This Year’s Renaissance Hunt and Faire in Second Life

In Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace - and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.

Orson Welles

So, after a few weeks of erotic art, storytelling, reading Tarot cards, and technical issues, I’m returning to more conventional fare about Second Life (SL) this week.

Please don’t turn away when you read this because, this week, I’m visiting one of the most popular, exciting, and interesting annual events inworld, namely, the Renaissance Hunt and Faire put on by my old and good friend, Perryn Peterson. (Yes, I do admit to a certain amount of bias here but after visiting this event for several years now as well as other productions of Perryn’s, I’m more than a little impressed by his work.) This is the third one and as my recent visit will show will surpass its predecessors.

This year’s Hunt and Faire are earlier than usual running from September 1^st to the 30^th. (Perryn is finally realizing he’s only human and is trying balance his workload. Let’s see how that goes for him!)

One recent evening, I rezzed into the Faire area to receive a personally guided tour of the site by Perryn himself before the official opening. (One of the few perq’s of being a blogger inworld and a friend of Perryn’s. Come to think of it, that’s just about the only perq.) The poster for this year’s Faire is in front of me. (Tattoo Lane has done another superb job.)

I’m greeted by Perryn attired for the occasion with his usual sartorial taste and elegance. (I may not know how to dress properly inworld but my friends sure know how to or be undressed as circumstances require.) We’re at the landing zone which is a Renaissance era ship. We walk down the gangplank and are at the rebuilt entry plaza. In a departure from previous Faires, several enterprising merchants are setting up shop here to greet hunters as they arrive.

As Perryn walks with me towards the town gate he explains that his SL partner, Mike Olbracht, has been busily redoing the landscaping for the event and “autumnifying” everything he can lay his hands on. I’m happy to hear that Mike has returned hale ‘n hearty from his recent Real Life (RL) medical absence and is actively participating once again.

Returning to the Faire site for the third time makes me feel like I’m going back to an old neighborhood. A feeling I get a lot these days inworld. (Significant Other wants to know whatever happened to someplace new inworld every time I rezz in.) There are many things the same but as Perryn is about to show me, there are many differences too. Also, please remember that the Hunt and Faire is not a static place like a museum which moves exhibits around from time to time. It’s a dynamic, living community where every day offers new variety and unexpected experiences. What may once have been is no longer.

Coming through the gate, Perryn and I proceed in a clockwise direction around the sim. This means the sea is to our left. At the docks, Marcel Ghostraven, no relation, will have his fantastic ships. He has also created as a prize a mesh peasants’ horse-drawn wagon which is well worth looking for.

As we stroll by the buildings where merchants are beginning to present their wars, Perry tells me that sixty-five to seventy vendors are participating this year. Only one booth is still available at this time and he has multiple requests from vendors to participate. In addition to the buildings, there are push carts and tents for the merchants’ wares.

Approximately, halfway through our walk, we come across my favorite part of the sim, the gypsy encampment. (I have this fantasy of leading a gypsy caravan inworld with my friends someday. Hey, it’s my fantasy and a lot less crazy than some inworld!) The colorful vardos of the gypsies are in place and their horses graze in a nearby paddock. And there will be a Tarot reader here for those wishing to have their fortunes told.

The landscaping we encounter is as colorful, varied, and lush as any woodland scene from the Renaissance would be. Mike’s additions of streams and ponds only accentuates the pastoral scene. (Even if you care nothing about the Renaissance or hunts then come to see the landscaping for itself. It’s among the highest quality I’ve seen inworld.)

Along the way, Perryn and I encounter a few other favorites of mine from this event. There’s the Chained Library which goes back to the very first Faire when it was gifted to Perryn. (I’m a writer, I love books, chained or unchained, no apologies.) The maypole is still in place as is the galliard dance area where master animator, Cyneswith Luik has added a third Renaissance dance entitled “Black Nag”. (A Youtube version can be seen.) And, of course, the Foode and Meade Halle is there offering refreshments to the hunters.

For those looking for more active entertainment, the jousting lists and buskers stage are back as well.

Our wanderings eventually take Perryn and I back to the signpost near the town gate where we started from. Perryn states that this year’s theme for the merchants participating in the Hunt is Robin Hood and Maid Marion. Apparently, Wyvern Dryke will be the official Robin Hood for the Hunt along with three hundred or so wannabe’s.

As always there will be plenty of freebies and mini-hunts to keep everyone engaged.

I take my leave of Perryn and thank him for his time and hospitality. He takes the Renaissance Hunt and Faire very seriously. (As he does all his events.) His attention to detail is considerable as I noticed when he pointed out the rubbish tip that had been added from last year to increase the realism.

I encourage everyone who can to visit and participate in the Third Renaissance Hunt and Faire. SL is at its best when the people, their creativity, and camaraderie come together in inworld events such as this.

Maybe you’ll run into me there! (Hopefully, that doesn’t scare anyone away.)

One last note, there are several new merchants participating this year. I encountered some of their shops in my tour. Miss Stormy Loraheet of Armoire, Mlle Ephe Luik and Ephemera offer women’s merchandise. Miss Feyda Ann Ferryhill and Feyline Fashions offer men’s wear. This is not an exhaustive list but merely those whom I encountered. Please come and show these and the other merchants your support by visiting them and maybe buying some of their products.

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.

Below I’ve included a few links to pictures of the Faire site. Pictures are fun but, trust me on this, go visit for yourself, see the place, meet the people, and have a great time!

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.

Photo No. 1 Landing Zone

Photo No. 2 Renaissance Hunt III Poster (with credit to Tattoo Lane)

Photo No. 3 Registration Center

Photo No. 4 Town Gate and Faire Entrance

Photo No. 5 RVi Design Booth

Photo No. 6 Ships at the Docks

Photo No. 7 Merchants Lane I

Photo No. 8 Merchants Lane II

Photo No. 9 Jousting Lists

Photo No. 10 Landscaping I

Photo No. 11 Gypsy Caravan

Photo No. 12 Gypsy Encampment