Events – Page 127 – Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld

SL14B reminder: applications close May 8th, 2017

Posted on May 3, 2017March 16, 2020 by Inara Pey

As I’ve previously reported, participation applications are currently open for the SL14B Community Celebration to mark the 13th anniversary of Second Life entering it public beta. Celebrations this year will run from Sunday, June 19th through to Sunday, June 26th inclusive. But they won’t be for very much longer.

If you are planning to apply, but have not yet done so, please note that exhibitor and volunteer applications close on Wednesday, May 10th 2017; performer and auditorium applications close on Sunday, May 17th.

The theme for this year is Carnavalesque, with the organising team noting:

While much of the interest around virtual reality has shifted to singular experiences, largely fuelled by the pursuit of headset-focused content, we want to remind you of the joy of hundreds of people from all over coming together in one place in celebration, and form a carnivale-like atmosphere that you simply cannot achieve alone. Let’s challenge all the perceptions, break all the moulds, and show everyone that we know how to celebrate.

The lights are green if you still want to apply to be a part of SL14B. But they’ll be turning red on Monday, May 8th, when applications close. So if you are thinking of applying – don’t get caught by the deadline!

So, all exhibitors, performers, presenters and volunteers wishing to be a part of this year’s celebrations, don’t get caught by the red stop light of the applications deadline, follow the links below and get signed-up!

Exhibitors should then read the Exhibitor Policies and complete the Exhibitor Application form
Performers should then read the Performance Policies and complete the Performance Application form
Presenters should then read the Performance Policies and complete the Auditorium Application form
Volunteers should then read the Volunteer Code of Conduct and complete the Volunteer Application form

If you have already applied to be a part of SL14B, please give the organising team a little breathing space once applications close. Everyone is aware that people are really anxious to hear if their application has been accepted, but understand, it will take a little time – generally a week or so – to run through everything and send out all the acceptance notices.

I’m delighted to say I’ll be playing a small role in the run-up to the festivities, having been offered the opportunity this year to take the official “sneak peek” photographs which will be appearing on the SL14B website over the coming weeks. This has already given me the chance to have a look around some of the infrastructure builds which are coming together, and I can honestly say that there is some really creative thought going into things and the builds are already stunning to see. I’ll looking forward to offering little tasters through the official blog as the dates draw nearer.

And speaking of dates here’s another little reminder of how things should go:

Wednesday, May 24th – Friday May 26th: exhibitors informed via e-mail
Friday, May 26th: regions open to exhibitors for building (from 12:00 noon SLT)
Saturday, June 10th: all performers notified
Thursday, June 15th to Friday, June 16th: regions closed to exhibitors for walk-through
Friday, June 16th and Saturday, June 17th: regions open to exhibitors for adjustments
Saturday, June 17th: Press Day
Sunday, June 18th, noon SLT: Opening Day
Friday June 23rd: The Birthday
Friday, June 23rd – Sunday, June 25th: SL14B Music Fest with Linden Lab
Sunday, June 25th: last day of celebration performances and activities
Monday, June 26th to Sunday, July 2nd: regions open for viewing, no performances
Monday, July 3rd to Wednesday, July 5th: Breakdown
Thursday, July 6th: Sims go off-line.

Fantasy Faire: towards a westering Sun

Posted on May 2, 2017March 28, 2023 by Inara Pey

Dawn’s Promise, Fantasy Faire 2017 (until May 4th, 2017)

The official events of Fantasy Faire are all but over. The Djs have played, the artists have performed, stories have been written and told. Memories have been born, friendships renewed or made. As it is with every year, Fantasy Faire 2017 will leave its mark on all who attended it, whether for their first time, their fifth or as someone who has been a part of the magic since its inception.

But while the formal events have now ended, it is not yet time to say farewell to the Fairelands themselves; they will remain with us yet a while – until the end of Thursday, May 4th, in fact. So if you’ve not yet had the time to visit this year’s realms, now is the time to do so.

Fairelands Junction, Fantasy Faire 2017 (until May 4th, 2017)

Every year, Fantasy Faire, perhaps more than any other large-scale event in Second Life, brings forth a set of utterly unique regions. Each of them is as individual and different from the next as chalk is to cheese; yet all of them are bound together in a way than makes them a unified whole. Together they become not just a grouping of regions, they become facets of a place, a world; realms as united as they are different. Exploring them, it is hard not to feel like a traveller or adventurer travelling a route through a mystical place, on a quest which offers something new at every turn.

That’s why each year I try to bring just a flavour of these realms to the pages of this blog, and why I always mark the closing of each year’s Faire with a plea to all of you who have not enjoyed the Fairelands to take a last opportunity to do so. Whether you are a fan of fantasy or not, you are almost certain to find something among them that captures your attention, or calls to you in some way.

Kakushi Pasu, Fantasy Faire 2017 (until May 4th, 2017)

This year I found two regions speaking to me particularly clearly: Dawn’s Promise and The Spirit Pool. Admittedly, both regions have been designed by people whose work I greatly admire – but this is not why either of them became one of my two “Songs” of the Fairelands: both are simply exquisite in design and execution – and the they are far from alone. While it may be a little unfair to point to one or two more regions when all have a particular appeal, I’m nevertheless going to do just that in the hopes of encouraging visits.

Kakushi Pasu, the home of the LitFest and the DJ parties during the Faire is first on my list. I so wanted to write a song story for this region, but never managed to get the words to come together. Designed by Lokii Violet, Kakushi Pasu presents a beautifully executed oriental theme. This is more than enough to attract me; but there is something else about the region which held sway over me: a sense of tranquillity. Despite all the comings and goings of the LitFest, the DJ parties, the role-playing activities, Kakushi Pasu speaks to the heart of peace and rest – and now the core activities have drawn to a close, now is the time to discover this for yourself.

Anansi, Fantasy Faire 2017 (until May 4th, 2017)

To the south and west of Kakushi Pasu, and reached via Egregore lies Anansi. Perhaps one of the most different environments of recent Fantasy Faires, this is a place which brings together so much: fantasy, steampunk, mystery – and menace. Designed by Beq Janus and Polysail, Anansi brings a touch of Ray Bradbury to the Fairelands through the circus-like look and feel to the region, which carries subtle echoes of Something Wicked This Way Comes. It is a place where each of the stores, sitting upon its mechanical legs or held up by great metal dragonflies suspended from the crane arms extending from stores higher up in the landscape, offer the challenge / threat of treat – or perhaps an insect-like stinging trick.

Further south, nestled between Dwarven Chaddul Ro and Halfling haven of the The Hill (both highly appropriate to this year’s Faire, given the Tolkien celebrations which took place this year), sits Ravens Perch. the fabulously atmospheric region designed by Kaelis Ember and lrriven. This is another place of which I should have penned a Song to add to my little series. A marvellous wrapping of Gothic and mystery, there are tales galore to be found here along the rose-choked streets, between the church-like buildings and around the Lady of the Rose. There is also a beautiful place of reflection to be found as well, a place of special remembrance which speaks to all of us who have lost friends or family to cancer.

Raven’s Perch, Fantasy Faire 2017 (until May 4th 2017)

These then, are the three regions, along with Dawn’s Promise (see The song of Dawn’s Promise) and The Spirit Pool (see The song of the Spirit Pool) which called to me in particular – and for numerous reasons. But again, they are only five of fourteen fabulous regions. So, if you have not had the opportunity to explore them all and listen to their voices, now is the time to do so, before they each pass into the West and beyond our ken.

Fantasy Faire 2017 SLurls (valid until the end of May 4th, 2017)

Fairelands Junction – Portals and Memorial Area
Anansi – The Worldling Cradle (Faireland sim concept exhibition); A Dark Circus role-play
Chaddul Ro
Dawn’s Promise
Egregore
Fallen Sands – role-play classes
The Hill – Steewood role-play community
Kakushi Pasu – Literary Festival and Silent Auction
Morbus – Fairelands Quest Region
Mudrana – The Lilypods of Murdana role-play
Opal Flight – Arts and entertainment; Live Auction
Raven’s Perch – Sanctuary role-play
The Rose
San Mora – Outbreak role-play
The Spirit Pool – Ynys Seamaide role-play

Artefacts, adventures, archives and ransoms

Posted on April 30, 2017 by Inara Pey

It’s time to kick-off another week of storytelling in Voice by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library. As always, all times SLT, and events are held at the Library’s Second Life home at Bradley University, unless otherwise indicated.

Monday, May 1st 19:00: Architects of Hyperspace

Humour, hard science and speculative science fiction all combine in this novel by Thomas R. McDonough, who has worked with both the SETI Institute and The Planetary society.

A trio driven by personal ambitions comes together after a dying man’s last words send them in search of the secrets of a lost alien civilisation.

A wonderful tongue in cheek story backed by great speculative science. The combination of the sometimes screwball comedy with the specifics of how hyperspace could work and the details of the time lags of space communication, etc, made for a believable and well-formed diegesis. There were times reading this book that I just had to stop to laugh. The book reminds me a great deal of Red Dwarf.

Join Gyro Muggins as he reads this unusual story.

Tuesday, May 2nd 19:00: Wild at Heart

Aoife Lorenfield continues Clare Alexander’s 2017 novel.

At 26 and unmarried, Nora Nicholson believes she has little choice but to follow her brother Edward away from England to West Africa. So it was that, having never set foot outside of the village where she had been born, she found herself boarding a Royal Navy frigate about to set sail for those exotic, distant lands.

Little did she know that she would find work illustrating birds for the naturalist and ship’s surgeon, John Sharples, or form the unlikeliest of friendships with Senhora Morena – or that she would meet Hugh Beaumont, naturalist and explorer, late of the 95th Rifles.

Once he led men in war, many of whom died in the field of battle. Now he desires to explore the rivers and forest of West Africa. But for Hugh Beaumont, leaving duty behind does not come easy. So it is he finds himself bringing criminals to justice and protecting Miss Nicholson, who is sorely in need of help. Then love enters the picture.

Wednesday, May 3rd 19:00 The Atrocity Archives Part 2

Bob Howard is a low-level techie working for The Laundry, a super-secret government agency. While his colleagues are out saving the world, Bob’s under a desk restoring lost data. None of them receive any thanks for the jobs they do, but at least a techie doesn’t risk getting shot or eaten in the line of duty. Bob’s world is dull but safe, and that’s the way it should have stayed; but then he went and got Noticed.

Now, Bob Howard is up to his neck in spycraft, alternative universes, dimension-hopping Nazis, Middle Eastern terrorists, damsels in distress, ancient Lovecraftian horror and the end of the world.

Only one thing is certain: it will take more than control-alt-delete to sort this mess out…

Join Corwyn Allen as he resumes relating stories involving Charles Stross’ unlikely hero, Bob Howard.

Thursday, May 4th 19:00, Night of the Wolf

Robert E. Howard is perhaps best known as the creator of Conan the Barbarian and Solomon Kane. However, he also wrote a plethora of short stories involving a range of characters and settings. This story involves Cormac Mac Art, an outlawed Gael, a pirate and a Reiver.

Set on the island of Golara, North of the Scottish mainland, near the Shetlands. Here is a mix of native Picts, ostensibly under the “protection” of a Norse raiding group who are using the island as their base of operations – and their bitter enemies, the Danes, are using as a target.

Into this wades Irish legend Cormac Mac Art (and opponent of Danes and Norsemen), trying to operate in disguise to win the freedom of someone captured by the Norse raiding party who is not all he appears to be. Problem is, the leader of the Norse is not for a moment fooled by Cormac’s disguise…

Read by Shandon Loring and also presented in Kitely grid.kitely.com:8002:EXPLORESeanchai).

Please check with the Seanchai Library’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule.

The featured charity for March April is Project Children, building peace in Ireland one child at a time.

BURN2: Burnal Equinox 2017

Posted on April 28, 2017March 16, 2020 by Inara Pey

Friday, April 28th marked the opening of the 2017 BURN2 Burnal Exquinox event, which will run through until Sunday, April 30th.

The theme for this year’s event is Scared and Profane, with the press release for the event reading in part:

What does this mean? The sacred–profane dichotomy is an idea posited by French sociologist Émile Durkheim, who considered it to be the central characteristic of religion, “Religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things, that is to say, things set apart and forbidden.”

In Durkheim’s theory, the sacred represented the interests of the group, especially unity, which were embodied in sacred group symbols, or totems. The profane, on the other hand, involved mundane individual concerns. Durkheim explicitly stated that the sacred/profane dichotomy was not equivalent to good/evil. The sacred could be good or evil, and the profane could be either as well.

Throughout the playa, is a series of builds offering various takes on the theme. As one might expect, religious symbolism is heavy throughout, together with the more “traditional” images of BURN2. Plenty of humour is also on offer – such as the Lanterns That Must Not Be Touched (but which rain carrots if they are…).

A full weekend of entertainment and festivities will be taking place through the three days of the event, which kicked-off at 10:00 SLT on Friday, April 28th with a Lamp Lighter procession. You can find full details of activities in the BURN 2 calendar, some of the highlights of which include (all times SLT):

Saturday, April 29th:
- 19:00 – 19:30: BURN2 Acrobat Fire Dancers
- 19:30 – 20:00: Royal Lepus Fashion Show
Sunday April 30th:
- 10:00 – 11:00: Lamp Lighters and Fire Dancers
- 11:00 – 12:00 noon: first Burn of the equinox
- 12:00 noon – 13:00: Chang High Sisters
- 15:00 – 16:00: DRUM
- 17:00 – 18:00: Lamp Lighters and Fire Dancers
- 18:00 – 19:00: second Burn of the equinox

About BURN2

BURN2 is an extension of the Burning Man festival and community into the world of Second Life. It is an officially sanctioned Burning Man regional event, and the only virtual world event out of more than 100 real world Regional groups and the only regional event allowed to burn the man.

The BURN2 Team operates events year around, culminating in an annual major festival of community, art and fire in the fall – a virtual echo of Burning Man itself.