In looking at places in Second Life to visit, I was surprised to note that it’s been just over four years since my first (and until this point, only) visit to Kat Luna’s (KatieLuna – or KitKat as she was then known) setting of Seaclaid. Back then, it was a place offering a welcome to all creatures of fantasy: fae folk, dragons, lycans, vampires, etc., as well as ordinary mortals (see: Seaclaid’s fantasy setting in Second Life). However, I lost track of it shortly thereafter. Whether this was because the setting simply vanished from Second Life (as is oft the way of things), or simply because of my own tardiness (in which case, an apology to Katie), I know not.
Fortunately, I recently discovered that Katie is now offered a setting dressed for the winter season in the form of Elphyne: Winter’s Breath. Located within a Full region she has called Seaclaid, and which makes use of the additional Land Capacity bonus available to such privately-held regions, it is a wonderfully seasonal setting mixing touches of whimsy, fun and art into its overall design and offer activities for visitors to enjoy.
Glide across glistening skating ponds, feel the thrill of horseback rides through frosted trails, and join the laughter at cosy sledding stations. Twinkling lights and festive delights surround you, creating memories as unique as falling snowflakes. Embrace the enchantment—come play and explore.
– from Elphyne: Winter’s Breath’s Destination Guide entry
The whimsy is on display the moment visitors arrive, the Landing Point being located right next to the finish line for a most unusual race; one which also appears to have just arrived within the region, the participants emerging from a nearby tunnel in a sudden burst of pushing (and in one case, slithering, assuming the the mice and their form of transport are also part of the race) dash to cross the line, as adult mice push their little ones in sleighs, cheered on by appreciative spectators.
This end of the race stands at the junction of cobbled roads which offer a means of exploring the region, be it on foot or on horseback – a rezzer nearby will assist you with the latter. In fact the junction hides the fact that all the roads are essentially all branches of the same route, diving here, coming back together there, and so on; a route that both circumnavigates most of the setting and also offers a branch cutting through it, those providing a practical route of exploration.
Follow it as it points to the west and you’ll quickly pass by the upper end of a chairlift rising from the lower lands to the north, they pass between the well-spread trees of a wood and a cosy arbour-style cabin watched over by a little group of patchwork critters. After this, the road tuns north and reaches a bridge where Santa may have had a mishap: a red bag of presents and goodies lies in the road.
Perhaps Rudolf misjudged the climb out from the little town below and failed to gain sufficient altitude to clear the bridge railings, and the resultant bump knocked the sack free of the sleigh; or maybe the sack wasn’t properly secured to start with, and fell to the ground without Santa noticing. Either way, the misfortune that brought it to ground, quite literally, has turned into good fortune for a trio of seasonally-hatted squirrels as they abscond with some of the sack’s contents…
Beyond the bridge, the road sweeps around a shoulder of the hills to descend to the lower aspects over the setting, doubling back on itself and then turning eastwards once more. Here, it passes between a town square set out for a seasonal carnival and the local train station, the bridge just crossed carrying the road over the tracks that run alongside the station’s little platform.
A little further on, the rod hits another junction, splitting itself. Turn right, and you’ll be able to follow it and it winds back up to the Landing Point, passing by way of another junction as it does so. Turn left, and the road will take you north once more before making yet another sweeping turn southwards, climbing once more as it does so and passing a grand (private) house and passing back over the railway line via another bridge and then making its way back to the Landing Point as well.
Within all this there is much to see: the little touches of whimsical fun with the setting’s furry denizens, the opportunity to ride the Ferris wheel at the carnival or take the chair lift up from the town and then grab a sled from the rezzer at the upper station and ride it back down the slope (and you can obviously opt to take the slope more sedately, rights the chairlift down).
Then there is the frozen lake for skating, complete with a warm lodge alongside it for relaxing before the warming fire, hot spring to bathe in, dancing to be had within the town square pavilion and the local pub where something might be had to warm the insides! Meanwhile, the art I mention can be found both within a small gallery just across the bridge from where the squirrels are making off with their loot, and also among the trees of the setting for those who go a-wandering off the roads.
With Santa crooning in the town, deer, rabbits and bear o be found in the woods and places to sit and pass the time both indoors and out, Elphyne: Winter’s Breath makes for an engaging winter-time visit.
SLurl Details
- Elphyne: Winter’s Breath (Seaclaid, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 