Update on Luskwood

 

Earlier, the Newser reported that the Luskwood Big Tree was empty, which was a big contrast in the past to some people always being around. As it turns out, there still are several people of the Luskwood community always on. They're just not always at the tree.

 

There's a small piece of beach property not too far from Lusk, and lately people from the community have been gathering there to relax for a change of scenery. 

 

So all is still relatively well with Second Life's oldest active community, and it is hoped once the real lives of the founders settle down, the builders can get back to the long-delayed updating of their line of avatars. 

 

Bixyl Shuftan

 

Back At Luskwood, But Where Is Everyone?

 

 It's been a while since I was last at Luskwood, my first hangout. I hadn't heard of anything new for a while. Then someone told me when they were last there, the place was empty. So I went to the big tree to check it out, around 4PM SL time, and aside from a bot, it was. 

 

The place wasn't really empty. People had been putting things up, including autumn leaves, pathways leading to places, a ramen cart, plenty of plants, and more decorations. Just none of the small crowd that was always there in the past. I did see an announcement of events at the H-Bomb club, a venue some of the Luskwood regulars have gone to. 

 

I did end up talking with Michi Lumnin the other day. She had told me she and the other founders were more busy than ever in real life. Hopefully this will change soon, she commented, and eventually get back to organizing things, and eventually new avatars.

 

Luskwood is Second Life's oldest known community which is still around, as well as the oldest line of furry avatars. 

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lusk/217/168/62

 

Bixyl Shuftan 

 

Luskwood Goes Wonderland

Luskwood has gone down the rabbit hole, so to speak.


Heading over to the Lusk sim, I found Luskwood's "Big Tree" had been decked out in the style of "Alice in Wonderland." There were playing card guards. There were books all over the place, including
a couple arches made out of them. There were large roses in places. There was a tea cup with hot tea the size of a hot tub. And there was a tea party setting, with table and chairs and teapots and goodies.

Besides the Wonderland-themed decorations, there are others. In the posters, some were old ones from events long ago, though there was one advertising the SLPonycon in June. There was also a picture poking playful fun at one of the Luskwood founders. And as always, there are the avatar vendors inside the tree, and the games in the back.

It's unknown how long this new look will be up for. Possibly for another month. But for fans of Luskwood whom are interested in seeing what's new, it's a good time to drop by and have a look.

Luskwood is Second Life's oldest furry community, and possibly the oldest one that's still around.

Hat tip: Spooked Dreamscape

Bixyl Shuftan

The End Of The Ice Cream At Luskwood

Since late August, the "Big Tree" at Luskwood had a dark dysutopian look, with toxic-looking water, grafitti, propaganda from a "Council" with leaflets proclaiming "rebellion" occasionally plastered on them, and a suspicious-looking ice-cream factory. There would be two more bulletins from the Council, one resembling L Ron Hubbard's Sea Organization advertisements, the other looking like Soviet propaganda.

On Saturday October 26 at 8PM SL time was a "Victory Day" party. As no one from the Newser was there, and there are no known pictures of the event, all that there is to go on what happened are the scenes of wreckage at the Big Tree, with clean water flowing this time, and eyewitness reports. There are multiple reports of a giant crab having wrecked the place, although one man claiming to be with the rebellion was saying he had a hand in the ice cream factory exploding, claiming that the substance was flammable. There was no sign of the crab, other than a much smaller one skittering around.

And the "Council?" Reports on what happened to them vary, from getting killed at the event to hospitalized. but it appears their rein over the oldest active community in Second Life is now over.

Note: There was no actual griefing. This was part of a plotline by the residents of Luskwood.

Bixyl Shuftan

What's in The Water at Luskwood?

Occasionally, the "Big Tree" at Luskwood gets a new look for a few weeks, such as the time it went Egyptian. But I received a tip from Spooked Dreamscape that their latest theme was a rather uncheerful one. Heading over, much of the place had a dim, gritty, industrial look, with water that was green with some unknown chemical, looking a bit toxic, and something stretching tentacles out of it. The evening sky contributed to the dark image of the location.

I noticed a sign in a few places, saying something about water purification and industrial runoff. But it was obscured by another proclaiming "Rebellion," saying that the water was unsafe to drink and asking the residents to unite against the "Council." On the bottom was the Lusk symbol with closed eyes and an "X" where the mouth would be.

It's unknown how long this dark and gritty display will be up. With Luskwood's anniversary in about a month and a half, presumably it will be taken down by then.

Founded just a few months after Second Life's official opening, Luskwood is considered the oldest active community in Second Life

Bixyl Shuftan

Seeing Double?

Taken at the Virtual Ability conference yesterday. Nope, this isn't some fancy computer editing. Erik Mondrian is one of the handful of others who wears the same type of avatar as me, a red Luskwood fox, for their main appearance.

It's about twelve years since I got the avie, but it still has it's fans. 

Luskwood Goes Medieval

Dropping by Luskwood yesterday, it looked like the place had turned into a Renaissance fair.

There were tends and pennants in Medieval design, stalls with food that looked like they could have come from a town of the era. And even a few whose outfits matched the theme.

How long the "Big Tree" will be "Going Medieval?" Time will tell.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Lusk/218/167/62

Hat tip: Spooked Dreamscape

Reader Submitted: "Someone Order a Bottle of Whiskey?"

Taken by Spooked Dreamscape. What someone was doing with a big bottle of whiskey at Luskwood's "Big Tree," he didn't say. It's unlikely to belong to the pony as most turn up their nose at any liquor other than apple cider. So whoever was the lush at Lusk will likely stay unknown.

Luskwood and Trotsdale's Anniversary Celebrations

Last Saturday, October 21, two communities celebrated their anniversaries. One was Luskwood, the best known furry area, and probably the oldest community of any kind still around in Second Life. The other was Trotsdale, the most well known pony region. These two groups of people, some whom have a number of friends with the other, combined their anniversary events, their fourteenth and sixth respectively, into one single day with over eight hours of music. The Newser was there to report the happening.

Read the story in Events.

Luskwood 14th Anniversary

Luskwood, considered Second Life's best known furry community and one of it's oldest, is having it's anniversary celebration, the LW14B, tomorrow, Saturday October 21. The event, which goes alongside it's sister community Trotsdale's anniversary, looks like it has a conspiracy/secrecy theme, if one goes by it's inworld group announcement and blog post.

SECRET//SCI-TK//COMINT//REL TO SL
THIS IS A FALSE FLAG OPERATION.

A vast coverup will begin at 4pm on October 21, Saturday.
Luskwood's 14th year coincides with Trotsdale's 6th.

Bring enough groceries, some peanut butter, to last a couple of days

The schedule, and event monkiers of the performers, was listed as

4-5PM - Shannon O'Herlihy - "Agent 0014" (in the RetroSkunk Cafe)
5-6PM - Keeba Tammas - "Subject 49" (in the Amphitheatre)
6-7PM - Frogg and Jaycatt - "Specimens E30/ E92" (in the Amphitheatre)
7PM-???? - Haley Maruti - "RESTRICTED AREA"

Luskwood and Trotsdale's Anniversary Events

Last weekend on Saturday October 22 and Sunday October 23, the communities of Luskwook and Trotsdale held their anniversary celebrations, Luskwood their 13th, Trotsdale their fifth. Most of the events were in the older community of Luskwood. The Newser's Bixyl Shuftan, whom has a Luskwood red fox as his trademark main avatar, dropped in to join the fun.

Read the story in Events.

Luskwood's Thirteenth Anniversary Event on October 22

One of Second Life's oldest communities will soon be celebrating it's anniversary: number thirteen. Scheduled for Saturday October 22, the event will be combined along with the fifth anniversary celebrations of it's sister community Trotsdale. As it's near the end of October, the event will take on something of a Halloween theme. So far, Keeba Tammas and the "Tiny Maniacs" and Shannon O'herlihy have signed up to be among the performers.

Stay tuned for more information on the Luskwood blog.

"Furry Tower" at Luskwood

From March 1, 2008. It used to be in Second Life that avatars could "stack" on top of one another. And at Luskwood on occasion we'd try making a "furry tower." This one was eleven avatars high. I've heard stories of towers as high as two dozen people high before someone crashed or had to leave. But eventually the physics of Second Life were modified so avatars could no longer stack on one another so easily, and the "furry tower" activities became a whimsical memory of Luskwood's past.

Reader Submitted: Luskwood's Early Days

During Luskwood's anniversary celebrations on Saturday October 17, Michi Lumin shared this picture of the very earliest days of the Luskwood Community. Yes, there was a time before furred avatars in Lusk, and it was up to people like them to develop them and refine their techniques.

Little would they know of what would follow as they would essentially invent the process how furred avatars would be sold and be not only the first of many Furry communities, but the oldest active social spot in Second Life of any genre.

Image Credit: Michi Lumin

Luskwood's Twelfth Anniversary

Somewhat overshadowed by the opening of Burn2 and Making Strides' "How BraZaar," Saturday October 17 was also the official birthday celebration of the Luskwood community. It was twelve years ago that the group behind Second Life's oldest active social spot on the grid came to be, forming the first and most recognized of the many furry communities in Second Life. So they got together for a celebration, with a series of music events in three locations in their area.

Read more in Events.

Luskwood's 11th Anniversary

Last weekend, Luskwood celebrated it's eleventh anniversary. The best known of furry locations, as well as the oldest community in Second Life, celebrated with live music and DJ tunes. Quite a few Luskwood noteables showed up for the occasion, in addition to visitors dropping by only for this one event. So what exactly went on?

Read more in Events.

Luskwood's Eleventh Birthday Party This Friday

Second Life's oldest active community, hangout, and avatar maker, is about to celebrate it's anniversary, it's eleventh. On Friday, October 24 the celebration officially begins at 6PM with live musician Shannon Oherlihy. At 7PM, the second live performance begins with the popular Frogg Marlowe. DJ Cabaleer takes the stage at 8PM, and at 9PM squirrelgirl DJ Haley arrives to spin the tunes. The DJs for the remaining two hours have yet to be chosen, but Lusk founder Michi Lumin assures something will be going on at the Big Tree until Midnight SL time.

Luskwood's Halloween Party

By Bixyl Shuftan

On Satuday, October 26, Luskwood held it's annual Halloween bash. To begin with, it was just a week since the community's ten year anniversary. So the staff didn't have much time to rest before getting things ready for another show.

Luskies party hard! Our annual Halloween party is this coming Saturday Oct 26 starting at 6pm SLT. Start thinking about your costumes, we have a great evening of entertainment lined up! Hope you have your spooky costumes at the ready! Come join us for some spooktacular entertainment for Halloween!  See you there!

Once again, the party would not be held at the "Big Tree," but at another location in Luskwood. The LM that was given out in a group announcement took me to a place way over the ground. The place, a kind of treeclub that was partially platform and partially inside the trunk, was set to midnight on default, and gave it a dark and foreboding look. Besides porting or flying, one could make their way out by going down on a rickety spiral staircase. The place was packed, and it took a while for the place and the residents there to rezz. It didn't help that I crashed a number of times. There was a cash prize of ten thousand Lindens for the best Halloween look. DJ Halley, dressed as a cartoon villain's minion, spun the tunes for the party.

 

If the crashes and lag were a trick, the treat available for the residents was set up in a nearby hut, reachable by either flying over or walking down a rickety-looking series of bridgeworks. Inside the place were three free avatars that were billed as being there only for the night. These were cartoony werebeast looking vas, one stitched up and pale as if it were made up of dead beasts various parts sewn together. Next to the party area were a couple Halloween avatars for sale: a black gryphon and a bloody wolf. Founder Michi Lumin was there wearing the gryphon.

Eventually the party came to an end. But that wasn't all for the night. Over the radio stream, some spooky stories were told, with some listening while on a large plush on the floor. One had a Lovecraft bent to it, dealing with things Man Was Not Meant To Know.

Luskwood's "Spook-tacular" event went quite well.

Bixyl Shuftan

Luskwood's Tenth Birthday Party

On Saturday Oct 19th, Luskwood celebrated it's tenth anniversary party. Sometimes called the LWXB, the event was a day long party from about Noon SL time to late in the night, taking place on a  platform specially made for the event. The party offered freebies, prizes, live and DJed music and dance, and of course lots of fun.

Read more in Events.

Luskwood to Celebrate Ten Year Anniversary

Luskwood, probably the oldest social spot in Second Life still running, is about to hit a major milestone. This Saturday, Oct 19, will be the day the community turns ten years old.

Schedule Saturday Oct 19 (SL time)

12:00pm - 1:00pm - Keeba Tammas
1:00pm - 2:00pm - David Csiszer
2:00pm - 3:30pm - Alazarin Mondrian / The Invisible Band!
4:00pm - 6:00pm - DJ Zairo
6:00pm - 7:00pm - Shannon Oherlihy
7:00pm - 8:00pm - Frogg + Jaycatt (Effinjay)
8:00pm - 11:00pm - DJ Haley
11:00pm - 1:00am - DJ Soui



 Sunday Oct 20, the event is "Open Mic Night at the Retro Skunk Cafe" from 7PM to 9PM


In the past, there have also been trivia contests by some of the DJs, with the prizes getting larger as time goes on.

For a little on Luskwood's history, check our interview with Michi Lumin last year. Also, if you have some pictures of Luskwood's earlier days, the Lusk staff would love to have a copy.