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ELF CLAN CHAT REACTIVATION- 2022
We are pleased to announce that ELF CLAN CHAT is being reinstated as of 2022-10-18. Chat will be conducted through the main ELF CLAN group (not Elf Clan Chat... which group has been discontinued and has far fewer members).
When Elf Clan left Second Life in 2011, chat was shut down due to abuse of chat by others. However 11 years has passed since then and the Eldar have been asked recently to reinstate chat so Elf Clan members can once again enjoy one another's association on Second Life. The Eldar have agreed by unanimous vote.
PURPOSE OF ELF CLAN CHAT
The chat system is being reactivated to allow members to enjoy one another's association and discussions. It is not intended for advertising, event announcement or other acivities. You can ask questions, ask for assistance (but not for money), and keep in touch with Elf Clan friends.
Group chat follows the Charter rules of * Honor * Respect * Friendship *. All chat is to be family-friendly, with G-rated language and subject matter. Please avoid real life topics; people come to Elf Clan to escape real life-- not dive back in to it. As has always been our Charter rules: politics, religion, sexuality and other controversial subjects are prohibited.
In short, this chat is for fun, community and friendship. Thank you for helping us to keep this chat venue harmonious.
OPTING OUT
If you don't want to engage in Elf Clan Chat but wish to remain in the group to receive announcements, you can simply shut off group chat in the Group Profile.
GENERAL RULES
In order to maintain peaceful and harmonious conduct, a few guidelines and rules are required.
* NO ADVERTISING is allowed, unless authorized by the Eldar. Please contact Wayfinder Wishbringer if you feel something warrants exception.
* NO EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS by other groups or organizations. Only official Elf Clan / Affiliate events will be announced, and that will be by group notice. Again see Wayfinder Wishbringer for such requests. A group and lands must be official Elf Clan Affiliates to announce events with Elf Clan. (See elsewhere on this site regarding becoming an Elf Clan Affiliate.)
* BREACH OF RULES will be given one private notice (public if the breach warrants it). The second offense steps will be taken to insure there is not a third. Griefing or obvious intentional abuse of chat will result in banishment from the group without notice-- as has always been our policy (and is the policy of most groups).
* MODERATORS are in place, peole who live in different parts of the world and are usually on Second LIfe. They will be keeping track of group chat.
* REPORTING CHAT ABUSE. If you notice someone abusing chat and no moderator is available at that time, please copy the chat text and send it in a notecard to EREN PADAR. Thank you.
PLEASE NOTE
The reactivation of group chat does not mean that Elf Clan is returning to Second Life. Our group is firmly established on Opensim, where we have 75 regions of land on Opensim and 64 Official Affiliate regions on DigiWorldz. Those who wish to examine Elf Clan lands may do so on OSGrid (OSgrid.org... ElvenSong region) or DigiWorldz (Digiworldz.com... Sendalonde region).
SL chat is being reinstated on Second Life simply to grive our members a channel of communication so you can enjoy one another's company. We hope you gain enjoyment from this function.
-- Elf Clan Eldar
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Be sure to bookmark this page. : )
GRAND OPENING of the CRITTER CLUB
and ALL THINGS TINY shopping mall
Tues Nov 8 at 1pm on DigiWorldz, Opensim
Varmints region. Click the box there for a LM.
OPENSIM EVENTS For information on how to join Opensim (a series of grids apart from Second Life) please see end of this page.
TO GET THERE: Plug "hop" coordinates into Opensim chat, call up your chat window (ctrl-H) and click on the link. (You must log into an Opensim grid first.) You may have to teleport twice to arrive at your location.
Plug "grid" coordinates into the Viewer MAP and Teleport. Again, you may need to teleport twice to arrive at your location.
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SL EVENTS: Plug the SLURL into the system MAP and teleport. You may have to teleport twice to arrive at your location.
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Please place these events on your personal calendar.
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WHY OPENSIM? <---- click this link for more information
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As I write this it is late October 2020, and it has been an odd few years. Aside from the Inworldz grid self-destructing July 27, 2018 and changing the face of Elf Clan... the Covid-19 virus has changed the face of society globally.
So what is the status of Elf Clan at this time?
ELF CLAN STATUS
Elf Clan still exists in name, history, and some rather incredible lands. As of this writing (2020-11-04) Elf Clan affilite lands number over 130 regions... by far the largest we've been in our history!
When the Inworldz grid self-destructed, the centralized, "closed-wall" nature of Elf Clan that had existed from 2004 to 2018 ended. Members of Elf Clan were able to spread throughout the virtual worlds, settling on different grids of their choice. Some returned to Second Life (though not in Elf Clan capacity). Others set up new homes on grids such as OSgrid, Kitely and DigiWorldz. Some returned to real life, having tired of the ups and downs of virtual worlds... and replaced virtual life with something more substantial.
ELF CLAN HISTORY EXHIBITS
The core home of Elf Clan settled on OSgrid in the form of three continents: ElvenSong, ElvenGlen and Frankenstein. All three of these are 5x5 VAR regions, 25 times the size of a normal SL region. The huge amount of land and ocean area combined with no sim lines provided wonderful building and travel opportunities.
ElvenSong and ElvenGlen present the history of Elf Clan, including our orginal region with its immensely tall castle and the nearby Orc Fortress. This is Elf Clan in 2005 when it existed on the Second Life platform. Eldar Peter Lioncourt has placed additional lands and creations around the original ElvenGlen to achieve the huge woodland areas and sailable waters he's always enjoyed.
ElvenSong presents Elf Clan as it existed on Inworldz, with changes made to take advantage of the increased continent size. The areas of ElvenMyst and Pirate's Cove have been merged with ElvenSong to form a large dual-island pair. Here one will find ElvenSong Castle, Dwagons Keep (home of the Dwagons), the Poetry Guild Treehouse, Pirate's Cove, and the Elf Clan Museum that contains numerous beautiful, hand-picked photos of Elf Clan history.
In high-sky ElvenSong you will find Replicant City, our enjoyable multi-genre science fiction exhibit. Replicant City is often featured on the splash page when logging in to OSgrid. It has been greatly expanded and now includes nine detailed starships surrounding the City. For science fiction fans this area offers hours and even days of exploration possibilities.
We have added to these regions Frankenstein. As the name implies it is an experiment, a stitched-together complex of multiple worlds available on the Internet, as well as our own creations to add to the fun. Almost everything on Frankenstein is free-to-copy. It is one of the largest "freebie stores" anywhere, consisting of 25 themed regions.
Wellspring on DigiWorldz grid is an 8x8 "ProServer" mini-grid consisting of 64 regions. Owned by Alexina Proctor and Prax Maryjasz, Wellspring is the home of the famed Sendalonde Community Library (Sendalonde is Elvish for "peaceful haven"), as well as the newly-formed Rascal Flats tiny town on Varmints region. Wellspring is a mutli-themed beautiful world that features Steampunk, Tiny and Fantasy themes. Of the Elf Clan lands it is the most active, with planned events, three markets, tours and extensive creations by several individuals.
Update 3-30-2023. Wellspring has moved to Discovery Grid and is now called Sendalonde. it consists of a more compact 4x4 VAR (16 regions). The Library Board of Alexina Proctor, Prax Marijaxz and Snoots Dwagon all agree this is a far more comfortable environment and creates a more close-knit community. Sendalonde consists of the main Library area, Once Upon a Time fantasy lands, the somewhat-insane Dragon Landing (a "Dinkie" land), Steam City (with it's "Ruined Theater" for live shows), and more.
THE HISTORY LIVES
While Elf Clan is not as Event-active as it once was, if one wishes to explore the lands and history of one of the oldest and (at one time) largest themed groups on any virtual world... there is much on these lands to explore. Elf Clan (according to Linden Lab) was the very first themed group to purchase a private region on Second Life. It was the first group to reach 500 members, then 1000 members... and just kept going (even to this day the group has almost 2,000 members). On Inworldz we had a total of 54 regions. We now have over 130 official and affiliate lands.
When we left Second Life (due to constantly changing policies and ridiculously high prices) and moved to Inworldz... that tiny 14-region micro-grid turned from an unknown grid into a 1,000+ region mega-grid. Inworldz sadly self-destructed, resulting in moving our Elf Can home to OSgrid. This actually turned out to be a good thing for our home lands; they're larger than ever before and far less expensive.
Elf Clan is hosted on two privately-owned servers, one in the U.S. and the other in the Netherlands. ElvenSong, Frankenstein and Wellspring contain full self-guided tour systems. So while the group itself exists primarily in name and history, the lands have never been larger or more interesting to explore. We still host Live Music events.
You are invited to visit these lands on OSgrid and DigiWorldz either by registering with that grid or hopping directly to the lands via the Hypergrid (a system that hooks together virtual worlds). The history is interesting, the lands fascinating, and your avatar will by no means leave empty-handed. : )
--o--
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CLICK HERE to become an Elf Clan affiliate grid or land.
ELF CLAN AFFILIATE GRIDS
Elf Clan lands currently consist of 144 regions on multiple worlds. Our home region is ElvenSong on OSgrid
This list will update on occasion. Please bookmark this link and check back from time to time. In alphabetical order:
DigiWorldz
Kitely
OSGrid
Second Life
ELF CLAN AFFILIATE LANDS
Land name / Grid / Size (number of regions)
ElvenSong -- OSgrid 5x5 Elf Clan's home lands, central Elf Clan Continent. Includes Replicant City and Pirate Cove. Owner: Snoots Dwagon
ElvenGlen -- OSgrid 5x5 western Elf Clan Continent. Reproduction of the original Elf Clan region. Owner: Peter Lioncourt
Frankenstein -- OSgrid 5x5 northern Elf Clan Continent. Freebies and massive insanity. Owner: Snoots Dwagon
Sendalonde -- DigiWorldz 8x8 continent. Home of Sendalonde Community Library & Rascal Flats on Varmints. Owners: Alexina Proctor & Prax Maryjasz
Total region count: 139
Members wishing to host Elf Clan affiliate regions and have placement on this list, please check our article on the home page for information.
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How to JOIN ELF CLAN
Visit any of our AFFILIATE GRIDS, Search for the ELF CLAN group, and JOIN. It's open-join on all affiliate grids. You can join on multiple grids if you wish. Our two primary grids are Second Life and DigiWorldz. (OSgrid doesn't have group functions for Elf Clan.)
GRIDS please contact us to have us set up the Elf Clan group on your grid and add you to our list of affiliate grids.
How to Register an Elf Clan Land
People become an Elf Clan affiliate land because they wish to declare their lands family-friendly, themed lands. It costs you nothing, we take charge of nothing, nor do we interfere with operation of your land.
Elf Clan is widely-known for its G-rated, family-friendly, theme-based lands. Many people love this concept and wish their lands (and even groups) to be affiliated with Elf Clan. We feature the themes of fantasy, science fiction and steampunk.
Joining your land to Elf Clan gains you recognition as being visitor- and family-friendly. As we list all affiliate lands on this site, it can gain you visitors and bring you new friends. Moderation of your lands / regions remains totally under your control (if we happen to receive a complaint we simply forward it to the land owner). You can retain your own group identity and still be an Elf Clan affiliate.
To join your land to Elf Clan, please contact Snoots Dwagon on on Kitely or OSgrid. It is best to do so by notecard, as IMs can get lost or capped.
Let us know:
1. Your land name (VAR, region, world, whatever)
2. Your GRID name (company that hosts your land)
3. Your AVATAR name
4. Your THEME choice (fantasy, science fiction or steampunk)
5. Any comments or specifics you wish to add
Upon approval (verification of information via exploration) we will send you the Elf Clan Banner, which is placed at or near your landing point. This lets visitors know you are a family-friendly land.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
To examine what joining your lands to Elf Clan entails, please read our Visitor Guidelines. These will provide you with a good, short-to-read outline of how the Elf Clan group operates.
Please note that many changes have taken place recently. If you feel something is out of date or needs revised, please let us know.
-- The Eldar of Elf Clan
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ELF CLAN RELOCATES pt 2
Pt 1 click here
WHAT HAS GONE BEFORE
Our members love the concept of Elf Clan. Our G-rated, family-friendly,
* Honor * Respect * Friendship * Charter concepts are appealing to many. It is that concept that brought so many people to follow us to Inworldz and eventually set up 54 unique regions. It is that concept which caused Elf Clan to grow beyond our greatest expectations.
At this time the framework of Elf Clan has changed. We are no longer land locked. Our lands need no longer be owned by one person and rented out. Our members have greater freedom to choose their home locations.
When we first moved to Inworldz, it was the only real viable option. At that time no other grid outside of Second Life offered group-oriented functions or coalesced inventory (the ability to take unlinked objects to inventory and re-rez them in original form instead of a pile of puzzle pieces). So the choice was straight-forward.
What this means is that Elf Clan members can now choose from several grids. We are no longer limited to one, single option.
OWNING YOUR OWN REGION
Many of our members have never owned a region before, primarily due to the cost. Even on Inworldz our discount price of $40 a month could be out of the pocketbook range of many. However... what if you could own a region for $20? $15? $10... or less?
Grids outside of Second Life and Inworldz offer an amazing range of packages designed to meet just about any pocketbook. So you can now pick a grid, choose the price level you can afford, and set up home. There is no longer need to rent land... when you can own an entire region for a price so low it's difficult to resist.
As far as hobbies go, owning your own region is now a fairly inexpensive choice. On the other end, our highly-creative power-builders can obtain lands that can meet pretty much any goal you can dream up for around $40 a month.
SETTING UP AN OFFICIAL ELF CLAN LAND
Most of our members came to Elf Clan for one reason: we are a G-rated, family friendly fantasy-themed group. People like our peaceful, harmonious lands and find them a beautiful place to relax, free of the pressures of outside lands. The core of this is not a grid, nor an area of land... but the Elf Clan Charter, which for years has guided our group.
Original the Charter was extensive... necessarily so to protect our group from the extreme and arbitrary limitations of Second Life. Now we are more free to relax and spread out, and our Charter is much simpler to follow. Individual land owners decide on their own "rules"... so long as they maintain the basics:
* Family friendly and visitor-friendly lands
* Honor * Respect * Friendship
* G-rated public areas (Mature areas are clearly marked or restricted to high sky)
* No nationalistic, religious, or obviously controversial conponents. Elf Clan is neutral and non-controversial in theme.
So long as a member is willing to implement the concepts of the Elf Clan Charter on their lands... that land can be an "Official Elf Clan Affiliat" no matter where it is based. (Obviously this cannot be the case on openly "adult" grids which use sex as a marketing theme.)
To become an affiliat, contact Snoots Dwagon at Kitely grid. We will examine your land and provide you with an Elf Clan Affiliate Banner to post at the entry point of your land. The banner bears our group logo and simply reads: "Elf Clan Affiliate Lands- G-rated, Family Friendly".
It's a nice banner. : )
Now about grids, Hypergrid, VARs, OARs, IARs and the rest...
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CHOOSING A GRID
When choosing a grid, please be sure to read the fine print. Most grids have websites. We recommend you examine those sites thoroughly. Some grids have costs in addition to their monthly fees. Some have "gotchas" which you may find incompatible with your needs. Some may offer special features that you will very much desire. Pretty much every grid has its pros and cons. The trick is in the details. Pay attention to the details.
VARIABLE REGIONS
Both Second Life and Inworldz offered single regions measuring 256m x 256m. Crossing a sim line limits the number of avatars that can ride a physical vehicle and also involves data exchange between the regions that involves a significiant amount of time and promotes lag. "Sim crossing issues" are well-known on single-region grids.
VARs, or Variable Regions, expand the size to whatever the grid allows. Some grids offer "2x2" regions (512m x 512m, or 4 regions total in size), "4x4" (1024m x 1024m or 16 regions in size) or even huge 8x8 (64 region) VARs (of course, these bear cost appropriate to land size and prim usage).
So for those who want lots of land, sailing oceans or flying area, these super-regions can be a very pleasant experience. No sim line issues and lots of room for landscaping, forests, streams and lakes. If you're a person who likes to spread out your creations, a VAR can provide you a vast sandbox.
Be aware that regardless of the size of a VAR, it is still controlled by one server core (ask the grid company for specifics of server provision). Just because a VAR measures 8x8 and allows a million prims doesn't mean the server can actually handle whatever you throw at it. You still need to be conscious of texture use, scripts and other issues, the same as you would with a single region. The main difference is you have far more land now available to you.
THAT SAID... if you use good, low-lag (or zero-lag) scripts, watch your texture placement and build sensibly, you can do some rather remarkable things on your VAR.
For example...
On our Elf Clan Home lands we decided on a 5x5 VAR (25 regions in area). The majority of that is sailable ocean with the occasional island or landmark. IN THE MIDDLE of this incredible-size area we have ElvenSong, the Elf Clan Home region. It is loaded with items including: ElvenSong Castle, Elf Clan Museum, Dwagons Keep, the Secret Dwagon Playground, the Elf Clan Gardens, the Poetry Guild Treehouse, Dance Grotto, Thirsty Dragon Tavern, Pirates Cove, ElvenMyst Castle, the Drum Circle, and much more.
In high sky we have REPLICANT CITY-- The huge science-fiction-themed, highly-interactive multi-museum that has been enjoyed by many a visitor. It is a prime tourist attraction on OSgrid.
In addition to this we have a huge sailable ocean with functioning rezzable ships. This is all on one region which measures 1,280 msq.
ElvenSong is one of the most building-intensive, power-scripted regions in all of Elf Clan... and we managed to put all of this on a single VAR on our own server with no discernible lag. Build smart and your VAR will be happy.
On FRANKENSTEIN, we took 25 full OARs (individual region worlds) and as an experiment stitched them together on one continent, offering a patchwork quilt of multiple themes, activities and freebies. Worked like a charm.
So this gives you an idea of what can be done on a VAR-enabled grid. The creative freedoms you'll experience and the vast open-travel can be incredible. Imagine building the worlds largest virtual roller coaster... or a train system that travels through 36 regions... or the greatest forest/lake area you can imagine with your home right in the middle.
Handled correctly and sensibly, VARs are one of the greatest features of OpenSim-based grids.
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NOT A BUILDER?
Is building not your thing? You have two choices: the markets (which contain many items that cater to the Hypergrid)... or FREEBIES. You see, freebies are all over the place. You can create an entire world based on just freebies. If you visit somewhere, right click on an object and if it says COPY... you can copy it. Left click an item and see if it gives you a copy of itself. That's all part of the fun. Pick freebies up, set them out. It's like Legos on steroids. What's more, if you don't have an OAR already (a pre-built world), there are FREE OARS on the Internet, ready to download and upload to your preferred grid. Instant world!
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WHAT GRIDS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR OUR MEMBERS?
Just because we have decided to home on OSgrid doesn't mean all of Elf Clan needs to do so. You can do so if you wish, but there are other options, depending on your personal needs.
We already listed recommended grids in the first part of this set of articles. Which you choose is completely up to you and your needs. What we can do is provide a little insight based on our years of creating lands and groups.
THAT'S WHERE MY FRIENDS ARE
Considering the nature of the Hypergrid (being able to port anywhere and chat with anyone, anywhere), "because that's where most of my friends are" isn't necessarily the best reason for choosing a grid. We encourge our members to consider ALL areas of importance (price, prims, services, ease of use, etc) when chosing where they are going to make their virtual home-- possibly for years to come. You can freely travel between one grid and another just as you travel from one region to another. On the other hand if you're a member of a centralized group, homing where that group exists may be the best option.
OAR AND IAR FILES
OAR files are complete copies of your region / VAR... including land, objects, scripts, the whole works. It is basically a "data photograph" of what you build. Such files can be made and saved to your own hard drive for absolute security of your work in case any individual grid winds up no longer existent. So you will want to inquire as to the grid's specific OAR policies. Different grids have different OAR policies and restrictions. Are the OARs made for you (at a cost) or do you create them? Are the oar files kept on their servers or available for you to download to your own computer? Are there fees involved in creating OAR files? These are very important questions to ascertain before "buying a home".
IAR files are copies of your inventory. These too can be saved to your hard drive. Similar questions should be asked about IAR policy. Most grids do not allow IAR download... so if that grid goes offline (as we saw happen with Inworldz), your inventory is toast. Consider this strongly before investing in a grid.
Note that on most grids there are exceptions to what can be saved. If you have created an item yourself, or if you own items that are FULL PERM and TRANSPORTABLE (can be moved between grids), those items can often be saved to your local hard drive (depending on your Viewer). On some grids full perm items are considered your property and can be backed up to your hard drive. If the grid you are on suddenly ceases to exist, you merely find a new grid and upload your OAR and IAR files. Your lands and avatar (theoretically) can continue from where you left off. (Understand of course, nothing is perfect, nor guaranteed.)
If however an item has restrictions (nomod, nocopy, notrans or no transport)... it will be excluded from OAR and IAR files. That means if the grid crashes... those items will not be able to be restored from your backups.
Inworldz had no OAR or IAR capability. Elf Clan members would do well to remember that experience.
Most items found on OSgrid are free and quite often full-perm. If you decide to shop at a market on another grid, be aware of the PERMISSIONS before purchasing the object, then make your decision to purchase according to whatever limitations you are willing to accept.
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THE DIFFERENT GRIDS
We will very briefly discuss here the primary strengths of the three grids we fully examined. We do not here include grids that charge fees for services normally included free on most other grids, as such charges can significantly increase your monthly costs.
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OSGRID
SUMMARY: Total control on self-owned lands. Prices range from free to reasonable.
This is considered the "center" of the OpenSim experiment and is the largest of the grids. It is the "generic" OpenSim grid which offers a rather nice option: you can host your land yourself, either on your home computer-- or via a server-provider-- and connect it to OSgrid. You can have full, 100% control over every aspect of your lands. This is somewhat for the do-it-yourselfers, but offers the greatest power of any grid.
OSgrid is pretty much raw OpenSim code without the specialized DEV work provided by high-tech grids. There can be quite a bit of effort involved in setting up your own server if you decide to go that route. If you use a server-provider that hassle is largely eliminated (but more expensive). Home-based self-servers are FREE aside from the cost of electricity (OSgrid does recommend donating to the cause to keep the asset servers online). Server-providers charge a fee for server space and service. So you can check around and decide which you prefer, depending on your techinical skills and pocketbook.
There are lots of "freebies" on OSgrid (and the Hypergrid for that matter). You can build an entire world just out of freebies.
Due to the "free" nature of the grid, OSgrid offers full unlimited OAR and IAR processes.
* Be aware that nothing is actually "free". OSgrid does have overhead, and regular funding drives are held to pay for such. All members of OSgrid are encouraged to give as generously as they can in order to keep the primary asset servers online... and even improve the quality of those servers over time.
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DIGIWORLDZ
SUMMARY: Lots of LAND for your money. Social grid with privacy options.
DigiWorldz offers up to 6x6 VARs that can be connected side-to-side, allowing groups to create entire continents should they choose. Plenty of air and water space for those who enjoy vehicle travel.
DigiWorldz offers a wide variety of packages by separting land and prim purchase. Decide on the type of land you want, then add to that "prim paks" to meet the total number of prims you will likely use. If you don't need a lot of prims one of their low-price land packages may suit your taste.
DigiWorldz offers both the least-expensive and highest-end land packages-- depending on your needs. If you want super-cheap first-owner land, this is a good option. Larger, more prim-packed lands are available, depending on your pocketbook. DigiWorlds offers low-pricing packages that make regions available to those who could never before own their own lands, as well as ProServer packs that allow 12-core power and your own registry system... a "grid within a grid".
Both DigiWorldz and Kitely are very user-friendly and have excellent tech support.
With any grid, count the land size desired along with your total prim count needs to calculate the cost per month of owning your own region, and then purchase what you need. You can always expand later if required.
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KITELY
SUMMARY: Lots of PRIMS for the money. Total privacy by design, social if desired.
Kitely offers up to 4x4 private worlds that are hidden in every way from surrounding lands, "worlds within the world". It also offers "always on" MegaWorlds that are 8x8 in size (64 regions).
Kitely is best known for KITELY MARKET, a large, highly-professional shopping system akin to SL Marketplace. Many items can be taken to whatever grid you wish (check the permissions before purchase). Kitely owners are very friendly and support is excellent.
Kitely offers three simple plans that are easy to choose from. All of these plans are low-cost. In order to accomplish that, your region "turns on" only when you or someone else enters the region. A short period of "log in" time is required (usually ranging from 40 seconds to 2 minutes), during which you wait for your region to load. This is not an excessively long time; Kitely members soon get used to this unique process. Their popularity is proved by the fact that Kitely is second only to OSgrid in land area.
Each Kitely region is a "world unto itself". You can teleport to other Kitely "worlds" and vice versa, but cannot be connected side-by-side to other worlds. This is great for those who want absolute privacy, as each Kitely world is physically invisible to those around it -- even by camera. (See the Kitely website and read thoroughly regarding this arrangement.)
Kitely offers strong and functional website-based tools for its members that allow you to create your own OAR files, download them to your hard drive, and manage your region without entering the world itself. Kitely does not offer IAR ability.
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3rd ROCK GRID
SUMMARY: Balanced price structure.
The most observable thing about this grid is its age (going on 10 years now) and its balanced price / land / prim structure. It is moderate in all directions, both land and prims increasing as one's pocketbook allows.
Friendly tech support, a solid-feeling foundation and long time in the business makes this a worthy choice. Members will want to ask them about their OAR and IAR policies before settling in and make sure grid policy meets your needs.
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ALL GRIDS, EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING THE ABOVE
Whenever looking for a new home on a virtual world grid, there are two primary ways to go:
1) Follow the suggestions of your friends. Hey, it worked for them...
2) Research and examine the grid you're considering to see if it meets your needs and pocketbook.
3) Ask yourself how long the grid is likely to be around. Grids come and go, regularly. The long-time grids will likely be more dependable.
If you choose to research, here are some suggestions:
* Register with the grid, go in, check it out. See what you think about it from first impressions. Spend a few hours (or days) exploring and getting used to it. There's no rush to buy-in.
* Read the website. Each grid has a website that tells about what it offers. Read it as thoroughly as you can.
* Read between the lines, read the fine print. Pay as much attention to what they don't say as to what they say.
* If you have any questions, CONTACT the grid owners, file a support ticket, or go in-world and speak with the users.
* Ask the major questions:
* Do they offer a money-back guarantee if you set up and don't like it? (Not essential, but many grids do.)
* Do they allow OAR backup? Is there a charge for such? (Most grids offer limited OAR backup, or none at all.)
* Do they allow IAR backup? (Few grids do.)
* How is the grid itself backed up? To local servers or to external servers? How often?
* How many people are involved in managing the grid? (A 1 or 2 person grid is naturally succeptable to the health of a limited staff.)
* Is the grid connected to the hypergrid or is it a "closed grid"?
* What happens to the grid if something happens to the owner? (Yes, we know these are the "tough questions". They're also valid questions. This is a business. You are "investing" in this business. As a customer you have a right to know how your assets are protected in case of unexpected catastrophe.)
... etc etc. You may wish to write down a list of questions to ask.
Remember: you're not just handing them a little bit of money and "let's see what happens". You will likely be paying this company a regular fee, every month, for a very long time. Your investment will add up over time... so make a wise choice.
THE GOOD NEWS...
...is that Elf Clan has a home. The other good news is that you can choose to join us... pretty much anywhere.
You can be an official Elf Clan landholder... or not, as you wish. The question to ask: do you love the concept of Elf Clan and wish to remain a part of that concept? Everywhere the Elf Clan banner is seen, people will know these lands are open to visitors, G-rated, family-friendly, and real life is left at the door. Elf Clan is where people come to get away from real life, to relax, to enjoy friends and community.
You will not harm Elf Clan if you decide to not be an official land. You can help Elf Clan grow in popularity and reputation by hosting beautiful, official Elf Clan affiliate lands. The choice is entirely yours.
Our very best wishes to all.
-- The Eldar of Elf Clan
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ELF CLAN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF GROUP RELOCATION
Pt 1
Pt 2 click here
ELF CLAN HOME: ElvenSong at OSgrid. ElvenSong is part of the 75-region Elf Clan continents which include ElvenGlen, Dwagons Keep, the high-sky science fiction themed Replicant City, Pirate's Cove, Frankenstein (2020) and vast sailing oceans.
GROUP ANNOUNCEMENTS will be made via Second Life and DigiWorldz grids and will send you to the Events listing here. Please join the Elf Clan group on those grids if you wish to receive group announcements.
WE'RE ALIVE AND KICKING! :D
Read the following for details.
Greetings members!
We expect you have been waiting to hear where Elf Clan has decided to locate our new home. We are pleased to announce the Eldar have come to a unanimous decision in this matter.
First, we would like to thank you all very much for your patience. We have spent over four weeks of many-hours-a-day intensive research to come to our decision.
This has not been an easy decision to make... because we wished to arrive at a solution that would be beneficial to all of our members, not just some. We have heard the phrase, "You can't please all the people all the time". And yet that's what we have been working to accomplish. Our group is learning to become more flexible. As far as our group members go, we believe we have arrived at a solution that best achieves this goal.
THE FIRST DECISION
On July 27, 2018 the well-known Inworldz grid went off-line. All customer inventory assets were lost. Most land assets were lost (with a few exceptions that we managed to salvage-- fortunately which include the historic Elf Clan home regions).
There are many reasons this happened, but the primary reason entails one simple issue: Inworldz was a "closed grid" and did not follow the standard business practice of maintaining an off-site mirror backup of vital information. So when the servers were shut down by the hosting company... the entire asset data system was lost. Because of copyright and intellectual property issues, restoration even of saved OAR files provided only very limited salvage, as the "filtering" process is expected to be severe.
In light of these issues the first thing the Elf Clan Eldar considered was whether or not we wished to remain part of a "closed grid" system. The answer was no. Group position in this: After our experience with Second Life ($50,000 group land investment) and Inworldz ($150,000 group land investment), Elf Clan as a group shall never again support nor invest in a closed grid. There was no question among the Eldar in this matter. While closed grids are fine for individuals and hobbyists, we consider entrusting our creations solely to another entity over which we have no control to be a very costly bad idea. Experiences on Second Life and Inworldz made this very clear.
We wish to clarify that any Elf Clan member who wishes to remain part of a closed-grid is welcome to do so and still remain part of Elf Clan (even officially). However we have arrived at another solution for the group in general.
THE NEW "HOME" OF ELF CLAN
It is the unanimous decision of the Elf Clan Eldar our new home shall be: Everywhere.
In short, instead of being centered on one grid, with all land held and managed by one person and rented out, Elf Clan members may home on any grid they wish to reside. People have different needs and desires. Different grids offer different options. The good news: the prices are considerably lower than SL or Inworldz, more land in the deal, and more prims to work with. We're going Opensim.
By this concept: We have decided to host our primary land ourselves... on our own servers located around the globe. We have made this decision because it allows us maximum, 100% control over our historic creations, and 100% security in the handling of our home lands and inventory. This decision will help maintain our primary historic lands and landmark creations while giving our members full latitude on where to place their own lands.
Elf Clan home lands are located at: ElvenSong region on OSgrid. Since OSgrid does not sponsor group notices, such will be sent out via the friendly DigiWorldz grid. (We encourage those looking for their own home lands to check out both DigiWorldz and Kitely as stable and long-existing grids.)
ElvenSong is a 5x5 (25 region) VAR*. It is mostly ocean with lands in the center. ElvenSong is at ground level with Replicant City in high sky. Off to the side is Pirate Cove and ElvenMyst Castle. These lands are owned and managed by Snoots Dwagon. Alt Wayfinder Wishbrigner remains Founder and primary manager of the group.
Eldar Peter Lioncourt hosts ElvenGlen... a re-creation of our original home region, including the incredibly tall Elf Clan Castle, Elven Falls, the Ork Embassy and Fortress, and our ancient mascot FRED overlooking the lands.
* (See pt 2 of this article for more information on VARs.)
UPDATE September 2019: These lands have been joined by Frankenstein... a humorous and eclectic colletion of stiched-together regions which are fully explorable and contain numerous freebies. This gives us a total of 75 total regions on the central Elf Clan Continents.)
UPDATE August 2020: Our home lands have been joined by the Wellspring group (now housed on DigiWorldz) as official affiliate lands, adding 64 regions to the preceding 75. Wellspring is the host of the well-known Sendalonde Community Library, and the new Rascal Flats tiny town. Wellspring has been a long-time supporter of Elf Clan and good friends. We are very pleased to have them choose to be an official affiliate. Be sure to visit these visitor-friendly lands.
THE NEW ELF CLAN
For many years Elf Clan has been a very active, event-oriented group. When we moved to Inworldz we became a community group of separately-owned, close-proximity neighbors. Now after almost two decades were are relaxing a bit and turning our attention toward becoming creative vistior-oriented lands, with the focus on automated tours and historic builds to chronicle the development of Elf Clan over the years. We're no longer as active as we used to be, nor do we need to be. We'll let younger ones take up that banner. Nevertheless, we'll have enjoyable events from time to time as opportunity presents.
Our new homes are quite functional and work as well as they did on Second Life and Inworldz. We have far more space and lots of sailing room with no sim crossing lines. The fact that we now have three huge 25-region continents plus the 64 regions of Wellspring means we have more land and ocean space than in our entire group history (Second Life: 8 regions. Inworldz: 54 regions. Current: 130+ regions.
We have set up Elf Clan as a group on several grids. Elf Clan members have set up their homes on these grids. If you so desire, you can do so and still be an official affiliate Elf Clan Land. All that is necessary is to agree to host family friendly lands based on honor, respect and friendship. We will provide you with a beautiful banner to present at your entry area and you'll be ready to go.
Elf Clan affiliate grids and lands
GROUP ANNOUNCEMENTS
Group announcements will be made via DigiWorldz grid. If you wish to receive such announcements, please register with Kitely and join the Elf Clan group there. Events will be held by individuals on their grid of choice and announced via Kitely. The format of our group has changed. Instead of a centralized, land-locked group we are now spread throughout the Hypergrid in individual "mini-kingdoms". We believe this a good thing, allowing greater diversity and freedom.
WHY EVERYWHERE?
Our members are numerous and have varied interests. Some prefer total privacy, while others wish to host event areas. Some are creators and wish to have lots of prims available, while others prefer wide-spread landscapes.
As the Eldar considered these matters we realized (being free of closed grid requirements) that Elf Clan can now adapt to all such needs.
Elf Clan is a themed group. We are no longer land-bound. Some groups require centralization: sailing groups, role-playing groups, active groups. Elf Clan is a concept... one that can exist throughout the virtual worlds. That concept is family friendly, honorable, respectful. Our theme is fantasy and science fiction. We can do that anywhere.
The existence of the Hypergrid allows our members to create a home anywhere they wish... and attend events / visit friends regardless of location. Our members can have avatars on multiple grids, even keeping the same name on several grids... or have one single avatar and travel throughout the Hypergrid. This reality of modern-day virtual worlds helped us realize that our group no longer needs to centralize. Elf Clan lands can be anywhere and everywhere.
By allowing and even encouraging our members to pick a grid of your own preference, we expand the concept of Elf Clan throughout the metaverse, spreading our creations and concept across the Hypergrid. We can host events wherever we choose, socialize wherever we choose, travel wherever we choose. We are no longer limited within closed-wall grids... nor shall we ever be again.
WHICH GRID SHOULD I CHOOSE?
As a quick-look guide, here is a short summary of grid strengths and themes. Note that these are our observations. We strongly encourage members to do research of your own prior to choosing a grid-- a choice that may affect your virtual life for quite some time. In alphabetical order of grids we have closely examined:
3rd Rock Grid. An old and established grid with a good reputation. Easy-to-purchase packages and regions that run approximately $1 per 1,000 prims, depending on the package. Friendly tech support. Strength: an even balance of prims and land for your money.
DIGIWORLDZ. A vesatile grid that caters to those who prefer a social environment (or total privacy if you choose). Strength: Lots of land for your money.
KITELY. Offers "worlds within the world", lands completely invisible to surrounding lands (or create a community if you choose). Strength: lots of prims for your money.
OSGRID. This is the official central test grid of OpenSim and the hypergrid. There are several options for setting up on OSgrid, ranging from hosting your land yourself on your own server computer, hosting your land on a purchased server, or renting a ready-to-go land from a friendly land-baron.
Strength: 100% control over your lands if you self-serve, 100% inventory security and backup. But it has no inherent built-in group announcements that go to email, so members have to log in daily to receive the latest group information.
There are other grids which we have not had time to properly examine. Be aware that grids come and go. Some have costs in addition to basic monthly fees. Be sure to read the fine print... and the second part of this set of articles for additional information.
Welcome to the new age of Elf Clan. Please visit this site's home page for contact information and to request inclusion in the list of Elf Clan affiliates.
--o--
SPECIAL THANKS
We would like to extend special thanks to several people who have been of great help in our transition to the Hypergrid. We could not have succeeded without you. To avoid favoritism, we are listing these kind folks in order of contact:
Ilan Tochner of Kitely. Ilan bent over backward to assist us in relocation, explained how both Kitely and the Hypergrid worked, and was professional and good-natured about it when we decided (for control reasons) that we needed to self-host our home regions. Kitely's tech support and friendliness is outstanding. One of our Eldar chose to host her personal home on Kitely. Kitely is likely the most technically advanced of the Opensim grids; they have worked hard to fix major issues in the Opensim code-- including the years-long headache of slow-loading textures-- which fix they shared with all of Opensim.
Terry and Nox of DigiWorldz. We could not have asked for a more friendly welcome. Nox spent quite some time showing us around the grid, explaining how it works, and she and Terry answered every question we could throw at them. These very-helpful people have welcomed new members time and again. The Wellspring affiliate group settled on DigiWorldz and own a 64-region continent there.
KONI LANZIUS of ElvenWorld on OSgrid. Koni hosted Elf Clan's home regions while we were getting back on our feet, made us aware of the benefits of the Hypergrid, and was instrumental in getting us the help we needed to self-host our own VAR with OSgrid. Koni is no longer regularly active in the virtual worlds, but we owe her thanks in helping us decide on our new home and convincing us it was the right choice.
THE TECH. Name withheld so he doesn't get swamped by requests... this kind, generous person was highly instrumental in helping us set up our own server system. Elf Clan had a unique situation with special hurdles... and he stuck with us the entire time, over days, weeks and months of special problem solving. He never asked for anything in return other than friendship, and personifies the giving nature of the OpenSim environment. You know who you are... and you are much appreciated. Our special thanks.
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Please contact Snoots Dwagon at OSgrid to add your region / grid to our list of official affiliates. To be an affiliate region one agrees to display the Elf Clan Banner at the primary landing point. Minimal hassle, bringing recognition from a widely-recognized group.
Update note, October 2020: ElvenWorld is offline, and we cannot contact owner Koni Lanzius. We regret the loss of this 25-region VAR and Koni's welcome advice that got us to take a good, hard look at Opensim and the Hypergrid... and realize we were no longer limited behind iron walls.
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Greetings to our Visitors!
Elf Clan is based on three Charter concepts:
* Honor * Respect * Friendship *
These things are very important to us, both as a group and as individuals.
Problems with Grid Shutdown
When the Inworldz grid closed down all asset information was lost. This means inventory items, creations and creator information was lost as well.
Elf Clan lands are historic regions, dating from the very early days of Second Life and onward. Our lands went through four distinct creative phases before the recent fifth re-creation forced by the destruction of Inworldz.
Elf Clan Home Lands contain creations and donations by many people. Those creations are part of our history, tracking our growth as a group over a period of 14 years. Unfortunately when Inworldz shut down and those lands later re-built, no creator information was retained in the reconstruction files (OARs). As a result all creator names were lost... and items re-constructed on our lands were re-constructed under one owner/creator name (that is how OAR files work in a situation where no asset information exists). The chosen name is our friendly tiny Snoots Dwagon, who will be in charge of maintaining these lands.
Our Humble Request to You
If you find your creations on our primary ElfClan lands, we request to retain those creations on these lands only, as part of our history. We give you our solemn oath those creations will not be copied, transfered, sold or otherwise knowingly distributed. Your creations will be considered a trust... part of Elf Clan's history.
If you contact Snoots Dwagon we will be happy to provide Attribution Notice-- adding you to a posted list of creators contributing to our historic lands. It is our desire to give you credit for your work as part of our history.
If you do not wish your items to remain on these lands all you need do is let us know. Quite often we will already recognize you as an Elf Clan Creator and will honorably comply with your removal request. If question remains as to creator authenticity, we may request additional information according to established legal intellectual property guidelines. It is our hopes that creators recognize these as historic builds that provide them credit as the earliest talented creators on SL.. part of the Elf Clan legacy.
VISIBLE GROUP HISTORY
The creations on our primary regions present a visible, major part of Elf Clan's history. These are regions people recognize as the Home Lands of Elf Clan... and span many years. We hope creators consider it an honor to be a part of this, as we consider it an honor to have your creations as part of this tribute to Elf Clan-- the oldest active Fantasy Group in the virtual worlds.
-- The Eldar of Elf Clan
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Note: This article serves as historic interest purpose, as most information here is largely out of date. Elf Clan has now established a new home and has been fully operational on OSgrid for some time.
CONTACT US: (Please send notecards, not IMs. IMs are easily capped and lost on some grids.)
OSGrid: Moontan Valeeva, Snoots Dwagon
Second Life: Wayfinder Wishbringer or Eren Padar
We have no contact point on Inworldz as it is permanently offline and its replacement grid not set up at this time.
UPDATE Aug 14, 2018: ELF CLAN IS LANDING
It has been 2 1/2 weeks since Inworldz went offline. The Elf Clan Eldar have been extensively researching grids to find a new home.
The three central regions of Elf Clan are: ElvenSong, ElvenMyst and ElvenGlen. We have succeeded in restoring all three regions on a test area. That is very good news for our group, as it means our group history is fully intact.
At this time we are working on setting up these three primary Elf Clan regions all together on our own servers. This is not something everyone can do, nor is even recommended at this time. We are doing so as a means of research... and so that Elf Clan members may know we're still alive and kicking.
Every Elf Clan member has different needs. Most of you have not yet received your OAR files from Inworldz, so you are not ready to choose a new home quite yet. Some of you may be enjoying just exploring virtual worlds with your friends. Maybe some have received their OAR files and are wondering what to do with them. We are working on that.
In truth, it is too early yet to know what the future holds. However... the Eldar are working hard to determine what will work for all of our members, not just some. When you hear what we've been working on, we believe you will be excited.
IF you need assistance of any kind, please contact us as listed above. If you're content to explore for a while and just hang with your friends while the dust of Inworldz is settling, if you're waiting for your OARs and realize you don't need an immediate decision on anything... we encourage you to just hang in there and have fun.
IF you have immediate need of a new home and you just can't stand it any more and you want to start building again, we recommend checking into Kitely or DigiWorldz as affordable, easy-to-use hosts where you can have a secure and functional home.
Elf Clan is about to set up its central location, and we're soon to make a major announcement that will affect the very core of how Elf Clan operates. So hang in there. We will very soon now have something more concrete for you.
UPDATE Aug 9, 2018: FIXING FIRESTORM
Missing meshes? Avatars won't rez? Object won't rez?
This isn't a fault of the grid, but of issues with Firestorm. Here are two fixes that should correct rezzing problems:
FIXES FOR INVISIBLE MESH & other items in FIRESTORM:
ADVANCED / DEBUG SETTINGS / FSEnforceStrictObjectCheck
Check FALSE
PREFERENCES / GRAPHICS / RENDERING / ALPHA MASK RENDERING uncheck both options
Note: this may cause some prims to look a little wonky, but at least they'll be visible.
UPDATE Aug 6, 2018: STILL WORKING HARD FOR YOU
Elf Clan is still working to provide our group a future home. Just this week the Eldar attended official live conferences on multple grids to determine the state of virtual reality worlds as they exist today.
Our members are largely divided into four parts:
* Those who want to wait for Inwordz to re-appear and continue there. (Update: this was attempted, failed big time, is ancient history. Inworldz / Islandz are dead.)
* Those who wish to move to another grid (some have already done so)
* Those who have returned to Second Life
* Those who have decided to return to "real life" and chuck virtual worlds altogether.
For those who have returned to RL or SL, we wish them well. That is out of our jurisdiction. But for those who remain, we are trying very hard to find a solution that will satisfy everyone. It's like juggling cats, but over the years the Eldar have learned to become prettty good cat jugglers.
Until Inworldz makes its decisions, we are without full information. There is a deadline set (August 15, tentatively). At that time Elf Clan will likely go with the information we have on hand. Until then we encourage: if you wish to remain with Elf Clan, sit tight, be patient, wait for further information.
Because this is the reality: There is no rush.
Except of course for the Inworldz decision-makers. They may need to get on the stick and let people know what they have in mind for re-structuring. Our observations: it seems the day of the $75-per- region closed-wall grid concept is a bit outdated. We have undeniable results on what a closed-wall status did to Inworldz. It lost hundreds of thousands (millions?) of dollars in purchased inventory, lands and creativity. Regardless of the reasons behind the crash-- it damaged Inworldz reputation. They are having to re-build from scratch. It would seem a grave mistake to refuse significantly changing their business model in today's highly-competitive environment.
We must accept the facts: Inworldz was in decline before the big crash, while other grids were slowly growing. In the opinion of Elf Clan: Inworldz mode of operation needs to change for it to once again become a viable grid with a future.
"The definition of insanity is to continue doing the same thing, expecting different results." -- Albert Einstein
"Let us not be stupid, twice." -- Wayfinder Wishbringer
UPDATE Aug 1, 2018: A CAUTION TO ELF CLAN MEMBERS
Elf Clan members, please bring this post to the attention of your friends. If you're not an Elf Clan member you may wish to read this anyway. It's important.
Friends, please be aware that the Eldar are extensively researching grids, including Inworldz, in an effort to decide on Elf Clan's next home landing in an informed manner.
Unless you have operated a large group and managed multiple regions, you may not be aware of all the intricacies of moving to a new location. When we moved to Inworldz it was basically the "only game in town". That is no longer the case. People have a number of choices. Some people are already making those choices... often without fully researching grid policies.
Be aware there can be hidden issues that you will not discover until too late. If you make a move now, before Elf Clan has concluded our research and announced our findings... you may come to regret that decision in future months.
To date the Eldar have examined several prominent grids. We find most of them run very close in initial costs and land allowances. It is the fine print that will get you. We try to read all the fine print.
One grid was excessively slow and buggy. On another physics didn't work very well (no cars, ships, etc). Another one had hidden costs. Another had add-on costs. Etc etc. Be aware that every grid is operated under a different busienss model. It's a mistake to believe that all grids are equally capable. That's why the Eldar are doing our homework.
If you enjoy Elf Clan, we ask you to keep an eye on this blog. We have been in the virtual world business for a very long time. We know many of the pitfalls to look out for, the things to watch out for and avoid. The Elf Clan Eldar are taking our time and patiently examining multiple grids because the pitfalls are many... and we wish to make a wise decision. Everyone has personal needs; we are trying to find out which grid meets the greatest needs for the greatest number of people.
Major changes are coming... a new Elf Clan. As a preview: we will no longer be owning / managing massive group lands. Each member will be the actual owner of your region and deal directly with the grid where we settle. This will provide you even greater freedoms as a land owner. That's just one change that's coming. You may want to stick around for the ride and see what happens. : )
If you wish to continue as an official land-owner in Elf Clan, if you love our lands and concepts and wish to make a good, informed decision... please be patient. Wait for further word from the Eldar. Or go wherever you choose. We all must make our own decisions.
May you all be well.
-- The Eldar of Elf Clan
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ORIGINAL POST
UPDATE Saturday July 28, 2018
One day after the shutdown of Inworldz Grid.
From Wayfinder Wishbringer, founder of Elf Clan, the Elf Clan Eldars and Elf Clan Counsel
Greetings to all! No fancy Elvish language, no role playing today, just straight answers to common questions. I'll try to be brief, but there's only so brief one can be in these circumstances.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, Answered
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
#1. Point Elf Clan members to this website for regular updates. This is where the primary information will be distributed.
#2. Please patiently wait and give us time to re-group. We are researching, examining, collecting data, and are in constant communication. We are already talking to grid owners. We are waiting for Inworldz to reveal its plans. We promise when we have an answer, you will be the first to know.
You may of course set up a new home somewhere else, right away. However if you do...chances are you will become too entrenched and invested to follow Elf Clan when we make our decisions.
If you love Elf Clan lands, if you enjoy our family-friendly group and concepts, if you have been a member for years and wish to remain with us... then we encourage you to have patience and wait. These things take time. We need to research, examine all information, and make wise decisions. We're sure you don't want us to rush into something and regret it later.
Please realize this was a "freak accident". Yes, Inworldz made bad decisions and management errors were made... but this was a stack of dominoes that started falling. Things could have been done, should have been done, but that is all hindsight.
You are aware Elf Clan itself had nothing to do with all of this. We were caught just as off-guard as anyone by Monday's announcement that Inworldz would close in 4 days. We had no advance warning, no "inside information". We had to scramble and put out fires just like everyone. We were just as blindsided as you... the difference being that we've dealt with such before. We knew what to do and started immediately guiding our members in methods of salvaging as much of their creations as possible. We were online hours a day answering IMs and posting instructional information. We were there for you, and still are.
So it is left to us now to pick up the myriad pieces and figure out how to put them back together somehow. Such needs are being addressed even as you read this article.
WHAT IS ELF CLAN GOING TO DO?
To be straight with you: we don't know at this time. It's been less than a day (as of this writing) that Inworldz shut down. We simply haven't had time to research the matter properly, explore other grids, gather information. We've spent the last 4 days like you... just trying to save as much as we could and help others do the same.
Add to this the fact that Inworldz itself doesn't know exactly what it is going to do... and we realize we all need to just take some time, sit back and breathe, and wait until the dust settles. When Elenia has answers, she has promised to tell us. When the Eldar have all the information we need, we will post the results. Member feedback and suggestions are being collected and eventually decisions will be made. Chances are you will find the outcome even better than it has been for the last eight years. That is our current goal. We like to believe that is everyone's goal... including Inworldz.
No one is happy about what happened (at least, they shouldn't be). We can work together and move toward an improved future.
WHAT DO I DO IN THE MEANTIME?
It is good and wise to understand that virtual life is not the only life there is. You have two main options:
1. REAL LIFE. Discover a real life hobby for a couple of weeks. Learn something new. Catch up on some movies. Read a book or two. Take this break time to enjoy real life.
2. VIRTUAL LIFE. Other grids are welcoming people with open arms. Visit. Explore. Find your friends. Make new friends. Virtual worlds did not die with Inworldz... just the one we made our home. That home is gone... so visit friends at theirs. Virtual life goes on.
One thing we don't recommend is to make an immediate, knee-jerk decision based on "what you've heard" about other grids, and wind up settling somewhere you may not like later on. Rather than making impulsive snap choices, it may be time to sit back, take a deep breath, and relax.
IS THIS AN ELDAR DECISION OR A GROUP DECISION?
Both. Are we going to take a "group vote"? No. That would be logistically unfeasible since we are now spread out all over the place, and "voting" is never how Elf Clan has operated. We have always been managed by the unanimous decisions of four Eldar and the Elf Clan Counsel-- people dedicated to the good of the group as a whole.
To be honest: individual members don't know everything about how Elf Clan runs, our group goals, or intricacies of operating a large group in a virtual environment. The Eldar do. We literally wrote the book on Elf Clan... a book that is now 13+ years old. So in the end... this will understandably be the decision of the Eldar.
HOWERVER... that doesn't mean you aren't involved. You can be very much involved in this decision. Please feel free to send suggestions, information and feedback to Wayfinder Wishbringer or Eren Padar on Second Life in NOTECARD FORM (so our IMs don't cap out. Please do not IM. Send a NOTECARD). We will be paying close attention to each notecard. Then let the Eldar do what we do best and make the tough, informed decisions. That's what we're here for. Then when we do, you can make your individual decision. That is your right. We wouldn't want it any other way.
DID WE MAKE A BAD DECISION WITH INWORLDZ?
No. Elf Clan thrived on Inworldz... for eight years. We would be thriving still if it hadn't nose-dived. The decision to move off of the ultra-restrictive SL platform to Inworldz was, at the time, a good and wise decision that helped our group grow to larger, more productive and more beautiful than at any time in its history. No one could have foreseen what happened over this last week. The decision to move was good. Elf Clan lands blossomed as never before.
Sometimes despite the best of decisions... stuff just happens. The offal strikes the rotary oscillator-- and all we can do is clean up afterward.
CAN THE ELDAR GIVE US ANY HINTS?
Yes, in fact we can. We plan (at this time) a total re-structure of how Elf Clan operates... a better model. We can do this because we are no longer restricted by the Inwordz model (which really, was pretty flexible, but limited).
Consider our history:
SECOND LIFE. When we were on Second Life we were restricted by grid rules and costs to two full sims and 6 "open space" sims . That was later reduced to 2 regions when Linden Lab price-gouged everyone. Because of very unfriendly LL policies, those lands had to be owned by one person and rented out on a parcel basis. We only had 15,000 prims per sim to work with, which severely limted those rentals.
Because of Linden Lab lax security policies we had to train an Elf Clan security force and had to constantly be on guard against griefers. Plus we had to constantly deal with Linden Lab itself-- which was often a very difficult company to deal with. It was very restrictive and stressful. Elf Clan thrived, but under strict limitations. No one owned their own region.
INWORLDZ. When we moved to Inworldz, wow, what a difference. Region prices dropped from $350 a month to $40 a month. While all the lands still had to be "owned" by one person to get that discount, we were able to sell sims to individual members... at the same price we paid-- no profit asked. As a result instead of one region owner renting out parcels, we wound up with some 54 privately-owned, amazingly beautiful regions.
This allowed us to have sub-groups... role playing, market groups, families, even the Gypsies... a subgroup that wasn't quite theme but fit in rather nicely with Elf Clan's concepts. For the first time our members could really breathe, and we as Eldar were able to extend far greater freedoms than the restrictive environment of Second Life.
Instead of Elf Clan being strictly managed by four Eldar, we became a group where each region pretty much was self-moderated, managed by the region owner... and the Eldar found ourselves blissfully taking a back seat. Elf Clan had grown up, matured. Inworldz is what allowed that. For those 8 years, we are grateful.
NOW. Inworldz has dissolved... and with it our land holdings . What will come next? We're not sure, but one thing the Eldar have determined is that Elf Clan is going to expand and simplify. This means we will be taking significant steps to extend our member's options and freedoms even more, to make it easier to own lands, to make it easier to work within the group, to make your virtual life more open, fun, and rewarding. The last 8 years were pretty great. We intend the upcoming times to be even better.
We can't go into specific details because right now all we have are "possible ideas". But the possible ideas are... well let's just say you'll want to stick around and see what happens. When we finally announce our course of direction, we believe you are going to be very pleased with how much easier things are going to be in Elf Clan... more varied and fruitful than ever before.
JOIN ELF CLAN!
"Oi'm not dead yet!" Elf Clan (as with all Inworldz members) is beaten, battered, bruised, but still standing on our feet. After all, you're reading this web page, right? If you look around, you will find the Elf Clan group registered on several grids. Join each one! There is no rule saying you can't be a member of Elf Clan on multiple grids.
Soon we are going to choose a grid. Will it be a revised Inworldz? Kitely? DigiWorldz? Discovery? OSgrid? We can't say at this time. But go to any of those, SEARCH GROUPS, and you will find Elf Clan. It's open/free join. Please join us... everywhere.
You will be hearing from us again. And please check back here regularly for further announcements. We are in highest hopes you are really going to like what you see come out of this.
-- The Elf Clan Counsel
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THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS RETAINED AS ARCHIVAL INFORMATION. As of August 1, 2018 Inworldz has already shut down and much of the information below is already out-of-date.
See end of this blog for the latest information from Inworldz.
INWORLDZ HAS ANNOUNCED IT IS SHUTTING DOWN
This blog is being written over the next 3-4 days. Please return for additional information.
As many are aware, Elenia of Inworldz has just announced the intended shutdown of Inworldz on Friday, July 27, 2018. This gives members less than 4 days to figure out what to do with their creations, where to move (or if they're going to continue with virtual worlds at all)... or to see if what Elenia has stated will indeed come about and Inworldz actually go offline-- or something pull it out of the can at the last minute.
Be assured the Elf Clan Counsel is aware of these things and we will be discussing it over the next few days. Even if Inworldz does close down on Friday, that doesn't mean Elf Clan has to make an immediate decision. We have time.
IN THE MEANTIME
We recommend: if you own regions on Inworldz, ask Elenia to provide an OAR of your region. She has instructed people to make such request in this article:
https://inworldz.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007381013-State-of-InWorldz
However, realize that an Inworldz-based OAR file is very unlikely to reproduce your entire region on another grid. That's just the reality of the situation. If Inworldz shuts down and you continue with virtual reality, you will most likely need to re-build... a lot.
[edit: Inworldz has announced they will be producing "FULL, COMPLETE OARs" which they will send to individual region owner emails. We await to see what they're able to save for us.]
BACK UP YOUR CREATIONS
If you can, use your FIRESTORM (or other) viewers to back up your creations to your hard drive. This will be a complex and time-consuming process, but the option is to wave goodbye to all your work. Some are deciding to do just that.
In the meantime, we recommend calm and peacefulness among our members. We know this can be an emotional situation, but the truth is that most of us have lost major things in our lives. Some have lost loved ones, husbands, wives, children, parents. Others have lost all their belongings in a house fire, or their heath to advancing age or accident.
All things are relative in importance. We accept the reality of that which we cannot change, and we move on.
ELF CLAN SURVIVES
Will Elf Clan continue on? In some form or another. The Eldar are currently considering several options. It is understandable we cannot "vote" on this as a group; the mayhem would be far too great. HOWEVER, we wecome your suggestions and recommendations. The supporting Eldar are:
Wayfinder Wishbringer
Moontan Valeeva
Cinnamon Raymaker
Peter Lioncourt is the land Eldar. Please do not contact him regarding these issues unless your inquries are related to land. Things are going to be busy enough for him. However if you have questions, suggestions, recommendations (even involving other grids), please feel free to contact the other Eldar. Your voices are always heard.
THE WEES
The tiny community has long been associates of Elf Clan. It was recognized early this day that we wish to retain that relationship. It would be of benefit if Elf Clan and the Wees-- if we move to a new grid-- wind up on the same grid. Discussions have already begun in that direction and a potential committees formed between the two groups. We expect perhaps a similar relationship with STAR TREK EXPERIENCE, who have been our good friends since the early days of Elf Clan.
We will let you know when a decision is made. Again, your feedback, input and recommendations count. The Counsel is in charge of the final decision, but that decision will be based on group needs and advice. Every voice IS a voice. Please do not hesitate to IM us or send a notecard with your thoughts.
Our very best wishes to all.
Wayfinder Wishbringer
and the Elf Clan Counsel
THE LATEST WORD FROM INWORLDZ
Elenia has announced she is working on methods to try to save Inworldz. The latest official news:
* Don't panic, remain calm, don't take your creations offline.
* Inworldz may go offline for a few days, but hopefully will be right back up.
* They ask for time. It will take a few days to sort this out.
* In short, contrary to prior announcements, Inworldz isn't necessarily going offline permanently.
However, understand these statements offer no guarantees. We have no hard evidence that Inworldz will be online Friday or Saturday. So if you hold creations on Inworldz dear, do all in your power, with whatever tools you have, to copy these items to your hard drive. Unfortunately available tools for doing so are hindered by permission / ownership issues and are often unreliable. That is the pox of economy-based virtual worlds.
We will wait with the patience of Elves and see what happens. If Inworldz goes offline, then we can figure out what to do from there.
LATEST GOOD NEWS
Both the Wees and Star Trek Experience have expressed desire to work with Elf Clan in finding a mutually-acceptable grid should Inworldz go offline. There is strength in numbers when bargaining for new lands. Three large, well-known groups have more bargaining power than one. Of course, Elf Clan would change dramatically. We will see what results over the next week or two.
07-26-2018
Most of Inworld has already shut down. As OAR files have been saved, individual regions have automatically been taken offline.
The Eldar of Elf Clan have decided to take a breather, be patient, and take our time deciding on our next step. Will Elf Clan be reborn elsewhere? Will it be a full group or at reduced concept? Should we close it down, satisfied with a glorious 14-year run? All of these options and more are being considered.
The truth is, we have no answers at this time. Inworldz has stated it will be re-opening as a "new" company, and pulling in regions from saved OAR files. However... all inventory will be lost. Does Elf Clan want to rebuild.. yet again? We have have received mixed reactions to this. Some want to rebuild. Some say absolutely no. Some express misgivings and lack of trust in Inworldz itself. So there is a diversity of opinion. All those opinions must be considered and weighed.
The Eldar invite your feedback. You can contact Eren Padar or Wayfinder Wishbringer on SL, Snoots Dwagon on OSgrid. PLEASE USE NOTECARDS, NOT IMS or you'll cap out our IMs. Write your thoughts on a notecard, send it over. It will be considered. Opinoin-based IMs will be deleted. NOTECARDS please.
We plan to make a decision within 2 weeks or so, depending on how quickly Inworldz gets rebuilt, what their price struture and fees are, whether it's the best deal for our group. Realistically speaking: as of this day we have lost a total of some US $150,000 in investments in Inworldz. That's a pretty hard sock to the jaw and cannot be ignored as we choose where to land. Trust once lost is difficult to regain.
Right now things are up in the air, so Elf Clan waits for the smoke to clear. We wish to make a valid and well-studied decision. Such things require time. Thank you for your patience in this matter.
--o--
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The following information is for archival purpose only, as part of Elf Clan's history.
GUIDE FOR ELF CLAN PATRONS and RENTERS
REGION MANAGER: Snoots Dwagon
Note: the following applies to those renting Elf Clan - owned lands. Rules may differ for those renting from individual Elf Clan region owners. In this document, Patron land holders and "renters" shall both be referred to by the term "residents".
WELCOME to Elf Clan Lands. This guide will help you in your building according to theme and group policies so that all Patrons and renters exist in the harmony and beauty that is the hallmark of Elf Can. Please note that these are guidelines. Some are "rules", but flexible ones. Please contact region manager SNOOTS DWAGON for consultation if you wish to do something that seems outside these guidelines.
NO RUSH. First, don't feel rushed or under pressure to get your building done right away. Take your time. Enjoy the building process. No one is here to judge your build. The best builds take time and often undergo many changes along the way.
GROUP THEME and GUIDELINES
You need to be a member of the ELF CLAN BUILDERS group to be a resident on Elf Clan lands. Please contact Snoots Dwagon for membership invitation. If you've signed up as a Patron, likely invitation has already been extended.
Elf Clan lands are designed according to our VISITOR GUIDELINES. All residents should build and conduct themselves by those guidelines.
Group theme is: Fantasy, Science Fiction and non-contemporary Steampunk. Mind you, these three themes allow for a broad range of creativity. The idea is to avoid that which is mundane and contemporary... and employ our imagination in building.
For an example of Steampunk theme: one should not enter Elf Clan lands and find themselves feeling as if they are in Victorian London. Steampunk goes beyond basic Victorian concept and into the fantastic. It's not England... it's Steampunk. One should employ that concept for all it's worth. Contemporary or real life historical concepts should be completely avoided at ground level.
The same holds true for the field of Science Fiction. Emphasis should be on awe and imagination as opposed to blocky, sterile buildings. The theme may be science fiction, but it is still Elf Clan. Beauty and unique is the focus in building on Elf Clan lands.
In the same manner, Fantasy should conform to the concept of beauty and imagination for which Elf Clan is known. Darker concepts-- although fantasy-- would not fit into that theme on rental lands. This does not apply to full Elf Clan regions... but even they need remain within Elf Clan Charter family-friendly concepts.
Of course exceptions can be made in some instances. If you have an interesting idea or concept and are concerned as to whether it is acceptable theme, please contact Snoots Dwagon for discussion.
COOPERATE WITH NEIGHBORS
While it is realized each parcel will be individual and even have different themes, neighbors should cooperate at parcel edges to try and make their builds compatible. What has gone before takes precedence. So if there is an existing path on a neighbor's parcel, either continue that path or present your neighbor with an alternate idea upon which you can both agree.
If a pond exists that covers two parcels, it should not be altered on one parcel without the express permission of the neighboring parcel.
In short, all builds, regardless of theme should be cohesive and harmonious to as much an extent as possible. That stated, do remember that each plot is individual... and different people have different tastes. Try to be good neighbors, at all times.
TERRAFORMING
Elf Clan has a history of avoiding flat land, with few exceptions (one of them being the ElvenMyst sandbox. Flat land is dull and lifeless. Flat land has no personality.
It is our experience from long years of region design: if one is urged to build around randomly terraformed lands-- those builds can become quite creative. You may employ platforms, build into the sides of hills (a hill can be terra-cut to allow an insertion), or if you are using mesh or artificial ground scaping the land can be totally flattened to make way for such an item.
If you need to terraform, there are a few requirements:
1) You must be an experienced terraformer. Due to safety for surrounding parcels, inexperienced ones should ask us to do the terraforming for you. We are happy to do so.
2) So that lands are not accidentally terraformed, terraforming is normally turned off. If you have special terraforming needs, please contact Snoots Dwagon to turn your plot's terraforming on, then when you are done have him turn it off again so your land cannot be damaged by neighbors or griefers.
3) You may if you wish ask to have terraforming on all the time-- but realize this opens your land to hacking. While such is unlikely, we cannot be responsible for damage done to your land (accidental or otherwise) if you have opted to leave terraforming turned on.
In short: it's just not a good idea to leave terraforming turned on. Asking for it to be enabled and then disabled may be inconventient at times-- but it provides safety for your creations.
TREES. We have three recommendations regarding trees. We're not being picky on this-- just relaying years of experience in putting together landscapes. : )
1) If possible, make them phantom so people flying don't get tangled up in them.
2) Please avoid "full bright" or "glowing" trees. They seem unnatural during daytime and stand out like street lights at night. Such items disrupt the beauty and continuity of the land... like putting spotlights all over a property.
3) Avoid "flexi" trees. Large flexis are known to lag regions terribly.
If you can change full bright / glow / flexis to not so, that is best. In short... if you can't mod a tree, it's probably best to use a different tree.
SKYBOXES
You may create a skybox from 1,000 to 4,000m. Higher skies are reserved for group needs and activities.
Skyboxes may have "relaxed theme" (it can be your own home with whatever decorations you desire). Such may be contemporary, and themes other than our standard themes. However, please recognize limitations. Relaxed theme does not mean an occult vampyric BDSM dungeon is ever acceptable anywhere on ElfClan lands. ; )
If your theme differs from standard G-ratings, it needs to be totally enclosed in an opaque, attractive "scenic box". G-rated sky builds can be left open for public visiting if you so desire. Theme is not required in high-sky... but of course is welcomed and encouraged.
Sky boxes must of course be contained within your parcel boundaries.
PROBLEMS, ASSISTANCE and DISCLAIMER
If you have any problems or need assistance, please contact Snoots Dwagon.
Disclaimer: While we will always do our best to assist and accomodate residents, Elf Clan is not responsible for any issues or problems with land renting / patronage, nor are any guarantees or warranties made in regard to such. Each land owner understands the sometimes temporary and uncontrollable nature of virtual worlds and assumes all responsibility in residing on group lands.
If it ever becomes necessary to shut down or alter a region, we will do our very best to give residents advanced notice and help them in relocation should they so desire. It is our wish for you to fully enjoy your residence on Elf Clan lands.
Enjoy your new home with Elf Clan. And Patrons... thank you for your assistance in promoting Elf Clan lands and activities!
--o--
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LIFE ON TWO GRIDS
Some people on Second Life have expressed regret that Elf Clan left, stating that it left a void in their virtual life. We too regret that step was necessary. But Linden Lab just kept raising prices to the point that as a group we could no longer grow. They constantly put their corporate profit line ahead of customer welfare. Eventually they drove us to seek greener pastures where Elf Clan could thrive.
That doesn't mean people on Second Life still can't be part of Elf Clan. It just means setting up an avatar and visiting our "new home" on Inworldz--where we've been since May 2010 (we're currently celebrating our 8th anniversary here).
Elf Clan spans more than thirty seven regions on Inworldz, all owned by individual members. That's quite an increase from the very-limited two single-owner regions we had on Second Life.
JOIN ELF CLAN AND RECEIVE EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS
We aren't limited to only "belonging" to one grid. Elf Clan members can join multiple grids and travel freely between them. If you would love to own land but can't afford the outrageous prices of Second Life... come to Inworldz. Elf Clan has a special arrangement that provides us full-size, 45,000-prim regions for only $40 a month. It's a creator's paradise.
Even if you don't purchase land, you can sign up with the Elf Clan group on Inworldz and receive our event announcements. Our events are as unique and interesting as ever.
Gain the best of belonging to two grids. Come join us at Inworldz and see what Elf Clan has been up to for the past eight years!
DUAL CITIZENSHIP
Inworldz and Second Life are not mutually exclusive grids. One can enjoy activities on both. Many of our Inworldz members regularly visit Second Life to see old friends or attend events-- especially those in the Tiny community there. We don't have to delete our avatars on SL to join Inworldz; we can enjoy DUAL CITIZENSHIP and move freely between the two grids.
WHY VISIT INWORLDZ?
Because Elf Clan is here. Visit Inworldz.com, set up an avatar, come and visit us. Here is what you will find on ElvenMyst, our group activity center:
* Huge sandbox and fantasy market
* Pirate Cove re-born in all its glory, and better than ever-- with four rezzable ships and an entire sea sim right next door that connects with three other regions. Sail to your heart's content!
* Salty Dragon Tavern... our best tavern yet.
* Our famous Drum Circle... the original drum circle and Elf Clan's oldest event.
* SEVEN (yes count them, seven) high-sky Star Trek environments including starships, bridges, K-7 (the Trouble With Tribbles space station), and the planet surface of the Guardian of Forever.
* THREE sim-size race tracks, including the new Giant Spider Races-- a huge dirt track where you can choose a giant spider, slug or housefly as your racing vehicle.
* CRITTER BALL has returned! Yes, the game of tiny soccer with a monster-size ball-- and it is fully automated for 24/7/365 fun.
* Fully automated DRAGON FIGHTS with free dragon avatars.
* ARCHERY RANGE with three automated target systems and free equipment.
How are we able to get all of this on one region? Because on Inworldz our lands only cost $40 per region-- and have a 45,000 prim limit. There are no link limits (we built a space ship 105m long, 1,000 prims, all one object-- and it flies like a leaf on the wind).
Not only that, but on Inworldz there are no upload fees. Many people come here to design and test their products and then import them into Second Life at greatly-reduced development cost.
All together there are twenty-three activity / event centers on ElvenMyst region. Well worth a visit!
THEN THERE'S ELVENSONG
ElvenSong is the home region of Elf Clan. It contains our main castle, DragonForge Merchantile, the Elven Grotto, the Crystal Museum of Elf Clan History, the beautiful Elf Clan Gardens, Cinnamon's Glen and the mysterious Dwagon's Keep... home of the notorious dwagons.
In high sky there is the hallmark REPLICANT CITY, a region-size science fiction exhibit and multi-theme museum with areas dedicated to Star Trek, Doctor Who, TRON, Portal, Firefly, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Steampunk and much more. You can spend hours or even days exploring Replicant City alone. Eight years in the making and fully interactive. Replicant City is a widely-known major attraction on Inworldz.
Fleure's Enchanted Corner regularly hosts live music events several times a week. There is no shortage of music and dance in Elf Clan.
SO COME VISIT! Join Elf Clan on Inworldz and get the best of both worlds!
--o--
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