Category: Exploring Second Life

Located in Manipur, north-eastern India, and close to the town of Moirang is the remarkable Loktak (“stream end”) Lake. Covering between 250 km² and 500 km² in area (depending on the season), the lake is freshwater in nature and referred to as a “pulsating” lake after the way in which is surface area expands and contracts as a result of the region’s rainy / dry seasons.

What makes this lake particularly famous are the phumdi scattered across it. Looking like islands of various sizes, these Phumdi are in fact floating masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter in different stages of decay, ranging in size from the very small to the largest, which covers an area of 40 km². Located the south-east shore of the lake, this massive phumdi is the home of the Keibul Lamjao National Park, the world’s only floating national park and wildlife reserve.

The lake is a richly biodiverse body of water, with 57 species of waterbirds and another 14 species of wetland associated birds being recorded within its bounds and 425 species of animals, comprising 249 vertebrates (including the brow-antlered deer Cervus eldi eldi, or sangai, which had been thought to be extinct, and for which (in part) the Keibul Lamjao National Park was established).

Further, the lake is also home to 176 species invertebrates and some 233 species of aquatic macrophytes (vascular plants that have adapted to live in aquatic environments), whilst the annual fish yield from its waters is said to be 1,500 tonnes, with a variety of fish species introduced to the lake to assist with the natural capture fishing “industry” of the region. It is also a centre of hydropower generation and irrigation, water from it feeding into wetlands used for paddies, with water from the lake also used to provide drinking water for the nearby hamlets and towns.

The latter aspects of its use has all placed considerable pressure on the lake, another factor in it being designated a wetland of international importance. In particular, issues of over-irrigation and deforestation are an increasing theat. Also, given its location, the lake has become a destination for tourism, with two of the phumdi being largely devoted to tourist facilities, including the Sendra Tourist Home.

However, it is the lake as a beauty spot and home to local flora, fauna and natural living, which is celebrated in a build in Second Life. Designed by Iska (Sablina) on behalf of region holder Sominel Edelman (who also worked on the setting), Loktak Lake occupies a Full region, and showcases some of Som’s products in the form of the region surround and an upcoming new product, the Weather Dome.

In this, the surround beautifully encapsulates the region, with off-region elements continuing the theme of phumdi stretching out across the waters of the lake towards the distant hills, with the region itself offering two large islands and smaller phumdi awaiting exploration. A further layer of natural beauty has been added through the use of the Weather Dome and EEP settings which allow for not only a 24-hour day / night cycle, but also changing weather.

During one of my visits, for example, – the one in which the photos here were taken – the setting was in the middle of Manipur’s monsoon season; rain fell, the clouds roiled over heavy, and one felt the need to seek shelter within the huts and cabins.

From the landing point sitting towards the south-west of the region, it is possible to explore on foot. A bridge links two islands one to the other, one end of it forming the actual landing point and the southern end of the smaller, finger-like region. From here is it possible to descend stone steps and make one’s way around some of the phumdi, or follow the track around the larger island. Both offer their own attractions, from bars to houseboats to romantic-leaning retreats where time might be passed – so exploration is more than warranted.

In places, bridges connect to islands a little further afield whilst elsewhere a little wading might be required (I didn’t note any boats available for rowing / boat rezzers, but I may well have missed them). Throughout all of this are many more places to sit and appreciate the sitting and watch the local wildlife (including several SL breeds of deer representing the local sangai) and waterfowl.

With flora carefully chosen to fit with the climate of the region’s physical-world namesake, and with numerous details to be found throughout, Loktak Lake is a beautifully conceived and executed setting ideal for exploration, appreciation and photography.

Thoroughly recommended.

SLurl Details

• Loktak Lake (Landscapes Showcase, rated Moderate)

With November on the horizon and the start of National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo – or NAN-oh-RY-moh) I received an invitation from long-time acquaintance in Second Life, Lizzie Gudkov, to pop over to Milk Wood, the home of Virtual Writers, as they gear-up for their new event for November each year, Moxie Madness.

Virtual Writers is an on-line community of writers, originally founded in 2007. The group is committed to showcasing both experienced and emerging writers in a range of interactive and immersive environments around the globe. Milk Wood provides a focal point for the group’s activities, offering an environment which writers can come together to share in the writing experience, socialise, have fun together and – if they wish – find a virtual home.

We offer a space for all writers at all stages, within a digital medium. This unique place allows the user to more fully develop their characters and settings, meet other likeminded individuals, share experiences, and learn and grow as writers.

We know the challenges writers face because we’ve each had similar roadblocks. Many of us have had expert help along the way and want to pay it forward. We learn from each other and share our expertise gladly. Whether you’re an experienced writer or just starting out, there’s a place for you at Virtual Writers.

– from virtualwriters.org

Occupying a Full private region leveraging the Land Capacity bonus, Milk Wood has been crafted by Harriet Gausman to provide a gorgeous setting in which to stir the creative juices whilst escaping the distractions of the physical world. It is a place Inspired by the BBC-commissioned radio drama Under Milk Wood, by Dylan Thomas, a play itself deeply interwoven with Dylan’s short life, and his passing away in 1953 whilst on a tour of the United States with the play (which he was still revising at the time,  having roots reaching back into the early 1930s and the very start of his writing career whilst still in his late teens.

Within the region is a mix of public and private spaces – the latter being a range of rental cottages, beachfront cabin, houses and the like – stirred together without obvious boundaries in places, which can make exploration a little difficult for the casual visitor. So if you are visiting out of curiosity, then please bear this in mind as regards wandering into someone’s personal space.

That said, the blending of both public and private fits the region well, given its primary intent to bring writers together to allow them to share time and experiences, engage in a shared experience of writing and reading – and as noted, provide a home for those wishing to rent one.

Milkwood Activities and Events

Events within the region include (all times SLT):

500 Word Snatch

• Monday-Sunday, 08:00 at the Forest Coffee Bar.
• Sunday, 12:00 noon at Book Island

The 500 word snatch is a popular way of breaking down a large writing project – such as a novel – into much small, easily-digested bites by scheduling a specific time each day to write 500 words. Nor does the snatch have to be related to a single work; the challenge can be used for many different writing forms, such as outlining ideas, drafting a blog post, writing poetry, producing a short story, and so on.

Poem-a-Day (PAD)

• April, 08:00 daily

To coincide with National Poetry Month. Write a poem every day for the month of April.

Moxie Madness

• November (all 30 days)

The group’s  new challenge in respect of NaNoWriMo: write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. As a part of this Moxie (standing for Month of Xtra Inspiration & Effort) provide a wealth of support for those participating in NaNoWriMo with daily write-ins, resources, and a selection of workshops/seminars from successful authors.

Details of sessions, workshops and events associated with Moxie Madness are available via the Moxie Madness information boards (such as found at the Forest Coffee Bar).

Camp Moxie

• April and July at the Milk Wood Camp Site

A more relaxed version of the November novel writing event. Sessions are held in both April and July, with writing challenges with word-counts of between 5,000 and 25,000 for any type of writing project. The time can also be used to edit your Moxie manuscript from November, plan for coming Moxie Madness or delve into research.

I’ve attended Milk Wood poetry readings, daily dashes, and the intense annual NaNoWriMo event in November. Milk Wood provides a forum for interacting with other writers, both newbies and published professionals, and a place to promote books and literary events. It’s possible to join a writing circle and set your avatar to work at a computer while you type away on a real world project. There’s always someone to offer encouragement, sympathy or advice when you hit a snag or need a break

Poet and author Patricia Averbach (via virtualwriters.org)

It’s fair to say (having sat-in on a 500 Word Snatch – even if this blog post did run to more than that as I was writing it at the time!) events at Milk Wood are well-attended and the folk are friendly and easy-going. Therefore if you are a writer of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or a blogger or diarist, and so on, and haven’t dropped into Milk Wood, I would genuinely recommend doing so.

In terms of exploration, the majority – but not all – of the rentals are located around the region’s coastline, with most of the public spaces – the Forest Coffee Bar, the Boho Bean Coffee Shack, the Fiesta Bar and Dance Floor, the Milk Wood Camp Site, and the Milk Wood Drive-In – located within the western half of the region, and reachable one to the next on foot without fear of colliding with someone’s home; only the Stone Circle, on the north side of the region is very close to any rentals. To ease getting around, there in an in-region teleport system, together with a local Experience to help with hopping around.

Whilst not primarily intended for the purposes of photography, the region is nevertheless beautifully designed and landscapes and offers a relaxing environment with some public spaces in which to sit and pass the time  / think about what to write next in addition to the group’s various events.

SLurl and Information

• Forest Coffee Bar (Milk Wood, rated Moderate)
• Virtual Writers website
• NaNoWriMo website
• National Poetry Month website

Beneath a star-swirled sky from which an eye of infinity stares down, stands a temple on a floating island; a place of magic, mystery, sadness and beauty. Removed from time, this is a realm where the occult is practiced and researched and arcane and perhaps terrible secrets await discovery.

Born of the imagination of Autumn Moonwraith (AutumnsWraith),  Dominae Templum Doloris sits above the southwestern extent of Heterocera at a point where, at ground level, a graveyard might be founds set back from the road and separated from it by high rocks and gated wall. Here, both beside the steps leading to the gates of the cemetery (elsewhere and within its walls) passing visitors might find a book of Magic, a touch upon which (and acceptance of an Experience) will carry them to the Temple itself (there’s also a teleport board on the other side of the steps leading up to the graveyard, and this provides direct access to the places mentioned in this article).

However, before being tempted by said book(s), those coming the cemetery first may well want to spend a little time exploring it first, as there is much to be found within its darkened walls, including possible references to Goddess for whom the Temple was established, together with the bloody and mystical Club Midian – but I’ll leave it to you to discover these.

A crumbling domain in the endless void Explore the fallen temple of a long dead Goddess and the ancient occult library at the veil between life and death.

– Dominae Templum Doloris About Land description

For those teleporting to it from the ground or directly (from, say this article or the Destination Guide), Dominae Templum Doloris – perhaps most easily expressed as Temple of the Lady of Pain – lies separated from its main Landing Point by a chasm of sky crossed by the single broad span of a bridge. The Landing Point sits within the ruins of of a chapel perhaps younger that the temple, but which have not weathered the passing of time nearly so well. Make what you will of the altar and strange throne within these ruins – but do take note of the floating prize box close to where the bridge reaches outwards from the ruins; within it you will find a clue that my well help you in your explorations and in unlocking some of the mysteries of this setting. I’ll say no more of this here, but let you seek out more should you visit.

Find me, rooted near our lady’s sorrowed heart and the tears that help the lost souls to depart. Another clue is yours if you search the round; they say, behind words true knowledge may yet be found.

– Dominae Templum Doloris first hint

As you cross the bridge, you might witness a smaller rock circling the chapel’s ruins, the shape of the bent tree on its back as it circles perhaps mindful of a shark silently circling its potential prey. But while that tree is no monster, signs that strange and terrible creatures once occupied this realm can be found on the far side of the bridge, in the form of a giant dragon-like beast’s skull and bones. Just be careful where you step should you examine them, and you might find beasties still await the chance to scare.

Stone steps climb from here to the temple’s imposing bulk, their passage upwards guarded by tall carved pillars topped by mystical cold blue flames, together with more bent and twisted tress looking like fossilised serpents forgotten by time. Sitting under the high domed roof open at its centre to the stars above, the temple is a vast rotunda of magic and mystery. It is a place mixing learning with practice; where spells and incantations might be sought and cast, or knowledge of dark and light and life and death might be studied. It is also, strangely, a place in which to relax, and even to play a parlour game or two, as well as in which to study.

The attention to detail within the temple is – in a word – exquisite. So much so that I again do not want to spoil your explorations; just do take time to pan and cam carefully, high and low, or you might miss something – be it an image on the walls or an object on a desk or shelf. Those wishing to try their hands at levitating might want to touch the floor within the ring of candles, whilst those who came directly to the Temple might try the book of spells and runes to one side of the the circle to travel down to the cemetery mentioned above – or elsewhere!

If walking is your forte, exiting the temple and turning to the right will lead you to another set of stairs climbing to a further garden; a place where more surprises might await – particularly for those with active RLV/a; so be careful where you click!

There is one other place within the setting awaiting exploration (although, depending on your luck, you may find the teleport board already mentioned offers the easiest means of access). It sits even higher overhead, where the swirl of a yellow galaxy spins as a golden iris around the darkness of its heart to form that eye of infinity staring down over the temple. But again – I will leave you to discover this location for yourselves.

Dominae Templum Doloris is a fascinating visit – yes, it might seem appropriate to the season, but it in fact exists well outside of Halloween or anything else of that nature; it is a fully-formed place of mystery and the mystical which can be enjoyed regardless of the season or time. When visiting do be sure to have local sounds enabled and to either be running a PBR viewer or if on a non-PBR viewer, to have Advanced Lighting Model (ALM – Preferences → Graphics check the box; Shadows need not be enabled as well if your system struggles with them) – and enjoy!

SLurl Details

• Dominae Templum Doloris (Or, rated Moderate)

Note: As of at least December 2024, Susurrous has been switched to Group Only access and the Group is closed to enrolment.

It’s been a while since I’ve visited a region design by Talia (Natalia Corvale), a designer with – as I’ve noted before – an eye for creating region designs that are wonderfully attractive, rich in natural detail, and evocative of places that one might find tucked away whilst on global travels. In fact the last time I covered one of her designs was in 2021; so I was delighted to be able to drop into her most recent design, Susurrous and spend some time exploring.

Occupying a Full region, the setting is both Talia’s home in Second Life and a public space offered for people to explore, take photographs and simply relax within, with Talia requesting visitors respect it as both public and her home.

Bounded on all four sides by wooded hills of a region surround, the setting is separated from them by water, framing it as a broad, semi-rugged island with  an autumnal feel which links it neatly to the more distant hills despite the waters sitting between the two. This is a place utilising mesh landscape elements and changes in elevation which enhance its look and feel as a location deep withing a rugged countryside, such as found on the north American continent.

The Landing Point is tucked into north-west corner of the region where the land is at its lowest. It sits on a deck close to where the land makes a final short rocky drop into the waters below. An arrival sweeper gently encourages those new arrived to move along the deck toward the steps down to ground level. From this little headland, a sea of yellowing grass rolls inland, interspersed with trees, a little stream bubbling its way from the southern uplands as it  sloshes its way down over little steps of rock towards open waters.

Across the stream, and reached via a couple of bridges spanning it, is a cosy cabin with a barn and small greenhouse relatively close by, giving the impression this is all a homestead farm. It’s not clear what the produce from it might be, but some of could be connected with the sale of alpaca fleece, while another seasonal product appears to be pumpkins, making it the kind of place Linus Van Pelt might appreciate spending time within at the end of October 😀 .

The homestead has a nice sense of being lived-in, from the interior furnishings through the clothes drying on the lines outside, to little details such as a shirt draped over the handle of an axe with its blade embedded in a tree stump, as if whoever had been welding it worked up a sweat and then and stripped to the waist before wandering off to get a drink.

The southern border of this little farm lies along the bank of another stream as it cuts a gully to reach the west side of the region, spanned by a bridge reaching out from the farm to connect to the grassland on the other side. A little group of buildings from a short arc on the far side of the gasses from the stream, and sit is if someone once tried to establish a little huddle of businesses here. Whether the attempt succeeded or not is a matter of conjecture; for now the majority lie deserted; now this came to be is a story for your imagination to create when visiting – perhaps whilst sitting in the little bar which has managed to survive in the shell of the old oyster shop.

Much of the southern and eastern sides of the region are elevated, starting with a high plateau along the southern edge of the setting. This runs from the eastern cliffs almost all the way to the grassland on which the would-be hamlet sits. A grassy incline and rocky wall link the two, the incline offering a way up the former from the latter. Climbing half way to the top, the incline ends alongside a pool of water fed from the rocks above, and which in turn feeds the two streams below. From here, a broad shoulder to grass leads the way to where stone steps take over, curving their way up grass and rock to pass a terrace. Just beyond this, the steps are in turn replaced by a wooden stairway as it climbs to a treehouse cunning disguised as a cabin sitting atop a wooden platform extending out from the plateau’s edge.

The top of the plateau offers a broad expanse of grass  dotted with trees, two of which support the two halves of a tree house (in the literal sense of a house built in the boughs of a tree 🙂 ), and another carries a large platform with seating surrounding its trunk and suspended from the boughs above it. It is on this plateau I found a couple of rideable horse from Water Horse – although given they are rideable, and so might get moved around by those using them, you might come across them elsewhere in the region. As one was available, I mounted it and headed east and then along a trail running along the top of a flat-topped ridge pointing north.

I’ll admit the trail was a little unfriendly to horseback riding in a couple of places, but with the little trial and error, I found myself making my way past more locations to sit (one being a cabin down on another shoulder of the plateau, and best reached from the western end of the uplands, after crossing the stream there to the trail rising to run along it). Towards the northern end of the ridge, the path dropped down a steep slope and into the north-east corner of the setting.

This forms a roughly square expanse of grass and shrubs, overlooking water on three sides: the waters to the east and north, and the mouth of an inlet cutting into the land from these northern waters. Tucked into one corner of this flat table of rock and grass sat a large open-air deck with seating and a fireplace for warmth, and sitting semi-secluded behind shrubs and bushes.  Facing it from across the grass and sitting about the inlet mouth sat a large café offering further respite for weary travellers.

Rather than visit the deck or the café  – which offers both indoor and outdoor seating, I instead switch-backed my way down grassy inclines the the banks of the inlet, and made for the covered bridge spanning it.

A shack at the head of the inlet displays a sign offering boat rentals and the sail of fishing bait, but given the bridge sits so low over the water, fishing is probably the better option of the two to pick. For my part, I crossed the bridge and then cantered up the slope to where the meadow flowed back towards the landing point and the stream forming one boundary to the farm. I headed for one of the bridges to the latter, finally leaving my good-natured horse at the barn there.

Nor does this complete a look at the region: as noted earlier, there are multiple places to sit and pass the time, some of which are easy to stop, others more cleverly tucked away and need to be sought out. Throughout the entre region the landscaping is exceptionally well done and the opportunities for photography manyfold, with the local animals (domesticated and wild)  offers a further sense of life throughout.

My one minor niggle with Susurrous lies in the fact that scripts are disabled. While the choice of capabilities available to people entering a region is entirely the choice of the region holder, and there are a couple of horses (that I saw) in the region which can be ridden, it would nevertheless be nice if those who have them to be able to add their own horse to their avatar and enjoy a canter / walk around the setting.

However, the above does not in any way spoil the fact that Susurrous is a beautiful setting, the landscaping very well put together to present an entirely natural and eye-catching environment at it slopes down from the the southern and eastern uplands to the north-western coastline before the land makes its final rocky drop into the surrounding waters. The accompanying soundscape is subtle and helps to further immerse visitors, whilst the multiple places to sit offer plenty of opportunities for relaxing and taking photographs.

SLurl Details

• Susurrous (Blue Water Cove, rated Moderate)