Skull Cove Complete (seascape and ship)
Genessis 2 Male and Female
Doyle texture
Super Dress for G2F
Somber Raven
Ricardi Hair
Brock Morph
Freak 4 Skin Maps 01
Palm Trees
Rolling Plains
Treasure Chest
Return of the Golden Hinde
Part Three
Used:
Shayarin for V4
Lynette (texture)
Lemur
Scottish Hinde
Freak 4
Davy Jones Locker
Also used:
Skull Cove Complete
Genessis 2 Male and Female
Doyle texture
Super Dress for G2F
Victorian Maid for Genesis 2 Female(s) (shoes)
Pharaohs of the Sun for Genesis Female (skirt)
Somber Raven
Ricardi Hair
Brock Morph
Freak 4 Skin Maps 01
Luci, I love that format! That takes a lot of time and I love the flow of the story (particularly the critters in the scenes. Adorable!)
Here's the latest, one more to go.
http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/33478/#505977
@luci #3 good one! now if only adam had met bender and leela he would have been happy in the future
@ luci #4 the comic book is totally cool! what a lot of work to make
@ken #3, 4 the series continues. karibou is right these are a bondesque ubermarathon. now for one in the caribbean!
@karibou #2 fantastic rhyming to the end
@barbult #1 nice story. she looks glad to see him now. but after the adrenaline wears off i wonder if he s going to get an earfull
@novica i bet octopus wrestling is really hard to set up, the tentacles get everywhere, well done!
Gopherus #1 verse 2
Just made it!!!
My Pull
Wolf - used
3 Raven Court
School Girl Uniform for A4 - used
Sea Life Pack 1
A Curious Tea: Drink Me - used
Staff Pack
Toonimal Lemur - used
Diner Food 2 - used
Verse 2
The bucket rolled round and around
And the wind howled like a wolf hound
Can you tell me, kind Sir
'Cause my mind's in a blur
Maybe where my happy home can be found
Gopherus #1
The Lass from Nantucket
verse 3
Actually this was the first one completed
My Pull
Wolf
3 Raven Court - used
School Girl Uniform for A4 - used
Sea Life Pack 1
A Curious Tea: Drink Me
Staff Pack
Toonimal Lemur
Diner Food 2
Verse 3
She hasten'd to her home with a grin
Her mother said, "My girl, come right in!
"You didn't milk the cow
"And I'll tell you right now
"It's off to your bed with no din'!"
Fin
Well it took me long enough...! :red:
TAG:MelanieL#2
Title: Tales of the Chronos Removals Company - Book 1
Chapter 1: The Assignment
Location: The Office of the Chronos Removals Company, London
Time: Morning
It began as another average day in the office. Jim had just surfaced from his previous assignment, which had generated a copious stack of paperwork for his assistant ("Whatever happened to the paper-free office?" she wondered.)
He hadn't even finished his first cup of coffee when the phone rang.
After a long while he hung up and said "We've got another assignment. Removal job. Something gone where it really shouldn't have gone. This could be a tricky one - I think I'm going to need backup. How are you fixed this afternoon?"
"It's OK, I had no specific plans, at least nothing that can't wait" she replied, looking ruefully at the mess of papers on her desk.
"Good" said Jim, "Then can you make the arrangements for us both: 1445 please, Miss Moon."
Draw Items Used:
File It Away
Momotsuki (Pink Moon) Hair
M5 Pro Bundle (James for M5, Pure Hair Classic, Town and Country clothes, Easy Going Poses - slightly modified)
Also Used:
Miss Moon: Summer Edition Liu, Morphing Business Suit (shirt), Men's Night Life (pants), Sexy Silky (shoes)
The Office: Classic Deco: Eclectic 1, The Desk Collection, The Clock Collection, Diner Tableware
The Exterior: Urban Sprawl 2
Chapter 2: The Removal
Location: The Black Stag Inn, Little Bevington, Devon
Time: 1445 (Just after lunch)
Thing was, an item had been stolen from their latest client. A very high tech item. Dangerous in the wrong hands. And it had now turned up where it never ought to have turned up. It was Jim's job to remove it from the wrong hands and return it to the right ones.
"No," Jim mused as he and Miss Moon arrived at their target destination, "this item should most definitely not have turned up in a quiet English village in the late Middle Ages. That sort of thing could cause a critical distortion of history. Good thing our client had a tracking device on it."
Jim and Miss Moon had travelled in appropriate style - no need to scare the locals. The Chronos device did a pretty good job of making them blend in. Surprisingly the same thing had been attempted by the miscreants they had come in search of, though their outfits were still a little random.
The dodgy guys were lounging around outside an old inn, obviously well refreshed. And they had an awful lot of destructive-looking hardware with them too. But Jim had a plan: slip a Mickey in their ale, while Miss Moon did her best buxom serving wench act on them. Soon they were all out for the count. Nice easy job now to extract the stolen techie stuff and return it to its rightful owner.
"Pity I can't work out how to turn this thing fully off" said Jim, "I just hope nobody spots those lights before we get away".
Jim thought he'd better remove their armaments too: "Wonder how they'll get on here without those?" he pondered. "Luckily that's not my problem. Mean looking guys - they've got a really shifty look about them."
Miss Moon looked back at them and replied: "According to my pre-transit checks there's a triple hanging due to take place near here in four day's time - but maybe that's just a coincidence?"
Draw Items Used:
Dust and Trail Tool
Fantasy Exotic Weapons
Momotsuki (Pink Moon) Hair
Medieval Inn
M5 Pro Bundle (Jim: James for M5, Pure Hair Sleek, Genesis Ranger, Dark Priest Poses - with modification)
(Miscreants: DragonLord for Genesis, Genesis Ranger)
Also Used:
Miss Moon: Summer Edition Liu, kitbashed clothing from Magna Hart (bodice), Buccaneer Basic (shirt sleeves), TOA Triplet (skirt), MFD Wonderland Expansion (apron), Lion Queen (shoes), retextured with Fabricator and Ye Olde Clothe
Miscreant 1: Stefan for Genesis
Miscreant 2: Brandon, Casual Long Hair, Voyager for M6
Miscreant 3: Stolz for Genesis
Medieval Handcart (Dryjack freebie)
GIS Sigma (Holo Pro as the mysterious "high tech item", with Dust and Trail Tool Fae Trail and Plasma Ray effects)
Background: Ecomantics - Efficient Ecosystems
Chapter 3: The De-Brief
Location: The Savoy Hotel, London
Time: 1930 (Late afternoon)
Another job successfully completed. Client happy to have his belongings back. No risky dislocation in the space-time-continuum.
Jim owed Miss Moon for her assistance - she had after all gone way beyond her job description. He offered to buy her a slap-up meal at the location of her choice.
She selected the Palm Court of the Savoy Hotel in 1930: a time of elegance, grace and style - and a very good place to get dainty cucumber sandwiches and petit fours. She might even persuade Jim to join in the Tea Dance after eating.
Draw Items Used:
A Curious Tea: Eat Me
Momotsuki (Pink Moon) Hair
Evening Gown for G2F
M5 Pro Bundle (Jim: James for M5, PH Sleek, M5 Photographic Poses - slightly modified)
(Waiter: Michael 5, Zac Hair, M5 Casual Male, Easy Going Poses)
Also Used:
Miss Moon: Summer Edition Liu (skin texture), People of Earth: Faces of Asia
Jim: Morphing Business Suit (clothes), MBS Expansion 1 (shoes)
waitress: FW Cassie, Victorian Maid for G2F
The Reading Room, Lisa's Potted Palms, A Curious Tea, A Curious Tea: Drink Me, The Ballroom (chairs)
LOL- especially when there's one for each person! Your lemur cracks me up. That is quite a combination you pulled, with food, a lemur, a school outfit. Nice to be able to use the tea pull with the food. That's how my first one worked out last month, I got a beautiful gal and a bikini- no problem there!
Melanie- love the descriptions- "buxom" serving wench act was funny, as was the "pre-transit checks." Don't you just love Stefan and Stolz? I really like the character in their faces for closeups too. Your lighting is awesome.
Okay, I have to go fine tune my last render. Love seeing these entries coming in before the deadline, hope everyone gets theirs done.
And that's me finished for this contest (certainly won't have time to go for a third now!)
Quick roundup of the last couple of days:
@Ken - and still no end...! (Waits in anxious anticipation)
@Novica - what, going for a 5 parter? You're worse than Ken! I love the last one, by the way.
@Luci - pushing the boundaries in another direction I see - nice style there.
@gopherus - and well done to get to a (clean) ending! I like the cow's expression - she looks quite annoyed.
ETA: Thanks Novica (we cross-posted) - I'm a big fan of Phoenix1966's men.
Wonderful story, Melanie, and lovely renders to go with it. I especially liked the last one, the interaction between them is charming, and the detail like the waitress only adds to it.
I have a lot of catching up to do and want to read each story through and look at the renders at full size so I'll work my way back. I know Novica has created a gorgeous dress in her story... looks like everyone's put their all into this and it shows.
@gopherus - Aw, poor girl didn't get a happy ending, just a flea in the ear. Very creative and entertaining. LOL, that cow's an attention-grabber, she caught my eye too.
@Luci - You clever thing. That was an innovative format and I liked the realistic twist on their happy ever after.. along with all their new friends. I was so caught up in it all that I forgot to see what your pick was, but you blended it all in seamlessly.
Thanks Jindi.
I'm quite looking forward to going right through all the stories again in preparation for voting - but I'm not so much looking forward to the actual voting as I suspect that it will be very hard to do.
I was just thinking that I'm dreading it! So many deserving choices. Fantastic stories, poems and limericks, and of course the great renders that we expect from RRRR. How will we ever choose?
I suspect it's a lot easier than the comic book format that was used...I was like, "Oh wow. THAT'S a lot of work! I didn't even want to count the number of renders. I knew I was limiting it to five, the number that would fit in one post. My sister is a teacher and she is considering using these for a story to teach reading, so I wanted to make sure the story had enough images to hold their attention and three or four just wouldn't do it. :)
I hate voting. Hate it. And have a question- how are we doing that? On the story title, with the group of images as one entry? That is my understanding of it.
Melanie- that dining scene is absolutely EXQUISITE! So luxurious in tone. Good elegant lighting. :)
I played with the fifth render and want to do a lot more with it, so am not going to post it. I do these contests for fun and there's no fun in it for me unless I can really take my time and do renders that I'm happy to put my name on. I spent a lot of time on the Jet Bike / octopus piece, and it made me use Ron's Waterline brushes so that's a bonus. :) This last piece is coming along nicely but I'm picky about the lighting and it's not good enough to add to the others. (It's good, just not good enough.) Worked on it for a few more hours earlier this evening and I'm still not happy with it.
So I'm going to just start a SeaNautica art studio thread and remove this from the contest. Still going to vote for the rest of you! :)
Cathie
Closed? Oh, NO!!
I thought it ran to the 14th, and I was traveling all weekend!
Well, damn!
Okay, I'll just run with the three I've already entered. I will wrap up the story, though (for MelanieL); I just won't be able to enter it.
@Novica - thanks very much (can't actually remember what I used for lights, I'll have to open the scene up again and remind myself!)
@Ken - THANK YOU! I'd love to see the end even if its "un-voteable".
Voting is up! http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/35612/
Somewhat (although not entirely, in my case) off-topic, but....
For any of you who are still following this thread..., have any of you had any issues with Olympia rendering properly in DAZ Studio?
Here's my situation:
I decided to use Olympia in my final render for the last story, and for the most part, she performed flawlessly: posed well, rendered beautifully, and all that. I added my set-piece (DMR Moon Cult), dropped in David, then Martin and Alexis (M4 and V4, respectively), and still everything was copasetic.
Then I added Stephanie Petite, and that's when everything went to hell in a handbag. When I rendered, everybody came out beautifully -- except Olympia; she came out white, as in absolutely no textures whatsoever.
I noticed that I was close to maxing out my computer's memory, so I started by tossing items that didn't appear in the frame. Didn't help. Starting closing down any other applications and services (web browser, Windows Explorer, Notepad, even SQL Server -- pretty much anything and everything I could think of). Still no help. Shut down and restarted DAZ Studio which, once again, accomplished slightly less than bupkis. Finally resorted to rebooting the entire system. Brought DAZ Studio up all by its lonesome, relaoded the scene (which took for-freakin'-ever, by the way). That didn't help, either; when I render the scene, everybody and everything renders perfectly (well, as perfectly as my abilities in this medium tend to get) -- except for Olympia; she always ends up looking like a mime with bad make-up.
Did I miss something in the Readme about Genesis 2 Female and Stephanie Petite not playing well together?
Was that HD version or the ordinary version, and was that the SSS Materials? If it was SSS it might med as simple as setting up the SSS with a different group ID for the skin and lowering shadingrate (See AoA super duper tutorial on SSS .
If memory serves, I believe it was the HD version, which gives me more settings to look at. (That aspect of the situation had simply never occurred to me.) Thank you!
And as it happens, I did, in fact, snarf the AoA SSS tutorial; I just haven't had a chance to seriously study it yet. (Packing my crap, traveling halfway across the continent, unpacking the aforementioned crap, finally replacing that burned-out headlamp, (the replacement bulb for which has been riding shotgun in my car since mid-December), et cetera....) But I will; I promise.
In any event, since it's a non-competing entry (and past the deadline, on top of it all), I decided to fudge it a bit; I kicked Olympia off the island, and replaced her with the original V4 figure from Render #2. (Uppity bitch didn't realize who she was messing with!)
The final render will be up shortly; I do have a promise to keep, after all!
Yeah I've had that problem with Olympia - got the scene nearly complete, added I little extra (not Stephanie as I recall) and poof, bright white figure. Unfortunately I just abandoned at the stage - should have read that manual I guess!
Thanks for all your efforts though - I'll feel guilty soon :)
I promised MelanieL that I would post the final installment, even though it's past the entry deadline (and I can't believe I so totally spaced on that!) So this will not go into the entries thread; it's just here to wrap things up.
That having been said, here's the final chapter of...
TAG: No tag, because it's not an entry
Story Title: ...And No Lycans Were Harmed in the Making of This Adventure
(And I'm actually kind of glad this one isn't an entry, because, let's face it: that title totally blows!
-- Image #4 --
Image Title: "And They All Lived Happily Ever After! (Even the Bad Guy, Who Managed to Hook Up With the Priestess' Daughter! You Know What They say About 'Preachers' Kids'!)"
Used from the pull:
Tears Hair (but not for Genesis)
Dark Moods for Genesis
Tales of Adventure for Stephanie Petite (an unabashedly gratuitous use of the final item in my pull. And I really ought to be ashamed of myself for it, but..., I'm not!)
Also used:
Coco (Yeah, I know, but she's a recurring character, so I have an excuse this time!)
Fantasy Wrap for Victoria 4
Fantasy Accessories for V4
Alma for Stephanie Petite (Skin texture)
Sassy Hair 2
JSF Space Cadet for V4
Novariens Holy for V4 (Boots - and I had to scramble to figure out what to do with those spikes!)
Cold Life for M4
M4 Simple Boots (a ShareCG freebie - I think!)
DAZ Morphing Terrain (Just to fill a gap in the background; a bit kludgy, I'll admit)
The story continues (and concludes)...
With the fabled Necklace of Dammerung securely in their possession, Martin and Alexis returned to the Temple of the Order of the Silver Moon.
Martin stepped forward and fastened the necklace around the High Priestess' neck. "There," he said, "back where it belongs."
"Our Order is forever in your debt," the Priestess said, lightly touching the necklace about her throat. "Far above the matter of your fee for recovering the Necklace. Which, I am happy to inform you, has already been transmitted to your numbered account in the Caymans."
"Thank you, Priestess," Martin replied.
"Which means," David announced, "that my referral fee should be showing up soon in my numbered account." He grinned widely at Martin. "Right?"
Martin favored him with a baleful look, then sighed heavily. "Right," he said.
David stepped close to Martin and asked in a low, almost conspiratorial, voice, "Tell me, have you ever been tempted to just grab the goods and go? I mean, rather than return the stuff to its rightful owners, just keep it for yourself?"
"Never," Martin answered immediately.
"Why not?" David pressed. "You have had some of the most insanely valuable objects on the planet in your hands. And you've never even once been tempted!?"
"Nope. That would be bad for business." Suddenly in need of a more pleasant subject to think about, Martin turned and smiled at a young woman, standing beside the High Priestess. Something about her immediately captured his attention -- and it was not merely his innate propensity to have his attention captured by a beautiful woman, either. "Hi," he said to her.
"Oh," the Priestess said, flushing slightly, "where are my social graces? Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Nala."
Martin turned again to greet the girl, but a frown of confusion crossed his face. "I'm sorry, Miss," he said, "but have we met before?"
"I don't think so," the girl said. She added, in a decidedly seductive tone, "Because I'm pretty sure I'd remember a hunk like you." Alexis cleared her throat slightly; in woman-speak, it was a clear warning: You're trespassing on my territory, bitch!. The girl darted a glance at her, and wisely decided to back off. "Why do you ask?" she inquired demurely.
"Well," Martin said carefully, "for some reason, you just look..., vaguely familiar." He shrugged slightly and smiled. "Whatever," he said. "Probably an obscure memory, and certainly of no consequence. It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you. Again?" he added playfully, and with a wide grin. She didn't notice, however; she had already turned her attention toward David.
"And it would be my great honor," the Priestess said, "to officiate at your and Miss Alexis' wedding."
"The honor would be ours," Martin said. "But how did you know about that?"
The Priestess smiled gently. "Well," she said, "I could claim the powers of the Necklace.... But in truth, I have eyes. And they see..., what they see."
Martin turned to Alexis. "We've talked about this before," he said to her, with an uncharacteristic -- for him -- measure of uncertainty, "but, well...."
Alexis nodded. "I'd like that," she said. "I'd like it a lot. But I can't help but be concerned about...."
"About what?"
"Well," Alexis tried to explain, "I'm afraid that it might, you know, cramp your style. And I would never want that to happen."
"Why would that happen? I mean, hey, Nick and Nora were able to make it work."
"Nick and Nora Charles were fictional characters," Alexis pointed out.
"News-flash, sugar-booger," Martin said with a smile. "So are we."
Alexis simply stared blankly at him. After a long moment, she said, "Wait, what?"
"You didn't get that memo?" Martin asked incredulously. "Oh, yeah; the simple truth is that we -- you, me, all of us, in fact -- are merely products of the slightly-at-right-angles-to-reality imagination of some Martini-swilling nerd from East Texas."
There was a moment of profound silence. Finally, Alexis said, musingly, "Oh. Now it all makes sense."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I've often wondered if my entire life has been a dream and, if so, whose, and whether or not they're enjoying it." She shrugged. "Now I know why. Because it is."
"Well, for what it's worth, he is," Martin assured her. Alexis gave him a blank look. "Enjoying it," he said, by way of explanation.
"How do you know?"
"He just wrote it. So," Martin said, returning to the subject closest to his heart, "what do you say? You wanna get married?"
Alexis fixed him with a searching look. "Yes. But are you sure this is what you want?" she asked.
"Absolutely," Martin replied with utter conviction. "And it's not just what I want. It's what I need."
"You're going to have to explain that."
"And I will," Martin promised. "But the nerd's running up against a deadline, and it's getting close to last call, so.... Explanations are gonna have to wait till the honeymoon."
But was that a promise..., or a threat?
Thirty