Showing posts with label Steampunk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steampunk. Show all posts

The Independent State of Caledon

(If you are inworld, you can pick up a notecard with most of this information at the Tourist Information Office in Celchu. It has teleport locations rather than Slurls.)



Caledon is a beautiful place to visit. It is remarkably free of ugly builds, banlines, and zero-second security orbs. Many citizens are intensely loyal to their State, and have lived there for years. 

Before you visit you might want to change to an appropriate costume. See Ryan Schultz' excellent article for help on where to find free Caledon-appropriate attire and other information. 

It was hard to pick which places in Caledon to write about, since there are so many interesting and unique locations. In the end I selected only a handful of places I thought were representative. You can get a notecard with a list of more destinations at several places around Caledon.


Start of the orientation course at Oxbridge


You may have been to Caledon Oxbridge, where there is an excellent orientation course, but there is more to the Independent State of Caledon than the orientation center and the classrooms.

History: The Independent State of Caledon (Caledon) is said to be the oldest private continent in Second Life. At one point it even offered free dormitories for new residents, and it continues to offer classes and assistance to anyone.  

It currently consists of over 24 regions, each one unique. Residents rent a parcel, large or small, and put up their own home - it can be a modest cottage or a larger manor home.




Stop at the bulletin boards in front of the lecture hall in Oxbridge to pick up information about other Steampunk communities (known collectively as the Steamlands), and a notecard about places to visit in Caledon. 

Caledon does not have a pod transport systems, but they have two railway systems and an elegant airship system. I have also seen other regional transport systems. Look for the horse near the University. There is a sign directing you to a corral where you can pick your own mount while you explore Caledon.

Airship by night (Gimped)




Airship by day, at passenger dock






















Caledon Kittiwickshire - Goode Laboratories 'Good'? You decide.

Caledon Moors - Cemetery (do not pet the bunny)

Caledon On Sea - Mount Caledon Preserve  - breathtaking view!


Caledon Pensans or is it Penzance? Talk to the old lady by the newsstand to get a visitor's guide.

Caledon Pensans Fire Circle. Dance in the stone circle: One of many builds put up by the residents for everyone to enjoy.



Robokitty over Pensans - Perhaps you were wondering why it is "Purrats of Pensans?


Secret Tunnels  (Teleport a bit away from the landing, then click on the dark tunnel mouth. This is an extensive tunnel system with at least two exits. Take a flashlight.) The mice are harmless, I'm not sure about the other things...


Caledon Sky Steam City  Zen Mondo Wormser's store is interesting to explore.


Caledon Stormhold. Primarily a residential area. A nice place to live. 

Renting: Look for the parcel markers to see if you can find an unoccupied spot to rent. The covenant is on parcels at Caledon Oxbridge and is fascinating reading even if you do not plan to live here.  Different areas of Caledon have different suggested themes and may have different rates. There is more information in the Hall near the University.

Some are on poles, some are on the ground.


Caledon Tanglewood. Another residential area. Heavily wooded. It appears the turkeys have been tamed.

Caledon Victoria City and More Freebies - Be careful nibbling the mushrooms.

The Caledon Quest Hunt for Caledon Coins. (It seems to get progressively harder at each step along the way, but if you finish you will get your name on 'Quest Victors Globe') Next to the poster are maps of the train and Airship routes.

Governor's Mansion Who know what evil lies under the Governor's Mansion? If you don't want to know, don't stand on the round thing on the first floor.



Note: The teal outfit I am wearing in one photo was a gift from a Mieville Spring Steam Hunt. The red outfit is an Edwardian Walking Suit from the Curious Seamstress, whose products are now only available on the Marketplace. It is perhaps not period appropriate, but I figured it was better than wearing jeans.


Visiting New Babbage - A Steampunk City of the 1800's (Updated 3-23-22)

Clockhaven

New Babbage is a virtual representation of a steampunk city set in the 1800's.  Walking through its cobbled streets is like walking back through time and into an alternate universe.  Many writers have lived here and written stories about New Babbage*,  and many machinimas** have been made there. It is a place of mist, mystery, and story. Legend has it that all the mad scientists and villains that have been kicked out of other SL steampunk locations have moved here.

I spent days collecting landmarks, and I kept finding new places to explore, until I finally decided to shorten my list and just blog about a few of the many interesting sites. 

There is more information at my new "Tourist Information Center" in Celchu.

It is recommended that you set your browser to "Shared Environment". Also, changing into steampunk garb will make you feel less like a tourist - there are several off-the-rack system avatars that will fit right in.

Let's start with a meal at Brunel Hall. Food is free, but you need to join the group first. After that, click on the Information sign for a brochure. Sit down at one of the set tables. Touch the plate to get a menu, and touch the cutlery to get utensils. Click the chair to get eating animations. You may have to make some adjustments. 

Lunch in Brunel Hall


There are reputed to be secret tunnels under the restaurant/hotel, leading to other parts of New Babbage.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Academy%20of%20Industry/52/76/108

Full of pancakes and strawberry mousse, I head to Piedmont Landing. This large open space was set up as an event space and ballroom. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/79/18/139

Next, down the stairs to see the elegant brass rose fountains. Then down the left-hand stairs and to the left to Langdon Gardens. The small building here is a recreation of a study made for Mark Twain. 

Mark Twain Studio

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Wheatstone%20Waterways/12/42/101

Along this street are the offices of the Babbage Gazette, Loki's Airshop Company, and The Urchin Shop. There is a tram stop just around the corner. 

Everything you need to urch!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/191/58/106

The New Babbage Paleozoic Museum. Touch the fossils at your peril.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Clockhaven/29/102/111

The Silas Marner Gallery offers a wide range of art, from sculpture to painting. There are now miepon machines instead of gacha machines. 

A fine selection of sculpture and painting. 


http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Babbage%20Square/201/180/111

There are more bars, art galleries, museums, shops, and fascinating builds than I have room to put here. Who knows what you will discover!


*Tales of New Babbage is now up to Volume Three.

**'machinima' is a video made in virtual reality. Check out YouTube.

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