Tag: Exploring Second Life 2023

Shawn Shakespeare suggested I might like to drop into Les Salines, the latest region design from the pairing of Tolia Crisp and Dandy Warhlol (Terry Fotherington), offered under Tolia’s Frogmore brand. And for those who like westerns, it might well hit the spot.

Apparently located on the edge of the “Mojave Desert Refuge, Arizona”, Les Salines offers an interesting and curious mix. On the one hand, it has all the look and feel of the Old West: a town sitting on a desert plain, its wooden buildings lining a couple of rutted tracks, the earth packed and hardened by the passage of uncounted hooves and wagon wheels. Sidewalks are little more than boards fronting the various businesses and laid out over the bare earth between them – doubtless offering little in the way of dry footfalls when the rains decide to pay a visit.

Frogmore presents Les Salines: A full region, wild west adventure from Tolla Crisp and Terry Fotherington. Everyone is welcome at Les Salines and Frogmore group members have rezz rights. The town is jam packed with details with visits to the saloon, bank, blacksmith, photo studio, general store, hotel, and much much more! Be sure to check in with the sheriff as well! Everyone is also welcome to join their photo contest and a notecard is available at the landing.

Les Salines Destination Guide entry

A sign indicates the town was founded in the 1860s; but precisely what caused settlers to establish it is unclear, but a mine (or quarry) might be responsible, perhaps being the site of a gold mine; or perhaps, given the local waters, it became a natural place for stagecoaches heading west to pause in their journeys; or perhaps that same water made it a suitable point where the locomotives could quench their huffing thirst.

Dominated by a large hacienda overlooking the town (and another a short distance away, apparently long deserted, Les Salines may equally have grown up as a result of a railhead being established here in order to ship cattle eastwards for and the hungry bellies of America’s growing cities.

Whatever the reason, the town, with its fancy signage façades over its various businesses, has clearly seen better days. Their walled flanks and flat roofs all look tired under the heat of the Sun, and stage and brush is starting to intrude into the heart of the town, suggesting its population might be in decline.

The founding of this town is just one of its mysteries; another is the period it represents. On the one hand, the buildings, the stage and reliance on horses and wagon points to a time perhaps in the latter part of the 19th century – say the 1880s or 1890s. This is perhaps supported by the photographer’s studio (photography having moved west in the decades following the US Civil War) and the presence of the rail lines.

However, the train sitting on them appears to be hauling fright cars from a more recent era, whilst the overhead cables which switchback their way down the main street look more akin to carrying electrical power than in echoing the taps of a telegrapher’s touch on his key. Not that any are actually hooked-up to any of the buildings their poles stand alongside as they zigzag over the street.

Further mystery is added by the fact that while the Mojave sits mainly within California, it does extend out and east into both Arizona and Nevada – although the Desert Refuge (aka the Desert Wildlife Refuge / Reserve, founding in 1936) sits within the Arizonan corner of the Mojave (a place also, and coincidentally, home to the infamous Groom Lake and also Nellis Air Force base.

Of course, Les Salines doesn’t have to reside anywhere in the US west (hence the sign noting in sits on the edge of Nowhere!), but these little suggestions give the setting a sense of mystery and mixed age when allow the imagination to run free when visiting. They also offer lots of opportunities for informal RP for those so minded – although the primary aim is to present a photogenic location; and as the Destination Guide notes, there is a lot to see, indoors and out.

I will note that with shadows enabled I did find my viewer struggled a couple of times when flycamming and / or loading textures, but on the whole, Les Salines makes for an interesting and engaging visit.

SLurl Details

• Les Salines (rated: General)

Camis Sierota (Camis Lee) and Tamara Sierota have once again redressed their homestead region of Perpetuity, returning it to what could be referred to as a North American theme, the region having spent a while dress as a European for part of late 2022 (see: A European styled Perpetuity in Second Life). However, unlike the last time I visited the region when it was dressed in something of an American theme (see: Perpetuity, USA in Second Life), for the start of 2023 the region offers a look of the Great Outdoors, and in doing so could represent almost anywhere in the wilds of the United States or Canada.

Surrounded by tall mountains on three sides which dip down to touch an open sea on the fourth, the region is cut through channel of water which may have started life as an inshore freshwater lake prior to the waters within finding a choice of routes outwards to reach those laying beyond its shores.

In doing so, it has split the land into two distinct areas, with an additional pair of low-lying banks of grass, shrubs and reeds poking slender fingers above the channel’s shallows. In meandering through the setting, these waters offer a place for the local wildlife to drink, and the local waterfowl and birds to swim and or / hunt.

Along both of the channel’s shores and on the pair of low banks might be found elk, bears, beaver, cranes and ducks, while overhead geese circle as if trying to determine the best approach for a watery touchdown and a bald eagle passes by, possibly looking for a perch from which it can watch for salmon or other fish straying too close to the surface and offering themselves as a possible catch of the day.

The larger of the two landmasses is where the major signs of habitation might be found. To the east, sitting on a flat-topped rise in places buttressed by rocky cliffs, sits a small homestead ranch.

This is a place where sheep and dairy cattle are reared and horses kept, the latter sharing a pair of interconnected corals with the sheep. A single large barn provides indoor protection for the animals when needed as well as marking the landing point for visitors, whilst the stone-and-wood built ranch house is cosily furnished in keeping with its rustic western looks.

Westwards, the land splits, part of it sloping down to meet the waters of the inner channel, part of it rising as a rocky-sided hill crowned by a tall wooden watch tower. This overlooks the northern coastline as well as presenting a grandstand view back over the region towards the high mountains. Both the tower and the lowlands can be reached via a grassy trail running down from the ranch before it divides, and this can be followed on foot or horseback (take a ride from the rezzer at the barn or were your own if you have one).

Before reaching the water, the trail down slope – also used by local elk to reach and partake of the waters – passes by a small single-roomed cabin. Like the ranch house, the barn and the watch tower, this provides a place for folk to sit and relax and perhaps enjoy a cuddle or two. An outdoor fire pit and chair offer a superb view back eastwards along the water’s channel to where the spout of one of the two geysers the region boasts can be seen rising against the backdrop of a more distant headland.

The geysers sit at the eastern extent of the second of the main islands, sitting at a point where the land turns northwards to form a promontory helping to separate fresh water from salt. Their spouts rise from two circular hot springs, three smaller pools sitting between them, the group all hinting at a degree of volcanic activity relatively close by.

Behind them, the land rises quickly, punctured by outcrops of rock and home to more of the fir trees which also sit on the larger island. This is a place where more wildlife might be found, including bison and squirrels, moose and more elk. Along the trail rising up the island’s slope visitor will come across a litter of bear cubs who are busy helping themselves to the contents of picnic baskets, there being no sign of humans to keep guard over the bounty.

To the west, the island reaches a flat-topped brow overlooking the waters separating the region from the surrounding mountains and their hills. This hilltop is home to another cabin, this one larger than the one down by the channel below, offering a little more comfort to those who wish to rest here a while. An outdoor well provides fresh water whilst moose and chickens keep an eye on the property.

This is another setting perfectly put together by Camis and Tamara, one which is – as always with Perpetuity – highly photogenic, and is a place finished with a fitting sound scape.

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

SLurl Details

• Perpetuity (Envylicious, rated Adult)

Celestial Glade transports you to enchanted forest, full of magic and exploration. Tucked away, you will find romantic spots to dance and cuddle with that special someone.

– Celestial Glade About Land

So reads the introduction to Celestial Glade, a Full private region utilising the Land Capacity bonus primarily designed by Roxy Chronotis (Roxy Christenson).

A mystical setting, the region is predominantly open to the public, although the north-east corner – separated from the rest of the region by tall curtain cliffs – is given over to a private home, and there are some rental cottages sitting within the south-west corner, so the usual warning about trespass and disturbing people’s privacy is given 🙂 .

The landing point sits to the south-east corner of the region, located within a gazebo formed from living trees. It faces the Lyrical Grove, a place for live music events (schedule on the board alongside of the steps leading up to the Grove) and the Lyrical Star Café, reached by descending a further set of steps from the landing point.

Two further exits lead away from the landing point; one passes through an open field dominated by a single large and very aged tree. Clearly a space for outdoor events, it is bordered by smaller trees, waterfalls, and gigantic crystals; while there is nothing overtly Hobbiton-like about it, a Tolkienite like myself would likely not be surprised to find Bilbo Baggins and his friends and very extended family to be celebrating his elventy-first birthday under the shade of the tree…

The second route away from the landing point provides access to a path meandering under boughs and past glades, tall walls to one side. The latter partially enclose a small commercial marketplace in which store spaces (if available) can be rented. A path from the “birthday field” also runs past the entrance to this space, passing between it and a pond to join the first path as it continues on it way through the region, branching here and there along the way.

These paths wind between ribbons of hills, tall peaks and blocky mesas, crossing streams and rivers along the way, passing under the shade of trees and through the coloured carpets of flowers. In doing so, they lead the way those romantic spots for dancing and / or sitting and cuddling. They also pass by or offer the route to, the region’s major points of interest.

The latter – which can also be reached via a network of stone teleport disks – include a glade of table-top games, ruins on a promontory, a restaurant and nearby café of distinctly elven styling, and a winding climb up the highest peak within the land to where the slender finger of a tower points a tall spire towards the sky, its teleport door guarded by a dragon.

Whilst not specifically inspired by Middle Earth, the touches throughout – the aforementioned field with its great tree, the elven-style buildings, the odd Hobbit hole – all give Celestial Glade as shading of Tolkien; one which is acknowledged in a very subtle manner, as careful explorers may note in their travels.

Also awaiting discovery is a wizard’s hideaway, the ruins of a church where weddings might be held, mystical wells and stairs winding around the trunks of trees to reach high platforms. All of this adds to the attractiveness of exploration, as do the local EEP settings, which I would advise visitors to use in order to appreciate the region fully.

Should you not feel in the mood for walking through the region and feel the teleport network risks missing some of the details tucked into valleys and under trees or within gardens, there is a horse rezzer just down the steps of the path leading away from the landing point, allowing visitors to explore from the saddle. Just keep in mind the horse will vanish if you opt to dismount 🙂 .

Relaxing, tucked into a river sound scape, Celestial Glade should come as a welcome retreat for those who needed, and an inviting place for photographers and explorers.

SLurl Details

• Celestial Glade (Chronotis Empire, rated Moderate)

Update, December 20th, 2023: Well, i seems WQNC is back.  Read here for more! Update: well, that went well. As noted by Gino Wanderer Elf in the comments, it appears that as of Sunday, January 29th, WQNC is no more, and the region has reverted to Dream Seeker Estates. As a result, SLurls have been removed from this article. It was back to  WQNC – formerly Wo Qui Non Coin -, the region held and generally designed by Maasya and which I first visited a year ago, and then again at the end of 2022. The reason for so recent a return is that the design for the region is updated every two months, and the first iteration for 2023 is available for people to enjoy. Every iteration of the region brings something new and different, and for the start of 2023 Massya presents an engaging take on the world of science fiction / fantasy with a little hint of Roswell thrown into for good measure. For purposes of my own – and as teleports are open in the region – I’ve opted to give an arrival point for visitors going there from this post which stands apart from the region’s landing point.

Instead, my choice of landing point sits on the black surface of a road stretching across a desert landscape, high mesas and mountains standing around it like sentinels. An advertising hoarding for the SL equivalent of a popular lemon-lime soft drink. However, this is not what holds the attention for those arriving here. That belongs to the scene spread across the landscape: a town-that-is-not-a-town; a place with a high-rise of stacked cargo containers and towers pointing into the sky topped by parabolic and microwave dishes and large wind turbines provide power.

And that’s just the start of things. This is a place watched over not only be the surrounding peaks, but also giant steel balls cut to form mask-like faces and marked by aged roads with equally aged road vehicles close by, huge and heavy power cables, hover cars and hover bikes. This is a place of strange residences and and businesses; a place where gigantic vents sitting above the sand have been turned into homes, where a bric-a-brac store sits sells R2 units alongside of Nintendo games consoles, old PCs and television sets, somewhat lewd arcade games and more.

Two crashed flying saucers sit within the “town’s” boundaries, one of them possibly responsible for downing one of two warp gates that once faced one another along the length of the dust-saddled main road. Now toppled and smashed into the road’s surface, the broken gate appears to retain some power running through it, but it leaves its twin at the other end of the road as the only remaining fully powered gate for suitable vehicles to use. Exactly what this place may be and where it might exist is up to your imagination. Answers might be found at the bar sitting under the tallest of the towers within the setting. Or perhaps you’ll only find cool alien or oriental beverage awaiting you, served by the bar’s interesting mix of staff.

“Interesting” is probably the best term to define the fusion of ideas and influences apparent here. As well as elements from Star Wars, the Roswell-like aliens, and the oriental touches, visitors might again a hint of Ernest Cline in the shipping containers in their “high rise” and an echo of Ghostbusters in the presence of Mr. Stay-Puft, and so on. All of which made careful eyeballing of the small details within the region worthwhile.  

Sam Rougefeu, by way of Twitter, alerted me to The Great Library of Eruanna, located close to the south-western coast of the northern continent of Gaeta. Occupying a quarter of a Full region, this is an imaginative build by Amara Shino, forming both her private home and a place open to exploration by visitors and  light role-play is welcome.

I say imaginative, as it takes the form of a stone castle sitting over a honeycomb of tunnels, caverns, halls and rooms – all of which is sitting on and within a giant floating island of rock. As such, despite the apparently small land area for the setting, it has – literally – a very real sense of depth to it.

The landing point sits on one of the walls of the castle, immediately before one of the more notable of its towers (not that many are not noticeable!) and offering a view down into the main bailey.

The architecture is a curious mix, the design suggesting this is a place which has grown organically rather than any planned development. The tower immediately in front of the landing point perhaps offers the first curiosity, a tampering, angular finger topped by a single-story house extending beyond its narrow top on a wooden platform.

Across the grass sitting outside of the castle walls is another tall, angular tower, this one offering a sense of mystery to it, being the home of an apothecary / alchemist, the vapours from cauldrons within its the ground floor escaping under the front door. Stairs climb the inside of this tower, allowing an escape from the vapours to the upper levels – including an enclosed bridge spanning the gap between this tower and a great shoulder of rock rising over the bailey of the castle.

A Hobbit-like front down sits at the foot of this shoulder (one of two Hobbit houses backing their way into the rock, each furnished in a manner that should keep orc, dwarf hobbit or human in reasonable comfort), while the flat top is home to more spire-like towers with conical roofs of another castle awaiting exploration.

This upper castle can be reached in one of two main ways: via the narrow tower rising from the keep of the lower castle, or via a path winding up the shoulder of rock itself. Both of the castles present multiple rooms to explore, one of the rooms in the lower keep hinting at the use of the building as a library, the walls lined with cabinets of scrolls.  But this is just the start.

The real secrets of this place  lie within the tunnels and caverns below the towers, keeps and little houses, together with the rooms they contain. These tunnels can be can be accessed from more than one point, but I’m not about to spoil things here by listing any of them; you’ll have to visit yourself to find them. All I will say is the majority – but not all – can be found within the castle.

Once within the tunnels, you’ll again find there is much to explore, including the great library itself, tucked away in the depths of the rock. Spanning multiple levels and comprising several rooms, this is an ideal setting for casual role-play. Part of it even comprises a tower built within the living rock, its floors linked by wooden stairways and an open-sided elevator passing level after level of bookcases.

The lowest level of this “tower” accesses another larger hall; at one time, this may have also been a used to store books and scrolls, but it now stands empty, the upper floor broken, and only the side rooms remaining in use.  But books are not all that might be found here; some of the caverns have been turned into catacombs where mummified bodies lay at rest – those of past librarians perhaps? You decide

I could write more here, but as noted above, this is a location thoroughly deserving of exploration – and as such, I’ll break off here and encourage you to do so!

SLurl Details

• The Great Library of Eruanna (Orbitalis, rated Moderate)