Sex and the Single Avatar in Second Life XX – Revisiting BDSM in Second Life

 Right on the edge of fear was where trust could grow. 

Cherise Sinclair

Here’s a first for me!

Two back-to-back Sex and the Single Avatar in Second Life (SL) stories and both are both are about BDSM! 

(Significant Other gives me that look that says, “Don’t start getting any ideas!)

Actually, this coincidence says less about me and more about the vagaries of my editorial processes and the prevalence of the BDSM lifestyle inworld.  

In today’s story, I return to the Devilhand Castle of Carnal Pleasure, or as it’s now known as Devilhand City.  I’m also going to announce some exciting news about a joint project between Devilhand and myself.  More details in a moment!

Yes, not long after, I first visited Devilhand, there was a rebranding.  (What, did you think that only Real Life (RL) did things like this?)

So, now that the smoke and dust have settled over there in Devilhand, I dropped by recently to chat with the couple who run it, Amaterasu (“Ama”) Silvercloud and Steve.  Both are practicing members of the BDSM lifestyle inworld themselves.    

Where, once Devilhand was a magnificent castle brooding over the countryside hinting at all sorts of nastiness and mystery within, now it’s a gritty, urban area in the style of 1920s Chicago.  Instead of one imposing structure that draws visitors in, one now has a maze of streets, frightening alleys, and buildings bordering a lake patterned roughly after RL

Chicago.  (OK, I know I’m going to get a lot of flak from RL Chigagoeans that this is nothing like their beloved Chi-town.  All I have to say in reply is to use a little imagination please!) 

The film-noirish look and feel of the new Devilhand hints at Prohibition, the Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre, and all the other sins of that era.  The themes are mobsters, gangsters, and crime of all sorts.  As Ama says, “It was a wild time!” 

Naturally, BDSM is still woven into the fabric of the Devilhand community.  Wandering around town, one can find small places for quiet, intimate moments of bondage. 

So, why the switch from medieval to Twentieth Century America?

Seems that Devilhand was experiencing a steady decline in visitors over quite some time, and they realized that the competition with the Gorean and other medieval sims was just too difficult to compete with. 

Hence, the 1920s were born inworld! 

Steve also feels that there are endless possibilities, the medieval sim was quite

limiting for various reasons, and now he feels that they have opened it up. Himself, he’s looking forward to being able to explore the seedy private eye role in the sim. 

 Devilhand is open to all residents but would like visitors who are familiar with the basics of role play or at least will respect those who are role playing.  There is a preference for humanoid residents.  Devilhand would like to see participants as opposed to just tourists dropping by.  Ama likes to point out that there is more to Devilhand than just mobsters and gangsters, visitors should explore all parts of the town.

Speaking of exploring, Steve encourages visitors to not just rezz into the landing zone, walk two meters outside the building and then TP away.  Spend time getting to know Devilhand and its residents.  It’s well worth the time and effort! 

I’ve gone walkabout several times in Devilhand and I keep getting lost.  (We’ll ignore Significant Other’s comment about why should SL be any different from RL.)

There are many buildings, streets, entertainment venues (I did manage to find the

burlesque house!), and other dark corners that will keep drawing you back.  (Hey, did I mention that I have an office here too?)

Devilhand is also expanding their social calendar.  There will be events, parties, concerts, dances, balls, tribute concerts (already started), and the occasional mob hits. Check the recently launched Devilhand website for details!  

As for the future, Devilhand feels that they quite settled.  So, development of that base is next. They want to make things better and nicer, and find what people want and how they can build a stable user group. 

Oh, and remember the original Devilhand Castle?

Well, it seems that it was brought back by popular demand and can be found here. 

Also, Steve and Ama now have additional help in running Devilhand. 

Nightbud (“Night”) is the mayor and Phryne is in charge of public relations and the Devilhand website. 

I’d like to thank all of them for meeting with me recently and bringing me up to date on all that’s been happening in Devilhand!

Now, for that big announcement that I’d mentioned earlier.

I will be writing a series of six short stories based in the Devilhand world.  They’ll be fiction but will draw on the characters and locations in the sim.  There’ll be a few fictional

characters as well.  The only way my readers will be able to figure out who’s who is by visiting Devilhand!  (Yeah, sneaky, I know but it works!)  The stories will be edgy and different from what I normally write.  I hope you’ll like them!

They’ll be posted every other month on the Devilhand website which can be found here and on my blogroll. 

So, drop by and check out the new Devilhand!  You can find it here!   

Do stay for a while and get engaged!

Better, yet drop by my office and have a cup of coffee with me! 

For more pictures from Devilhand City check out this flickr page.

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life  please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Sex and the Single Avatar in Second Life XIX – Visiting a New BDSM Club in Second Life

No one looks back on their life and remembers the nights they got plenty of sleep.

Anonymous

Recently, I learned of a new BDSM sim in Second Life (SL). 

(Significant Other wonders why I keep finding these places.)

This one has an interesting twist.  (No pun intended.)

Unlike many BDSM sites inworld which are cold, dank subterranean dungeons, this one is more like a Gold’s Gym with a club and beach resort thrown in.

Intrigued by the concept (Significant Other’s eyes roll and lips say, “What else is new?”) I make arrangements to visit the site and meet the owners. 

The BDSM resort is called Sands of SinnZ and is located here.   

The owners and managers are a couple called Holle von SinnZ and Racheal SinnZ.  And, yes, they are lovers, engaged, and soon to be married inworld.  More on this is in a moment!  In addition, Holle is Rach’s mistress.

Holle and Rach are both longtime residents in SL with interesting stories about how they came to be. 

Holle’s background goes back to avatars prior to her current avi. Holle is a character from a book she was working on at the time in Real Life (RL), and was never meant to get any real time, but Holle was jumping into this avi to write while inworld, and the more she was away from the RL sorrows of her former main avi, the more at peace she felt. So rightly or wrongly Holle stayed Holle.  But in time the emotional train wrecks of her and Rach’s lives came to head as most things do bringing them together.  However, Holle would do it all over again to be here with Rach today. 

Rach came into SL over eight years ago, when her late sister introduced her to it.    Back then it was a very different world in SL, she used to just hang around with friends and got to know a few good ones whom she joined with as family.  Rach has remained close friends with a few of them.  In her eight years, she has done a lot.  Rach has designed and built sim layouts, has built motorcycles, and run clubs.  She’s also done DJing and photography.  Yet, somehow, it started to all become the same until she met Holle who gave her a new life and kick started her SL experience again.  Hence, they are now a couple with this beach and club. 

Holle and Rach met in a BDSM club.  As Holle puts it, “I spotted her.  But I was like WOW she’s HOT!…2 secs later she [Rach] IMED me and it’s been Wild in love from there”

Meanwhile, Rach says that she was just wondering and thinking of leaving SL and

she stumbled across Holle at that club who became her mistress and fell in love with.  She knew then that Holle was the one she wanted to marry. 

Needless to say, there is a very strong sexual component to their relationship!

Holle and Rach have never met in person in RL. Their relationship is exclusively through SL. 

When it comes to the BDSM lifestyle in RL, Rach seems to be the more experienced of the couple with Holle has only “played” with BDSM in RL but admits to wanting to tie Rach up if they ever meet in RL.  Rach has offered to supply the rope. 

Holle and Rach decided to open the club for two reasons.

First, the beach was the core idea, a place open to explore the BDSM lifestyle.  Second, they both love clubs.  They started throwing parties here and there so it all sort of just clicked for them. 

Holles believes that SL does not complement the BDSM lifestyle very much.  Some BDSM places inworld have it right, while others don’t, Holle likes to think they offer a happy mix.  Rach been part of the BDSM lifestyle in RL says that SL doesn’t really complement it.  It’s a different lifestyle in her opinion but they do have points in common.

When discussing how their club differs from its competition, Rach explains that they offer the BDSM life on a open beach with the club as an extra attraction.  The club could be

said to be in many ways like the competition but Rach would like for anyone to find a more relaxing and enjoyable beach BDSM scene.

Holle says that all clubs are basically alike but there’s only one club that has Holle and Rach, and they are trying to bring a harmony of BDSM and club life together.  Adding that it’s not easy!

Rach notes that BDSM and their club are one here and are not separated as can be seen with the location of the play room next to the club’s dance floor. 

As for clientele, Rach states that it’s open for people to explore the BDSM lifestyle in the club environment either the beach scene or the urban scene. 

Holle says that as they build and find new styles, they will implant them discreetly each time adding new experience for guests.

Sands of Sinnz is not looking for any specific client types, such as dom/dommes, subs, slaves, or nudists.  All are welcome and Holle and Rach want to be home to all the above. 

Visitors can have sex in the open and are encouraged to find their own balance at the resort.  (Rach adds that they can’t say no when they do!) 

Holle explains that BDSM isn’t about sex only but that’s where SL and RL differ she feels. 

When asked about what are their ultimate goals for the club, Holle says that she'd

like to see it grow.  This is their love and soul, so of course she wants it to grow and live.  Their ultimate goal is for Sands to grow and the people coming here to return because they have found what Holle and Rach see in it. 

Holle and Rach have learned several lessons from this project so far.

Rach starts by saying having someone you love with you while building was a dream for her which gave me the inspiration to get on with it. 

Holle’s lesson is to have your key elements in place before you start as in money, people to help, and that’s the big one – “ASKing”for help.”

Keeping it simple to start and not throwing too many ideas into the cooking pot at once. 

I saved the most important question for last, “When's the wedding?”

Holle and Rach are looking at some time in 2017 but they both say the wedding will be when the time is right.  Which is a great answer!

(If I get invited I promise that there’ll be a follow-up story!)

Sands of Sinnz is a comfortably sized facility catering to BDSM, nudists, and others who want a friendly, open environment to mingle with others or to be alone with a partner for more intimate moments. 

BDSM equipment is located in the play room next to club’s dance floor while individual BDSM pieces are located on small nearby islands for private practice. 

Holle and Rach hold events regularly at Sands from 2:00 to 8:00PM SLT every day with the best activities occurring on Mondays and Thursdays. 

Overall, Sands of Sinnz is a great place to go and have a good time inworld. 

It can be found here. 

The staff are friendly and welcoming and the other guests are well behaved. 

I recommend Sands of Sinnz for anyone curious about BDSM or who is just looking to have a good time with others!

Tell ‘em web sent you!

Who knows, you may find me hanging out there!

I’d like to thank Holle and Rach for taking the time for this interview and for showing me around.

I also want to wish them every happiness and good fortune in their lives together inworld!

Finally, thanks to The Companion for taking the pictures used in this story and that can also be found on this flickr page. 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

I Join a Second Life Blog Parade!

A procession is a participants' journey, while a parade is a performance with an audience.

 Rebecca Solnit

Recently, an old friend in Second Life (SL) and fellow blogger, Caroline Resident, suggested a new activity to her fellow bloggers, myself included. 

(I’d like to think I was included due to the quality of my blogging and not as Significant Other suggests because Caroline needed bodies.)

Anyway, Caroline thought it would be fun to have a blog parade. 

She wanted to do it for all the right reasons especially having fun and promoting the work of all the participants.

The format is simple.  Caroline has asked a series of questions and we all respond.  Even I can do this!

Here’s Caroline’s seed story and an explanation of the parade rules.

And, here are my answers to her questions:

What did motivate you to start a blog about Second Life?

My motivation was twofold.  First, I wanted to explore.  Real Life (RL) events kept me from wandering across the globe so SL became the place I could go to.  (Significant Other beams happily.)  Second, I wanted to write, specifically to blog, and my SL travels gave me great content to blog about. 

Is your blog related to any kind of Second Life business? If yes please tell us what your business is all about.

No, but not for lack of trying!  It’d been my intention early on to make some money inworld to offset my costs and maybe show a small profit.  No luck!  My personal opinion is that Linden Lab’s failure to establish a robust and scalable economy inworld make it very difficult to have a successful business for very long. 

Are you actually making profits in Second Life? Do you dare to tell us how much approximately? 

As I explained in my previous answer, not making any money inworld!

How do you explain people who are not familiar with Second Life, what your blog or your Second Life business is all about?

I’ve given up.  With the sole exception of Significant Other (Who claims to be merely humoring me.) I no longer try to explain SL and my blog to others in RL.  Only SL residents seem to get what I’m all about.

How much time do you spend writing posts or promoting your blog?

I typically post once a week.  So, allowing for writing and tweaking my blog, and social media I probably spend about ten hours per month on it. 

Do you monetize your blog at all? If yes, how successful are you doing so?

Not at the present moment, someday when my traffic is sufficient, I hope to.

Do you actively promote your blog and if so, what methods of promotion or PR do you use?

Yes, I promote my blog actively on Twitter and Google+.  Used to do Facebook but apparently I’m not a real enough person for them! 

What do you like most about blogging about Second Life?

I enjoy bringing my stories to my readers.  When someone says they went somewhere inworld based on one of my stories, or that they’re a regular reader and enjoy my blog, I feel pretty good and it makes all the effort worthwhile!

What is your favorite activity in Second Life?

My favorite activity actually has three parts.  They are visiting new places inworld, making new friends when I arrive, and having new experiences. 

Where do you hang out in Second Life? If someone wanted to bumb into you were could people find you.

I tend to wander so more likely than not, I won’t be in any one particular place inworld very long.  The best way to find me is to send me an offer of friendship and look for me when you come inworld. 

What do you not like about Second Life in general?

I’m disappointed that Linden Labs has not done more to make SL a viable, self-sufficient virtual world.  I believe that an excellent opportunity was missed here. 

And last but not least: Do you have sex in Second Life? Dare to tell us details?

Ah, a gentleman never kisses and tells!  Meet me inworld and find out for yourself!

Well, there are my answers!

I’m very interested to see what happens next!

My thanks to Caroline for arranging this and I look forward to other great ideas from her in the future! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!

Looking Ahead to 2017 in Second Life

The timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream. 

 Kahlil Gibran

Happy New Year!

Yes, we all made it into 2017 and the future lies ahead of us!

(Significant Other thinks I’m being a little overly melodramatic here.)

Still, 2016 is behind us, and hopefully, this New Year will make up for some of the

goings on from last year!   (I’m referring more to Real Life (RL) here!)

As always, I have plans for the New Year in Second Life (SL) and I’ll share them with you now.

My approach to my wanderings inworld is going to be similar to what I’ve done in the past only the subjects will change.

First, I’ll be looking for new places to visit in SL. 

I’m looking for the different and the unusual.  I’ll try to go deeper in trying to understand what’s going on.

Next, I’ll be trying to make new friends inworld.

Here, I want to move outside of my usual circles of friends.  (And, not because, as Significant Other is implying, I’ve been banned.)  I’m looking for folks who are doing different things than what I normally blog about.  I also want to meet residents who are willing to share their stories. 

Finally, I’ll be looking to have new experiences inworld.  (Significant Other’s eyes roll here.)

I want to do things that I haven’t done before and as always, I’m willing to push the edges of the envelope.  Edgy is perfectly acceptable too.  (No pun intended!)

I extend an open invitation to all to either send me your ideas or to join me as I make this journey in 2017 across SL.  Or, feel free to watch me out of idle curiosity or prurient interest! 

I’ll continue my ongoing series, about Sex and the Single Avatar, Castles, and

Dungeons inworld.  The Mieville community is near and dear to my heart and I’ll be reporting on their always busy social calendar.

I’ll also try to report back on places I’ve visited in past years and are no longer with us.  I’ll try to meet the owners and other members of these sims to see what they’re up to.

On a more serious note, I’ll be blogging on some of the more serious issues inworld as they arise. 

There will be a surprise this year!

(Like how I used this teaser to get you to come back to my blog?)

The details are still be worked out but I should be able to report back shortly.

This project will have me writing SL based fiction on another blog.

Watch this space for further details! 

There will be RL influences that will need watching in SL. 

Sansar should be available this year and I’m not as sanguine as many others inworld are about its impact on SL.

SL changes constantly.  Well known big builds are going away but communities are still popping up, and if not thriving, are hanging in there. 

So, I look forward to 2017 in SL!

SL has never disappointed me with its ability to challenge and to entertain me.

I’ve met many good people inworld, some have quietly faded away and I wish them well, and I hope to meet many more!

SL reminds of that old saying, “There are no strangers here, only friends who have not met yet!”

See you in the New Year! 

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives. 

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

            If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

            Open roads and kind fires!