Bleakfield (also known as Goatswood Nightside of Eden), Hera's (zee9) latest creation, continues her tradition of impressive projects.

Maya and I had the chance to see it before its October 5th opening. Here are our thoughts on this remarkable sim.

Bleakfield succeeds Goatswood, which you can read more about in this 2023 piece from Inara Pey. It also seems to incorporate elements from Hera's recent Victoriana project, particularly the recreation of the small town of Whitby.

At its core, Bleakfield is a small English village nestled within mystical woods, blending the mundane with the occult.

Hera wrote a 70,000-word book with stories set in Bleakfield. While she states reading it isn't necessary to enjoy the sim, our visit made us eager to explore the narrative later to enhance our experience of the meticulously constructed environment. You can get it here on Amazon.

This project is significant; it could be the first time a book has been published about a Second Life region. Having written a book myself, I recognise the substantial effort Hera invested in this undertaking.

Visitors arrive at a small train station and can explore the village at their leisure. Several houses are accessible, including the Black Dog pub and The Roebuck Inn, which offers simple lodging upstairs (accessible from the rear).

One of Bleakfield’s pleasures is simply wandering the streets and entering various buildings, discovering hidden details and atmospheric touches.

Beyond the village lies a large church (with decidedly non-Christian leanings) and a manor house featuring various rooms, including a dining area, a bedroom with adult furniture, and numerous mystical artworks and statues spanning from Ancient Egypt onwards. This was our favourite part of Bleakfield.

Dark, mystical woods surround the village, featuring occult-themed statues and areas that invite exploration.

The region is optimized for PBR, meaning you should have an updated viewer when visiting. It's rated adult. We didn't experience significant lag during our visit, though we were there when it was empty.

Hera has crafted a truly beautiful environment.  By bringing together RL storytelling, which is brought to life in SL, she is really showing the true potential of what’s possible in Second Life.

The attention to detail is remarkable, from the architecture to the mysticism references to the placement of objects. We anticipate returning to spend more time there, this time armed with the knowledge from the accompanying book to fully appreciate the depth of this creation.

Overall, Bleakfield is a testament to Hera's skill in creating immersive, story-rich environments within Second Life. It's a destination that merits multiple visits to uncover all its secrets.

SLURL

Get the book here (UK)

USA link

Note, like all of Hera’s creations, this will almost certainly be temporary, so see it while you can.