Dark Adria's Winter Wonderland at Castle Row

Here are two pictures of the winter scene created by Darks Adria at Castle Row.
The third is of my own Winter Wonderland, created using the Winter Cabin made by Darks, a reindeer created by Bricklin & DeFarge and trees by Kriss Lehmann of Botanical at Straylight as well as some from Heart, one of the best sources for trees and plants in Second Life. The snowbells, a favourite flower of mine, are from Heart.

The Christmas Spirit in Second Life

As befits a world devoted to fantasies of every kind, Second Life began to exhibit the Winter Holiday spirit quite early. On Thanksgiving Day, Wolves Bain gave the members of his group an exquisite chapel. Various groups have begun to announce special Christmas items. The most generous of these have been attaching small gifts to their notices.

At both Castle Row and Paradise Pets, the owners and their partners have created Winter Wonderlands. Darks Adria has created a wonderful skating rink in the centre of an idyllic landscape, complete with ice gazebos and winter displays that exhibit both beauty and great humour. At Paradise Pets, candy canes form the foundation of a special holiday gazebo. Beneath the dome, incredible animated Winter creatures disport themselves on the ice. They are the creations of Don Bricklin. His partner Deborah has created reindeer for the season. The buyer can choose between a reindeer with the traditional black nose and one with a red nose! The reindeer are not stationary, but raise and lower their heads to browse the frozen earth for food and when touched, they will 'speak' in reindeer fashion.

Wolves Bain and Darks Adria always offer an assortment of free items to their visitors and Darks' Winter Wonderland is a place where many delightful treats can be found. Deborah DeFarge has created an entire booth filled with free items for the holidays. Within, you can find an exquisite tree, nativity creche, basket of pine cones, plate of mince pies, wreath, garland, Christmas stockings, bows and candy canes and sprigs of holly and mistletoe.

I have enumerated some of these gifts here to demonstrate the generosity of artists such as these. Where many merchants and artists in Second Life view the Winter holidays primarily as an opportunity to exploit the sale of products they create, the best artists are filled with the true spirit of Christmas and Yuletide and give freely of their bounty.

It is a great pleasure to support the creative efforts of an artist who is willing to share his or her creations with the public. There are many 'Christmas' bazaaars in Second Life where each of the items Deborah is giving to individuals would carry price tags on them. Landowners in Second Life must pay monthly fees known as tier for the most part, whether or not they build or sell ANY items. One recognises the need for landowners with large shops to make enough money to sustain their presence in Second Life but to me, the attitude of the artist is as important as his/her talent. When one purchases any item in Second Life, a small part of the creator is to be found within that object. I would not like to surround myself with objects created by mean-spirited or mercenary individuals, however beautiful their work might appear to be at first glance.

The second booth displays the animated figures created for the Christmas skating scene. It is impossible to capture the delightful versatility of these characters in a simple photograph. Each skater has a distinct personality. The Snowman and Father Christmas are more serene as they circle the gazebo, but the children engage in numerous skating feats and tricks and as often tumble to the ground as they succeed. It is very entertaining and extremely clever, like all the creations of Bricklin & Defarge.


Second Life is a living organism in a way, comprised of all its residents. Second Life therefore is defined not only by its objects and landscapes but by personal interactions as well. As a truly international venue, those who are open-handed and exhibit a spirit of kindness and generosity improve our world in general. A virtual world is a mirror of the real world, even if it may differ from this world drastically in form and appearance. As griefers in Second Life actually can cause emotional damage to real people when they target an avatar, the actions of those who give freely of themselves and their art must have a positive effect in both worlds.

Cats and Romance in Second Life

This website is a rather haphazard attempt to showcase my favourite artists in Second Life and my inclusion of an artist here depends primarily on two elements:
admiration of the artist's talent and work and secondly, the attitude the artist exhibits towards others.

This is a story of my cat and of a great romance in Second Life.

There are many excellent builders and artists in Second Life but they include a large number of individuals who are unwilling to give of themselves beyond the work they offer for sale. For some, the items they make represent no more than a profitable business venture. For others, their attitude is that they are represented through the items they sell and have no further responsibility towards those who patronise their vendors or shops.

To me, the greatest artists in Second Life are those who are motivated, even driven to create AND who possess an exceptional spirit of compassion and empathy towards humanity. The artists who are willing to take extra time and energy in order to help newcomers or any resident who needs assistance are the artists who inspire my own respect and admiration.

Don Bricklin and Deborah DeFarge are two amazingly talented artists. Their partnership is a marvelous example of romance in Second Life. Their creations are imbued with their passion for one another. They were kind enough to share their story and some of their work with me.

Very often, a meeting with an artist is circumstantial. My meeting with Don Bricklin and Deborah DeFarge occurred in the following manner.

I encountered a cat, a household pet rather than a Neko, at a lingerie shop. The cat was quite amazing, moving about in a very natural manner, and purring and meowing apparently as the mood took her. Cats are among my favourite creatures on this planet, so I interacted with her and received a notecard in return. The notecard enumerated the cat's abilities and included a landmark to the shop where she could be purchased.

Paradise Pets is an amazing place for animal lovers. The shop specialises in household pets and is located on a boat. It is filled with every sort of creature. Creatures of the sea include a large variety of fish as well as dolphins. There are a number of different types of birds. One can buy a turtle if one wishes. Finally, one can purchase a dog or cat.

There are other artists who have created 'pets' but none have the amazing abilities displayed by those made by Don and Deborah. The cat in fact was still in its 'experimental' stage, according to the notecard but I hastened to buy one, feeling that my castle never would be a real home unless I had a cat in residence.

The cat can be named and indeed will respond to his/her name. I named my cat Lionheart, mirroring my cat in this world. I allowed my Second Life Lionheart to roam the forest initially, as I realised that the threats that existed in this world would not be a problem there.

Ultimately, though, I wished to be greeted by Lionheart whenever I entered the castle. With that in mind, I placed him in my pocket and took him into my castle.
When I attempted to rez him on the ground floor, he vanished!

I searched in vain for at least half an hour before I finally contacted his creator. As always when one contacts an artist one has not met, one does not know whether or not one ever will receive a response.

I was delighted when Don Bricklin answered my message almost instantly and offered to come to my castle to search for the missing pet.

Don had a special scanner and he brought it with him. Unfortunately, Lionheart did not show up on the scanner, although all sorts of odd items in the area, including a dance pole located in one of my neighbour's bedrooms, did.

I actually was the one to find Lionheart. Oddly enough, he had returned to his previous location in the forest! I scooped him up and, with Don on hand to prevent any further mishaps, rezzed him once again on the castle floor. This time he behaved properly and appeared there, purring loudly.

During the search for my missing cat, Don told me of other projects and offered to give me a tour of some of his creations. I accepted with enthusiasm.

I have included two photographs here of the Angel Room, created by Don Bricklin for his beloved Deborah. He created it as a 'quest'. First he created a piece of wood with a wood-burning tool. When she clicked on it, the tool burned a heart with their initials into it and gave her a feather that bore her aloft to the magical Angel Room.

The photographs do not do justice to this magical place. The wings actually move to and fro, as though the chapel were a living entity. As the wings beat, the chapel appears to breathe and one truly is swept up in an illusion of floating through the heavens. One photograph shows doves as they fly across the chamber. They nest in a birdcage to the right of the altar and fly into the air at regular intervals.

The Angel Room is where Don and Deborah were married. They would like to make this magical 'chapel' available for other couples who wish to marry in Second Life.
In the sky to the left, you can see a cabin on another platform. I was given a tour of this cabin as well. It is filled with many wonders and they may make it available to other honeymoon couples.

Incidentally, a version of the magical wood-burning tool is for sale now. It will burn a heart with the words 'I Love You' into a piece of wood. I believe that a burst of a choice of particles is displayed at the completion of the task.

Don did not take his beloved to dinner at a fine restaurant on her birthday. Instead, he created an entire restaurant for her! The restaurant is extraordinary. Everything is 'real' there. A number of different dishes are offered at a buffet. Fresh pizza can be created in an oven above a roaring fire and can be consumed, slice by slice.

Outside vegetables grow in the garden, to be watered by a functioning sprinkler system. If one explores the garden, one may find an antique gold coin, protected by leprechauns! When I found a coin, I took it at my peril, as the guardians of the pot of gold were disposed to curse any intruder, but the leprechauns now have been chastised and allow coins to be taken with their blessing.

A photograph of the two lovers dancing in the restaurant is included here. The jukebox contains a large collection of songs and there is a guitar and Grand Piano. On the occasion of her birthday, Don dressed as Elton John and performed for Deborah.
Their love is celebrated in a thousand different ways in their creations.

Don and Deborah are extremely hospitable and are happy to share these wonders with others.

I must not lose sight of the other subject of this article, which is my wonderful SL cat Lionheart.

The two photographs of Lionheart were taken at my castle Awakening. Awakening was built by Wolves Bain and really is flawless. I have written about the art of the incomparable Wolves Bain elsewhere.

When I decided to take photographs of Lionheart, I thought I should amuse him by playing the harp. This particular harp actually CAN be played by an avatar and offers a selection of three pieces: Sonata for Harp in G Mayor by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Theme and Variation in G Minor by Handel and an Air and Variations by Krumpholtz. The harp actually has to be played in order for the music to be heard. In fact, a string of the harp must be plucked. Apart from this, the appearance of the harp can be altered with a choice of twenty different woodgrains, different colours and various textures for the metalwork. The harp was created by Persephone Milk for Musical Alchemy in Second Life.

Lionheart, however, is the real focus of this article. Although he officially is referred to as an 'Experimental Cat', he is far more sophisticated and complete in his abilities than any other cat I have encountered in a virtual reality.

One can give the cat any name one likes. Once named, he or she will respond to a number of different commands. The cat will come to his/her owner and follow the owner until commanded to 'Stay'. The 'FollowMe' command is rather amazing. The cat will scurry after its owner enthusiastically, but if the owner teleports anywhere, he/she must take the pet into inventory (the SL equivalent of a pocket or handbag) in order to take the cat to the next destination.

Some of the other commands are 'Sit', 'Lay', 'Stand' and 'LookatMe'. The cat can be set to assume random poses and sounds. There is an 'unhappy' sound and there is a 'Mad' command that puts the cat into an angry mood!

Private Chapel and Winter Cabin

The holiday season is upon us. It begins with the Harvest Festival in November. In the States, this is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. Although the season of Advent does not begin on this date, Thanksgiving has come to represent the start of the Winter holiday season.

On Thanksgiving Day, Wolves Bain sent a notice to his Group announcing the gift of a private Chapel. This is a gesture that defines this particular builder, a man who is generous and ever-helpful to those who appreciate his work.

The Chapel now is on display and for sale on Castle Row.

Throughout my childhood, I dreamed of having a chapel of my own. Having devoured every book written by Alexandre Dumas, the concept of a private chapel fixed itself in my imagination. Royals had them in their castles with private chaplains to officiate at daily Mass. Members of the aristocracy often had chapels of their own as well. Perhaps I suffered from grandiose ambitions or visions, but I think what appealed to me most about the concept was the idea of peace and quiet and privacy. Silence seldom existed at home, filled always with visitors and aspiring musicians. My mother was aggressively social and I suppose my own fantasy of living in a castle with a private chapel of my own denoted ultimate control over my own environment with the ability to raise the drawbridge whenever I chose. In Second Life, I find that I often am happiest when I am alone creating a landscape. It probably comes from that childhood sense of never being able to find a spot that was free from 'invasion', however well-intentioned the invaders might be.

Churches to me are places of peace, quiet and solitude. I spent a holiday in my teens in Roma with my grandmother. She was a spiritual person herself but she joked afterwards that she never wished to set foot in a church again, having been dragged to every church in Roma by me! I loved those churches with their dim lighting and emptiness. When I think of a church, I do not think of social gatherings during Mass or other religious rituals. Instead, I think of the Church when it is virtually unoccupied, a place for an individual to find quiet sanctuary. It is a place of prayer certainly but more than that, it is a place where the ordinary hustle and bustle of the world does not intrude. In that sense, it is only those Churches that are open to the public at all times that are true 'houses of God' because I believe that the Divine is found most often at moments of solitary communion with oneself and not in any social gathering or 'sermon'.
When I first discovered Second Life, I spent an entire day exploring places of worship. I never dreamed that I would have my own chapel one day!

My Chapel at present is situated on a platform as shown in the photograph. Some stained glass as well as a tree have been added to the interior, but the original includes the altar, pulpit, a set of five pews as well as a single pew. The chapel in its original pristine condition gives an impression of simplicity and purity. I tend to clutter my landscapes, and I probably have not improved this one with my own additions. To see the original, please visit Castle Row.

I had no room on the ground for the Chapel at present, having decided to create a small winter corner on my land. A delightful Winter Cabin created by Wolves' partner, the charming and talented Darks Adria, now is situated there. One photograph shows the Winter Cabin.
It can be found at the Winter Wonderland created by Darks near Castle Row. The efforts of Wolves and Darks inspired me with a holiday spirit that transcends the limits of time and space.

'The Forsaken Castle' by Wolves Bain

These are views of the
'Forsaken
Castle' on Castle Row. In this creation, Wolves Bain demonstrates both his innate sense of drama and creativity. This castle, like the others, is for sale, but it has a deliberately cultivated 'neglected' quality to it. On one floor, a board acts as a ramp to the upper level. The various floors have fairly low ceilings, adding to the 'forsaken' atmosphere in this castle. The balcony and rooftop areas are rather wonderful and spacious, although this particular castle is not large, but as you can see from the rooftop photograph, it is a setting that could be found in any 21st century city where history rubs shoulders with the present. The exterior of 'Forsaken'is one of those buildings that sends forth a call to the viewer to explore a mystery from the past rather than being a proud fortress that has been able to maintain its distance from the contemporary world. There are other castles by Wolves that require, even demand space, that need to stand alone behind a moat or gracious gardens in order to be appreciated properly. 'Forsaken' is a castle that can exist anywhere, that maintains its aura of mystery and hidden power even if it were set in the middle of an area devoured by 'urban blight'. It easily could be a secret haven and refuge rather than a public proclamation of the social standing and importance of the owner!

One can discern the personality and character of the creator in every 'build', but Wolves definitely has created a castle for every sort of individual in any conceivable state of mind or being.

'Forsaken' like all of Wolves' castles has its own tale, and one that is very compelling.

In the words of her creator:

'When I first saw her she was beaten, battered and broken.
When I entered her she was cold, distant and unfeeling.
I tried to help her, to heal her, perhaps hold her,
but I was too late. She was already forsaken.
Have you never been forsaken?
the "Forsaken" at Castle Row'

Wolves has made many 'perfect' castles like 'Mystic', castles that exhibit perfect harmony and grace, with a clean sense of space and an atmosphere of quiet power. There are 'dark' castles, such as the 'Dark Knight' and the 'Dark Mage', castles that exude the potential to draw the individual into the 'darker' side of human nature, although a person who simply liked the textures, colours and design could make of them anything he/she desired as well. In 'Forsaken', one finds a castle that could exist in ANY urban environment, a sort of portal between the 1st and 2nd worlds. One imagines one could walk down a local alley in any contemporary city, whether London, Paris or New York, turn into an unnoticed street and enter a door that led to the 'Forsaken Castle'. For this reason, this castle has its own power...

But then, every castle built by Wolves Bain has its own individual potential and extraordinary gift of imagination to offer the buyer or owner.

Castle Row Promenades

Wolves Bain is a builder and creator. His castles are created for practical use, to allow owners to experience any fantasy or reality they may wish to pursue. The 'builds' are eminently practical in terms of the rules and regulations of the world of Second Life. They use the fewest number of prims and are designed to fit 'standard' plots of land. Castle Row is a place where these castles are displayed and where they can be purchased.

There is another component to Castle Row, however. It is a place to be enjoyed for its own value and both Wolves Bain and his partner Darks Adria are extremely hospitable. Darks Adria is the perfect companion to Wolves. It is she who designs the grounds in which the castles flourish and to which visitors are drawn again and again. She has exquisite taste and yet both Wolves and Darks display an appealing sense of humour and knowledge of the 'dark side'. The cemetary is a wonderful example of this.

Apart from all this, Castle Row is a place where there are Promenades for the visitor. In contemporary society, the idea of the 'Promenade' no longer has much meaning, but in the past, especially among the higher social classes, people actually would dress and either ride or walk through a specific area on certain days or at certain times of day to 'see and be seen'. It was a regular social event in the great cities of Europe and in the States as well I believe. Some of the great parks in London and Paris were designated for this type of social interaction at various times in history.

One does not go to Castle Row to 'see and be seen' by any means. In fact, as is characteristic of most places in Second Life, one usually will find oneself alone unless a social event is taking place at that point in time. I personally love to engage in solitary exploration of places in Second Life, although I do have a wonderful Companion in many of my explorations, a fellow 'adventurer' who enjoys the quest for new discoveries as much as I. For me, it is not only the incredible beauty of some of the places that enchants me. It is the ability to walk through the imagination of another human being and sometimes to actually be able to interact with that creativity. It is one of the things that distinguishes Second Life from any other so-called 'gaming' experience. Second Life truly is a world created by the imagination of humanity and is an ongoing, ever-changing creative process. It is the ultimate interactive art experience.

To 'walk the Row' is a delightful way to spend an hour or two, even when one is not in the market for a new castle. These photographs attempt to show the magic of Castle Row. As you can see, it exists on more than one level and some of the Promenades are in the sky. The vista is incredible, whether one is looking at the castles on the same level, or viewing the castles below on the lower level.

In one photograph, you can see the 'Accalia', a ship built by Wolves Bain, master castle builder. I have written another post about Accalia, a ship that I am privileged to own now.

Another element to Second Life that is used to its advantage on Castle Row is the cloud level. When Wolves helped me place my 'Awakening' in the sky, he set it slightly above the cloud level, so that the clouds would 'peek through' the windows. It had to be done carefully, however, as if set too low, the clouds actually would invade, sweeping through the chambers like the front line in an army of ghosts.

I have to remark here once again upon Wolves' incredible good humour and patience with those who buy his castles. He has come to my rescue more than once when I 'lost' a teleport in the sky or 'took' a piece of my castle wall instead of the fireplace I intended to remove. However busy he may be, he tries to help if he can. There are many artists in Second Life who have NO interest in the buyers of their work and no desire even to interact with them on the most casual level. With Wolves, one feels that, as soon as one shows a genuine interest in his work, one has made a friend. It is not only Wolves who demonstrates that humanity. Lady Darks is some one who will go out of her way to welcome a visitor to Castle Row.

The cloud layer in Second Life can be experienced when one walks along the upper level of the Promenade at Castle Row. From the balcony of 'Parisa', one has a particularly romantic view of the entire area.

Each castle possesses its own unique style, atmosphere and history. Beyond this, however, Wolves Bain always is willing to help the buyer modify a castle slightly to make it precisely what the buyer dreamed of owning.

More from the World of Wolves Bain

Skybox by Wolves Bain

I had not furnished this skybox properly when I took these photographs, but the reason I am posting them, imperfect as they may be, is to show how the light from the sun affects the magnificent windows, tinting them at sunset or sunrise. These windows cannot be seen from the outside of the skybox. It actually appears solid and therefore offers complete privacy, but from the interior, the entire sky is displayed in all its glory.

I posted photographs very similar to two of these in an earlier post, but I have included them here as well to show the incredible transformation that occurs when day becomes night and night becomes day.

There are a number of reasons why people choose to live in Skyboxes. Love of privacy and a need for space are only two. Provided that the 'prim count' is not exceeded, a person with a rather small piece of land can have more than one 'house' on it, if he/she uses some of the sky above the land.

I moved my castle from the land into the sky originally because I suddenly found myself surrounded by towering, revolving neon 'For Sale' signs in every direction. The land ultimately was purchased and the signs disappeared, to be replaced in some cases by some rather attractive landscapes but I decided to keep my castle in the sky. I now have an incredible 'domain' fit for a princess, thanks mainly to Wolves Bain. I have the ship 'Accalia' anchored next to my land, my castle in the sky and above that, my incredible skybox.

The 'Awakening' by Wolves Bain

The
'Awakening'
is the newest castle
created by Wolves Bain.

I was privileged to be given a chance to take a tour of this wonderful creation before its official 'unveiling' and fell in love with it immediately. I have to admit, however, that I love every castle on Castle Row! Each has its own character and its own history, and all have something unique to offer.

Here is the tale of the 'Awakening'.

**********************************************************

In a nearby village, there is a tavern that I frequent. I went there one evening to enjoy a small brew, some mutton and perhaps the company of a woman. A man who was disheveled, nervous, and carrying a large amount of parchment approached me there.

He asked if I were Wolves Bain, the castle builder. I asked him why he wanted to know. He said he had drawings for a castle, but he had to know if I were Lord Bain. I told him, 'I am he, but I am not in the market to purchase these drawings.'

He responded, 'Purchase? No M'Lord, I am giving them to you free of charge. In fact, I will commission you for this task on one condition: that I supply the stones, the wood and all materials. You see, these stones are to be reused from another castle and built in strict accordance with these drawings. It is imperative that they be built to the exact and precise specifications shown in these parchments.'

He then proceeded to tell a tale of a love eternal between a Master and his Mistress and how they vowed to love each other forever. One evening she was stricken with an illness for which there was no cure. In her last breath, she vowed that in 100 years' time she would awaken to start their life anew. She made her beloved promise to wait for her, and so far he has.

It now has been 99 years that he has kept her body in his chambers, keeping vigil each night until the day of her return. In that time, the castle has gone into decay and ruin.

My job is to rebuild the castle as it was so long ago and have it ready for her awakening.

Will you be there for the awakening?

the "Awakening"

Now at Castle Row

199 prims, 30x47 footprint
second level next to Parisa'

**********************************************************

This story was sent as an announcement to Wolves Bain's 'group' in the form of a Notecard. 'Groups' in SL can exist for many different purposes. They can be formed for the purpose of land ownership, for strictly social reasons, but often they exist as a means by which an artist can maintain contact with those who appreciate his/her work. Announcements of new products often are made to a group. Wolves Bain however does far more than most. As you can see, he is a storyteller as well as a builder and he delights his group with his 'life story', enriching his castles with their own individual tales. Wolves Bain is a generous artist as well, and often gives incredible gifts to the members of his group. My magnificent skybox was his most recent gift to group members. His willingness to set it up for me is an example of another characteristic that distinguishes Wolves Bain from other artists.

I believe that this photograph was taken by Darks Adria, Wolves' partner and a talented artist in her own right. (Her photographs certainly are far better than mine and I am happy to be able to publish them here.)

Castle in the Sky

These
photographs do not do justice to the castle that Wolves Bain built, but they should give the viewer some idea of the careful details that were included in the design.

One photograph shows the entire castle from a distance, placed on an artificial platform in the sky. Another shows details of the exterior. The third shows details of the parlour alcove on the ground floor.

The top photographs is of the new skybox that Wolves Bain built and gave to members of his group as a gift. You can see the castle beneath it in the sky, layers upon layers of glorious living spaces!

The skybox contains a luxurious spa. It is an incredible beautiful private refuge with enormous picture windows that cannot be seen from the outside. The final photograph shows a pose by the spa, with the magnificent view of the sky from the window alcoves.

I do not claim to be much of a photographer, but I hope to add photographs of other castles at Castle Row as well as a photograph of this perfect little gem as it appears on the ground!

P.S. After writing this post, I contacted Wolves Bain with respect to a dock for my Accalia. He immediately offered not only to give me the dock but to help install it in situ. When I had trouble with the skybox he had given to his group, he spent over an hour placing that in the sky for me, fixing a rather crooked wall that I had built previously to surround my platform and finally, building the dock for me. All these tasks took about three hours. I do not think he made a special effort for me either. I believe he is as generous to all those who appreciate his work. Any one who is looking for an exceptional builder in SL need look no further than Wolves Bain. He offers visitors moreover a multitude of free items, from a small castle to a stable, fountain and other delightful creations. It was this generosity that first impressed me as a newcomer to Second Life and made me determined to buy my first home from him.

Wolves Bain, Builder of Dreams

Wolves Bain is a castle builder in Second Life. He is both imaginative and practical and his castles are masterpieces that use the minimum number of prims (primitive objects) to allow even the smallest landowner to own and enjoy a castle of his/her own.

Furthermore, each castle is imbued with a history. Wolves Bain writes stories to accompany each of his creations.

Castle Row@Hyojong is worth a visit even by those with no ambitions to own a castle.
With his partner, Lady Darks Adria, Wolves Bain has created a totally immersive experience that includes many long avenues of castles and a garden with a superb ship named the Accalia at the end of it.

Like many children, I dreamed of having a castle of my own one day, without much real expectation of it ever coming to pass, although I designed a Palladian villa for myself when I was 13 years old.

It was only when I began to explore Second Life that I discovered my dream could be easily realised.

There are many castle builders in SL but Wolves Bain offers hope to the resident who cannot invest in an enormous amount of land. With even the smallest parcel of 512 sq. metres, I could have an exquisite castle with two floors and a rooftop.

In Second Life, every metre of land carries with it a limitation in terms of the number of 'prims' or primitive objects that can be created or placed on that land. It is not a need for space often but prim limits that persuade residents to purchase more land. Whatever the initial price of the land,it is monthly fees that often are the greater financial hardship for a resident. Any one with 'premium membership' is allowed to own 512 sq. metres of land without ANY monthly fee for that ownership. As one acquires more land, 'tier' fees increase. The system is far more complex than that, but suffice it to say that Wolves Bain allows a resident with 512 metres to realise the dream of becoming a castle owner.

Castles throughout history have been a symbol not of wealth so much as status. Originally in feudal Europe, the castle was part of the defence system of a realm as well as carrying with it a host of rights and obligations. It was the responsibility of the lord of the castle to protect and organise his fief, his knights or entourage and his serfs, the peasants who were tied to the land itself.

A castle was the centre of a self-sufficient economy at a time when towns were fairly weak in terms of their influence. The duties to the overlord or king could be light or onerous. The lord of a castle usually had the duty to defend the area as well as raising a specific number of soldiers for his overlord at any given moment. Taxes usually were paid in the form of produce and other goods.

Even though we live in a multi-national 'civilisation' where land ownership no longer carries with it very much status, the castle remains a symbol of nobility and is perceived as the ultimate 'safe haven' for any Romantic.

Wolves Bain made it possible for me to own my first castle and, because he pays attention to prim counts, it was a castle that actually could be furnished! In many cases, fabulous creations in SL use more prims than the small landowner ever could hope to be able to 'rez' on his/her land.

Another dream of mine always has involved the sea. I longed to live on a ship, preferably one from the Golden Age of the Renaissance in Europe, also sometimes known as the Age of Piracy.

One of the first fantasies in SL that inspired me to continue to explore the virtual world was an extraordinary pirate ship that I discovered moored in a Sim on a permanent basis. The owner of the Sim is a designer who had shops and casinos but now, because of the ban on gambling, is reduced to whatever income the shop may bring, I suspect. She has created an incredible fantasy land and among other things, is the owner of a ship named the 'Relic'. I will speak of this ship further in another post.

It is one of the most elaborate and detailed ships I have seen and definitely could be considered the embodiment of any romantic pirate's fantasy. It is incredibly expensive, however, and requires almost 900 prims, making it an item that is practical only for a landowner with a large estate.

There was a time when I visited the 'Relic' and pretended that I lived there, before I ever purchased any land in SL. It was beautifully furnished with every amenity, including a hammock on the top deck, where I could recline and watch the rising of the moon.

It was only after I visited Castle Row, however, that I discovered there was a ship that, like my castle, could become a reality for some one like myself.

This ship is named the Accalia. It is a wonderful vessel and one, moreover that, like Wolves Bain's other creations, has its own history, related by the creator himself.

Here is the tale of the Accalia:

'I remember it like it was yesterday. It had rained for 3 days solid. When the rain had ended, I walked along Castle Row to assess the damages and to locate two of my builders who had gone missing. When I reached the beach at the end, I noticed a ship had run aground there. I boarded her to see if I could be of assistance, but not only was no one aboard, there was no cargo. I noticed a plaque above the door that read 'Accalia'.

Accalia? Why do I know this name? Where have I heard it before? I then recalled that I had been held prisoner aboard her for near a decade (but that is another story). I'm not sure how, but I managed to escape.

That was almost a century ago, but she now has found me again, I fear she will not let me out of her grasp so easily. You see "Accalia" in Latin means 'She-Wolf'......... We all fight our own demons. She happens to be one of mine.......Wolves

Come see 'Accalia' at Castle Row, but be warned: Once you board her, you will be at her mercy. 'Accalia' 113prims $500L


The 'Accalia' does not sail, and in fact does not require open waters or even deep water. It can be 'rezzed' on any land with water texture and enough 'depth' to give the illusion of floating there.

Unlike the 'Relic', it is not an opulent fantasy ship, but has a genuine personality of its own and is snug and beautifully fashioned. It moreover is extremely sophisticated in its construction, with a cabin as well as a large area below deck. The door to the cabin can be locked and the many windows offer a view to the occupant while preserving privacy within from any inquisitive passerby.

In fact, the Accalia, like my little castle, does feel like home the moment one boards her. One feels safe and secure and very 'anchored' in its reality. I would like to thank the Accalia's creator for making it possible for me to realise another dream. I was shocked and delighted when Wolves Bain presented me with my own 'Accalia.'

I had the honour of being taken on a tour of Wolves Bain's newest castle yesterday evening. It is very different from my 'mini-castle' and the 'Accalia' in the sense that it is a large and spacious castle that would encourage great gatherings and social occasions. The style is very elegant but unique as well. There is a mixture of influences in the details, but all conspire together to create an impressive and delightful masterpiece. I eagerly await the story of this castle and its christening. As yet, it does not have a name.

Like many builders and creators in SL, Wolves Bain has a group for individuals who are interested in his work. He is extremely generous by nature, not only with his creations but with his time. Even if occupied, he is willing always to come to the rescue of an owner who has misplaced a teleport device or cannot move the castle to the best location. He is incredibly patient and helpful to newcomers, unlike many experts who often become arrogant and inaccessible. There is an essential humanity in his nature, I think, which makes it a great pleasure to own any of his creations.

His generosity was further displayed last night when he sent a notice to his group, giving each member an incredible Dome Skybox. Originally conceived as a dome for his new castle, I saw it first floating in the sky next to the castle and thought it incredibly beautiful. A few hours later, I received a group notice:

'Where can you go if you need to escape? Perhaps a Dome Skybox. it's a gift from me to the members of this group.
Needs a 1024m land, it's 37 prims and has a hot tub.
thank you for choosing me as your castle builder
Wolves'


Wolves Bain and his partner, Darks Adria have created a special 'interactive' environment for Hallowe'en. The notice for this announced that:

'When I purchased the land adjacent to Castle Row, I was not aware it held strange secrets. See for yourself ....visit Castle Row garden.'

I spent a wonderful afternoon with a friend exploring this area. Complete with open coffins, cages, ghosts and spectral wolves, it was an amazing, creative environment. It was lots of fun to explore.

CastleRow@Hyojong is to be found in the region of Hyojong at the following coordinates: (183, 175, 49).