Thirsty Thursday: How to Join Bloodlines

 Within the many role playing genres of the virtual world of Second Life, Bloodlines (BL) is one of the most popular. Now in its fourth year, over 46,000 characters have joined this macabre game system.

1. Create a Second Life Avatar
So, let's get started. First you will need to create your character on Second Life.  Don't worry about which avatar you choose, you will be editing and changing it later. After going through the steps of creating a username, and the other aspects of setting up your account, you can then go through the process of joining Bloodlines.

Useful Vocabulary To Know:

• HUD- Heads Up Display. This item must be purchased in order to play the game of Bloodlines.
• Human/Blood doll- Beginning status for all Bloodlines players. Essential for the game overall. 
• Liege- Mentor, helper, teacher, friend you choose to help guide you in your Bloodlines adventures. 
• Lycan- A werewolf Bloodlines player. 
• Lumens- The lycan equivalent of blood; moonlight.
• Vampire- A Bloodlines player with blood sucking sexiness. 
• Hybrid- A Bloodlines player who is both vampire and lycan. 

2. Choose a Liege and Clan

Not every Bloodlines player is nice. Many deceptive vampires and lycans prowl the new (noob) areas hoping for an easy target. Don't fall for the first one to talk to you.  Be selective. You will be dealing with this person for the duration of your Second Life. Becoming one's liege is an honor.  I also advise choosing a liege that speaks your language and plays Second Life about the same time you do.

Some players like to be given a tour of the vampire/lycan clan lands by the possible lieges before agreeing. These individuals will also be a major part of your Second Life experience. Not every clan is the same either. Some require heavy role playing, bowing to the royals, strict clothing rules, and regulating your activities outside of the clan. Be sure you are well-informed before you join! 

3. HUD

After you choose a liege, the next process is buying the HUD.  Which role (vampire, lycan or human) you choose determines which HUD is purchased.  Each one is L$599 or about $2.85 US.  I advise against the Human HUD in case you want to become a vampire or lycan later. Save yourself the money! Either you or your liege can purchase the HUD. Make sure this is determined beforehand. No need in starting out on the wrong foot. If you are still very young in the game, you might have to click the key grabber so the system can access your information.  These are pyramid looking items near the Bloodlines vendors. 

*Human, Lycan or Vampire* 

4. Joining! Finally! 

After dragging the HUD box to the ground, open it, copy the contents to your inventory. Access your inventory, and wear the HUD.  Your liege will ask to bite you. It doesn't hurt I promise! You must agree to the animation in order to join.  The first person to bite/claw you will then reap your virtual soul and become it's holder. It doesn't hurt you in any way. Remember, this is for role playing purposes. It's virtual (not real). The soul holder should be someone you trust (see #2). You will then set liege and clan using your HUD. 

5. Setting Liege and Clan

On your HUD there is a small button that looks like a wheel. Click that and a drop down menu will appear.  Depending on the HUD you are wearing, you will click clan (Thirst HUD), pack (Rage HUD) or group (Human HUD).  Then click Set Liege. Your choice for liege should still be nearby. Pledge your allegiance to them and TADA! Your adventures can begin! 

Next week: The role of a Blood Doll in Bloodlines  

Reminiscing #1: How I Started Out

Once upon a time my husband, Rikk Steamweaver, took a computer course in college that required him to create a Second Life account. He and I both played a few hours, were extremely bored and resumed our online playing to World of Warcraft. We were guild leaders on WoW and loved every minute of it for 4 years. We were incredibly close to our guild members. After four years of playing on a daily basis with each other sharing their real life woes and triumphs, marriages, divorces, birth of children, death of parents, cancer, car accidents- you know them as well as your own family if not more.

It came as quite a shock when my husband created a new avatar and began playing Second Life again in July 2009. I would wait for hours and hours for him to log in to WoW to no avail. Our guildies became concerned and I was feeling very lost. What in the hell did Second Life offer him this time? It was soooo boring that first night. He began to change. After 3 long months of arguing, begging, pleading, trying to understand- I quit WoW. It had grown monotonous for me as well grinding for hours. I was stuck in a rut with nothing to show for it but exalted reputations. I called a meeting of the guild members, explained Rikk wasn't coming back. I sold all the items I had, gave everything away and made someone else the leader of the guild.

Rikk had been approached by a female vampire in a noob area a few weeks after he rejoined SL. She asked if he liked vampires. That was that. With his permission she bit him, took his soul and turned him into a vampire. He joined her clan and was immediately smitten with the members. They were all so much fun! So helpful, having events, chatting. Everyone looked so beautiful! It was intoxicating. I couldn't compete with that on WoW. WoW had become work. Rikk soon found out he would need to feed and needed blood based on the Bloodlines game. After much strife in our real life marriage over this nonsense I joined Second Life and became his blood doll in October 2009.  We bought some linden dollars, shopped for some items so I wouldn't look like a complete noob and that was that.  I had the presence of mind to photograph the turning.