In June 2024, I dropped into Simurg, an engaging 4096 sq metre parcel seated within a Full region leveraging the Land Capacity bonus and designed by Lintu (KorppiLintu). Presented as a photogenic location, it offered an engaging mix of ancient history and a touch of fantasy mythology (see: Simurg’s mythical beauty in Second Life). Since then, Lintu has been busy expanding that build (of which more later), and is also presenting another setting specifically for the Halloween season.
Also located on a Full region (but entirely separate to Simurg), this is Simurg + Halloween in Autumn. Occupying a parcel roughly twice the size of Simurg, it offers an equally engaging location for photography in which there is more to be found than might meet the eye on first arrival.
The landing point sits on the east side of the setting, which is itself located in the south-east corner of the region, allowing it to to have, in keeping with Simrug, open water on two sides. Indeed, the landing point sits with its back to the sea as it sits in the shadow of two of the buildings within the setting. One of the latter is the Simurg Gothic Cottage, designed by Kwoone Oui (Kwoone), Lintu’s Second Life companion, and it is the first in a series of scenes suitable for the season that are awaiting discovery as one explores.
Spreading itself out before the landing point is something of a stone-flagged village square or street, the local chapel and graveyard to one side showing more signs of ghostly goings-on, edged with touches of humour via some of the tombstones, along with plenty of indications the dead are not entirely content to rest. A large house looms up over the back of the chapel, and while it is unfurnished within, its nature is such that it draws the eyes to it. More to the point, a walk up the steps leading to it will provide arched access to a back terrace where fortunes might be read, together with a bridge spanning the gap to another rocky plateau.
This second plateau is home to The Ruined Retreat by Marcus Inkpen, and here offered as what I take – from the cauldron bubbling away in the remnant’s of one of the building’s rooms – is potentially the home of one or more witches. This house overlooks the northern end of the village, where a street runs west from the cliffs, passing assorted places of business and residence (façades), with two of the former being the local apothecary’s abode, where potions and other magical items might be found, and the local music hall where the bare bones of entertainment might be enjoyed (in a manner of speaking 😀 ).
The western end of this street takes the form of the open maw of a cave which at first appears to be a rocky tunnel passing under the witches’ house. In fact a wander into it will bring one to the three witches gathered around their cauldron as if awaiting a certain Macbeth to come to them in much the same way as he found the three weyward Sisters (to use the description from Shakespeare’s First Folio) as he crossed the “blasted heath”. Beyond an encounter with the three, the cave will bring those walking through it to a ribbon-like meadow beyond, where horses peacefully graze and water tumbles down rock to fill a pond on which a leaf boat awaits those looking for a place to rest. More on this anon.
However, a look to the left as one reaches the three crones when entering this subterranean walk (or to the right, if coming from the meadow) will reveal a second passage downwards, lit by what first might seem like the flames of hell, given the denizens found along its length. However, allowing for the spider and the webs she has woven, it leads to a quite unexpected and hauntingly attractive setting sitting is a large cavern. With access also provided by steps descending the cliff-face to the south of the Gothic Cottage mentioned above, the cavern also provides access to another little sitting area well away from the rest of the village for those who seek it on the water.
Now, to return the to meadow, which can also be reached by walking through the village and passing under the bridge leading to the witches’ house. Follow the path meandering through it and past the pond, and you’ll come to both a further little seating area, and open against the rock wall a teleport portal that will carry you to Simurg, delivering you to one side of that setting. Here, a further portal directly behind you will take you up to the gardens, or a walk through one of the arches under the stone curtain and then across the stepping stones beyond, will bring you to the ruins.
Neither the gardens nor the ruins have significantly changed since my last visit (although some details have been added / removed), although they do now sit under a most dramatic sky. Two enormous craft hang in the sky above, their form perhaps vaguely reminiscent with Stargate SG-1’s ships of the Ori for those familiar with that show (a not entirely out-of-place line of thinking, given the show’s dives into mythologies and an ancient history, etc.).
However, the most significant change is to be found by using a further teleport portal located within raised garden to carry you below the flagstoned and partially-flooded floor of the main structure. Here you will find the aquatic element of the setting that gives it its extended name: Ancient & Underwater City. It is a place of flooded ruins where a trio of Roman deities – Venus, Mars and Saturn – are joined by the Romano-Hellenistic goddess Diana in poses of battle, as kraken-like tentacles rise from even greater depths below the submerged ruins, while sea plants and fish calmly go about their business.
I did not find a teleport portal linking Simurg back the the Halloween setting – which might be simply a case of lack of seeing on my part – so I’ll add the Simug link below as well, as if you’ve not visited either, both are more than worth the time, offering as they do compact settings with plenty to explore and appreciate. I assume Simurg Halloween + Autumn will vanish some time after October 31st – so be sure to visit on or before then!
SLurl Details
- Simurg + Halloween in Autumn (Lunar Valley, rated Moderate)
- Simurg – Ancient and Underwater City (Myra, rated Moderate)
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 