A Look at the Lovecraft Festival

By Deaflegacy

There is a certain type of festivals that are scary or creepy.  This festival is one of them.  As I walk down the dark street, with only the street lamps as a source of lamp, I can't help but in awe because scary places, in my opinion, are awesome.  I stopped by a few stores.  I checked the items out.  They are pretty good items.  I didn't buy anything, and even if I want to buy something from this festival, it's too late.   Yesterday was the festival's last day. 

What am I talking about, you ask.  I'm talking about the Lovecraft Festival.  It's a big place with streets that look like they came from London or a city in England.  It's remarkable by walking down the street with interesting stores. What made it scary is that the city is dark and the street is lighted up by the street lamps.  The street lamps look like they were made in England.  Another hint that maybe the Festival is in English taste.  Even so, I love the English things, and that's another reason for me to love the Festival.

I continued down the street, stopping by each store.  Each store is interesting. They have their items.  It's like their items have their own stories to tell. One store had very interesting dresses.  If it wasn't for the colors the designer had chosen, I'd say the dresses are Victorian.  Now I'm not so sure.  To come think of it, if I could, I would buy it.  But now, it's too late.

There are so many different types of stores that one might be interested in.  For an example, there's "Lilith's Den." I'm not sure what that is about, but it's still interesting, regardless of what's happening in the store. Another store caught my interest.  The name of the store is "%" and it appears to be selling sea life.  It looks like octopuses floating around in tall small boxes.  It's very interesting. Another interesting store I stopped by would be Dark Passions.  It's a store that has facial things like appliers.  It is really interesting.

Down the street, at the end, is a theater.  The name of the theater is, "The Regent Theatre".  I didn't go in but now, I regret not doing it.

The place is so interesting that I could have bought something. I didn't and now, I regret it because this Festival just had the last day yesterday on August 26. 

Yes, it's scary and creepy, but if Lovecraft Festival is still around, I would definitely have recommend it to anyone who is curious enough to check out the place.

Coral Moon (128/128/3001)

Deaflegacy

* * * * *

From August 17 to 27, the annual Lovecraft Festival took place in Second Life. The event is set up to honor the classic horror novelist H.P. Lovecraft, best known for his "Cthulhu mythos" stories. He pioneered a style of horror in which life as we know it is a thin shell over a reality so strange and alien, dominated by monstrous deities indifferent or hostile to humanity,  the human mind cannot contemplate it without going insane. Even if one hasn't read his works, they've probably heard of him or Cthulhu, or possibly read stories, listened to music, or played games inspired by his works.

The festival takes place around the time of Lovecraft's birthday, this time his 127th, and this year's was the sixth. The official location of the event was in the Coral Moon sim, the SURL leading to a small building in a park with shopping centers all around. On top of the building was a statue of Lovecraft with tentacles going around his feet. Around were a number of shops and stores.

I had heard of another sim to go to, Innsmouth, named for the fictional town in Massachusetts at least one of his stories takes place in. Dropping in, I found myself in a trail in the middle of some dark and spooky woods. One way led to a portal to a visitor's center high above the sim. The other way led into the woods. And the following message popped up:

Road to Innsmouth: 'The smell of the sea took on ominous implications...  [reaching] the crest and beheld the outspread valley beyond, where the Manuxet joins the sea just north of the long line of cliffs that culminate in Kingsport Head... On the far, misty horizon I could just make out the dizzy profile of the Head, topped by the queer ancient house of which so many legends are told; but for the moment all my attention was captured by the nearer panorama just below me. I had, I realised, come face to face with rumour-shadowed Innsmouth.'

Going further, I came across a sign warning that the town had been quarantined, "Region under Quarantine until further notice!  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Health in cooperation with the United States Department of War have declared the town of Innsmouth and surrounding area a Quarantine Zone. ..." Up ahead was an abandoned town, obscured by the mist and the dim light.

Going further, I came across an eerie green light coming from a well. Getting close, I got another message titled The Colour out of Space, "Nothin’  nothin’  the colour , it burns  cold an’ wet  but it burns . it lived in the well . I seen it. a kind o’ smoke  jest like the flowers last spring. the well shone at night. Thad an’ Mernie an’ Zenas. everything alive  suckin’ the life out of everything in that stone  it must a’ come in that stone  pizened the whole place. dun’t know what it wants that round thing them men from the college dug outen the stone. they smashed it  it was that same colour  jest the same ..." Going inside the house nearby, it was empty and abandoned, though the dinner table was broken and the chair overturned as if there was some kind of struggle.

Going still further, I found some visitors next to an old building with some green light coming out of the hole in the wall and holes in the roof. They warned me about the outhouse nearby, saying there was some evil demon lurking underneath waiting to grab anyone using it. Apparently it wasn't just the smell from it that was evil. Panning inside the building, it turned out to be a store with a few spooky goods. Not far away was another abandoned settlement.

Later on, Deaflegacy would check out the action at Coral Moon. She checked out the shops (read above) while I looked at the "Mysteries of the Deep."

Kingsport Campus: A marine research team recently returned from a remote ocean site, bringing live specimens and images taken by a dive team.  You have opportunity to sign on for the second trip, to be equipped with diving gear and continue the exploration begun by the previous team.  (Be sure to collect and 'wear/replace' the deep sea diving outfit to be found on-ship at the dive site.  And search for collectible 'hunt items' hidden along the sea floor.  We hope you enjoy this little oceanic adventure!)

Putting the suit on, the helmet could be made larger, which I did to accommodate my furry avatar's nose. Getting onto the ship, I was ported elsewhere in the sim where the ship was ready to lower it's bathysphere. But getting on board, something went wrong and I fell to the seafloor. I then got a message that the cords to the bathysphere had broken, so I might as well explore around. The ocean flood was dark, but I could make out plants and animals on the floor. There were some anemone-like things. Although I had the option to sit on them, I had the feeling doing so would be bad.

The path took me lower, past a couple creepy looking fish that tried nibbling on my suit. I eventually got to some ruins. But there were also some creepy and slimy things around me. A tubeworm with a mouth lined with teeth popped up just feet away as I walked by. There was also the body of a sperm whale, a reminder that there were some deadly things about. I also noticed one diver who had some creature wrapped around him, as if trying to squeeze  him into submission. It was obvious once the diver was rendered helpless, he was in for a fate best left unmentioned.

While walking around, I found a few freebies. I never did find a way out of my situation other than teleporting out. I was unable to teleport back to the dock or the entrance to Coral Moon.

The festival is over, but when I last checked the two sims involved were still up. So if you're a Lovecraft fan, can't wait for Halloween, or looking for something out of the ordinary, go ahead and check out them out. Check out the event blog at https://lovefest.wordpress.com/  for more information.

Coral Moon (128/128/3001) 

Innsmouth (13/247/53)

Bixyl Shuftan

"Hunchback of Notre Dame" at the Royal Opera House

By Gemma Cleanslate

I spent another enchanted afternoon at one of my favorite theaters, The Royal Opera House. It is the Musical, Notre Dame de Paris, based on the novel of Victor Hugo. This show was directed by Ina Carpaccio. Just arriving at the theater makes me feel grand and I always choose a gown that will sit well at the theater. 

The setting is the vastness of Notre Dame Cathedral entrance area. The old man, Clopin narrates the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, or the bell ringer of Notre Dame as he is also known. He is made out to be an “idiot” and a very ugly man, Quasimodo. 

The story was written by Hugo in 1881 as a way of getting more people interested in the gothic architecture which was being neglected.  The story was made into a musical in several countries. in the early 1900‘s. There have been several movies depicting the story, including a Disney one in 1996.  If you would like to review the whole story before you go to the theater to see this check wikipedia. 

The story becomes very convoluted as it progresses, with many misunderstandings. The main issue is everyone is in love with the gypsy Esmerelda. That is the crux of the problem. Deception is everywhere along with misunderstandings that change the course of history in the story. 

The presentation of the story here flows from musical pieces and dances one into the other and is most enjoyable. The staging is simple and remains as it is until near the ending. Esmeralda is portrayed by Ina Carpaccio. Andy Loon plays Quasimodo .They both die at the ending of this tragic tale along with Frollo. the Church official  who has the decreed the death of Esmeralda.   

The show will be presented again but dates are not set yet. Keep an eye out for advertisement. Visit the theater to see the grandeur of not only the building, inside and out,  but the surroundings. You will find posters of upcoming shows and dates and view the steps and doors to the Opera House and a map of the building.  

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Oceanea/114/127/30 

Gemma Cleanslate 

Afternoon With The Lindens at The Castle Home and Garden

By Bixyl Shuftan

On the afternoon of Wednesday July 26, there was a fun event at the Castle, Home, and Garden contest. There would be a "Meet and Greet" with the Lindens. They wouldn't be answering anyone's questions. They would just be there to have a little fun.

Get all your friends, family and join us for an afternoon with The Lindens!
?·2PM to 4PM SLT
?·Dunk Tank 50L a ball to dunk a Linden!
?·Wrestling Arena
?·Hugg a Linden
?·Much More!
Come and spend the afternoon with the Lindens and contribute to fighting back to find that cure for Cancer!

There were a number of Lindens there, such as Tommy Linden in the picture above. "Hmmmm, Tomas is in a cowboy outfit," I observed, "Can we expect a mechanical bull?"

Sid the sugar glider spoke out, "Step closer my friends! Don't be shy. These Lindens have been fed so they wont bite, but they are for you !" Dee commented, "I make no promises of not biting." Someone responded, "Oooh can we bites a Linden?" Keira Linden responded, "You mean I had my teeth sharpened for nothing?" Tommy Linden asked, "Wait, the other Lindens got fed?" Sid then conceeded, "Okay, no promises of no biting, but I have band-aids."

"Invite your Friends, Family, Enemies and all those who would LOVE the opportunity to dunk a Linden! Take on a Linden in the Arena! and or even hug one!"

Dee Linden got in the wrestling ring, which was not made for actual wrestling, but had still poseballs for poses. The lady Linden tried to encourage people to get into fight scenes with her, "Come on gang, I'm wimpy, y'all can take me." But when tiny Sid got in the ring, she didn't seem to know what to do.

"Get your photo taken beating up a Linden!  Now you can frame that and put it in your SL Home as proof!!" The poses could make you look like you were beating up a Linden, or getting beaten up by one. I imagine after certain articles I wrote, this is how some Lindens felt like responding.

And there were a couple kissing booths, "Bianca is ready for kisses!!!!!!" But when a certain stinker hopped in, she didn't seem to know what to do, even though skunks and kissing booths are nothing new.

Of the dunking booth, "Let's celebrate our precious Lindens! By drowning them!" when Keira Linden was sitting there, no one could thrown any balls. By the time the sim's permissions had been adjusted, Tommy Linden had taken the seat, and found himself unable to stay on the seat for more than two seconds for a while as he was constantly being knocked into the water. "Does it work now?" Sid asked of the booth. Tommy Linden answered, "Oh it's working all right." "Is Tommy clean enough now?" iSkye Silverweb asked, "maybe needs another dunking or two?"

Tommy Linden then decided to dry off in the wrestling ring, but he was still getting piled on.

Tommy then decided to give the kissing booth a try, " Alright, if this booth ain't safe, I am blaming Sid." Then Sunweaver chieftess Rita Mariner stepped up, "Who's manning the Kissing Booth, I am here to plunder some booty."

But she settled for a few ear rubs.

Mikati Slade, the "baker" of  the Second Life Birthday's "Cake Stage" was also there. Here, she prepares to lob a baseball at the dunk tank with Kristen Linden on the seat.

Kikas Babenco, half of the "Kikas and Marmaduke" comedy act, was there too.

Kona Linden was also there.

As was Shanian Linden.

"The Strange Wolf," just being strange around Tommy Linden.

Tommy Linden fiddles with the kissing booth. His efforts would get him cartooned. 

Catfight! Rasberrykiss shows a few moves she picked up from the Roman RP.

 A hungry dino looks at Kristen Linden's bony avatar.

Not sure what Mikati was doing here.

It was a fun time that afternoon when the Relayers and friends got to have a little fun with the Lindens.

Bixyl Shuftan