Interview with a Second Life Vampire- Lanai Jarrico Reporting…

Lanai Jarrico:  I'm here in a Gothic cathedral in Second Life with Lord Vladislav von Darkwood, an ancient vampire lord who has stalked the grid since... 2008. Thank you for joining me, Lord Vladislav.

Lord Vladislav: (Stands motionlessly in a completely grey, untextured silhouette. A floating red box hovers above his head.)
Greetings, mortal. I swallow the light of a thousand suns and drink the immortal ichor of the night—give me three seconds; my HD skin texture is still rezzing.

Lanai Jarrico: Take your time. Your left eye is currently floating two inches outside your skull…

Lord Vladislav: (A loud sound effect plays: A dramatic thunderclap accompanied by a glowing crimson aura particle effect.)
Ah! There we go. 8K Bakes-on-Mesh body fully loaded. Observe my velvet red and black cloak, Lanai! It cost me 4,500 Linden Dollars on the Marketplace, and its physics engine rivals the gods themselves!

Lanai Jarrico: 4500 Lindens for that?  That’s expensive as hell, and your wings are currently clipping through the back of your throne.

Lord Vladislav: Darkness cares not for clipping issues or a good bargain!

Lanai Jarrico: Fair enough. So, Vladislav, tell us about the vampire lifestyle in Second Life. How do you hunt your prey?

Lord Vladislav: It is a grueling, predatory art. I lurk in the shadowed corners of high-traffic goth dance clubs, waiting for unsuspecting victims. I target those who are AFK, and I strike!

Lanai Jarrico: Sounds kinda stalkerish, so you randomly bite them while they're making a sandwich in real life?

Lord Vladislav: I send them a Bloodlines HUD bite request! If they click "Accept" when they return, their vital blood points belong to my Coven. The Bloodlines HUD manages bites and victim interactions, with specific HUDs tailored to different factions—such as The Thirst for Vampires, The Rage for Lycans, and distinct HUDs for Humans and War participants. If they reject it, I spam them with a group invite. It is psychological warfare.

Lanai Jarrico: Sounds annoying, but if that’s what works, to each their own.  How do you sustain your dark power when blood points are low?

Lord Vladislav: I buy blood potions at the sim mall using my real-life credit card. The darkness is expensive, Lanai. Premium membership alone is nineteen dollars a month, and my clan's gothic castle consumes 15,000 prims.

Lanai Jarrico: Sounds like an expensive hobby. Anyway,  what is the greatest threat to a Second Life vampire? Is it garlic? Wooden stakes? Holy water? Unable to keep up with your blood supply prices?

Lord Vladislav: (Glares dramatically, fangs extending via a sub-menu pop-up)
Worse. Region restarts. Nothing destroys an ancient blood ritual faster than a system broadcast announcing: "Sim going down for scheduled maintenance in 5 minutes." The dread... the chaos!

Lanai Jarrico: Yeah, random sim maintenance does suck. What about sunlight? Does it burn you?

Lord Vladislav: Sunlight is irrelevant. I simply go into my Environment Settings and change the region day-cycle to "Midnight (Gothic Dark)". The sun bends to my preferences menu!

Lanai Jarrico: *Nods* That's surprisingly convenient. Now, I notice you have a giant set of animated bat wings attached to your back. Do you ever fly?

Lord Vladislav: Constantly. Watch as I take to the air!

(Lord Vladislav triggers his Flying Animation Overrider. He floats three feet into the air, but hits an invisible sim boundary wall, bouncing backward and landing upside down )

Lord Vladislav: (Voice muffled)
The sim borders are acting up again! Do not look at me! I am the night!

Lanai Jarrico: Umm…OK, do you need help adjusting your position coordinates?

Lord Vladislav: No! I intended to hover upside down! It is... bat-like!

(Suddenly, a high-pitched open-mic voice echoes from Lord Vladislav's avatar.)

Unidentified Voice (in background): "Kevin! Dinner's ready! Get off the computer, your pizza rolls are getting cold!"

Lord Vladislav: (Quickly muting mic, clearing throat)
Ahem. Disregard the ancient spirit calling from the abyss.

Lanai Jarrico: Damn, sounded a lot like your mom, Kevin. lol

Lord Vladislav: I AM VLADISLAV! KEVIN IS MERELY MY MORTAL VESSEL ON THE US-EAST SERVER!

Lanai Jarrico: You don’t have to shout; I’m right here! Well, Vladislav, before your pizza rolls get cold, do you have any final words for our audience?

Lord Vladislav: Seek the night... embrace the darkness... and please visit my Marketplace store! I sell custom gothic fangs and low-prim coffins! Also, if you live at home with your parents, make sure you lock the door to the basement so there isn’t unexpected interference from the real world…

(Lord Vladislav instantly vanishes in a puff of missing texture errors.)

Lanai Jarrico: That’s good advice, Kevin. Imagine if she had said something more embarrassing. lol. And with that said, goodnight to all.  Oh, looks like he just crashed again. He failed to mention the name of his store…

 Here is a cool HUD I think can get you started as a vampire in Second Life. https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/WM-Genres-Roleplay-Social-Vampire-HUDs-pkg/28558772

In the end, whether you’re dodging region maintenance, explaining to your coven why your mom is shouting about pizza rolls over open mic, or spending a small fortune on virtual velvet cloaks and wings that clip through walls, the life of a Second Life vampire is never boring. So suit up, rez your best Vampire costume, and remember: real dark lords always save their work before the sim goes down!

 The beauty of Second Life is that you can roleplay whatever you want to be. Just remember to have fun doing what you do.

Happy Halloween Yall

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SPOTLIGHT ON ANORON – ROMANTIC RP AT ITS FINEST – JOSH (THOMAS1 BELLIC) REPORTING

In my travels about the SecondLife ® grid, I often get to be one of the first folks to see new builds or revivals of old builds.  I never cease to be amazed at the creativity and imagination of SL residents.  This week my travels took me to a beautiful Romance Sim, Anoron.  Owned and built by Elysa Swansong, she hired landscaper Ty Silvercloud to add the finishing touches and to help pull together the separate areas into a comprehensive Romance Build.  

Josh (Th0mas1 Bellic) JB:   So then...what is Anoron all about?

Elysa Swansong (ES):   Anoron is, first and foremost, a romantic park, where people can come and explore, dance, and cuddle. The overall scheme was to have lots of places to explore and roam, and then little areas to sit and cuddle or dance, and even in some places be intimate.

JB:   Tell me, please. What makes this sim different from the others that
are out there?

ES:    The first thing that comes to mind is our couples Intan. We have 168 dances in it, carefully sorted into tags for those that use the FerventMe! Hud. We may have more couples dances than anyone on the grid! Also, our Solo dances include belly dance, Latin dance, and hula dance. But aside from that, every park and romance sim out there is the vision of their creator, and Anoron is *my* vision, *my* way of giving back, or
*my* way of creating something for others to enjoy.

Ty Silvercloud (TS):  One of the most unusual things about Anoron is how well-visited it is. It's unusual for a roleplay sim to have this many visitors. And Elysa went above and beyond to create areas of interest with things to do

JB:   Could you share some of the interesting things that visitors and
guests can do at Anoron?

ES:    Dance! There are places for couples dancing all over the sim and in the
sky destinations. For the fantasy inclined, we have Stonehenge, 2 hobbit homes, a fairy cottage, and a pixie crossing. We have rezzable Water Horses for horseback riding, and a sim-sized Riding Trails sky platform created specifically for riding. You can have your future read at the tarot table in the gypsy camp or the Mystic Parlor (above the Black
Flagon Tavern). There’s a mermaid lagoon and grotto, 2 palaces to explore, Catacombs , and a vampire mansion.

TS:   Definitely! The Balloon ride for one. I love a good balloon ride. The club, the cuddle spots, the mermaid water world, the catacombs, and the different areas where people can meet up and do their role play. 

JB:   As a matter of fact, I took a lovely guided area tour balloon ride when I first came to visit the other day.  Would you recommend that to all visitors?

ES:    Absolutely! Newcomers should definitely take the narrated tour. There are lots of different areas in the park, and it will give them a great overview. And the silent tour is perfect for any couple who wants to leave the world behind and float above the park together for as long as they like.

JB:   Tell us about some of the areas we saw from the Balloon.

ES:    There’s a lovely little gazebo over the water, not far from the balloon landing, for couples to dance. There’s a campfire and beach furniture by the tall waterfalls. There’s a lovely lake with an island in the center, reachable by two bridges. The bridges  themselves are animated and you can sit and relax, read, or cuddle. Tucked away to one side of the park is the Enchanted Valley with hobbit homes. There’s a Temple on the hill with cushions for meditation, and of course, couples dancing. The Amethyst Gazebo is above the mermaid lagoon.

TS:  I think the balloon ride gives you a great view of the multitude of activities you can find on the ground. There are so many and after the ride, I'd recommend going on a horseback ride trip around the sim to get a closer look. Especially the cuddle spots

JB:   I see Bulls n Babes Black Gentlemen’s Club.  What do they do there?
What makes them unique on a grid full of clubs?

ES:    Bulls ‘n Babes is a sex and social club in a skybox in the SW corner of the sim. The club is for those with a preference for the BBC (big black c*ck) lifestyle... black men and the women who love them. They have events in the Tiki Lounge sometimes, as it’s on the parcel created for the club, but the Tiki Lounge and Lagoon are in fact part of the park.

JB:   Tell me about the Catacombs.  What can we find there?

ES:    The Catacombs start at the Cthulhu entrance, and a tunnel system takes you to various caverns. There’s the Petra Chamber with its Grim Watchers, a kind of creepy cemetery, a dungeon, and a Ritual Turning Chamber. There is also a secret passageway that leads from the Catacombs up to the Lost Souls Manor, a vampire mansion.

JB:   Was that a gypsy wagon I saw from the air?

ES:    It was! There’s a small gypsy camp tucked away in the trees. There’s a tarot table, a dance area, and some seating inside the wagons.

JB:   And what is Stonehenge all about?

TS:  Well Stonehenge, and in particular this version of it which is a terrific build from Two Moon Gardens, is a mythical place. I think anyone who's visited the place in real life will agree that it has an air of mysticism to it... ancient beliefs, sorcery, druid magic even. And on the Anoron sim and in that particular area that atmosphere has been replicated very well in my opinion. A place for reflection and a place to connect with the echoes of ancient voices.  

ES:    Stonehenge is, of course, a mockup of the real Stonehenge, with the difference that a) it’s virtual, and b) you can actually get close enough to touch it, and sit on the lintels! There’s a campfire, and the small revolving statues are for group dancing. There are also some meditation sites in some of the lintels.

JB:   Do you have plans for future development here?  Anything you will
be adding in the weeks and months ahead?

ES:    Not really, it’s pretty complete at this time. I may be tweaking a bit or adding furnishings here and there. We are, however, seeking DJs to come play at the park, and hope to have a nice lineup of entertainment. We’re also planning some themed events, such as an Alice in Wonderland dance, a vampire ball in the Lost Souls Manor ballroom, and so forth.

JB:   Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?

ES:    The music stream for the park is my own internet radio station, The Best of Lady Elysa. Besides in SL, it’s available on Tune-In and can even be played by Alexa. http://c2.radioboss.fm:8070/stream

I’m also a romance novelist in RL, with 10 books published so far, available as ebook, paperback, or hardcover on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and as an ebook on Apple, Kobo, and Google Play. Check them out at www.alliemccormack.com. You can also see the book covers on the photo board in the park’s Welcome Center.

So, for the finest in Romance RP, or just for an entertaining date with that special someone…go check out Anoron at the SURL below.  Tell ‘em Josh sent ya!

Be there!  Aloha!!

JB

SURL:  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Serena%20Montreuil/147/79/29 

FLICKR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/197517378@N03/albums

FB: https://www.facebook.com/people/Anoron-Romantic-Park/100088960900456/

Discord: https://discord.gg/jGFbNwV8

Google Calender: https://bit.ly/AnoronCalendar

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Karnage....The War Starts Here....

 

Karnage - Here is a new and upcoming grid-wide supernatural hud-based combat system. Pick a supernatural species like a Lycan, vampire, demon, or angel. (Many more species to come) Then decide to either join a clan or start one of your own. Work on building up a powerful empire. Many possibilities. The War Starts Here.... Let the Karnage begin. Website: www.karnage.net

Taxi: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Big%20Sky%20Country/56/175/23

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The Haunt: An upscale & exclusive underground nightclub

 This adaptive space blurs the line between luxe sophistication and uninhibited revelry. 

From the alluring energy of the intimate indoor space, highlighted VIP tables, elaborate décor & the raw display of our staff’s sexual energy; you’ll be hooked. Journey from early evening cocktails to late night dancing, 

The Haunt acts as the party elite’s canvas, so go ahead – paint the scene.

(Bloodlines Friendly, CCS, RP, Vampire the Masquerade)

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tiranitus/231/220/854

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Interview with a Vampire Gone Wrong- Lanai Jarrico Reporting…

      First published October 14, 2013. 

With Halloween creeping up on us, I thought I would pound the SL pixel pavement in search of a friendly vampire that wouldn’t mind sitting down with me for an interview. Without fearing I would be bitten and turned into a pale night walking blood junkie, I searched high and low for this elusive fanged creature with baseball bat in hand for protection. As I came upon Harry the Vampire, I must have startled him while he was digging though a dumpster because he let out the most girlish scream I have ever heard...

At first it appeared he was out for blood until he revealed an unusual fear of it, and the dark.  I’ve seen a lot of cruel and unusual behavior in Second Life but who on Linden’s laggy grid would think of biting this kitten of a man and leaving him to deal with such a torturous existence.

I needed to know more, so I took my opportunity before his candle expired.

Interview with a Vampire

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Interview with a Vampire - LadyLoveDr Reporting

Multiple mysterious sightings have been reported at various locations across  Second Life!  One witness detailed a white faced tall, dark figure with red eyes wondering around a seemingly abandoned cemetery.  Another witness spoke of a beautiful pale skinned woman he met in a bar who mesmerized him with the words she spoke.  His memory of what happened next is very vague and scrambled into bits and pieces as if he had been drugged.  His wife reported his disappearance after not coming from the bar. He remained missing for 5 days.  He finally came stumbling in at 11 am on the 5th day with a strange injury to his neck resembling the bite of a vampire.  After trying to contact his wife for a personal interview she replied with "no comment" and we later learned that her husband disappeared again one week later and never returned.  Many SL residents speculate, do vampires really exist?   Journalist LadyLoveDr decided to go deep into this dark world to uncover the truth and put an end to all the speculation. 

The journey started with one simple question, 'If vampires do exist, where would I most likely find one?'  This question posed a more complicated response than I imagined it would.  I finally came to the decision of visiting the bar where the woman vampire who's words memorized the missing man had been.  I became a regular at the bar after being there nightly for 2 whole weeks.  By then, I was well known to some and pretty sure the others were under the impression I was an alcoholic.  I was finally approached by a woman I had not recognized at the bar before.  She sat down next to me and put her cold hand on top of mine.  I glanced over at her and as our eyes met I heard her say "We're ready for you now."  I sat there dumbfounded for a few moments.  I knew exactly who, or should I say what, she was.  I needed to stand my ground. I needed to be in control.  "What makes you think you're what I've been looking for?"  I asked her.

            "You've been frequenting this bar for 2 weeks straight asking about us."

            "How would you know?"

            "I've been here watching you."

            "No you haven't.  I would have noticed you before tonight."

            "We're only noticed when we want to be."

She invited me back to her place.  I went willingly after making it well known that I was a guest and not dinner.  Once back in her domain I was able to obtain an interview with her and was granted permission to share it with the world to finally put an end to the famous question, 'Do vampires really exist?'

Interview with Alejandra Rassir

LadyLoveDr:  How would you define a vampire? 

Alejandra Rassir:  Vampires are creatures of the night who are cursed by God to drink blood in order to remain immortal.

LadyLoveDr:  You told me you're in a clan, what is its purpose? 

Alejandra Rassir:  My clan, Kindred Rose Noire, have a reputation for honesty, kindness and impeccable taste. Since the beginning of time our purpose has been to enforce the ancient traditions and shape the destiny of the Kindred. Currently we have 759 clan members that consist of vampires, lycans, and human hybrids.

LadyLoveDr:  Do vampires have any special powers? 

Alejandra Rassir:  We have the ability to transform into almost any animal: bats, cats, dogs and smaller.  Some can fly or levitate, use hypnosis to mentally subdue their victims, and have the ability to hypnotize.  Most vampires are psychic, can predict the immediate future, use telepathy to read minds , and move objects by telekinesis.  We have control over physical pain, although any light weakens us and the sun causes terrible burns. All injuries can be regenerated when we go dormant.

LadyLoveDr:  Are you currently involved with anyone romantically?

Alejandra Rassir:  I have a great love that will last for centuries!  His name is Antonio Pointe Du Lac and he is also a vampire in the same clan.

LadyLoveDr:  Have you encountered any vampire hunters or vampire haters in the SL community? 

Alejandra Rassir:  Yes, I've encountered vampire hunters.  I have personally killed some of them and tasted their blood on my lips.  I do not fear them, nor does any clan member of Rose Noire.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Farmville%20City/53/51/22

At the end of the interview I was treated to a tour of the Rose Noire grounds.  The architecture used to build their community is phenomenal!  There were things that scared me yet intrigued me at the same time.  Anyone is welcome to stop in and check it out, although almost all their members speak Spanish.  If you're an English speaking person like myself, I highly recommend picking up a free translator HUD from the SL MarketPlace.  They are always welcoming new members who want to take a walk on the dark side, be it vampire, lycan, or human hybrid.  So my fellow Second Lifers, do vampires really exist?  The answer is quite simple.  They always have.  Even for the speculators that will put denial at the top of their list.  They can deny all they want, but when it comes down to the cold hard truth, vampires are real.  Walking among us like normal citizens of Second Life.  They creep in the shadows hiding their real selves from the rest of the world and preying on the weak in order to survive another decade.  The next time you wake up in the morning and can't quite remember what you did at the bar last night, check yourself for the marks of a vampire because you might have just been someone's late night snack.

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Role Playing in Second Life- Piers Diesel Reporting...

According to Wikipedia, (2014) Role playing is refers to as “taking a role of an existing character or person and acting it out with a partner taking someone else's role, often involving different genres of practice” 

Retrieved from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Role-playing. 

We have all sometime in our lives, role played, beginning in childhood when our imagination was running wild. For example, boys pretending to be superheroes by jumping off of household furniture and being yelled at by mothers saying, “this is not a playground!” Little girls may have role played being a princess or even acted out scenarios using Barbies with friends. Role play has evolved significantly from those times with the rapid expansion of technology and more adults are participating in creative ways.

Role play in Second Life has a large community. From vampires, fairies, lycans and furries characters to ancient, medieval and combat sims where RP residents can actually play whatever role they would like with their friends from real world history, popular video game, movie or computer game story lines.

If you have always wanted to RP but do not know where to go, here is a list of locations in Second Life to explore. Keep in mind that there are many different genres of role play out there that can be found using the Second Life search engine.

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