Safari Goes into Fantasia

Safine Mahoe's brand new sim Fantasia on Friends Grid is a magnificent new landscape and Safine very kingly offered the HG Safari group the first look. It's 16 regions of woodland, swamp, waterways and meadows, peppered with houses and creatures all of a fantastic kind, whether it's from folklore, literature, or her own imagination. All was perfectly planned for our trip as the second destination  of the week, when about 20 minutes before we were supposed to go there, it turned out that the region watn' letting people in. Very frustrating for Safine, since all had been fine just about an hour earlier when we had checked the LMs were working. 

Safine outdid herself by getting us to the region despite the glitch

There was no time to stand around asking ourselves why this had happened so Safine very rapidly got busy trying to stop the region telling people they were 'banned' - that was not at all what was happening! But as we all know, the standard messages of Opensim when something isn't working can be much ruder and less informative than desired! With swiftness and care, Safine quickly worked to make it possible for as many of us who were willing to power through the situation to get to her gorgeous new realm, and most of us did, including the newest Safarian, Neko Littlepaws who moments before had been accompanying us around the wonderful Exodus sim on Groovyverse - you can read about that tour here.

Our fairy guide, Safine Mahoe

Safine Mahoe: first off, thank you for coming......I am truly honored! I apologize for the access issue, it was fine two hours ago

Thirza Ember: yes that's opensim for ya

Tina Bey: lol

James Atlloud: yeah - we are used to it

Dorena Bree: a mystery wrapped inside a mystery

Forest Azure: those are the best

Dorena.Bree: I think so too

Karsten Runningbear: hello

Safine Mahoe: so a couple comments... we will not see all of this today....it is too large. we will see a bit.   I suggest  holding off on going inside individual houses, houses can be small for a group....cam in

James Atlloud: Thank you Safine - sounds good

Safine Mahoe: this is a 16 sim fantasy region.....please use shared environment

James Atlloud: shared environment - check

Safine Mahoe: this first area we are approaching is hobbit village you will see a variety of different crafters  in the buildings winery, baker, woodworker

James.Atlloud: lol - I don't have hobbit feets! hmmm, I think I lost them

Neko Littlepaws: ohh thats in my part of the world... I'm planning to see this rl in  few yrs time

Karsten Runningbear: the first is for me :))

Thirza Ember: oh wow Neko how cool!

Safine Mahoe: You will see the fog come and go constantly during our tour....

Karsten Runningbear: really good fog

Safine Mahoe: thank you,   I tried many different...this is low lag but adds to the atmosphere... at fantasia I have tried to make different areas

James Atlloud: Interior is wonderful.  Though the wizard looks like Dumbledore?

Thirza Ember: a great choice to include Hobbits and not just elves

James Atlloud: yes

The Hobbit houses are beautifully decorated inside also, so if you visit alone be sure and explore inside not just outside. Not only has Safine gone into detail on the domestic side, outside you will also find little flower and veggie patches, showing that Hobbits know how to eat healthy!

Karsten Runningbear: nods, i love hobbits

Forest Azure: oh., those hobbits dine well!

Thirza Ember: the hillside is gorgeous

Safine Mahoe: you will find that the terrain is very hilly....I prefer hills to flat

Safine Mahoe: next we will pass through the fairy forest... here I tried to create a very magical place......

Cherry Manga: awwwww

Thirza Ember: did you first collect all these materials, or did you build up the collection - and make stuff - while building?

Safine Mahoe: this is a massive collection, many things were modded... we try to share everything possible....but  some things we cannot because of where they were purchased

Into the fairy forest

Safine Mahoe: we are heading through the mountain woods now

Thirza Ember: nice fresh mountain air

Karsten Runningbear: and hard trail :)

Safine Mahoe: you will see darker paths.   Those go to the darker fantasy area

Thirza Ember: oh deer

Tina Bey: All so beautiful

Karsten Runningbear: upps... bear, wulf

Dorena Bree: he was looking at me funny

Neko Littlepaws: run, grin

Thirza Ember: just imagining how many days simply to place all the pathway

Karsten Runningbear: its amazing

James Atlloud: So much to see!

Thirza Ember: have you used a lot of animesh? or do you prefer npc wanderers?

Safine Mahoe: the path was very hard...    Path of flat ground is easy.....but nothing here is flat. I have a couple npc here....I prefer animeesh

James Atlloud: Animesh has gotten so smooth

Karsten Runningbear: i saw a black wolf running fast, what scripts do you use to make objects move?

Safine Mahoe: you will see many different variations of treehouses here

Thirza Ember: everyone, can I just say thanks for sticking with this tour and not giving up... as you all know  - opensim can be so weird at times

Forest Azure: as if we would, Thirza!

James Atlloud: There is so much here Safine!

Safine Mahoe: this opens to the public after you all leave

Dorena Bree: Its just the nature of our wacky universe

Safine Mahoe: Safari has been kind to me and I wanted you to see it first

James makes himself at home

Thirza.Ember: so I think she did an amazing job of getting us all here at all considering the time she had between us realizing there was a glitch and us all getting here

James Atlloud: I'm a wood-elf in most games so this is a comfy spot for me :)

It wa getting late and Safine was well aware that our initial delay had put her planned itinerary off track.

Safine Mahoe: if you need to leave.....I understand...or do you want to see more?

Forest Azure: more!

James Atlloud: more

Dorena Bree: More

Thirza Ember: let's see a bit more, but then also plan a return trip in april

Tina Bey: Yes, that's true, but it was worth it.

Safine Mahoe: you will see many more treehouses around you.   here is a working crossbow

Safine Mahoe: ok...we are heading into the swamp. i designed it to be tough

James Atlloud: Gator!

Forest Azure: boo!

Karsten Runningbear: woow, not easy to move, but i liked it

Thirza Ember: this is spooky territory

Safine Mahoe: it was hard to make, I wanted to show different sides to fantasy

Forest Azure: it is very beautiful,  all of this

James Atlloud: Completely different biome

Dorena Bree: gator almost got me

James Atlloud: whew, I need a fire to dry out my carpet suit

Safine Mahoe: The next area is silly.....but many people love the wild colors with fantasy... this is Mushroom village

James Atlloud: Luv the colors!

 Dorena Bree: this is what the swamp gasses do to you

Forest Azure: lol ...that and eating paddo's

Safine Mahoe: I wanted to show a crazy assortment of mushrooms and the gnomes that live here

Tonykasjohny Resident: Fantastic mushrooms

Safine Mahoe: you will see a variety of Mushroom houses.....

Tina Bey: brilliant..!

Thirza Ember: this is the place where the fun guys get together ...it must have been a challenge getting all the different kinds

Safine Mahoe: I collected mushrooms for a year

Dorena Bree: how long have you been building all of this?

Safine Mahoe: This has been about 9 months of hard work.  Zuzu made the interior and I made the outer circle.  You have seen less than half.

The variety of things to look at is out of this world. On other occasions, I've been to this slightly spooky but spiritual hall for heroes...

I circled past a wonderful covered bridge...

... and descended into the hidden caves of the elves.

This is truly a place for roleplay, maybe Safine will allow people to live here, who knows - it would make a very serene base in these turbulent times, and the magic would quickly heal your spirit for sure.

Thirza Ember: apart from the sim crossings, I don't have lag at all, it's very efficiently done

Neko Littlepaws: ok my 1st hg tour, been so fun, im off to rl but thanks soo much

James Atlloud: Very little lag for when we were walking.

Karsten Runningbear: nods thirza, its perfect

Dorena Bree: i only had some lag in the swamp, but i blamed it on the alligator, so its ok

James Atlloud: Thank you Safine for letting us visit - I've seen things here I've never seen before!

Safine Mahoe: Thank you for coming James! I am putting the region on osw.....if you liked it...please  mention it

Karsten Runningbear: here its 11 pm, i need to sleep now, thanks Safine, very very good work

Dorena Bree: Thanks for showing!

HG Address: login.friends-grid.com:8002:Fantasia.128/128/23