Showing posts with label dark. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Necropolis Umbrae And Bewitched

 
 By Gemma Cleanslate



When I received a notice from the Nature Collective that warned,

“If Treasure you seek in this dark sad place, a deadly trial must you face.

In the deepest tombs not all things sleep and there must you go. though you may weep.

With the nameless beast will you find the key, and then you seek its symbols three.

With the key in hand you will find what you crave, and perhaps a path beyond the grave”
.

I had to go see what was going on of course.


Necropolis Umbrae is an enticing cemetery. I am fond of cemeteries and this one is dark and lovely, filled with monuments (and many photo opps) among them. In the olden days cemeteries were places where families spent time enjoying the beauty and having picnics close to loved ones who have passed.


Walk around and you will see. The occult library is most interesting. And of course if you wish you can search out the answer to the riddle above. Save time!



I did and found the key! I saw two other avatars looking for it and were very close! Try it and you will be pleased if you succeed. It is an experience looking for it but don’t be afraid! You may find vampires or other frightening creatures waiting for you in the dark places. Just a warning.
Necropolis
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Or/143/118/1272


I was not daunted by that experience so I went off to another Halloween region. Bewitched is another Halloween Region that will take some time to explore.


Take a train ride to get a full overview of what to expect on your visit. This is just a taste of what you will face in Bewitched.


There are so many ghouls and goblins around the rail tracks . Keep an eye out as you pass by and hang onto the seat! Wander and worry about whom or what you might meet next among the grave stones or in the huge castle where I found many strange rooms, and people. I loved the Halloween tree in one of the rooms . It is the first one I have seen in my visits so far.


Walk through the grave yard up the steps to the haunte house and hop onto the little cart to take the ride through the haunted house. It is filled with all sorts of frightening skeletons and creatures popping up right in your face. Bring friends to protect you! HAZY COVE/127/1/21


Another autumn decorated place with some Halloween fun is Yosemite. I stopped over to check out this year’s décor and was met with skeletons standing around and pumpkins adorning the whole region. The trees have changed color adding a hue to the tall pines that live there.


I stopped over at the Visitor’s center where a navigator hud is available in the office for travelers and explorers and campers who visit often. On the porch one can see the many who have arrived and perhaps never left. I have a cabin and love it there .


Take a walk along the many paths or take a horse ride choosing among the many eager horses in the corral just waiting for you . Campers are already there with families to enjoy that and the playground for the kids.
 

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Shadowfell

 
 By Gemma Cleanslate

 
    Star of Earendil whispers “Welcome as we travel back to Calas Galadhon's SHADOWFELL
... beyond the dark forest, quarry and the beauty of its gardens and into the swamps …”
These two regions called Mist hold the most spectacular display in SL in my opinion. Every year Ty Tenk  and Truck Meridith of Calas Galadhon work to make this experience something to behold by adding to it. One cannot just pop in and go through all the venues in one day. Repeated visits are a must so plan your time.


When I arrive and check out the entrance area the first thing I do is get my flashlight and read the posts to make sure I am ready for the visit. The nearby boat ride is my first choice just to relax and look at the view of landscape from the river. Iridescent colors and flickering lights that hover add to the relaxation and music enhances the ride. The boat carries two so bring along a companion.


Watch the shore for many creatures that hang around the bank or hover above trying to surprise or shock you .


Who did I see but Micky Mouse ! That was a shock. 


The bioluminescence of the swamp foliage is so strikingly gorgeous. One must be sure to use the environmental shared lighting though I did adjust the lighting a bit to get some photos. The boat does drift up into the air iat times to pass over the plants and trees.


After the boat ride I began a trek along the paths leading to the many venues all so varied but all so hauntingly lovely. The music all along the way is so fitting to the total experience. The signage helps direct one . Also look for Journey cloths that are teleports to hidden places . I have to find more when I return to really explore sites. Ty said more will be added as the month progresses.


The Forbidden Forest and the Gardens exploration take time to admire all the plants, trees and flowers in brilliant color. Places to sit and gaze out over the forest give time to really see what is below. The Quarry contains some frightening creatures. Orcs, dragons, demons and other wonders. Thankfully they don’t follow along the walk, just stand threatening passersby.


The Pavilion as usual is set for many events during the month. Check out the schedule.


I have many more visits to make to finally see all that is there . In some areas as you walk there are torches lying on the ground that will direct you to the proper places not to be missed. And in a few places there are teleports set to lift you to unseen places. Though Shadowfell returns every year it seems new every year Maybe there will be a TP hud later so watch for that. Here is the entrance. Perhaps you will see me there again along the paths. 
 

Gemma Cleanslate

Friday, December 6, 2013

Neo Victoria


By Becky Shamen

 In recent months, the Newser has had some great articles on Steampunk communities, like Caledon and Steelhead. Reviewing the Destination Guide, Josh discovered a collection of other Steampunk communities, ranging in size from two to thirteen sims. Names and addresses were gathered into a notecard and he began exploring each of them.

After touring the first four, beleaguered by lag and yearning to yawn, it began to look like his report would be titled "adventures in adversity." While it was true, he had noted a point or two of interest at each location, there are only so many ways to say, it was beautifully, ornately textured, but beyond my meager budget to buy. Such a list would not be something he, or Sha, would be willing to sign their name to.

Thank gods and faes, our next stop proved to be an adventure, worthy of a story of it's own. Landing in Neo Victoria, we find ourselves in the visitors center, where me must prepare for what lies below.

By it's own definition, Neo Victoria is, "Dark roleplay, Steampunk style - A small community of gifted artists, working together to bring their stories out of Second Life, into the world of the real."
Avatars of all types and species are permitted, as long as they are not "cartooney." An anthro coyote is OK, Wile E. Coyote is not.

Orientation and shopping is in the sky. The two, ground level sims serve as home for members and a film lot for Machinima videos. If you are not a member, or out of character, you can visit ground level, but must get and wear the OOC (out of character) tag. To engage in roleplay, one must conform to the local story line. No cross story lines are allowed. As a means of learning the lifestyle, notecards are given as you walk down the dark halls that lead to the TP to ground level. Alternatively, there is a web site, giving more details and samples of their videos at www.NeoVictoria.net . They also have a web site for members only, which has community news and personal pages for each member.

Other factors that made Neo Victoria a great place to explore were, no doubt, the bi-product of using the sims for making videos. There are fewer mesh scenery objects, making it almost lag free. They also allow you to rez things there, with auto-return after 15 minutes. Using this, I rezzed my airship, for a birds eye view and saw the entire place, in far greater detail than was possible at other places visited.

Becky Shamen

Monday, December 6, 2010

Club Zero of Nocturna

One of my friends kept talking about a “Industrial Gothic” club she frequented, Club Zero of Nocturna Urban Designs. “This is what this club is,” she told me, “Industrial club, Gothic club, Live DJs, ... a lot (of people) love this place. Ans we have great bosses here. They actually care about their staf and patrons of this club.”

Getting to the place, from the outside it looked much like a huge old-time theater, but in dark tones, black and dark red. The place had an audience inside, so it took a little time for things to rezz, a few vampires chatting in the lobby. The inside of the place continued the dark gothic look. The dance area was on the second floor, getting there taking a walk down a hall that wound around and up. And getting there was a healthy-sized crowd, close to a couple dozen in size, with club owner Musette Demonia and head DJ Hazard Fizzle leading the party.

Chatting with Musette, she told of the club recently celebrating it’s one year anniversary with an all-day event, “24 DJs in 24 hours.” Of the reasons the club was built, “I wanted a place where people would feel comfortable, bring in really good DJs, some place to feel home, blow off some steam, something that reminded of the club scene we grew up in.” Asking about how big attendance can get, she told me the two dozen at the time, “this is average. Late night it gets busier. ... Anywhere from 10-40, depending on the DJ.”

Hazard felt happy of the 24 hour event, “that was fantastic, so fun... rapid fire DJs all day ... We had so many great DJs doing short sets that the crowd just stayed. Evening was most popular. Saturday night, all of our best House DJs played that night. Pagan, Glitch, Kittynes.. they had the biggest.” But the club also has other events, “We do a cross dress night that is always very popular ... girls will be boys and boys will be girls, changing gender for the event. We do it every few months. People have fun with it. We also do Dj battles every now and again. ... 1/2 hour sets, back and forth. Any thime the DJs get to show off, it brings something special.”

Club Zero is at Nocturna Urban Designs at (228, 187, 34). It has a website at http://clubzeroradio.com/, and also it’s own Facebook page.

Bixyl Shuftan.