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Remembrance Day is coming to Tabula Rasa on December 21st -- the day the Bane invaded the Earth and the day humans everywhere take the time to remember their homeworld. To commemorate the event, NCsoft has released a fictional account of a soldier talking about how the people of Tabula Rasa remember their homeworld while struggling in the constant fight against the Bane. Today we're publishing part two: for the whole story, take a look at part one first.

Tabula Rasa lore buffs may be aware that we're quickly approaching the date of the Bane's invasion of the Earth on December 21st. To commemorate the event, NCsoft has released some fiction chronicling how the human populace of Tabula Rasa remember the world they left behind while fighting against the Bane on alien shores. Today we're publishing part one, below -- and check back tomorrow morning for part two.

Tragedy struck hard in Second Life this year. I can think of at least three influential residents that passed on in real life - Feliciaa Feaver, Jesse Malthus, and Ginny Talamasca. While some have been honored posthumously, and others are petitioning for a Remembrance Day for all fallen residents, there's a trend going on that really disturbs me.

When Jesse was tragically taken from us, his mom decided to continue his work in SL. This meant that she would need items from his inventory, requiring her to log into his account. Every time I saw his name pop up as logging in, I remember recoiling in shock. When Ginny died, it was revealed that there were two people behind her popular clothing line. However, the operator of the Ginny avatar, and the person we came to know and love, was the one taken from us. Yet I still see blog entries on her blog and group notices of new products.

Once an avatar's typist is gone, the avatar should be removed after a certain period of time. In Jesse's case, I felt pain every time he was logged in from the afterlife, but in Ginny's case, I feel anger that the name/image is allowed to continue on hawking products. That brings me to my question - Should these avatars live on even though their creators haven't?

Yesterday, Eloise Pasteur wrote about the British Remembrance Day being celebrated in Second Life. Today, I'd like to discuss the Machinima that was created in honor of it. It is a beautiful, moving tribute to the Royal British Legion that commemorates those that have fallen in battle.

If you didn't get a chance to experience Windlight when it was in May's First Look client, you really missed out. You are able to remove the traditional clouds and replace them with giant masses that can span the entire sky. You can adjust the color of the sky, clouds, and water. A new addition is the reflection in the water, while another nice touch is the ability to change the texture of the water. Just about every aspect of SL's scenic environment is configurable.

Rivers Run Red makes full use of these features, with sweeping scenes of gorgeous skies. On November 11th, at 11:00am GMT, you can visit these poppy fields to observe Two Minutes of Silence with others around the world. Don't forget to wear a poppy to show your support!

Remembrance Day is the Royal British Legion's annual ceremony remembering those who have fallen in battle across the many conflicts Britain has been involved in over the years. It is marked each year by the wearing of poppies, a tradition that started in the First World War with the deaths on the fields of Flanders that grew huge crops of poppies. More recently, the nation largely observes a two minute silence at 11am on the 11th day of the 11 month - the moment that, in 1918 the armistice that ended the war was signed.

This year, in association with Rivers Run Red, The Royal British Legion is bringing Remembrance Day to Second Life, with a rebuilding of the Cenotaph and a walk through poppy fields (SLURL) to reach it. There is also a machinima which Moo will be dicussing more fully in her Cinemassively column soon. The full details and press release are under the fold.