SL21B – Welcome Area, Firestone Keep, and the Aquatorium

On By altathiemenIn Second Life, SL Events
A campfire burns toward the left of the picture. On the right, a woman sits in a folding chair looking at the fire.

SLB Awesome and SLB Magnificent

The main welcome area landing point is at SLB Awesome. The welcome area plaza stands under a huge lattice work pyramid. Head down the steps to the north to get to the rest of the SLB regions via the other welcome region SLB Magnificent.

A lattice work pyramid floats over a large plaza on an island rising steeply out of the water in the foreground. Another plaza can be seen through the pyramid on the far side of the island. In the far distance a tall tower composed of twisting panels rises out of the water. Many balconies jut out from it at varying heights.

But, before you head down the ramp toward SLB Magnificent, and The Tapestry of Time beyond, make sure to collect everything from the welcome area. Around the landing point, you’ll find a number of panels.

  • The SL21B gifts giver
  • A group joiner
  • HUD givers
    • For the Swaginator hunt
    • For the Elements hunt
  • Panel where you can add a texture/image to the community gallery
  • Directions for making sure you’re getting the full PBR experience
  • Teleporters to the general and adult regions
  • And a portal to the Welcome Hub (where there are portals back and to the Shop n’ Hop
A nighttime view of a broad plaza. A large mosaic spelling out SL21B occupies the middle of the plaza. Standing rectangular panels form a crescent around the far side of the mosaic. A lattice work pyramid surmounts the whole plaza.

Magnificent is mostly empty with paths bordered by fountains leading to a central pyramid. Along the paths are displays that will show the images submitted to the community gallery.

The Firestone Keep Stage

A view into a ruined cathedral. The wall and arches to the right still stand as does the far wall at the end of what must have been the nave. Bright orange light fills the remaining windows as if something is burning on the other side. There is no roof and a large red planet hangs over the far wall of the cathedral. Large braziers burn in rows on the left and right down the length of the nave. At the far end, a number of people dance before a DJ deck.

The theme for SL21B is “The Elements”, meaning Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. The Firestone Keep stage is most definitely constructed using the element of fire. The ruined cathedral where the stage itself is found is filled with large burning braziers. An orange black sky is dominated by a huge red planet hanging in the northern sky.

The Firestone Keep stage is in the adult area of SL21B. Last year was the first year SLB hosted adult exhibit regions. This year is the first where an event stage has been placed there.

Like the other three stages, Firestone Keep is composed of four regions (Steamy, Feisty, Spicy, and Smoldering), but not in the usual way. The stage is off by itself in one region and the other three are mostly for decoration.

There are back doors into the adult Shop n’ Hop from Smoldering http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLB%20Smoldering/239/128/23 and Feisty http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SLB%20Feisty/248/129/23.

Watch your feet on the northern path through Steamy. The lava is running across the road. And there are even lava bombs falling in Feisty.

The Aquatorium

A bridge arches over a shallow canal in the foreground between two blue pillars. It leads to a round path that runs around another canal filled with shallow, light blue water. Lumps of sand provide a foot bridge across the second canal. Over the circular path, hanging braziers hold crystal flames in green, purple, blue, pink, and orange. In the center of everything is a circular stage backed by a disk on which an SL21B logo is painted. A wall fronted by tented arches stands behind the stage area. Tall free standing arches surmount the structure in the distance.

The Aquatorium, covering the four regions of Mesmerize, Pizzazz, Spellbound, and Stunning, is the water stage. It’s also the marquee event stage for SL21B. This is where the welcome event was held and I’m pretty sure this is where the townhalls and community round tables are to be held.

The water theme runs thoroughly through the whole stage build. Sea plants grow around the inner walls. Water spills down the sides of the stairway to the secondary stage. Canals surround the main stage. And the whole edifice sits in the middle of four regions of sea.

I’ve only seen two of the four stages, apart from quick glances, but it looks like the Moles have outdone themselves yet again. Looking forward to exploring the air and earth stages next.

Hope to see you at SL21B!

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