Fond Memories of Steelhead

As I promised about a week ago, I think I would like to think back upon my first encounters with Steelhead. A little bit of back-history is necessary first, though.

As I noted in a previous post, I had spent alot of time socializing at the Yakkity Yak Cafe at the south-east corner of the intersection at the Caledon Prime telehub. It was there that I met the beautiful Absinthe Nosferatu, an avowed addict of her first namesake, and suspectible to dalliances with the ilk of her second namesake. But she was endowed with not only ravishing looks, but a personality that swept one into her vortex helplessly. I also knew she had a job as a Madame at a brothel, but I didn't know where. I just knew it was in a Victorian sim other than Caledon. She had a suitor, Mr. Rogue Desmoulins, who was in every manner of behaviour so like his namesake, with a Victorian veneer of gentility, while a villanous rascal broiled under the paen social etiquette. She, in many ways a helpless lass, hung on every word of Mr. Desmoulins, until this Vampyre came onto the scene, Mr. Ikaboem Quine. Suddenly, Rogue, who so liked to handle the young miss like a marionate, became consummately jealous, and sought my help in the matter. At that point, I didn't know Rogue was really a rogue....he can play a smooth part when he wants to, so I initially agreed to help him. But it wasn't long before I discovered Ikkaboem was the true gentleman, and Roge an insidious viper.

Thoughout all of this, unbeknownst to me, Miss Absinthe had taken a shine to me as well. While I was interested in her charms, I was uncertain that she was of the persuasion of being interested in women as well as men. While the drama unfolded between those three, I was one evening at a ball at Miss Leosanni Somme's Crystal Pavillion in Caledon II. As I recall, it was a Relay For Life Ball. It was a splendid event, with Bachman Bastillion putting on a marvelous fireworks display over the living Chessboard. I first met my SL sister Jamie Demar there (well, I already knew her as my alt, but at that time, she didn't know she knew me already, till the next day). It was there at that ball that I met Miss Rea Zaftig. There was a little role play involved over the next several days, when she almost seemed to be a mysterious Vampyre hunter seeking me as her prey. As things turned out, she had a romantic interest in me, if she had somewhat aggressive tactics, and we hit it off quite well, and I became her sub.

Well, as things would have it, it turned out that Miss Rea was actually an alt of Miss Absinthe. Shortly afterward, we concocted a plan to expose Rogue Desmoulins' infidelity to Miss Absinthe. Rogue frequently had hit on me, and I had turned him down each time. Rogue didn't know Rea was Absinthe's alt, and even though he did know Rea, he thought Rea was a rl friend of Absinthe's, and that they called each other alot. One day the three of us sat down for tea at the Yakkity Yak. Miss Rea made a number of shows of public affection toward me, and we could tell Rogue was showing signs of displeasure. We finally got him to admit openly that he wanted to have his way sexually with me. That's what Absinthe/Rea needed to hear, because Rogue had frequently told Absinthe that he was desparately in love with her. Well, all that was the set-up for the next day, July 4th.

Absinthe invited me to join her at Le Jardin de L'amore (sp?), the brothel in Steelhead. It was a wonderful, fun day. Absinthe and I had a little time for romance, while she gave me a tour of Le Jardin. Interestingly, Rogue Desmoulins decided to show up. First we tricked him into giving me $200L for a kiss. I gave him my most coldest, Vampyric kiss I could. He was outraged, saying that it was the worst kiss he ever had. With wicked delight, I lounged about Absinthe in scanty lingerie, while Rogue sat on a coffee table and moped most of the day. As a result of this, Rogue disappeared from SL for quite a long time, giving Miss Absinthe the peace of mind she so desparately wanted. It also gave a number in Caledon no small amount of happiness, people such as Abbey Underall and Mystical Cookie, who had grown to a point of outrage at Mr. Desmoulins' treatment of Absinthe, and were all but ready to start a witch-hunt against him.

David Petrichor, a Caledon and Steelhead frequentor, popped in and out most of that day. I got to meet Arianna Pinkerton, a child avi of about five years of age to whom Absinthe was the guardian. Eventually, I ended up adopting the child and her twin brother Folco Boffin, because Absinthe thought a brothel was a poor place to raise a child. I also met a certain Giselle Lang, who a couple of weeks after Absinthe and I broke up became my next Mistress. Later, Giselle and I would steal away to Le Jardin for some time alone. :)

July 4th was also the day that I met Steelwolf Pascal, the then Mayor of Steelhead. We got to talking quite a bit. He gave me a tour of the Grand Hotel, showed me the ship in the dock, and the shopping area, and showed me all his builds. I built him an American flag from the early 1850's (which of course, Steelhead is an 1850's Oregon Territory sim, formerly known as Ambertown, if memory serves correctly). That night was the first of the many balls I would attend in Steelhead, with more hopefully to come.

Of course, my other big tie to Steelhead is Qlippothic Projects, and to a lesser degree, her father, Dr. Darien Mason, who at that time was Steelhead's Sheriff, and an incubus of sorts. I met Qli actually at my cafe which at the time was in Caledon Tamrannoch. We had a pleasant, if brief romance, though we still remain friends, and her or her father often invited me to Steelhead Balls. Most of my friendships in Steelhead sadly are limited to ball room pleasantries...I just wish I had the time to deepen these friendships.

While Steelwolf was still Mayor, he and Desmond Shang negotiated where I would be Caledon's Ambassador to Steelhead. Sadly, shortly after, Steelwolf ceased being Steelhead's mayor, and it now seems that my status as Ambassador hangs in Limbo. Nevertheless, I'll never forget July 4th, 2006, and the day and night and morning I spent in Steelhead.

It never ceases to amaze me at the interconnection of peoples in SL. A more modern case in point, the forthcoming marriage of Christine McAllister and Edward Pearse, linking together Caledon and Steelhead even more closely. It is my hope, that in these ti9mes of war between Caledon and Neualtenburg, that Steelhead and Caledon can maintain our amicable status of international friendship! May both live as long as SL does!