Snowdrops in Second Life

November is here, and with it comes  – for those in the northern hemisphere – thoughts of snow a and winter scenes.  And, inevitably in Second Life, regions start to reflect those thoughts.

Kess Crystal has jumped into the mood, offering SL residents a chance to hear sleigh bells ringing whilst walking through a winter wonderland with Snowdrops, a seasonal Homestead that offers all the feel of winter without overly going down the rabbit hole of becoming heavily Christmas themed.

There are some familiar elements to the region that tend to make their presence felt at this time of year – the DRD Polar Express, a skating rink, ski lifts and little Christmas tree shop, for example, but while these tend to pop-up a lot across public regions, there is no denying they fit the theme perfectly.

Surrounded by hills, this is a mostly low-lying, rural setting,  much of the land with the home of trees. To the west the land rises to a snowy slope leading to a table of high rock split by a watery inlet. To the east is the railway line and the DRD train mentioned above, which has pulled into the local station that forms the landing point.

From the station, snow-covered roads loop around the region, marked by boulders on either curb. Frequently branching, these offer the ideal way to explore what is available, leading as they do under the shade of the trees to the little Christmas tree shop, the skating rink, and the many places to sit / pose.

To the south-west, a path climbs up to the top of the rocky plateau and the house that is waiting up there. This does offer various hints of Christmas from the holly garlands hanging across windows, through the decorated trees with presents below,  and the stockings hanging from the mantelpiece, to the seasonal meal on the table.

Northwards, across the natural rock arch that spans the inlet splitting the rock, can be found a Scandinavian style pavilion with an open fire to help warm visitors up. This faces a snowy slope offering sleds and snowboards as a means to get back down to the lowlands and have a little fun along the way. The north west end of this ridge is home to a chair lift that people can also use to ride up from below – but be warned, the ride really is a case of, “Ahead warp six, Mr. Sulu”!

Given Kess is herself a photographer, the region has multiple opportunities for avatar photography – many of the items to be found within it offer poses, while for those who wish to use there own, joining the local group will provide rezzing right – just please pick things up behind you.

Easy on the eye and to explore, Snowdrops makes for a pleasing visit – our thanks to Shawn Shakespeare for the landmark!

SLurl Details

• Snowdrops (Cottage Grove, rated Moderate)