Sage Blossom’s Blog

An IC diary entry:

It’s quiet here. The mornings are the best times. The cold from the night is gone and the heat isn’t yet unbearable. The sunrises are glorious — golden rays drifting in under the leaves of dark, broad-leafed trees. Embers from the previous nights fire are still hot enough to start a cook fire for some breakfast and black wine. I suppose we should drink it sparingly. Who knows when another trader will come through with more.
After breakfast and cleanup the quiet is gone. The camp begins to stir, chores are done by free and slave alike. There’s no resting on one’s laurels in the desert. Most days aren’t bad. The work is tiring, but I’m not above it. Churning butter, preparing food, feeding verr and a long list of other sundry, boring things that take up my time. I admit I’m no good at most of this yet. But I’m muddling through. Trying hard to fit in.
My biggest gripe so far, aside from the irreparable damage done to most of my wardrobe, is the wind. When the wind blows here it’s like the world around you has turned on you. The dust gets whipped up and you choke, the sand stings your eyes. There’s nothing for it but to wrap a shawl around your head and run for cover.

Now for some OOC fun …

Oasis of the Five Blades thoughts on free woman attire in the desert camp is that they need not be clothed the same as they would in a large, crowded city. One description found in the books about women’s clothing is offered here. Though, for you quote-sticklers I’ll acknowledge, the quote here is refering to the attire of a slave. The reason it is applicable is because the difference between FW and slaves in the desert is that slaves weren’t veiled, wore their hair long and obviously, they wore their master’s collar around their neck. Oh, the books also mention that slaves weren’t generally given undergarments … I won’t even SAY how silly that sounds — I mean, one word: SAND. *ahem*

“She wore a long, bordered skirt, with scarlet thread at its hem, which swirled as she turned; she wore a jacket, tan, of soft kaiila-hair cloth, taken from the animal’s second coat, which had a hood, which she had thrown back; beneath the jacket she wore a cheap, printed blouse of rep-cloth, blue and yellow, which well clung to her.”

So, keeping that description in mind I’ve made an effort to find some pieces that fit this landscape and still keep in mind my desire for color and style. Let’s see what I found.

First, the shoes. For once I went for function rather than flair, choosing a durable walking boot rather than a more decorative slipper. I don’t have a quote handy, but the Tahari style boot is a leather footwear that comes to a point that curves slightly upward. ViGo makes a nice one in several different shades and offers both male and female sizes. Here are some pics. I think they’re adorable.

Now for the clothes. As described above I figured I was looking for separates that I could mix and match. And the main item on my list was to find a jacket that looked something like what was described in the book. I found an adorable suede hoodie at Benoir. It doesn’t have zippers or buttons. Looks patchy and handmade but still soft and comfy. I love it. The photo above has a great view of the back so you can see the hood.

Second on my list was tops. I searched for shirts and blouses that looked like they’d be made of some natural fiber. Any prints I purchased I tried to find patterns that were neutral or offered a tribal feel. All of the tops I bought wear longer-than-average. No belly button peep shows in the desert, y’all! And besides that, most of the cute skirts that I found were low-waisted, so I needed the length to cover the butt-crack! *laughs*

Finally, when shopping for skirt I looked for something at least ankle length with wearable, natural-looking cloth with reasonable amounts of flair just around the hem and maybe the waistline. I figure that since women probably made their own clothing they wouldn’t mind taking the time to embroider a good skirt with something pretty. Or maybe die some color into the edges. But unless the skirt is something made out of rep-cloth, it probably wouldn’t have an all-over pattern.

Want me to shut up and show you what I wore? OK, here ya go. Only 2 outfits, but I think you get the jist of things:

A quick note on the pieces I’m wearing in those pics: Jacket, Benoir Designs; Shirts, Sprawl and Gypsy Soul; Skirts, Mashooka and Nomine. If you know your SL designers then when you read those labels you may notice that not one of them ‘caters’ to Gor. So everything I’m wearing — except the veil and shoes — was bought ‘on Earth’ … something I take great glee in doing whenever possible. You end up with unique looks that don’t look like ‘boxed’ Gorean-wear. Love it.

Now then for a few words on the sim we’re playing in these days. This place is called Oasis of the Five Blades. It’s a masterfully designed oasis with none of the painful desert stereotypes. The ground has a hint of plant life. The trees cast dramatic shade onto the sands below. You can easily find and recognize the water source bubbling forth from the rocks. Small pools and streams irrigate the gardens and keep the trees watered. The layout has a natural feel and the overall atmosphere of the oasis is one of shelter and comfort. A rare place of water and life found in the heart of the perilous, dangerous, deadly Tahari desert.

And now for pictures:

One final note on Oasis of the Five Blades. It is a no-meter RP SIM with very strict Gorean philosophies and ideals enforced. If you visit I hope you enjoy it. But I encourage you to be aware of the culture you’re walking into