Busta (BadboyHi) has a well-deserved reputation for designing eye-catching regions – so when I heard he is behind the new design for the Poison Rouge store in-world, I had to jump over and take a look.
Occupying half of a full region, the setting has something of a Dutch urban feel to it around the landing point – tall, slim town houses built along cobbled streets that line the banks of canals spanned by little bridges – with more to discover beyond.
The landing point itself is located within a large square. Facing this on three sides, and separated from it by the above mentioned canals, are the town houses that form the home of the Poison Rouge fashion and accessory brand, operated by Shena Neox, who is also the parcel holder.
It’s a visually appealing setting, the square with water features and places to sit, whilst in the streets surrounding it and the store buildings are other little attractions: a little outdoor coffee bar, boats (with sitting poses) on the canal waters, little overgrown garden plots, while bicycle racks add to the feeling we’re in The Netherlands. To the north of the square lies open water, a row of moorings home to sail boats and fishing trawlers. Further moorings can be found to the west of the square and store, watched over by a lighthouse.
However, this is very much a location of two halves – whilst the west side is devoted to the urban environment with shops and canals and streets, the east side presents an entirely different setting – although still one in keeping with lowlands that might be found in The Netherlands.
It is reached by way of a railway station that effectively splits the setting in two as it runs south-to-north, from tunnel to terminus. A familiar DRD Arcade Express sits at the station, and with no footbridge over the track, visitors can either pass through the train’s carriages to reach the far side of the station, or follow the footpaths around the northern end of the terminus.
Beyond the station is a remarkable garden area that is also part cemetery. Of great age, overgrown and rich in features and detail, this is a place to capture the eye and imagination – and time really should be taken in exploring it, as there is a lot to see.
The north side of the cemetery includes the ruins of the church, with further ruins beyond, sitting between open waters and a wetland cove that naturally intrudes into the landscape, gulls circling overhead.
An aged path runs south through the old churchyard to reach a second square. neatly paved if starting to be overgrown. It is dominated by a large square water feature and grand statue, bordered on three sides by more structures.
The first of these is an elevated walkway that offers a good vantage point from which to observe the square. It looks westward to where a pavilion is slowly breaking into ruin. This appears to form a stage area for music events. Behind it lies another garden space, forming a quite waterside walk, in turn bordered by a rushing stream pouring over rocks from narrow southern falls. The south side of the square is house to tearooms fronted by a raised terrace.
Throughout all of this is a wealth of detail awaiting discovery: inscriptions on water features, the flight of butterflies, the multiple places to sit through the the looks wildlife – all of which also heighten the photogenic nature of the setting.
Definitely not a place to miss.
SLurl Details
- Poison Rouge (Poison Rouge, rated Adult)
