Category: Exploring Second Life

Ravenport Reclaimed occupies half of a Full region with the additional private island Land Impact bonus. Designed by Raven Banrion (RavenStarr), it presents a city in decay, a place overcome by time and falling into collapse and nature reclaims it.

Post-apocalyptic region designs are not exactly uncommon in Second Life – I’ve covered more than a few in these pages – but Ravenport offers something that is just a little bit different. Exactly where it might be or what happened goes unmentioned; instead, it is left to the imaginations of those who visit to reach a conclusion as to what may have happened; all we are told is that it is a place that is “wiped out of human life”.

These are words that can be interpreted a number of ways, from humans having been somehow eliminated from the city as a result of physical elimination in some way, through to the inhabitants having been forced to flee the city due to natural or other disaster. But whatever the cause, it is clear that human life departed the setting in a hurry and has been gone a while: Broken buildings and roads are well on the way to being lost amidst the returning greenery, vehicles have long since become rusting hulks and the harbour has been deserted for so long that the waters there are choked by vegetation, one of the remaining vessels within it listing to the point where it is no longer seaworthy, and another other fast becoming a home to vines and greenery and a home for waterfowl.

Greetings, survivor. If you are receiving this message, all human life in Ravenport is gone….

– The greeting given to visitors arriving at Ravenport

The waterfowl are not the only wildlife to be found within the setting; while humans may appear to have deserted Ravenport, animals have not. They roam almost every street and road, their mix suggesting that they may have all once been gathered within a local zoo:  elephant and rhino from Africa mix with North American jaguar and black bear, while Australian kangaroo can also be found and seals occupy the docks, keeping away from the sharks in the water.

As deer, raccoon, squirrel and even turkey can also be found, together with the styling of the vehicles, there is a hint this might be a place somewhere in the North Americas – but again, I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

However, the animals are not alone in the city. Despite the landing point greeting not everyone has completely deserted Ravenport. Within the ruins of the city’s theatre lie signs that humans still gather on occasion and an attempt has been made to supply electrical power for a DJ’s deck and lighting – so someone appears to be prepared to party on from time to time. Outside of the theatre sits what might at first seem to be a hint as to what might have befallen the city to cause its desertion.

This comes in the form of a Fat Man nuclear bomb that has partially cratered itself directly outside the front of the theatre – although the fact it has not detonated indicates it is not itself responsible for the city’s condition. Nor, given the healthy presence of the wildlife and greenery, would it seem that a nuclear disaster has been directly responsible for the situation; so perhaps the “bomb” is merely an artistic statement.

Those exploring the city will find other possible explanations for the city being left to its own decay. The fence outside of one of the buildings, for example, has a biohazard warning hanging from it. Inside another building sits a figure in a hazmat, a bleak warning painted on the wall over it. These and other elements both add to the mystery of Ravenport and allow visitors add to their own stories around what may have happened here.

Rich in detail and finished with a soundscape that reflects the wildlife that wait the cameras of photographers, Ravenport Reclaimed makes of an engaging photo-rich visit. My thanks to Shawn for the landmark.

SLurl Details

• Ravenport Reclaimed (Fairhill, rated Moderate)

February is almost upon us and with its arrival, many people’s thoughts will turn to love, romance – or at least to new friendships and what they might bring. And those who are seeking or have and would like to share any of the three with loved ones could do no better than to take a trip to Amore Italiano, a Full region using the Private island LI bonus, held by Mr Lukas Aduviri (Aduviri) and his partner Mrs Emma Aduviri (CheekyEmma) whose childhood memories serve to guide builder Lily Cloud.

Bringing together multiple aspects of Italy, from its long coast to its rolling green hills; with touches of famous landmarks, villas, and historical elements that speak to the country’s history, and piazzas and terraces that we often regard as “typically Italian” with their fountains and outdoor café seating, this is a place rich in life and romance.

Now, admittedly, at the time of my visit parts of the region were still a work-in-progress, but these shouldn’t deter visitors from dropping in, as there is a lot to see and appreciate – and the fact that work is still underway mark this as a place that is growing in appeal and depth. There is no enforced landing point for the region – but visitors do best if they take the one offers in the region’s heart and the SLurls given here. Sitting within the town square, it is where visitors can learn about the region’s special events for the month of romance.

The square, surrounded by the neat façades of Italian townhouses, is dominated by a large church that looks out across it and its fountains to where broad stairways and paved, raised walkway lead the way to where a stone pavilion looks out over the open sea, a fitting venue for the weddings the region is in part intended to host. But whilst the pavilion might be the actual focal point for weddings, the walk from the church down to it makes a fine processional way.

Beyond the town are multiple places to explore – some of which, as noted, are still in a state of flux. To the south-west a tall replica of St Mark’s Campanile rises into the sky, so high that clouds cling to its side. Located on its own island, the tower sits within the crenelated curtain walls of what might have once been a castle but which is now, thanks to the corner falls and the pool below them, forms a further romantic setting.

Those who prefer can a walk along the path that runs above the local canal to the south of the town. This canal connects a stream falling from the eastern hills the sea to the west and is spanned by the broad bridge. Along the waterside way are plenty of places to sit and enjoy another staple of Italy – an expresso or other coffee drink, to be supped under the shade of octagonal parasols – whilst across the bridge sits an upmarket restaurant sitting within the buildings and courtyard of what might have nonce been a grand country villa, but which now offers a further a further soupçon of romance and relaxation.

Steps from one end of the canal path rise into the western hills to join a path that runs along the hilltops and around to the north. Here the hills gently descend to where a little wooden bridge spans a second stream to curl around and reach another romantic setting (still under construction at the time of my visit), a second stone bridge offering a route back to the pavilion and its promenade walk.

The landing point also offers a teleport board for those wishing to hop to the major points of interest, and this plus the information boards located with it reveal further attractions to the region, such as the Pantie Hunt. Part of a broader charity event being held on behalf of Relay for Life of Second Life, this offers clues to points of interest, each one with a further clue and a chapter of a story of romance between couples. Collect all the clues, and you gain entry into the charity prize draw.

Several more charity activities can be found on the That’s Amore sky platform. Here, organised in association with the One More Light RFL of Second Life team (as is the Pantie Hunt), one can find a  number of auctions (and offer oneself up as a prize!) or purchase some of the items on sale. All of the proceeds from the auctions and the sales go directly to RFL of SL. Those visiting the sky platform can also visit the That’s Amore Café and the Silkywood bar with its music space.  The auctions all run through until February 11th, 2022, so there’s still plenty of time to tour and enter, should the mood take you.

Nicely detailed, with walks, cuddle spots and opportunities for photography, Amore Italiano offers much, even if you are not drawn by romance and love on their own.

SLurl Details

• Amore Italiano (Enchanted Isles, rated Moderate)

I’m starting this piece with an apology; back on July 2021, I visited Perpetuity, a Full region designed by Tamara Sierota and Camis Sierota (Camis Lee) – see In Perpetuity in Second Life. Following that piece, and in November 2021, Tamara e-mailed me with an invite to make a return visit to the region, which had been redressed for winter and – of particular interest to me, as she noted – carries an elven theme as well.

Unfortunately, I completely missed the e-mail and invite, only stumbling across it when catching up on some overdue filing and sorting. Ergo, I’m only now getting to writing about Perpetuity in its winter guise, and therefore offer apologies to Tamara and Camis for my tardiness in doing so.

To be honest, I do regret not having visited sooner; as someone with a deep love of Tolkien’s mythology and tales (from The Hobbit through to Unfinished Tales as well as Tree and Leaf, The Adventures of Tom Bombadil and so on), I was captivated by the setting from the moment I arrived at the landing point on the east side of the region. Not that this is a place that is “exclusively Tolkien”, so to speak – as a fantasy / elven setting, it casts its net wide; so it should appeal to those who many not be as enamoured with Tolkien’s writings but who enjoy winter and / or fantasy settings in general.

Certainly, the fact that this is a winter setting is a part of the setting’s magic. Possibly because of Tolkien (or fables in general), it’s likely that most of us associate elves with warmth, the greenery of woodlands in the spring and summer, etc. So in presenting a clear elven theme that sits within a wintery shell of ice, frost and snow-capped mountains, perpetuity carries us to another realm entirely; one that realm captures and holds the eye and the imagination.

Sitting on what at first might look to be a headland extending outwards into and semi-frozen waters of a mountainous coastline (to the west the land doesn’t quite merge with the off-region mountains, but lies close enough to give that impression), this iteration of Perpetuity sits as place that, but for the time of year, would be rich in the colours of woods and trees. Throughout the setting, can be found great twisted trunks of trees which in warmer months would hold aloft canopies of leaves to shade the broad paths that pass under them and offer places of rest away from the brightness and warmth of a summer’s Sun. Similarly, scattered across the region and along its edge stand copses and strands of birch and other trees that, when heavy with leaf, would draw curtains of greenery around the setting and between its buildings as if to drape them is a sense of privacy and natural separation of the world beyond.

Winter Magic – A place for quiet moments and photography with areas to bring your partner or to come alone and relax surrounded by nature in all it’s beauty.

– Perpetuity’s About Land description, January 2022

However, caught in the depths of winter as they are, these trees lie wrapped in coats of frost, their bare branches still raised aloft and splayed towards the sky, but only able to cast spindly shadows over path, terrace and courtyard, the stones of which all lay dusted with snow. Linked by stairs and bridge, these broad paths make circumnavigation of the island easy, naturally carrying visitors from place to place, and building to building, revealing all whilst also retaining some secrets that lie waiting to be found.

Watched over by the slender spires of a graceful castle that rise from the top of that high central mesa, the majority of the buildings lying within the setting are all of a distinctly elven look; the only potential exception being the more blocky, angular form of a more formidable castle to the north-west.

Furnished throughout, these are buildings that speak to a close-knit community, presenting living spaces, places for gathering (indoors and out) and places of ceremony and / or magic. As might be expected from an elven enclave, both art and music are represented here, and the entire design of the setting carries within it a natural sense of peace. Even the most casual glance around will reveal that considerable care has been put into ensuring this sense of harmony flows throughout, complete with touches here and there that help to both anchor it somewhat in Tolkien’s mythology whilst at the same time, naturally separating the two.

Take, for example, the presence of the Argonath. In Tolkien’s original tale, these huge statues represented Isildur and Anárion, the sons of Elendil, but within Peter’s Jackson’s 2001 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Anárion was replaced by Elendil, who is also represented here (indicated by the fact he is holding the blade Narsil in his right hand). Thus, these statues offer a direct link with Tolkien’s tales, particularly calling reference to the Last Alliance of Elves and Men as symbolised by Elendil’s presence.

However, floating above and a short distance from them is a flying ship that removes this setting entirely from anything Tolkien presented in her core myths, allowing this iteration of Perpetuity to both acknowledge Tolkien’s influence on our thinking around elven folk and stand independently from it is a realm with its own history.

But whether you are a lover of fantasy or not, this is a setting that is beautifully considered and executed; a place that is a genuine joy to explore and photograph (join the local group for rezzing rights, if required – a help support Perpetuity in the process). For those who do wish to visit and witness this iteration of the region’s design, I understand from Tamara that it will remain available through most of February, after which the region is liable to be redressed for spring.

SLurl Details

• Perpetuity (Envylicious, rated Adult)

On this grid I actualize the worlds I imagine, conjure my wildest daydreams, and walk a path unknown. I am here to create a fantasy for others to enjoy. Landscaping is my medium, my love language, and my story.

– TONAL (Avalyn Aviator)

I recently had cause to visit two adjoining Full regions design by TONAL which offer a rich mix of environments combined by what is clearly a love of France: its architecture, its history and its sweeping countryside and landscape.

Within Bordeaux, France, TONAL offers visitors a cityscape worthy of historic Paris. Here stand buildings one might easily encounter in a walk down the Avenue des Champs-Élysée and the streets running back from it and to either side of its long arm. Like that broad avenue, the buildings here present shops (some spaces available for rent) and apartments above (some of which are available for rent and cleverly hidden with in the façades of the various buildings, reached via the region’s experience teleport option (if available for rent).

The streets may not be as broad as the likes of the Champs-Élysée, but they are perfectly navigable on foot and offer the opportunity to explore this city-like setting and discover its secrets and places of interest, such as the neighbourhood supermarket, the little children’s playground or the more ostentatious Jardin et Salon de Thé.

As with Paris, this is a cosmopolitan centre marked by open spaces and terraces looking down towards a body of water albeit is a lake rather than a river!), and fountains and statures add grace and a timeless sense of history to the setting. Unlike Paris, however, this is a cityscape market by tall medieval-like towers topped by conical roofs of a kind more commonly seen gracing many chateaux across France rather than in the heart of a metropolis. Even so, they add a sense of place here.

Placed at various points around the city are maps (some of which can be found inside public spaces and resemble oversized iPads). These provide a map of the city and the adjoining countryside (of which more below), and include click-to-teleport markers for those wishing to quickly hop around the setting’s major points of interest, such as the aforementioned Jardin et Salon de Thé or the rooftop restaurant or the grand stables, to name but three. Oddly, a map isn’t placed at, or close to, the landing point – but a wander around the streets will quickly reveal it.

With a westward perspective, the city looks out towards the countryside of Village des Chasseurs de la Valle de Londyn, the second Full region comprising this location.  Between countryside and city sits a large lake around which sits a part of the town far older than that around the landing point, the buildings clearly harking back to medieval times. Guarded to one side by an old (and unfurnished) fortified chateau, the majority of these aged building are façades designed to give a further sense of depth and place to the setting – which they do so admirably – although a walk around them will bring visitors to a cosy tavern.

Across the lake and reached via bridge or by following the cobbled ways either side of the water, the land opens out into hilly woodlands. Here, as the region’s name suggests, there is the opportunity for hunting, with part of the region only accessible on the purchase of the “hunting pass” (L$200 for 24 hours). I confess I didn’t give this a try, so am unsure of what to expect, but I did take the public track up and around the wooded hills, passing some of the cottages and country houses that are also available for rent here.

At the time of my visit, it appeared some remodelling was underway – I caught sight of a couple of exposed plywood boards and at least one building within Village des Chasseurs de la Valle de Londyn was still set to track any movement of its rezzing box. However, none of this detracts from the appeal of either region or the opportunities for photography to be found throughout. That said, within Bordeaux, France, there is a lot for the viewer to rez and render, so those on more moderate system may need to adjust settings / reduce Draw Distance to a more comfortable level to assist in their explorations.

Warning aside, I enjoyed wandering through both Bordeaux, France, and Village des Chasseurs de la Valle de Londyn, so why not hop along and have a wander yourself?

SLurl Details

• Bordeaux, France (TONAL Family, rated Moderate)
• Village des Chasseurs de la Valle de Londyn (TONAL Lake Siren, rated Moderate)

In September 2021 I visited LANA, the rich and in places quirky Homestead region designed by Valarie (Zalindah) – see Lana’s seasons in Second Life. Since then, the changing of the year has brought with it a changing in the region’s looks, although much of the core theme  – that of letting go, freeing oneself to experience anew – remains very much prevalent, as does the balance between land and water, together with some of the individual motifs visitors might have encountered with that previous iteration.

However, where back in September LANA offer a setting perhaps rooted more within natural elements- countryside, water, a small town, etc., in its new form the region embraces something far more whimsical in nature, offering multiple vignettes that will catch the eye as one explores, set within a landscape that is very different in styling although it does retain a combination of two seasonal styles.

The first of these seasonal elements is encountered at the landing point, tucked into the south-east corner of the region. Taking the form of a single-roomed building with hard, concrete walls, and with and enclosed garden where visitors arrive, the landing point sits caught in the depths of winter and blanketed in deep snow. The single room of the building is comfortably furnished, two of its walls adorned by what I assume to be images of past iterations of LANA / previous builds by Valerie, while a fire blazes in the hearth, encouraging people to step inside and escape the snow.

At first glance, there doesn’t appear to be a way out of the walled garden or the house to get to the rest of the region. Snow is piled to dither of the structure, and in hanging around the landing point, I did notice several people seemingly confused, wandering in and out of the house, and finally resorting to climbing up the snow drift to one side of it to reach the roof (with one then promptly falling into the winter scene at the far end of the building that is open to the sky but glassed-off from the rest of the room!).

However, the route to the rest of the region isn’t that hard to spot – there is, after all a large white arrow pointing to it from the garden, together with a hopscotch game. It runs over the snow partially piled between the left side of the house and the wall that encloses the garden to reach a road set between bare, arched trees which march away westward through the snow-covered landscape, a large frozen pond beyond one of their arches ranks and cold, open waters to the other.

It is on this pond and along road that the region’s sense of fantasy starts to be revealed: two huge snow wolves – or perhaps dire wolves? – guard both the ice and – a little more aggressively – the far end of the road. Beyond this second wolf and over a hump of snow-dusted ground sits a second pond where a tall Torii gate – watched over by a third wolf – offers the way forward for explorers. Here the path splits, one arm curling back east, to where more Torri gates climb a slope to reach above the snows and a headland that runs north on the shoulders of rocky slopes that rise from the waters on either side, home to ancient ruins and more for those who take that route.

The second arm of the path, however, continues west over lowlands that gradually open out, the snow on them slowly giving way more and more to the scrubby grasses that refuse to remain under its blanket. Eventually turning north, these lowlands are home to trees on which frost still clings although the general sense is of a place in the throes of late autumn. From a distance this low-lying land appears is if it might be marshy in nature – and indeed, a sliver of water does split it’s northern end into a sliver of an island – but the ground is in fact dry.

Closer to where the snow gives way to the grass of these lowlands, the land also points north to where a second rocky upland sits, a large bay to one side of it, a narrower inlet to the other. The way to it is hard to miss, marked as it is by a combination of the remnants  of what must once have been a huge tree and the chinthe-like dragon hovering over it on lazy wing flaps.

Dragons are another presence here that links this LANA with that of the past. Here they come in numerous forms – the chinthe, a water dragon, oriental dragons, and I was particularly enamoured of the peacock dragon curling down to a touch of afternoon tea.

The latter is also one of the elements of whimsy waiting to be found across the region; others include cloud beds floating over a little block of apartments, the oversized plushies scattered throughout the setting. Also to be found throughout the setting are vignettes focused on wildlife and animals – rabbits being a favourite within it – that offer plenty of opportunities for photography.

Retaining much of its oriental lean throughout – notably on the top of the headland running up the east side of the region – whilst offering a setting that is entirely different from its prior incarnation sitting beneath a fitting EEP sky, LANA continues to offer a richness of design and content that makes it a ideal destination for the seasoned Second life traveller ad those looks for places to appreciate.

With thanks to Shawn for the suggestion for a re-visit.

SLurl Details

• LANA (rated Moderate)