Roleplay: The Hellas Armory

My recent return to Hellas crater to tell you of it’s rebuild has got me back into mind of Roleplaying there again. So I’m reviving my AMZ courier storyline.

Recap: Ava is a courier for AMZ (All Mars Zone) that ship pretty much anything anywhere. She was sent to Mars originally to deliver a particularly dangerous package to the Martian city of Helix. After some time spent with the refugees of Helix she was recalled to Earth by the company. She’s now been sent back to Mars to establish an office there and negotiate shipping contracts with whoever or whatever organisations or entities required them.

Thinking that the Armoury might be a good start for places that will need regular supplies, Ava pays the proprietor a visit.

After some time chatting over a drink, it becomes quite evident that the proprietor isn’t interested in the services AMZ has to offer and Ava politely leaves. It hasn’t been an entirely wasted visit however, Ava now has the name of a local pilot that might be useful for transporting goods across the planet.

RP Log:

[06:53:25] Ixela: hello missus , may i help you ?....problems with your weapon ?

[06:55:46] Ava smiles "nope, just came to check the place out and see what you might be short on. I courier weapons and my employer is wanting to expand here, potentially supply you"

[06:57:51] Ixela meditates for awhile and nods '' can he supply me for Astra-Llama sub-machineguns ? Minolta-Dragunov rifles ? Mauser&Gray pistols ?


[06:58:03] Ava : All Mars Zone shipping  is looking to take an interest here, with regular shipments to and from Earth. Main client would probably be the mining co, but doesn't mean there's not room for stuff you might need on those ships

[06:58:57] Ixela: shipments from Earth are late and expensive , my common customers can't afford it on their repairs


[07:01:28] Ava : Shipments are expensive because of infrequency, more there are, the cheaper they become. But what I'm talking about is adding your stuff onto shipments mostly paid for by the corpos, to make the most of each voyage.


[07:06:32] Ixela: hnmmmm* grumbles , then frowns and stares the woman , then smiles * thanks for your offer , missus , but i already have a provider in Gagaringrad....here i can get second hand pieces and supplies


[07:13:05] Ava shrugs "Ok, well I hope that works for you. My bosses want to try and set something up here, but hopefully we won't get in each others way.


[07:13:09] Ixela looks inside the workshop and makes a signal to the woman , '' weh! come and tell me about these shipments ''

[07:14:07] Ava follows the woman inside

[07:14:12] Ixela shows the table '' take a seat , please ''

[07:14:57] Ixela offers a coffee cup to the woman

[07:17:34] Ixela: now , tell me about these shipments...


[07:18:50] Ava : okay, it'll be easiest if I start at the beginning...

[07:19:01] Ixela: please...

[07:21:15] Ava : A while back before the city of Helix was evacuated, I was sent to escort a very dangerous shipment. Nasty enough that they sent me with an emergency shelter capsule. I never made the delivery before the city was evacuated, the recopient go between neer showed.
A few months later, I came across the courier, or rather my implant here *taps her eye augment* spotted her. She confirmed she was meant to have collected it, but didn't know the final recipient.

[07:22:56] Ixela nods , listening carefully

[07:23:08] Ava : So I've been stuck on Mars with a dangerous shipment and no client.

[07:23:56] Ixela nods meditating...'' a weapons and ammo shipment ? ''

[07:24:07] Ava : Til recently I was called back and they decided they want to start something here, a branch office or something, with the presence of a corp here, it's likely htey'll get plenty of business

[07:25:03] Ixela: on who are you meaning when say ''they'' ...the army ?

[07:25:56] Ava : They, as in AMZ shipping

[07:26:37] Ava steps out for a moment an comes back with a small box and puts it on the table

[07:27:01] Ava : this cursed thing is what I've been lugging around

[07:27:05] Ixela: these are private deliveries ?

[07:28:34] Ava : a mix, this one was evidently for some with far too much money in the city.

[07:29:17] Ava : and evidently intending to have a negative impact on the population, or some of them at least

[07:29:50] Ixela: hahahahaha...then don't look at me , i won't be prosecuted for buying stolen materials....

[07:31:30] Ava : Dont worry, this isn't for sale

[07:31:40] Ava : even I can't open it

[07:32:05] Ava : only the intended recipient can, with a palm scan

[07:32:38] Ixela: anyway , i dont want troubles , i have my providers ....maybe not the best quality stuff , but all legal...there are government officers here.....

[07:34:02] Ava : Oh I wasn't suggesting anything illegal, AMZ is a respectable business, dealing in private and commercial shipments, the contents aren't our concern.

[07:34:13] Ixela: i don't care on the crate size but in the contents , and if it has a former owner

[07:36:48] Ava : by which you mean, you want new? Or don't want new?

[07:36:52] Ixela: i have no room for such storage ...why do you ask me ?

[07:42:51] Ava : I'm just offering another shipment route that might have benefited you in some way. But if you're all covered, that's no problem. I'll be negotiating with Thor and EarthGov anyway, so no loss on my end.

[07:43:03] Ixela: as i said , my customers can't afford new supplies on their weapon's repair...i don't work with Thor mining....my customers are private persons...

[07:44:48] Ava : So I gathered, just thought another courier might be useful, you'd be paying cheaper personal rates for your items.

[07:45:45] Ixela: i know someone who makes private transportings

[07:50:36] Ava shrugs "well in that case I think we're done here. Thanks for the drink" puts down her cup and stands

[07:51:20] Ixela smiles '' as you wish...don't want to ask the person i mentioned ?''

[07:52:23] Ava : Perhaps it would be useful to know all the players in the market yes.

[07:52:54] Ixela: but first i must ask you something...are you human ?

[07:55:34] Ava : Yes. I would have thought that was obvious, but I guess all you can see is neck up and an implant it's a fair question.

[07:56:24] Ava : It's just an implant, rest of me is human

[07:56:38] Ixela: some cyborgs are undistinguishable from humans lately...and that person hates cyborgs , droids , sinths and nearly any non-human

[07:57:25] Ixela: i guess she has good reasons to act this way...

[07:57:28] Ixela: ok

[07:57:37] Ava nods "many do feel that way"

[07:58:06] Ixela: go to the port , entering on the pistes , in the right side , box 2...here she places her hoverboat

[07:58:41] Ixela: she's more daring than me

[08:00:05] Ava : Okay, thankyou, who shall I say sent me to her?

[08:00:51] Ixela: as you wish....guess she has no protocol....

[08:01:08] Ava nods

[08:01:21] Ixela: her name is Szondi

Outfit Credits:

Hellas Planitia Rebuild – a Sneaky visit

I’ve been meaning to do this piece for quite a while, but the folks kept adding,expanding or moving things, now apparently it’s complete.

Because I like to write about places from perspective of a newcomer and I’m a member of the community here I decided to go in disguise,using an Alt avatar. I’m sure they’ll forgive my little deception eventually, but it did help get a fresh perspective on the place.

The arrival point is on a landing pad next to a rather battered old spaceship and provides a good view of the surrounding area, which is mainly shipping crates I thought at first, til at the back I saw a vehicle, I thought it would be best if I didn’t try to drive it off. You’ll also find a teleporter here that takes you to the Deep Space Hub located at Moonbase 3.

Heading on towards the entrance I was greeted warmly by Jadzia, who told me a whole bunch of useful stuff and answered my questions. Quite a lot of it I didn’t actually know, because the place has changed a lot and there are lots of new storyline elements I wasn’t aware of. (So it wasn’t a waste of your time and breath, Jadzia.)

I continued left into town and followed the main street to do a circuit of the place. There’s lots of places to see and explore here, providing lots of opportunities and locations for roleplay.

There’s a few other places that you reach by Teleport doors, but I’ll let you find those for yourself, wouldn’t want to spoil everything.

What’s different I find about Hellas is the community effort and storyline that’s genuine. They did live in a city called Helix which had to be evacuated (the region closed) and they did find themselves homeless, so they settled in a dusty crater and built lives for themselves.

Some of the regulars

This story and the environment it creates, very much gives you the feeling of an old Western frontier town or mining colony. Like the old West, it has attracted some not very nice characters(story wise), doing things that would make them criminals on Earth. As a result the authorities on Earth are taking an interest and trying to assert themselves on the populous. Alongside this you have a not-so-reputable mining company that are trying to do the same, as they restart mining operations in the crater. Hence some newer less derelict-looking buildings about the place.

There are lots of post-apocalyptic, dystopian and shiny space station locations in SecondLife which I’ve seen lots lately. Hellas is different in that Earth is still happily ticking over, life going on as normal. The citizens ignorant of or uncaring for those that have chosen this remote life.

Landing point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Kind/243/223/3012

Outfit Credits:

  • Skin:[Stargazer] Variety Skin Set BOM – Apex Teal -Mainframe July 21
  • Bodysuit: G509 Tempest from Graves
  • Boots: G613 Alliance Ankle Boots from Graves
  • Sword: [.fn] Plasma Arsenal – Blade -MainFrame July 21
  • Hair: Azren Hair [Fatpack] by Raven Bell
  • Body: Maitreya 5.1
  • Head: Genus Project– Strong Face

Lexecutioner

One of the things I love about SecondLife is the variety of creations available to dress our avatars in weird and wonderful ways. I enjoy making themed outfits inspired by books featured the SecondLife Book Club, but I’ve recently been reading a book not featured at the club: Armada by Ernest Cline, author of Ready Player One (&Two).

A character we meet early on is Alexis Larkin a gamer girl (call sign: Lexecutioner) I thought it would be fun to make an avatar outfit in her described image. As I read the (usefully detailed) description of her, I was sure it wouldn’t take me too long…except for the tattoos!

" ..Alabaster skin contrasted sharply with her dark clothing—black combat boots, black jeans, and a black tank top (which didn’t fully conceal the black bra she was wearing underneath). She had a spiky wave of black hair that was buzzed down one side and chin-length on the other. But the real kicker was her tattoos, on each arm: on the left was a beautiful seminude rendering of the comic book heroine Tank Girl, adorned in postapocalyptic rock lingerie and smooching an M16. On her right bicep, in stylized capital letters, were the words EL RIESGO SIEMPRE VIVE."

Cline, Ernest. Armada (pp. 114-115). Random House. Kindle Edition.

I was able to make the tattoo that reads “EL RIESGO SIEMPRE VIVE” on her right arm fairly easily, then found a picture of TankGirl that looked close enough to the description (after a bit of tweaking) for left arm.

Of course any Sci-Fi outfit wouldn’t be complete without their respective gadget. In this book it’s called a “QComm” and can do pretty much anything communication wise from anywhere, including controlling drones.

Outfit Credits :

 

MoonBase 3

MoonBase 3 (MB3) is another member of the Cyber Alliance, it celebrated it’s first anniversary in March 2021. This makes it fairly mature in terms of SecondLife Roleplay locations that can come and go overnight. A glance at their website before my visit showed they have done quite a bit of exploration, but as I like to go into places as a new visitor, I stopped reading after the first couple of posts relating to those topics.

The landing point is large and has stuff everywhere, it was at this point looking at the boards that I realised this place isn’t just a single destination. It’s kind of a hub with info and connections to lots of other RP places.

However where I’m going today is in the other direction, a ramp leading up a couple of rather cool teleporters.

It’s a little detail but a fun one. Usually you have to sit on a teleporter if the region isn’t using an Experience script, these ones you click the little control panel and just walk into the light that appears. I chose first to visit the Security checkpoint area.

As you can see there’s plenty to explore here. I did have to cheat a little by teleporting through the security barrier into the Restricted Area, because my Visitor ID bracelt wouldn’t let me through. There are a few more spots here, including a Recreation area, consisting of a Court that seems to be for a mix of volleyball and basketball and a running track.

Next was the Research area, which I only had a brief look around, but it looks like it could be good fun. For some reason my visitor ID wouldn’t open the Public Labs, but I felt I’d cheated enough already, so didn’t try teleporting through.

There’s plenty more to be explored that I haven’t shown here, so do go check it out.

Outfit Credits:

 

Landing Point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Malyshkin/194/171/3566

Website: https://moonbase3.net/

 

Vortex of Lust – Part 2

In Part 1 of this post I covered the Central Market and brief snaps of The Surface and the Aurora ship. Now I’m going to expand on those, first the Aurora. When you arrive on the scaffold it feels very dark, but I didn’t realise why straightaway. I headed down the steps towards the lights of a tent. The place is surrounded by hydroponics capsules for growing food and wind turbines for generating power. Inside the tent loks like field equipent, like they just arrived.

If you look upwards you can see why the place is so dark, the massive looming form of The Aurora above you. You can see here the sheer scale of it is pretty impressive! Taking the lift at ground level takes you up into the ship and the entrance to a massive complex maze of corridors.

I’m not going to do a step-by-step tour here, the place is just too big. Here’s a few of the highights.

Now to head back down to the Market and from there, the Surface. The lift drops you above a wooden palisade wall which made me think of a Gorean panther girl camp, but don’t worry it’s not. Just old RP memories on my part, the metal staircase dispels that thought rightaway. Down the wooden ramp and out the gate is a path through partly cleared forest. Not so unusual until we take a look around whats on either side.

Heading first to the steam vents I can see the extend quite some way, but it’s what’s causing the steam that’s more worrying.

Next I enterthe woods and investigate the stone ruins, the tower proves quite interesting..

Having seen that beautiful building in the distance I just had to have a closer peek, which involves going through a swamp though.

I’ll leave you to explore the inside. While I was exploring, one of the community asked if I’d found the ice cave yet. I hadn’t so they showed me. It’s down underwater so you’d have to know it was there to find it I suspect. There’s an NPC down there too.

I had to find my respirator for down here

As you can see this place is huge with lots of locations to roleplay. One thing though had me and possibly you wondering..where’s the Lust? There’s quite a few kinky toys about the place, but not really Lusty as such. However it doesn’t take too much imagination to think that maybe the portal pictured below (that can be found near the ship Aurora) is perhaps said Vortex of Lust.. Even less imagination required from the other side, which has a beautiful fantasy landscape you should defiitely come and explore.

The Vortex the place is named after perhaps?
A Fantastical landscape awaits on hte other side, so go check thi out too!

Landing point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vortex%20of%20Lust/59/124/3017

Website: https://www.vortex-of-lust.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/6n7VmeRKtB

Outfit Credits:

Vortex of Lust – Part 1

I came across Vortex of Lust through a post in the Cyber Alliance discord server,which included the description below.

The refugium known as the Vortex has a wide variety of geographic features, from the familiar to the fantastic.

The centre of it all, both proverbially and literally, is the Free Market, which rests on a floating platform anchored to a derelict mass of rock that floats above the surface.
Above the Free Market the Battleship Aurora rests collided with another splinter of levitating rock, hosting a portal to the Floating Islands, a place of beauty and mystery high above the Vortex.
The surface is a wild and dangerous place with frozen seas, endless mazes of tunnels, treacherous swamps and far more treacherous inhabitants. Travelers to the surface should be well prepared.

This description had me very intrigued and the images more so. The locations appear to range from steampunk through urban and into cyberpunk, dressing for this place could be a challenge!

Given the mention of battleships and ice lakes I thought a full body protective suit seemed the best option, along with a few survival accessories.

First view on arrival

I like a clear uncluttered landing point with clear signage and as little surplus stuff as possible. The Vortex has this, however it also has a lot of information to be shared prior to entering the RP area. Most of this relates to the HUD used here, which auto-attaches as soon as you accept the regions Experience permissions. There is a new players area that talks you through it all. Once you go through there you are guided to an are that tells you about the multiple locations here.

The New Player Area

The different locations

You leave this are via the Vortex at the centre.

You emerge through the Vortex into a new area that feels quite steampunkish at first glance.

A rather impressive portal
You arrive here through the Vortex

This is the area known as  Central Market. Despite modern aspects like the grage door and submarine, inside things are quite antique or industrial.

Behind the garage door is a study type room with old book cases and antique desk, but with a full tech suite upstairs.

Heading over to the submarine it only seems to serve one purpose, the local jail.

Around the corner I find signposted The Jolly Harbor Tavern and The Surface, I take the Tavern first. I reminds me of Drune Diesel in atmosphere for some reason, maybe that’s due to the piano in the corner, but looks like an interesting place to roleplay.

Now to explore in the other direction towards “The Surface”, following the signs direction I see a crashed plane and crane above some kind of gantry.

There’s also a buildy to the left that I thought I’d check out first, I’m not entirely sure what the purpose of the machinery is, but the other peice of hardware in the room hints at some not-so-innocent activities.

Carrying on my journey I head towards the gantry to see what awaits, a lift that descent to the surface.

At the bottom is an interesting place that looks like it’ll be fun to explore, you can see in the first snap that the place extends quite some distance before the view is obstructed by trees, which instantly makes it feel more mysterios.

Since the Central Market is essentially in the middle of the region, in terms of elevation, there’s also the airship Aurora to be explored above. There is a similar lift next to the submarine that takes you there.

I’ll show you some more of the Surface and Aurora roleplay areas in Part 2.

Click Here for Part 2!

Landing point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vortex%20of%20Lust/59/124/3017

Website: https://www.vortex-of-lust.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/6n7VmeRKtB

Outfit Credits:

This post was featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on 6th August 2021.

The Cyber Alliance

The Cyber Alliance (in SecondLife, not related to the RL ones involved with cyber security) is a growing group of individuals and communities wanting to promote and create roleplay between different Sci-Fi and Cyberpunk themed groups and locations scattered throughout SecondLife. It started with a Discord server and Inworld SecondLife group started by Jadzia (Boont Baphomet) in April 2021. Jadzia is one of the founder members of Hellas Platina that I have mentioned before, born out of the closure of Helix City.
Jadzia describes the goals of the Alliance as folows:
[10:19:53] Jadzia (Boont Baphomet): 1. To encourage RP and help RP'ers find eachother in the cyberpunk/sci-fi genres. The group is a place to seek out RP situations with other players
[10:20:30] Jadzia (Boont Baphomet): 2. A place for small sims and builders/creators to advertise their spaces and events so that RP'ers can learn about things going on in these specific realms
[10:21:38] Jadzia (Boont Baphomet): 3. Lastly, and most ambitiously, a long term plan for creating a cross-sim 'world' that we can all engage in; finding ways to connect our lore, do missions and quests between places.
[10:22:05] Jadzia (Boont Baphomet): Really it's all about sims helping sims and encouraging RP
Anyone from other Sci-fi and Cyberpunk roleplays groups are invited and welcome to join the server or inworld group and get involved. Now it has grown to have it’s own Website,Flickr gallery and an inworld location is also in the works I’m told.

So far the Alliance includes roleplayers from the following communities:

(Based on list of Worlds on the CyberAlliance website and subject to change.)

Burn2 – Burning Man Festival in SecondLife

Burn2 is the the virtual presence of Burning Man in SecondLife. While it’s been around for many years this is the first time I made it to one of their events.

The event consisted of a torchlit procession around the perimeter amog various diffent community built structures, then a fire dancing performance, followed by the “burning” of a virtual wicker effigy.

People were encouraged totake part in the procession, so I did.

The Fire Dancing..

Burning The Effigy..

With appropriately atmospheric music and dancing following the “Burn”, it was really good fun. They have quite regular events that you can read more about on their website, I’d recommend going along to one if you have the opportunity.

Website: https://www.burn2.org/

This post was shared on the SecondLife Community Blog.

DJ Anj at SL18B

My great friend DJ Anjoux Herbit played a set at the Second Life 18th Birthday (SL18B) Celebrations on Saturday at Midnight my time, I just had to stay up and attend!

DJ AMaestro himself

A few of his regulars and some new groupies were there too:

Credits:

Hooker Holdup

Inspired by an excerpt from The Blade Between by Sam J. Miller.

Transcribed from the reading by Draxtor, prior to the Second Life Book Club on 14th April 2021.

“In 20 years the railroad will arrive from New York City, heading north for Albany for Canada. Its path perfectly plotted to cut off Hudson’s North Bay crippling the city’s shipping trade, start it’s slow decline to irrelevance. 40 years after that, Hudson will have become the East Coast largest centre for prostitution. Diamond Street whorehouses so notorious they will have to change the name of the streets of Columbia after the governor personally census form of state troopers to bust up the brothels that local authorities have coddled and patronized and exploited for information for decades.”

So I thought it would be fun to put together a cliche prostitute look for that episode of the Book Club.

Book Club Video link: https://youtu.be/DBXpLJjbFVs

Turns out the quote was one of the readings as well, you can hear it at timestamp: 33.38

Of course some location shots were a must, but wouldn’t be complete with an arresting officer too! Which is why it’s taken so long to get around to publishing this, I needed to find one that would let me go afterwards!

Credits: