Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld

In August 2025, I visited Goddess Temple, a quarter full region design by Sharon Edwyn. Dedicated to the Sacred Feminine and with a particular focus  – although not exclusively so – on the goddess Hecate (HEK-ə-tee). I found it a genuinely magical setting, mixing elements of physical world mythology with a sense of mystery and mysticism.

More recently, Goddess temple has relocated and expanded and in mid-August 2026, Sharon re-opened it to the public, and I was curious to see the new design.

Still occupying a Full private region utilising the Land Capacity bonus available to such regions, Goddess Temple now occupies almost an entire half of the region. More importantly, it has both maintained and extended its sheer beauty whilst deepening its atmosphere of reverence and air of mysticism.

The Goddess Temple was created as a place to honour the Sacred Feminine and to celebrate the Goddess in all her different aspects, forms, and expressions. There are two main temples within the sanctuary, dedicated to Hecate and Aphrodite, but throughout the Goddess Temple you will also find statues, symbols, and other elements representing many different goddesses from the ancient world. Each one reflects a different aspect of the Sacred Feminine and the archetypes connected to it.

– Sharon Edwyn on Goddess Temple, describing Goddess Temple

The setting retains much that will be familiar to those who visited the previous iteration of Goddess Temple, expanding on the overall design and on the motifs neatly folded into it as well. The result is that for those of us returning to the location, there is both a sense of the initial familiarity as might be felt in making a returning pilgrimage and of experiencing something new.

This is particularly true of the Landing Point with its paths, canopy of forest-lie trees and hints of ancient structures. The crossing of paths here, together with the information board, will immediately be familiar to those returning for the first time since the move, but a quick camming around will reveal elements of the new – perhaps most noticeably the much extended path running to the east.

This is a setting split by a long, broad channel of water also pushing its way eastwards. Fed by high falls and dropping over much smaller ones as it seeks the open waters east of the region, the channel at first appears to be and intentional physical barrier to travelling further south into the setting. However, appearances tend to be deceptive.

Certainly, the views south over the water from various points along the paths are tantalising. Across the water and marvellously cut into the high cliffs and rock formations inland are signs of life: vine hung balconies push through the foliage and archways allow glimpses of corridors and rooms from under overhangs and more vines and branches, with some curtained by waterfalls. But how to reach them without getting wet? Even if one to wade across, there are no obvious steps up into any of the visible rooms or hallways.

The answer to that question lies along the east-pointing path and beyond the pavilion it passes, shaded by the forest’s trees. Find the route and it will open the way to Aphrodite’s temple and also to where a gondola sits quietly moored alongside ancient ruins. Accept the Experience on sitting in the boat for the first time, and you will have your means to cross the water smoothly.

In this, your destination is obvious: across the water sits another gondola with room to moor alongside it. It floats beneath the tall figures of carved dogs – the companions of Hecate. Between them and the cauldrons illuminating them, lies the shadowed entrance to her temple.

This temple is utterly magnificent in nature and contains elements related to Hecate’s legend. A tall figure of the goddess stands at the back of the temple against a blue sky, facing the circular pool of water which takes up the main floor of the temple. The sky and water remind us of Hecate’s connections to both, whilst the torches she holds aloft speak to her role as protector and guide. Spaces opening off of either side of the temple form libraries, reflecting her roles as a goddess of wisdom and (perhaps) a practitioner of magic.

One of these libraries offers the entrance to a large complex of rooms and hallways – some of them being those so tantalisingly visible from the far side of the water channel. Most are open to the public. However, I’m not going to describe them here, as they all deserve to be witnessed first-hand. All I will say is that the stairway located mid-way through them leads up to a private residence – so please, no trespassing there!

As well has Hecate, Goddess Temple continues to encompass other goddesses of legend. Here again, the presence of water perhaps plays an important role. Persephone, for example, has a statue out on the water channel. Like Hecate, she is linked to the Underworld, so it is not great leap of the imagination to see the water flowing through Goddess Temple as a metaphor for the Styx, separating as it does the aboveground gardens to the north from the “underworld” of the temple and its associated rooms and corridors to the south.

Aphrodite is also celebrated here, her temple rising from the eastern waters of the setting whilst she also – in the form of Venus – watches over the bathing pool within the underground complex; the pairing of temple and statue with water again neatly referencing her connection to the sea and seafaring.

I could ramble on in this respect, but I’ll save you the pain of my burbling! Suffice it to say, when visiting, be sure to keep an eye out for the signs sitting close to some of the statues, as these will provide additional information for those interested in the various goddess and deities celebrated here.

What I will say is that the new iteration of Goddess Temple builds on the last, presenting a deeply captivating, immersive and beautiful setting, rich in detail. It carries with it a genuine mix of myths and architecture which, whilst based on western histories, also touches on eastern roots as well (e.g. Hindu Shakti) through the modern referencing of Sacred Feminine.

As Sharon notes, Goddess Temple should not be seen as an attempt to manifest any form of historically accurate representation of ancient temples or historic sites. Rather, it is a place in which to find peace; to rest the mind and spirit, and celebrate the natural. For this, the setting offers multiple places in which to relax on both sides of the waters splitting it – but I’ll leave you to discover them in your own explorations!

Slurl Details

• Goddess Temple (Moonlight Dreams, rated Adult)

I try very hard not to let my ego lead me in things (honest! – In fact I try to make sure it remains trapped in the bottom drawer of a locked filing cabinet with a sign on front saying “beware of the leopard – so to speak” 🙂 ).

However, when I learned that I’ve recently been on the mind of a kitsune guardian of a mainland shine, I have to admit I was more than a little curious, so I had to bounce in-world and discover more.

The Kitsune in question – Tamamo – watches over the Imari Okami Jinja shrine. Sitting high on the side of a southern Corsica mountain in-world, the shrine forms part of the Excellens Prefecture, developed and overseen by Deefer Doge and Petros Aabye.

Roughly half a Full region in size, the Prefecture draws inspiration from the Yamadera temple and surrounds in Japan, but folds so much into itself as to be entirely unique. It extends from the small coastal Slendai Harbour up through the Yamadera hills and on up the mountain to reach Inari Okami Jinja. Along the way, the lands present the most engaging of Mainland visits.

However, it’s not a simple case of following the path upwards as if on a pilgrimage: there is a lot to see and appreciate along the way as one explores, complete with paths to outer farmlands and looping trails with features of their own to discover.

This build started as a harbour, my place to sail from plus I wanted a garden, so the onsen was developed. I love building on Mainland, with all its constraints of terrain, I would like to see more of our wonderful SL world nurtured. I also like to explore and with that in mind I always keep my land open to public to use & explore, I do live here but I think I can share 🙂 .

– Deefer Doge on Inari Okami Jinja – Yamadera & Slendai Harbour

Given the size of the Prefecture, there are several points of entry, but the SLurl I’m using here is for Slendai Harbour down on the coast. To help in finding your way around, there is an information board at the harbour (and which is twinned elsewhere in the setting) which will give a map HUD and notecard to arriving visitors (just click the board if these don’t arrive), and the map outlines the major paths and trails.

There is also an Experience-based teleport system available – look for the kuguri rings which have been strategically located around the various locations within the Prefecture. Simply step through one (and accept the Experience the very first time you do so) to be teleported. However I strongly recommend exploring on foot.

The onsen Deefer mentions in her comment above sits just beyond the gates from the harbour to the main trail. Bathing is permitted, and to help keep things personal, it – like a number of places within the Prefecture – resides within its own parcel with Privacy enable.

The onsen also forms part of a looping trail around the back of the harbour -just follow the path over the red bridge spanning the channels feeding water into it – with the route up into the hill resuming via the torii gate alongside of the bridge.

I’m not going to go blow-by blow through everything to see along the way as that will spoil things. However, here are some things to look out for / make note of on your initial climb:

• Slendai Harbour is open to the South Corsica waterway, and so can be reached by boat & has open rezzing should you wish to visit by boat and that sail away after (do mind the wreck partially submerged in the harbour tho!). A jet ski rezzer is also available
• Don’t miss the eastward path just after the first two Torii gates climbing the hill from the onsen. It has a garden surprise tucked away along it and offers a path to the farmlands.
• The Yamadera Shukubo Lodge overlooks the path up, sitting just above misty low-level cloud. Deefer’s former home, it is also open to the public.
• The Admin centre is where Goshuin stamp collectors can collect their stamp – Deefer puts out a new one each month. It’s an area watched over by Miyone (do be sure to chat with her!). There’s also a lookout point to be found here and another route out to the farmlands and rice fields.

However, do be sure to keep an eye out for a small gate just to the left of the Sanman Gatehouse (itself alongside the lodge). Going through this smaller gate will lead you to the Tea House. Tucked away below the Admin centre, it is a lovely haven for peace and quiet – even meditation, given the way the outdoor seating is arranged.

This is actually one of my favourite parts of the setting, and potentially easily overlooked if the main path is followed without paying attention. If travelling with a friend or three, you can also enjoy a board game under the roof the Tea House.

But it is the Imari Okami Jinja shrine, which sits as the ultimate destination. Home to Tamamo, mentioned at the top of this article, it provides a view back down over the Prefecture to the harbour to one side and out over the gardens and trees to the rice fields on the other.

The red torii gates marching up the escarpment to the shrine offer their own guardianship against unwanted spirits making the climb (and a little rest area offers water to thirsty pilgrims as it faces one of the many small shrines to be found throughout the lands here).

Do be sure to respond to Tamamo when she greets you; she is very conversational and can tell you more about the shrine, the Imari, and the prefecture in general. She is both knowledgeable and at times very poetic.

This place is called Inari Okami Jinja. A shrine to Inari – the great kami of foxes, rice, fertility, prosperity, and… well, many things. Inari is generous that way, refusing to be pinned down to just one domain. I watch over it and keep the energy clean. Chase away things that should not linger near sacred ground. Sometimes I guide visitors.

– Tamamo, in conversation with me about Imari Okami Jinja.

The beauty of this setting cannot be overstated, nor can the sense of peace and age; there is so much more to be seen than I have allowed here (see if you find your way to the stone hand and the photo opportunities there). The sense of age is communicated by the mix of torii gates, the way paths and steps branch but then go nowhere, as if overgrown and their purpose forgotten.

From Slendai Harbour through Yamadera to Inari Okami Jinja, this is a perfect part of the Mainland to visit; rich in detail and utterly idea for viewing under a wide range of environment settings as well as its own default. And, needless to say, it is thoroughly photogenic throughout.

My thanks to Deefer for the opportunity to visit and for spending time with me when I did – and again to Tamano for her kind words and our conversations 🙂 .

Slurl Details

• Slendai Harbour (Excellens, rated Moderate)