Announcement: Memorial Service to Melanippe.

 

 With deep sorrow, Roma announces the passing of Melanippe of Themiscyra (melanippe.karas), consul and one of the most beloved members of our community.

On Saturday, November 8, you are all invited to attend the memorial ceremony as follows:
•     12:00 PM SLT: The Funeral Parade – Pompa Funebris
•     12:30 PM SLT: The Funeral Ritual – Ritus Funebris
•     1:00 PM SLT: The Funeral Feast – Epulum Funebre

We await your presence!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Insula/24/53/27

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday April 12

 

    ~*~

 

    At 10 AM PST   

    The Height of The Roman Empire

    hhttps://www.sciencecircle.org/event/roman-empire/

    Presented by Chantal Jager

    Location TBA

 

    ~*~

 

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

 

RFL Announcement: "Roma Pro Vita Presents ... Togas!"

 

Team ACTS and Roma Pro Vita invites you to go back in time to Imperial Rome, to celebrate the beginning of Spring!  Arrive at our glorious Circus Maximus and tempt Fate by participating in chariot races.  Will you crash?  Or will you cross the finish line to win glory and the admiration of the Empress herself?

After the racing, ascend the stairs behind the VIP seating to the Gardens of Macenas and the Imperial Palace, where we have a grand feast prepared for you.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/208/124/43
Circus Maximus Hippodrome
 

A Glance at Roma

 

Years after they first came online, the Roma sims are still around. This is a historical location and community that makes it's home on three sims: Roma, Roma Suburbia, and Roma Transtiberium. Unlike some roleplay communities, Roma doesn't have a problem with furry avatars. But child avatars do have some special rules including being banned from a few portions of the sims. While roleplay is encouraged, it's not a requirement, and visitors are welcome as long as they don't bother anyone. On the last weekend of most months, they have festivals in which both local residents and visitors are invited.

For those whom haven't been to Roma before, there's a welcome center at ROMA (213/26/22). There, one can get explanations about the rules in detail and free mesh men's tunics and women's togas. There's also a playable game in which one is asked to find clues to what happened to a missing person. For still more information, one can check their blog at http://romacitizens.blogspot.com/ (not recently updated). One can also look in the Newser archives for stories we've written about them in the past, such as when one reporter dropped in on the day a new Senator was sworn into office.

For history fans, a neat place to explore, whether on the Ides of March or any other day.

Bixyl Shuftan

SL Video: "Chariot Racing at ROMA - 20 Lap Main Event"

(Click here if the video doesn't play)

From Kim Link on March 11. There are a number of races in Second Life, such as the Giant Snail Races, and the AGRA racetrack. At the Roma community, every week they have their chariot races. Unlike the other two mentioned however, the chariots (and horses) can suffer damage. Bump into the walls and other horses too much, you won't be finishing.

Something appropriate for the Ides of March.

Announcement: Roma February 2019 Lupercalia and Equirria Festival

Saturday, 23rd February

10am - Lupercalia Ritual and The Running of the Luperci
In celebration of this most ancient of festivals we will be performing a Roman ritual for Faunus Lupercus, the God of Wild Things and Lupa, the shewolf who nourished the founding fathers Romulus and Remus. After the rite, we will have the Running of The Luperci - half-naked youths who bless the young ladies of the city. The women will run ahead of the Luperci, who will lightly flog them with the goatskin floggers in hopes of fertility (both of mind and body). Following the ritual, we will have our traditional Lupercalia dancing in the garden - and clothing is optional!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/180/131/42
Luper Cave


11am - Venus' Truth
A variation on our popular Ask Venus event -- this time, Venus would love to hear your poems of love and romance. Come join our beautiful Goddess in the Baths of Caracalla, to lounge, swim, and share the prose and poetry of love!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/147/35/23
Baths of Caracalla

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Sunday, 24th February

10am - Equirria Legion Blessing Ritual & ROMA Chariot Races
The Legio, in a time honored military display, will present arms and come to be blessed for the new year. After the blessing, we will have chariot races in honour of Mars - all are welcome to try their luck at racing a chariot and a grand prize will be awarded to the victor!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/213/140/40
Hippodrome Circus Seating


12pm - Lupercalia Grand Feast
Join us for an evening of feasting, dancing, and good company, as well as Live Music by Sassy Nitely! You may opt to wear barbarian/wild outfits in honour of the Lupercalia if you wish.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/239/225/25
Roma Concert


1pm - Legio Half-naked Harpastum
A standard harpastum (Roman football/soccer) game with a Lupercalia twist! Participants may be topless for this event!

Be careful out there - don't let the other players distract you with their charms!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/82/233/42
Legio XIII Fort/Harpastum

Announcement: CDS Pub Crawl

The CDS Pub Crawl is back! and it's a cross community pub crawl that will include stops in New Toulouse, Roma, and our own CDS sims!

Music by DJ Manfred Hancroft

TIME: 12 - 2 pm SLT on Saturday, February 16,
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/New%20Toulouse/62/206/24
so add it to your calendar, and bring along a designated driver, because, you know, stuff happens. Bring along your iced tea and we'll add the mint julip part when you get here.

More info to follow with landmarks for the event!

A Busy Weekend

Quite a bit happened this weekend. The 2019 Winter Burn "Seasonal Perceptions" (pictured above) took place from Friday to Sunday. The Roma community's January festival, Paganalia, took place over Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday, Caledon Oxbridge University held it's tenth anniversary ball. Sunday had an event at the CDS community at their Venus Cafe. Later in the day, Veterans Isle hosted a benefit concert for Homes For Our Troops.

More about these events later this week.

Announcement: 2019 ROMA Paganalia Festival Schedule

Saturday, 26 January

10am - Roman Paganalia Ritual and Feast
In celebration of Paganalia, the Roman festival of sowing, we will be performing a ritual to honour Ceres (the goddess of agriculture) and Tellus (Mother Earth), followed by a feast in Collegia Religio Romana. Come join us in celebrating the beginning of the Paganalia!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Vinovium/110/231/24

12pm - Croc Race
You may have explored ROMA's Cloaca Maxima before, but have you ever raced through it on the back of a crocodile? Well now you can! Our Cloaca Croc Race will be a timed race, with the 3 best times winning 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. Can you navigate your croc through to victory before the competition? Join the race and find out!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/211/11/580

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Sunday, 27 January

12pm - Paganalia Grand Feast

ROMA's Paganalia Festival  continues with an evening of feasting and dancing. Live music will be provided by Franklee Anatra - so come dance the night away to good tunes and great company!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/193/220/27

1pm - Legio XIII Death-match
Come watch our brave soldiers challenge each other in a a brutal death match on a rope bridge

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/79/188/42

Announcement: 2018 ROMA October Festival Schedule

NOTE - later start times

Saturday - Oct. 20th
11am - Lemuria Ritual and Ghost Tales
In Roman religion, the Lemuralia or Lemuria was a feast during which the ancient Romans performed rites to exorcise the malevolent and fearful ghosts of the dead from their homes.Our Lemuralia ritual will banish any malevolent spirits, both real and imagined, while welcoming the protective spirits of the Lares and beneficent ancestors. Please bring ghost stories to share aloud afterwards in the ROMA tombs!
Transtiberim Signpost
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/59/35/45


1pm - Lemuria Monster Costume Contest
Come celebrate the Roman version of Hallowe'en with us! In honour of the festival, we will have a costume contest hosted by Kevinus Aemilius Kadora. Dress as any monster, ghost, or undead creature you can imagine - costume winners (top 3) will win cash prizes compliments of Gens Aemilia!
Halloween Costume Party
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Insula/96/138/22

****************************************************************

Sunday - Oct. 21st

12pm - ROMA Hallow'een Grand Feast
Ghouls and goblins, witches and forest spirits are all invited to the final Grand Feast! Join your neighbours, guests and friends for this Hallow'een feast, with live music by Franklee Anatra!
Field of Mars
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/193/220/27

1pm - Legio Pumpkling
Come join us as our Legio faces off in a game of bowling (with a pumpkin as the ball) in honour of the Lemuria! All citizens are invited to participate in the game or watch from the sidelines!
Fort Legio VII Augusta
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/202/227/27

Weekend in Brief

A number of events took place this weekend. At the Confederation of Democratic Simulators, the Ferragosto festival look place. At the Middle Earth sim was a Woodstock tribute. It was also the start of the "Lovefest" which will go on for several more days.

More on these stories, and more, as time permits.

CDS Press Release: Feriae Augusti - Aug. 18, 2018, Noon to 2PM SL Time

*************************************************

Ferragosto (on August 15) is still a popular holiday in Italy - many people are on vacation in that period, but even those who aren't celebrate the holiday going out of town - to the seaside, or the mountains, or just have a barbecue in the countryside.

The origins of this holiday are very old - two thousand years old: it dates back to a Roman holiday called Feriae Augusti, the rest of Augustus (the Emperor) - it was a time of rest to celebrate the harvest, to honour some harvest-related gods and have fun, not just for one day like nowadays, but for weeks.

So come celebrate Ferragosto with us! We are going to have a horse racing contest, like the Romans did, and a toga party at the Thermae with the music of CDS Resident DJ Dolphin.

When exactly?
On Saturday, August 18, from Noon to 2 pm SLT
Where?
At Colonia Nova Forum, at Noon, here: Colonia Nova (75/200/43)
After the horse races, we are going to the Thermae to party!  Here: Colonia Nova (93/229/45)

Wear your best toga and join us!

https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Colonia%20Nova/75/200/43

Announcement: 2017 ROMA October Festival Schedule

Oct. 28th
10am - Lemuria Ritual and Ghost Tales

In Roman religion, the Lemuralia or Lemuria was a feast during which the ancient Romans performed rites to exorcise the malevolent and fearful ghosts of the dead from their homes.Our Lemuralia ritual will banish any malevolent spirits, both real and imagined, while welcoming the protective spirits of the Lares and beneficent ancestors. Followed by ghost stories in the ROMA tombs!
Transtiberim Path, ROMA Transtiberim (58, 34, 45) - Moderate


12pm - Lemuria Gladiator Combat
Witness our brave gladiators fight in honour of the Lumeria and the glory of ROMA in several bouts to the "death"! The gladiator with the most bouts won will receive a cash purse and be granted a laurel wreath of victory! Come watch the bloody battles and cheer your favourite on to glory!
Flavian Gladiator Arena, ROMA (126, 63, 26) - Moderate


1pm - Lemuria Monster Costume Contest
pm - Floralia Ritual and Spring Costume Contest
Come celebrate the Roman version of Halloween with us! The Lemuria is was a feast in the religion of ancient Rome during which the Romans performed rites to exorcise the malevolent and fearful ghosts of the dead from their homes. In honour of the festival, we will have a costume contest! Dress any monster, ghost, or undead creature you can imagine -

the contest winners will receive a $L1000 prize!
ROMA Gardens, ROMA (179, 218, 53) - Moderate


****************************************************************


Oct. 29th
10am - Armilustrium
Armilustrium honours the god of war, Mars - In His honour, Romans put away the weapons of war for the year, until warmer weather allowed for more lengthy campaigns. Join us and the Legion in celebrating this brief time of peace.
Fort Legio VII Augusta, ROMA (79, 56, 29) - Moderate


12pm - ROMA Hallow'een Grand Feast
Ghouls and goblins, witches and forest spirits are all invited to the final Grand Feast! Join your neighbours, guests and friends for this Hallow'een feast, with live music by Max Kleene!
Transtiberim, ROMA Transtiberim (199, 194, 29) - Moderate


1pm - Legio Pumpkling
Come join us as our Legio faces off in a game of bowling (with a pumpkin as the ball) in honour of the Lemuria! All citizens are invited to participate in the game or watch from the sidelines!
Legio XIII Fort, ROMA Transtiberim (70, 180, 42) - Moderate

ROMA May Festival Schedule

Saturday, 27th May

10am - Bona Dea Ritual and Maypole Dance
Our festivals begin with a ritual for Bona Dea, "The Good Goddess" - Also known as Fauna, She is the daughter of Faunus, and a goddess of virginity, fertility, and healing. Bona Dea's rites included only women - even paintings or drawings of men or male animals were forbidden - but in our ROMA, the menfolk are welcome to her rites. After the rite, we will have the traditional maypole dance, music, and wine!
Insula, ROMA Insula (221, 100, 21)


12pm - Faunalia Fishing Contest
As Flora is a goddess of green, growing things, so Fauna is a goddess of all who sport fur, feathers, or... scales! Come try your luck in the Faunalia Fishing Contest - catch and collect beautiful pets and have a chance at winning prizes - using the 7Seas Fishing system,  1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners receive cash prizes.
Transtiberim, ROMA Transtiberim (128, 9, 22)


1pm -  Mercuralia Ritual and Treasure Hunt
Mercury isn't just the herald of the Gods - He's also the patron of merchants and commerce! So this Mercuralia, we will be honouring him with a ritual on the roof of Trajan's Market! After the ritual, there will be Mercury's Treasure Hunt - Mercury has dropped his parcels and most of his money while flying home to Olympus! The pouches are now scattered throughout ROMA!  Can you help him find them? But watch out - each pouch will give out only one prize, and then it will disappear. So you will have to be swift to find these elusive pouches before anyone else does!
The Original Ancie, ROMA (184, 41, 26)


*****************************************************

Sunday, 28st May

10am - Fauna's Costume Contest
The Goddess Fauna has been drinking again and has mischievously transformed some of our Citizens into animals! Are you one of them? If so, come to our costume contest and show off your new wild side! This contest theme allows quad, anthro, human/animal hybrids, and human avatars with animated animal props as part of the costume ensemble. Winners will be chosen by popular vote, and prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
ROMA Gardens, ROMA (179, 218, 53)


12pm - The Mercury and Fauna Grand Feast
Our Festival winds down with the Mercury and Fauna Grand Feast - come celebrate the return of Spring with us! Dancing, good conversation, live music by Franklee Anatra and a delicious feast.
Transtiberim, ROMA Transtiberim (199, 194, 29)


1pm - Legio Harpastum
Harpastum, also known as Harpustum, was a form of ball game played in the Roman Empire. We know little about the exact rules of the game, but it appears to bear a remarkable resemblance to American Football and Rugby. In our harpastum game, everyone is welcome to play, and the winning team members will receive a cash prize.
Legio XIII Fort, ROMA Transtiberim (25, 217, 41)

The Burnal Equinox, Roman Spring Festival, and Walpurgisnacht

Quite a lot has been happening in Second Life lately. Sometimes there's not enough time to give it more than a brief mention. Besides the Club Crawl and the Fantasy Faire, Sunday April 30 had three events going on. These were the Burn2 spinoff event Burnal Equinox art and music festival, the Roma Community Spring festival, and the Steamland's Walpurgisnacht party. The Newser stopped by at each.

Read Bixyl's article in Events.

Announcement: Roma Spring Festival

Saturday 29th
10am - Cerealia Ritual & Corn Maze
The Cerealia is the Roman festival honouring the Goddess Ceres - she who holds sway over the fruitfulness of the Earth entire, and without whom Flora's efforts would be in vain. In keeping with this ancient tradition, we will be having a ritual in Ceres' honour, followed by a challenging Corn Maze. The first, second, and third to find their way through the maze from the entrance to the exit will win prizes - but you must find Proserpina and retrieve Her token before you can exit! Can you beat the Labyrinth in time? Come find out!
Collegia Isle, ROMA Vinovium (154, 151, 550) - Moderate
Maritima Water, ROMA Vinovium (109, 105, 1225) - Moderate


12pm - Festum Veris Egg Hunt
 In Flora's honour, we will have a sim wide egg hunt in Transtiberim. Every egg contains a prize, and some even have cash, so don't miss it!
Transtiberim Path, ROMA Transtiberim (58, 34, 45) - Moderate


1pm - Floralia Ritual and Flower Building Contest
Come celebrate the Roman version of Easter with us! The Floralia is the festival of the Goddess Flora, patron of flowers and spring fertility. In Flora's honour, we will have a ritual, followed by our Floralia Flower Building Contest. Basic building materials will be provided - and the contest winner will recieve a $L1000 prize!
Maritima Water, ROMA Vinovium (105, 105, 550) - Moderate
Maritima Water, ROMA Vinovium (132, 131, 550) - Moderate

************************************************************************

Sunday 30th
10am - Veneralia Ritual
Our festivals begin with a ritual for Venus Verticordia, "The Changer of Hearts" - to petition Venus for support and aid in one's lovelife. After the rite, Venus invites you to Her romantic al fresco (all'aperto) banquet, where we'll share food and have readings of love poetry as well - so bring your favourite poems or even those you've written yourself!
ROMA Gardens, ROMA (149, 201, 53) - Moderate


12pm - Festum Veris Grand Feast
Our Spring Festival culminate with the Festum Veris (Spring Festival) Grand Feast - come dance under the springtime stars with us! We will also have live music by Max Kleene. We promise cool tunes, wild dancing, and all around good fun - so come let your hair down in true ROMA fashion!
Transtiberim, ROMA Transtiberim (199, 194, 29) - Moderate


1pm - Legion Bread Race
The Legion has to run on a mission but they need bread! The citizens must help them getting items to cook bread and bring it to the soldiers. The top 3 relay racers will win prizes!
Legio XIII Fort, ROMA Transtiberim (85, 186, 41) - Moderate

Announcement: Roma's November Festival

10:00 a.m. Ludi Plebeii Ritual
The beginning of the Ludi Plebeii is the Feast of The Capitoline Triad. We will begin at the temple on Capitoline Hill, where a ritual to ask for Their blessings will be performed.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/23/209/79

Immediately after the ritual, we will gather in the Plaza to dedicate the new Trajan Column.  Then, the feast will begin in the plaza - with food, wine, and dancing.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/23/209/79

11:30 a.m. ROMA Chariot Races
In honour of Jupiter, Best and Greatest, Divine Mother Juno, and Wise Minerva, there will be chariot racing in the  Hippodrome! We invite all to come join in this spectacle, to cheer on the racers. Everyone is welcome to race. There will be cash prizes for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finalists!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA/23/209/79


1:00 p.m. Legio Martial Games
 The Legio will sponsor mud-wrestling games, and other athletic entertainment for you to enjoy. All are welcome to join in!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ROMA%20Transtiberim/77/222/42

Announcement: This Weekend's Festival at Roma

Saturday, 27th August
10am - Nemoralia Ritual & Fantasy Costume Contest
This month's festivals begin with a ritual for Diana & Trivia (Hecate, to you Greeks) honouring these Goddesses of the wild and the darkness. After the ritual, we'll be having a party with dancing, music, and a costume contest -- the costume theme is Woodland Fantasy Creatures, and the prize is $L1000 for the winner!
Transtiberim (106, 29, 30)

12pm - Nemoralia Treasure Hunt
Diana and Trivia have scattered treasure across ROMA Transtiberim for Their faithful worshippers to find! Come join us in seeking to discover the hidden bounty! Finding yourself in need of a few Linden? Perhaps the Goddesses will provide! Come hunt with us and fill your purses!
Transtiberim (58, 34, 45)

1pm - Vinalia Rustica Gacha Party
The ancient Vinalia Rustica was a celebration of the grape and the fruits of the Earth - and we'll be gathering together to drink and swap/sell all our extra gacha items! Do you have unwanted gachas cluttering your inventory? Here's your chance to get rid of them, and pick up some new swag in the process. We can't guarantee your inventory will be lighter afterward, but at least you'll have new things to treasure!
ROMA Vinovium (93, 114, 24)

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Sunday, 28th August
10am - Vulcanalia Ritual & Build Contest
Our second day of festivals begins with a ritual to honour Vulcan, the God of the Forge, and asking His blessing on all our crafts. Since He was also the God of Volcanos and fire, we will also have a building contest -- The theme is Metalcraft, and you can create anything which fits within that limit: weapons, silver tea service, jewelry, even artistic works reminiscent of the Eiffel Tower! All contestants will have 1 hour to build, and all are welcome, regardless of building skill-level!
ROMA Vinovium (35, 138, 4020)

12pm -  The Fires in the Night Grand Feast
Our festivals begin to wind down with the Grand Feast in honour of Diana, Trivia, and Vulcan - come dance with us as the flames flare into the night! Live music by FrankLee Anatra -- don't miss it!

ROMA Transtiberim (199, 194, 29)

Roma Festival Schedule

Saturday, 28th May

10 am - Bona Dea Ritual & Maypole Dance
Our festivals begin with a ritual for Bona Dea, "The Good Goddess" - Also known as Fauna, She is the daughter of Faunus, and a goddess of virginity, fertility, and healing. Bona Dea's rites included only women - even paintings or drawings of men or male animals were forbidden - but in our ROMA, the menfolk are welcome to Her rites. After the rite, we will have the traditional maypole dance, music, and wine!
ROMA Vinovium (114, 228, 24)


12pm - Fauna's Fishing Contest
Break out your poles and put on your fishing togas - it's time for another ROMA Fishing event, as we thank Fauna for the bounty she gives us. Using the 7Seas Fishing system, we will be having a fishing contest, with the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners receiving cash prizes.
ROMA Transtiberim (128, 9, 22)


1pm -  Mercuralia Treasure Hunt
Oh no! After a recent shopping trip thru Trajan's Market, Mercury has dropped most of His money while flying home to Olympus! The pouches are now scattered throughout ROMA Trantiberim!  Can you help Him find them? But watch out - each pouch will give out only one prize, and then it will disappear. So you will have to be swift to find these elusive pouches before anyone else does!
ROMA (184, 41, 26


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Sunday, 29th May

10am - Mercuralia Ritual & Tavern Party
Mercury isn't just the herald of the Gods - He's also the patron of merchants and commerce! So this Mercuralia, we will be honouring Him with a ritual in the Mercury Temple at the Macellum! After the ritual, there will be drinking, dancing, and games in the Tavern. Consider it the calm before a long day of contests!
ROMA (232, 93, 49)


12pm - The Mercury & Fauna Grand Feast
Our Festivals culminate with the Mercury & Fauna Grand Feast - come celebrate the return of Spring with us! Dancing, good conversation, music and a delicious feast.
ROMA Transtiberim (199, 194, 29)


1pm - Legio Harpastum
Harpastum, also known as Harpustum, was a form of ball game played in the Roman Empire
We know little about the exact rules of the game, but it appears to bear a remarkable resemblance to American Football and Rugby. In our harpastum game, everyone is welcome to play, and the winning team members will receive a cash prize.
ROMA Transtiberim (84, 192, 41)

Last Weekend at the Roma Festival

While still stuck in the Tokushi tiny fox avatar from the Fox Avatar Challenge, last Sunday I checked out the Roma festival, which was centered around the Roman goddess Ceres, their goddess of agriculture (of whom the dwarf planet Ceres is named after, and whom the word "cereal" can be traced). A few Romans, familiar with my usual Lusk fox avatar, asked what happened, and I explained it was part of a Relay event, so they accepted it in stride, one roleplaying her action, wondering if I'd been put under a curse of some kind. I suppose to them, with my size I looked more like a fox than ever, just standing on the hindpaws, wearing a hat, and talking.

After a roleplay ritual to honor the goddess Ceres and ask her blessing for the farmers and ctops, the group headed to a corn maze. Here, we were told that an image of Ceres' daughter Persephone was somewhere in there. We were to head there, take one of the pomegranates, and head to the exit. The first three to finish would get a prize. A voice which someone thought was Ceres encouraged us as we went along. Someone joked that maybe someone would get lost there for good, but the referee grinned, saying they hadn't lost anyone yet.

Those familiar with Greco-Roman myths may recall Persephone had been abducted by the god of the Underworld, and while there had eaten several seeds of one of the fruits from a tree which had bloomed after her arrival. Normally anyone whom ate anything in the Underworld would be trapped forever, but a deal was worked out so she only spent part of the year there, during which the land would cool and become less suitable for farming as Ceres was depressed over her daughter being away.

And as it turned out, yours truly found one of the pomegranates and was the second one out. I got a 500 Linden prize for my efforts.

The Roma historical community has festivals at the last weekend of every month, and unlike some historic areas, avatars of all kinds from furs to tinies to ponies are welcome.

Bixyl Shuftan