High on a rocky hill overlooking Ofrenda Nocturna stands the ruined Abbey of Ofrenda. The abbey and its cemetery are atmospheric places to explore in their own right, but at present they are also home to something rather different, Whispers of Ofrenda, an immersive ghost story walk.
Ofrenda Nocturna is a full Second Life region owned by Pris (pieris) and Tera Byte (terabyte.amour). Much of the region design is by Pris, although others have contributed items around the island. It is a rugged, rather mysterious place with plenty to discover, but for this visit I concentrated on the abbey and the stories waiting within it.
Following the ghost lights
The landing point places you close to the entrance of the ruined abbey, where a large sign asks, “New to Whispers? Click for Instructions.”
It is worth doing exactly that before wandering off.
You receive a notecard explaining how the experience works, together with a map showing the eight story locations. Use the parcel’s shared environment, enable Nearby Media, turn up the media volume and then follow the ghost lights through the abbey and cemetery.
At each stop there is a framed image. Touch it to begin the narration, then allow the story to finish before moving on to the next. A plaque beside each portrait also provides a copy of the written story. Headphones are recommended.
There is one final piece of advice in the instructions:
“Please don’t feed the goat.”
More about that later.
Eight stories in the darkness
I was not entirely sure what to expect when I began the walk. In fact, the eight community submitted stories are extremely well presented, combining atmospheric images, sound and spoken narration.
What surprised me most was the quality of the voices. The recordings are clear, carefully paced and wonderfully atmospheric; the standard would not feel out of place in a professional audio production.
I do not want to describe the individual stories in detail because discovering them is very much part of the experience. Some have their origins in supposed real events or local tales, while others are fiction. Together they make the walk through the darkened ruins considerably more interesting than simply moving from one display to another.
The creators are still inviting people to submit ghost stories for possible inclusion in Whispers. Their information says selected stories may be paired with AI assisted atmospheric artwork, narration and a written version. The original story remains the property of its author.
The Abbey of Ofrenda
Although the stories are the main reason for this particular visit, do take time to look around.
The ruined abbey and churchyard are beautifully landscaped, with old stonework disappearing beneath vegetation, statues among the flowers and numerous little corners that invite photography. The shared night environment suits Whispers particularly well, but photographers could easily return in a lighter setting and find quite a different landscape.
Indeed, you could visit the Abbey of Ofrenda without listening to a single ghost story and still find plenty worth photographing.
Ofrenda Nocturna itself extends well beyond the abbey, so I shall probably have to return another day and explore the rest of the island properly.
One important point before visiting: Ofrenda Nocturna is an Adult rated region, and there are adult areas and features elsewhere on the island. Child avatars are not permitted.
And finally, about that instruction not to feed the goat.
There really is a goat.
I found it.
Useful Links
Ofrenda Nocturna website:
Ofrenda Nocturna : Primfeed ·
Teleport to Whispers of Ofrenda
Exploring Second Life
If you’d like to see more places like this, follow my blog, Exploring Second Life, where I share both the grand builds and the smaller “quick stops” that make the grid so rewarding.
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Photographers: post your snapshots in the Second Life Destinations Flickr Group.
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