A small update

Hello everyone, I believe I owe you more than a simple message, but let's start with this one as a first step.

Before I begin: yes, everything is fine, and nothing is going to stop!

Yet a lot happened in my life in the past two months.

I found a new job in Real Life, as Night Time Hotel manager. It's fun and extremely interesting, however that came with a huge toll, that is, having to reschedule all of my time and availability, in both worlds.

During these two months I found myself unable to coordinate and tend to Harshlands as I would have loved to, and that also caused me to rarely access platforms like Discord, where many of  you messaged me.

In addition to that, the New Year brought me some seasonal sickness, that kept me in a sort of stand-by phase (aka in bed) so to rest enough to go to work.

Last but not least, I've developed what is called De Quervain Tenosynovitis, which is a very aggressive inflammation of the thumb tendon, which basically makes it impossible to have a functioning hand.

After undergoing a lot of treatment (still going) I have regained the use of my hand, although it still hurts to even do daily routine actions.

I am extremely sorry for not answering and being a stranger. I have been working hard behind the scenes, trying to catch up with the deadlines.

If I am writing this message, that's because I'm starting to finally find a balance, now that also my Real Life is starting to appear well, normal.

I hope you can accept my apologies, and in the following days I will make sure to be the friend I always wanted to be, to all of you.

Kadaj

Yuletide Magic - Holiday Season Hunt

 

Hello everyone,

the Holiday Season is right at our doorsteps. We can already start to hear the glimpse of happy carols and Mariah Carey's songs...wait, that doesn't sound happy and merry if I put it this way.

December is a special month, it makes us want to celebrate: whether we enjoy Christmas, Yule, or if we simply appreciate the beauty of winter, there are plenty of reasons to gather with our dear ones and contemplate the sweet passing of time.

As per usual, I love to organize a Holiday Season hunt, here at Harshlands. It reminds me of happy days spent together doing everything and nothing at the same time.

Yuletide Magic is just the beginning. There will be a number of themed exclusive releases, and hopefully enough time to let Dragonstone wear the festive mantle.

There are 10 prizes hidden in the region, most of them are brand new releases. Remember to wear Harshlands group tag to receive the prizes, and help your friends trying to collect them all..it's the season to be good after all!

May this month be filled with happy memories, to be shared with those you hold dear!

Click here to teleport to Harshlands

Haunted Clouds - A Halloween Hunt and Events

Hello everyone!

It's that time of the year, and as we bid our farewell to the warm season, the moment has come to celebrate everything obscure and macabre.

With the arrival of Halloween, our traditional hunt has been prepared, and it is now ready to enjoy.

There will ten prizes hidden around the new Dragonstone region. There will be some all time favourite prize for those who never managed to snag them (my apologies if you already had them), although most of them will be brand new original releases!

As usual, this is a group hunt, so please make sure to wear Harshlands group tag to get the prizes. If you're not part of the group, you can freely join without a hassle!

Click here to teleport to Harshlands mainstore

But Halloween doesn't simply mean hunting season, but also the time for many spooky releases, and since a couple of years I have developed the habit to merge important holiday seasons under one unique banner.

Throughout the month there will be new releases, yet some are already available:

The Skeleton Bullseye is an interactive game with scoreboard. Challenge your friend to see who's the fastest to hit the centre of the spinning wheel!

If you're not into competition, there's a decor-only version included.

This is an exclusive release for the Halloween Shop & Hop organized by Linden Labs.

Every item you'll see (the Bullseye included) will be discounted, from 30% to 70% off, and in addition to that, there will also be an exclusive gift waiting for you!

Click here to teleport to Shop & Hop

Inspired by tribal traditions, the Skeleton Lyre is a playable instrument made out of a...rather modified human skull (is it human though?).

It comes with seven songs to choose, and three colour variations.

You can find this instrument at We <3 Roleplay event, with an initial discount over the its final price when the event ends|

Click here to teleport to We <3 RP

Not really last, for mroe new releases are incoming, there's The Silent Watcher, a statue about the unperturbed flow of time. The sculpture comes with five colour variations.

This is an exclusive release for Swank, already available to preview!

Click here to teleport to Swank

A very personal post. A sad farewell.

 Hello everyone,

there are some things yo uwish you neve rhave to write, and some you'd never expect to.

I've been silent, absent, and off for quite some weeks, and I believe there's an explanation I owe you.

Some dear friends know I'm a cat dad, and a very cat person. The love I have for my cats is something that is really hard to top. They're no different from being sons to me.

A few weeks ago Hamlet, the alpha boy of the group of three brothers (two blood related, one adopted) stopped being responsive. He began being extremely sleepy, and uninterested towards food. 

That put me on alarm mode. Especially because he's always been rather healthy.

He undergo exams and tests, and ultimately I received the news I didn't want to hear, but that in my heart was expecting.

"He's got a degenerative neurological problem, it will slowly cause his organs to turn off, one by one. It won't be pretty. Unfortunately there is nothing to do about it".

I had to take the only possible solution for my Hamlet. So, as I held him in my arms, I gave the consent for a sweet, swift and painless solution, injected with love.

As I lulled him towards the rainbow bridge, I hope he found peace, for there will be no shortage of love, at least here.

Unfortunately pain come in different shapes, and my time of grief translated into closing myself, staring at a blank pc screen, sorting pictures, listening to music, and silently trying to get back the pieces of a broken heart.

He showed me eight years of pure affection, from the very first moments, when he chose me at the animal shelter, bringing his brother with him.

To all my friends, I am sorry if I did not answer your messages recently.

To all the Harshlanders, I am sorry if I did not provide a decent customer service.

To all the event owners, I am sorry if I did not setup, or if I was a no show.

I am starting to heal, and the sad toughts are now making room for bittersweet memories and fond stories to tell.

There will definitely be a plaque for Hamlet by the little memorial island. It's still hard to get to work on it. But there will be one.

Harshlands debut at We ♥ Roleplay

 Hello everyone! 

I am pleased to announce that Harshlands is finally part of the We ♥ RP Designers team!

It is such an honour to have reached a milestone I was pursuing for so long, and I am thankful to the amazing team of hard working people that runs this incredible event for Fantasy enthusiasts.

To celebrate the debut, I have decided to make a musical instrument that has been requested for such a long time, and I would like to apologize in advance for having taken such a long time to make it, but I wanted to make sure I would make it right.

It's here, the Hammered Dulcimer! 

The instrument comes in two texture variation, a lighter and darker tone. In addition to this there is a regular and smaller stand. Note that you can adjust the position of the playing animation.

The package also contains a dispeser that gives out wearable hammers, the "sticks" used to play a dulcimer. It is meant to be shared, so even your friends and dear ones can grab their hammers and play the dulcimer!

The Hammered Dulcimer will have a 25% discount for the whole duration of the event.

You can try it before purchase at We ♥ RP booth.

Click here to teleport to We ♥ RP

Harshlands Inworld Store is finally rebuilt

 

Sometimes it is about waiting.

Sometimes it is about finding the right moment.

Sometimes it is about being overwhelmed, and finding yourself again.

Sometimes it is about all of this.

After a long wait, I am finally honoured and humbled to announce that Dragonstone, Harshlands store region, has finally been rebuilt from scratch.

This has possibly been one of my biggest endeavours, but it felt right. I felt the need to express Harshlands progression throughout these incredible years, not only by remaking the region anew, but also by rebranding everything.

Some of you might feel the atmosphere very familiar, in fact, I have decided to use Living Echoes (the Fantasy faire region that Janire and me made) as backbone of store. It was my persona effort in not making the Faireland go forever. A glimpse of it still lingers, and will permanently do so.

In the following weeks I will make sure to optimize the land, as for now it is a newborn seed of creation; we need to give it time to stretch and expand, and adapt with us all. There will be constant small changes, and perhaps re-placements. See this new region as a Living Being itself. 

And I truly hope you could feel the region while visting it. It is a very personal and intimate project.

I really want to thank Janire again, for helping me in the most dire times, and when all I could do was staring at the blank canvas of what would become this region. And all the friends, who had encouraged me to never give up, and keep on pursuing this dream.

Ther Landing point Location has changed, however you should still be able to use the previous Landmarks to reach it, as for now, the TP is locked there; however, here's the new region landing point LM: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dragonstone/121/189/95

I hope you will enjoy Dragonstone.

Thank you so much.

Kadaj

TLC and Shiny Shabby are open

 Hello everyone!

The Liaison Collaborative is now open, andin addition to that, I'm also part of the Shiny Shabby designers group, so there will be a new regular even each month!

For these two amazing events, I've decided to prepare to garden related exclusives. Summer is coming, and so are the sunny days we love to spend outdoors.

PS. New vendor layouts are ready! The remade store region is getting closer!

The Liaison Collaborative

This Wooden Pergola Set is made of two pergolas and an interactive bench, with single and couple animation. Every piece comes with four texture options, to match the different wood types that can be used to craft these structures. You can preview them full size at TLC.

Click here to teleport to The Liaison Collaborative

Shiny Shabby

The Secret Garden Walls is a bundle of items to create your own traditional secret garden entrance and walls, with some extras! Each piece of the set is editable and separate, to help the customization of your results. In addition to that, daisies covers are included, to give more richness and a sense of secludedness to your garden. The covers are made in the shape of each piece of the wall set. You can preview them full size at Shiny Shabby.

Click here to teleport to Shiny Shabby

Enchantment is open!

 Hello everyone!

Another round of Enchantment has started, and it is one of the craziest, most sought after and requested!

The Burtonesque theme event is now open for everyone, and I have prepared an exclusive product that will be fairly easy to recognize!

The Coffin Piano is the perfect instrument to be played solo, or paired with a...special bride. It comes with 30 songs to play, a journey amidst classical, modern and horror music!

The Piano is equipped with two stools, one for solo play, and another one for duet options. It also comes in two texture choice, a regular Burtonesque one, and a cleaner look.

But that's not over!

The traditional Enchantment Hunt is taking place as well, and trust me when I say, that there's an iconic Burtonesque piece to be won! What is it? I won't spoil the surprise, you'll have to find it!

Click here to teleport to Enchantment

Fantasy Faire 2022 is here

The Mists fade away, and the doors of the Fairelands are open once again.

It is Fantasy Faire time. My own personal best time of the year.

For this is not a simple shopping event. it is a gathering of people, fighting together, winning together. It is a joint effort to raise funds to dissipate cancer, in all of its forms.

This edition is even more special, because Janire from Belle Epoque and me have been tasked to create a Region. We've become worldmakers, and one Faireland is inspired by our vision, something we have been kept secret for a very long time.

Living Echoes is a Region of Hope and unconditional love. The type of affection that puts down every boundary. It's a message, to remember, and to never forget those we left behind, for keeping them in our memory will make them live forever.

When you wander around Living Echoes, keep your eyes open, for echoes of the past will be waiting for you in every corner.

Of course there will be new releases, lots of them! Every single original piece of the Region's architecture is available for purchase. There's also a brand new musical instrument, inspired by Living Echoes; it has been sneakily added to the vendors by Harshlands booth. You'll have to find it!

You can visit Harshlands, Belle Epoque, Living Echoes and Fantasy Faire by using the link below.

By the Landing point you will find a Teleport HUD, as well as a special free Low Lag avatar we've made!

Click here to teleport to Fantasy Faire

New Shopping Events happening

 Hello everyone!

Here's a unified blogpost to list all the current shopping events going on up to this day. Lots of deals and new exclusives to be found!

Valentine Shop & Hop

The St Valentine's Day Event made in Linden Labs is back, with tons of discounts and gifts waiting for you!

In Harshlands booth, everything is discounted, from 25% up to 70% off! In addition to that, you might find the return of some exclusive stuff that hasn't been seen for a long while (especially some instruments...giving a hint).

There is also a special gift that you can get free of charge!

Click here to Teleport to Shop & Hop

Enchantment

February doesn't simply mark the lovers' month, but also the return of Enchantment. The theme, this time, is The Iliad & The Odyssey and the round exclusive is a brand new instrument, the Greek Lyre. Inspired by traditional designs, with a little twist and interpretation, this instrument features seven relatively long songs (approximately 3 or more minutes each), four different colour/texture patterns, and the usual animation HUD.

Click here to teleport to Enchantment  

Swank

Swank is open as well! And as we celebrate this month, I've decided to make something romantic, that might also be versatile, and somewhat fit several different region themes. The Floating Candles, with their lotus shape, and a small flickering candle, can have multiple purposes, and the gentle, slow floating rotation can help to set up the right mood. You can preview them at Harshlands booth.

Click here to teleport to Swank

Harshlands 8th Anniversary

 

Hello everyone!

February has arrived, and with that, the arrival of Harshlands Anniversary. It's the moment for me to sit and ponder on the achievements on the previous year, and to constantly being amazed by the wonderful community we have built together.

We ventured through such a journey, didn't we? I still remember the thrill of making the first Marsketplace listing, and the excitement to see people joining the store group. 

That feeling has never gone.

In 8 years life has changed. I've grown. A lot.

I've met incredible people, and I had to bid some farewells. All of you supported me through my worst days, even by simply checking in, and giving me that strength to never give up, to become a better person. I owe you a life debt that I will never be able to repay.

The past year has been the year of the first anxieties and risks. Having closed my RL store due to Covid, I managed to turn Harshlands into my full time commitment, and with the help of amazing friends liek you, the clouds of my fears have been dissipated.

This Anniversary Hunt is called A Symphony of Time, because every moment we have spent, has never truly gone from my heart. There is no past. There are fond memories that I cherish and keep on living.

I have decided to hide eight music instruments (four types, two variations each) in Dragonstone, because I've recently been loving making them. I can literally put my heart and soul in them. I hope you will be able to feel it.

And, we cannot celebrate without a proper fireworks show, right? Well, this year the whole region will feature a never stopping show, for the entire duration of this month.

I truly hope you will have a great time.

From the bottom of my heart

Thank you for these eight Years.

Kadaj

Click here to teleport to Dragonstone