Fantasy Faire 2014 - The confluence is upon us....
"Aye lad, that's them all right. That's the confluence storm, we've found it." Turning to the brass speaking tube to his right, Lee sounded a klaxon to attract attention on the bridge far below them. The klaxon call was acknowledged with an anxious voice.
"What did you see?"
"Fairelands, Right ahead!"
Asperatus - An airborne community living high above the clouds which hide their broken homeland far below, is just one of the treats in store for visitors to this year's Fantasy Faire. The Faire which opens to the public tomorrow (1st May) and will run until the 11th promises to be every bit as fun, exciting and full of tinies, as previous years.
Always my favourite RFL event, perhaps my favourite event of any kind, the faire is a wonderful mixture of fantasy styles and themes. 2014 is different for this seasoned Faire reporter, having journalled, filmed and photographed previous conjunctions of Fairelands, this year I have had the honour of bringing you a Faireland from within my own head, Asperatus.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Asperatus/135/127/62
Come visit the faire and enjoy all the creations we have for you. Anything you could wish to buy in a fantasy related theme is available some where and there are many new treats to be found this year too.
Steam Pirate's Derby - Do You Dare?
The last of his crew, he was known as Gut Spiller John. He was hanged for piracy a month ago, and surely has taken the secret of Black Finger's treasure to the grave... or has he?
He was the first mate, and he was the worst of them. Some say he was even worse than Black Finger himself... He just liked the killing, he loved to slice a sailors belly open and leave him to die slow. Some say that's why he was the one that Black Finger entrusted with the location of the treasure, because he didn't care about stealing it for himself...
THE STEAM PIRATES DERBY
Saturday, June 29th, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
As part of Swashbucklers for Life, a weekend of events to support Relay for Life, the SL effort to raise funds for the American Cancer Society to FIGHT CANCER! Donations to ASF Scoundrels for Life are encouraged.
What's a pirate like most? Treasure and Glory, that's what! The ASF Steam Pirates Derby is an event that will test ALL your pirate skills in a Dash for Treasure! Think you have the skills to be the baddest of them all? Well, here's your chance to prove it!!
The Derby consists of a race in a rickety steam powered ship, following a map to the TREASURE! It's buried on an island, you see, and you need to go claim it. But that's just the beginning! The other pirates will be gunning for your ship, and for YOU! There may be unforeseen hazards along the way.
But you won't be left defenseless - donning a special HUD will supply you with a compass and weapons, as well as a health meter. You may find upgrades along the way!
ALL you need to do is work your way through the clues and be the first back to Scoundrel HQ with the treasure!! You may take the chance to slow the competition by shooting their ship, or temporarily killing them. Oh, and you must SURVIVE the attempt...
New Babbage sees red over purple onslaught
Our New Babbage reporter Beq Janus who broke the news of this attack last weekend posted the following report this morning.
I woke this morning, this the sixth morning since the barrage began, and stared out across a sea of purple rooftops. Despite the litter of unexploded mauve missiles across our fair city, it is clear that many assaults have been succesful.

From the rooftops and walls to airships and chimney stacks, factories, homes and shops. Everyone, I have met in the past few days has borne the purple stain upon their skin, evidence of their oppression. No doubt there will be many tales told in the pubs of Babbage of these purple days.But feelings are turning from resentment to rebellion, as one they are rising up, it is time this victimisation in violet ended.

The reports of the mysterious boat, so bravely brought back by the city spies, from the lair of the evil genius Doctor Obolensky were correct and accurate. It was indeed emblazoned with the word 'Red' and the word 'Blue'. One label per tank. The boat has been holding its own in the port all week bombarding the city with its mighty cannon. The dastardly doctor was mixing the purple paint and launching his attacks from the sea.
I have had word from Commdore Dagger of the New Babbage Navy, who have recently returned from manouvres, that they are ready to end this and will attack today. I have heard too, the mutterings of an uprising, a people's army against the purple menace.
If the rumours are to be believed many of the brave men and women of Babbage, their clothes and skin now tinted purple, will wear their colours as warpaint and descend upon the port en masse to assault the ship and take the doctor captive.So I will be joining my fellows at 3pm SLT in Port Babbage to see the bitter end of this.I hope to see many comrades by my side.
-----------------------------------------------------
From May 7 to May 13 the Second Life grid will be turning purple!
Thousands of Second Life residents will be painting their
stores and houses purple, wearing purple clothes, purple hair, even
purple skin, in order to show their support for the Relay For Life of Second Life and to spread a purple Message of Hope.
Weekend RFLofSL antics from Team Caledon
New Babbage Attacked in Purple Paint Blitz
Mauve Melée
This morning I found that my home had been subjected to, what I took to be, an act of wanton vandalism. The walls of my home were slick with purple paint.
I looked out through the (now purple tinted) windows, to find that something more foul by far was in play.
The remains of numerous mauve missiles, many still leaking their purple payload, were strewn about the street.
Taking my trusty toolbelt with me, I quickly set about defusing those that I found, but simply got myself covered in the confounded purple paint. I was going to need help with this, so I ran off into the city to seek my fellow engineers.

[ Note: The missiles are RFLSL vendors giving you a fetching set of purple splats as a tattoo and clothing layers for a minimum donation of just 100L$]
Plethora of Purple
As I ran around the city I found that, as I had feared, it was not a personal attack but a city wide assault. Purple patches were appearing all over the city and every now and then the distinctive "whistle...splat" of a plumetting, purple projectile, echoed eerily through the alley ways.
Fear has been struck into our hearts. This is a crime worse than the threat of physical harm. The People of New Babbage are no strangers to danger, but bright colours! I am really not sure they are ready for this. Bring back the sooty browns and greys.


The Central Station in Babbage Square has been damaged but only lightly at this stage. Whoever is responsible for this we must take solace in the fact that their incompetence has meant that many of the devices have failed to explode and simply lay sparying a miasma of mauuve into the air about them.

Suspicions aroused?
In separate and as yet unconfirmed reports, a new boat has appeared moored near Doctor Obolensky's clock tower. Its exact purpose remains unknown and there is some confusion in the reports with one witness remarking that it has the name "Red" daubed on the side of a large tank, whilst another insists, it is named "Blue". The mystery deepens but I'm sure we'll figure it out.

[ As noted in this very journal
From May 7 to May 13 the Second Life grid will be turning purple!This is Team New Babbage's way of celebrating this event with a simple story to cover the theme. Come see New Babbage as it is succumbs to the purple onslaught.
Thousands of Second Life
residents will be painting their stores and houses purple, wearing
purple clothes, purple hair, even purple skin, in order to show their
support for the Relay For Life of Second Life and to spread a purple Message of Hope.
RFLSL 2011 : Team New Babbage Team #90
]
Has the Clockwinder lost the plot?

What is more, every lot in the auction is being sold with one month of rent prepaid.
The Primgraph caught up with Galactic Baroque, the treasurer and finance minister for the state of New Babbage. Taking time out from his busy schedule Mr Baroque was heard to say.
"I am not quite sure what has come over Mr Tenk. I do believe he has gone quite mad. This is sheer lunacy I tell you, lunacy!"
The auction, however, is still scheduled for Saturday, and it is sure to be an exciting event. Rumour has reached us that there are now even more parcels of high calibre, industrial land set to fall under the hammer, as the apparent madness spreads to other citizens of New Babbage.
Don't miss this sale of the century taking place in Wheatstone Waterways, New Babbage. Saturday, April 23, at 1pm SLT.
Special Charity Land Auction in New Babbage
Have you ever fancied yourself as a bold industrialist but lacked the right land to build your factory? Or are you an eccentric inventor in need of a laboratory? Then come to New Babbage next Saturday, the 23rd day of April, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon to witness the unprecedented auction of prime industrial land in the City State of New Babbage. Each lot purchased will be granted 4 weeks of rent pre-paid by the mayor himself and all proceeds from this wonderous occasion will be donated to charity.
New Babbage has everything a neo-victorian industrialist or steampunk could want. A community of like-minded and ever modest geniuses, unlimited steam power, air you can cut with a knife and the new modern essntial, a plentiful supply of largely disposable urchin labour.
The following prime lots will be auctioned off by Mayor Tenk on Saturday, April 23, at 1pm SLT.
Do not miss this wonderful opportunity to live out your entrepreneurial dream.
All proceeds will go to New Babbage Relay For Life of Second Life.
Lot #16. Gatto Gelatto. 1536sqm 351 prims. Corner lot on canals, water level.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/87/118/102
Lot #20. Galleria del Gatto A. 1280sqm 292 prims. Canal access, water level.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/85/91/101
Lot #21. Galleria del Gatto B. 1024 sqm 234 prims. Canal access, water level.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/129/84/101
Lot #25. Militia HQ. 1024sqm 234 prims. Canal access, water level.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/96/54/101
Lot #26. Wiggyfish cannery. 1024sqm 234 prims. Canal access, water level.
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/119/51/101
Fantasy Faire 2011 - Day 10 - And they all lived happily ever after
She was as new as noobs get. One day old. And this was the first place she found. I almost didn't say hi. Would have been a shame. I'd have missed the best moment of the Faire. See, she goes for a biopsy this week and she's scared. No one has yet said, "you have cancer." But the fear...We spoke a few minutes, about SL, Relay, the Faire. "All that money," she said. "Why do people give so much?" I often ask myself the same. "Because you're worth it," I said. L$5,262,533. $21,540 US. Worth every cent. - Zander Greene, Friends Fighting Cancer.Day 10 - And they all lived happily ever after
The title above, the cliched ending to a child's fairy story, tells us that it is over, Fantasy Faire 2011 has run its course. But the fact of the matter is that there is no end to the Relay, not until there is a "happily ever after" for all the victims of cancer.
Fantasy Faire 2011 has drawn to a close, we have walked many virtual miles, we'll consider it training for the big event yet to come. Now it is time to pack our bags and head off home. Before we leave, I would like to say a fond farewell to the amazing fantasies that our builders and creators wove for us. Judith LeFevre has supplied the vast majority of the images I have featured during my tour and I asked her to select a few that spoke to her of the places we saw.
But first, the Great Auction; anyone who has followed this blog wil have seen mention of the unique gazebos created in the theme of each sim, the gazebos stood at the landing point for each sim adjacent to the sponsors store. Each of these eight beautiful themed gazebos was individually auctioned off. Finally, to close off this amazing event, the full content of two of the sims and one of the most photographed, most talked about pieces, the mighty tower from Dark Mirage were auctioned.
Mayah Parx offered her entire build and landscaping on the delightful “Fantastical and Magical” sim and the combined talents of Lauren Thibaud, Piedras Chama and Nonna Hedges offered their gorgeous “Forest of Light” sim build and landscaping whilst Markus Inkpen and Sharni Azalee offered the stunning tower and bridge from their sim.
To repeat the total from Zander's comment above.
The Fantasy Faire 2011 raise in excess of 21,500 US Dollars or 5.2 million Linden dollars.
An amazing feat and a tribute to all the talented and hardworking individuals that made the event such a success.
There are many factors that go in to making the Fantasy Faire the special event that it is, but perhaps more than anything it is the sense of solidarity that arises when people, both creators and fantasy fans alike, unite from around the globe with one common goal, to help raise money to find a cure that finally lays Cancer to rest.
Fantasy is about the impossible. It is our dreams and our childhood memories. It is our hopes and our desire to explore and discover the unknown. The Fantasy Faire brings together people who know that beyond the Land of Possible, there exists an entire unmapped World of the Improbable residing in a Universe of the Impossible. These are the same people for who a Cure for Cancer is just a matter of time.We Relay because we know that together the Impossible becomes Possible.
Friends Fighting Cancer - April 2011
Now as promised Judith has picked a image from each of her sets. These are picked not necessarily for techncal merit or composition but simply for the personal memory that they convey. I asked her to chose just one from each sim, to which she blanched having taken in excess of 800 photos. Here, however, in no particualr order are her chosen images.

Exotic Worlds

Nemo Revisited

Fantastical and Magical

Enchanted Mysts

Forest Of Shadow

Sea OF Mer

Forest Of Light

Dark Mirage
Fantasy Faire 2011 - Day 9 - Enchanted Mysts
Another record day for the Faire! L$579,363 lindens or $2367 USD.
The silent auction raised $1100 USD. Khyle was BACK in jail, along with Marcus & Searlit; combined bail over $500 USD! Alia's beautiful story came to a moving end. And all day the sims teemed with people buying your magical wares. The final day will be a stretch to make our goal of $20,000 US. And once more our Captain asks us to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. I'll do my best and I know you will too. Go Relay! - Zander Greene, Friends Fighting Cancer.
We step across the threshold from the land of dreams and find ourselves in Enchanted Mysts as night falls. A low mist rolls about our ankles as our eyes adjust to the dark (A personal preference but I enjoyed Enchanted Mysts on a night setting). It is a warm spring evening and the light perfume of flowers carried on the fresh night air calms the body and mind, and yet there is a sense of unease about this place, a palpable tension...
After yesterday's fun-filled romp through Fantastical and Magical we leave with a sugar high to end them all, but where we find ourselves next is starkly different. Enchanted Mysts creates a decaying, high elven society where there is something afoot, perhaps we will find out what on our journey.
Day 9 - Enchanted Mysts
(http://slurl.com/secondlife/Enchanted%20Mysts/65/128/23)
Words by Beq Janus
Photos by Judith LeFevre
Enchanted Mysts is the westmost sim on the ring of eight Fantasy Faire sims, to the south we have Fantastical and Magical form where we have just entered, and to the North lies the Forest of Light where this journey began nine days ago.
We entered from the south at the eastern edge of the sim and we follow the path leading us west.
To the north lies an expanse of lake, overgrown gardens, crumbling statuary and pretty ornamental wells but for now as ever we will focus on the pathway.
As we enter the first store, by Falln Angel, a high pillared, grey, mausoleum style building. We find a small book discarded on the floor and upon touching it, we are given a note, a peculiar love letter.
The next store lies just across the path where we find a table standing outside offering a free glass of absinth. As we partake of the offer, we notice a line of similar tables stretching along the street ahead and, out of curiousity, we pick up the note on the table that explains the gift.
We learn that there is to be a coronation, that the princess Ilear is to become Queen. It seems then that the city is preparing to celebrate the momentous event, so where is the party atmosphere?
Inside the store, another book, another piece of information.....
Enchanted Mysts creator and sponsor Alia Baroque has created an interactive tale within the sim, and as it turns out later reaching beyond the bounds of Enchanted Mysts to the Fantasy Faire sims that lie beyond. The tale is a mystery that is serialised in 5 chapters, a new chapter being published each day. As we are now at the end of the Faire, all the chapters are published, but the tale is still there to discover if we wish. We have, in fact, stumbled across days one and two already. The tables and drinks outside the stores were part of chapter 1, a simple inducement to shop, a welcoming gesture. With chapter 2, we discover that the princess has vanished an evil threat looms. The little books in all the shops give us fragments of the story, the history of what has gone before. Though we are now at the end of the Faire, I will not spoil the tale with a solution, though be warned I do summarise the events here, suffice to say that with each store that you visit a book can be found and a piece of the background uncovered.
We wend our way along the cracked marble flags that make up the pathway here, heading west, carefully examining each store for its clues. The stores here are fairly strongly themed and predominantly Fae or related, though not exclusively so. In Enchanted Myths, we can find clothing, skins and animations alongside landscaping items such as forests and statues. Each store is presented in a similar sombre looking structure. A full list of all the merchants supporting the Enchanted Mysts sim can be found on the Fantasy Faire Vendor list page
All around us are signs of decay and neglect. One imagines that the most recent monarch has been somewhat less than attentive to the needs of this land.
We turn north, with the pathway, and see the soft glowing blue crystals that adorn the elegant teleport gazebo.
Immediately to the west of this is Alia's store, Fallen Gods, and as we might expect it is part store, part story. Here we find a group of concerned citizens who each give a hint or plea for your assistence when touched. On the floor, we find a large book bound in turquoise - the Book of Myst.
During the execution of the tale, the book was updated each day with a new chapter, it now lies completed and can be bought for free. Normally at this point we would detour and observe the rest of the sim and its non-retail elements, however the fabric of the sim is interwoven with Alia's tale and we have a quest to complete, we must visit each store. The pathway outside continues north before turning east and finally entering northwards into the Forest of Light, the stores continue to line the streets as before, but as the story fills out heads we are increasingly drawn to the mysteries of the inner part of the sim.
Having visited the stores and collected the background clues, and doubtless a number of exciting goodies to unpack when we finally return home, we look at chapter 3.
Entitled 'The Choice', it is a call to us all to attend the 'Jail and Bail' session held for Alia on the Enchanted Mysts sim. The jailing "scene", now passed into the history of the event helped towards Day 6's total of more than half a million linden dollars at the conclusion of the jailing a powerful ally is released to fight the evil Utmah who is threatenign the princess. A new character then appeared in the Fallen Gods store. "The Fallen", the ancient god of the Mysts, now released from the stone form he has been trapped in by the geneorsity of our donations.
The story has told us the Utmah once a trusted, friend of a former king turned to evil and masquerading as the guardian orb has been waiting for the right blood to be passed before growing in strength and destroying the land. The blood captured in a legendary petal is another part of our quest.
"Utmah was waiting all those eras for the promise of King Alameides that one day a Queen will carry the blood to make him mortal and rule again over the Continent and Realms, he will destroy us all, you must stop him!" - The Fallen, Chapter 4 of The Book of Mysts
And so it is that Chapter 4, scatters us to the sims of Fantasy Faire on a quest to find the embassies of the Enchanted Mysts wherein lie runes that will help us locate the essence, the orb that has been lying in wait. Those who succesfully complete this challenge and find all the clues will be rewarded with a unique gift, the shimmering orb avatar, and of course as we hunt through the sims for the secret runes we undoubtedly drop linden dollars into the numerous gift bearing vendors and help support the cause that underlies this all.
Chapter 5 brings us back to Enchanted Mysts for the coronation, the conclusion of this tale. Through our efforts the evil guardian, Utmah has been prevented from achieving his goal.
Starting back at the teleport gazebo, we walk east along a statue lined avenues towards the lake. A crumbling, badly damaged bridge leads out to the centre of the lake and in the days before the final chapter, apparently served no purpose. But now a new platform has been called forth from the waters and, smiling happily from the coronation dais, in the midst of the lake, we see the new queen Ilear, smiling back.
As we approach, a small red petal catches our eye and we are granted the gift of a special face tattoo for discovering the blood petal. However our eyes are on the podium and the words it carries.
The tale of Ilear, of Enchanted Mysts is an allegory for the fight against Cancer. As we have followed the tale, we have ourselves helped in this fight and the podium is full of further prizes available for a minimum donation of 1 linden, to thank us for our help.
I will end this report and in turn our journey through this wonderful Faire with the epilogue from the tale that unfolded in Enchanted Mysts. Thank you for journeying with me on this tour and remember, that whilst the Faire ends here, for now at least, the Relay continues with a number of exciting events in May. Keep reading Prim Perfect and the Primgraph to make sure you are up to date with all the latest news.
Long Life and prosperity to our beloved Princess Ilear, reappeared safe on Mysts after the Evil being of the name we will erase in History chased her. The Crowning Celebration will take place where the Evil Guardian Orb awaited for Eons his blood payment, to sign for the Future a New Era of Hope and Nobility with our new just crowned Queen Ilear. By spreading Hope with your pure essence you neutralized Utmah and he places no threat anymore. This is the beginning of a new Era and all thanks to you.
Cancer waits patiently, his essence is dormant for ages to wait for the right blood and insinuate its evil. Just our patient research, just the unity of all our efforts and just our hope can help our world to get rid of this evil for a New Era without Cancer.
This story is real, a story of people who suffer, a story of people who struggle for a cure and still the ending is not clear.
If you wish THIS story to have a good ending and help, if you do NOT like the story we are living right now then donate to the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life, even one Linden can help.
- Fantasy Faire 2011 -OPEN
- Fantasy Faire 2011 – Sim overview
- Fantasy Faire 2011 – Day 1 round up and Fantasy Faire Central sim guide
- Fantasy Faire Day 2 – The Forest of Light
- Fantasy Faire 2011 – Day 3 – Forest Of Shadow
- Fantasy Faire 2011 – Day 4 Dark Mirage
- Fantasy Faire 2011 - Day 5 - Nemo Revisited
- Fantasy Faire 2011 - Day 6 - Sea Of Mer
- Fantasy Faire 2011 - Day 7 - Exotic Worlds
Fantasy Faire 2011 - Day 6 - Sea Of Mer
This was easier yesterday. Compare this years numbers to last years. Where were we on this day a year go? This Day 3 is like that Day 6. Simple math really. Nice neat little charts. But you guys couldn't let it go, could you? Now with over L$3 MILLION RAISED, a 1/2 million MORE than last year (and still 4 days left!) the charts are not so neat! I need bigger charts! The distance between yearly comparisons keeps growing! I'm gonna need a step-ladder at this rate...anybody have one in Relay purple? - Zander Greene, Friends Fighting Cancer
Yesterday we experienced the incredible underwater city of Nemo Revisited and didn't get even slightly wet. Today however, we are venturing into the underwater world once more, for today's Fantasy Faire sim is brought to you from The Sea of Mer.
Day 6 Sea of Mer
By Beq Janus
Photos by Judith Lefevre
The hard steel plate of Nemo revisited butts up against a platform carved into the reef. If you are able, then now would be a good time to don underwater breathing apparatus or better still by the magic of Second Life transform into a creature of the sea. Sea of Mer is in the South East corner of the ring of Fantasy Faire sims. We are standing at the northern entry point of the Sea of Mer, behind us lies Nemo Revisited. Along the path and geographically to our west lies the tropical wonderland of Exotic Worlds. The path however will lead us through the Magical Sea scape first.
Coral cut steps drop away into the shallows about 5m deep and head east to the outer edge of the sim. The path sits upon a shelf with the depths dropping away towards the centre of the sim (our south). The Sea Of Mer is every tropical dive site in the world rolled into one, classical ruins encrusted with coral growth sit amongst sponges and colourful sea fans. shoals of fish dart and curl through the reefs. Look closely and you will find the occasional octopus waiting for dusk, when it will go hunting.
In the centre of the region we find a giant throne of stone and coral, it is as if some ancient Sea King once ruled the waves from this very spot, perhaps he still does? The sea of Mer reminds me of some of the most beautiful dives I have done in real life, the sense of magic and escape is there, looking up and seeing the shimmering surface above, knowing that beyond there is a world that does not see the incredible wonder of the undersea world. The magic is due to the careful work of the builder Zander Greene and landscapers Elicio Ember, Stef Cormer and Emmanuelle Loon. the landscaping is both natural and realistic feeling despite the hyper real flora and fauna in use. But we must tear ourselves away and return to the path, we have just 4 days left now and plenty more wonderous sims to see.
Back on the path we visit the underwater stores. as one might expect the merchants in the Sea of Mer are predominantly (but not exclusively) involved in Mer fantasy products a startling array of different skins and fins, often styled after fish or themed to the human side of the Mer, such as the kimono wrapped Koi Mer. AOs and animations are an important part fo Mer-life, whilst it may be unsightly to waddle on land it is completely unthinkable under the sea and a number of the top Mer animation and pose creators can be found in the stores.
Following the path east we soon come once again upon some steps and find ourselves back on dry land, the shops here are similar in construction, simple but elegant pillared boxes, each then decorated in theme and to the merchants bespoke line. we turn south and follow the path towards the bottom corner of the sim.
Half way along we find the main teleport gazebo and the store of the sim sponsor Mer Betta. Beams of bright blue energy bounce around the stores here and following them back we see that they emanate from the eyes of a giant, the aforementioned sea king who has left his throne. Is he attacking the land? or defending his realm from the human invaders? We may never know, and we are free to choose our own tales.
The path continues south turning back to the west and dropping once more down into the ocean. Take care to keep your arms away from the large clam shell on your right as you reach the step, you are better advised to keep to the left and visit the last two remaining stores for shortly we will rise to the surface and enter tomorrow's destination Exotic Worlds.
We rise to the surface and with a look of longing glance back to the undersea garden beneath the shimmering sea. Ahead of us we hear the sound of birds and insects, a tropical world but not our own? Exotic Worlds awaits us....
Previous Fantasy Faire Entries on Prim Perfect:-