Tag: #Featured

The Featured tag is for any posts featured on the Official SecondLife Community Blog.

The Guardian of Opet

From her vantage point above the city of Opet she watches the masses of tourists ebb and flow like a tide. They think the city is a relic, its occupants long deceased and the houses turned to shops for their perusal. They are so wrong, its facade. It was decided long ago to let it fall into disrepair and it’s people to fade into myth and legend, to protect all the races of this world.

There is a polite noise behind her and she turns to see her handmaiden stood in the doorway, holding up the old dumb phone used for emergencies.

She takes the phone and reads the message, once again wishing she could ward her home against the modern radio waves. Glancing at the tourists again, it’s their fault, there would be uproar if their brain-sapping devices didn’t function.

“I think we have another Collector, deal with it” along with the approximation of where the moving Sphere was last stationary.

Another Collector already? It was only a matter of two and a half decades since the last one and he’d almost been successful. It amused her how the relations team had dealt with it; making a movie about a Temple of Doom to pre-emptively dispel any rumors that may have surfaced.

The Spheres needed to remain in their allocated places, guarded in secret by each fae race or magical community.

The occupants of Opet had chosen the best way to hide them was in plain sigh but their history forgotten. Turning their city into a museum had been fairly easy, just don’t touch it for a few millenia.

Explorers and archeologists took the clues they’d left and made a reasonable story about what happened. Even if the time frames really didn’t work. Certainly others came closer to the truth, but were called conspiracy nuts, despite their theories matching the evidence better. The “experts” telling the story didn’t want to be embarrassed and make an entire history that had been taught in schools for decades to be wrong.

But enough dwelling on the past, they’d returned and closed the pyramids to the public for “safety reasons” and restored them to working order. Having left their Sphere hidden with local loyal followers it was returned to its place in the pyramid and protected there.

Somehow remnants of the truth had emerged again and she must take action. She’d been called on simply because she was the closest of the Guardians.

Down to one of the display cabinets she goes, removing her weapons stored in plain sight and replaces it with a photograph and sign preporting the item removed for cleaning. Next was some slightly more modern clothing, her regular clothes that the public assumed was simply a costume, wouldn’t be appropriate.

Modern being a relative term. If she walked down a western city street looking like this, attention would definitely come her way. Here in the desert country a wide hat and a mask against the dust wouldn’t draw a second glance.

Once she was changed, it was time to go on the hunt..

Outfit Credits:

  • DYNASTY from Fallen Gods
  • Boots: *KD* Nut overknees – KD KaliDesigns
  • Crow: CKF_Raven ShoulderPet_Small – CKit Falconry Faire Store
  •  Assassin of Elvenwood -Jazabelle
  • Hat: :Static:: Possessed Gunslinger Hat {Coal} – Static
  • Face mask: Neopreme Mask by Meli Imako

Posts in the series:

Featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on Tuesday 3rd May 2022.

First day at the Faire 2022 – Teasers!

Last year I began my explorations at the region where the NeoVictoria Project was based, this year though since I’m also selling some stuff at the Faire, I’m starting from where my shared store is located.

As with any of my other Wanderings it was on foot, only resorting to flying when I fell off stuff. This way I feel you experience The Faire at its best.

I was awed each time I crossed into the next region, they are all so varied and beautifully crafted every year. Somehow this year I managed to make it all the way around the square the Faire makes on the works map, with just minutes to go before the Faire closed for pre-opening region restarts.

I’ll have plenty of FaireLands inspired stories for you over the coming weeks I’m sure, but today I simply have a collection of teaser photos.

You will find links to all the Regions on the Fantasy Faire Blog when the Faire is open.

Post featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on 22nd April 2022.

Ars Vivendia

Vivendia is the latest build by Camilla Runo who built two incarnations of Varsargen and also Skullingtown for Halloween last year. Ars Vivendia has a slightly more serious air to it, more like a peice of clasical art than the other locations Camilla has created. As I explored it felt like I was walking around inside an old painting. It’s setting is of an old Italian town near the sea with fantastic views inside and out.

The landing point is the yard of a small house outside the main town, beautifully rustic.

On the way up towards the town you can see to one side a small island seperated by a narrow stretch of water.

Entering through the open gates is where you really feel like you’re stepping back in time. Inside the town is made up of narrow streets with bightly lit shops, cafes and hotels in an evening setting, so the place feels kind of maical.

Through to the other side of the town there are some other buildings stood apart from the rest.

At the top of the hill is an old church with beautiful stained glass windows and lovely sunset views.

Several of the buildings can be explored inside as well as admired from outside, so come explore for yourself.

Arrival point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Nausicaa/93/189/34

Outfit Credits:

World of Helix

Back in May 2020 I wrote about a SciFi roleplay region called Helix, followed very shortly after by the news of it’s closure. This wasn’t however the end of my story, it was just the start of a storyline that’s run across multiple locations in SL on and off for the year and a half since then.

Now the former owners of Helix have returned with a new location called World of Helix. This isn’t a city this time though, its more an outpost town with cilivans as well as military personnel that they describe as an adult sci-fi Western.

You arrive in the woods outside the town, which is behind you with the wilderness in front of you.

After a brief glance at the nearby structures (more on that later) I headed into town to see what it has to offer. Immediately at the gates you get the tone of the place with guards posted outside.

I entered cautiously taking a glance each direction before heading left to walk a circuit of the town.

All seemed fairly regular civillian establishments, including the requisite pink neon entertainment. As I approached the place where I’ve decided my character will set up shop, I’m reminded of the military presence by way of a dark green truck next door.

Heading in that direction through a gateway there’s a few landing pads then the rest of the area contains Military personnel and installations.

Passing all this brings me almost full circle back to the entrance gate of the town. However coming from this direction I noticed something I’d missed before.

The local gun shop

Given my characters history of transporting weapons I had to have a quick peek. I was surprised there would be such a shop with the military around they might have wanted to restrict civillian weapon ownership. But what better way to control weapons than by controlling the shop?

Since I’d completed a circuit of the town it was time to have a look out into the wildnerness. Out here there’s a wide selection of buildings and terrain to be seen.

(Please bear in mind some of these are rental homes and may well be inhabitated by the time you visit, so don’t just walk in uninvited.)

Looking at the map on the website it’s quite evident I’ve only shown a fraction of this great new roleplay build, so I’d recommend any Sci-Fi fan come check it out and join in the RP if they wish. I would definitely suggest reading the story setting on the website before engaging in roleplay.

World of Helix is planned for public opening on 15th January 2021, so do drop by and take a look!

Photos were taken on 29th December 2021, so things may look slightly different by the time the 15th January 2022 comes aroud, but not much.

Arrival point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Day%20One/131/132/21

Website: https://www.helix-sl.com/

Discord: https://discord.gg/ht2qvtbwQ4

For my Outfit credits see my previous post : AMZ Roleplay Character Refresh

This post was featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on 14th January 2022.

SecondLife Winter Wonderland 2021

Every year there are masses of events and activities in SecondLife for the Christmas period that run throughout December. One of the regular highlights is the Winter Wonderland that gets built each year by the Linden Moles. Here you’ll find everything you’d expect from such a name, covering 5 regions.

When you first arrive you’re near the snowball fight arena, which is pretty impressive and is the venue for the annual Residents Vs Lindens snowball fight event:

But I wanted to see what else the place had to offer, so I went the other way up some steps through a snow corridor to where the landscape opens out again.

Main attractions are an ice skating rink, ferris wheel to ride, festive village to explore and a large snow race track.

I followed the signs to the Ice Skate area to check that out, if you don’t have your own skates you can get some at the kiosk. Even if you do have skates, the ones here do have a cool optional FX attachment that causes your skates to carve into the ice here.

Onto the other attractions..

Outfit Credits:

This post was featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on 17th December 2021.

Angel Manor

I came across Angel Manor by way of a Spotlight article on the SecondLife Community blog and what a treasure it is.

I used the Visit Us page on the website to find my way to a number of different places, starting with the Rose Lounge. The whole place has a wow factor, it feels classy yet relaxed with great attention to detail everywhere.

I explored the other “Rose” related locations on the region, which includes a Theatre and Gallery among other locations such as an Opera House. All looks simply spectacular.

The Angel Manor Region is the centre of a small continent consisting of no less than 12 Regions for you to explore. I paid a visit to both the boating lake and the gardens, which were beautifully relaxing to spend time in.

I would definitely recommend taking the time to visit Angel Manor and the surrounding grounds either on your own or with a friend because the ballrooms and other areas are just enchanting to dance in.

Links:

Outfit Credits:

This post was featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on 29th November 2021.

Halloween 2021: Haunted Hummingbird Isle

Next is The Haunted History of Hummingbird Isle which is by the same designer as Once Upon a Spell, but it feels a little smaller. I totally love the environment settings here, a thunderous sky with appropriate sound and rain.

The pirate ship isn’t boardable, but it definitely makes for great scenery on the beach before you proceed up the steep steps to the gardens and house.

From up here you get a great view of that cool sky again before you walk through the rain to the house.

I opened the doors and stepped through, immediately recognising the building was the same as one I saw at Dead Mans Island last year, however while the layout is the same the interior and contenst of the rooms is different so still worth exploring!

Landing Point: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Hummingbird%20Isle/200/26/23

Outfit Credits:

This post was featured on the SecondLife Community Blog on Monday 11th October 2021.

Halloween 2021: Skullingtown

After blogging several spooky places last year, I thought it would be fun to do the same again this year. First up is 80Days-Skullingtown.

The arrival point is in front of a tall pair of gates that instinctively you might proceed through, but wait! I did as I always do and look behind me on arrival, you should do the same here. There is a graveyard and a massive pumpkin patch back there to see first.

As you explore you’ll hear an appropriately tinny version of a tune from the film The Nightmare Before Christmas, which is quite haunting and coming from the creepy merry go round near the entrance.

Heading through the main gates you’re in small town square with lots of appropriately spooky paraphernalia scattered about around and inside the houses and towers. Some of these are just scenery, but several of them you can enter and explore. I picked the house straight ahead first, stopping at the bottom of the steps to admire its creepiness for a moment.

Looking up at the looming house I realise how damn short this sexy skirt is, good job it comes with undies!

I then had a wander around the other buildings to see what surprises were in store!

Builder: Camila (Camila Runo)

Arrival point: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/White%20Widow/146/149/34/

Outfit Credits:

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

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.

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.