Tag: Exploring Second Life 2026

Earlier in October 2026, I caught a Destination Guide entry for The Swamp by Nomore (manoji yachvili). As I always enjoy Nomore’s work, I hopped over to take a look – but was a trifle early; Nomore was still in the process of setting-up for her new installation, and promised to send over a invite once things were all in place.

True to her word, a few days ago she sent me an invitation to visit MUD, her latest art exhibition, which formally opens on Friday, October 23, 2026 at 12:30 SLT. And whilst standing apart from the region in terms of its location and overall content, MUD is somewhat intertwined with The Swamp.

As such, this was going to be a review of both location and exhibition. However, because of the richness of both, I’ve opted to split them in two, and here focus on The Swamp; I’ll have a piece up on MUD in due course.

Before going further, I’ll also note that in order to appreciate The Swamp at its best, it is essential you utilise the region’s Shared Environment during a visit and have local sounds enabled. I would also strongly recommend using a PBR viewer to fully appreciate the use of materials and lighting to enhance the environment, and that if you don’t, then do enable Advanced Lighting Model (ALM) within your viewer (if not on already) via Preferences → Graphics (you don’t need to enable Shadows).

The Landing Point takes the form of a hut – one of several such structures scattered across the setting – where on arrival, visitors will receive a greeting in local chat:

Welcome to The SWAMP. The ground is not stable. Water conceals what we cannot see; mud holds back whatever tries to move forward. Images emerge from the swamp like fragments of something we no longer know whether to remember, observe, or cross.

This hut includes a small memento mori to past art exhibitions from across Second Life as a part of its linking with MUD, and a small hint of one of the general theme within the setting mounted on a wall.

From here, a boardwalk reaches out across the mud offering passage across its wetness and passing by a large hoarding advertising MUD.

The exhibition itself can be reached more-or-less directly from the Landing Point by stepping immediately off the boardwalk at the foot of the steps leading down to it from the hut and then stepping through the nearby teleport portal as it stands between two rock pillars. Similar portals can be found elsewhere within the setting, and form a common part of the region, whatever face it may wear.

Other elements common to the region I’ll mention up-front are the horses which tend to be a mainstay of Nomore’s ground level designs – although here they have been given a look more in keeping with the theme of The Swamp -, and also the fact that the region does include Nomore’s private home sitting in the north-east corner of the region diagonally opposite the Landing Point.

As the house does have some of the public shacks and cabins sitting close by, do please be alert for it when moving north and east through the region so as to avoid accidental trespass.

Further along the boardwalk leading away from the Landing Point, and sitting at the end of an arm that branches off of it, is a small motorboat which can be used to putter across the water if desired – when sat in and used, another will rez automatically at the boardwalk to replace it. Note that the boat will de-rez on standing. It’s a nice touch, but not vital to explorations.

In following this initial boardwalk, it is hard not to spot the muddy hill rising opposite to the MUD hoarding, complete with the head of a poor horse sticking out of it. Whilst a rotating sign above the horse might offering the bleak announcement No-one can help you, clicking on the horse’s head will present you with the opportunity to at least try to offer assistance.

There are several other boardwalks to be found throughout the region. A couple indirectly link to the one leading away from the Landing Point via a passage over rocks or by stepping off of it as it reaches and arching bridge and then joining another, and thus offer routes of exploration of their own.

Others may start out from the various cabins and shacks in the setting only to peter out and leave visitor slogging over the mud in the direction of the darker shapes looming in the mist and rain.

The shacks and huts contain a strange mixture of elements. A pair of cabins, for example, are home to what appears to be a taxidermist’s business. Another contains what might be taken as a touch of of Damien Hirst: a pig sliced into sections and preserved on display, complete with the somewhat dire warning of This is What Will Remain hanging above it and with an even more surprising scene in the room next door.

Elsewhere are indoor displays of stranger things awaiting visitors, and little vignettes which might appear out-of-place or which suggest stories of their own – own both. Also awaiting discovery are pieces of art which float in the muddy waters or lie within blocky caves to the west of the region. These again reference MUD, as does the slideshow projector lying along one of the boardwalks.

The entire effect – the sounds of crocodiles in the mists, the boardwalks and wet trails winding between tangles of aged (and dying?) trees and shrubs, the tall mangroves and the way in which the building and other elements rise out of the murk – is extremely atmospheric.

This is a place mixing artistic expression which can, when combined with MUD, speak very personally to us and, perhaps, stir our own creativity through the narratives its vignettes might suggest. It is also a place that is rich in mystery and curiosity so as to make exploration engaging and worthwhile. Throughout all of it might be found places to sit and observe – some out in the open, others more hidden away; some perhaps strangely juxtaposed (the piano and the oil donkey).

There are also, perhaps sentiments on the modern age to be found here; commentary on the nature of art in an age where “creativity” is increasingly about typing prompts into a box rather than actually learning creative techniques – perhaps even a degree of political commentary within some of the elements to be found here (the broken Statue of Liberty and the sign hovering between two parts of it together with the pinball machine).

But I’ll leave that for you to decide when you step into The Swamp to see what might be found.

SLurl Details

Fading Shadows is rated Moderate

• The Swamp
• MUD

The Ancient Order of Centaurs is primarily a community.  Part of what we do includes roleplay but as a community we do much more. Parties, classes, field trips, brunches, bard circle, jousting, quests, Fantasy Faire, and more. You do not need to be a centaur to join our community – we welcome all creatures (even hoomans) to our fantasy-themed regions. If you would like to take part in the roleplay aspects there are some species limitations with a demi-human focus.

– From the Ancient Order of Centaurs web pages

Covering four region (with to further attached regions which are somewhat interlinked although separate), the Ancient Order of Centaurs is a four-region estate and a richly immersive environment I’ve visited a number of times but have not previously written about.

The estate is held by Julala Fairelander who is, along with Lil Cinnamon, largely responsible for the landscaping through the four Full private regions. These are centred on Centauria, which utilises the Land Capacity bonus available from Linden Lab for Full regions and forms the public hand social heart of the estate.

Adjoining this are the three regions of the Sea of Beckoning which is – among other things – home of the Centauria Community Gallery; Mount Pelion, which includes a large fantasy commercial district and Thessaly, which is largely residential in content.

All of the regions are open to the public, with three of them representing the great houses of the Ancient Order. However, given that there are private residences (all of which are marked as such) care should be taken when exploring either on foot or via the Teagle horses which are available at various points, so as to avoid accidental trespass.

As the description above notes people are free to visit in a variety of forms – even “hooman” 🙂 – and one of the many charms of the estate is the Petite Village. Again, this comprises private residences, but visitors can walk through it and it makes an engaging visit.

Julala has a long association with Fantasy Faire, and there are aspects of the estate which are mindful of this – wandering the commercial areas of the Sea of Beckoning I came across some of Kayle Matzerath’s (Kayle Fairelander) Lumenaria buildings, which immediately brought back memories of Fantasy Faire 2013 (and, if I’m honest, Meauxle Bureaux as well, which I recently revisited and still have a further blog post waiting in the wings).

A further aspect of Fantasy Faire can be found in one of the two adjoining regions – Lavendell Quest, sitting to the north. This is the seat of the 2025 Fantasy Faire quest. Brought at auction by an unnamed benefactor in order to preserve the quest, it now exists alongside the AOC estate under Julala’s Herb and Fable brand, and is open to anyone wishing to participate (registration with Herb and Fable required), as one of two quests currently available. The second adjoining region is also called Herb and Fable, and is designed as a training ground and welcome area for new users to Herb and Fable and SL.

From the main Centauria Landing Point there are four named routes of exploration, together with information boards – including one which allows visitors to experience being a Centaur or riding an Animesh Centaur. Just touch the signs and follow the instructions.

Which of the routes from the Landing Point you opt to follow is entirely up to you. I particularly enjoyed the climbs up, around and through the towering bulk of Glenstorm.

This is a network of paths, climbs, tunnels, caverns and ancient chambers, including a neat use of the Fanatik Crypt Chamber add-on – something I’ve often debated playing with but have yet done so. Here it contains several rooms of mixed use, from weapons store to an impressive wine cellar.

However, wherever you wander along the paths and trails of the estate, you’ll come across points of interest, opportunities for photography and little spots to sit and pass the time.

As the estate’s various descriptions note, role-play is a part of the AOC community, but not central to it; however, should you come across any on-going play during a causal visit, do try to avoid accidentally breaking the flow. Role play information can be found on the AOC web pages, including backstories and pointers on developing a character. The estate also hosts various events – information on these is provided at the main Landing Point.

Rentals within the estate are provided through Julala’s Jinx brand (which also manages the AOC web pages as a part of the Jinx website). Rentals are split between “community” (pre-themed) and “Outlander” (“blank” parcels), together with commercial opportunities as well Details on differences, availability, covenant, etc., are available through the website.

The mix of residential parcel styles – themed and “blank” – is a nice touch, offering a good degree of flexibility. However, I will admit to being a little surprised during my wanderings in spotting what appeared to be a giant inflatable octopus in the water off of one parcel and a submarine moored at another!

If you visit and get bitten by the Centaur bug (if I might use the expression!) then the Jinx store within Centauria can help get you started.

I enjoyed spending a solid morning wandering AOC and re-acquainting myself with the regions and taking photos. My apologies to Julala for taking so wrong to write about AOC!

Slurl Details

• Centauria – Home of the Ancient Order of Centaurs (rated: Moderate)

The Destination Guide recently gave me cause to drop into a four-region estate forming a unified and engaging visit which simply put, is an absolute delight.

The primary region within the group is Emerhaus, a Full private island region utilising the Land Capacity bonus offered by Linden Lab and designed by Dean (Dean Xochitl). Its description alone offers a warm invitation for people to drop in:

Step inside and leave the rush of everyday life behind. A place to listen to live music, meet friends, explore, or simply find a quiet corner and stay awhile, or take photos.

– Emberhaus Destination Guide / About Land description

Emberhaus sits at the southern end of the estate, and is neighboured to the west by Thimblewick and to the north by Oakmere (both also Dean’s work) and Teapot, to which it is joined by an old and long disused railway line.

Thimblewick is also a Full region and home to the small town of San Virello, which also appears to be open to the public. However, as I didn’t come across a means of crossing one to the other during my visit (or at least not one I spotted!), I’ll leave that for possible future visit.

A Landing Point is set for Emberhaus, delivering visitors to a point no far from the middle of the region, located on a large wood deck. This sits before a grand row of what might have once been warehouses and one point, but which have been combined and converted into an engaging hangout space, complete with a miniature underfloor garden with little childhood remembrances scattered through it.

Where you go from here is entirely up to you; there is much to discover throughout the region, from the store and park office just across the deck from the warehouse-hangout, to the waterfront facing San Virello to the old track pointing north to Oakmere and Teapot.

This is a setting offering a balance between rugged woodland, water, and human habitation. The waterfront area on the west side of the region is marked by the local pub and a large terrace open-air event space with the old railway lining running beside both.

Directly on the waterfront and facing Thimblewick are a series of nautical businesses – although I rather think the local boatwright might have an interesting time when it comes time to launch the boat he has up on the stocks!

The southern half of the region sits as a group of islands; a large body of water crossed by bridges and connected to the open waters at their eastern end by reedy wetlands, separates them from the rest of the region.

This area is notable for the roughly rectangular island sitting within the channel separating it from the rest of Emberhaus, and for being the home of a local café and a large greenhouse through which the landscape flows, the glass roof perhaps offering shelter from rainy weather for the deer within. The smallest island has the remnants of a garden sitting on its back, perhaps best seen by the pier extending out from the café’s island.

Within all of this there is a lot to explore and discover, including places to hang out and wildlife to see, so to be sure to take your time wandering.

Taking the route north along the old rail lines will bring you first to Oakmere, and herein comes a word of warning: there are three residential units to be found along this ribbon island as it connects to Teapot, so whilst it is open to visitors to wander, do be aware of them and try to avoid trespassing!

Sitting furthest to the northern, Teapot, the work of by Clare (Clare Loring), has its own Landing Point sitting on a little bridge, together with its own Destination Guide entry and description.

Teapot is a welcoming community cantered on creativity, conversation, and acceptance. Explore peaceful gardens, discover scenic spots for photography, relax with tea at the café, and enjoy live music and art in a friendly atmosphere.

– Teapot Destination Guide / About Land description

This is a rugged little island which is ideal for getting away from everything and just relaxing. Scattered across it are multiple hideaways and decks for hanging out – including the one that gives the island its name!

When approaching via the rail lines, the island is reached via a covered bridge with a tunnel facing it. Whether you head through the tunnel into the heart of the island or swing to the right and around the coast to head inland is entirely up to you.

As with Emberhaus, there are good opportunities for photography to be found across Teapot. There’s even a touch of Halloween to be found here as well, although me being me, I preferred some of the other places to sit and watch the world go by 🙂 .

There are one or two rough edges in the landscaping, but this is down to the fact Dean and Clare have been making one or two alterations, so will likely be be cleared up. I gather a horse riding rezzer should be making a return to the setting in the near future, and a kayak rezzer is due to get positioned – maybe for paddling to Thimblewick? I also understand from Dean that the estate could be seeing a further region added, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for that as well!

All three regions  – Emberhaus, Oakmere and Teapot – share the same overall environment (I assume this is true for Thimblewick / San Virello, but as noted that will be for a possible future visit). This gives a nice sense of natural continuity between the three; no suddenly roiling skies and galloping Sun as the environments transitions 🙂 .

An engaging visit to a engaging setting and well worth the time taken to explore.

Slurl Details

• Emerhaus (rated Moderate)
• Teapot (rated Moderate)

Grace Loudon is perhaps best known as a singer / performer in Second Life. However, she is also a creator of worlds, notably within her Full region of Amainiris, currently offered under the name of Boogeyman’s.

The name may seem to be appropriate for the time of year when I’m writing this, but I gather the overall themes of the setting – dark mystery and fantasy with a good splash of horror – are pretty much year-round. It offers an enticing visit and, as the home of Grace’s music venue, the chance for some good live music sessions.

We’re creepy all year! – Scary, gore, insane, haunted, ghost, explore, hangout, music, live, perform, spooky, monster, zombie, asylum, trick or treat, Halloween.

– Boogeyman’s About Land Description

The Landing Point takes the form of a little residential street busy with trick-or-treaters scurrying between the houses. Those arriving are advised to read the scrolling introductory notes which will appear before them (don’t land and hurry forward!) to get the best from their visit. Head lights are also available for those who might find things a little dark.

There’s not a lot to see within the houses along the street – they are all façades – but the little Trick-or-treaters are fun to observe – including a couple from Cica Ghost.

However, the fun begins at the far end of the street relative to the Landing Point. Here sit three paths leading into the dark woods covering pretty much the entire region. Which one you take first is entirely up to you as all have much to offer.

Along one, for example you’ll find an asylum which might not carry the name Arkham – but so easily could. Beyond it along a winding path more is to be found from weird creatures to a scene that might have you mentally quoting The Scottish Play (if not When shall we three meet again?, then almost certainly, Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble), and more before coming to a creepy swamp.

The main thing is, all the paths – and their branches – should be followed, and followed carefully if you’re to experience everything: the creepy playground balancing the swamp; the zombie train (complete with outdoor cinema close by – just be wary of anyone coming up behind you!); the cemetery and – within its own Landing Point and forming another jumping-off point for explorations, the delightfully spooky Boogeyman’s club itself.

This is actually one of three venues within the region, the other two being the quirky Groovy Girl Café and Sound Control. Both are located in the sky, with the former celebrating Second Life’s female sings and live performers, and the latter carrying a cabaret club vibe with a strong celebration of the RCMP. Both are packed with detail, and I’ll likely cover them as a part of my Coffeehouses and Cafe series.

Back on the ground, there are two particular spots await discovery. They sit fairly close together along a path, each carrying a warning: Don’t Go Down the Ladder!, together with And Don’t Go in the Water Either!

Of course both are open invitations – although you’ll need to accept the local Experience to either climb the ladder or take a dip (you’ll only need to accept it the one time, obviously!).

The ladder will take you to my favourite part of the setting: the catacombs. This, for me, has wonderful echo of Tolkien – not that this is likely intentional. You’ll heard the dragon before you see it (just look up!), whilst the entire arrival space has a feel of the great halls of Erebor after Smaug’s arrival.

Across the field of bones, an entrance beckons, carrying you on down. I’m not going to spoil things any further other than to note that the path through the tunnels and caverns will mix elements of beauty and touches of beasties. Just be sure to key an eye out for points where the tunnels branch.

Take a dip, meanwhile and you’ll be on something of an undersea adventure. Again take a good look around and then follow the path winding down into the sea floor sinkhole. Both the caves and the underwater elements have teleports that will carry you back to the top of the ladder’s well or the banks of the pond. Elsewhere you might find a door with a warning of its own and a trip through a maze containing the season’s Ghoul’s and Ghosts game (also seen elsewhere in SL).

Throughout all of this are touches large and small (beware of a giant spider dropping in on you in the caverns, for example), and places which simply offer somewhere to sit down – even if one is beneath the roving eyes of a ventriloquist’s dummy sitting on a shelf!

Whilst offering something of a Halloween-y style of destination, Boogeyman’s leans more towards fun and light scares rather than gore and horror (zombies notwithstanding!), with the touches filtering lightly into the two skyborne venues without being overpowering or spoiling their very individual environments and ambience.

In all, a fun visit, with plenty of opportunities for re-visits to enjoy some of SL’s best music and vocal artists.

SLurls

Amainiris is rated Moderate

• Boogeyman’s Main Landing
• Boogeyman’s Club Landing
• Groove Girl’s Cafe
• Sound Central

In September 2026, I wrote about a novel and engaging location in Second Life: the Museum of Curious Laws (Museum der Kuriosen Gesetze), which I thoroughly enjoyed visiting. As a result of this, the Museum’s creator, Novadien invited me to visit the latest project he and his team have brought together in Second Life, ahead of its formal opening: Historia Wax Museum.

Wax Museums come in a variety of forms and can often be somewhat questionable in nature. At the upper end of the scale in terms of overall quality and global reach sits the Tussaud chain (and not to be confused with the smaller chain of museums founded by her great-grandson, and which exist as an entirely separate business operating largely in the North American continent).

Historia, were it to be present in the physical world, would easily equal Tussaud’s in its breadth and depth of historical figures presented – over 103 in total at the time of opening – and the quality of their presentation.

Hosted within a grand hall with three mezzanine-style levels built around a central atrium space, the building is imposing and lavishly decorated in a manner redolent of a grand country house.

These levels are divided into bays, with each bay featuring a figure (or figures) from history presented against a suit backdrop display. Information givers will present, when touched, a short biography on the figure in either English or German.

Each of the figures has been crafted in mesh by Novadien, and considerable care has been taken to try to achieve an historical likeness of the subject in question, using a variety of sources. And trust me when I say that these figures have to be seen to be appreciated.

Not all of the figures are restricted to such bays, however. One John Wilkes Booth, for example, is stalking one level, a pistol conspicuously held in one hand, his eyes furtive, as if seeking someone.

Elsewhere, Bram Stoker is apparently scribing his famous character – and his castle – into existence around himself!

There is also some subtle partnering – so to speak – in some of the displays. Nicolas II, and Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (aka Vladimir Lenin) share side-by-side bays, but they stand slightly angled as if slyly angling their backs toward one another.

On the ground floor, meanwhile, Edison and Tesla occupy side-by-side locations, pointing to their relationship in the development of electrical power in the United States – and the storm clouds outside the windows behind Tesla perhaps hinting at the tempestuous nature of the their relationship.

Nor are all of the figures within the museum from the physical world, as Novadien noted to me:

In the atrium, to the left of the main entrance are not historical figures, but people from our city of Neudarmstadt in Second Life, and home to all of our projects. We wanted to celebrate some of the residents and friends of our city; people without whose help and support Neudarmstadt probably would not exist in its current form.

– Novadien, October, 2026

This, to me, is a delightful addition to the museum.

The museum also features a display of portraiture – some of the subjects of which also have figures within the museum. This adds a further depth to the experience of a visit, although at the time of mine, these did not have any form of identification of their subjects; hopefully this will change.

And in case you’re wondering why no Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Winslett et al, the answer is simple: to avoid issues of likeness licensing and other potential legal concerns.

Not that Historia needs modern-day celebrities; the clue is in the name: this is place for marking the lives of historical figures, be thy people with whom we might have a fair degree of familiarity to others with whom we may not be so familiar. But howsoever any of the individuals featured in Historia strike us, one this is guaranteed: a visit will be informative and engaging – Historia has been extremely well put together.

The official opening for the museum will take place from 11:00 SLT on Saturday, October 17, 2026, featuring a mix of live music and a DJ set. However, the museum is already available for people to visit (with some last-minute work going on!).

Oh! And should you visit, don’t forget to Mouseover (and click) the figures on display! 🙂 .

Slurl Details

• Historia Wax Museum (Ibranic, rated Moderate)

In August 2026, after dropping back into Lost Lagoon, I noted that sometimes we bloggers tend to forget the more timeless locations in Second Life in favour of those that shift with the changing seasons or which are routinely given a new vision by their creators – or which are simply new to SL as a whole.

One such timeless region – indeed, one which completely vanished for a time but made a welcome return a few years back – is that of Hazardous.  Occupying a Full region, it is a place which may well change slightly and in subtle ways – some new seating here, an event space there, a shuffling of the environment – but which has in essence remained unchanged throughout all of its time in Second Life.

There is good reason for this: Hazardous is one of those spots of natural beauty so well put together that any significant change would be the equivalent of stomping on it with and oversized and brutish hobnail boot.

Designed and held by Chris Gray (Chris Jackman – formerly known as Mandingo Quan), it’s a place occupying a quiet corner of my heart, being one of the first locations in Second Life I wrote about as my blogging turned more towards art and destinations 15 years ago, and a place to which I’ve returned a number of times down the years to either write about or simply wander.

Hazardous is known for its towering cliffs and the U-shaped plateau sitting atop them, cut through almost completely north-to-south by a sheer-sided gorge.

Something of a showcase for some of the trees and shrubs produced by Chris under the [We’re Closed] brand (and which were, when I first took to really designing and building my own places and homes for friends, among some of my earliest purchases of landscaping items), Hazardous presents a rugged yet welcoming demeanour.

In this the name seems both fitting and odd. Fitting because get to near the edge and you could end up spending a brief moment impersonating Willie E. Coyote on the wrong side of a cliff before becoming acquainted with the area direct below it.

Odd, because frankly for the majority of visits, it’s hard to find a more tranquil setting for restoring the harried mind, and far from any sense of hazard.

I think that’s why I particularly like Hazardous. Its high, blank cliffs, enduring table top with trees, shrubs and scattered signs of loose habitation offers and enduring steadfastness that’s more than just a matter of familiarity. It’s like the setting is saying, “Come what may, I’ll be here for you.”

The other aspect is that this is a setting that is utterly deceptive. Yes, it may well stand as “the place with the cliffs and the gorge” – but when one takes the time to explore and pry, Hazardous is so much more than that; it has definite life and breath of its own.

Some of this may be obvious – the aforementioned scatterings of human habitation (of which the various swings, seats and the like offered to visitors just add to the welcome air of the region). Others are perhaps a little easier to miss or escape attention altogether.

Of course, the house down in the gorge, with its boardwalk over the waters there and the zip line running down to it, is an obvious attraction; so too, perhaps is the rope crossing close to the mid-point of the gorge.

But how many find the art displayed within the region? Forget looking inside any of the buildings – and don’t be fooled into believing I’m merely referring to the projector running quietly outside of the old ruined house on the east side of the island. No; I’m referring to the – literally – floating and sunken displays of art waiting to be found.

Wander to the north of the setting and the standing windmill there; you might find the steps leading down to where some of the art – and more – might be found. Similarly, don’t assume that deep, dark ponds are only the home of fish or possibly creepy nasties.

For those who enjoy good music, this might also be found at Hazardous, courtesy of the stage area to the east side of the region. This will next host two hours of live music on Saturday, October 24, 2026, starting at 17:00 SLT.

Sadly, that’s a little too late for me – but those who attend will likely enjoy the line-up of Amberle and Max Kleene – but please mind the Quokka if you decide to dance!

An evergreen setting in Second Life, Hazardous remains a classic destination for all to enjoy. Just mind the step down from the landing point!

Slurl Details

• Hazardous (rated Moderate)