Halloween Town

By Bixyl Shuftan

Second Life has a number of Halloween attractions. But an old favorite that attracts numbers is "Halloween Town." Located on Laura Liberty's "Townies" sim, It's back once more.

Two of the staff were there when I checked the place out: Acehole Ixito and Bean (GreenBeanGirl), whom were in costume.

Some people were there in scary costumes.

 And "The Claw" was back to give people a tour of the place from above.

One new feature that may be a pain to some is this script meter near the entrance that measures how many scripts an avatar has. If you're over the limit, you have five minutes to do something or be booted. I was going to tour the place in a bat avatar, but the meter kept telling me it was over the limit, even with the HUD removed.

There was a stand for a group trying to get an aquarium to release a killer whale.

 Near the front were gachas where one could get a costume or mask that was scary or funny.

There was also a pumpkin contest, with 3000L going to the best decorated one.

People could pick up a bouncy ball to get around for free.

The place has a number of shops, in stores decorated to match the playfully spooky look of the place. Those with child avatars with them might want to be careful about taking them in the costume shop as some of the ladies' outfits were definitely *not* intended for kids to see.

The street of Halloween Town winds in a curve going down. At the bottom is the main attraction of the sim: the Haunted House.

Going in, you're asked to accept a "Sound HUD." Click "yes" to accept it.

You go through scenes of various horror movies, and some not so scary movies and a TV show.

 Many of the scenes are new, having been added in since I was last here. There is one that involves a river ride, in which you get a couple oars, get on the boat, and start paddling.

At the end of one ride, you're offered what is claimed to be a picture of you taken while you were on it. Be prepared for a surprise.

And that's that for this Halloween favorite. Which Halloween places would you like the Newser to take a look at next?

Bixyl Shuftan

Akino Beach's Halloween Sim and Deepwood Manor

By Gemma Cleanslate

The Halloween area by Akino's Beach is a spectacular Halloween sim to visit. TP to the Halloween site from the beach and get ready for some spooky fun. There are several terrains to check out including a farm, a church and a very active graveyard full of wondrous habitants. Many different varieties of supernatural live here.. try the region windlight for the best look. I had to cheat so you could see.  At the farm stop in the barn to see what is for lunch.

Do not miss the cavern! It is deep in the bowels of the region and probably one of the most horrible sights and sounds I have seen or heard. I ran up the stairs from there and into the woods for some peace. Wrong. The woods which look so innocent have many surprises as you walk through the paths .
High on another hill there is a tower next to a “ hospital?" that is almost as bad as the kitchen in the cavern. Nearby another entrance to the lower caverns that leads to a  dragon’s den and then on to the kitchen. Perhaps here is where the food being prepared in the cavern kitchen goes.

Great Halloween sim!!!

The haunted house on the hill was actually the most peaceful place on the sim. Go and have fun.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Langenberger%20Tal/142/138/23 

Deepwood Manor is in the Deepwood Forest on Mormo. As I approached the house a pane of glass fell from above and I heard screams! As I entered the first room the tables and chair fell apart too and fairy lights flew around the room. I was wondering if I would be able to make it through the whole house before disaster struck.

The next room was filled with cobwebs and the kitchen was worse with a skeleton lying on the floor. More cobwebs adorned the hallway upstairs where unearthly pictures went through frightening changes as I looked at them.

In the library books were flying through the air as the screams continued from somewhere.
Across the way I found a ghost child playing with a model train calling for mama to come help her and then in a bedroom I found a woman hanging from a rope. I wondered if that were mama. Furniture moved itself, flew around the rooms , collapsed, while I was roaming. There is a pentagram and a skeleton on the roof. Ravens croak from outside  with scary deep caws.

When I stepped outside to view a lovely lakefront I saw the someone had painted a huge red word that describes this place... EVIL.  It is worth a tour if  you like homes that are frightening and evil. After I looked around the sim I realize I had been in these woods before. It is close to Route 1 and I know I took a turn off the road when I saw a sign for the woods. There is a church up the road if you feel the need.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Mormo/81/110/29

Gemma Cleanslate

Caledon Down's And Star Estates Halloween Haunts

By Bixyl Shuftan

Victorian/Steampunk and Halloween can sometimes make for an interesting combination. It was the 19th Century in which the classic horror stories Frankenstein and Dracula were written. While science was starting to reveal much more about the world compared to the past, there was much still unknown and seances to contact the departed were more common than today. With this in mind, there are a couple spooky Halloween places in the Caledon estates, the land of Second Life's largest Steampunk community. These are Star Estates in Caledon II, and Caledon Downs.

Duchy Cynthia Farshore and Star cordially invites you to Caledon Downs and Star Estates, Tamrannoch for a sim full of Halloween fun going on now. There are many, many horrors and hunts with prizes. Caledon Downs is still building up so explore many times to see new sights.

The Caledon Downs Haunted Land is a scary trail that starts in the northeast corner of Caledown Downs, just off the railroad. The path goes down some spooky woods, with the mist getting pretty thick at times. And the thing about misty nights is you don't see trouble, until you're almost upon it, or it's almost upon you. And the trail has it's share of frights. But it also has some prizes. Around the place are some pumpkins. Click on them *once* to get some prizes. Click on them twice, and well, you'll find out.

And this isn't all. If you're in the mood for a little ghostbusting, there is a ghostly shooting gallery out. Just click the gun-giver for a spider gun, and you'll be shooting arachnids at the apparitions to drive them away (you'd freak too if a spider landed on your face). The high score is listed for you to try to beat.

Cynthia says she plans to add more to the trail between now and Halloween. So more trips will reveal some new surprises.


  Caledon Downs Haunted Land - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/184/252/23

Star Estates has it's own haunted trail in the Caledon II sim. I came across this in the daytime, but it was still unnerving as it started off with some eyeball thing starring at me. Early on, you're told to look for an orange cube, and given a choice of taking the trail by foot, or by boat. I chose going by foot, going down a wooden walkway over the water.

I had to pass some scary sights, but eventually made it down the path, to a spooky manor. inside were more scary sights. There were plenty of zombies, ghosts, skeletons, and other monsters. I never did see that orange cube the first time down the trail. Maybe next time.

 Star Estates  - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20II/192/69/23

Getting back to Caledon Downs, Cynthia Farshore has a Halloween party planned for Saturday October 27 from 6 to 8 PM at her Goblin Cave. She announced, "The music will play across the whole sim of Caledon Downs so one can explore the sim and still be entertained."

Goblin Cave Entertainment Center - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Downs/104/89/32

Bixyl Shuftan

Shockwave's Haunted Maze And The Angels' Haunted Mansion

By Bixyl Shuftan

October has come to Second Life and the Sunweaver/Angels community. And this means of course Halloween season. All over the grid, haunted places and Halloween-themed parties are springing up. And the Sunweaver/Angels community is no exception. If anything, the people here seem to go more into it.

The Sunweaver's noted builder, Shockwave Yareach, has come out with a haunt for the community, and anyone else who want to give it a try: the "Sunweaver Haunted Maze 2018." It is located high above the Sunweaver Eclipse sim.

The Maze is now live and operating. There are six kinds of coins.  Touch one of each, and win fabulous prizes.  Oh, and beware of the monsters and the traps.  We, um, haven't fed the monsters in quite awhile, so they are hungry.  And you look tasty...All are welcome!  Have fun

At a table near the entrance, touch the tall blue box to get the game HUD and a short description of the game. The object in the game is to find the six coins in the haunted maze. But it won't be easy. The maze is tricky to find your way around in. And then there are the traps, such as saw blades. And what would a Halloween maze be without monsters, who'd love to do you in. Be careful as you retreat from them as you might end up in a dead end, and then it's lunchtime for the monsters.

The object of the game is to find all six of the coins. The first two people to do so get one thousand Linden dollars. The third and fourth get five hundred. The fifth and sixth get three hundred. The first six winners also get their names on display.

If you've had experience with Shockwave's games before, you have some idea what you're in for. If not, well, be ready for a challenge

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sunweaver%20Eclipse/102/39/2201

If the maze isn't enough, or you want a different challenge, or just someplace to chill in spooky surroundings, head on over to the Purrfection Estates sim. A landmark, or a portal at the Happy Vixen beach club will take you to the Haunted Mansion, sometimes called the Haunted Manor

The Mansion is where Happy Vixen events will be held until after Halloween. On Monday October 8, the first event was held there, with DJ Khyra spinning the tunes.

Hey folks! Trick or Treak arrived early in Purrfection. Ghosts have taken over the Happy Vixen, but are allowing us the use of the haunted mansion. So come on over. The theme tonight is Come As You Are, with DJ Khyra as she's "Spinnin the best EDM tracks ever recorded. So come on down and join in the party!" Pardon any quirks as all of the ghosts might not have been told about the party.

Jasmine Dawn (Orasine), who built the Haunted Manor, had a few words to say to the people at the party, "Firstly Lets give a warm thanks to Umbra (Gardenvale) for allowing this place be built. (And) for Happy Vixen for allowing me to do something for everyone again this year. Now about this place, this mansion is haunted of course. Also there is a mystery here to be solved. If you go out into the front lobby, there is a Mystery board there that will give you a clue. And that clue leads to another, and another, so on and so forth. It will take you all over this house in search of the answers. Once you think you have the mystery solved, go back to the mystery board and give your answer. IF you solve the mystery, please keep the answer to yourself as not to ruin the mystery for others.

"Be warned though, this house has traps, one pitfall that I know of. Some the lighting is faulty and may fall. There are followers, manglers, a fast 'lil rat I can't catch. If you feel your trapped, teleport back to the landmark you all should have. It will place you back outside. If you should become part of the mansion decor wise, your next of kin will be notified."

Jasmine would also say there was a prize for solving the mystery, but didn't say what it was, "if you have something that is FULL perms and wish to include it as a prize, I can add it to the mystery board."

Despite a few glitches that night, the first party went well. The cash prize of 750 Lindens was split between Carolcream and Rita Mariner.

So for "spook-tacular" parties, or a challenging mystery to solve, come on to the Haunted Mansion.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Purrfection%20Estates/126/175/2004

Bixyl Shuftan

Addition: On October 15, Shockwave announced, "The coinhunt maze is closed due to unforeseen technical problems.  The winner is DUSK who got 5 of 6 coins." Apparently, there is a bug in the code in the HUD that is too deep to find before Halloween is over, and so the contest is over, at least until next year. But those wanting to try to get through the maze are still welcome to try.

The Calas Galadhon Haunted Maze

By Gemma Cleanslate

"Decades ago a group of explorers woke to find themselves in the middle of a large, seemingly impenetrable MAZE (Actually not that difficult *grin*).

They set up a base camp with supplies that had been left for them. (Left for them...hmm...)  In time, a group set out to explore what lay beyond and find a way out.

They never returned."

And so it begins....

Every year at this time I look for Calas Galadhon special sims for Halloween with anticipation.
Not because I really love this particular holiday celebration but because I know that Truck and Tymus always prepare their builds by creation of something that is going to be different and enticing to people from all over the world whether they understand Halloween or not. I am never disappointed.

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I began my tour by arriving at the entrance where one is instructed to use the windlight (which I have to turn off to take pictures or you would never see them!), turn on your music and take the elevator to 2. As I stepped off the elevator I saw Alicia Underby and Truck greeting new arrivals and handing out supplies for the trek. I picked up my backpack, helmet , and torch and set out to look first for the boat ride that takes one around the sim  This gives an overview of the foliage and animals and some strange creatures, including zombies, found in these jungles .

When I landed after the ride I set out for the Maze, the beginning of the real adventure. from the entrance I took a right turn and started moving along the openings in the walls and turning back from dead ends . There are torches on the ground in some of the corridors

I finally got to the right pathway that lead to a barn like build behind a door, filled with dangerous rooms occupied by clowns, frightening creatures , giggly children that I got a bad feeling about as I looked into each one. After climbing to the second floor I found a room where one could look out the window and see the boat riders passing by. I made my way back to the entrance of the maze.

Here I found Alicia again and we tackled the left turn into the maze together passing more creatures ready to pounce. This way was not as successfully conquered and Alicia and I went around and around for a while, seeing the same creatures ,  until finally we came to an opening in the wall.Alicia went off to be guide elsewhere and I wandered out into lovely peaceful green tree lined path  to make my way to the Druid Circle and search for the portal to other part of the installation. I found it with little trouble and jumped in!

I emerged into the caverns and took a path into another type of Maze with even more frightening creatures and experiences. Make sure you “Pack a lunch!”  and carry water into your bag to spend some time in the Caverns.That was Alicia’s last admonition as I left the Maze. Make time to stay a while because The Caverns are Not Easy!

I hope you are not afraid of spiders... especially big ones! I am going to leave you here in the bowels of the earth with all the Halloween experiences that are to come.There are three more portals to go .  I really need to go back and make my way out of this horror, what ever may come.. I have other places to visit !

Ultimately I did get to see The Dig. This is the final destination and the place where all the parities will be held .   Begin here . http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ERIADOR/221/76/1

Gemma Cleanslate

Templeton Cove

By Gemma Cleanslate

I went over to visit my friend Jadyn Firehawk of P2P  at her new beach home that she is renting in Templeton Cove Estates. It is cozy and on a dock at the Marina Boatslip Cottages. I  found myself in a sim that is one of 16 regions, land and water. It is a wilderness themed estate with some special areas just for residents but so many sites open to guests and visitors so I grabbed a Guide Book and set out to explore in the next few day.I see they have camping areas too.

The riding trails are extensive and extend through the country side from sim to sim. Rezz a horse at the farm if you don’t have your own. There is good signage to guide you . Farms and homes are visible as you ride and you pass some lovely points of interest, like the Sister’s Walk, along the way.

Unity Park is a delightful place to stop and you can rezz a bike if the horse is tired.
The Templeton Guide book holds all the landmarks for points of interest in the regions.

I suggest a ride in the hot air balloon to get a wonderful overview of the area. You have three options for balloon routes or do all three. It is a terrific look at the various regions.

 The lighthouse on the high cliff above the balloon tour is a great way to get a good look at everything if time is short. Climb to the top and look out to the distant lands.

I stopped off at the Lake House where there was an early morning party going on and everyone was enjoying the music and dancing.

At the beach I tried out a ride on a sail board that ended in disaster but was fun.

I stopped in at the Gallery there and found the results of a photo contest that was held during the summer on display. Lots of lovely pieces won prizes and recognition.

 I also tried white water in a kayak and managed to survive that. I saw that one can rezz bumper boats there too so bring a friend!

I found these sims a delightful place to visit. According to residents I met it is a great place to live too with lively activities for the residents and guests and special areas made just for them . Visit and explore and perhaps stay a while as a resident.The choice of homes is abundant in all the different neighborhoods .

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Amarantha%20Island/10/106/24 

Gemma Cleanslate