SLRFL comes to a close

After many months of stress, angst, fun, primadonnas, sillyness, hurt feelings, new friendships, creativity and most importantly fund raising, the Second Life Relay For Life has finally come to a close. While I'm very much aware of how bad cancer is, having lost friends to it myself, I think that half a year for a fundraiser has pushed the bounds of patience and tolerance of many people. I also know I'm not the only one who was disappointed that the RFL was only being donated to the American Cancer Society, with no mention of the international groups also part of RFL.

That said, the sims put together for the actual Relay itself showed some impressive builds and imagination:


Part of the Journey to the Centre of the Earth build. Also dubbed "crash mountain" because of the absolutely atrocious lag there.



Breaking through


The fall of the remnants of Atlantis


Stalag Luft III from the movie The Great Escape. An interesting choice for a theme I thought.


The underground tunnels


Gojira (or Godzilla if you prefer) battling Gigan and Mothra.


Interior of the 20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea sim. All of this was built by one person I'm told.


Exterior, complete with mermaid.


The towers of New Babbage


The Munchkin Village of Oz (You can just see the feet of the Witch of the East sticking out from under the house to the left)


The witch and one of her flying monkeys.


The Argonath


Minas Tirith

Caledon itself contributed some L$1,297,328 to the fundraising, which equates to almost $5,000 USD. A big congratulations to all who helped out whether through funds, time, the soothing of ruffled feathers or the support of those organising things.

Huzzah!

The Globe Theatre

After reading about Miss Vandeverre's new venture in Renaissance Island, I decided to go and investigate for myself. There are numerous fantasy and quasi-mediaeval sims in SL and while Renaissance Island suffers from some of the faults, it appears that the builders have tried to keep faithful to the time period they've aimed at.

One of the more impressive builds in the sim is a recreation of London's Globe Theatre.


External view


Main stage


The seats and the groundlings


All SL's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. (To steal from Shakespeare)

Scattered around the place are notecard dispensers which help to provide information on the historical details of how and why things were done in a particular way. A very worthwhile endeavour.

A letter from the Solicitor

Last week I received the most astonishing correspondence. Delivered with the evening post was a parcel addressed from the solicitors Sue, Grabbitt and Runne that contained a large number documents.

It seems with the death of my cousin Arthur, and his son Henry having died tragically in the brewery explosion last year, that I have inherited the title of the Earl of Primbroke! I must say it comes as something of a surprise. I had met my cousin on those few occasions of broader family gatherings, but I never thought I would be the one inheriting the title. While I know on my mother's side I'm related to the Duchies of Carntaigh and Loch Avie, on my father's side we were a rather cadet branch of the family.

I've been going over the details with my own solicitor seeing what entails are on the Estate. The Duchess of Carntaigh has kindly offered to include my own investiture with the upcoming ceremony of L'ordre du Rossignol.

So this will make me Lord Primbroke and Christine Countess Primbroke. Though I will still be answering to Sir Edward or Edward or Mr. Pearse or however else I'm likely to be called (though one day I hope to put and end to people incorrectly saying "Sir Pearse").

Now to work out what to wear...

Not all movies may be worth waiting for...

Two of my human avatar's most anticipated movies this year are based on books: Stardust and The Golden Compass.

This evening I just watched the trailer for a film based on one of the books I loved as a teenager: The Dark Is Rising.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Caledon slowly takes over the grid

The latest expansion plans put forth by our Benevolent Dictator.

Pottermania sweeps SL!

As one of god knows how many places doing something for the Harry Potter mania last night we attended a couple of dances with a magical theme.


Part of the Caledon Libraries festivities in Lovelace.


Boogietillyoudropio


I think someone slipped some polyjuice potion in my drink.

I'm waiting for the hype to die down before I get my own copy. Oh and for people who are sooooo sensitive about spoilers for the book? Stay off the internet until you've finished the book! Prats!

Smaller than a tiny?

After seeing Miss Zelmanov mention the sim in her own blog, I decided to take my dearest off for a little SL exploration. It's called Greenies Home Rezzable and effectively takes a one room flat and stretches it until it fills the whole sim, thus making a normal sized AV about the size of a mouse.


Through this door your can see the entry hole


Pulling back to show that the door is actually the back of a doll house.


That's the two of us on the edge of the ironing board


Lady Pearse perched on the cat's tail


How ironing feels to some people I'm sure


Larger than life recipes


"I'm a sweet wittle bird in a guilded cage.."

I've had troubles getting into the sim on both occasions that I've been. I have a feeling the sim is capped at 15 people at any one time but I'm not sure. If you can't get in persevere. It's worth a visit.

EDIT: It may be necessary to TP in from the mainland. No idea why.

The Real Reason the Dinosaurs are Extinct

Via Married to the Sea

Stunning SL machinma

Thanks to the tip from Dr. Fabre in his own journal I will also post a link of what looks like an excellent example of what can be done as an SL movie.

It appears to be over a year old and I have no idea whether is was ever finished, but it looks rather impressive.

My (outer) daemon

There are several kinoscopes my human avatar is looking forward to this year. While my most anticipated is the movie adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Stardust [Official site here] the other is The Golden Compass. I've never read the books (unlike Stardust) but I've heard good things about them.

And since all the other kids are doing it I present my Daemon according to the Golden Compass Quiz:

Caledon Library Ball

Saturday evening saw a lovely event: a Ball to celebrate the introduction of the Caledon Library's Ellen Throckmorton Riel Memorial Etiquette Collection, in honour of the Grandmother of the Duchesses of both Loch Avie and Carntaigh.

It was also Bastille Day so I sported the Musketeer uniform I have been commissioned to make.


My darling wife looking stunning as usual.


Her Grace of Primverness and JJ Drinkwater sport the uniforms of the Library Militant


Dancing with Dame Bryndal

To cut down on lag Sir Zenmondo's dancecards were not used, but this also gave those more forthright ladies the opportunity to ask a gentleman to dance [What is the world coming to?]

A wonderful evening all told.

Eggasperating

Last week's roleplay for the militia, which started as a light-hearted disagreement about which end of a hardboiled egg should be opened at breakfast, was by and large a success. Sadly its culmination was the down point of the week.


Base camp for the Red Team in Loch Avie


Sergeant Hapmouche displays the correct way of eating eggs.

Saturday's wargame finale had many unforeseen problems which culminated in the Red team quitting the field halfway through. Tempers were high and tact was at a minimum and pompous self congratulation further exacerbated things.

Much of the complaint and issues with the Conflagration have been covered elsewhere (see here, here, here and here) but I know I was personally disappointed in the Red team's behaviour. I fully appreciate the reasons for leaving but I wasn't impressed.

That said I would like to extend my deepest respects to Alfonso Avalanche and Lapin Paris for their outstanding efforts during the week and for the trouble they took in calming hackles that were raised at the start and the end of events.

I suppose it really does drive home the point about RP that setting up combat within Caledon brings the fun crashing down. This may explain why so many of the Western RP sims seem riddled with bitchiness. It might be time to promulgate Lord Bardhaven's idea about the fictional Vulgarians. Which in itself reminds me of an Australian TV show's fictional country of Biddleonia that was created back in the 70s as a locale to transfer all the ethnic jokes to.

Uuuulllaaaaa!

Disturbing reports reached me even before I had been able to arrive inworld: large meteors had apparent crashed into several places over Caledon. Large metal machines had climbed from their remains and started upon a war of destruction against the populous.


The crash site at Loch Avie.


Two of the aliens hover over Victoria City.

After having destroyed the encampment of the Blue Team in Tanglewood, the aliens were back for more destruction this time attacking the Guvnah's Mansion.


Myself, Major Vollmar, and Lady Amber repelling an attack.

Seeing them off from our beloved capitol they seemed to have discovered our teleport system and I received urgent reports that Eyre was under attack!


Colonel Somme and myself take up rooftop positions above the carriage house in Eyre. I found the chicken canon to be more effective that the rifle. I'm not sure how effective Colonel Somme's gun was but it looked impressive.

Lt. Colonel O'Toole managed to join us and sported his new steam-powered skyboard.


The hideous beastie flies at us to attack.

During this time several people were injured by what we can only assume was a heat ray or laser of some sort from the aliens. We repelled the attack and shifted the injured into hospital, only to receive fresh reports they had been sighted in Tamrannock.


Here I took to the skies trying to tackle them head on.

Not long after this I was brought low by a heat ray to the ornithopter. Thankfully my left arm withstood much of the damage and I only suffered burns to my leg.

Thankfully the Militia and other Caledonians were able to see off this invading menace. I believe we have the wreckage on on of the alien's crafts. We'll have to see what we can make of it.

Happy Rez Day to Emilly!

My dear friend Emilly or celebrated her 1 year anniversary of being a virtual addict of SecondLife.



Yours truly had the privilege to play some choons for the last two hours of the party, before having to dash off to deal with Militia business.

Music and sound in SL

I should be asleep.

Two points about sounds in SecondLife. First apparently Mayfair now has Voice capability. Yea, that's my enthusiasm.

Second, there's a hugely fascinating discussion going on over at SL LIVE Music Blog about how artists who have been asked to perform at the upcoming SL Community Convention are being asked to sign away their rights to the music they play in perpetuity. Makes for very interesting reading.

Dark Victorian, dark deeds and dark music

After helping Miss Garmes and the other American patriots celebrate their fight for representation on Wednesday, and a well received Comedy Special on Radio Riel on Thursday, I was back into the DJ booth on Saturday for the launch of the Dark Victorian group in Caledon Tanglewood.



The venue was a wonderfully decorated platform high above Tanglewood with snow, gravestones, dead trees and the occasional howl in the background. Very atmospheric.



My own inner demon breaking free for the night I was attired in an ensemble of leather harness and Miss Begonia's new Dark and Dandy outfit, which thankfully was able to cope with the wings. My dear Christine seemed to have developed a rather anaemic complaint earlier in the evening and was looking decidedly pale. And rather pointy in the tooth...



The music was well received with Miss Tombola working out the time zone differences and calling for a further 10 hours worth of tunes to entertain the masses.

And not unexpectedly Caledon's werewolf put in an appearance, as he is want to do whenever there are large numbers of green dots on the map. This time though there was a different ending.

The wolf had captured Miss Paris previously, though had released her unharmed when confronted by the torch wielding mob. Earlier this evening the wolf had dashed through Tanglewood and had caused the death of Miss Artemesia Paine. So far Professor Nishi has proven to be the only witness of the incident but is hardly unbiased in her assessment. She claims it was intentional. However given the wolf's behaviour over the last month I'm highly sceptical.

This however seemed excuse for some people and when he showed his face again later that evening daggers and arrows were waiting for him.



Cut down without trial or question, the two ladies in question seem inordinately proud of having rid Caledon of this "menace", one of whom even admits to not only not having seen the earlier incident, but not even the body of the victim!



Sadly Caledon has proved its mettle and the forces of intolerance hold sway.

I just hope Sheriff Ortega doesn't plan on taking up jogging in Caledon any time soon.

Pushing the volume up to 11

Thanks to a delightful gift from Mr. Angus Mesmer, I should now be able to crank out the tunes at a level even your Grandmother would be able to hear (though she may still think the Waltz is a little racy).

Rank insignia recognition

As a helpful reminder for the upcoming Militia wargames I'd like to present a refresher on the rank insignia for the Militia regiments.


Militia light horse uniform (The blue team. Boo Hiss!)


Militia Infantry uniform (The winning er.. Red Team. Huzzah!)


Sergeant


Colour Sergeant


Lieutenant (Note insignia now on uniform collar)


Captain


Major


Lieutenant Colonel


Colonel

There is talk of a lancer regiment and a dragoon regiment being formed. This on top of the Militia regiment, Highland regiment and cuirassier regiments already in existence. Which is exceptional work if you consider for a moment that there is possibly only one trooper among all of them.