By Netera Landar
I went to an event celebrating “The Quiet Between Worlds” region an hour before singer Austin Moores’ gig. Max Kleene was singing live during the Masquerade Ball.
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| The Masquerade Ball in the Ballroom. (Photo courtesy Neme Marville) |
I went to an event celebrating “The Quiet Between Worlds” region an hour before singer Austin Moores’ gig. Max Kleene was singing live during the Masquerade Ball.
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| Max Kleene |
He was dressed in a black suit and wore a mask that covered half his face. On a blue, sparkling dance floor, 40 participants were surrounded by tall arches and floating candles. Many were dressed casually, while others chose formal gowns, suits, or styles that suited them.
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| The landing point information board. |
“The Quiet Between Worlds” was created from a growing sense of unrest and exhaustion – both online and offline – that now permeates our world: the constant performance, polarization, and pressure to define and defend identity. The region is a refuge that offers true emotional safety and comfort. It is LGBTQ+ centered on care and visibility for the most vulnerable members of the Second Life community. Here, visitors can experience moments of peace and reflection, mourn loved ones that they have lost, and support our fellow brothers and sisters,” according to Team Nabi/Butterfly Nation. Over 1,500 people have visited so far.
The team includes Nemesis Marville – engines, storytelling, and meshes; Nyx Marville – scripting and dynamic art; Dean Acer – meshes and textures; Cypher: Muse and the boss of Dean; and Rin Nemeth: artists’ coordinator and manager.
A week after the music event, I met with Neme, who lives overseas, and Nyx. They gave me a tour of numerous parts of the region and offered explanations at each highlighted space.
“Our grant started in January of 2026. We have this region through Second Life Endowment for the Arts for six months. So, the region will end and go on to a new artist at the end of June 2026,” said Neme.
The team members met in a region where the community was supportive of LGBTQ residents. When it closed, they discussed ideas on how to offer a safe space. The opportunity came, and they began their work.
They create unity and bring people together by holding weekly events. One of which is a week-long watch party in their theater, and on Sundays, a DJ mixes ambient tunes and more. They hope to offer more events, especially for Pride coming up, now that the building phase is nearly complete.
As for the tour, Neme and Nyx showed me the upper levels. I explored the beach area myself. Not far from the landing point is a guitar stage with rainbows and stars streaming from the sand. Bean bag chairs surround the area.
A memorial park features a marble headstone and a touching message, a harp that plays after you click it. Sit on the Pride bench and listen.
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| Step into the wooden cabin and watch a special video. |
Watch the interactive video in the wooden cabin. Relax by the fire pit or in the cuddle heart.
Neme’s tour led to the exploration of the upper part of the build. He told me to walk slowly towards the first teleport, which should bring us up.
“This marks the end of the world as we know it,” said Neme. “This is why in the book up there it says choose wonder over fear.” We went over the bridge instead. “This is a spot for gatherings, for friends and family, and for concerts and events. This is the Ballroom biome. It’s the face we show to the people around us. It’s what we want them to perceive us as,” he told me.
I recognize it as the room where Max performed. Neme tells me that every arc in the room has a message, and together they become whole.
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| The Little Prince build. |
We took the portal to the next area. He said this was the Little Prince biome, which features elements from the book.
“You can either be the Little Prince or the Narrator, as they are the only characters missing,” he said, and asked if I knew the story.
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| Netera with Neme. |
“It should feel like they were just here, and their absence should be notable. I think the first thing people do is think of a loved one who is now among the stars. People react with feelings of nostalgia, some even grief. Although it’s more introspective in a way. It’s the feeling of lost potential, of what life could have been if they were still around."
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| Another wooden cabin for sitting and reflecting. |
We then move on to the cabin. Neme said that this is a place to calm down from the feelings we experienced in the previous setting. Most of the scene has interactive areas to hang out, contemplate, or just share a moment with someone you’re close to.
He added that there is an important over-arching theme that extended across all the builds in the region and that was the opportunity to contemplate your life as well as options for making memories.
“Which is so important in a space like SL where folks are looking for connections,” Neme said. “Around this ark/biome, this is a place where you can withdraw and relax and leave whenever you feel ready to. A place to be yourself without having to meet any expectations.”
“There needs to be safe places to come,” I told him.
“Exactly,” said Nyx. “Whether it is someone decompressing from real life, or looking for a way to reach out to a community, that is what SL is at its heart. A place to be more than you can imagine and to find your chosen people.”
Nyx stated, as Neme did, that their region will be open to the end of June, and then another team will create an installation, or whatever their passion is, and it will be bittersweet.
“We do not have an option yet to move elsewhere, but we are open to any opportunities folks may have. We put in a very concentrated effort to do everything ourselves. So, approximately 98% of what you are seeing is something our team members made or created together,” Nyx added.
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| A tree-house build focusing on grief, how it is love with nowhere to go. Play your song anyway. |
Onward we went. This time, we were transported to a floating treehouse, which Neme said was a standard blender ruins made with mesh.
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| Not all wishes are meant to come true...some are meant to change you. |
“Neme has created much of the mesh you see around each scene. Each scene is encapsulated within its own biome. Right now, we are about 2,500m over the beach below,” explained Nyx. “I think we have space for everyone to claim a spot as their own at this point.”
Neme tells me I’ll love the next area. He points across the bridge to a piano, the next portal, he said. There are messages.
“He has made pieces, since we started, that tell stories, follow a narrative, and make people connect. This piece made me teary-eyed,” Nyx admitted.
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| Nyx and Neme. |
We are at a gazebo where the stars sparkle above. Neme said that there are four messages and poses, perfect for couples. Perfect to ask your loved one to marry you, and there’s even a wedding venue downstairs.
“If you wish to book space for a wedding, it’s free. If you want to flex your DJ skills on any given night – free. If someone wants to hold a morning yoga class, the only hurdle is your imagination and wanting to see it thrive,” said Neme.
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| You are not alone. |
“I think the little messages are cute and endearing,” added Nyx. “Sometimes it’s hard to find the words to say how one feels.”
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| You are more than what hurts you. |
Neme explained that they tried to alternate heavy places with places to rest your mind and soul so it wouldn’t be overbearing.
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| Your journey just begins - we are walking it with you... |
“I think the vastness of massive objects like space, reminds us of how small we are and how small our troubles can be in the grand scheme,” said Nyx.
