ECLIPSE Magazine October 2017

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Contents 24.

68.

82.

World of Roleplay

140.

The Art Perspective

100.

At Home with Wendz

154.

Artist Highlight

122.

Trending Now

162.

On the Rise

Ahn Avion goes in depth and explores “Conquest of Elysium.”

Oema is back with her monthly art review, this time with Bryn Oh!

Through the Lens

The talented blogger and photographer, SungYoung Jang, takes her lens to the Mischief Managed Roleplay Sim.

The Proust Spotlight

Teaming up with the Blogger & Vlogger Network, we shine the spotlight on talented group member Callie Hamelin and her work!

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Wendz Tempest showcases some of her fall favorites in home and garden!

The ladies and gentlemen of ECLIPSE style their best Halloween costumes.

From the WSL management company, we feature artist DirtyDee Sweetwater.

This month we highlight one of SL’s newest and hottest clubs, Elysium!

s

ECLIPSE Magazine is dedicated to not only offering an aesthetically pleasing publication, but to also be considered a platform that offers rich and relevant content. Each month, we showcase residents and groups that have taken the concept of “your world, your imagination� to such great heights that they have impacted the culture and lifestyle of the Second Life community.

44.

Cover Story Boystown Cover Photographer Lessthen Zero

178.

Ask Noey

188.

Voices from the Grid

206.

The Wayfarer

Writer: Cajsa Lilliehook

Noey Ivy London Flower offers the best advice on the grid for all your Second Life needs.

Each month ECLIPSE asks residents a question, see what they have to say.

Join the Wayfarer on a journey exploring the photogenic sim, The Bay. ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 9

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executive team

No

trouble dethly Publisher

Taylor Wassep

cajsa lilliehook

carley benazzi

jessyca teardrop

Creative Director

Lead Stylist

Copy Editor

Marketing Executive

the c

writers

photographers

Ahn Avion Cajsa Lilliehook oey Ivy London Flower Oema Synful Aeon Wendz Tempest Xandrah Sciavo

Alex Avion Kess Crystal Kiana Jarman Lessthen Zero Sungyoung Jang Taylor Wassep Tempest Rosca Wendz Tempest Wicca Merlin Xandrah Sciavo

models Ahn Avion Carley Benazzi Ivyana Szondi Leezah Kaddour Misoindite Romano Sienna Bellios

guest stylist & photographer Sungyoung Jang & Mischief Managed

interested in advertising with eclipse? have an idea for a great story? looking to start a new career in second life? email trouble.dethlysl@gmail.com

contributors

Every issue, the last thing I ever do is write my Publisher’s Note. I rarely have anything to say, so often times... it will take the same amount of time to write it, as it takes to layout the rest of the magazine. I have debated actually leaving my previous note here because I doubted anyone actually read this. Events as of late have illustrated otherwise.

I am not entirely certain why people find such courage in anonymity. Perhaps, it is the lack of accountability that strengthens even the most cowardly. Words are such an odd thing, an ill-fitted weapon for the most ill-intentioned. Nonetheless, it is good to know that some people do read this. Even, if only to mock me or some other equally plebeian activity.

Regardless, welcome to the October issue of ECLIPSE Magazine! We are releasing on the 13th of the month, which just so happens to fall in line with Friday the 13th. I don’t consider myself superstitious; however, I do consider myself an individual who has zero tolerance for anything scary. It is unfortunate; however, we can just label it as one of my numerous character flaws. This issue is jam packed with some of the best and most exciting things on the grid from a Second Life cultural and lifestyle perspective.

For the cover, we feature one of the most strongest and prominent communities in Second Life - Boystown, interviewing both Adham Decuir and Divos Titanium. With a mild Halloween theme, we have “Through the Lens” in Mischief Managed, “Trending Now” with our models in popular Halloween costumes and “Voices from the Grid” with residents submitting their scary stories.

Be sure to check out the rest of the issue, and Happy Readings!

letter from the publi

isher

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through the lens

through the lens of mischief managed in action. Photography by sungy

s

young jang.

Ahreum Song Sixth Year Gyffindor Prefect Imogen Featherstone Sixth Year Gryffindor

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Kamila Bullstrod Seventh Year Slytherin Head Girl ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 29

Dottinous Foul Seventh Year Ravenclaw Page 30 | ECLIPSE October 2017

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NPC - Ayeon Song Sixth Year Hufflepuff Page 32 | ECLIPSE October 2017

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Mery Kungler Fourth Year Ravenclaw Ravenclaw Quidditch Player ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 35

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Argus Lynch Fourth Year Slytherin ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 37

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Brandi Moore Third Year Hufflepuff ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 39

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JinYoung So Sixth Year Hufflepuff Rylan Worthington Fifth Year Hufflepuff ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 41

Everyone is welcome, if you’re looking for jus Sponsor boards are available for 40 Winners are offered an interview

Apply HERE. Watch pre

st friends, romance, friends with benefits, etc.

00L$ a week to sponsor an episode. post-date to discuss how it went!

evious episodes HERE.

where the boys are

written by cajsa lilliehook. photography by lessthen zero & wic

cca merlin.

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Where the boys are Someone waits for me Where are the boys in Second Life?

For the last ten years, they have been in Boystown, an eleven-sim mixed residential, commercial, and entertainment community that Divos Titanium, one of its managers describes as “a cornerstone of the Second Life® gay community.” The founder of Boystown, Adham Decuir, predicts that will be true far into the future, “After the apocalypse there will be cockroaches, & Cher, and in SL, Boystown.”

dancing at a club in SL® and listening to his station, adding “and we want to hear some Cher (or something as equality gay)!” This piqued his curiosity, so he downloaded the SL browser and Adham Decuir was born.

Another friend who lived elsewhere signed up that first day, so Decuir was not alone.

He also tracked down the club where many of those emailers hung out. “I ended up finding a region named North Halsted, that incorporated a bunch of guys from the reallife Chicago area that were dancing and I Decuir first heard of Second Life from thought it was awesome. Eventually North listeners to his real life internet radio station Halsted closed, and that is when I opened Boystown Live back in 2007. He would get Boystown that grew into what we have emails from guys telling him that they were today.”

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A smiling face, a warm embrace, Two arms to hold me tenderly Decuir’s first days sound familiar. “The typical experience of walking around with no AO, getting into people’s unlocked homes, getting banned from these homes and wondering why. Haha. This has always been why I’m super nice to new residents of Second Life because most people just don’t get it on the first day.” He stuck it out in large part because he signed up with a first life friend who lived in another state. “It was a way for us to not only skype together but mess around online.”

Titanium came to SL after playing Virtual MTV. He formed strong friendships there

and when Virtual MTV closed down, they migrated to Second Life. He joined shortly after good friends, Reckless Owner, Landon Mode, and Soco Lemon blazed the trail and invited him to follow. Like many new residents, he was confused. SL is a tough platform to understand intuitively, “even though it was system clothing and prims back then, life was tough! Who knew you had to make a copy of a hair before editing it?”

But he had strong support and mentoring from his friends who joined before him. “I had a great support system and people who made me laugh that kept me coming back.”

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Where the boys are My true love will be, Decuir found inspiration in the real Boystown neighborhood in Chicago. The Chicago Boystown is the first officially recognized gay neighborhood in the United States and the best gay neighborhood in the world according to OutTraveler.com.

Centered on Halsted Street, the first life Boystown was also home of the first Gay Pride parade in 1970 and the first gay rights organization, the Society for Human Rights, founded in 1924. That’s a hell of a reputation to live up to, but Decuir knows Boystown well. “Boystown is a real neighborhood in Chicago that I’ve lived in and loved for years, When I came to SL and found the “North Halsted” sim I immediately became interested in building and reshaping it into something bigger because I knew gay communities online had a lot of potential because not everyone can be out in RL.” When Newt Gingrich said the government should take children away from poor, single mothers and send them to Boystown to be raised, I am sure a few Boystown residents had to snicker.

The first life Boystown was inspiration only for the sense of community, but there was no effort to recreate its physical features. According to Decuir, “It

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was always about bringing people together no matter if you were gay or not. The main purpose of Boystown has always been to host a space for people to come together, enjoy music and chatter to get away the daily RL activities.

Boystown may sounds just for guys, but we’re always hosting events that include everyone.”

There is only one private club, Steamworkz, that is restricted to male avatars. “It’s a private club that allows guys to chat and look for other guys with the same interest as themselves, find love, or a date for the weekend.”

Titanium was not around for the founding of Boystown, but it was the first gay-centric spot he visited when he joined SL in 2008. “I remember walking into BLU Dancebar thinking “I have to work here!” Popular club owners are often opportuned by residents seeking employment, so Decuir was short and “not the sweetest” sending Titanium off to the application giver.

Titanium was smart enough and persistent enough to know he needed to do demonstrate why he would be a good hire. “I knew then that if I was going to work at Boystown, I had to get vocal in local chat, and it was not too long before he invited me to come work for him. Six months later he entrusted me to run the sim while he went to RL. We developed an amazing friendship and have been close ever since!”

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He’s walking down some street in town And I know he’s looking there for me That friendship has worked to counter the burnout that can plague those who work in SL. With a reliable partner in Boystown, Decuir can take sabbaticals from SL and the club to recharge. “Second Life can become a burden on anyone’s real life if you don’t balance out what you’re doing here. I’ve found myself wanting to get away many times for a few weeks at a time but when I have, I’ve always had Divos around to step and and take over without a hitch.” he said.

Titanium has never burned out on SL, though at times he thinks it can be a bit much. Sometimes first life work commitments have interfered with his time, but never his enjoyment. “Two things really keep me coming back: 1) The people. I have met some amazing friends on SL—people that have become a part of my RL as well. Over the past eight years, they have seen me through some really rough times not only in SL, but also RL. 2) The ability to create.

While I might not be able to mesh out a beautiful piece of furniture or clothing, what I have learned is a passion for Photoshop, video editing, and managing multiple priorities online (such as the BLU Dancebar, Gallant Magazine, or serving as Blogger Manager for SL’s premiere stores.)”

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In addition to spelling each other as their time and energy for Second Life wax and wane, Decuir and Titanium share some responsibilities while dividing others. Decuir notes they may have conflicts over Madonna versus Mariah, but rarely over the direction and management of Boystown.

Titanium agrees that they make a great team that plays to their strengths. “Adham typically likes to work on his own. With that in mind, if Adham typically has an idea or passion around something, I let him work it out and give him space to make it happen. He is great about asking for feedback or opinions. Adham is talented with regards to building and creating, so that is normally his space.

I am usually the one that handles the people side, managing the staff and any employee issues. Since I have also found a passion for decorating in SL, Adham and I will work together to add finishing touches on his builds, allowing for us to both work together to create an inviting community.” These natural divisions of labor suit their skills and personalities and their mutual respect and trust allow them to step up and step back as first life commitments push and pull their schedules.

In the crowd of a million people I’ll find my valentine, Boystown is much more than a gay clubbing scene. It’s not a perpetual white party and not just about hookups. Boystown is a community, with residential sims where people of every alphabetical orientation make their home.

As Decuir describes it, “We have a pretty vast variety of residents...gay, straight, bi. Human and Anthropomorphic avatars of every shape and size.

Content creators, long-term sl residents, and brand new people to SL.”

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Community is built around more than dancing. Boystown is a virtual community with residential, retail, and recreational elements. People in Boystown are not roleplaying, they are real people interacting with each other using the SL platform.

According to Decuir, “We base events off of various interests within the community, and try not to focus solely on one scene. For example we’ve featured a Drag show bar, Country bar, a Leather/Fetish nightclub to appeal to a broader user base. If we don’t have it, It’s probably something we’re willing to try out. Adding to the focus of off-hour entertainment we’re also home to a spectacular classic Roller Skating facility with its own one-of-a-kind skating system, as well as a Cosmic Bowling alley catering fun for a single user or a group of friends. We often

rent out these facilities to guests & residents for birthdays/rezdays or special occasions.”

There is also The Boystown Closet, a fashion blog that launched in October 2010 to celebrate men’s fashion. Since men often lament the dearth of fashion news and design geared toward their interests, it was a welcome addition. Over the years it has evolved to expand beyond simply Boystown, and now boasts a number talented bloggers that blog all things regarding men’s fashion and home & garden decor. Bloggers include Divos Titanium, Armani Torelli, Whippy, and Ritch Nicholls. Titanium manages the Boystown Closet and Decuir helps with the website design.

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Titanium is quick to point out that some of his most memorable Boystown experiences did not happen in clubs.

“The sim is home to Jitters, a special coffee spot where people gather and talk together in voice or chat. There we have games and locations for people to just organically talk and chat. This has lead to some amazing friendships among the community.

We also have a bowling alley, skating rink, and holiday locations to promote interaction and community-building across the sims.”

Then I’ll climb to t And tell the wo

heard over the years that Boysto it is a very close-knit group of gre BT is that almost every gay avata once, and most of our patrons ha of years.” What truer testimony there than its broad exposure a

Decuir concurs, “I can’t even cou someone has told me that BT wa explored in SL. Being one of the p He continues, “While Boystown is unique in the amenities, SL, new users find themselves he builds and clubs that it offers, the main reason BT has made it 10 new residents, Boystown has a years is the people. The people at Boystown are like a family, and where group members may set often help out and support each other in both worlds. I have rezzing rights for unpacking an

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the highest steeple orld he’s mine

own is a bit cliquey, but in truth eat friends. What I love about ar has visited our sims at least ave been coming for a number to the Boystown experience is and longevity?

unt the number of times as one of the first places they prominent gay communities in ere right away.” To serve these space called “The Fraternity” t their home location, enjoy nd dressing their avatar. It’s

a multi-resident dwelling and allow users to invite friends, meet new people, and use as their residence and hangout.

Boystown also engages in Pride events and stages their own. “We’ve hosted countless Second Pride events throughout the years and in the past 5 years we’ve also thrown our own Boystown Pride,” recalls Decuir. Titatium further discussed activism at Boystown. “Boystown participates in Pride each year in a number of ways. With regards to Second Life Pride, we annually sponsor a few of the parties and have DJ’s spotlight an event. In addition, we host a BT Pride to support the community as well. We have held a number of fundraisers, for example the Fight Against AIDS charity as well as repealing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military ban against homosexuals.”

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‘Til he holds me I wait impatiently Of course, clubs are often people’s first introduction to Boystown and there are a wide range of clubs to choose from. Bassment is a Saturday night club with upbeat remixes of popular hits, Friday night is “Popping on the Pier” with an outdoor event by the water with a dash of Latin vibes. Darkbar is more techno and Steamworkz Bath House hosts daily dance parties for adult men. Holidays inspire lots of special events, one reason why their web site Boystown SL is such an important place to bookmark for those who like to plan their social calendar.

Both Decuir and Titanium are in this for the long haul, a fact demonstrated by the ten years of Boystown’s continuous existence.

With eleven sims, it has grown beyond what they envisioned and become more difficult to manage.

Titanium noted this has led them to consider some changes. “With this in mind, we are focusing on operating just a few sims moving forward so we can spend less time on sim management and more time on creating an exciting community experience!” Decuir makes the long-term commitment more explicit, “We’ve grown 11 sims but we’ll always be around for the

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community even if one day it’s just one main sim left for events. My main goal of Boystown has always been community events and bringing people together, you can do that anywhere, it’s all about the people.”

Boystown changes lives. For some, the changes may be subtle, for others tectonic. For Decuir and Titanium, it’s somewhere in between. Titanium noted, “I would have never imagined the impact Boystown has had on my life. I have met my best friend and roommate, Tyler Ethaniel, in RL as well as my partner in crime, Ritch Nicholls. My friends at Boystown saw me through law school, relationships, deaths in my family, new jobs and they also moved with me to different states.

Throughout every year they have had my back, and having a support system (no matter what medium) has truly made such a profound impact on me.” For Decuir, Boystown in his Second Life. “I know this is terrible but I rarely get out of BT to explore SL and all that it offers anymore, I think this is mainly to the fact of how long I’ve been involved in running Boystown and the amount of events going on here that I never seem to find the chance. When I do make it around the Grid I makes me remember when I love it here, there’s so much to do and so many places to go to find different people with different opinions.”

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Second Life itself has had profound changes on them, too. Decuir has met people who have become friends in real life. He probably met more than most people in SL would because they knew he lived in the original Boystown and knew where to find him on the strip, but, as he points out, “I’ve met with a few people that I consider better friends now then some of the RL friends I had at the time. I feel like everyone in SL has a friend here they could hang with outside of this wonderful cartoon world.”

Titanium adds that not only has he made great friends that became part of his first life, he also learned new skills. “It has unlocked a lot of skillsets I did not know that I had. It helped me learn how to manage people, projects and deadlines. I have acquired skills in photoshop and video editing. I have met people that I call on the daily, as well as now have as a presence in my RL. SL has been an awesome medium for me and I am truly thankful for what it has given me.”

Decuir and Titanium often mention the importance of community to Boystown, but humbly avoid mentioning how important Boystown and virtual space is to the gay

community—particularly to the many LGBTIQ people living in places where they are unwelcome and oppressed. As Donald Jones explained in Queered Virtuality, not only does virtual spaces such as Boystown give people a place to explore being gay in a place where being queer is normative—a utopia of sorts for gay people, it also gives the Q (Questioning) in LGBTIQ a place to explore their identity in safety, where they can explore their orientation without making a commitment that may change their familial relationships irrevocably.

Boystown and other gay places in Second Life are virtual sanctuaries to people who live in places like Chechnya where people identified as gay or bisexual have been imprisoned in concentration camps where many have died.

Even in the relatively “free” United States, gay teens commit suicide at three times the rate of cisgendered teens. There is a direct correlation between social stigma and the suicide rate.

Places where being gay is normal, where it is celebrated, are places that save lives.

Where the boys are, where the boys are Where the boys are, someone waits for me

Where the Boys Are lyrics by Howard Greenfield

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Adham Decuir Favorite Book Hillary Clinton - What Happened (No, really, WHAT HAPPENED?) Favorite Movie To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar Favorite Poem “Get with the program mijas, no one is so rich as to throw away a friend.”

- Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez What have you memorized: “I don’t cause commotions, I am one.”

Hero Just about every gay man’s hero on the planet, their mother. My mother has been so supportive of me in any endeavor I’ve ever made.

Describe Yourself Outgoing, a little loud at times for some people but that’s what can make me fun.

Describe your counterpart There are few people you can get along drama free with in life, especially second life. He’s an amazing gentleman when he should be, a close listener when you need it, and a party animal when the time calls for it. Everything every best friend should be, that’s Divos.

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Visit the Boystown Websi Check out their social media: Facebook, Flic

ite and Inworld Location. ckr, Flickr Group, Google and Fashion Blog.

Divos Titanium Favorite Book Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

Favorite Movie

Death Becomes Her. Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn, need I say more?

Favorite Poem Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

What have you memorized:

When I was growing up, I was a huge comic book nerd. I loved to read old issues of the Uncanny X—Men, particularly a storyline called the Phoenix saga. There is a character by the name of Jean Grey (who ironically inspired me to go with ginger hair) who sacrifices herself for those she loves. I can recite every line of her final issue because I would pore over the words repeatedly.

Hero

Of course as a Southern boy I have to go with Mama Titanium. My mom is the strongest person I know, and if I can summon half of the strength she has demonstrated in raising my brother and me while having an ounce of her dignity, I will be doing well for myself.

Describe Yourself

Self—professed workaholic with a penchant to procrastinate who enjoys creating, immersing myself in new projects and learning new skills — all doused in a sarcastic sense of humor.

Describe your counterpart

In a word? Vibrant. He can enter even a virtual room and you know exactly when he has arrived. He can make an event so fun and truly has one of the most magnetic personalities I have ever seen in a friend.

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the proust spotli

photography by calli

The Proust Spotlight is our monthly feature where we highlight one of the many creative residents of Second Life®. Utilizing the Proust Questionnaire, whose namesake comes from the late 19th century French writer, we will offer a glimpse into what makes them tick.

ECLIPSE Magazine has teamed up with the Blogger & Vlogger Network, so each month the blogger we showcase on the Proust Spotlight is a group member. The group member we feature this month is the talented Callie Hamelin. She shares with us, “Callie joined SL in 2008 and walked like a duck for weeks before someone kindly explained what an “AO” was. She shops too much, loves her friends & family madly, and spends most of her time travelling for work and praying the hotel wifi won’t crash before she can finish taking a picture. ”

ght

e hamelin.

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What is your ideal of perfect happiness?

48 hours with no email to respond to, no calls from work, nowhere I’m supposed to be, high speed wifi - and great coffee.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Ones I can’t include here ;) What do you most value in your friends?

Humor and honesty, hands down.

What is your greatest regret?

All the times I talked myself out of even trying something because I was too worried I’d fail.

How would you like to die?

Old, feisty, and knowing that my people know how much I love them.

What is your most marked characteristic?

As much as I’d like to think it’s something noble, it’s probably more that I work too darn much.

(Yes, I had to edit one of those most overused words just now.)

Connect with Callie on her Facebook, Blog and Flickr.

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the world of role

this month we feature “the conquest of elysium.� written by ahn avion. photography by a

play

alex avion.

The Conquest of Elysium offers high fantasy and high adventure with an array of common and interesting races.

With a focus on text-based RP, simple sim rules, and an easy-to-learn dice system for combat and magic, Elysium is fully immersive and rich in story and lore. Its players are its foundation, bones, and heart, and no one person could ever claim to be the creator of the isles that beckon you.

To be honest, when I first heard about this roleplay (RP) sim, I thought it was going to be a “Lord of the Rings” mixed with “Game of Thrones” spinoff.

Something I, and probably many other avid roleplayers, have come across hundreds of times by now. Just how many renditions of those book series do we have to be subject to? While the look of most medieval sims have similar builds and textures, that is where the comparisons end.

Join me on a journey through the lands of Elysium.

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Magi and Mystics, Wizards and Diviners – those more than attuned to magic, the followers of stars and the charters of the Great Beyond – they felt it before it happened.

The great streak in the sky that lit it with a thousand colors (a comet as we know it) headed closer and closer, growing larger and larger. Tracked by a combination of the arcane and intricate mathematics – its landfall was phenomenon unknown; none could trace where the point of impact had occurred.

Beneath the waters though, they tell a different tale.

Alex (alexavion), my partner and photographer, and I were given a personal tour by the sim owner, Niamh Rajavi Ní Bhraonáin (caella.nitely) and the estate manager, Morrigan Anatine. Dressed in their finery, they were excited to show us around.

One of the places we visited was The Abyss.

Carnaxia City Guards: Upon walking through the gates, the smell of burning flesh and an aura of unsettling, infernal magic would surround you. Non-citizens are welcome to roam, but are offered no protection.

Niamh explains, “Storywise, we destroyed their last home and so they came back with a vengeance and a much darker place to dwell. Our lead here is an unseelie, corrupted by an abyssal taint. She broke away from the fey.” They try to do a sim wide event once a month. “We just had one last week to kick off the opening of the abyss, and to enthrone our new lead, both in character and out. We have an interactive quest sim event coming up next week. Faction bases hold their own events as well, on the in between, either race specific, or including everyone sim wide.” In other words, there is always something going on!

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We also visited the lush forests of the Elven lands, climbed vines, and stood on a bridge overlooking a breathtaking grotto. We went to the harbor where vampires and wolves congregate. The queen of the human kingdom is an orc. Though it is the human kingdom, it has become a kind of melting pot of races. While we decided it wasn’t in anyone’s best interest for us to skinny dip to see the underwater lands of the merfolk, we did cam to find hidden coves and lots of shiny to keep any merfolk happy. Then there were the floating isles of the dragons where we met up with the impressive Tordenvaer, the dragon king, also called the Da’ar, and Athina is his daughter, the lead of the dragon healers.

When asked about the inspiration for The Conquest of Elysium, Niamh had this to say, “I’ve been in SL for quite some time, and I always wanted to venture into the creative side of things, as a roleplayer, and trying out different RP sims, different settings, different systems. It really became something that I wanted to try my hand at. To create an immersive world of medi-fantasy, and honestly, just get back to the basics of RP’ing. We’re very story based here, so lots of writers, para-rp’ers.” It took about a month to go from a simple concept to open day.

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playing her character for about three years. “She’s been one constant steady storyline with many ups and downs. She started out as a human, an indentured courtesan even, but climbed the ladder! She’s been a queen in two different Kingdoms (one in another sim, and queen of the human faction when we first opened). She is currently a dragon, changed by magic after nearly dying during a big magic storm event we held last year.

She presided as Da’ariv, queen of the dragons here, until recently, and stepped down to serve as ambassador to the flight,” says Niamh. Morrigan is the Elven Tari, the Queen of the Elves. “Morri is a wood elf too, so I get to be all my favorite things about the elven race,” she adds.

A land this rich in lore takes, well, a village to put together.

The Conquest of Elysium opened in May 2016. The sim owner introduces her team. “Morrigan Anatine - She’s Elysium’s estate manager, Admin overseer , and pretty much the other half of me here. If I’m not here, she definitely is! Birch Twins (birchtwins resident) - He’s been on RL hiatus, but he is usually our webmaster and a sim admin. Moira (cy tamalyn) - Admin and application handler and also our Mystfolk (fey creatures, etc.) Lead. She’s undertaking a forum task at present, a huge project that’s been in everyone’s mind for awhile and finally

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coming to fruition, so we’re excited about that. Opal - Admin and main application handler and always willing to go where we need her! She’s undertaking some of our sim magic teaching at the moment, and she’s from our original veteran group player since we opened! Elysium’s beautiful build I couldn’t have done without my “Builderpeeps” Prudence (PrudenceAnton) and her partner Cian (Cian Wycliff).

Everything on sim has been a combination of all three of us, the two of them, and myself.

They’ve taught me so much! Our mentors & leads team is just as priceless as the admins. Most of them are all leads. Rogmesh (lilith eberhart) is a go to for combat. Athina (Athina, vieria) and Buliwyf (Hibiki Roi) heads all of our enchanted weapons, and Eira (somebody113) is our armor specialized for combat.

Tisi (Tisiphone Blaylock) is our current magic mistress, and undertaking the huge project of adjusting some of our magic skills. Tyler (Tyler Mode) our resident Harbormaster and turning into my go-to fix it guy.

Tor (barnstormer) leads our Dragons and is an NPC god. Etain (paix Hinterland) is our resident photographer for the website as well as the newest leader to join the ranks, running our Evil

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base. We have Merfolk too, and I couldn’t do it without Aurora (daisy teardrop) our lead there.

It takes an army, and I definitely have an amazing one. They show up every day, and dedicate themselves. I never have enough words to thank them!”

There are seven factions in The Conquest for Elysium sim: Merfolk, mystfolk, humans, orcs, elves, dragons, and wolves.

Within each faction there are also a variety of species. For example, there are eleven different types of elves, three types of humans, six types of merfolk, and nineteen types of mystfolk. That doesn’t include the varieties of the undead, demons, greenskins, dragons, dwarves, lycanthropes, and others such as djinn, harpy, and kitsune just to name a few.

Mixed races are allowable, but the combination must be plausible. Also, your character can only have the traits of two dominant races. If your mother was a draco elf and your father was a human fae, you may not pick from four different subsets.

Animals, basic or sentient, are also allowed so long as they can be found in a medieval European setting.

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Characters that are not allowed include, but are not limited to, cartoons, anime or anime heads, furries of any sort, nekos, scifi, aliens, robots, Dr. Who, Lovecraft, etc.

No characters that are already published or copyrighted, no historical figures or avatars over 15 feet. Dragons in their true form are the only exception. All avatars are subject to admin review prior to approval.

The cosmic influence over the land and the magnetic anomalies would cause an erratic shift in the magic of the island. The Order of Aether would be established to become the Guardians of Magic upon Elysium – they hold the keys to a nexus that only they can balance. Portals could open, random attacks from things of the beyond, the dark places, and more. Storms raged the sea unlike any before, and Elysium became renowned for its unpredictability as much as its secret location. It is the claimed untamed. Magic, mystery, and adventure await. It is renewal for the repressed soul; do you dare to dream? The Conquest of Elysium is poised to continue.

Are you ready?

To learn more about The Conquest of Elysium, visit their website here.

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at home with wen

this month we feature fall favorites. written by wendz tempest. photography by wend

ndz

dz tempest.

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Decorating in and out of season can be quite the task especially during the holidays. But with the right tools and some good old fashioned patience, you can turn your ideas into a festive reality.

Autumn vignettes are a great way to showcase your favorite pieces both old and new. I’ve gathered some of my choice picks for the 2017 season, from the latest releases of Second Life’s® best home and decor brands.

Think Sway, and immediately be whisked away to the hobby halls of the county fair. Known for creating and designing the popular Cookie Bears, Sway has been a decor staple for years in the community. This year, Sway celebrated their 10th store anniversary with a fun Birthday Hunt and several fall inspired pieces. The Pumpkin Carving table is a great way to multi purpose for any occasion and can serve as a wonderful family activity as well. Did someone say pumpkins? Sway’s autumn releases this year also include an entire family of burgeoning bright gourds in an array of patterns and textures that are ripe with decor possibilities.

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Fall decor accessories can be as fun as the colorful foliage we see outside our door—and maybe even at the door. A welcome mat can persuade even the wariest of visitors to cross the threshold, especially with warm messages that express thankfulness.l. A lively framed wreath can give an entryway a great focal point.

What Next’s Hello Fall series includes a variety of frames and mounted backgrounds with favorites patterns like gingham, plaid, and more.

A well lit mini tree can also soften corners in a wonderful way. Use them as anchors for a main dining table or as an accent to a hallway table and mirror.

Transform any table, any corner, and any room with fun seasonal candles.

Candles do not have to be an additive, a part of a collection of accessories,; they shine perfectly on their own. Sari-Sari’s Pumpkin Hearts are a collection of tealight holders so right for the occasion.

Grouping them with some added foliage makes for a dramatic centerpiece. Using nontraditional accents like the soft wheat and dry fruit from Ariskea’s Florist Line, gives a lovely contrast in texture without feeling overly bulky.

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A few whimsical additions can give your vignette some character. Well dressed and well mannered scarecrows from the Hive are cropping up everywhere this season.

Place them in worn or rusty pitchers for the main feature in a floral arrangement. Or use them as standalones with accompanying hay bales that can serve as seating or a surface to display decor.

Round out your holiday vignettes with something familiar and nostalgic. Kunst’ Rain Boots have arrived this year with an assortment of colors. They can be arranged purposely or serviceably as part time storage for umbrellas, dried plants, or flowers.

Grouping holiday decor and accessories into a beautiful vignette will give your favorite pieces the attention they deserve. Celebrate every season by adorning your home with these fall favorites!

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Build: Sway - Arthur Cottage Decor: Sway - Pumpkin Carving Table Decor: Sway - Pumpkin Carving Stump Seat Decor: Sway - Pumpkin Carving Pumpkin Bowl Decor: Sway - Pumpkin Carving Carved Pumpkins Decor: Sway - Pumpkin Carving Pumpkin Scraps Decor: Sway - Pumpkin Carving Bucket Decor: Sway - Autumn Hanging Lanterns Decor: Sway - Autumn Pumpkin Decorations Trios Decor: Sway - Autumn Pumpkin Decorations Singles Decor: Sway - Harper Crate Bench with Pumpkins Decor: What Next - Sunflowers Pitcher Decor: What Next - Sunflowers Bicycle Decor Decor: What Next - Hello Fall Mini Tree Decor: What Next - Hello Fall Welcome Mat Page 116 | ECLIPSE October 2017

Decor: What Next - Framed Hello Fall Wreath Decor: What Next - Hello Fall Wreath Decor: Ariskea - Florist Soft Wheat Decor: Ariskea - Florist Dry Fruit Decor: Kunst - Rain Boots Decor: Sari-Sari - Pumpkin Hearts Decor: Sari-Sari - Good Ol’ Rake Decor: Sari-Sari - Cart with leaf Sack Decor: Nomad - Scattered Leaves Decor: OMEN - Autumn Hay Bales Decor: Cheeky Pea - Autumn Home planter Tree: Hayabusa - Populus Serotina Peuplier Tree: Hayabusa - Olea Europaea Tree: Hayabusa - Nissa Sinensis Urban Tree: Hayabusa - Populus Serotina Peuplier ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 117

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Trending now

the talented eclipse models show us their halloween stylings. photography by tayl

lor wassep.

Carley Benazzi Top: Scarlet Fay - Elven Battle Armor Pants: Zenith - Beserker Short with belt Footwear: The Forge - Livia Sandals Hair: little bones - Rama Headband: Zenith - Berserker headband Gloves: Real Evil Industries- Death gloves Bracers: Miamai - Esedra bracer Accessory: Zenith - Berserker swords of Berserker with shield Accessory: Zenith - Berserker sword Page 124 | ECLIPSE October 2017

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Ivyana Szondi Hair: Tableau Vivant - Sundowner Makeup: Mad - It Collar/Cuffs: Zibska - Ballard Collar 2: Zibska - Gillen Shoulder: Zibska - Eos Sleeve: Cerberusxing - Iron Maiden Cuffs 2: Caboodle - Ruffled Top: Blueberry - Lace Corset: Mossu - Temptress Pants: Kaithleen’s - Leisure Pants Hosiery: Izzie’s - Studded Tights Shoes: United Colors - Leather High Platform Boots ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 127

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Leezah Kaddour Bra: irrISIStible - Victorian Chandelier Gloves: Izzie’s - Fingerless Leather Gloves Pants: Wicca’s Wardrobe - Renraku Pants Boots: GizzA - Combat Boots Choker: Junky Jewelry by PREY - Ayla’s Choker Hair: EMO-tions - Agneta Katana: MeshDepot - Mesh Katana Knife: DRD - deadly catch strap Backpack: Tableau Vivant - Backpack Damask

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Misoindite Romano Hair: Sintiklia - Ombre Nose Piercing: gold Yasum* Bracelet: Pure Posion - Cool Bracelets Collar: Chop Zuey Exit Wound Mens Micro Shorts: Razor - Maitreya Accessories: GCS-Aluminum Bat-Sheath Gloves-:[Fetch] Berena BENTO Boots: ::ROC:: Combat _Maitreya Socks: ::c.A.:: Aggy [socks] ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 131

Sienna Bellios Dress: *{Junbug}* Notte Stellata Hair: [monso] My Hair - Daenerys Accessories: The Ugly and the Beautiful - + RARE Single Dragon Accessories: !dM deviousMind - Eve - snake shoulderWrap

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Ahn Avion Hair: Dura - Boys & Girls 48 Cloak: PFC - Northern Cape Outfit + Boots: LostGem - Articulate ECLIPSE October 2017 | Page 135

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the art perspective

oema sheds insight on bryn oh’s, “Lady Carmagnolle” exhibition. written by o

oema. photography by xandrah sciavo.

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The narrative, along with the 3D artistic representation and video, has always been Bryn Oh’s favorite choice of communication.

Narration, sculpture, and machinima allow this talented artist to express herself to the fullest extent, shaking her sensitivity and stimulating the viewer’s intellect. Bryn Oh is an undisputed artist of great talent, over the years we have loved her artwork and her ability to communicate using a “strong” and unconventional tone.

As I write, I find myself at Immersiva, her sim, destined to host Bryn Oh’s projects over time.

I’m visiting Immersiva after having enjoyed the video dedicated to “Lady Carmagnolle,” the latest art exhibition recently staged by this brilliant artist.

While not wishing to spoil anything for the reader about the narrative plot (This process of discovery is part of the art experience. there are a few aspects that I wish to share.

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Before dipping into the story of my personal experience, I would encourage the reader to read this article only after visiting the art installation

by Bryn Oh at Immersiva.

For a quick link, just scroll down the page and access the slurl that will lead the reader to the landing point.

Upon arrival, you will notice a sign that advises, to fully appreciate the narrative, to set the graphics to “ultra.” If this setting excessively slows down PC performance and you prove difficult to move, just set the graphics so that the shadows are visible.

A red platform tells the visitor where to go. The environment is gloomy, the passage of time has left traces of a theater that might once have hosted important presentations.

The passage of time is symbolically accentuated by the flow of rain, by its constant and relentless pace. A roar—copious and uninterrupted.

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I always found the art world in the virtual environment fascinating.

The rain, the decaying climate affected by the passage of time, is not real, and yet, although there is no objective reason, my body feels cold; as if I were there in reality, at that ruined theater with holes drilled on the ceiling, enough to let an abundant rain pass.

I am chilled as if in front of me there were indeed Lady Carmagnolle, as if I could see the woman who does not seem to have understood, in her bewilderment, that the only representation of the scene is now her loneliness—a woman who dreams of “flying,” although, over time, she has lost her “wings.”

These are feelings that a young man is unlikely to understand, for obvious reasons. However, gradually as time passes and we leave behind people and memories, we feel the “weight” of living getting stronger. This heaviness hinders our flight and, in time, we forget

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that in the past we had “wings” that allowed us to “fly high.” After all, it was only a minute ago.

One minute, one hour, one day or one year ... what is the meaning of time? Because sometimes it seems, as we say, “time flies,” and other times seems it crawls. If time is an objective parameter why do we perceive it subjectively?

Then, perhaps, what seems to be a crazy woman, who has not understood that the time of her theatrical presentation has finished, who insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, to imagine flying, to have wings still... Perhaps (I say, perhaps) she is the most “beautiful woman in the world.” The most beautiful, because only the most beautiful woman in the world may believe that, in the end, despite everything, we will return to flying.

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“Carmagnolle Lady,” as depicted in the art installation, is located on the ruins of this old theater stage. She takes on a solemn demeanour as if she believes she is in front of a large audience in prime time; in one hand holding a helmet and in the other, a stone with a face shown in the drawing.

I love the stubbornness of this woman who does not give in to the inevitable flow of events, that refuses to “bow her head” in resignation, or worse, in despair. Finally, I love her desire to return to “fly,” a “push toward heaven” which only those who live in the world without being of the world have.

At the landing point of Immersiva, you can also donate to help maintain and support the art of Bryn Oh. Finally, you can access the teleport leading to the sky to see and buy the artworks of this extraordinary artist.

Click to teleport to see “Lady Carmagnolle” in-world or check out their video.

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artist highlight

photography by taylo

or wassep.

DirtyDee Sweetwater is one of the many talented live artists with Whispering Sands Live Promotions, represented by the group for close to two years. Through this group, he typically has five shows a week, typically on weekends.

As a huge crowd favorite, residents are drawn to his engaging and charismatic performances. When asked to describe his favorite performance, he simply states, “I enjoy all my performances in SL.” Furthermore, he enjoys singing anything that is “fun and uplifting.”

For a sample of his musical talent, click here.

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Toxie’s Top Five Songs to Sing “Am I The One” by Beth Hart (Favorite Blues Singer) “Bilingual” by Jose Nunez (Favorite Adult Tune) “She Used To Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles (Her life soundtrack) “Possum Kingdom” by The Toadies (Loves the rock vibe) “Imagine” by John Lennon (Reminds her of SL)

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on the rise: ELYSIUM

eclipse magazine showcases ONE OF THE NEWEST CLUBS ON THE GRID. written by synful

l aeon. photography by taylor wassep.

What started out as a joke during a date night between Carter and Corban Corleone-Giacobini, turned into so much more when they decided to open their club, Elysium. They wanted to bring a fresh style all their own. With their years of experience working in Second Life clubs and owning a few clubs in the past it only took a span of a few days for Carter and Corban to have their club build ready to go on a parcel for their fresh, modern, relaxed, and upbeat environment. Once they got their decorating rhythm Club Elysium was decorated within a week with pop art and pop culture references. That emulated a New York loft style from a living area that Carter designed. Since Giacobini joined the grid in 2006 he hasn’t gone more than a few months without doing some sort of work building events for something. Carter became

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involved in Second Life clubs because when he first rezzed there weren’t many options to meet people.

Clubbing in Second Life really helps the person behind the avatar come out of their shell.

With so many clubs in Second Life they weren’t sure if anyone would visit.“ We had the club built and decorated in less than a week and started taking on staff, who mostly came to us asking if they could DJ for us. As they loved the vibe of the club and thought it could be something special. We held a few practice sets over the course of the next couple of weeks and then put together a “Grand Opening” launch party, showcasing each of the DJ’s and Hosts through the evening. It was an amazing success and actually blew us away at the positive turnout and feedback,” said Corban.

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Elysium has an always growing staff of amazing Hosts and Djs but one of the hardest things for club owners is finding reliable staff to fill their venue without hitting a few bumps along the way. Another hard thing for a club owner like the owners of Club Elysium is remembering to take time out for their relationship and not making it just about the club. They try to focus on remembering why they opened the club for their love of music, to meet new people, to have fun, and for date night.

Corban and Carter love having themed parties for special occasions and the holidays.

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“Corban loves to do them opening party was a Whit beautiful! Everyone came clothes. OMG.... it was so m party of glamor and gorg upbeat vibe!. One of the b part of in SL, for sure! We’r a Monster Ball Extravagan I’m sure we’ll have parties season,” replied Carter. Th Winter Wonderland Mas Christmas holidays.

As for music styles for ev individual DJ because th

med sets. Our grand te Party. It was sooooooo e in the most beautiful much fun! A seven hour geousness with a great, best parties I’ve been a re going to be having nza for Halloween and s all through the holiday here is even word of a squerade ball over the

vents, it’s left up to the he beauty of Second

Life clubs for many is that a DJ can bring forth emotions, memories, and interactions with songs that haven’t been heard by a person in a long time or ever before. ”To me, radio stations just play a certain list of songs and there’s no interaction. Second Life DJ’s, if they’re good, will pick up on what the crowd wants and plays to the crowd. The two hours of attention we give the DJ and the other people there is almost like a musical church. It can feed your heart and connect you to others in ways that other gatherings in SL can’t,” replied Carter. DJ’ng runs through Corban’s veins as his father in real life was a DJ and he would help his dad at gigs. A deep-rooted love of a different styles and genres has always

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stayed with him due to his early experiences with music. The radio station for the club has been filled with songs about love so that if people came in during the off hours they wouldn’t be listening to commercials.

Contests probably won’t be seen at Elysium often because Carter and Corban want people to come for the amazing music, the atmosphere, and to meet other people. They might consider doing sponsored events in the future to help promote other establishments.

Elysium doesn’t compete in the competitive club scene. It exists as a place that Corban and Carter enjoy. They didn’t create a club for the money,

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or for bragging rights of having the most people in one space. ”In all seriousness, my experience has been that the real thing that separates one club from any other is the people involved and the clientele. From the very beginning, we’ve been more concerned about the quality of our staff over how many people they can draw.

We spent a lot of time talking about the vibe of the club we wanted. Actually, I think we talked more about the vibe than the look. So, our choosiness with staff has brought around the best clientele base. So, I guess we’d have to say that we have the best people surrounding us. That’s a gift, for sure,”said Carter. A sister club alliance has even formed with another venue for fun future collaborations.

In the future, Carter and Corban might buy an island for the club, but their master plan is to build a great place to have fun at every day and to build a great group. Eventually down the road, they would love for Elysium to become a 24/7 club possibly offering a community like environment with the club as a meeting place. ”We truly love spending time with each other and everyone that comes to our events. And, I think that comes through,” said Carter.

Events and scheduling info about Elysium can be found out through their club group, the subscribo or through Facebook.

Teleport to Elysium.

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ask noey: the advice guru

send your questions to noey here, and it might be in our next issue. written by noey ivy london f

flower. photography by wicca merlin.

Dear Noey, I was with my ex for over four years. All of a sudden he disappeared. This was about a year ago. About three months ago, I met my current partner and we’ve been together since. My ex that disappeared recently contacted me. I haven’t responded but I still have strong feelings for him, but I have feelings for my boyfriend too. What should I do?

Signed, Torn Tracey Dear Torn Tracey, What a heart wrenching situation...I would definitely respond to your ex. The only reason why I say this is because you need some closure when it comes to this. He just up and left and never came back. And I’m sure that you have a lot of questions for him.

I’m not saying to open up the conversation implying that you are interested in dating him again, but just to settle things for you and for him. Because I think that it will close that chapter in your dating life and allow you to fully move on and give the new man in your life your full heart. There are a few questions you do need to ask yourself before you reach back out to him. And you need to be honest with yourself too. Is this man someone you were planning on moving SL into RL with? If he tells you that he made a mistake and wants you back because hes not the same without you...is that something you are going to be able to handle and is your heart going to want to be with him again?

This is something that you definitely want to address before you continue to date you new beau. Unresolved issues tend to bite us in the ass if we stuff them to the back of the closet. Be strong, calm and rational when having this conversation with him. And be the same to yourself so that you can make a grounded decision and be confident in it.

Good luck! Its going to work in the end the way its suppose to :).

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Dear Noey, I’m a pretty high profile designer and people are constantly accusing me of copyright infringement and even copybotting. These rumors and accusations are starting to effect my sales. How can I get these naysayers to shut their faces?

Signed, Designing Debby Dear Designing Debby, I think before you decide to take any action you have to ask yourself why they might be making these accusations. In SecondLife there are so many reasons why people think its justifiable to slander each other. But ask yourself if there are maybe some truths to what they might be saying. And if there is....change it up and make a conscious effort in your work. That to me would be the proper business decision to make. If there is not any evidence of either of those, then keep making quality products and stay off some of those websites that promote rumors and negativity. By doing that you are taking the power away from them, not allowing their negativity to make you self conscious in your work. Remember that anytime anyone is successful at anything they do there will always be people out there that are jealous. Some take it to an unhealthy level. Regardless its something that you will have to accept and know that if you are doing everything the right way, then that’s really all you can do. Try not to allow them to change how you are as a person. And continue to make awesome products! Keep that chin up :).

Be head strong and show them how good you really are!

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Dear Noey, I’m lonely. I try to make friends but it’s so hard because everywhere I go it’s like everyone already knows each other.

Please help.

Signed, Lonely Lucy Dear Lonely Lucy, Everyone is going to know each other until you change that! Ive been in these situations before. And what I found that worked for me was giving out compliments and be super friendly. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and join a conversation. I know these days in SL that can be hard because it seems like there’s more and more hateful troll type people. Remember its not you, its them.

Kill them with kindness and acceptance.

If they try to argue just ignore them and continue talking to whoever else is in the conversation. It will take time to develop friendships with people, and you will have to be willing to put in the time and the effort to make friends. It beats being lonely and just standing around a mute room bored to death because you don’t talk to anyone. Being a genuinely nice and open person will take you far in trying to create friendships. If people reject that, that is there loss. You also have to keep that friendship thriving after that.

Message friends on your list. Ask them how their day is going...how they are. Its easy. You just have to step out of the box and do it!

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Voices from the g

Voices From the Grid is a monthly survey of opinions and ideas of Second LifeÂŽ residents on the salient issues of the day.

For the second year, ECLIPSE Magazine invited Second Life residents to offer up some scary stories for our October issue.

grid

Leria Iommi is a seasoned SL resident, who loves to decorate, shop, do freelance photography, and also most importantly, spend time with her husband. Her photos can be found here.

always dark and myster you try to focus on your distracts you, the sound popping and clicking w

One night, as you’re driving down a lonesome stretch of highway along the river, you notice a fog starting to ebb its way inward, fingers of grey mist clutching at the road as if wanting to drag it down into the nothingness that the mist came from. Such is the fall season, where the weather matches the Halloween mood,

“Must be the fog,” you m particular. You smack th somehow make the rad course, it doesn’t. Old ha and you figured it was w radio lets out a shrill squ it, wondering if it’s an em

Photograph provided by Leria lommi.

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rious. You sigh softly as r driving, but the radio d of the current song with interference.

but as soon as it started it stops. Just as you look back to the road you let out a cry and slam on the brakes.

“What the hell was that,” you exclaim, your mumble to no one in breath coming hard and fast as adrenaline he dash, hoping that it’ll starts to rush through your body. You could dio work better, but of have sworn there was something in the road, abits die hard though, and that you should have, by all means hit it. worth a chance. The You put the car in park, look in the rearview ueal and you glance at mirror and see nothing. Cautiously, you open mergency alert tone, the door. You’ve heard all the stories on the

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news about people being abducted in the night, hitch hikers with chainsaws and axes, and you refuse to become another statistic tonight.

You walk around the vehicle, finding it all intact. “Hmm,” you wonder aloud, as you scratch your head, “maybe it was just a reflection of the moon.” You shrug your shoulders and get back in the vehicle. As soon as you shut the door though, you feel cold, much colder than the air outside, goosebumps racing along your flesh.

“Take me home,” a soft, feminine voice says from right behind you. You scream, and scramble for door handle, trying in vain to get out, your fear making it hard for your body to function properly. A hand rests on your shoulder, “Shh, it’s okay,” the voice says again, “I just need help getting home.”

Your panic subsides for a moment, as you notice a delicate, pale hand on your shoulder. You look behind you and see a woman wearing white, sitting in your backseat. Her brown eyes stare at you and you could swear you see into the depths of her soul. Her blonde hair catches the moonlight, making it shimmer like a star, and her white dress flows about her. She looks like she stepped out of a fairy tale.

“

She st amongs claws, her moving i with the they reac towards

“How did you get into my car,” you ask, trying to recall if you heard a car door opening or not when you were outside earlier. “Was that you I saw in the road?”

She pouts as she presses a finge “What your lover doesn’t know wo grins at you playfully, tempting

“I needed help, and you stopped. Please, take me home,” she says again.

You turn away, shaking your hea When you look back you realize seat. You look around and then seat. You wonder how that could know you didn’t hear a door ope have felt her crawling up next to

You sigh, as she’s avoiding the questions you asked. “Why are you even out here right now? Is everything okay?”

She sighs softly and snakes her arms around the seat, wrapping them around your neck as she leans closer to whisper in your ear. “I am now that you’re here. I’ve been waiting for someone like you to come by.”

You look over at her nervously, but you can’t help marveling at how lovely she looks right now. You quickly shake your head, trying to come to your senses as you push her arms gently away. “Look, I’m sorry but I have someone waiting for me at home. I appreciate it, I do, you’re lovely and all that, but I can’t.”

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“Look, I’m really sorry, I know it’s f an officer to come get you? I think you try to figure out how to get

“No,” she says as she rests her ha instantly you feel calm again, “yo me. You are destined to help me t and this time you don’t fight it. Y in, forgetting who is waiting for

“I love you” text you sent before you left, and giving in to the beautiful woman in white.

teps st the r hands in sync em as ch out s you.

”

er to your lips, silencing you. on’t hurt them, I promise.” She you.

ad, “No, I’m sorry but I can’t.” e she’s no longer in the back you see her in the passenger d have even of happened. You en this time, and you would o you.

foggy out, but perhaps I can call k it’d be for the best,” you say as her out of the car.

and against your arm, and ou’re the only one who can help tonight.” She leans in to kiss you You close your eyes and give you at home, forgetting the

She starts to claw at your clothes, trying to get them off of you, and you open your eyes to reciprocate. What you see causes you to freeze. Her beauty is no longer there, instead her eyes are sunken in, darkness surrounds them to where they appear almost like the black empty orbs of a skull. Her hair is no longer the beautiful blond but streaked with blood, her fingers like talons, as she claws at you.

You try to fight her off, but she claws at you, pulling you closer to her as she cackles. “You are unfaithful,” she screams.

“You don’t have a pure heart and you must pay for what you have done! You are a foul creature causing pain and suffering to innocent hearts!” She shows her teeth, sharp fangs appearing as she inches closer to your neck.

You panic and kick at her, fighting to break free, reaching for the car door again and finally getting the door open. She pulls back from you and you topple onto the pavement. As you scramble to get onto your feet, you notice the car is empty. You look around, panicked, and notice the fog is swirling. Perhaps she left and that was her signature of departure. That would make your night if this thing is gone.

You realize, as the winds pick up, that the fog is forming claws, encompassing you and your vehicle. She steps amongst the claws, her hands moving in sync with them as they reach out towards you. She smirks as her claws grasp you and drag her to you. You gasp in pain as they pierce your body and into your soul. She looks you deep in the eyes, for a moment they hold pity, but then the pity is gone as she grips you tighter, causing the world around you to blur.

“Let’s see how many hearts you have broken shall we?” With that you hear a horrible cracking sound and darkness overcomes you.

The headlines the next day read of a person who died on the local road known by ghost hunters to be popular for woman in white sightings. They say the subject was found outside their vehicle with from a suspected heart attack. One thing they found odd was there was five nail marks on their chest right above where their heart is.

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Eripom Moonwall was happily playing Playstation 3 eight years ago. She had seen Second Life but was turned off by the Eurocentric marketing without any Asian faces. A friend, though, encouraged her to look past that, telling her “in SL, you can be everything what you want to”. She thought “he’s just kidding me, that’s impossible...”

And yet he turned out to be right. At first, she wanted to be a fashion coordinator, but was intrigued after purchasing a gadget on SL Marketplace — a “Smart Gun” that was costly, clunky, and not nearly good enough. However, it inspired her to make a better, smarter gun to serve as a prop. She did a lot of research, talked to experts in Second Life building and scripting, and studied PhotoShop and QAvi. She was determined to make realistic guns with realistic metal textures. Since then, she has made films, animations and now a city.

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Halloween is not celebrated in Japan. For most of us in Japan, we have heard of “Trick or Treat” without really knowing what it means.

For us, Halloween feels like something out of Disneyland. But that does not mean I cannot tell a Halloween story? No, I have a story.

I was a pretty typical University student, more concerned with money for fashion, what’s for dinner, and finding Mr. Right Now than studying for my future. It may be hard to get admitted to university, but it’s not hard to graduate, so I was free to agree to housesit for my parents while they took a trip to Hong Kong. They were expecting an important delivery and needed someone home to receive it. They encouraged me to “call your friends and have a little party if you want.”

I was more than happy to “help” as this gave me an opportunity to invite Mister Gotta-

Crush-On-You over for dinner and maybe the weekend, though he would have to do the “Maybe there’s something better than watching cooking. I asked him to bring a movie to watch a movie?” I said, in anticipation of far more on the DVD player. entertaining activities.

While he was cooking, I was inspired by the title of his movie Halloween and dug in my closet to dress up in a costume to entertain him. I put on a black dress and a witchy hat though it turned out the film was not very good, not very scary, and my costume, I am embarrassed to say, was pointless. But the night has surprises for both of us.

He looked at me and said, “I’m so happy watching this movie with you.” I said “Really?”

And then we heard the sound a car parking, a door opening. Is that the neighbors coming home? No matter, this is it….I stare into his eyes and he stares into mine. We learn toward each other, closer, closer, good, good, good!

And then he is staring past me, leaning backward, toward someone coming toward us. I suddenly felt frightened. Who is it?

Michael Myers? T800? Dark knight? No! “Dad! You told me you will come back on Monday!”

“This movie is not my favorite actually. My friend suggested I bring a horror movie to scare you, so Check out her Flickr, Blog, other Blog and you would want me to hold you, but this movie is Youtube channel. too boring for me and you.”

Photograph provided by Eripom Moonwall.

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Joanna Sweetwater has been an SL resident since 2008, and has progressed from neko, to vampire and has settled in to blogging in the past couple of years. She would also like to thank Lolly for her help with the story!

was to count…the point was to count the triangles, count them she thinks as she sits up.

A list of numbers maybe 500 entries long and a chewed pencil lay in the gutter of the pages, a list of every total she had counted, few the same.

She closes the book and looks around the Stephanie is quiet at school that day. She feeds room. Nothing had changed. Sighing she looks the rats in her tutor room, tapping the tank she again...something had changed. She stops and makes the animals sit up and follow her finger turns towards the door. Which door? There their heads swaying, their little button eyes were two. glittering. In maths a door appears in the wall She shut her eyes. next to the white-board while she is copying a graph plotting a beautiful curve from. She Now there was one door and the room was looks up quickly, but it has gone almost as brighter; she had fallen asleep. The book soon as she’s noticed it. In English she reads was open next to her. A diagram made from a story about a man who couldn’t look into triangles drawn in dark brown-purple ink the corners of his room because he had seen sprawled across the open page. The point something watching him there and the things

Photograph provided by Joanna Sweetwater.

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had seen him. He tried to make the walls smooth with no angles but the dogs got him eventually and she thinks about the beautiful curve. She ties and unties knot after knot in the cord of her hoodie.

That evening she stands in front of her house and looks up at her bedroom window; the light is on. The house is empty, she looks up the stairs and listens, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, the floorboards moving under her. She walks away and the stairs grow a new tread, she won’t notice until she tries to climb them later that evening and trips, stubbing the front of her trainer on a shorter riser. Three days later it is gone again and she almost falls misjudging the drop to the first step. By then she isn’t surprised. Her parents don’t seem to notice anything.

She ties the knots and recites the numbers.

That night she dreams again of the lake, she is standing in the castle; the things under the water twist around each other silently not breaking the surface. She finds a shard of glass on shore of the lake. She wakes up early her hand is cut, a point of glass nestling in her fist; she draws a diagram using her blood. A door opens. Standing at the doorway she looks down a seamless passage that recedes into darkness. Chains pull and slide somewhere at the end. She looks down at the toes of her shoes, the noise of the chains stops and the wall is a few inches from her eyes. She whispers “I can see”.

“Be careful!” her mother calls, shaking her head as Stephanie stumbles on the stairs.

One of the rats has died. Stephanie taps the On the second night she reads from the book tank but the other one hides, washing its again, she ties more knots and counts more face frantically. The sound of dragging chains triangles and that night she dreams of a castle seems to follow her now, like a cloak. She on the shores of a great lake where twisting, watches as people walk past the doors that dark things slid and gleamed just beneath weren’t there before, they cannot hear the the surface. She wakes abruptly as the door now deafening chains. She knew this was how that has appeared in the wall above her bed it would be. That night the house is dark when opens, the door-knob twisting slowly, the she arrives home, even though her parents mechanism clicking, the door swings inwards are in. They seem transparent, somehow and a voice very close to her ear whispers incorporeal. They hardly notice her, her father “come and see”. tilts his head towards the front door, stops talking and forgets what he was saying.

“Stephanie” Her science teacher calls as the class empties but she sits looking into the The last time she reads from the book she space of an open door behind the teacher’s is sitting in front of an open door. With a head. The sound of chains shifting over each small shard of glass she draws a carefully other fills the room from wall to wall, like plotted curve on her face her skin parting cotton wool in her ears. The door slams and and pouting, slicing into one eye. The shadow the noises stop. The teacher looks worried but in the doorway pulses, something writhes Stephanie smiles and leaves for home. She and twists silently just beneath the surface. opens the front door, the hallway has become She scrapes the glass down her arms peeling longer inside than it is outside. She ties a knot herself, exposing her muscles, her nerves, and draws a curve in the air. her blood pooling beneath her. Standing she takes a step through the doorway, the On the third night she reads from the book. shadow rushes to meet her the sound of She measures lines drawn in the dark ink over chains becoming deafening. and over. The noise of chains shifting, falling and catching comes from inside the walls.

Check out her Blog and Flickr.

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Adra Braeden has been in Second Life since 2007. A Dutch SL artist who managed to ‘tame’ photoshop in “just” three years by experimenting and pushing skills in different styles and challenges. Adra’s goal is to instill emotions into photos with a story – that spark that makes you go ‘wow’. Adra’s work is varied, making for an interesting photostream to follow and by including before and after shots, adding a new perspective.

Adra’s photos have been in contests, store display photos, in magazines and eventually, in the Adra Braeden’s Gallery in-world founded to better help and support the artists amongst us. Always willing to share knowledge when it comes to using photoshop, Adra retains the humility to self-describe as a work in progress,

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still learning. These achievements instill the courage and strength to keep ‘toying’ with photoshop. In addition to photography and photo-editing, Adra has many additional interests. Love of role-playing and fantasy inspire pictures and their stories. Adra assures us of a gentle heart, despite producing grim photos.

Adra is inspired and encouraged by the many people who comment on pictures and add them to their favorites. Adra’s biggest supporter, though, is long-time friend Lost Seattle who’s has been Adra’s strongest supporter since the first photo was saved to disk. ’Into the Shadows of SL’ This is a secret , not a tale , not something written as a joke but this is a secret and a

warning…I know , I’ve seen and I am cautious..

Just as many of us do I log in on Second Life , that lovely virtual world where we can make your most wicked dreams come true , a second chance but…there’s a dark side in this world , a dark sinister mysterious place that is well hidden..the sim can’t be found , off the grid , it shouldn’t even exist , not even Linden Labs admit it or are able to find it but it’s there and it’s endless big.

Alas..It is not this unknown place what we should fear but her inhabitants , the hunters and predators.. ‘the creeps’ It is during October , the days before Halloween , that these Creeps spread on the grid. They are crawling with an unseen hunger

and need on sims , searching for fresh preys.

They have an eye on each of us but most for the eager yet desperate ones amongst us… the naive ones and perhaps the people who enjoy the games of Halloween the most.

These creatures lurk in the shadows , their hands are no longer human but long horrifying claws covered in blood and their bones twisted , sick and broken looking.

When they are near , you won’t know but you can feel something watching you..not just in the grid but a presence in real. The moment that they decide to approach you in with their convulsive shocking movements is it terrifying but meanwhile overwhelming you with admiration..the fear you’ll feel in your shivering heart is mixed with a

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jealousy because this Creep’s avatar is looking breathtaking real..no way , this is not mesh , this is not bento..this is horror and gore in perfection. The fear in your heart will drown by the soothing thoughts “This isn’t real , it’s a virtual world , it are pixels..”.

This dark beast will reach for you and while you wonder if this creature is human or not ,then you’ll notice…the face removed , no eyes , no nose but lips ripped open by brutal force that a big gaping drooling mouth with rows of wet sharp teeth face you.

It’s impossible for me to describe their filthy looks , what you will experience while it sits their before you and if you’re not stunned from their unique yet gore looks then you might smell them..vague..very little..but believe me.. it’s there..and your chatbox will ‘ding’…an IM. For those hungry for life and not satisfied by what their first and second lives can offer, these hunters promise a third chance, raw and intense at the ragged edge of experiences that few imagine and fewer dare join. For these people, the horrific faces of the hunters are not horrors but mirrors. These hunters starve like their preys starve, endlessly unsatisfied, and relentless in their pursuit of new boundaries to cross.

Now their next step follows...

When these creatures found their target and managed to seduce with promises and pretty whispers is an invite offered. The name of the group glitching at first but that just might be Second Life’s little errors , or so you think.. however , the victim is seduced , desperate and manipulated enough to accept this third chance eagerly with both hands.The invite is taken , their name added to the list and while they feel a certain joy and hope growing in their soul do they know little that they are now cursed , doomed..signed their death. The adrenaline and hopes feeling so thrilling and exciting that the sudden disappearance of this Creep causes a panic of being ‘left behind’.

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It has left yet the victim can still feel a presence in the real world but again it makes you think and wonder ‘ I’m just dreaming that’.

Days pass..next stage...

The victim’s only proof that this meeting had happened is the membership of this group but the sim it mentioned , this wonderful perfect place , is impossible for you to find. One might start a hunt because there’s an obsession growing , a hunger to get a grip on that Creep again and you search for it. You feel it growing, that need, the admiration, the ‘wanting’..

Picture that urge like playing gacha with this ultra rare item and you know it’s in your reach and you want it , you want it bad , you need this satisfaction more then ANYTHING that it became your own personal addiction.

Second Life starts to claim you and your body no longer feels that need to eat or drink and you’re starting to forget the people around you because you and only you want to find that magnificent Creep. It’s intriguing you because the reality of it’s gore and frightening looks are so very real that it seems to posses the future of Second Life..no mesh..no bento..this is beyond what you’ve ever seen and God..you want it..

As a victim you won’t feel it , you won’t see it but while you’re becoming unstoppable in your search for this predator are you losing your health as the person you are behind that screen. You’re doomed to fail..doomed to hunt..

It won’t be long before the final stage happens..that last step..

I remember it so clear , how this happened to my brother and I want to warn you all before these ‘things’ get a chance and hunt because the last stage was one that I got to see with my own eyes.

I’ve seen him crumble behind his computer.. desperate..in some kind of anger..hunger.. but I could no longer reach him and when I understood what had been happening to him

was it to late.

Halloween , a day me and my brother both loved , a day with so many pleasant memories, a day that should have been one filled with laughter..

I had knocked his door softly ,knowing his temper these days but I was concerned since my brother had been acting different lately. I waited and after my third attempt did I call for him but again the room was silent..well..not completely silent since the familiar ‘dinging’ IM sound of his Second Life account broke the silence.

My hand went down to open the door but with a loud brutal slam did the door smack open , *BANG!!!!!* ,yet the sound felt more like a gunshot straight in my heart and brain.

His room felt so cold , so grim , so sinister and I could see him..the wheelchair of his desk slowly spinning and the brightness of his computer enough to show me his howling expression that was still frozen of agony and filled with fear...his jaws wide stretched that it had ripped the flesh of his cheeks and the odor of blood reaching for me…hollow lifeless eyes were staring straight at me but they were pleading me yet the worst was his broken body. Something had drained my brother with force , some beast because the marks of claws and teeth were found on his full body.

Not even the cops could explain what animal might have killed my brother and how this could happen..”He’s been dead for weeks..” they told me with a full confidence but I knew better. I know I had spoken my brother , their story did not match with mine and my tale… nobody would have believed me..

I saw him there in that chair , drained and broken but i could hear him scream and cry in that world Second Life. It were monsters that took him , crawling everywhere on some dark foggy island yet the mini map looked red.. offline..still he was there , trying to escape and his avatar looking straight at me with big wet eyes..filled with fear and regret while a hand reached out. His voice begging , pleading ..he sounded terrified and I cried..I grabbed the screen from his computer , yelling and screaming helpless for my brother. The image is printed in my brain , a moment I’ll never forget and still seeking me in my dreams. Those horrifying bleeding creatures scarring and ripping my brother’s flesh , his voice gurgling of blood filling his lunges and seeing him vanish in a darkness that dominated the full screen in one quick snap..gone..he was gone..it all was gone..

I wish I had known..if only he had shared more with me? I now manage to understand it all thanks to Jacob’s diary , he wrote down each stage and I can tell by it all that he knew that they would come for him. He kept mentioning ‘Hell’s Eye’ , it must be the name that place and he called these horrifying hunters ‘Creeps’. He wrote that they were beasts of the future and he feared them yet he wanted to be like them.

Please..I beg you..Linden Labs won’t take my story as truth but I know better and now you know.

Don’t be fooled...don’t end up taken because there’s something hidden in Second Life , something dark and deadly. It’s hidden and when it comes out , then it comes out to hunt , claim and kill...your soul doomed to suffer in their claws here on Second Life , hidden but so Nobody -would- believe me and the worst part terrifying close… is that I know that my brother is still alive , he’s been abducted by those ‘things’..I’m certain I’ll find you Jacob…I swear I will…I’ll find you... because more happened when I was in that room that evening , something I didn’t share with the police..

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Photograph provided by Callie Hamelin

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Callie Hamelin is a Blogger and Photographer in Second Life. October is her favorite month, though she tends to stay far away from anything haunted.

moment every candle went out at once, and we couldn’t scramble over each other fast enough to get out of there.

We ran back out into the very busy club, and My junior year in college, I worked in a club stood together, terrified and pretending not that was in a renovated building that had to be, facing the mostly drunk collegiate once been a department store. The store had mob dancing in a room that looked bigger been ruined in a fire decades earlier - the because of the mirrored wall in back. Other building was salvaged, redone, and reopened servers ran by and asked for change or help as different businesses over the years before with something - it was normal for a minute, it was the club we knew. It was a little and we both started to breathe a little... Until mysterious, and a little cool to work in the at the same time, we saw a black, drape-like, building everyone thought was haunted. shadowy form, moving across the mirrored wall we faced. Stephen grabbed my arm The club was on the first floor, offices on the and we both spun around to look behind us second floor, and supplies were up on the - nothing there. Then forward again - and it third. No one ever wanted to be the one was there reflected in the mirror, right behind to go up to get the supplies. No one. Didn’t us. matter if it was broad daylight - there was just something “off” up there. It was cold even in Next thing I knew, Stephen was grabbing salt the middle of summer, lights would turn on from behind the bar, and told me we needed and off on their own, something would fall to lay lines of salt over all the doorways off a shelf across the room. Nobody went up and window frames, so it couldn’t follow us there alone if they didn’t have to. out. I ran around like an idiot, putting salt everywhere. I didn’t care if it looked crazy. I One night (after several shots of liquid also didn’t care that my roommate had a fit courage) - my friend Stephen and I decided that night when I insisted on leaving every we should do a seance of some sort, and single light on. send our 3rd floor ghost “into the light.” A few nights later, we set up candles in the stairwell We never saw that black figure again, but outside the supply area, and he laid out Tarot left the salt for weeks. And made sure we cards which he thought would give our ghost were super busy any time anyone mentioned a way to communicate with us. Stephen laid needing supplies. out the cards, and said things like “how can we help you move on?” We had NO idea what Check out her Flickr and Blog. we were doing. I don’t remember anything about the cards really… but I remember the

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THE wayfarer...

written by xandrah sciavo. photography by xandr

“The Wayfarer” is a monthly feature by Xandrah Sciavo showcasing some of the most aesthetic places in Second Life®.

This month, The Wayfarer journeys to The Bay, a rustic tropical paradise with serene beaches, exhilarating waterfalls, and an underwater mermaid Shangri-La. Wander along the wooden boardwalk that weaves through the pirate shantytown, explore the lush green gardens, and mingle with the locals – you’ll find that there is more to this adultsonly getaway than meets the eye. Drop your anchor in The Bay and discover a world of hidden surprises.

rah sciavo.

Visit The Bay in-world.

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Est. 2015 | Issue 31