Category: Second Life

At the start of 2023, I dropped into Aurelias, a Full region designed by Sparkle (Sparkely Sugar) – see A Winter’s Aurelias in Second Life. So with the end of the year now peeking over the horizon at us, I decided to hop back a short while ago and have another look and see what the end of the year has brought. Certainly, the updated description for the region piqued my curiosity nicely.

Welcome to Aurelias, a captivating town that echoes the spirit of Charles Dickens and transports you to a bygone era. As you stroll through our cobblestone streets, you’ll feel the enchantment inspired by classic fables and fairytales.

– Aurelias About Land description

Now, for those who might read that description and have images of scenes from A Christmas Carol or one of Dickens’ other (lesser known to many?) Christmas works such as The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life, The Haunted Man and/or the New Year leaning The Chimes; it might come as a disappointment or relief (depending on one’s perspective at this time of year) that this is not the case; the key within the description is spirit of Charles Dickens.

This can be taken to mean that within the region there are elements which might be seen as being inspired by the ideas of a Dickensian / Victorian era – and some which might possibly have certain echoes from some of Dickens’ stories – but there is not anything here that one can point to an definitively state it has been drawn from any particular story or novel.

For example: the cobbled streets of the little town square and its surrounds, lit as they are by what might be taken as gas lamps, might have something of a Dickensian air to them, but you’re not going to find a door with Scrooge and Marley above it; and while one of the business premises might well have a slightly Scroogian chap standing inside, would the focal character of A Christmas Carol (as seen at the start of the novella) allow a gramophone player in his place of business? Or a board game?

Instead, the region casts a wider net, presenting a location caught under a ghostly sky where many tales – folk and fairy, novel and short story – might be found to offer little touches and hints.

The little township sits on the raised north side of the region as a quiet gathering of mixed businesses, some of which appear perfectly natural – the tea-shop, the pubs and antiques shop – others of which hint at darker, more mysterious things. A large, well-appointed house sits to one side of the square proper, the delivery truck sitting outside it casting a more Georgian lean to the setting (along with the style of some of the other buildings). All are in turn watched over from the west and east by headlands which cup between them a small bay and upon which sit, respectively a gaunt house wrapped in mist and where strange robed figures look outward and a poem that is somewhat mindful of words by Oscar Wilde (within A Woman of No Importance) might be found; and on the other by a tall-roofed church presided over by a severe-looking minister and another large house  complete with paths and steps giving access to the coast below its gardens.

Snow hugs the shoulders of the gaunt house, and alongside it sits a skating rink. They form an odd couple; on the one hand they are drawn together in presenting the only indications that winter has reached this land; on the other, the gaiety of the rink contrasts strongly with the brooding presence of the house, pushing them apart.

To the south the land falls away to wetlands in might be found more mystery and sense of haunting or suchlike, together with a decrepit graveyard, potentially long abandoned given its general state. However, and despite it sitting within a swampy landscape, it can still (for those who think in that direction) perhaps conjure thoughts of young “Pip” Pirrip’s encounter with the criminal Magwitch at the start of Great Expectations, thus allowing the setting to carry another spiritual link to Dickens.

Also within the wetlands, shaded by tall trees, braziers burn, lights gleams from branches and mists float over the waters and old ruins and a cave await discovery – all of which makes for plenty of opportunity to dream up stories of ghosts and goblins or fae folk and elves or – given the presence of glowing cauldrons, a spell-bound house and the town’s magic shop – perhaps witches and wardrobes; just let your imagination range free.

Once again an engaging setting, one neatly linked to Sparkle’s Homestead region and store to the south.

SLurl Details

• Aurelias (rated Moderate)

Occupying a Full private region leveraging the land capacity bonus available to such regions, NANA Land is the work of Frie Frie (Freecheck) and Nika Snowpaw. The About Land description describes the region as a romantic setting offering the opportunity for meeting friends, exploring, dancing, photography and shopping; whilst this is largely accurate, it also understates all that NASA Land has to offer.

At ground level, where the landing point is to be found, sits a rugged island into which water has cut it way, either inland from the surrounding seas or outwards from the falls and streams which drop or flow from the highlands which make up a part of the island’s sub-tropical form. Flat-topped, these highlands form a pair of broad plateaux, the larger of which is home to the region’s main landing point. This sits within and open-air  café with tables sitting amidst a little sea of grass and flowers which are themselves constrained (for the most part) from flowing down over the cliffs in mimicry of the local waterfalls, by the presence of fences and shrubs.

A slender finger of rock extends out from one side of this plateau to point north and form one half of an arc of rock which cups a beach of golden sand within it steep-sided arms. The remaining half of this curve of rock is formed by the side of the second plateau. This is not quite as tall as the first, but is as equally flat-topped at its far end, allowing it to play host to an architecturally impressive, green-topped building offering views out over the sea on three sides.

Whilst they are connected by a knobbly, forested wrist of rock, the easiest means by which to pass from one plateau to the other is via a long rope bridge paralleling the cliffs as they march along the back of beach below. The café end of this bridge lay close to the one path leading down from the landing point. The latter turns by way mossy paths and wooden walkways to meander down from the café and along one side of a large pool of water fed from falls which also tumble from the rocks above, to reach a humpbacked bridge which allows the route to pass over a narrowed neck of the pool.

From here lay various paths of exploration passing around and through the island. These form tracks and trails of various kinds, winding their way under trees and rocky archways or over bridges and stone slabs are they cross streams and channels flowing through or cutting into the island’s lower reaches. to reaches various points of interest.

The latter range from the aforementioned beach, through a swampy bay to beach houses, cottages and huts which squat within the swamp, cling the the region’s costal areas or sit serenely in fenced grounds on hilltops. There’s also an open-air cinema (where a horse might be taken by those wishing to ride around the island rather than walk), a cave system cutting through the jumble of rock linking the two plateaux, multiple places to sit and spend time, dance machines, camp sites – and a lot more, all of which I will leave to you to discover and enjoy.

Also to be found scattered throughout the region are teleport points. These are generally in the form of standing stones holding living flames within them, although their look can change depending on where you are within the region (as is the case with the wishing well and cat teleport at the landing point). Theses are all networked, providing a quick means to jump between them and to areas of the region which cannot be reached directly on foot.

The latter take the form of a set of sky platforms, three of which  – at the time of my visit, at least – offer settings appropriate for the season. They are “Christmas”, “Winter” and “Winter Shop”. Both “Christmas” and “Winter” sit on that same sky platform, so presenting a contiguous landscape visitors can explore and which encompasses cottages blanketed by snow and with cosy, warm interiors, and a Christmas setting complete with two musical Santas, places to sit and even a miniature golf area with tiny winter themes.

The remaining winter setting is where visitors might find gifts left for them by Nika and Frie, and wander through another snowy landscape. A separate teleport from here provides access to gallery spaces and a little autumnal setting, whilst a further destination on the main teleport network directs visitors to the the rentals platform. Here, sitting with a very tropical setting, might be found beach houses of various sizes, some of which may be available for rent – just be aware that others may well be rented and thus off-limits to the meanderings of visitors.

There are a couple of rough patches awaiting visitors when exploring the ground-level islands, where physics need a little adjustment to present colliding with plants whilst trying to cross bridges or follow trails down into caves, but with a little careful navigation these can be bypassed. Outside of these, NANA Land offers a lot to see and appreciate, the use of sky platforms adding to the richness of exploration.

SLurl Details

• NANA Land (rated Moderate)