Spotlight on Femme Fatale Online -Pen Dragon Reporting

Imagine being blackmailed in real life by someone you had a romantic encounter with in Second Life. Now imagine you have to discover the true identity of that person before they hunt you down and murder your family. That terrifying scenario is the plot of a new book called ‘Femme Fatale Online’ written by award winning author Eugene Rodgers, known in Second Life as Adolphe Menjou. I had an opportunity to sit down with the author to ask him about the book.

What inspired you to write this book?

Adolphe: I originally wanted to write a nonfiction book about life in big corporations but  decided fiction wold have a greater impact. My experience in SL gave me the idea for the virtual world. Many of my friends shared nothing about their RL, making me wonder about it. The virtual world story was originally a subplot. The original story would have happened outside the virtual world, but it grew into the main plot. I realized that I had to have a mystery to make the story interesting. That quickly evolved into the Femme Fatale Online idea. I realized a virtual world would be a perfect place for a spy to hide and operate.

Can you give our readers a brief, spoiler free, synopsis?

Adolphe: A young married man plays in a virtual world.He meets a beautiful, sexy avatar and she inveigles him into a romance. In this virtual world, called Personal Portal,avatars can be perfect reproductions of their animators. She gets him a job with a major corporation, then blackmails him intro industrial espionage with tapes she secretly made of their trysts. Later, she threatened to kill him and his family if he loses his job and can't spy anymore. He must find out who she is in RL, and where she is, and stop her soon before she acts.

How long have you been writing?

Adolphe: Professionally since I was in public relations for the University of Wisconsin 1961-63. Books since the mid 1990s. I've been interested since I was little.At about 7, I saw a typewriter for the 1st time and immediately typed a story about my dog. In college, I wrote for the school newspaper (at Villanova) and wrote feature stories about the scientists on campus. This led to a University of Wisconsin job. I've written 2 nonfiction books issued by major publishers. One about Adm. Byrd's 1st antarctic expedition, which won me recognition as Virginia's author of the year. The other about the story of the Boeing Co.

Can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

Adolphe: I'm married with 2 kids and 2 grandkids. I studied chemistry and earned a B.S. At Villanova. I then joined the US antarctic expedition as their scientific PR guy and went 2 years going back and forth between Antarctic and Washington. Then I got a mob as director of public relations for the Westinghouse Research Labs.  This led to other writing jobs in the energy field. I became a speech writer for the execs of IBM and United Technologies.Then I started on this novel.

Do you have other books planned that feature a second life type world?

Adolphe: Not at the moment. I'll wait to see how much success I have with this one.

Where can our readers get a copy of your book?

Adolphe: At Amazon, Barnes & noble, Kobo, and really just about any ebook seller.

If you’re looking for an exciting, edge of your seat summer read, ‘Femme Fatale Online’ just might be what you’re looking for, especially as a resident of Second Life!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

URL: https://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/b?ie=UTF8&node=154606011

URL: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/nook-books/_/N-8qa

URL: https://www.kobo.com

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Low price, Luxurious look -Elopement Chapel

Knot Today wedding Chapel: a do-it-yourself wedding chapel. You're smart enough to do it yourself, why spend thousands for a venue you'll only use once? Why wait? We're ready now, are you?

When you want that special day to be perfect, but don't want to break the bank doing it, Knot Today is exactly what you are looking for. It features a beautiful chapel on wonderfully landscaped land with several photo opportunities and has one of the lowest prices of any automated wedding in Second Life.

While the Chapel is fully automated, your options aren't limited. Should you want to have your own officiant, or customize you wedding, Knot Today can accommodate you. The chapel has room for a large wedding party, but is also perfect for a small, intimate wedding. Outside the chapel you can find a room for the bride to get prepared and an area for the groom to relax and have a complimentary drink.

It's not complicated! Come, have a wedding and the go enjoy wedded life!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/One%20Love/237/90/2302

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Inside the SL Sex Slave Trade Pen Dragon Reporting...

Slave. The word itself conjures all sorts of negative images and ideas. We are taught from an early age that slavery is corrupt and wrong, that it is an evil practice. Honestly, for the most part, these things are true. However, there is a form of consensual slavery that defies these conventions. A slavery where no one is trafficked, no one is forced and those involved enjoy the whole process. This is the world of the sex slave trade in Second Life.

In this world men and women both volunteer to be placed up for auction in hopes of being sold and possible finding a Dominant or Master with whom they can find a long term relationship. In most conventions this would appear to be nothing more than a dating service, however; because this is the world of BDSM, there is much more to the equation. The individuals who place themselves up for auction are primarily submissives, this differs from a traditional dating service where anyone can, and does, offer themselves up for a date. All submissives have a list of limits, things they will and will not do, that a Dom or Master must follow. This makes finding the right match far more intricate and often times a negotiation process will follow. The negotiation process allows the Dom or Master to discuss the submissive’s limits and determine which are soft limits, meaning they can be changes or even ignored, or if they are hard limits, meaning they can never be ignored or changed. This whole process can be very involved and is something that is not present in a typical dating ritual.

The purpose and function of a slave auction is twofold, firstly it allows a Dom or Master to easily review the limits put forth by the submissive, as well as briefly learn about their personality through an application they fill out that is provided by the auction site. Secondly, the submissive makes some money, as he or she keeps a portion of the proceeds of the auction. The application filled out by the submissive is usually very detailed and included information about what times they are available and what they are looking for in a Dom or Master. Another important detail in the application is the experience of the submissive, which tells her prospective buyer how much training she may need. Some auction houses, such as PoD, even offer some training.

The training of a submissive is an important factor in a D/s, Dominant and submissive, or M/s, Master and slave, relationship. How each submissive is trained will usually vary with each relationship because the specific training is tailored to the relationship. However, basic training, including things like BDSM terms, protocols and manners are something every submissive should know.

The process of the slave auction is a relatively simple one, best described by Joshuua Barenhaut, owner of PoD auction house. “Girl comes in and fills out an application it contains info about what they are after and about them. Once they are up on the board, they get chances to speak to potential buyers. Buyers come in and if they see a girl they like they can place a bid, it is like an ebay auction in that sense. whomever wins the slave/sub does a one week contract with the buyer. if they wish to go longer, then they can. In fact we encourage that we want the girls to find a match not just make a buck. We have had matches stay together a very long time, we have matches that were made 5 years ago that are still active today.”

The reasons for offer oneself up for auction are varied. One auctionee was a babygirl looking for a Daddy. “Most of the other avenues of meeting Daddys are gone these days. It seems the only places men who call themselves Daddys hang out are at pervy places and they just want.. well .. sex.. I guess coming here I was/am hoping to find a high class Daddy who know that it is not all about sex to be Daddy.. much like it's not all about sex to be a MAster/Dom.”  Aɴɢᴇʟ Lʏɴɴ, a young woman up for auction told me.

Marz Barenhaut, slave to the owner Joshuua, had another rason, saying “Well, I have always been a bit submissive my entire life but I didn't know what it was until I got onto SL and I was introduced to it. It was like gears clicking into place for me and suddenly everything made sense. That was many moons ago though and I have evolved and changed a lot.  I got into auctions before PoD was even started. To be honest I can't remember why I went to the one I did but I did. I was there for a long time. My First master from here I met in person and to this day I still speak with him although he is no longer my Dom. Shortly after that place closed and I found myself aimless. The various other auction houses had little rules or integrity so I sorta kept aimless until I found PoD. Master Josh took me in and I have been a part of their family for years now.”

Despite what one would think, the women I spoke to didn’t feel demeaned by being a slave or offer up for auction. With Marz saying “I have learned a lot in the years that I have been in the lifestyle. I started out as a slave and realized that wasn't for me, I then went to being a pet then to a submissive. Nowadays I associate myself more as a Babygirl with slave like tendencies. Though to answer your question, no never. Being a slave/sub/Babygirl is far more empowering than it is ever demeaning. You are serving the person you chose to submit to how can that be demeaning? Although there are girls who like that feeling.”

PoD is one of, if not the, largest auction houses in Second Life. It opened in December of 2012 and, outside of a short hiatus in 2015, has been open ever since. It was opened because of an incident at another auction where the slave did not fulfill her contract. Because of this Joshuua decided he wanted a better experience for the buyer and strives to provide that at PoD.  It also offers so much more than just the slave auctions, the sim has a dungeon, maze, surfing and much more, which are all listed on their website, as well as testimonials of those who have had a successful auction.

While slavery, in most senses, is a bad concept from start to finish, the Sex Slave trade is Second Life is much different, offering people in the BDSM lifestyle a way to selectively choose someone they would like to be with and in many cases this connection is long lasting. Marz said it best when she said, “we are not money hungry fiends like some people like to paint us and we are not here to abuse women. We are also not a sex sim. Our goal here is to help people in the lifestyle to find their person.”

Additional Information:

SLURL: PoD - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/PoD%20BDSM%20Resort/51/133/49

Website: http://podslaveauction.com/

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A Profile of Dark Lust Pen Dragon Reporting

With a proliferation of clubs throughout Second Life it’s hard for one to stand out. There are gimmicks, promotions and a whole slew of ways they try to get your attention. One club is striving to stand above the rest by keeping it simple by treating everyone like family and making sure that anyone who visits has a great time. That club is Dark Lust, owned primarily by Mystique Moonshadow with her brother Taz as a silent partner.

The club opened in January of 2017 and offers something for everyone. Located on an adult sim Dark Lust is not only Bloodlines friendly, it’s BDSM friendly as well with 2 adult rooms located on the second floor that cater to the lifestyle. The club is on a beautifully decorated full sim, dedicated to the Dark Electric Shock Bloodlines Horde, with shops and romantic spots scattered throughout. Beyond offering great music and a beautiful sim to explore, also has games like adult truth or dare for people to enjoy.

“ I like to be different. Being different helps us to stand out. Our dance floor is unique in the fact that you can click it from anywhere on sim and dance and I have the mod rights so if we get more than 35 people i can add room to it.” Mystique, the owner, said of the club. “And our V.I.P.s are called Dignitaries, also something unique.” she added.

Taz, brother of Mystique, said of the club, “We're here to have fun and make SL more enjoyable for everyone, in whichever way we can!”

Mystique was inspired to start the club a few years back, saying, “With the advent of our Bloodlines, Dark Electric shock, we wanted something that combined our heart and soul with the horde.” With that, the idea for Dark Lust was born and brought to life. DJ’s provide daily musical sets with no specific genre, but mostly playing country and rock and offer the occasional theme or contest.

The interior of the club is definitely dark and foreboding, adding to the feel and aura of the Bloodlines influence. Below the dance floor flames lick up at your feet and prompt you to dance faster. The club itself is inside a massive gothic castle that sets the stage for the experience within.

When asked what the biggest draw was to the club, Mystique said “It’s the music and interaction from the host and dj. We try to make it fun for everyone by being friendly. We treat the staff like family, even if we don't claim everyone as bro or sis, or whatever. but I do take family roles seriously.”

So if you are looking for a devilishly good time with friendly people and plenty to explore, then head over to Dark Lust and say Hi to Mystique and her staff. You won’t be disappointed.

Teleport Now:

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Da%20Beats/40/156/43

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Celebrating Second Life: The Wall of History -Pen Dragon Reporting

Second Life is celebrating its 15th birthday with a whole host of parties, concerts, free gifts and so much more, but how did it all begin? What was SL like before modern mesh, before the incredible world we have all grown to love? Let's take a stroll back in time with our flux capacitor enabled DeLoreans to find out!

Second Life, or SL, is a name we are all familiar with today, but when Linden Labs developed the virtual word back in 2003 it was called LindenWorld. Before beta testing began it was decided to change the name to Second Life in order to give a more “creative and descriptive” feel to the new world. Since then it has grown by leaps and bounds, with technology forging new concepts and giving new abilities to creators.

With all this advancement and change, its important to look back at the humble beginnings of this virtual world.

The Second Life Wall of History is the perfect place to dive deep into every aspect of how Second Life began. The wall itself was created for the 2nd anniversary of SL. The landing area puts you just feet away from this repository of historic information.The wall has spheres with hover text describing what each note card giver contains. The subjects are varied and cover a wide range of historic topics, including avatar history, Second Life Historical Museum information, and all the known logs of Linden’s Town Hall meetings.

There are a lot of interesting facts and history to be learned at the Wall of History. For instance, did you know that the hand logo associated with SL we see everywhere is actually similar to a hand symbol seen all over the world in many cultures and civilizations. The hand has many meanings throughout the world. Another tidbit is that there are 2 known Easter Eggs in Second Life. One is mentioned in the note card “Did you know” found at the Wall of History, the other? You’ll have to find that one yourself.

The setting is beautiful with Linden Village and offices as a backdrop. You can climb the stairs up to the main building for a breathtaking view and continue on, around the mountain to discover information on RL education in SL. Continue down the mountain to find fun and interesting tutorials on how to interact with Second Life. There is also a Second Life planetarium with N.A.S.A. video clips. All in all the whole area is a fun place to explore and learn.

Teleport Now!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife//150/161/24

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Celebrating Independence Day in Second Life - Pen Dragon Reporting

In 1765 an initially small group of British colonists in the American colonies revolted against King George and his rule. The initial complaint was that there were no representatives from the American colonies in the British parliament and this made their taxation of the colonies illegal. This was the start of the American Revolution that lasted until 1783, but it was in 1776 that the American colonies voted to declare independence from Britain and King George. On July 2nd of that year the Continental Congress voted  to declare the colonies independent of Britain. Two days later, July 4th, they released the Declaration of Independence. That is the day we in the United States celebrate as Independence Day.

John Adams, our first Vice President and second President as well as a signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote to his wife Abigail about the day the Continental Congress voted to declare Independence saying “The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” He was off by 2 days as Americans have celebrated the 4th of July, the date shown on the Declaration of Independence as opposed to July 2nd when the resolution for independence was passed by the congress.

The first celebrations, in 1777, included 13 gunshots in the morning and evening and a special dinner for the Continental Congress. Some cities held parades, there was music, ships in harbor were dressed out in red, white and blue and, of course, there were fireworks. Those of us in the United States celebrate our Independence Day today much the same way today with barbecues, fireworks and parades.

There are even some great, while somewhat strange, records associated with 4th of July celebrations. This includes town in New England competing for the largest bonfire created from barrels and casks. The towns would arrange them into pyramids and then burn them on the evening of July 3rd, ushering in the holiday. The record is held by Salem, Massachusetts who created a stacked pyramid 40 tiers high.This made the tallest recorded bonfire in history. This custom was commonplace in the 19th and 20th century, and is still practiced in some New England towns today. Another fun fact is that on July 4th 1778, George Washington ordered a double ration of rum of all of his soldiers to celebrate the holiday. Because fireworks are such a big part of the traditional celebration a group of miners actually blew up a post office in Swan, Colorado in 1884 because it wasn’t supplied with fireworks.

While some of the more odd occurrences and traditions are long behind us, we still celebrate the 4th of July in much the same manner, even in Second Life. You can find all sorts of great events taking place to celebrate the holiday, from picnics to live singers and even fireworks. Just don’t blow anything up if they don’t have the fireworks!

Some of these celebrations include a pool party with DJs and food at the Wolf Valley Pool. This event lasts all week and celebrates both Canada Day and Independence Day. Better Life Counselling Community will also be celebrating with a beach party, offering a cookout, live Djs to dance to and a fireworks display as well as a best dressed competition. Another great event to check out will be the DJs and live singers at BabyGirlsSkyGarden. From 4-6p there will be a 40s Wartime themed music set and then at 7p Shaye Dezno-Jonstone will be performing live. If these events don’t grab your attention, just take a look at the events listing and you’re sure to find one that does! Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wolf%20Valley%20Ranch/135/84/22  WOLF VALLEY POOL

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Success%20Isle/123/55/22 Better Life Counselling Community

SLURL: secondlife:///app/region/Misty%20Valley/239/75/3005  BabyGirlsSkyGarden

-Pen Dragon

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Learning the Ropes: The Omega D/s library - Pen Dragon Reporting...

The world of BDSM can be daunting and sometimes perilous. There are protocols, rules, do’s and don’ts that can be overwhelming to the novice lifestyle practitioner. Where does your style fit in? How can I be a better Dominant or submissive? It can seem like getting involved in the lifestyle is difficult and confusing. But there is a place in Second Life that can make the journey less stressful and more accessible: The Omega D/s Library.

Omega was opened twelve years ago by Nikos Alexandre.His initial idea was to create a library for those interested in the BDSM lifestyle. Over the years it has grown, not only in popularity, but in the services it offers. Today Omega offers discussion groups, support groups and even workshops for aspiring writers. Many of those writers are even self publishing their works. With daily sim traffic over 10 thousand, Omega isn’t going anywhere in the foreseeable future.

BDSM has its own share of problems, from those who attempt to practice various forms of punishment without having the knowledge of how to be safe with the activity to people who claim to have knowledge of the lifestyle and its practices but actually have none. These issues can cause not only bodily harm to an individual, but also give the lifestyle in general a bad reputation. This is why a resource like the Omega library is so important. It allows people to come and learn from their peers in a safe and friendly environment.

“We are all lifestyle friendly here, we are warm,welcoming, and we allow zero drama here. We’re not cliquish and we help people be the strongest version of themselves they can be, hence enabling them to make the best choices for themselves in the lifestyle.” said careena, one of the owners of the Omega library. “We do not consider ourselves to be teachers at Omega, just people in the lifestyle. We don't profess to know all of the answers or ask people to embrace the way we do D/s. We know there is no such thing as cookie cutter D/s.” she went on to explain.

The opportunities at Omega reach outside the lifestyle as evidenced by their writers workshop, inspired by rayne bowdit and her Master Renny, both of whom are authors in real life. But it’s the lifestyle and information offered at Omega that drives its popularity and importance. Not enough can be said for learning, especially in a lifestyle that demands knowledge to protect safety.

As with everything, the Omega library changes as the community around it changes. In addition to their regular munches, discussions and support group meetings for Dominants and submissives alike, they offer the same for the polyamorous and soon the transgender community.  Omega’s goal is to make a safe, friendly environment for everyone whose lifestyle differs from the societal norm.

No one is ever finished learning, especially those of us in the BDSM lifestyle, and Omega has created a place where we can continue to learn and grow as well as share our experiences so that others might learn from us. It is an invaluable tool for anyone living, or interested in, the lifestyle.

Additional Information

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Broadwater/138/32/302

Group: secondlife:///app/group/67bf42e4-9af0-1f1c-6b4f-3297b58ae02e/about

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Monitoring your Look Pen Dragon Reporting...

Second Life is a visual world and your personal appearance can mean everything. It can get expensive and be a confusing process. What mesh body is best? Who makes the best mesh clothes? Where do I find a good skin? The good news is that there is someone who can help with all of that.

Shelby Monitor is the owner of Shelbyfied, an inworld store that specialises in custom avatar enhancements; custom shapes, quality skins and clothing and more. I recently spoke with Shelby about the service she offers and here’s what she had to say.

Q: What are custom avatar enhancements exactly?

Shelby: .I make custom shapes, but not only shapes . I help you from start to finish to become your true self or the avatar you would love to become. From shape to skins, eyes hair makeups clothes i want you totally happy with who you become .

Q: How long have you been offering this service and what got you started?

Shelby: I've been doing this for a couple years now . There are so many stores out there that say they have nice things but after buying stuff it either doesn't fit of doesn't look the same so I started writing down all the best stores and then promoting the best in my store group. I have about 15 of the best designers right in my group now.

Q: How long does the your service take on average?

Shelby: Depending on what all we do from shape to clothes and going from store to store getting all the components and then putting it all together it takes me about 30 minutes, but sometimes it takes hours for me to help and explain everything to people .

Q:  Is there a large demand for avatar enhancement services?

Shelby: Sometimes I am very busy, other times I just help with small things my members need. I post market links to some of the best sales in my group  and I also make an exclusive card just for group members with the best sales and events in SL .

Q: Describe your typical customer.

Shelby: Some customers are repeats, others I find at clubs or sims where people ask me for help or are searching for things they liked on my avatar.

Q: Tell me about yourself and what motivates you.

Shelby: I love to help others and make people smile, and when I help create a look for someone it brings them joy and happiness and that in itself makes me happy.

I also do shopping tours and my group members get exclusive gifts from me and my designers.I created SHELBYFIED  to help anyone in need with anything they need to create the best avatar possible.

Shelbyfied offers a wide range of service as well, from a custom shape to photography service so you can put your best avatar forward.

Additional Information:

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Comhar/47/17/23

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012292563225

Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/142776171@N04/

Group: secondlife:///app/group/bf7bb63d-665f-130b-9b31-2f5008c8e344/about

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The Lost Art - Pen Dragon Reporting

Sex has always been and always will be big business. In fact, it’s the oldest profession in recorded history with mostly women selling their bodies for the pleasure of others. The same is true for Second Life. But has the art of the high-end escort been lost or abandoned in lieu of the quick hook-up or even the AFK sex doll?

First, we have to understand the difference between the high-end and the high-volume escort. The high end escort, while charging more, offers a more personalised and intimate encounter. Giving more attention to their client and ensuring that the experience is more than just a brief, forgettable sexual encounter. The high volume escort is usually much cheaper and will get you just the act and little more. They tend to go through more customers per day because they spend less time with each.

I went in search of the more elite, upper-class brothels and escort establishments to find out how well the business was doing, especially against a plethora of competition around the grid. There was a time when these establishments were plentiful. You could go almost anywhere to hire a classy, premium escort for the evening, but as I discovered, those days seem to be gone.

Most of what you find today is the new trend of AFK, away from the keyboard, sex workers. Women who leave their body logged in while they are away and let clients use them with no emoting, no foreplay and no interaction. These places have popped up almost everywhere, seemingly replacing the classic upscale brothel.

“Most of us are experienced in many aspects of the market. We cater to a wide range of kinks, and if I can't, I will always know of one or two girls who can. You pay us to get what you ask for. You can go to a lot of places. A quick interaction from a girl at a freelance place though, they do business in bulk.

You won't get the time there you would here. Or you can go lay with an AFK body. Those are great options if you don't need more, but when you do you come here.” said Puppy, an escort at one of the few existing posh escort clubs, Lace & Garters. She didn’t let on that there was a decline in the business of the high end escort, going on to say, “Sex will always be in strong demand. It is recession proof. Good sex, more so.”

Of the handful of brothels I did find, most were empty with help wanted signs hanging on the door. As I continued to investigate I found that most sex workers weren’t even willing to talk, much less go on the record with a reporter. In one instance, at RisQue After Dark, the owner, whose name unironically was The Most Boring Man in SL, was so upset that I was asking questions he banned me from the sim. That alone says volumes about the state of affairs in the escort business.

The art , taking the time with a client, and giving him or her a personalized, tailored sexual encounter, seems to be going by the wayside. So few of the upscale professionals exist anymore, almost like a dying breed. It would seem that sex patrons are preferring to have the “wham bam thank you ma’am” quickie over the intimate designer experience.

Additional Information:

Lace & Garters Premier Female Entertainment

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Atlanta%20Beach/174/229/22

LuXXX Lounge ~ High-class, erotic entertainment

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/TheShores/166/103/1002

RisQue After Dark

SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mystery%20Caye/80/96/36

-Pen Dragon (arthuris1974)

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