Category: Exploring Second Life

Occupying a Homestead region, Three Finger Pines is an imaginatively engaging location brought into being by Kitten Caboose. It presents a visually rich mix of natural beauty, science fiction narrative and an underpinning commentary / warning about humanity’s continued self-centred abuse of our own world.

The narrative is offered via a notecard which can be obtained at the setting’s Landing Point. This should be read in full in order to appreciate the full context of the region’s story, and I’ll merely précis here.

After eons of unchecked pollution and climate change, the once bio-diverse world of Seva is on the brink of total collapse, its atmosphere toxic and its land sterile. Hoping to discover a means to reverse the damage they have wrought on their world, the Seravarians dispatched ships into the galaxy to study worlds with similar atmospheres and biodiversity as had once been found on their own planet. One of those worlds is a planet we call “Earth”.

The story notes the Seravarian vessel didn’t so much arrive quietly on Earth – within the forested hinterlands of the place we call Canada – so much as it crash landed (the wreckage is still to be found within the setting).

It’s not clear if the craft was crewed or not, but it is evident that either its crash landing or the data it returned to Seva prior to its demise prompted a crewed rescue / follow-up mission: hovering in the sky above the crash site – three rugged lake islands surrounded by high peaks – sits a massive spacecraft, docked against what appears to be a free-floating tower, both happily ignoring the generally insistent demands of gravity.

There is a strong hint of Kubrick / Clarke’s USS Discovery from 2001: A Space Odyssey about the vessel (a kitbash by Nia Angel (NiaHalley) utilising elements created by Beth Delaunay (Isilmeriel) of Delaunay Industries / Isil Designs fame). Given the back-story, I’m sure this is simply inspirational, rather than indicative of any intended link between the setting and the film / novel. Certainly, there is no doubting the imposing beauty of the vessel.

Down on the islands, meanwhile, the crew have clearly been busy. On the longest and southernmost of the three islands sits a cultivation dome where vegetables, fruits and fungi are being cultivated, presumably for study. Close by, containers are being moved back and forth between this and another station on the middle of the three islands.

This second structure has been built into the ground somewhat, and is a further centre for plant research.  Both of the research facilities can be reached on foot by means of a large slab of rock towards their eastern ends, where it arches over the narrow channel separating the two islands.

A cliff-side path also descends along the middle island’s south side to reach the lowlands at its western end. Combined with the path leading up to the south island’s biodome and the rocky arch, this offers the best means to explore both the southern and middle islands to their fullest public extent with both trails offering opportunities to sit and / or photograph local wildlife. A second path close to the Landing Point on the southern island also offers the opportunity to explore the lowlands between the two islands.

I confess to not having found a means to directly access the small northern island save by flying, but this also offers a walk up from its low-lying western end to its mid-point peak, and also down to the crash-site of the original Seravarian scout vessel.

One point of note – and as stated in chat at the Landing Point – is that there is a private residence at the eastern end of the middle island. It intentionally has no direct access to it by foot to emphasise its private nature, and if you try a direct TP, you will earn the ire of the local security system – so don’t! 🙂 .

In all, a very well designed and creative setting, complete with several places to sit and relax while exploring, and which offers plenty of scope for both photography and story-telling.

SLurl Details

• Three Finger Pines (Nevernever Land, rated Adult)

It’s been a decade since I last visited Cammino e Vivo Capovolto, the setting which for many years formed the home for Mistero Hifeng’s mesh sculptures and the Ocho Tango dance venue. In fact, not long after my last visit, both locations relocated to a new region – and for reasons unplanned, I stopped visiting.

I mention this as an entry in the Destination Guide caught my eye recently called Another Song of Freedom – and it just so happens to be set within the region to which Mistero and Ocho Tango relocated back in 2015.

While Ocho Tango appears long gone, Mistero’s gallery / store remains in the sky (with a couple of teleports reaching up to it from the ground level), allowing the ground level of the region to present a conjoined, flooded environment of two halves, the water (and railway tracks) serving to bring them together.

To the south, the region offers a setting for Mistero’s work. With minimal landscaping, a few props (notably wrought iron gateways) it sits as a gallery space in which Mistero has placed various works to form a series of artistic vignettes.

To the north sits Another Song of Freedom. At first glance there is little to tell the exhibition space and Another Song … apart; both have the same waters flowing through them, both sit under the same sky, both utilising Mistero’s sculptures, both comprise a series of scattered vignettes. Only the fact that Another Song … has more in the way of supporting props perhaps sets them apart to the casual eye.

However, there is very much a difference between the two. Designed by Veronica Elara, Another Song … carries within it a central theme, which Elara describes thus:

The land is a surreal transposition of some of the most important biomes of our planet Earth, focusing attention on the evolutionary path of the human being that has often led to sad scenarios of pain and war. Another Song of Freedom wants to be a sincere wish and a voice of hope that can remind us human beings how wonderful the world we live in is and an invitation to respect it and take care of it, with all our deepest roots and traditions.

– Another Song of Freedom Destination Guide entry

The first part of this theme – humanity’s evolutionary path and our penchant for war and destruction – is framed directly at the Landing Point. Two sculptures (by ValiantCo) mark the ascent of man from hominid to human as they march forwards, apparently towards the towers and skyscrapers of New York, a place where the Statue of Liberty lies broken, a mushroom cloud rises into the air and a lonely globe turns above more roiling clouds, a symbol of humanity’s global dominance – and the danger of our destructive tendencies to bring it largely to an end.

Serving as a gateway, this tableau then leads people into the rest of the setting, and its multiple vignettes.

From the polar wilderness to the colours of Polynesia and Africa, and encompassing echoes of our long history here on Earth and our ability to create wonders such as the pyramids, each vignette has something to say about the beauty of the world in which we live, and in our kinder, gentler nature – our creation of music and dance and entertainment; our ability to tend the land and its creatures and produce for ourselves and others; our capability for compassion and understanding.

What is to be made of all this is up to the individual visiting, and I’m not going to put words into anyone’s mouth here.  I’ll simply leave you with a further comment from Elara, and allow you to see where Another Song … might lead you.

 The land is full of different scenarios to take photographs, spend peaceful moments in the company of nature in a climate of serenity and social reflection.

– Another Song of Freedom Destination Guide entry

SLurl Details

• Another Song of Freedom (Retrospect, rated Moderate)

The partnership of Vally (Valium Lavender) and Dandy Warhlol (terry Fotherington), as region holder and designer respectively, is back with a new Full region offering called Vox Populi – voice of the people. With its formal opening due on July 18th, the region enjoyed a soft opening on July 9th, for those wishing to explore it beforehand.

Like many of the joint designs Vally and Dandy offer for public enjoyment, Vox Populi has a rugged look to it that is immediately enticing and which, for a number of reasons, put me in mind of some of the furthest reaches of Cornwall’s southern coast caught under a summer sky.

With the landing Point sitting not far from the region’s middle, and located atop the main bulk of the landscape, the direction one might wander when exploring is simply a matter of choice. While there are footpaths and trails to be found, they are few in number for the most part, although some are obviously marked, while others take a little spotting.

At the time of my visit, a radio on the picnic table alongside the Landing Point was playing Dire Straits (Sultans of Swing) as an acoustic guitar piece, which was enough to keep me hovering around the area for a while.

The music is accompanied by a the bubbling splash of water as a stream tumbles over the rocks from higher up the hill, pooling for a while in a small pond overlooked by the picnic table before it bounces on downhill as a fast-flowing brook as it turned north towards the deep, almost square cut of cliff-sided inlet the sea has cut into the land. As it does so, the water skirts around a dry stone cottage, long since converted into a shelter for the sheep grazing either side of the stream.

To the east of the Landing Point lies one of the setting’s trails, which drops quickly to a rugged bay with standing rocks stranded off-shore and signs that the high tide has been busy down the years trying to burrow through the neck of a headland. Perhaps one day it might may eventually complete its work, and leave the end of the headland pointing up out of the shallows.

This headland can be reached by climbing the hill to the right of the path accessing the bay. While there is a fence partially blocking the way out onto the rock, it is easily skirted and it is possible to walk all the way out to the beacon marking the tip of the promontory.

Part-way along the walk to the headland is a second path, offering the way up to the Gallery 9.5 / Vox Gallery.  Utilising a converted greenhouse and with an outdoor ice cream kiosk and parasol-shaded seating, the gallery is set to be the home of art exhibitions, the first of which features a small but engaging collection of monochrome SL photography by Catherine Nikolaidis. The exhibition officially opens on the 18th July along with the region, but is available for appreciation now.

Nor is the gallery alone in offering events. Away to the north (relative to the gallery), and occupying a broad headland sits a thatched-roofed cottage sitting with its back to the cliffs and the sea below. Called the Vox Pub despite its cosy residential interior, It is the venue for DJ-led music events (possibly mixed with live music sessions) “a couple of times a month”, as well as being a general meeting place.

A second music venue is to be found off to the south-west of the region, where an old fortification (castle, fortified manor house, take your pick) again stands with its back to cliffs as they drop into the sea, its flat rooftop converted into a place to enjoy music.

It is the western side of the region which to me, offers another hint of the Cornish coastline. It is dramatically rugged, with the paths widely split to encourage exploration. One of these – the main one up to the venue mentioned above – is perhaps the most obviously, being main of steps and paved footpaths cut from stone. It passes by a seafood snack bar that perhaps leans more toward the USA than anything likely to be found in Cornwall, but the bar and its grounds look out over what are obviously treacherous waters – just like the Manacles, lying off the coast of the Lizard Peninsula. Indeed, even the wreck lying off Vox Populi carries the same name as a popular wreck diving site at Mullion Cove on the Lizard.

The western side of the region is also given over to ruins and the remnants of past life. Some can be clearly seen from almost any part of the landscape; others only come into view when exploring: solitary walls standing atop rocky plateaus the sea has long sundered from the rest of the land; a long deserted chapel, etc. A lighthouse warns ships not to stray close to the northern extent of this side of the region, a sandy beach to its back.

As always with Dandy and Vally, a highly-engaging setting well worth visiting and exploring.

SLurl Details

• Vox Populi (rated moderate)

It’s been some three years since my previous visit to Green Story, the Homestead region held and designed by Dior Canis. I hadn’t meant to leave so long a time between visits, so a nudge from fellow blogger and photographer, Miu (MiuMira) to hop over and visit came as a welcome reminder.

Overall, there is a tendency among many public regions that change appearance within Second Life to follow the passage of the northern hemisphere seasons of the physical world. As such, I always find a certain pleasure in settings that buck this trend – a nice summery location when most are showing us the many faces of winter, for example.

Such is the case with the current iteration of Green Story, which opts to present a rich wintertime setting to offset all the summer spots we can enjoy across Second Life. It carries with it just the smallest hints of the end-of-year holiday season.

Caught under a night-time glittering with unnumbered stars and from which snowflakes infinitely fall to blanket the ground, this iteration of Green Story retains a familiarly semi-rugged design found within previous versions, but which is completely unique.

Overhead, the Milky Way arches across the sky, its bright ribbon cutting the sea of stars in twain whilst also itself being split by the dark shadow of the Great Rift running through the middle of its arc.

With highlands and rocky peaks running along the east side of the region, the Landing Point sits tucked into the lee formed by the shoulders of these highlands, and within a little gathering of buildings clustered around a clock tower and alongside the local tram line. It is here that the little hint of the winter holiday season might be found, in the form of a little kiosk store, while a couple of the other buildings forming cosy places for sitting and chatting.

A little to the west the land gives way to open waters, a string of street lamps curving along the line of the coast to suggest the water has overwhelmed a local footpath or road.

Off this coast and set directly against the arch of the Milky Way lay the shadowy forms of a tall tower and thin, stubby finger of a three-storey townhouse linked by a set of wooden decks.  How you reach this is up to you, but the tower offers both bungee jumping and the opportunity to drift around the region in the air.

Another opportunity to travel the region lies to the south, where a horse rezzer might be found close to the tall form of a windmill (do remember to turn off your own AO before sitting on the rezzed horse!). Not far from the rezzer, the land starts its eastern climb, wooden walkways and stone steps rising to a shoulder of rock and one of the many sitting areas found throughout the region.

Overseen by one of the many cats found throughout the setting as they keep an eye on things, this shoulder of rock within its campfire is not the highest point in the region people can explore. To the north can be found a shelf of rock looking out over the open waters, it is reach extended by a high wooden deck which points a finger out over the lowland and snowy shoreline below.

This plateau is home to a small recording studio and more places to sit. It is perhaps reached via an uphill walk to the mid-point of the highlands, and then crossing an elevated bridge spanning an overgrown gorge, before climbing onwards from there.

However, how you choose to explore is up to you. While there are one or two rough / unusual elements to the setting (a couple of the building were floating just clear of the snow beneath them on my visit, and an entire cabin appeared to be magically (intentionally or otherwise, I’ve no idea) balanced on the very topmost little branches of a tree), there is no mistaking the many opportunities for photography to once again be found within Green Story.

In all another engaging visit!

SLurl Details

• Green Story (rated: Moderate)

Located in the north-east of Sansara sit the natural realm of Sawrey Forest. The work of Valerian Kronfeld, this full region offers a range of connected settings linked via teleport boards and teleport portals, each with its own identity, with some folding within them common themes.

The main element is Sawrey Forest itself, located on a sky platform and presenting a single, contiguous setting off woodland, rugged cliffs and rocky uplands. The Landing Point is tucked into the south-west corner of the location, which also presents the first of the teleport boards providing access to the other locations waiting to be explored.

Welcome to Sawrey Forest! This mystical woodland invites you to embark on enchanting walks through extensive trails. Discover secluded spots perfect for cuddling with loved ones or simply relaxing in nature’s embrace. Whether you’re seeking adventure or a peaceful retreat, Sawrey Forest offers a serene escape for everyone. Come explore the beauty and tranquillity!

– Valerian Kronfeld, describing Sawrey Forest

A sign points the way “to the Forest”, and the start of a series of paths and trails winding through the trees and snake around the rocky uplands. Along the way are further signposts pointing the way to the principle destinations of interest waiting to be found.

The main paths are gravel and easy to follow, with bridges crossing streams, and grassy or semi-paved paths take over where the gravel fades. As well as these, there are zip lines for quick crossings between elevated points and those lower down (and also a ladder in one place!), helping people to get around.

Such is the design, the paths meander and turn through the forest in such away as to make any visit a delightful exploration, with the various locations within it cleverly set-out so as to be somewhat invisible from one another, with the walks between them suggesting of greater distances between them.

The places tucked into the forest include The Tower, rising against the cliffs marking the north-west corner of the setting, a cosy round room sitting at its top, under a pinnacle roof and offering views across the landscape. Then there are the tree house and the tree cottage (which are two very different places!); a walk up to the high plateau with the lake below it; and the mystically-named Magic Piano and Gaia, among others.

As to which order a person encounters these when exploring is entirely a matter of choice, the paths and trails dividing and coming together to offer different routes of exploration. Along the way there are places to sit under the trees, alongside the waterfalls, etc., bright bursts of flowers, rounded out by local birds, fish and wildlife.

The majority of additional locations offered require the use of the teleport board at the Landing Point. There is a strong oriental theme linking several, with a spiritual theme also present. The one exception to the need to use the teleport board comes in the form of the Caves – which can be reached from the board or via a teleport portal waiting to be found within the forest.

Given my love of the Far East, it should come as no surprise that I was particularly drawn to Zendo, with its large body of water bounded by rocks and bamboo thickets. A meditation centre sits on a hill overlooking the lake, which is crossed by three bridges hopping their way over two little stepping-stone islands. This is matched by the Zen Garden, again with open water and open-air walks and the opportunity to play board games.

My personal choices aside, all of the additional locations reached via the teleport board (and which extend down to the ground level) offer their own attractions, large and small. All of which makes Sawrey Forest an engaging visit.

SLurl Details

• Sawrey Forest (Sawrey, rated General)