Category: Events

This year, Fantasy Faire once again presents the hunt in an expanded, story-based quest in which visitors to the Fairelands are invited to participate. In previous years, a call has gone to Heroes and Heroines to come to the Bard Queen and assist her in righting wrongs. But this year, it is the Bard Queen herself who has seemingly vanished – and that could be very bad news for the Fairelands!

Watch the trailer to find out more!

 

So – if you’re ready to be the Hero or Heroine – here’s a quick run-down of what to do and what to expect.

A Quick Overview

There are in fact two quests available – the The Bard Queen’s Song, which forms a multi-part adventure, and a treasure hunt.

The Bard Queen’s Song is multi-part, HUD-driven story you can complete in one go, or complete in stages; it is an Experience based activity, so all your progress is automatically saved, even if you remove your HUD. These notes are about this quest.

The treasure hunt involves seeking the treasure chests hidden in each of the Fairelands involved in the hunt (one per region) and touching them to claim your prize. The hunt can be completed before, after or during your progress through The Bard Queen’s Song, or without ever engaging on the main Quest.

Getting Started

First off, you’ll need the Quest HUD. This can be obtained from the kiosks at any of the Faireland realms landing points. Two versions are available:

• L$250 – provides you with the quest HUD and tools to get you going
• L$350 – provides you with the quest HUD and tools to get you going and male and female costumes so you can be more in character – and it will help you recognise other Adventurers, so you can help and support one another!

When you have purchased your HUD package and unpack it.

IMPORTANT: if you purchase the Deluxe HUD package you must REZ it to unpack it do not wear it to unpack, as doing so will cause the gift card to be lost.

When you have unpacked the package, wear both the HUD and the Farion NPC (which will sit on your shoulder, but be invisible – it will appear once you have met Farion on the Quest.

As noted above, The Bard Queen’s Song is Experience based. This means that if this is your very first Fantasy Faire Quest, or if you revoked the Fantasy Faire Experience from 2016, you must accept the Experience via ta dialogue similar to the one shown on the right (note that as I never revoked the Fantasy Faire Experience, the image on the right refers to the 2016 Quest – the dialogue box you see will reference The Bard Queen’s Song).

It is essential you accept the Experience by clicking Yes, otherwise it will not work.

If you have previously participated in the 2016 Fantasy Faire Quest and did not subsequently revoke the Experience, you will be automatically accepted into The Bard Queen’s Song without this dialogue appearing.

The HUD

As with most HUD-based activities, the HUD tracks your progress, provides hints, provides access to various options and displays information pertinent to your progress, such as the scrolls shown below.

The following options are available on the HUD:

• Teleport – displays the clickable teleport list (shown above right)
• Sponsors – displays a list of Quest sponsors’ logos
• Help – provides a note card on using the HUD
• History – displays  dialogue box allowing you to replay the videos (“cutscenes”) which introduce the various parts of the Quest or obtain note cards (“logs”) introducing the various parts of the Quest
• Lists – displays a list of the Fairelands containing a treasure chest if you’re on the treasure hunt (shown above left). Regions where you have found a chest are greyed-out (as with Mudrana)
• Setup – offers you a number of settings:
  • SAVE – saves your progress to date in the Quest (which should happen automatically)
  • RELOAD – reloads your progress to data if required – this is sometimes necessary if you crash for any reason while on the Quest
  • RESET – completely resets your status in the Quest, allowing you to start over from the beginning, if you want. Use this option with care, as all your current progress will be lost!

Farion NPC

Make sure you wear the Farion NPC – it will not be visible until you’ve completed your fist task (finding him!) – but one visible, you can touch him at any time for additional clues – some of which will be vital for progress without frustration. Should he turn transparent for any reason, just touch him again to pop him back into view.

Continue reading “Fantasy Faire 2017: Bard Queen’s Song hints and tips” →

Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017

We sit between the darkness and the light; between youth and age. Ours is a place of times past and times present; where the promise of that yet to be awaits.

Ours is a world of the crumbling and of the beauty of rebirth. We are eternal. Life’s energies flow through the waters of our realm, and the gift of renewal and creation float on the breeze. Our houses speak of the Old Times, the past, and the wisdom and grace of Age. The blossoms on our trees, the blooming of our flowers speak of present time and the vitality of rebirth, the richness of Life Anew.

Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017

This realm offers all who seek it rest, respite and renewal. We ask naught in return. We do not demand adherence to rules or the invocation of arcane rights. We do not require you follow a mystic path or give obeisance to icons or gods. We ask only that you walk our grassy streets, and between the shadows of our homes and the light of the easterling Sun with open heart and mind; that you do not judge nor fret nor fear; that you simply Be.

We have been here since before others learnt to count the passing of Time; we will be here long after such counting has ceased. We will not always be visible to the world; we choose to make our presence known now, and for a brief span. But even when we can be no longer been seen, we will be here. Watching. Waiting. Our bridges will remain open to those who seek; the renewal of our waters are here for those who thirst. 

Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017

Our streets, our paths our bridges, our homes. All are yours to explore. Peace as rest can be found throughout our lands, under bough, atop rock, and under dome. Drink from our waters; eat of our fruits; let our lamps light your way. 

There are those in the world who look to the West, to the setting of the Sun. They see the closing of a day as a time for reflection and endings. But we look to the East and the rising of the Sun; because Dawn is the time of Beginning, the time of Promise, when things are made new, and life opens fresh and bright, like the flower opens to greet the day’s new light.

We are the people of Dawn’s Promise, and we will take your lost and aged energies of the past and make them young again, as young as when the World was new. This is our Promise, our gift to the open of heart and mind.   

Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017

SLurl Details

• Dawn’s Promise (rated: Moderate) Fantasy Faire, April 20th-30th, 2017

 

Fantasy Faire 2017: Dawn’s Promise – click any image for full size

The largest fantasy-related event to take place in Second Life, Fantasy Faire brings together fantasy enthusiasts, creators, performers and designers for eleven days of commerce, special events, live music concerts with special emphasis on fund-raising for Relay for Life of Second Life.

This year, the gates opened on Thursday, April 20th and will remain open through until the end of the month of April, presenting 15 regions (including the entertainment and Quest regions) to be explored and enjoyed. I’ve had the good fortune of having early access to the regions as a Fantasy Faire website writer (although one of my articles got trounced upon by another on the same subject), so I’ve been able to see things as they’ve been built – and try some bits out; more on that soon!

Fantasy Faire 2017: Egregore

One of the things that is fascinating about this year’s event is the broad range of the Fairelands region themes. In one or two cases, these go beyond what might be considered “normal” fantasy and into realms perhaps not so well visited in the past. The is a definite urban grunge bordering on a post-apocalyptic feel to San Mora, for example; while The Rose is clearly inspired by the plazas, buildings and canals of Venice as we see it today.

Darkness also has something of a theme as well – not so much in the “evil” kind of darkness per se (although there is that – or at least a foreboding deepening – as well. No, by darkness, I mean just that: several of the regions have opted for a twilight or night-time theme. Anansi, meanwhile has a twist of Something Wicked This Way Comes about it – in a very steampunk-ish way! There is even a touch of science-fiction through one of the role-play stories!

You can find the background notes on all the 2017 Faireland regions either via Sonya’s official welcoming post, or by visited the individual pages on each – and as time allows, I may well be offering thoughts on some as the days of the Faire progress.

Fantasy Faire 2017: Spirit Pool

Of course,as well as all the best in fantasy shopping, Fantasy Faire offers just about something for everyone. There’s  the Literary Festival, which is based at  Kakushi Pasu, and which I previewed earlier in the week. There is also the Fantasy Faire Quest – which opens on Friday, April 21st to avoid the initial rush to the Fairelands, and about which I will hopefully have a lot more to write about in due course!

Then there are the auctions. The silent auction takes place at the two auction houses at Kakushi Pasu (here and here), and the auction runs through until 17:00 SLT on Saturday, April 29th. The Live Auction will take place on the final day of the Faire, Sunday, April 30th, at Opal Flight.

Fantasy Faire 2017: Kakushi Pasu

Role-play! There will be plenty of opportunities for role-play throughout the Faireland regions (follow the links provided to find out more, SLurls at the end of this article):

• The NeoVictoria Project returns to the Fairelands with A Dark Circus, taking place on Anansi.
• The Lilypods of Murdana, for the young at heart, taking place on … Murdana
• Sanctuary at Ravens Perch, with a sci-fi-ish theme taking place at Raven’s Perch
• Ynys Seamaide, a legend built out of the fog of war, taking place at The Spirit Pool
• Outbreak, a post-apocalyptic horror and survival role-play, taking place at San Mora
• Steelwood, the fantasy Medieval Kingdom and role-play group present role-play at The Hill.

In addition, there will be special role-play classes hosted at Fallen Sands.

Fantasy Faire 2017: Opal Flight

As a part of the entertainment, there will be dance shows from the top dance troupes from across Second Life, including the Changhigh Sisters, The Monarchs, The Night Theater, Sky Fire, the Misfits and more. Together with cabaret shows, burlesque – everything you could want in fact!

Then there are the DJs, the art galleries – so much to see and do, in fact, that you’re going to want to bookmark the Fantasy Faire website (as if you haven’t already!) and keep an eye on the event calendar (use the Agenda view for easier, daily viewing!).

Fantasy Faire 2017 SLurls

• 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

 

On Thursday, April 20th, Fantasy Faire will open for 2017, and will run through until the end of the month. As always, there will be many things to see and do  – and deep within the Fairelands lies a special place where the magic of the spoken word will weave tales of wonder, relate stories of great adventure and daring; where talks by authors, discussions, creative writing sessions and performances will all take place.

Celebrating its third year, the Fantasy Faire Literary Fest – LitFest for short – is now an established staple of the Fairelands. It will bring together a number of storytelling and creative writing groups together, who will share their programmes of events. There will also be special sessions in which Fairelanders far and wide will be encouraged to participate, such as the Writing Challenges, wherein those who enjoy writing can put their Fantasy Faire experiences into words; there will be Open Mic sessions led by well-known poets and writers, and sessions which open with reading but which invite the audience to contribute too.

And of course, there will be the LitFest tours. These will take three times a day – 12:00 noon,  17:00 and 20:00 SLT – and depart from the LitFest base in Kakushi Pasu to tour a different region of the Faire each day, seeking out hidden secrets and seeking to inspire those on the tour to write about what they see and discover.

The Tours for 2017 will be as follows:

Thursday, April 20th	Region 1 – Mudrana
Friday, April 21st	Region 2 – Raven’s Perch
Saturday, April 22nd	Region 3 – Dawn’s Priomise
Sunday, April 23rd	Region 4 – Egregore
Monday, April 24th	Region 5 – Fallen Sands
Tuesday, April 25th	Region 6 – San Mora
Wednesday,  April 26th	Region 7 – The Hill
Thursday, April 27th	Region 8 – Chaddul Ro
Friday, April 28th	Region 9 – The Spirit Pool
Saturday, April 29th	Region 10 – The Rose

After each tour, there will be the opportunity to return the Literary Festival base to lay down the words inspired by the tour (or you can do this wherever you like), and later share you work – if you desire – directly via open microphone or via  in-world note card or e-mail submission. Note that all sharing is voluntary, and you retain the creative ownership of your work.

Special Guest

A special guest will be in attendance at the LitFest this year – Seanan McGuire, author of –  among other things – the October Daye, Incryptid and Wayward Children series. She will be taking part in  two events:

Monday, April 24th,  13:00 SLT	An interview with Seanan McGuire
Friday, April 28th, 13:00 SLT	Seansan McGuire reads from her own work

Vedui’ Lindari, Mae Govannen!

Each LitFest features the works of a particular author. In 2015, it was Terry Pratchett, who sadly passed away just before the event. In 2016, and to mark the 400th anniversary of his death, the LitFest featured William Shakespeare.

This year, on Tuesday, April 25th, LitFest will honour the life and works of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, the true Master of Middle Earth and keeper of tales of the Eldar Days.

More details on this will be announced soon – but as I have heard through Faireland grapevine that Hobbits are involved, you can be sure it will involve a party – Unexpected or otherwise!

As Merry As The Day Is Long

The Faireland Players will also be returning this year, this time presenting Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. The play will be staged on Sunday, April 23rd, from 13.30 to 15:00 SLT, and on Sunday, April 30th, from 10:00 to 11:30 SLT. You can read more about the play and the Faireland Players on the Fantasy Faire LitFest pages.

Find Out More

While I and many other bloggers will be covering Fantasy Faire, the best place to keep abreast of all the new is the Fantasy Faire blog and the full LitFest schedule – just select the AGENDA view for ease-of-reading!