Halloween in Bellisseria

 
By Bixyl Shuftan

So what's the Linden Home continent, Bellisseria, offering for Halloween? As these homes aren't as modifyable as places on the mainland, some might thing not very much. But actually there is. The Lindens have a fun game going on. Plus there are a couple fun places to see.

A few days ago, we reported on the "Great Trick or Treat Event," which was about to take place. Taking a peek the first night, I went ahead and grabbed a HUD for the trick or treating. As I was in the Belliserian community group, I didn't have long to wait to find to place as homeowners were letting people know their place had a pumpkin and giving a SURL. 

Some places had decked out their homes for Halloween as well. One had a mockup of the Belliserian Slenderman, and the homeowner was nearby a chainsaw, which encouraged me to make a quick retreat after getting the candy. But not everything went as planned. Sometimes I'd end up inside the house  Another thing that went wrong from the sound of Belliserian group chatter was some homeowners didn't deactivate their security systems, which they weren't supposed to have to begin with. The result was a number of trick or treaters getting thrown out, getting a trick instead of a treat.

Despite the mishaps, some people were racking up some good candy scores. Already I've heard of a few claiming to have gotten over a hundred, so the competition for the ten "deady bears" is intense. But others are just going about at their own pace. One guy commented the Trick or Treat event was giving him the opportunity to explore the Linden Home continent and what it offered.

Besides the Trick or Treat going on, the Haunted Neighborhood from last year is back in the Millbank sim. The place is just as creepy as I remember it. One thing I forgot to mention last year was the haunted balloon tour. Just grab the red balloon and hang on as it takes you for a spin around the creepy neighborhood while taunting you, "Two paths diverged in a wood, and I... I took the one where people die... BAHAHAHAAH!!!" But eventually you land, "Darn... another survivor. This is going to ruin my 1 star Uber rating."

Picking up the flashlight from the table is recommended as it gives you a little light to see, and there are plenty of creepy and goulish sights from one house with a carnivorous plant making sickening slurping sounds, another with a creepy doll collection, a house that outright explodes with the sounds of people screaming, and more. 

Some people were traveling in groups, possibly for security. Though one group I encountered while exploring didn't appreciate the "creepy fox" around. I should note that sometimes lag will cause people to slow down a little, especially when there's a lot of people at the sim, which can make things a bit nerve wracking when you're trying to leave a place that really gave you the willies.

Oh, and you can now get a Bellisseria stamp here.

 Millbank (217/38/23).

At the Bellisseria Fairgrounds, "Hammieween II" is taking place. Advertised as being "presented by the Bellisseria Animal Sanctuary," with two hamsters in costume on the event advertisement, this place is less scary, and more spooky fun than your run of the mill Halloween happening.

Hammieween takes place in a skybox well above Bellisseria Fairgrounds. It starts off as a walk through a spooky trail, then leads to a party area made up of stones and slimy spaces, with a DJ booth with coffin-shaped speakers. There's also a haunted house that looks abandoned with much of the place crumbling and a ghost in the bathroom. But the black cat in one place suggests maybe someone's been coming by.

 Bellisseria Fairgrounds (163/208/617). 

Before wrapping things up like an Egyptian mummy, when checking the map over Bellisseria, I happened to notice an orange spot on the map. When going online and heading over, it turned out to be one homeowner trying to be The Great Pumpkin. 

That's it for now from the Linden Home continent. If you have any trick or treating tales, or any other Halloween story, feel free to write a reader submission about it. For now, Happy Halloween, in Second Life and real life.

Bixyl Shuftan
 

SpUnKy’s Trick or Treat Fundraiser Festival

For twelve hours at Southern Colorado’s Enchanted forest on Saturday October 23rd, people danced away while DJs and live musicians did their music. All for the cause of helping a cancer survivor, SpUnKy Young.

The earlier press release had this to say about SpUnKy: “She's one of those rare people who is willing to go the extra mile for others, with little regard to whether such effort is good for herself. She is a Cancer Survivor who works hard to make each day count. Her medical condition has long kept her housebound. Second Life is the lifeline that has allowed her a measure of Freedom and Normalcy.”

Unfortunately for SpUnKy, her laptop had failed beyond repair, and with her other expenses she had no money for another. And so three Relay for Life teams got together, the Relay Wizards, the Relay Rockers, and the Passionate Redheads, along with T-1 Radio and the Kingdom of Avalon to organize a fundraiser event. A number of DJs and live musicians, as well as one comedian, volunteered to be part of the event. Bernice Kappler donated a box of Halloween gestures, all sales going to the charity. Marilynn Whitfield donated some profile picture services.

And at 10 AM SL time on the 23rd, the event began with DJ Monette Gaea spinning her tunes to the audience, while Daaneth Kivioq greeted arrivals, “Welcome Everyone to Trick or Treat for SpUnKy! The Intan stands have couples dances, and there is a solo dance ball above the stage to the right. The Jack-O-Lanterns scattered around are the donation kiosks, and there are boxes of Halloween Gestures for sale. All proceeds go to help SpUnKy Young, A cancer survivor, who has given so much of herself. So it's time to give back - and give SpUnKy a Treat! THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!!”

The audience themselves were part of the entertainment, many sporting Halloween looks from ghosts, to bats, to spiders, to a boned merzombie, and many more. All in the clearing of a dark spooky woods with the kiosk pumpkins scattered around. There were a few seats for those who didn’t want to dance, as well as a falling leaf globe.

As time went on, other performers appeared. At 1 PM SL time, Allesandra Eberlain sang for everyone with her soft velvet voice. At 2 PM was Phemie Alcott, whom brought a few of her fans with her, who contributed to the growing pot. At 1:19, it was over 80,000 L. By 9:30, they had broke 200,000 L. More performers arrived, at 8PM SL time a break in the music came with the arrival of Comedian/Comedienne Lauren Weyland, the female avatar with a male voice noted for his/her comedy routine, which occasionally got a tad off-color. Ay 9 PM, the music resumed with the last performer, FunkyFreddy Republic and his guitar.

As the event came to a close, so did last-minute donations. Daaneth Kivioq announced, “... we raised over $1,350 US Dollars total - over 350,000L!!” This well surpassed their goal of 250,000 L. One of FunkyFreddy’s friends commented, “(We) must have conjured up some good angels for this one, Fred.” A friend of SpUnKy spoke in her behalf, “I'd like to thank all the artists who performed, Woody, Sabine, Daaneth, Trader1 and T1 Radio, for your help and participation! and thank all of you for your donations!”

Bixyl Shuftan