Sci-Fi Con 18

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

Sci-Fi Con 18 is underway in Second Life and will continue until through Tuesday, June 9th. This is an annual charity event in support of The Michael J. Fox Foundation which works to support research toward a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

This year, the con covers nine regions, each built around one or two themes of its own. Most host shops or promotional spaces for groups in the Second Life science fiction community.

The Nine Regions of Sci-fi Con 18

Most, if not all shops offer discounted items and items all of whose sales support the con’s cause. There are plenty of direct donation kiosks scattered about the landscape. You should have no difficulty finding a way to send some L$s the way of the MJFF!

Events

There will be DJs and dancing at the event space along with other activities such as occasional 1950s movie nights at a drive-in theater in one of the regions. A full schedule can be found here.

The Navigation HUD

The first thing you should do when landing is look around for a HUD giver. You’ll get a folder with the HUD, a handful of landmarks, and some information about it. This is not the con navigation HUD I’ve become used to. It’s much more sophisticated.

Add the HUD (and OK it’s request to be able to teleport you) and click on the tile in the lower-left. You’ll have a few choices, pick categories. Then you’ll have a list of regions and daily event tiles along the bottom. Pick, say, a region by name, and the screen will fill with tiles, one for each shop or group booth in the region.

You can teleport directly to a shop by clicking its tile. When you want to see where you’re going, click on the HUD tile at the bottom-left again and the display minimizes. Very handy device.

SLURLs

Just to get you started, before you collect your HUD, here are some SLURLs for the various regions.

Millennial Effect

As usual, I explore these special events and a deadly boring, methodical way. In this case, I’ll be going region by region starting from the one where I first landed, Millennial Effect.

There are no shops or group exhibits here. This is the event space, including the aptly named Event Horizon club.

You can pick up your HUD near the landing area. Off to the side is the auction house. A number of items are already up for auction. Proceeds benefiting the Michael J. Fox Foundation of course.

There’s an elevated platform beyond the auction house where you can rez, board, and click to start a shuttle to the upper part of the event space build. From the landing bay, you can take the elevator to upper levels. (Note that the doors will not open on click, just run into them.) There’s the Event Horizon club, a blogger’s room, the brig (a jail n’ bail coming up?), and the mysteriously named Floor 5.

Down the ramps to ground level and things change substantially. The landing area and event space have the look of a shiny new space colony. Things get a little more complicated down below.

To the north-east corner is dominated by a large cargo and landing bay. Across the nice clean avenue (running toward Between the Screens) and you enter an area that still feels like a futuristic, off-world colony, but one that’s been around long enough to get a little rundown. It’s apparently developed an underworld and a seedy side of town.

Make your way through that to the south-east quadrant and you’ll step into an undeveloped planet scape with lots of heavy equipment, perhaps for setting up more colony. But there are also a number of abandoned and rusty old 20th century cars. The place has a sort of Wastelands feel to it. There’s also a large, kinda primmy sandworm looming over the area. That might be hampering construction.

Crossing back to the south-west corner, there’s a glowy sort of xeno-aboretum. There’s also some sort of xenomorphic megafauna wandering through the luminous weeds. I think it’s harmless.

I can’t identify what theme binds these five substantially different builds together, but I imagine they all have their place in the region’s concept.

Between the Screens

North of Millennial Effect, in the north-west corner of the 3×3 grid of Sci-Fi Con 18 regions, is Between the Screens. This begins with a high-tech avenue bordered by what appear to be giant plastic aquarium plants. It’s surrounded by 19th and early 20th century style structures. Already I’m confused.

Further along, things settle down to an even more eclectic, if thematically more consistent build. Numerous elevated structures rise from the ocean. The buildings are hodge-podge of different sort of found objects such as former shipping containers and oil platforms. Everything is old, rusted and heavily used. I’m getting a Waterworld vibe here.

The road floats above all this winding its way to huge boxy orange buildings that resemble TV sets of the giants. These are the sites for stores and group exhibits, but few of them are occupied. They’re all part of the background story of the build, Videotron.

The road is branded “Videotron” every few feet. There are Videotron information billboards all around. The idea was to create a fictional corporation as part of the build’s backstory.

“Welcome to Videotron, a mock store experience created for Between the Screens. Step into a celebration of television history, nostalgia, and imagination as you explore the many worlds that have shaped our favorite stories across the decades.”

Shops and Groups

There are only a few shops/groups who’ve set up home in this region.

  • Sci-fi Con Main HUB
    Which is the landing point and another place you can pick up a HUD as well as con merchandise and other information.
  • Official Sci-fi Gear
    Get your shirts and outfits.
  • United Furry Wrestling
    Just like it sounds. It’s off in the south-east corner. Presumably events will be on the schedule.

As you walk toward the east, the environment takes another radical shift and becomes a semi-desert area with matching buildings.

Radio Light

Crossing the east boarder, you walk into Radio Light. This is a semi-arid world with scrubby conifer plant life. The streets are paved with what look like large, green glowing integrated circuits. In the sky above, frozen in time, are several dogfights from eras as different as WWII and the far future.

The occupants of the area are found in what appear to be large old hanger like structures or varied other buildings. The marquee building in the center, a ToS role play group’s, is the tallest and shiniest.

Shops and Groups

  • Aethon Works
  • Amynprints
  • Decibel Anthro Wrestling [Group]
  • Dragon Shadows
  • Dreamscaped
  • Dysmantled Shapes [Empty when I looked]
  • En Yo! [not on the HUD]
  • Innsmouth [Missing, replaced by a giant rocketship]
  • Manwhorez [Empty when I looked]
  • Marvel & D.C. Role Play [Group, not on the HUD]
  • Old World Fantasy
  • Panda Panda
  • Solaris Space Station [Group]
  • Solaris Station Memorial
  • Travel & Adventure [Group]
  • U.S.S. Solstice [Group]
  • USS Enterprise [Group]
  • Wayfinder Station [The IDIC Cafe]
  • Zan’s [Empty when I looked]

Empire City

OK, I’m not sure where this build is going. Empire City is filled with giant spiders and webs. These give way to recent urban populated with Sci-fi soldiers. Some skybox builds but fairly close to ground level.

Shops and Groups

  • Aeropunk Sky Pirates [Group]
  • Angry Store
  • Bold Llama T-Shirt Co.
  • Cassandra City [Dieselpunk RP Group]
  • Godric’s Creations
  • Good Fairy
  • Just Imagine by Vita
  • MystRie
  • Pixel Box
  • Ravens Photography
  • SugarShack Creations
  • Star Mesh Body [not on HUD]
  • Wyld Wynter [Empty when I looked]

Neon Nebula

Entering from Empire City into Neon Nebula, you ascend the blinky, liquid crystal steps (there are a lot of them) to the garish, red & white 50s diner themed shops. (The shop buildings are in fact based on diners and occasionally bear signs to that effect.) Bold colours are a design element here.

Billboards advertising 50s B sci-fi films punctuate the build. These can serve as reminders that there is a drive-in theater off on the east side of the build where 50s movies will be showing at various times over the week.

In the center of the region, elevated from the rest of the build, and up yet more stairs, is a xeno-garden of glowing plants. Space stations and visiting saucers hover nearby. It’s a good place for a selfie. (See above, if you squint you might be able to see me.)

Shops and Groups

  • ARKONA
  • Atmos Design [Not on HUD]
  • Beyond Star [Group]
  • Body Bliss
  • Cosmic Cultural Center [Group]
  • Cosmic Saucer Drive In [Entertainment]
  • Find the Fish
  • Galaxy Bowling [Enterntainment]
    There is one non-vacant location: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Neon%20Nebula/48/74/33
  • Hard Spock Cafe [Group]
    (I’m working very hard not to read too much into that title.)
  • KOR
  • LazyCatS
  • National Space Society [Group]
  • neutron PuttPutt [Entertainment]
  • Olympus Motors
  • Psyche’s Pstyles
  • Rocket Roll Arena [Enterntainment, not on the HUD]
  • Slavia
  • 1950s Sci-Fi Movie Night [Event space]
  • SWRP [Replaced by Atmos Design]
  • TARA

Questionable Landing Port

There’s no doubt when you cross into Questionable Landing Port from Neon Nebula. The stylistic differences are extreme. From bright skies over clean white and saturated red buildings joined by glowing opalescent walkways, you stride under a dark dome of night sky with a dense canopy of stars. Underneath the moonless sky, a thriving colony appears to have grown up on some distant world. (And by the by, this world seems to be spinning pretty rapidly. The stars overhead appear to race along.)

Many nearly identical, closely space buildings line streets that may be the sintered former ground of the colony site. All the structures are built from muted gray and black components with cyan and occasionally dark red lighted piping. The place looks to be in pretty good condition, but gives off a somber atmosphere.

Shops and Groups

  • BSG-82 Battlestar Thesis [Group]
  • Caj Marrakess
  • Cherry Kiss & Peeps
  • DINKIEWEAR
  • Dragon Forge
  • Female Force [Group]
  • GalaxyFleetCommand [Group]
  • INCUBO DESIGN [Not on HUD]
  • MCM Systems
  • Mesh Entity
  • Naeya Chronicles
  • Novatech [Not on HUD]
  • OLYESTI
  • Pendragon Designs
  • Sanna Science and Art
  • SCI-FI HUB [Service]
  • SGMU [Group, Stargate Multiverse]
  • SHACKLED [Empty when I looked]
  • Spaceflight Museum
  • Sterlingwear [Not on HUD]
  • TattooKO
  • The Gorean Whip Radio
  • Thunder Meow Tech
  • UNA
  • Vortech
  • Warehouse 13 [Not on HUD]
  • What’s Lost Spirits

Neon Dystopia

Neon Dystopia is easy to get to. Just head down the south ramp from the landing area/event space at Millennial Effect. Neon Dystopia is a very cyberpunk feeling cityscape. There’s an information kiosk near the entrance which will give you a notecard from the designer.

Neon Dystopia was inspired by the feeling of stepping into the future as people imagined it back in the 1980s. A lot of modern sci-fi feels very clean and polished, but older science fiction had this gritty, dreamlike atmosphere that felt more human to me. Films like Blade Runner, Escape from New York, The Running Man, and many others helped shape the visual direction and emotional tone of the region.

And it does have a lot of those 80s sci-fi elements. If anything though, it’s a bit neater and well kept than I’d have expected. My first thought was “cyberpunk, but where the refuse collection services still operate.”

This is easily the most cohesive build in Sci-Fi Con 18. It’s very nicely done and everything fits together. It lots of fun exploring and I’ve returned to it repeatedly for someplace to sit as I assemble my notes.

Shops and Groups

  • AI Doll Store
  • Anastyle
  • Cerridwen’s Cauldron
  • Coghaven [Group]
  • Crixus Carnival [The Neon Nexus]
  • Dragon Forge
  • Echo & Aura
  • Fitness Fashion [Not on HUD]
  • Fawkesboro
  • FCW [Group, Not on HUD]
  • Gabriel
  • House of Lunaris [Group]
  • KiCKFLiP [Entertainment]
  • MechaBun
  • Mindgardens Creations
  • RadioSpiral.net
  • Retro*Trek [Group]
  • @rOrO
  • Shroom & Boom
  • Tea Lane
  • The Scavanger Bin
  • The Verse [Group]

Quantapolis

Quantapolis is another multi-themed build. Entering the north-west from Neon Dystopia, it looks like I’ve strayed into a desert planet colony. Shades of Tatooine? Adobe semi-high tech buildings dot the flat landscape. However, descending the ramp a little ways down the road and around a couple of bends (and past a land speeder floating by a couple very familiar looking adobe huts), the build turns into an advanced tech city, with curiously 20th century looking pavement. Oh, and there’s a shark fishery along the south coast with a decidedly early mid-20th century look to it. (?!)

Shops and Groups

  • Art & Robotics
  • Badlands Quality Combat [Group]
  • Battlestar Acropolis [Group]
  • Board Unicorn
  • Cats Claw
  • Cyber Princess
  • Flashpoint Roleplay
  • Ginger Dinkies Shop
  • Go-Sci
  • Hellion Cove [Group]
  • Incubo Design [This one’s actually in Questionable Landing Port]
  • Mandilena Gestures
  • Noxia
  • Ouroboros
  • Progeny Mall [Replaced by Whispering Event]
  • SL Wrestler’s Guild [Group]
  • Superheros Assemble [Group]
  • Synth Tech [Replaced by Charm]
  • Whispering Event [Not on the HUD]

The Fifth Mindscape

Finally, in the south-east corner of the 3×3 region grid of Sci-Fi Con 18, we have The Fifth Mindscape. Here we have what looks like a fairly new, and rather brightly coloured, space port. A tall gleaming tower acts as a shuttle landing bay, while at ground level, a collection of bright blue, yellow, green, and purple hanger like buildings contain the shops and exhibit spaces.

For those of a nostalgic turn of mind, there’s a Jupiter 2 model right in the middle of the build. It’s another nice place for me to park and catch up on my exploration notes.

Shops and Groups

  • Moonforest
  • Acme
  • Bliss & Benefit [Service, not on HUD]
  • Clubtopia [Entertainment, very busy]
  • Dark Star Radio
  • Ever Green
  • Federation Twelfth Fleet [Group, Not on HUD]
  • Hermit’s Whimsical Toys
  • Infinity Continuum Fleet [Replaced by Bliss & Benefit]
  • Kranzworth Media Product
  • Myst Online Uru Live
  • Rookery Isles
  • Rose your Life
  • Sailor V Creations [Not on HUD]
  • Second Escape
  • Starfleet Intelligence [Group]
  • Starfleet Taskforce Six [Group, not on HUD]
  • That Thing Over There
  • The Cephalopad [Group]

Conclusion

That wraps it up for my traverse of Sci-Fi Con 18. I’ve managed to make it through the whole thing while acquiring just one new outfit… so far. (It’s from Gabriel, if you must know.)

Fun as it is, I always land at Sci-Fi Con impoverished after Fantasy Faire. There’s a lot less impulse buying when I’m going through this event. I can’t help thinking that this event might be more successful if it didn’t fall in the middle of the very busy Fantasy Faire/SLB season. Maybe they could look at taking over the fall slot which used to belong to Sci-Fi Expo. So far as I can tell, that event is defunct.

Anyway, it was still a lot of fun. I’ll make a few more passes through some of the regions, and give lots of thought to currently postponed purchases, before making them anyway. Then I simply must get on with assembling my SL23B wardrobe!

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Ben Tom Roi

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

It’s now the first extended day of Fantasy Faire 2026. The total raised so far is L$21,621,613 which means we’ve fallen about short of last year’s total. There’s still two more days to make up the difference, but it looks like we may have to settle for a bit less this time. Still, that’s something like $85K USD raised in support of Relay for Life, and that ain’t too shabby!

To repeat again, The Fairelands are still open, and will be through Wednesday May 13th. So, there’s plenty of time to finish up your shopping, complete a few quests, and slip some more L$s into the donation kiosks.

There’s also plenty of time left to explore…

Ben Tom Roi

Shopping Region
Sponsor: [Contraption]
Designers: Victor E. Eaton & Walton Wainwright
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ben%20Tom%20Roi/61/127/71

Ben Tom Roi is a south-east Asian port town frequented by sailors of many kinds: shrimp, humans, tunnies, you name it and it probably makes port here.

Looking about the town, there are tables set out with food, a restaurant kitchen with rows of pots bubbling, piles of fresh fish on tables ready to be cooked. Decorative paper lanterns are everywhere, strung along the quayside, hung over streets, bridges, and alleyways, especially on boats’ rigging. It appears that we have arrived at a time of special festival.

Ben Tom Roi is a bright, colourful town. The warm hued buildings and brightly coloured festival lanterns make it an attractive place to do some window shopping. The bridge that spans the water at the center of town is just gorgeous! All the food set out does distract a bit. It’s making me hungry.

Ordinarily, I gather a lot of the backstory of a region from the LitFest Tour. That’s what determines the order I post about them. I nearly always wait until after a region’s tour to post about it. However, the tour for Ben Tom Roi was… different.

Instead of the designers giving us the thinking behind the design process and the story of the region’s concept, we were treated to a hilariously bizarre roleplay amongst a collection of tunnies masquerading as shrimp. This format gave the tour group a great picture of a day in the life of Ben Tom Roi, however surreal that might be. It also ended up including the biggest avalanche of maritime puns I’ve ever experienced, or probably will ever experience in my life! What a hoot!

Fun though that was, this region’s build remains something of a mystery to me. That’s fine really. It’s a fabulous build filled with wonderful shops. I’ll manage to survive without every detail of its history.

And that about wraps it up for my explorations of Fantasy Faire 2026. I’ve been making my ceremonial circumambulation of the regions as I write this post and already I’m getting misty eyed with memories from this year’s fair. As I look back at Fantasy Faire 2026, I’m also looking forward to Fantasy Faire 2027!

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Requiem

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

I was in with a chance to finish describing every region of The Fairelands before the planned end date, yesterday. But then I thought, it’s a slow afternoon. A quick nap will do you good!

Well, I suppose it did. It did not do wonders for my schedule though! So, as I wander back through Achroma and Lost Pages to wake up, here’s what I learned about Requiem, mostly from the LitFest Tour of a few days ago. (By the way, the regions are still open as the fair has been extended through Wednesday the 13th. As important, the donation kiosks and shops, with their 100% to ASC items, also remain open!)

Shopping Region
Sponsor: Fallen Gods Inc.
Designer: Alia Baroque (w/ Garvie Garzo)
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/FF%20Requiem/90/89/147

Technically, all the builds in Fantasy Faire are the same size, one full region. However, this is a build with scale! In addition to the great height of the construction, with its steep hill and tall cathedral on top, there are wide open views across the region to adjacent ones. My draw distance was set to 256m during most of my explorations. The designer recommends 300m at least.

Two things you’ll notice right away about Requiem, the darkness (there seems to be another permanent eclipse going on), and the Gothic architecture. The Gothic aesthetic is all around, not just in the tall buildings, but in the partly overgrown graveyards with their spiked iron fences, as well as the mournful statues that dot the landscape. (If you look close, you can see that one is even dropping rose petals.) The giant skull that provides, quite literally, the face of the build, is just the icing on the Gothic cake. In really doesn’t get more Gothic than this.

For those who remember Fantasy Faire 2025, Alia and Garvie teamed up to give us Holi, which was all light and colour. This year, we are presented with a totally different feel. Aside from the muted greens of the grass and shrubs, and the glowing green of some curious ancient symbols, everything at Requiem is a shade of gray. Where Holi, and even Opera, were places filled with warm light, Requiem is all about the night. (Though I feel it may be a warm night.)

Is this the long dark night of the soul? There are aspects of the landscape and architecture that lean that way. The graveyards with their mourning statues, the somber lighting, every structure looking like it could house a funeral, the great skull watching over everything through its vacant eye sockets, even the region’s title, ‘Requiem’, point toward contemplation of mortality and loss.

Going by some remarks by the designer, I think that’s the point of the region. Not just to contemplate loss and mortality, but to confront it, without fear. To drag it out of the closet or basement where we keep it, avoided and unregarded, in modern times.

We face Death, we talk about it, we befriend it, because the only way to really appreciate life, at least for me, is the awareness of an end without fear, with fear, with compassion, with care, with understanding, of ourselves most of all.

This region is a personal journey through grief for both the designer and the visitor. There are shrines to assist you on this journey. Spaced around the region are shrines of sadness, comfort, and life.

It is a mistake to see Requiem solely as place of death. The cold gray stone buildings are surrounded by grass and shrubs that, even in the dim light, are a healthy green colour. The grasses are clearly growing, indeed overgrowing in some locations, vigourously. There is an eerie green glow emanating from some areas, but even this is a symbol of life.

The message may be that life must live with death, not pretend it does not exist.

A Bit of History

Alia Baroque has now designed sixteen regions for Fantasy Faire over the years. If you look off to the side of the sponsor’s shop at the top of the build, you’ll see a little side room with panels illustrating all the regions he’s created over the years. This is the fifth of Alia’s regions I’ve had the pleasure of exploring so, while some of the panels showed unknown worlds, several of them brought back great memories.

The shops

This is another shopping region. One can take breaks from embracing The End to duck into the occasional shopping therapy.

It’s not at all surprising that many of the shops feature clothing, decor, and buildings that fit in nicely with the overall Gothic feel of the place. Goths, vampires, or anybody else who enjoys the Gothic style would do well to brose the vendors who have set up in Requiem.

Honestly, even if you are not steeped in this style, there are loads of good items to find in the shops here. I’m neither a Goth, nor a vampire, not even a daemon, and I still didn’t manage to get through the region without spending at least L$1,000. I can comfort myself with the knowledge that all those L$ were spent on 100% donation vendors.

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Reservoir Zero

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It’s the last official day of the faire! The good folks at Linden Lab have extended The Fairelands time in the hear and now for another three days, through Wednesday the 13th, but this is the last evening of activities, except for The Fairelands Quest and region quests and huts.

The silent auction is wrapping up as I write. The total raised by Fantasy Faire 2026 currently stands at a bit over L$17M. I suspect that the proceeds from the auction will add quite a few L$ on top of that interim total.

Reservoir Zero

Shopping Region
Sponsor: Oyasumi
SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Reservoir%20Zero/77/154/62

We’ll get this part out of the way right up front. We’re not seeing Reservoir Zero as the designer intended us to. The copious vines and, I’m pretty sure, no small number of the liberally distributed FF signage are not parts of the original construction. I am not a member of nor connected with Fantasy Faire management. So, what I’m writing here is what I’ve learned. I’m sure there are more details and more sides to the story.

The controversy centers around the use of AI in generating some of the assets used to build Reservoir Zero. It seems that Fantasy Faire rules forbid the use of AI not just in saleable products offered at the faire, but in any aspect of it, including the world builds themselves. Not being a world builder, I have not read these rules, but that’s what I’m told.

The designer(s) of Reservoir Zero is/are said to have included many AI generated art elements in the textures for the buildings and surroundings for the region. These are now mostly covered up by vines and posters.

As I understand things, the designer has withdrawn from Fantasy Faire but left the build in tact. Most, if not all, of the shops remain, so the region remains a fully functioning shopping region. And, it’s still an interesting place to explore.

The build presents a world in a sad state of affairs. It is post some sort of apocalyptic event; not a nuclear war in this instance, but something that has massively disturbed by the sea level and the quality of the planet’s water supply. The cistern at the center of the build is reportedly the last remaining potable water supply.

Looking at the buildings, the shops, domiciles around the area, and taking in some of the curious signs and graffiti, there are indications that civilization fell on very hard times after whatever event befell it. There are indications of an overall social decline, semi-barbarism, possibly a water monopoly.

Wandering the vacant streets, absent any signs of recent habitation, one fears that more than just falling on hard times, civilization here has ended. The planet, or perhaps smaller body, is now run by the weeds and few creatures that remain. (Notably, one gigantic rain frog that has taken up residence in the cistern; another Tammy from Fantasy Faires past.)

But where is ‘here’? What body are we exploring?

Looking up provides some clues. The sky is dominated by a bright, harsh sun and two large round bodies. The nearer one appears to be Earth’s moon while the further looks very like Earth itself. More curious still, the face of the moon we see from the perspective of our dying world is the face that we’re all used to seeing from earth, not the unfamiliar far side I’d expect. This means that something has caused great disturbance to the Earth/Moon system. Possibly that something is a passing, now captured asteroid or minor planet, on which we now stand.

The Story

With the designer absent, our LitFest Tour group was left to our own devices. The tour leader suggested we look around and find elements that could tell us a backstory about the build. As our explorations neared their end, we started trying out ideas for narrative elements that could tell the story of Reservoir Zero. Poaching many of the groups’ ideas, and mixing in some of my own imaginings, here’s the outline of what I came up with.

I imagined the body Reservoir Zero inhabits as an interloper that, arriving, did great damage to the Earth-Moon system as it was. Fearing extinction, a colony was sent to the new body which appeared capable of supporting life; a last ditch effort. Damage spread. Nations and eventually whole civilizations fell. On Earth, the lights went out, everywhere.

Many years (centuries?) later, I imagine a single scout making its way out from Earth in a small ship. She finds the failed colony and silent world of Reservoir Zero. Her tale from that point is to piece together what happened to the colonists, while not falling victim to whatever surprised them on this world.

Eh, if I had any writing talent, I could probably inflate that to at least novella length. But! I have two more regions to explore.

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Aventurine Promenade

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

OK, I managed to make it through the maze and, having completed my walkthrough and photography at Aventurine Promenade, I’m suffering a slight case of fantasy shock having landed at the so very different post-apocalyptic disstopian sci-fi region of Reservoir Zero. I’ll just find a quiet spot away from the creeping vines and fungus, and the water I’ve been warned about, to assemble my notes on Aventurine.

Adventurine Promenade

Shopping Region
Sponsor: Secrets of Gaia
Designers: Nix Onyx and Rox Arten
SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Aventurine%20Promenade/196/128/70

Unlike my present surrounds, Aventurine Promenade is a very elegant build. Neo-classical architecture that might have wandered in from the Regency period with just a hint of Art Nouveau. The shop buildings sit amongst the trees and manicured gardens like follies from an archetypal country manner garden. Firmly paved paths on intricately placed stone link everything together. Elegant, botanical themed lanterns placed around the paths provide illumination.

No wilderness here, everything thing has its place and every place has its thing.

More classic garden elements can be found as well. Topiary animals dot the gardens and ornament the maze. I’ve spotted topiary dragons, flamingos, even a small topiary snail!

Curated garden spaces punctuate the hard landscaping with fruit trees and vegetable container gardens, Elizabethan knot gardens, even wheat and grapes are growing in amongst the shops. Everything you might need appears to be growing here somewhere.

Looking around the landing area, there’s a number of pavilions set out as well as long tables filled with food of all kinds. (I must admit to becoming somewhat distracted by the desert table.) We’ve apparently arrived at a time of festival and everything is being done to make guests welcome.

This is the “festival of wonders to celebrate the beauty of life and each other’s accomplishments of the last year.” For many of us, I’m sure it’s been quite a year and pausing to celebrate its achievements sounds like a great idea!

This is made explicit at the entrances to Adventurine Promenade from the adjacent regions. Over each is a broad green banner with black lettering reading “Welcome One and All.”

In addition to a place of festival, the designers note that they wanted to create a space to escape the year’s problems, a place where all could feel welcome and relaxed. “Here, the ruler’s welcome is not proclaimed by banners or guards, but by open gates and the quiet certainty that all who enter, be they great or small, rooted or winged, ancient or newly made, belong.”

Between the reception/landing area and the actual promenade, the broad walkway by the sea, is the literal centerpiece of the region: an enormous hedge maze has been laid out below the plaza. Entrances/exits are at the ocean side and below the plaza. It’s quite a feature. While I did manage to get from one end to the other without becoming lost forever, I don’t think I made it to the center proper. I may have another try later on. There should be time now that the faire has been extended to Wednesday.

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Achroma

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

I’m having a relaxing moment at Aventurine Promenade after my photoshoot in Achroma. The food tables set out around the pavilions and the view over the hedge maze are just the thing to unwind for a bit. Maybe I’ll explore the maze in a little bit.

Arts & Entertainment Region
Sponsor: Sin
Designers: Lilia Artis & Haveit Neox
SLURL: https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Achroma/141/168/61

Achroma is named just as it appears to the eye; without colour. The designers decided early on to construct the performance region with a monochromatic palette. Going further, they built many of the components of the region from RL sketches with pen and charcoal on paper.

Instead of a house, you see a drawing of a house on a standing mesh “paper” shaped into the landscape. Birds are charcoal drawings of birds on pages floating on the wind. The paths are corduroy roads of charcoal sticks. Trees are pen and ink drawings on standing paper cutouts.

This is one of those region designs that is so abstract and surreal in its basic nature, that it reminds those looking through it, forcefully, that they are in a space that would be impossible in real life. It’s an exceptional example of using the virtual nature of the Second Life world to present truly native artistic spaces that could exist nowhere else.

Aside from it’s apparent beauty, Achroma has an important function as the home for many live performances throughout Fantasy Faire. The stage area, shown above, is one of the key components of the build. Here are some rare splashes of colour; on the surfaces of the scallop shell seats in the front row, on the visiting avatars viewing the show, and in the sets and costumes of the show itself.

The stage area itself is just an invisible prim over the surface of the sea, just off shore from the seating area. Each group presenting a performance is free to decorate the stage area itself without having to worry about parts of an existing landscape getting in the way.

Wander the other parts of Achroma and you’ll come across bits of landscape and portraits inspired by the work of Van Gogh (The Potato Eaters) as well as some artists who influenced him. The three-dimensional nature of this installation means that instead of just standing back and gazing at the art, you can walk into it, amongst its subjects and experience it from many perspectives.

As you make your way back toward The Lost Pages, you might have a hard time identifying the boundary. The designers of both regions collaborated heavily over the border with elements of each build influencing the other. A drawing of a cafe in one becomes a cafe you can sit at in the other. A castle there becomes a sketch of a castle across the boundary. The forest of Birnam Wood is busily on its way to Dunsinane in both builds.

Near the landing are, there is a looping canyon shallowly filled with water. It has walls formed from watercolour paper and printed book paper floors. A boardwalk of charcoal sticks allows you to wander through dry-shod and view the other major contributors of colour to the region, the fantasy art exhibit. A collection of works by several Second Life fantasy artists is exhibited along both walls of the little canyon.

Now to explore that hedge maze!

Fantasy Faire 2026 – The Golden Hour

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

As fate would have it, just about as I started writing this post about The Golden Hour region in Fantasy Faire 2026, one of the biggest events of the season was kicking off. The Masked Ball events may draw a couple hundred attendees, but this afternoon was a close second with over 160 avatars gathered for a combined Jail & Bail event with Patch Pawtato (formerly Patch Linden) and a farewell for him as he transitions from his position at Linden Lab.

Over the years, Patch has been a great friend to Fantasy Faire. Quite a large number of fairelanders wished to pay their respects and let him know he’ll be missed. And, not for nothing, over L$1,000,000 were raised for ACS during his Jail & Bail! Many of the faire organizers, sponsors, and creators were digging very deep into their own pockets to match donations from the other attendees. Thanks go out to those generous souls as well!

Shortly after I wandered off to the next LitFest Tour (Requiem), I noticed discussions in the faire group chat about an additional three days being added to The Fairelands availability this year. Sure enough, the Lindens have once again generously extended the time we can enjoy Fantasy Faire. (Announcement here.) The Fairelands will remain publicly accessible at least through Wednesday May 13th. As soon as the SL clock strikes Thursday, the mists may roll in at any time. Thanks to the Lindens for granting us more time to enjoy these regions!

The Golden Hour

Roleplay & Events Region
Sponsors: Children of Stories, Principality of Rosemont
Designer: Lrriven
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Golden%20Hour/127/220/82

On it’s surface, which I’m guessing is what 95% of its visitors see, The Golden Hour is an aptly named sunny, sub-tropical vacation spot. It is where the greater half of the “ballroom” area is, the large plaza south of the central pyramid. The ruins house the silent auction. Most notably, and frequently traveled, a rainbow path leads from the pyramid up to the deck of The FaireChylde, Fantasy Faire’s long running flying party yacht. A pleasant brook divides the ballroom area and roughly marks the border with The Lost Pages. Above all, the stepped pyramid rises toward the sun, affording fine uninterrupted views of The Golden Hour and adjacent regions.

Down slop just a bit, there is the jungle. It is dense, with heavy undergrowth, and crisscrossed with many broken paths, often marked and illuminated by torches topped with skulls. Striding from the light into the shadows and across the shattered ancient pavement, one begins to feel there might be a darker side to The Golden Hour, and that it might not be so very far off.

And so there is. At points around the base of the pyramid are smaller shrines that contain apparently magical shrines, some appear partly looted or incomplete. (Click on the entrances of the shrines to invoke the spell that opens the seemingly solid walls at the top of their steps.)

Note that you may be asked to accept an experience at some point. Doing so will enable objects in the region to teleport you. You’ll need this to see many of the more deeply hidden portions of The Golden Hour.

If you make your way around to the north side of the base of the pyramid, you will find an entrance that opens to a corridor running deep inside the pyramid itself. There are numerous secret passages, some harder to find than others. I’ve been on the LitFest tour of the region and explored it extensively on my own and I’m not sure I’ve seen fully half of what’s here!

I’ve also heard rumours of traps. I personally saw some very hungry looking crocodiles lurking beneath a very shaky set of catwalks in one room. Step carefully!

The Golden Hour is primarily an events and roleplay region. By this late in the faire, most of the events have concluded. The Silent Auction should wrap up in a few hours and the roleplays are things of the past. You can catch up on some of the roleplay the region was designed to support here.

What with the roleplays, masked balls, jail & bails, other events, and the almost constant partying at The FaireChylde, The Golden Hour has been one of the most consistently busy regions throughout the faire. I was impressed that as I attended the jail & bail for Patch as well as the second masked ball, both with well over 150 in attendance, the region showed no signs of distress. Imagine trying that back in the ’00s!

As the faire winds down, there are still some activities going on, and will be through tomorrow. The arts & entertainment regions (Lost Pages and Achroma) in particular look like they will remain busy. After that, Monday through Wednesday, The Fairelands are on borrowed time and you can wrap up unfinished quests and complete delayed shopping.

See you at the faire!

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Willowton Cuthbert

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I’m standing on top of a great stepped pyramid gazing out at The Fairechylde party yacht as I catch up on my exploration notes, having just finished looking through Willowton Cuthbert.

Shopping Region
Sponsors: Jinx, Herb & Fable
Designer: Julala Fairelander
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Willowton%20Cuthbert/127/62/62

Willowton Cuthbert has been designed by Julala Fairelander. Many may recall previous fairelands designed by Julala including Ogham Grove and Lavendell. Like those earlier builds, this one has a strong botanical focus.

The town of Willowton Cuthbert is inspired by the Summerset town of Glastonbury, with more inspiration drawn from towns of the English midlands. The architecture has a Tudor-ish look to it and, what’s more, the buildings look quite new. So, guessing we’re in the 15th/16th century here. While the streets and buildings are of interest, that’s where the shops are after all, the key to this region is in its trees and plants.

In the green behind the sponsors’ shops, you will find, among many other things, a truly venerable yew tree and a somewhat younger, but quite important hawthorn tree. Both of these varieties of trees have long histories in ancient lore with both medicinal and spiritual applications. There’s loads to learn about all the plants in Willowton Cuthbert and I imagine the quest will help out a lot with that. (One tip I have picked up, do not nom the yew tree!) Keep these trees in mind if you are doing the region quest.

The quest begins at the Herb & Fable shop where you can pick up the instructions and equipment. It is an extension of Herb & Fable’s roleplay system which grew out of the Ogham region quest from a couple years back. In performing the region quest, which also includes Canny Valley, you’ll essentially be signing up as a Herb & Fable player. Don’t worry, joining the quest is free. (Also note that the quest notecard promises “we NEVER give away or sell your data. Never.”).

Throughout the quest you’ll learn how to grow and harvest plants and use processors to dry and make items. You’ll make use of ingredients and recipes and you’ll use produce to improve your stats. I’ve included a magic apple or two about the region to keep your stats up since this quest doesn’t involve too much making of food to sustain yourself.

I’m afraid that I have yet to try out this system. I’m still hoping I’ll have a chance to try it out on the quest, but as there are just three days left in the faire and I still have five more regions to explore, that hope is growing faint. I suppose at last need, I could just try out Herb & Fable outside the faire!

While wandering the region, don’t forget to walk down to the sea shore. The view out to see and across to the adjacent regions is lovely and relaxing.

Oh yes, the shops. I didn’t notice a theme to them. For some reason, I was not in a window shopping mood this morning and didn’t give them the attention they deserved. The shop list, as always, is here.

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Heian

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It’s day sixteen of Fantasy Faire 2026, and there’s only a few days left. The planned last day of the faire is Sunday, May 10th. In the past, The Fairelands’ time connected to our world has been extended for a few days, but it’s not something you can count on. And given recent news, I’m not even sure whose decision an extension might be this year. So, if you’ve questing or shopping (or in my case, exploration) to complete, best get on it!

By the end of day fifteen, L$12,264,067 had been raised for ACS. That leaves some L$20M to match last year’s total. Hopefully we’ll see a frenzy of donation activity over the weekend. We usually do.

The schedule of faire activities for today is out. I think I may have jumped the gun when I announced part two of The Fairelands Quest being opened. But, it’s definitely up now, has been for a couple days. Kallissya has been very busy as a result, sometimes filling up.

Two LitFest tours of The Fairelands regions remain: Requiem today at 1:00 PM SLT this afternoon and Bến Tôm Rơi tomorrow afternoon, also at 1:00 PM SLT. The meetup location is in Lost Pages.

Heian

Shopping Region
Sponsor: Gabriel
Designer: Takuya Jinn
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heian/208/124/90

Heian is named for the final period in classical Japanese history, running from the late 8th through the 12th century. It’s no surprise then, that this build is composed in a classic Japanese style. The buildings, bridges, lanterns, everything in fact, fits very smoothly into the aesthetic of the Heian period.

Last year, Takuya Jinn created the world Izumo for Fantasy Faire 2025. Working with Japanese landscape and architecture is nothing new for this designer.

The streets of the city are divided by rapidly flowing streams which are spanned by numerous elegant bridges. The architecture of the buildings along the streets is beautiful and in harmony with its surroundings.

As with other Takuya Jinn builds, when you reach the summit of the region, in front of the sponsor’s shop and where the landing area is, you will see a descending path bordered by waterfalls and leading to an epic centerpiece to the region. The views in both directions along this path are wonderful.

And talking of views, the environment settings (EEP) for this build are amazing! The night sky along the core of the region is something to see as it arches over the tall pagoda that overlooks the waterfalls and wooden stairways working their way down to the lower structures.

Near the landing area are panels where you can get instructions and the HUD for a region quest. In the quest, you take the role of Onmyoji, which I understand is a court diviner. Your task is to reassemble a forgotten sign the pieces of which are in the hands of small oni (demons) hidden throughout the region. The prize appears to be your own kitsune. (Given the number of kitsune shaped avatars I see around me at Heian, this is probably a very popular prize!)

There is a definite theme to the shops of Heian. Many offer products that have a Japanese theme or are heavily influenced by a Japanese aesthetic. Some items I noticed while exploring:

  • Japanese themed dinkies
  • Snack foods, some Japanese
  • Similarly themed pop-culture inspired clothing and accessories
  • Ditto footwear
  • Interior items
  • Classic Japanese apparel

If your avatar or home designs look to the east, Heian is definitely a place to at least do some window shopping.

On to Willowton Cuthbert!

Fantasy Faire 2026 – Ebonfall Aetherium

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL EventsLeave a comment

Shopping Region
Sponsors: Quills & Curiosities
Designers: Dacien & Marcel Blackwood
SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ebonfall%20Aetherium/144/114/131

Dacien & Marcel Blackwood are two of my fave Fantasy Faire world builders. They’re really done quite a job this year. This is one of the most atmospheric builds I’ve explored at Fantasy Faire so far this year. So much so, I’m continually forgetting I’m in a shopping region!

Last year, Dacien and Marcel gave us Nox Aeterna. In 2024 the were part of the team that built Duskfall Court, one of my all time favourite Fantasy Faire worlds. And, back in 2023 (was it really that long ago?!) they produced the memorable Sialdor. This year’s effort is part of the same world of Sialdor. In fact, from what I understand, the Ebonfall Aetherium is part of the city (city state?) of Sialdor.

The heart of the Aetherium, and the reason for its existence, is the Confluence, which fills the core of the build from top to bottom. It’s the ever present lifeblood of the place and you hear it everywhere you go within the Aetherium.

So, what is Ebonfall Aetherium? Near the landing area, you can touch a panel to get a scroll of lore about it. Essentially, “The Aetherium, at its heart, is the fortress inside the island on the coast of Sialdor. It’s where the Order calls home as well as where they conduct their studies and research.”

The Aetherium’s history hasn’t been without its ups and downs. From what I can tell, it has been destroyed and rebuilt at least a couple of times. I have to say that they must have meant business with the most recent rebuild because the whole place feels like an utterly impregnable fortress.

This research is primarily magical, or at least what we would call magical, in nature and involves anything from learning to levitate, to life extension (dangerous), to transference of consciousness from one vessel to another (more common).

As you walk along the dark stone hallways and over the vast chamber of The Confluence, you’ll find it hard to get lost. Many of the ways where you might turn off have been gated for your safety.

As you near the exit from the Aetherium look for a way into the lower reaches of The Confluence. There you can experience its wonder up close. Not too close mind you. One member of our tour group foolishly dashed into the Confluence, collapsed almost to nothing, reappeared as a 4m giant glowing prawn, and finally vanished. We haven’t seen him since. The guides referred to the whole thing as a troubling anomaly.

Ebonfall Aetherium is a really dark, moody, beautiful build with a lot of atmosphere! It’s been one of the more enjoyable regions to explore, even if I found it a challenge to get many good pictures. (I’ll have to return with a wide angle lens I think.)

It’s not dark, as in dark magic. I got the impression that those who study here aren’t dark magicians per se, or evil by nature. Actually, it was maybe a little more unsettling than that. They study all kinds of arts without appearing to consider the ethical considerations they might bring up.

The shops are again, a varied lot. But there did seem to be more directed at darker themed avatars and builds than otherwise. One more time, well probably not for the last time, you can browse what shops are where on this page.