Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld

Earlier in October 2026, I caught a Destination Guide entry for The Swamp by Nomore (manoji yachvili). As I always enjoy Nomore’s work, I hopped over to take a look – but was a trifle early; Nomore was still in the process of setting-up for her new installation, and promised to send over a invite once things were all in place.

True to her word, a few days ago she sent me an invitation to visit MUD, her latest art exhibition, which formally opens on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 12:30 SLT. And whilst standing apart from the region in terms of its location and overall content, MUD is somewhat intertwined with The Swamp.

As such, this was going to be a review of both location and exhibition. However, because of the richness of both, I’ve opted to split them in two, and here focus on The Swamp; I’ll have a piece up on MUD in due course.

Before going further, I’ll also note that in order to appreciate The Swamp at its best, it is essential you utilise the region’s Shared Environment during a visit and have local sounds enabled. I would also strongly recommend using a PBR viewer to fully appreciate the use of materials and lighting to enhance the environment, and that if you don’t, then do enable Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) within your viewer (if not on already) via Preferences → Graphics (you don’t need to enable Shadows).

The Landing Point takes the form of a hut – one of several such structures scattered across the setting – where on arrival, visitors will receive a greeting in local chat:

Welcome to The SWAMP. The ground is not stable. Water conceals what we cannot see; mud holds back whatever tries to move forward. Images emerge from the swamp like fragments of something we no longer know whether to remember, observe, or cross.

This hut includes a small memento mori to past art exhibitions from across Second Life as a part of its linking with MUD, and a small hint of one of the general theme within the setting mounted on a wall.

From here, a boardwalk reaches out across the mud offering passage across its wetness and passing by a large hoarding advertising MUD.

The exhibition itself can be reached more-or-less directly from the Landing Point by stepping immediately off the boardwalk at the foot of the steps leading down to it from the hut and then stepping through the nearby teleport portal as it stands between two rock pillars. Similar portals can be found elsewhere within the setting, and form a common part of the region, whatever face it may wear.

Other elements common to the region I’ll mention up-front are the horses which tend to be a mainstay of Nomore’s ground level designs – although here they have been given a look more in keeping with the theme of The Swamp -, and also the fact that the region does include Nomore’s private home sitting in the north-east corner of the region diagonally opposite the Landing Point.

As the house does have some of the public shacks and cabins sitting close by, do please be alert for it when moving north and east through the region so as to avoid accidental trespass.

Further along the boardwalk leading away from the Landing Point, and sitting at the end of an arm that branches off of it, is a small motorboat which can be used to putter across the water if desired – when sat in and used, another will rez automatically at the boardwalk to replace it. Note that the boat will de-rez on standing. It’s a nice touch, but not vital to explorations.

In following this initial boardwalk, it is hard not to spot the muddy hill rising opposite to the MUD hoarding, complete with the head of a poor horse sticking out of it. Whilst a rotating sign above the horse might offering the bleak announcement No-one can help you, clicking on the horse’s head will present you with the opportunity to at least try to offer assistance.

There are several other boardwalks to be found throughout the region. A couple indirectly link to the one leading away from the Landing Point via a passage over rocks or by stepping off of it as it reaches and arching bridge and then joining another, and thus offer routes of exploration of their own.

Others may start out from the various cabins and shacks in the setting only to peter out and leave visitor slogging over the mud in the direction of the darker shapes looming in the mist and rain.

The shacks and huts contain a strange mixture of elements. A pair of cabins, for example, are home to what appears to be a taxidermist’s business. Another contains what might be taken as a touch of of Damien Hirst: a pig sliced into sections and preserved on display, complete with the somewhat dire warning of This is What Will Remain hanging above it and with an even more surprising scene in the room next door.

Elsewhere are indoor displays of stranger things awaiting visitors, and little vignettes which might appear out-of-place or which suggest stories of their own – own both. Also awaiting discovery are pieces of art which float in the muddy waters or lie within blocky caves to the west of the region. These again reference MUD, as does the slideshow projector lying along one of the boardwalks.

The entire effect – the sounds of crocodiles in the mists, the boardwalks and wet trails winding between tangles of aged (and dying?) trees and shrubs, the tall mangroves and the way in which the building and other elements rise out of the murk – is extremely atmospheric.

This is a place mixing artistic expression which can, when combined with MUD, speak very personally to us and, perhaps, stir our own creativity through the narratives its vignettes might suggest. It is also a place that is rich in mystery and curiosity so as to make exploration engaging and worthwhile. Throughout all of it might be found places to sit and observe – some out in the open, others more hidden away; some perhaps strangely juxtaposed (the piano and the oil donkey).

There are also, perhaps sentiments on the modern age to be found here; commentary on the nature of art in an age where “creativity” is increasingly about typing prompts into a box rather than actually learning creative techniques – perhaps even a degree of political commentary within some of the elements to be found here (the broken Statue of Liberty and the sign hovering between two parts of it together with the pinball machine).

But I’ll leave that for you to decide when you step into The Swamp to see what might be found.

SLurl Details

Fading Shadows is rated Moderate

• The Swamp
• MUD

The Ancient Order of Centaurs is primarily a community.  Part of what we do includes roleplay but as a community we do much more. Parties, classes, field trips, brunches, bard circle, jousting, quests, Fantasy Faire, and more. You do not need to be a centaur to join our community – we welcome all creatures (even hoomans) to our fantasy-themed regions. If you would like to take part in the roleplay aspects there are some species limitations with a demi-human focus.

– From the Ancient Order of Centaurs web pages

Covering four region (with to further attached regions which are somewhat interlinked although separate), the Ancient Order of Centaurs is a four-region estate and a richly immersive environment I’ve visited a number of times but have not previously written about.

The estate is held by Julala Fairelander who is, along with Lil Cinnamon, largely responsible for the landscaping through the four Full private regions. These are centred on Centauria, which utilises the Land Capacity bonus available from Linden Lab for Full regions and forms the public hand social heart of the estate.

Adjoining this are the three regions of the Sea of Beckoning which is – among other things – home of the Centauria Community Gallery; Mount Pelion, which includes a large fantasy commercial district and Thessaly, which is largely residential in content.

All of the regions are open to the public, with three of them representing the great houses of the Ancient Order. However, given that there are private residences (all of which are marked as such) care should be taken when exploring either on foot or via the Teagle horses which are available at various points, so as to avoid accidental trespass.

As the description above notes people are free to visit in a variety of forms – even “hooman” 🙂 – and one of the many charms of the estate is the Petite Village. Again, this comprises private residences, but visitors can walk through it and it makes an engaging visit.

Julala has a long association with Fantasy Faire, and there are aspects of the estate which are mindful of this – wandering the commercial areas of the Sea of Beckoning I came across some of Kayle Matzerath’s (Kayle Fairelander) Lumenaria buildings, which immediately brought back memories of Fantasy Faire 2013 (and, if I’m honest, Meauxle Bureaux as well, which I recently revisited and still have a further blog post waiting in the wings).

A further aspect of Fantasy Faire can be found in one of the two adjoining regions – Lavendell Quest, sitting to the north. This is the seat of the 2025 Fantasy Faire quest. Brought at auction by an unnamed benefactor in order to preserve the quest, it now exists alongside the AOC estate under Julala’s Herb and Fable brand, and is open to anyone wishing to participate (registration with Herb and Fable required), as one of two quests currently available. The second adjoining region is also called Herb and Fable, and is designed as a training ground and welcome area for new users to Herb and Fable and SL.

From the main Centauria Landing Point there are four named routes of exploration, together with information boards – including one which allows visitors to experience being a Centaur or riding an Animesh Centaur. Just touch the signs and follow the instructions.

Which of the routes from the Landing Point you opt to follow is entirely up to you. I particularly enjoyed the climbs up, around and through the towering bulk of Glenstorm.

This is a network of paths, climbs, tunnels, caverns and ancient chambers, including a neat use of the Fanatik Crypt Chamber add-on – something I’ve often debated playing with but have yet done so. Here it contains several rooms of mixed use, from weapons store to an impressive wine cellar.

However, wherever you wander along the paths and trails of the estate, you’ll come across points of interest, opportunities for photography and little spots to sit and pass the time.

As the estate’s various descriptions note, role-play is a part of the AOC community, but not central to it; however, should you come across any on-going play during a causal visit, do try to avoid accidentally breaking the flow. Role play information can be found on the AOC web pages, including backstories and pointers on developing a character. The estate also hosts various events – information on these is provided at the main Landing Point.

Rentals within the estate are provided through Julala’s Jinx brand (which also manages the AOC web pages as a part of the Jinx website). Rentals are split between “community” (pre-themed) and “Outlander” (“blank” parcels), together with commercial opportunities as well Details on differences, availability, covenant, etc., are available through the website.

The mix of residential parcel styles – themed and “blank” – is a nice touch, offering a good degree of flexibility. However, I will admit to being a little surprised during my wanderings in spotting what appeared to be a giant inflatable octopus in the water off of one parcel and a submarine moored at another!

If you visit and get bitten by the Centaur bug (if I might use the expression!) then the Jinx store within Centauria can help get you started.

I enjoyed spending a solid morning wandering AOC and re-acquainting myself with the regions and taking photos. My apologies to Julala for taking so wrong to write about AOC!

Slurl Details

• Centauria – Home of the Ancient Order of Centaurs (rated: Moderate)

The Destination Guide recently gave me cause to drop into a four-region estate operated by Clare (Clare Loring) and Dean (Dean Xochitl), forming a unified and engaging visit which simply put, is an absolute delight.

The primary region within the group is Emerhaus, a Full private island region utilising the Land Capacity bonus offered by Linden Lab. Its description alone offers a warm invitation for people to drop in:

Step inside and leave the rush of everyday life behind. A place to listen to live music, meet friends, explore, or simply find a quiet corner and stay awhile, or take photos.

– Emberhaus Destination Guide / About Land description

Emberhaus sits at the southern end of the estate, and is neighboured to the west by Thimblewick and to the north by Oakmere and Teapot, to which it is joined by an old and long disused railway line.

Thimblewick is also a Full region and home to the small town of San Virello, which also appears to be open to the public. However, as I didn’t come across a means of crossing one to the other during my visit (or at least not one I spotted!), I’ll leave that for possible future visit.

A Landing Point is set for Emberhaus, delivering visitors to a point no far from the middle of the region, located on a large wood deck. This sits before a grand row of what might have once been warehouses and one point, but which have been combined and converted into an engaging hangout space, complete with a miniature underfloor garden with little childhood remembrances scattered through it.

Where you go from here is entirely up to you; there is much to discover throughout the region, from the store and park office just across the deck from the warehouse-hangout, to the waterfront facing San Virello to the old track pointing north to Oakmere and Teapot.

This is a setting offering a balance between rugged woodland, water, and human habitation. The waterfront area on the west side of the region is marked by the local pub and a large terrace open-air event space with the old railway lining running beside both.

Directly on the waterfront and facing Thimblewick are a series of nautical businesses – although I rather think the local boatwright might have an interesting time when it comes time to launch the boat he has up on the stocks!

The southern half of the region sits as a group of islands; a large body of water crossed by bridges and connected to the open waters at their eastern end by reedy wetlands, separates them from the rest of the region.

This area is notable for the roughly rectangular island sitting within the channel separating it from the rest of Emberhaus, and for being the home of a local café and a large greenhouse through which the landscape flows, the glass roof perhaps offering shelter from rainy weather for the deer within. The smallest island has the remnants of a garden sitting on its back, perhaps best seen by the pier extending out from the café’s island.

Within all of this there is a lot to explore and discover, including places to hang out and wildlife to see, so to be sure to take your time wandering.

Taking the route north along the old rail lines will bring you first to Oakmere, and herein comes a word of warning: there are three residential units to be found along this ribbon island as it connects to Teapot, so whilst it is open to visitors to wander, do be aware of them and try to avoid trespassing!

Sitting furthest to the northern, Teapot has its own Landing Point sitting on a little bridge, together with its own Destination Guide entry and description.

Teapot is a welcoming community cantered on creativity, conversation, and acceptance. Explore peaceful gardens, discover scenic spots for photography, relax with tea at the café, and enjoy live music and art in a friendly atmosphere.

– Teapot Destination Guide / About Land description

This is a rugged little island which is ideal for getting away from everything and just relaxing. Scattered across it are multiple hideaways and decks for hanging out – including the one that gives the island its name!

When approaching via the rail lines, the island is reached via a covered bridge with a tunnel facing it. Whether you head through the tunnel into the heart of the island or swing to the right and around the coast to head inland is entirely up to you.

As with Emberhaus, there are good opportunities for photography to be found across Teapot. There’s even a touch of Halloween to be found here as well, although me being me, I preferred some of the other places to sit and watch the world go by 🙂 .

There are one or two rough edges in the landscaping, but this is down to the fact Dean and Clare have been making one or two alterations, so will likely be be cleared up. I gather a horse riding rezzer should be making a return to the setting in the near future, and a kayak rezzer is due to get positioned – maybe for paddling to Thimblewick? I also understand from Dean that the estate could be seeing a further region added, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for that as well!

All three regions  – Emberhaus, Oakmere and Teapot – share the same overall environment (I assume this is true for Thimblewick / San Virello, but as noted that will be for a possible future visit). This gives a nice sense of natural continuity between the three; no suddenly roiling skies and galloping Sun as the environments transitions 🙂 .

An engaging visit to a engaging setting and well worth the time taken to explore.

Slurl Details

• Emerhaus (rated Moderate)
• Teapot (rated Moderate)