Starfall

There are times when the most beautiful of landscapes are created with the fewest materials, allowing our eyes to focus on depth, placement and proportion. Such is the case at Starfall's Twilight's Edge, a water sim that expresses serenity with a restrained design of boulders and leafless trees, supplemented here and there by birds, grasses, and a few small structures, along with a prominent rocky outcrop on the northwest corner, around all of which the waters quietly undulate.

But there's more at Starfall's Twilight's Edge than might first meet the eye: near the landing point you'll spy a rectangular area in the water — a couple of koi are there, poking their heads up — and that's the entrance to a second world. Step in and you'll drop down to the sea floor — cleverly hidden away — to visit a deep green and blue world, filled with luminous jellyfish, ancient ruins, and delicate flora onto which shine brilliant shafts of light (third image).

There's more to see high overhead the ground installation. Starfall's Whale Song (image immediately below) is a beautiful micro-world in a sphere. Climb the ladder near your arrival point to ascend into the stars and up toward a series of rock platforms with etherial settings — a fun tea party awaits you at the end. And Starfall's Midnight Orchid (lowest image) explores "the magic of dreams" with "a touch of sensuality." For both you'll want to use a midnight windlight setting.

The region, which was designed by Nezzy (inez pennell) and imp (cinderr resident), is owned by Aqua th Oracl3 (aquaglo) and is home to the Starfall artist community. If you'd like to be able to rez, just join the land group, but remember to clean up after yourself, and, if you're not using a viewer that automatically switches to region windlight, the preferred setting here is [NB] Sepia 1200. Both Nezzy and imp are delightfully approachable, and, when I asked whether there was a way for visitors to contribute toward the upkeep of the sim, imp cheerfully replied, "Every visit here is a contribution."