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
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!
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.
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.
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):
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!).
The Monarchs will present Draco Eternum throughout the Faire, as well as other top dance troupes and entertainment being on show as well!
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.
Dangamon – Fantasy Faire 2016. What stories will this year’s Fairelands inspire you to write?
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.
In 2015, the first LitFest honoured Terry Pratchett
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!
One of the features introduced to Fantasy Faire 2015 was the opportunity to nominate and then vote for the King and Queen of the Fairelands and their (strictly non-human) Chancellor.
Nominations came from across all realms of fantasy, with the top five for the positions of king and queen (human or human-looking nominations only) and chancellor, went forward for a public vote-off during the course of the Faire.
The very first king, queen and chancellor of the Fairelands were, respectively, Havelock Vetinari and Granny Weatherwax and Greebo the cat, all of which marked a fitting tribute to the late Sir Terry Pratchett, who passed away in March 2015, just ahead of that year’s Faire.
Havelock Vetinari, Granny Weatherwax and Greebo the Cat were the first elected king, queen and chancellor of the Fairelands in 2015.
In 2016 came the time to elect a new king, queen and chancellor, with the honours this time going to The Goblin King, October Daye and The Last Unicorn.
Now, a year on, it is time for the royalty of 2016 to put aside their sceptres, and the chancellor his chains of office. As Fantasy Faire 2017 approaches, Fairelands Folk are once again being asked nominate those they feel should be elected king, queen and chancellor for this year’s event.
The Goblin King, October Daye and The Last Unicorn were the elected king, queen and chancellor of the Fairelands in 2016
You can nominate your choices through the form below (or if you prefer, go directly to the same form on the Fantasy Faire website. Any character from the worlds of fantasy is eligible; the only major requirements being that nominations for king and queen must be human (or human-type) characters, whilst nominations for chancellor are restricted to non-human (or non-human type) characters.
Note that a) characters should be chosen from works of fantasy (including fairy tales, high fantasy, steampunk, urban fantasy, vampire sagas, etc) which can be written or graphical texts or films, TV or radio shows; and b) past winners are not eligible for re-election.
Nominations close at midnight SLT at the end of Saturday, April 22nd.
Get ready for the Fantasy Faire Quest
The Quest: The Bard Queen’s Song
The first teaser for the 2017 Fantasy Faire Quest appeared on Thursday, April 6th. Entitled The Bard Queen’s Song, it sees a little bit of a twist occur with things.
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!
Fortunately (or so it says here in a script handed me by a pair of very small hands) Farion Sunbreeze has realised something is amiss; that while the Bard Queen has been known to skip off out of the Fairelands every once in a while, this time It Is Different and that Something Is Amiss – and he (and The Lads) are going to put matters to rights!
Only problem is, Farion is a pixie (as are The Lads). So, yeaaaaaahhhh – they’re going to need some a lot of help.
So, once again, the call goes out to the heroes and heroines of the Fairelands: dare you travel you Morbus, where the Unweaver has sought to sew his malice, turning beauty into chaos and nature against itself? Dare you find your way to the Alchemist’s tower, and once there do ….
… Do what, exactly? Well, that would be telling – but keep your eyes on the Fantasy Faire website (and maybe these pages) for future teasers. For the last couple of years, I’ve road-tested the Quest; whether fortune favours me the same privilege this year, I know not – but either way, the Quest is not something to be missed!
Fantasy Faire, the largest fantasy-related event to take place in Second Life, opens its portals on Thursday, April 20th and runs through until Sunday April 30th, 2017 inclusive. It will bring together everyone with a love of fantasy – enthusiasts, creators, performers and designers – for eleven days of commerce, special events, live music concerts and more, all to help raise funds for Relay for Life of Second Life.
On March 23rd, 2017, applications to be a 2017 Fantasy Faire blogger officially opened, with the announcement reading in part:
Do you want to shape your visit, your experiences in the Fairelands into pictures and words to be shared with the rest of the world? Do you want to forward and spread the call, alert people of how fleeting the eleven days of magic are, tell them how much there is to see, feel, live?
If you do, then make sure you complete the blogger application formBUT! – don’t hurry there right away. As with past Faires, there are a few little extras to consider!
Fantays Faire 2013: Titan’s Hollow
As with recent years, bloggers are additionally invited to participate in one or more challenges. These are not obligatory, and anyone – official blogger or otherwise – is free to participate in them. They are: Faire Folk (create a Fairelands character), My New Shiny (merchant-focused blogging from a personal perspective), Why I Relay (sharing a personal reason why you Relay), and I Remember (tell about your favourite Fairelands of the past).
Those applying to be an official blogger at this year’s faire can also apply to write for the official Fantasy Faire website. This has no influence on the actual blogger application and should be filled only if you are truly interested. There’s very limited spots for this.
So, if you are interested, make sure you check-out all the information for bloggers and that you complete the application form.
Fantasy Faire 2017 will open to the public on Thursday, April 20th and run through until Sunday, April 30th, inclusive.
The largest gathering of fantasy designers, enthusiasts, role-players and performers in the virtual world, Fantasy Faire offers eleven days of shopping, live music concerts, DJ parties, auctions, hunts, Literary Festival, dance and theatre performances, fantasy art, events and role-play – all in aid of the American Cancer Society as a part of Relay for Life of Second Life.
2017 marks the ninth anniversary for Fantasy Faire, and the event this year will be held across fifteen regions, each offering a unique environment which can be explored and enjoyed through the event. These are split between ten themed worlds dedicated to fantasy and commerce, and five worlds to connect them through entertainment and more.
The ten commerce-centric worlds are:
Chaddul Ro by Searlait Nitschke: “An outpost of the orcs of Chal Khizzur, Chaddul Ro stands on the edge of their territory. In the centre of the outpost there is a beacon, rising above upon a tower guarded day and night by the orcs. It stands for strength; it stands against anyone who would douse it, a symbol to be seen to guide those from outside the protective barriers and walls back home. For the survivors that seek refuge from battle. It is believed that as long as the fires of the outposts are kept lit that there is always hope, sanctuary to be found and that the tribe remains strong.”
Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee: “A secret place between times where the old becomes reborn into the new. Majestic crumbling ruins dissolve into a sea of glorious foliage. A place where the lost energies of the past are converted into new life. Springs of life-giving water overflow. Flower petals and creative energy float on the breeze. This is the space between the exhale and the inhale. Full of hope and promise.”
Fantasy Faire 2016: Lucentia by Marcus Inkpen and Sharnee Azalee
Egregore by Mayah Parx: “A fantastical thought form of serene darkness immersed in light, a place where expected purpose is relative and surrealism casts it shadow across the land, inhabited by egregors this fantastical place is born of the collective phantasmagoria of its people.”
Fallen Sands by Sweetgwendoline Bailey and Eldowyn Inshan: “Steampunk in a desert landscape where the Orient and Arabia via for dominance. Exotic plants of alien origin turn the sands into an oasis of life where the turquoise water is the treasure of fountains and the infinite pearls of tan fall to mark the passage of time in this eternal city.”
The Hill by Kilik Lekvoda: “A peaceful and beautiful village built into the rolling hills surrounding a small lake. Breathe in warmth, peace, and maybe a little pipe smoke, A place where friendships sprout as readily as the mushrooms beneath leafy green trees.”
Mudrana by Alrunia Ahn and Luna Barak: “Everyone in Mudrana, the land of the lilypad, praises the godfrog – the legends tell that once the godfrog falls asleep, the pond dries out, and everything dies. The frogs of Mudrana therefore croak and sing for their god to keep it awake to preserve the world from death.”
Raven’s Perch by Kaelis Ember and lrriven: “A Gothic dream in pale hues dotted with the tears of roses. A fairytale with thorns.”
The Rose by Alia Baroque: “In the Garden of senses silent footsteps echo through rich vaults of opulence and decadence, searching for the perfect spot where a stolen kiss can be unseen and languid murderous thoughts hidden behind a mask. This Rose blossoms in April through your gaze that tells her how beautiful she is.”
Fantasy Faire 2016: the Golden Delta by Alia Baroque
San Mora by Jaimy Hancroft and Eowyn Swords: “Once the centre of pharmaceutical greatness, San Mora is now a ruin of its former self. Quarantined at the outbreak of a deadly contagion of its own making, the population was left to survive the best they could. Without law and order the city descended into chaos. The fires have long since burned out, and the city is being reclaimed by a hostile Nature. But all that is silent is not necessarily empty. There are still those who roam among the ruins of San Mora.”
The Spirit Pool by Kayle Matzerath:”Since the beginning of time, The Spirit Pool has served as a resting place for weary adventurers and lingering souls that are not quite yet ready to cut their ties to the physical realm. Mermaids and other seafolk use the pool for gatherings and a constant flow of visitors keep it a popular place for trading.”
Fantasy Faire 2016: Breeze by Kayle Matzerath
The five connecting worlds will comprise:
Fairelands Junction by Saiyge Lotus: the heart of the Fairelands, the world where the veil between the worlds is thinnest, the Portal World to the others, the First Link of the Chain.
Opal Flight by Haveit Neox and Lilia Artis: the arts and entertainment region
Morbus by Kilik Lekvoda and Kayle Matzerath: the Fairelands Quest region
Kakushi Pasu by Lokii Violet: the Literary Festival region
Anansi (Beq Janus and Polysail: the Worldling Cradle – “This year the Fairelands bring the dream seeds with them, the outfits and shapes that they might have taken on, but did not. For now. Worldlings are Fairelands that could have been, Fairelands that might still be.”
Blogger registrations will open on Thursday, March 23rd.
As usual, I’ll be covering Fantasy Faire in these pages, but to keep right up to date with news and announcement, keep an eye on the links below. And to whet appetites, I’ll close with a video preview I shot for last year’s event.
Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017
Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017
Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017
Dawn’s Promise by Marcus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee, Fantasy Faire 2017
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 