slowly back away, you’re afraid you might let me in

Apparently, these days, what a "horror" search nets is somewhat endless Adult roleplay sims. Some I really don't want to be invested in, like Arrandale's Erotic Nightmares, which uses this description:

Dark themed RP, Capture, RLV, BDSM, Torture, Snuff, Extreme, Hangout, Medical, Laboratory, Bloodlines friendly, Haunt, hangout, photography

And...well...no. Just no. Which is sad, because I like Arrandale for the most part.

Or the Horror Rape Asylum--pretty much there in the name, but considering their description includes "force", "toilet" and "snuff"? Thanks but no thanks.

Days Away may get covered, depending on time--their Final Refuge Adult Horror does list some things I have interest in:

Gothic/Lovecraft horror haunt for adults. Open play allowed. No CHILD AVIS, all other lifestyles welcome.

Halloween, RLV, freebie hunt, medieval, castle, haunted, caves, hypnosis, stories, Cthulhu, aliens.

My main problem, though, is that "Adult" and "roleplay" generally brings out the worst kind of people when "horror" is also added. I'm secure enough--and my RLV options are restricted enough--that RLV traps don't bother me, and there is no one on the grid who will force me to kneel if I don't decide to. But. I really don't like being hassled to be raped, either.

Today, though, I want to cover the Restless Void, a Lovecraft-influenced freeform RP sim. So let's go see what they do.



We start in a starry, echoing chamber, perceiving eye-like slits opening and closing while hovering orbs slowly turn. From left to right, they are labeled "cherry Club", "The Arcane Council", "Court of Chaos", "Sanctuary of Absolution", "REDEYE Syndicate", and "Children of Delight". I...see. Nothing seems to be simple enough as "First time visitor? Click here!".



Turn around, and one finds two more orbs--one that is labeled "HUD", the other labeled "Grab/Submit Profile". As I'm not intending to stay, I'm not interested in formally registering, but I did grab the HUD, just in case people insist on it for some reason.

I turned back around at that point, and realized all the orbs were clickable, and delivered notecards. And that's where my spirits sort of sank.

Let me explain via their notecard text.

🍒 cherry. Club:

The grungy strip club at the edge of the world.

Here at cherry. you can excite your senses, no matter your vice; our entertainers range a wide variety of races, shapes, sizes, and preferences, and our bar is stocked with all the finest spirits in the multiverse. Treat yourself to a range of exquisite delights, visit with our courtesans, and revel in our sensuous atmosphere.

So...that's out. Sounds like Lovecraft via Hard Alley.

-The Arcane Council-:

You may have felt it, or you may have not. Burning in your chest, hot and heavy and aching to be used... maybe magic is a part of you, maybe it is not. But to those who know the joys and sorrows of spell work and its mysteries, there is no higher pursuit, no greater chance to obtain glory. Perhaps you've only just begun to start your journey through the craft, or perhaps you're a prodigy who's mastered every school imaginable, The Council is dedicated to preserving the rights and sharing the knowledge of all mages, both light and dark, and ensuring that no source of magic is to be snuffed out.

And not interested in learning any magics beyond my own small efforts.

-Court of Chaos-:

There is only one Queen of the Void. The mistress who owns the halls of the castle, offering shelter and comforts to the many displaced creatures of the cosmos. To some degree, if you reside in the Void, and if you haven't been banished yet, then you owe your safety and your life to Queen Kimira, the Gracious Spider. How better could you show you undying gratitude than by pledging your loyalty to her coven of courtiers, the Court of Chaos?

Nope.

◬ SANCTUARY OF ABSOLUTION ◬:

THE VOID CHURCH OF ORDER

Your lambs have been led astray with the promise of sanctuary.

There is only one true to the Throne, and all shall worship and know.

Also nope.

REDEYE Syndicate:

Criminal syndicate in the 2450s. Based on satellite Cadus ER6 that orbits the lush moon Cordozar Broadus of the planet Khaoge (a gas giant) in the star system Umbra Epsilon IV. Other planets in the star system include Litopin (rocky planet with little atmosphere), Beauregard (icy planet), Ridem (gaseous red planet), and Qo (methane-heavy planet). The central star is an orange sun called Vex.

Cue aggrieved sigh. None of this is going to lead me to wandering around a potentially haunted sim, is it? I'm just wasting my time.

⌘ The Children of Delight:

Is your life mediocre and unfulfilling? Are you tired of misery and pain? Are you lost and confused in a dangerous new realm where madness and death lurk around every corner, and happiness feels like but a distant memory?

Then look no further, weary traveller! Rejoice, for your journey is at an end! The Children of Delight welcome all who ache for pleasure and happiness with open arms. Join our fold, and find a community of fellow lost souls who have rejected the ways of suffering and now seek joy and fulfilment in all things. Unleash your creative potential and live life to its absolute fullest. No longer must your dreams be mere dreams! We can make all your desires manifest, make actual all your whims!

Right. So yeah, there's no here, here. We'll just move on.

Okay, how about the haunted house in INTERMUNDIA? Their description sounds a little promising:

Welcome to Intermundia. Dark, gothic, experimental, psychedelic art, kitsch, horror, Halloween, gallery, club, and hangout space. Lost souls and outcasts welcome. LGBTQ++ friendly.

That's more like i....wait.

I've been here before. Damn it.

Well, has anything changed?



The Dia de los Muertos altar is still here, and the mausoleum devoted to Santa Muerte.



There are some lovely places to sit, next to a warm fire, I didn't notice the first time through.



This lass is very LOUD, be warned. Apparently she only activates when someone is in or near the room, so I'm fairly sure I missed this area, too.



This is different. Or...is it? Did I forget?



Wow. This is really good. For comparison, though it doesn't show the entire room:


(Note from the Editrix: the current workaround image host does not allow non-copyrightable material. As I'm not sure where media stills fall, I'm not reuploading it. But looking at this video will give you a better idea of the scope of the room, anyway.)

Ms. Severine has done an amazing job at capturing the feel of that particular scene from Insidious, and it now makes the rest of the house make a bit more sense...though the furnishings in the house main do not make quite as much sense. I don't know why I didn't catch it last year.

It's more a mood piece than a haunt, but as one, and as an homage to the Insidious franchise, it does a good job. There's also a teleport with other settings, but I didn't check beyond the actual haunt.