Category: Exploring Second Life

Halloween is rolling around for 2023, and once more we’re starting to see region designs marking the time of year pop-up, whether along “traditional” Halloween settings with pumpkins and a light touch of ghostliness and spookiness, or with a deep footing in horror and / or bloodthirsty goings-on. As such, it is often hard to choose particular regions and locations to cover; after all, when you’ve seen one pumpkin patch, you’ve seen them all, regardless of whether or not they feature a small boy with a blanket steadfastly awaiting the gift-giving arrival of a mythical creature. However, there are exceptions.

For example, the annual Halloween regions delivered to the grid by Ty and Truck and the team at Calas Galadhon (of which I’ll have more in the near future) or – for this article, the realm of Witherwood Thicket, the latest Frogmore instalment from the imaginations of Frogmore owner Tolla Crisp and her companion-in-building, Dandy Warhlol (terry Fotherington).

A Gothic Tale told in shades and shadows upon an English Moor, inspired by works of Edgar Allen Poe.

– Witherwood Thicket About Land description

The above description does much to sum this setting up, providing sufficient information to inform visitors they are about to enter a world edged in mystery-horror; one with a slant towards the English moorlands (take your pick, we have a fair number which are all known for their outstanding beauty and wilderness feel, starting far down in the West Country and then scattered all across England (as well as Scotland and Wales also having their shares of equally enchanting moorlands). However, it also leaves more than enough unsaid to practically demand a visit.

Whilst it is an American master of the of the macabre mentioned within the region’s About Land description, the broad strokes of some parts of Witherwood Thicket might bring to mind images of mist-filled nights deep within the mires of Dartmoor, and the tall, slender form of Basil Rathbone’s Sherlock Holmes leading Nigel Bruce’s Dr. John Watson as they attempt to track a certain demonic hound. At the same time a certain part of the setting might have some imaginations edging towards thoughts of Tolkien, whilst throughout are elements of horror, the occult and monsters which might well give H.P. Lovecraft a reason to smile.

Which is not to say the region is in any way mishmash; far from it. Everything here has been well placed, with multiple buildings dressed to encourage visitors to step inside, with the passage around the region nicely set to present something of a visual narrative – although precisely what the story within it might be is left up to our imaginations.

Journeys through Witherwood Thicket commence at the landing point, well to the south and west of the region, where sits a fortified gatehouse, now roofless and all but deserted. It sits on a narrow spit of land with water on three sides, but it is not hard to picture the route through its twin arches having once provided access to wooden wharves where vessels might have at one time sailed for and to, laden with goods both coming and going. Or if not docks, then perhaps the mind might picture the tongue of land straddled by the gateway marching onwards a distance before the opening out once more beyond the region’s edge, the waters to either side allowing the stone walls of the gatehouse and the great gates which doubtless once stood under its arches form a natural defensive point.

Beyond this ancient structure, the land rolls inwards to a second arched gateway flanked by defensive towers, the path between the two bordered by the skeletal ranks of trees either side and they stand-in for any curtain walls which may have – if the imagination runs that way – between gatehouse and gateway. Once through the third arch, the path become further hemmed in on either side by a tall crop of something or other watched over by a scarecrow as spooky as the watcher standing guard over the path running from the gatehouse.

Once past the crop and its guardian, the setting becomes more moor-like (so to speak), the path turning into an unpaved road curving through a small village. Here, lights spill out from shaded windows and / or doors stand open, inviting people in. Yes there are hounds here that may not appear entirely friendly (but are hardly demonic, to return to my earlier reference!), but the houses deserve time to look inside, as each presents its own sense of mystery and / or the occult. As the road passes between them, so it reveals the looming form of a castle perched up on a hill and watching over affairs. Perhaps the old gatehouse once formed a part of its defences – or perhaps not.

The village, riven in two by the passage of a deep gully with choked waters at its bottom and best crossed by the sturdy bridges, is actually more extensive than might first appear to be the case. There is, for example, the moulding manor house to be found at the end of another rocky promontory pointing a crooked finger out to sea and, across a small bay from it and directly below the village, the crouching form of an old cabin which might look quite at home deep with America’s bayou country, giving a further little twist to the setting. There’s also the village church and graveyard and, acting like a magnetic, the castle sitting high on its rocky perch.

The castle is best reached by passing through the village and following the road as it becomes more of a trail heading back eastwards and then south to where a lighthouse rises out of the mist in impressive fashion to vie with the castle in terms of providing the highest view out over the landscape. It is here as well that the touch of Tolkien enters the imagination. Climbing the rocky incline leading up to the castle, it is hard not to look back at the lighthouse and expect to see a fiery eye staring unblinking out over the landscape as Sauron’s was said to have done from the highest point of Barad-dûr.

As for the castle, this offers its own sense of mystery. While the halls and rooms within its walls and towers are empty, its courtyard is set for some form of event – although what this might be is again left to the imagination. Then there is the second great house, no more than a stone’s throw from the lighthouse and sitting ablaze at the water’s edge, a burning ship close by. They both beg for visitors create a tale for why they are burning, be it the result of the demon on the terrace leading to the house or something else.

Rich in detail – much of it intentionally not covered here – and presented with a fitting environment setting and a soundscape heavy with the cry of crows (possibly standing-in for ravens, given the Poe reference 🙂 ), Witherwood Thicket is a place you’ve want to spend a decent amount of time exploring and which (it really goes without saying) is highly photogenic.

SLurl Details

• Witherwood Thicket (Caracus Island, rated Moderate)

Angel (BabyCatHead) IM’d me recently to suggest I visit Otter Lake, Sharon Hinterland’s ever-evolving setting in Second Life. As it’s getting on for a year since my last visit, I thought I should take her suggestion and drop in once more. Originally a Homestead region and Sharon’s home in SL – and a place I first visited back in 2019 after Sharon opted to make it a public destination (and to which I’ve returned on a number of occasions since) – the location has since moved on to a Full private region product, with Sharon continuing to re-develop it on a regular basis and offer new sights and touches.

With this iteration in particular, she has created two distinct but connected / related settings, the first at ground level and the second on a region-wide skybox level, 1250 metres overhead. They are distinct, because whereas the ground level setting retains the general rural vibe of the last iteration of the region I wrote about, the sky platform presents an entirely urban setting. However, linked as they are by a collision teleport disguised as a road tunnel, there is a suggestion that the urban setting lies on the limits of a larger conurbation, a place of mixed age and use, whilst the ground-level setting is the countryside just a short drive away from the town / city.

While retaining the rural vibe from the previous build, this Otter Lake ground level build is by no means just a continuance of the prior design – it very much has its own look and feel; one that to me, making a first return since the last time I covered it in November 2022, gave the suggestion that rather than being completely removed from that prior design, I’ve perhaps moved a modest number of kilometres along the same stretch of coastline to find myself in the current setting.

This is a place sitting within what appears to be a broad bay, a single tongue of land connecting it to the surrounding hills and providing a point of emergence for the tunnel which appears to dive under them to provide passage between coast and town. A paved road runs around the periphery of the landscape, linking the landing point to the north with the tunnel mouth to the south. Two wooden drawbridges help the road cross the channel of water separating the spit of land on which the landing point sits with the bulk of the landscape, so it doesn’t matter which direction you opt to take at the start of any wandering around the setting.

That spit of land, a long ribbon running west-to-east along the length of the region, with a lighthouse and small beach at one end and an aging gas station and garage at the other. Along the way the road between these two extremes passes a camp site, the landing point, cabins (some in better condition than others!) and a little café.

Across the water and particularly visible from one of the bridges is a building of mixed ancient / modern design which immediately caught my eye – Marcthur Goosson’s NO Cottage Bizar. It’s a structure I fell in love with after first coming across it at the start of 2023 courtesy of Clifton Howlett (see: A Highland Retreat on Second Life), and which I went on to purchase and kitbash for my own purposes (as related in The NO Cottage Bizar in Second Life). Here it has been used as a rather interesting residence, one of a number across the landscapes – none of which are private residences, but are instead open to the public.

As well as the houses, there are other structures awaiting discovery, particular along the rutted track cutting across the landscape. This offers the chance to find the haunted chapel ruins – a nod to Halloween, perhaps. Also waiting to be found are ponds, a stream with its own falls, meandering paths and numerous places for sitting and cuddling all of which adds up to an attractive sitting rich in detail.

Step through the tunnel and you’ll arrive in the town. Unlike the undulations of the ground-level setting, this offers a single level location encompassing a run-down industrial area where the main factory has long been shut-down and deserted, except for a single warehouse which has taken on a new lease of life. Across the road, the old steel works is now a club-come-bar carrying the name The Forge, whilst the rest of the western side of the setting has a similar aged and careworn look and feel to it.

This transition as one moves eastwards, the roads passing though and between tired apartment blocks with businesses along their ground floors to reach an open park bordered on two sides by much neater and news apartments / townhouses. Some of the buildings along they are mere façades, while others are furnished and inviting explorers to step inside. Those who climb high enough through some of the building might find some rooftop retreats for those who might want to spend time tucked away.

Sharon always produces richly detailed environments ripe for wandering and photography, and this iteration of Otter Lake is no exception.

SLurl Details

• Otter Lake (My Otter Lake, rated Adult)

The SPARK Project is a public region building project by Raven Frostwych (RavenStarr) which periodically offers a new location for people to visit and appreciate. Currently, Spark is presenting Olympus, Raven’s take on the the the mountain from which the most famous 12 of the gods of ancient Greece were said to have their residence (hence their collective name “Olympians”).

Within that mythology, these gods were said to live on the highest summit on the mountain –  Mytikas Peak. However, for her build, Raven offers a setting much more imaginative, tying together other elements of mythology, some from the legends of ancient Greece and one which – whilst turned into something of an ancient creature commanded by Zeus meme courtesy of 2010’s Clash of the Tians – actually has very little to do with ancient Greece or the Olympians, but which nevertheless fits this setting.

Occupying a Full region leveraging the Private region land capacity bonus, Raven’s Olympus features the home of the gods as an archipelago of lush islands held aloft, some stacked one above the other, by four huge Titans. The race of immortals who preceded the Olympians who were overthrown by Zeus and his siblings – the 3rd and 4th generation immortals – after the decade-long war of  called “the Titanomachy“, the majority of the Titans were imprisoned in the abyss of Tartarus, far below Olympus and the world following their defeat.

Here, in holding aloft Olympus, Raven’s Titans are both figuratively held below the Olympians as if in permanent servitude, whilst also echoing the fate of Atlas in having to hold aloft the heavens, except here their fate is to forever hold up the abode of the gods who have usurped them. That said, Atlas might be also be found here as well.

The landing point is located on the uppermost of these semi-floating islands, alongside an amphitheatre and the Olympian temple. The latter forms a club where events are at times held, the amphitheatre providing a place where 11 of the 12 Olympians, together with some of the lesser deities and offspring of Hera and Zeus, might watch over the celebrations, with Zeus seated in his throne. Poseidon, the 12th Olympian, sits apart, rising from a pool of water between amphitheatre and club.

The landing point includes a teleport point listing the major destinations within Olympus. This works through a Second Life Experience, so be sure to join it when touching a destination on the teleport board for the first time. However, for the fullest appreciation of the build, I strongly recommend following the paths and stairs running throughout the build and connecting all of the points of interest – including touches of Greco-Roman mythology tucked away here and there.

Descending through the lush levels will also bring visitors closer to the four huge Titans, their stone faces revealing nothing of what they might be thinking about their situation, keeping the realm of their victors and keep it clear of the waters far below.

As calm as these water might appear, even with the falls dropping freely from the gardens of the gods, they actually hides a secret – although whether awakened by a cry from Liam Neeson per the aforementioned film or not is debatable, given the Kraken is rooted in Norse mythology than it has anything to do with Zeus and his pantheon. I’ll leave it to you to work out how to get down to him; all I’ll say is despite his reputation, he doesn’t seem that unpleasant.

There is an undeniable beauty to this design that reaches well beyond its mythological foundations. It’s clear that a considerable amount of thought has gone into the overall design. For those unfamiliar with how to best appreciate the location as it is designed to be seen, the landing point includes information boards on recommended viewer settings, whilst awaiting discovery are multiple places to sit and pass the time, together with pre-placed poses for those wishing to take pictures. All of the main locations have their own points of interest and attractions, but I have to confess to finding the Sanctuary of Dionysus particularly attractive; it is – for me – beautifully relaxing.

Cleverly conceived and perfectly executed, Olympus offer a pleasing mix of exploration, photography and historical mythology – the latter of which might encourage a desire to do a little reaches by those who enjoy the setting but might not be familiar with the mythology interwoven into it.  Highly recommended for a visit.

SLurl Details

• Olympus by Spark Project (Spark, rated Moderate)

Earlier in September I received an invitation from Teagan Lefevre to visit her latest region build at Tilheyra (see: An everglades autumn at Tilheyra in Second Life). At the time, I noted from her Profile that she and her SL partner Cayleigh Lefevre (Cayleigh Aurelia) also had a new (at least to me) location on Heterocera where they’d set-up another picturesque setting for people visit, with the attraction (again, at least for me, of being home to a coffee house).

Occupying a 5,520 square metre parcel to the south-west of the continent (itself home to a fair few of the cafes I’ve written about in these pages), Le’eaf Forest Retreat is – as is always the case with designs by Teagan and Cayleigh – picturesque, engaging and – as if it really needs saying – exceptionally atmospheric and decidedly photogenic.

Once a bustling train depot of adventurers, the Le’eaf Forest Retreat has been reclaimed by Mother Nature and of course caffeine. An umbrella waits for your arrival as you wander through the rain, seeking shelter and a warm beverage.

– Le’eaf Forest Retreat About Land

Sitting in the arms of the junction between Atoll Road and Mock Heather Road, Le’eaf Forest Retreat is marked to the south by a stream tumbling downslope from the mouth of an old tunnel and into the formal lines of a canal just before it is in turn swallowed by another tunnel. Just a little up from this, with what remains of the old railway line mentioned in the About Land description, most of it now gone and replaced by roughly hewn trail which may – or indeed, may not – mark where the tracks might have once lead.

Another natural trail climbs gently upwards from the canal, crossing the one which may have once carried the single line track as it paralleled the water, and then continues up to what remains of the depot building itself – the largest structure within the parcel. Bordered on one side by what remains of an old ticketing station and another spur of train track, the old depot now sits as a café boasting strong coffee for those seeking it and with plenty of seating to be had for patrons – including bench seats which look as if they might have originated as seating within cabins on a first-class rail carriage.

To one side of its length, the café connects to the old ticketing hall via an old ticket office-come-waiting-room, now clearly no longer used as such but which has a couple of Japanese automated ticket machines – most likely brought to the old depot to act as décor more than anything else. Above the ticket kiosk and on a small mezzanine level overlooking the rest of the café is a further seating area where a large wall mural and posters celebrate rail travel and the allure of visiting far-away places.

For those who don’t mind getting a little wet once they’ve purchased their refreshments – Le’eaf Forest Retreat sits within a rainstorm of near tropical rain forest proportions – what’s left of an old brick outbuilding has been converted into a cosy snug, complete with movie projector and a brazier alive with the flames of a warming fire.

All of this sits within a landscape which has been put together to suggest both the encroachment of nature on humanity’s endeavours and also a wild, but still managed garden with blooms of colour and little corner delights tucked away and awaiting discovery by those who can to brave the humid downpour to wander the short paths around the depot, perhaps meeting some of the local wildlife along the way.

Such is the design of Le’eaf Forest Retreat that it really doesn’t require much of a description here – it speaks for itself from the moment you arrive. And if you happen to be someone who has not previously visited designs by Teagan and Cayleigh, do be sure to accept the note card which is offered on arrival, as it has a lot of information on their other builds together with  their partnership with The Nature Collective and about live events they host.

All in all, a pleasant pace to spend time, the rain and mist giving Le’eaf Forest Retreat a sense of isolation and introversion which is as engaging as the physical aspects of the location.

SLurl Details

• Le’eaf Forest Retreat Itame, rated Moderate)

I’ve been back on my café-hopping again of late, with a recent stop being that of Triple Sweet Café, designed and operated by Nisha Nebula (StarfireNebula).

Located within a Homestead region and sitting on the largest of five islands located therein, the Triple Sweet Café would – but for the trees which form the island’s major occupiers – offer a commanding view out over the waters towards two of the other four islands. It would also provide a broke of the island’s foreshore, where a dock points out from the land, a place where rowing boats await those who fancy taking a trip out on the water. However, should you opt to do so, please note that with the exception of the little island closest to the café’s (and linked to it via a humpbacked bridge), the small islands are private residences, so please do not approach or explore without permission.

However, as noted above, the café is screened from the westward island by trees and they climb up the rugged hillside to its flat top, giving the café and its aged terrace and foreland a cosy sense of privacy and detachment; marking them as a place where people can come and forget worries and upsets and simply relax and let the time pass without care.

The converted cottage in which the Triple Sweet is located is the only building on the island. It offers a snug main room complete with a counter where coffee and pastries might be purchased and comfortable armchairs and sofas sit around an open fire – something likely to prove popular with visitors as the nights start to drawn in here in the northern hemisphere.

A second little snug space sits above, on a half-floor reached via a spiral stairway. Should the main room, with its armchairs and tables and chairs prove to be a little busy, a connecting hall offers the way to a glass-roofed side room. This also offers comfortable armchairs before a fireplace, together with counter seating. It’s a genuinely warm, friendly place, whilst the old terrace outside the front door has seating for those who enjoy coffee and sunshine.

The café shares the hilltop with a wooden deck presented as an event space; dances are available for the romantically-inclined, while tables to one side offer further places to sit and enjoy a drink and a nibble.

Nor is sitting in or close to the café the only options for visitors to the island. Follow the steps at the front of the café’s grounds to the lowland area, and it will not open lead to the small dock mentioned above, but also opens the way to most of the other places where people can sit and cuddle or chat and pass the time. One of these – the little campsite – has a path curving away to it to where a second set of steps descend the hill from the café to reach the stone bridge as it hops of the water to the little island I also referenced above.

Low-lying and circular in nature, the island is home to ruins of an equally circular form. What they may represent is up to the imagination, but with the surrounding trees and flow of vines over the stonework, it forms another place of romance for dancers, the fountain at its centre completing the attraction of this quiet location.

Like many places in Second Life, Triple Sweet Café is dressed for the Autumn / Fall, with many of the trees around the café heavy with leaves turning brown, gold and red, while some of the leaves having decided to make the jump for the ground, where the colours also reflect the time of year, even as racoons and squirrels roam. Also given the time of year, the trappings of Halloween have started to appear, both indoors and out.

Highly photogenic and finished with a fitting local soundscape, Triple Sweet Café makes for an inviting and engaging visit. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a coffee and a cinnamon roll with my name on them 🙂 .

SLurl Details

Triple Sweet Café (Hydra, rated Moderate)