As my screen name indicates, I prefer to be elusive and not get involved on a personal level in these or any other discussions. However, for several reasons, I now feel forced to speak. I am a digital artist by profession, pixels have been my trade since 1994. I have known D~Mentia since 1997. Although we were not close friends, as online friendships go, we did stay in touch and spoke ocasionally on the telephone. We lost touch between late 1998 and the early summer of 2000, when I contacted her again to compliment her on her beautiful textures and charming fantasy pieces. Re-initializing contact with her led to a series of artistic collaborations as "Symphony", to which I bring my own pixel/post render skills, and in the creation of textures, in which D~Mentia has skillfully tutored me. As part of "Symphony", I have collaborated very closely with D~Mentia, sharing ideas and working files for painting and texture projects. Having SEEN D~Mentia's working Photoshop and PZ3 files, I can confidently state that her originality and work are uniquely her own. She isn't overly fond of researching projects (which is my predilection)and she does not download or buy textures, preferring to make her own from scratch. And humbly, you must allow me to state that I have the training and experience to recognize when source material is used, and to make the pertinent inquiries. I have seen dozens of original PSD files D~Mentia has made for paintings and textures. She has created every last pixel on them, down to each tiny dragon scale and hair. Why would D~Mentia, who finds such special delight in creating every last tiny detail on her textures, suddenly decide to use a part of someone else's texture? Knowing her methods for work better than anyone here does, I would say that this makes no sense whatsoever. This is a very new medium, and discovering new techniques is one of the things that makes it so wonderful. If D~Mentia was ever in a bind as to how to create a particular effect (and who isn't, at times?), she would always discuss this openly with me (and probably with Anton Kisiel, a master texturist in his own right), and sometimes, we would brainstorm about it and find a way to create the effect without EVER using even one pixel from someone else's copyrighted work. I therefore come forward, NOT as a "clique member" (for goodness' sake, there are some large chips on some people's shoulders) but as an experienced professional who has worked very closely with D~Mentia. And I come forward to say: STOP. Think about this lynch mob you are invoking. Think about the motives, be it control or revenge, that fuel the most vocal participants in this witch hunt. Think about the track record and originality of D~Mentia. Think of all she has shared with the community. I know there are many fledgling texturists, such as myself, who have been guided by her techniques and her personal coaching. Some of these texturists are now "big names" on Renderosity. (aside to all those who have benefitted from D~Mentia's expertise: You know who are, and both gratitude and loyalty are honorable energies). In a mature world, Staale would have contacted D~Mentia with his concerns privately, and the issues - if indeed there are any - could have been resolved without this rabid lynching. At the time of the incident involving "Neftis", who sold a texture based on "Symphony"'s "Tesoro" character for Michael, it was D~Mentia who stepped forward and protested to Neftis. When she did not hear back, she came out publically regarding this issue. "Tesoro" was a collaborative piece, yet D~Mentia stepped forward to defend both our interests, since I eschew the public eye. And although Neftis wrote a letter of apology, admitting plagiarism, we were not reimbursed for the money she made off the plagiarized texture in the time it was in the store. The texture was removed because it plagiarized our hand drawn free texture for Michael, "Tesoro". In closing, I am proud to be associated with D~Mentia as "Symphony", artist and texturist. In the realm of texturing, I do not know of anyone else with such a vast range of styles (she textures everything from clothing to buildings to furniture to mythological beasties to wonderful characters)and such an eye for the most minuscule detail. Knowing D~Mentia's honorable character over the course of 4 years, and having experienced working with her very closely over the last year, common sense tells me that there is no reason, ever, for her to reuse any one else's work in her textures. Elusion