The Start of Episode 4! The Pirates Regroup

The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast - Episode 3: PJ Trenton, Martini Discovolante and Otenth Paderborn

Welcome to a behind the scenes look at The Quest for the Golden Prim! Please join me, Gabrielle Riel, to discover the mysteries of the making of the web comic, as I interview the creators, writers, producers and cast of The Quest for the Golden Prim. The time for secrets...is at an end!

The third Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast features Otenth Paderborn and Martini Discovolante, as well as podcast regulars PJ Trenton and Gabrielle Riel.

You can listen to The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast via any of the following methods:

• Direct link to the show on Archive.org, where you can listen to it as a stream or download the audio file directly
• Subscribe on iTunes
  
• Subscribe using our RSS feed
  

Thank you for listening to The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast!

Santa Comes to the Steamlands to deliver The Quest for the Golden Prim! (and the Primgraph)

Issue 9 of The Primgraph is now available - and this Christmas issue is probably our most exciting yet!

We have an interview with Desmond Shang, the Guvnah of Caledon, where he talks openly about the development of his latest major project - Blue Mars Caledonia. What does this mean for Caledon in Second Life? The Guvnah explains ... but you'll find another clue to his belief in Caledon (and Caledonia's) potential for the future in the wonderful Caledon Christmas Carol, written by Miss Scotti Lyle.

For those who love their Christmas to be a little spooky, there's a wonderfully poignant tale from Miss Riven Homewood, with a very special Caledon ghost story.



By now you may have guessed that we've returned to Caledon to celebrate Christmas! It's an unusually hard Christmas in terms of the weather this year - even that great strip of open water, the Firth, is freezing fast. Our intrepid Reporters and Photographers have ventured out to explore the Islands in the Firth; Miss Therese Carfango brings back a report of those diverse and isolated landmasses, while Miss Scotti Lyle has an interview with Her Excellency the Lyonesse of Caledon, The ViceReine Kamiliah Hauptman.



Ranging further afield, Miss Ceejay Writer has a report on the diverse celebrations of the season planned throughout the Steamlands, while Mr Jvstin Tomorrow has ventured further back in time to discover how the season will be celebrated in the lovely baroque region of the Duché de Coeur, a region fast in the grip of the Little Ice Age. And Frau Annechen Lowey is on hand to give her invariably helpful advice on the etiquette of the Steamlands, this time concerning the vexing issue of the gift exchange.



In pursuance of the exchanging of gifts, Miss Kittie Munroe has produced an advertising feature showing a selection of gifts that will delighted your friends and acquaintances (or that, alternatively, you can show to your friends and acquaintances with a very strong hint). And if you are reading this publication in one of its aethernet forms - Calameo or pdf - you will find helpful links that will transported you to the stores in question in the whisk of an elegantly tailored skirt, or trouser leg.

And we have Episode 4 of our exciting new web comic - The Quest for the Golden Prim. At last our heroine, Miss Annabella Scott, is able to keep her mysterious meeting with the Librarian - but what secrets will he have to share with her, and with the strange collection of academics and adventurers that he has summoned to the Secret Annexe? And there are tensions within the group of those the Librarian has summoned: academic spats between Dr Wirefly and our old friend Crotty ... and a darker animosity between our hero Ralph and the gallant stranger - Mordecai Watson - who proved so invaluable in rescuing Nan from the female pirates and their thugs. And those dastardly pirates are making new plans ... with the aid of the mysterious Gardener. What will this mean for Nan's dearest friend, Miss Wilhelmina (but more usually called Minnie) Rowbottom?

In addition, Miss Viv Trafalgar has interviewed the enormously talented Miss Canolli Capalini - and been somewhat distracted by her marvellous collection of music boxes.

I should, gentle readers, inform you that our Business Manager, Miss Eloisa Denimore, has been hard-pressed this month dealing with a series of extraordinary expenses claims from the reporters who have been sampling the Christmas delights so many of our talented creators have to offer for your delectation! And, I believe, Miss Denimore has yet to consider the claims presented for mulled wine and mince pies ...

Talking of Christmas food, their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Caledon Argylle have presented a fascinating article on Victorian Christmas food, while Miss Alesia Markstein has a very timely piece on the customs relating to the season.



Mr Onyx Plutonian has a delightful account of the new balloon tour that will take you to visit all the libraries of Caledon; at this season the land looks enchanting pretty under its blanket of snow, but we would urge you to wrap up warmly!

We have more of our classic serial, The Mysteries of London, as well as News from around the Steamlands and other vintage sims.

So, with no shortage of fascinating articles and beautiful illustrations supplied by our brilliantly talented team, we welcome you to this ninth issue of The Primgraph.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How do I get my copy of The Primgraph?

Well, there are various ways to get The Primgraph!

Best of all, you can join our Subscribe-o-Matic group, which will deliever the magazine to you automatically when it is published. The Subscribe-o-Matic kiosks are located in historical and steampunk sims across Second Life (for example, you’ll find ones at all the Caledon infohubs). And if you can’t find one in your favourite sim, why not ask the owner to install one?

You will also find them at the Prim Perfect offices in Oliveto.

For a short time, it will be available through XStreet (just search on the site for Prim Perfect). This will deliver you a copy in the form of a Thinc book that you can rez and read inworld. However, we will shortly be closing our XStreet Store and moving to another internet based porovider, as we are not prepared, for a magazine that is free at point of delivery, to pay the listing charge being asked of us by Linden Lab.

But if you prefer to read the magazine online but not inworld, there are choices too. Firstly, there’s the wonderful Calaméo system, which allows you to moves smoothly through the pages, giving you the feeling of reading a real magazine. You’ll find Issue 9 here – and please do leave a comment!

But, if you like to download your magazines to read as you commute to work, or in the bath, or wherever, you can also obtain a standard pdf for downloading and printing.

So, really, you have no excuse for not reading The Pimgraph. In fact, why aren’t you reading it now?



And don't forget our Party!

There will be a Party to celebrate the launch of the new Primgraph at 10am SLT Saturday 19th December at the Primgraph offices in Caledon Glengarry!

The Party will begin with a special podcast made to celebrate the new episode of Quest for the Golden Prim – to be followed by dancing (dj’ed by Miss Gabrielle Riel) and general celebration!

The podcast will start at 10am SLT and the party will start immmediately after and run till 12 noon (when some participants may care the cross the Glengarry Sound to the Ball in Caledon Oxbridge.

It would be LOVELY to see as many Primgraph, Quest, Prim Perfect and Designing Worlds writers, readers and fans as possible at the party!

Come and Meet the Cast of The Quest for the Golden Prim!

Caledon Spierling as seen in The Primgraph. Photograph by Mr PJ Trenton

There will be a Party to celebrate the launch of the new Primgraph at 10am SLT today at the Primgraph offices in Caledon Glengarry!

The Party will begin with a special podcast made to celebrate the new episode of Quest for the Golden Prim - to be followed by dancing (dj'ed by Miss Gabrielle Riel) and general celebration!

The podcast will start at 10am SLT and the party will start immmediately after and run till 12 noon (when some participants may care the cross the Glengarry Sound to the Ball in Caledon Oxbridge.

It would be LOVELY to see as many Primgraph, Quest, Prim Perfect and Designing Worlds writers, readers and fans as possible at the party!

"If I'm caught in Caledon, it means my death"

A champion for Lola ... and for Nan!

Leave Her Alone, You Doxy!

Ralph Lends a Hand!

Crotty intervenes - forcefully!

Lola into Danger!

Standalone version of The Quest for the Golden Prim Episode 2 now available!

Quest for the Golden Prim: Episode 2

Publish at Calaméo or browse others.

Episode 2 of The Quest for the Golden Prim is now online, and you can enjoy the full episode through the wonders of Calameo – or read the pdf here!

In this episode you’ll meet our hero, Ralph Montcalm, a dashing pilot with the Royal Caledonian Air Force, and our heroine Annabella (Nan) Scott, living quietly in Caledon Cay with her strict governess, Miss Primm and her dog, Lola.

Both Ralph and Nan receive a mysterious summons from the Librarian – and wonder what it can mean.

But the Librarian isn’t the only person interested in Annabella Scott ...

We want you, girlie!

Why do I never get exciting stories to cover?

Meet Ralph Montcalm

Dashing pilot Ralph Montcalm is a captain in the Royal Caledon Air Force and a graduate of Oxbridge University. The flying ace was born into an old Caledonian family; Ralph's father is from the cadet branch of the Marquis Montcalm, and descendant of Admiral Jean-Alexandre Montcalm. Ralph's mother died shortly after his younger brother, Harlow, was born.

Ralph is played by Wildstar Beaumont. You can read of his adventures at http://ralphmontcalm.blogspot.com

Mysteries in the Park!

The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast - Episode 2: PJ Trenton, Aisling Sinclair and BlackHawk Sikorsky

Welcome to a behind the scenes look at The Quest for the Golden Prim! Please join me, Gabrielle Riel, to discover the mysteries of the making of the web comic, as I interview the creators, writers, producers and cast of The Quest for the Golden Prim. The time for secrets...is at an end!

In the second Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast, Gabrielle Riel chats with PJ Trenton, Aisling Sinclair and BlackHawk Sikorsky.

You can listen to The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast via any of the following methods:

• Direct link to the show on Archive.org, where you can listen to it as a stream or download the audio file directly
• Subscribe on iTunes
  
• Subscribe using our RSS feed
  

Thank you for listening to The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast!

Oh Clever Lola!

... Nothing Ever Happens to Me Except Lessons!

Meet Lady Copperhead, Mackenzie Duquesne

The band of female airship pirates known collectively as the "Black Rose" has forged a reputation across the skies of the Steamlands as successful smugglers and brutally efficient opponents. They may be pretty and have warm smiles, but behind those cold eyes beat the hearts of cuttthroats. These venomous beauties are not to be trifled with or taken lightly - especially not their leader.

Known in many criminal circles as Lady Copperhead, Mackenzie Duquesne has risen through the ranks of the Steamlands underworld by the use of deception, guile and lethal force to become one of the top air pirates and smugglers. Her exact background is still unclear, but it is known that she was born in the Carolina Lowcountry and has claimed her current position as captain of "The Black Rose" by replacing the former captain under mysterious circumstances.

Lady Copperhead is played by Miss Jedburgh Dagger of New Babbage, heroine of the Kidnapping of Clockwinder Tenk, a force to be reckoned with at Iron Melee nights, where she holds the rank of commodore of the Naval Militia, and director of Aether Salon security. Miss Dagger is also a member of the New Babbage Ladies Fire Brigade, runs her own detective agency, and was involved in the resistance movement during the recent takeover of the city, culminating in the rescue at sea of the Clockwinder.


http://ladycopperhead.blogspot.com/

macduquesne@gmail.com

http://www.plurk.com/LadyCopperhead

The Librarian is a Canny Chap

Meet Crottin de Chavignol

Crottin "Crotty" de Chavignol, a native of Aquitaine Coeur, attended boarding school on the mainland. A red wine connoisseur, he
lives on an allowance of family money, stretched by teaching French at Caledon Oxbridge. When his late-night society activities allow, he enjoys flying with his friend Ralph Montcalm, who has been unsuccessful in urging him to join the RCAF.

Crotty is played by His Serenity, Otenth Paderborn, Jarl of Orcadia, Duke of Murdann, Viscount Ormsby of Little West Sniggery and
Giggleford, Thegn of Aa.

http://crottindechavignol.blogspot.com/

We'll Show these Blighters!...

Meet Emily Lockhart

Emily is blessed, or some would say, cursed with boundless curiosity. She is continually poking about and challenging the status quo. Earning her degree in English Literature at Caledon Oxbridge was much easier than finding a job, Emily discovered. An independent woman with a degree who models herself after Nelly Bly was not an attractive prospect to most employers, but Emily has found a sympathetic editor at the Primgraph willing to take a chance on her. Her mother does not approve.

Her eagerness to prove herself a newspaperwoman and a modern woman causes her to ask the uncomfortable questions and
seize whatever opportunity she can to get the story.

Emily Lockhart is played by Serafina Puchkina who in her wider Second Life is a resident of New Babbage and Caledon. In New Babbage, Serafina is co-host of the Aether Salon, head librarian of the R.F.Burton Library, and proud Fire Mistress. She maintains several blogs relating to her activities in SL and if you are good, she will share them with you.

Emily.lockhart1880@gmail.com


Plurk: Emily1880

Twitter: Emily1880

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000076844689&ref=name

Blog http://emilylockhart1880.blogspot.com/

I could have you court martialled for this!....

Meet Hortensia Primm

Hortensia Primm (played by Frau Annechen Lowey) is governess and tutor to Annabella, and a graduate of Oxbridge University. Once a protege of Professor Sophronia Haddington-Scott, she now oversees the studies of her mentor's daughter, Annabella, while continuing to study the professor's notes that led them on their ill-fated journey.

hortensia.primm@gmail.com
http://hortensiaprimm.blogspot.com/
http://www.plurk.com/Tensia

Hortensia Primm is portrayed by Annechen Lowey, who writes for the Primgraph inbetween her diplomatic duties for Baron Klaus Wulfenbach.

What's keeping him...?

Read on, Questers!

The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast - Episode 1: Saffia Widdershins and PJ Trenton

Welcome to a behind the scenes look at The Quest for the Golden Prim! Please join me, Gabrielle Riel, to discover the mysteries of the making of the web comic, as I interview the creators, writers, producers and cast of The Quest for the Golden Prim. The time for secrets...is at an end!

In this first episode, Gabrielle Riel speaks with Saffia Widdershins and PJ Trenton about some of the inspirations that created The Quest!

You can listen to The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast via any of the following methods:

• Direct link to the show on Archive.org, where you can listen to it as a stream or download the audio file directly
• Subscribe on iTunes
  
• Subscribe using our RSS feed
  

Thank you for listening to The Quest for the Golden Prim Podcast!

Meet The Cast of The Quest TODAY at The Primgraph Summer Garden Party!

Here is your invitation to the Primgraph Summer Garden Party!

It will take place from 2 - 4pm on Saturday 29th August, at The Primgraph Press, Caledon Glengarry, and music will be supplied by the velvet-toned Mr Elrik Merlin.

In addition to music and dancing, there will be a chance to meet members of the cast of the web comic - The Quest for the Golden Prim - and discover some interesting information about the story!

This event also marks the opening of The Primgraph Press itself - and our offices will be open for you to explore!

Finally, we will be announcing the results of the First Annual Caledon Rose-Growing Competition, sponsored by the Primgraph - so don't miss it!

In an exciting new development, The Primgraph is uniting with Radio Riel to bring The Quest for the Golden Prim to the air waves, in the form of a regular podcast.

Coming out in parallel with each issue of The Primgraph (and thus each episode of The Quest for the Golden Prim), the podcast will feature interviews with cast members and the writers and designer of the Quest - snippets of gossip and even radio excerpts from the comic.

So tune in to Radio Riel at 1pm to hear the first podcast - or watch this space for more details on how you can download it from the web!

And don't forget The Primgraph Summer Garden Party

The Caledon Rose-Growing Competition

Fans of the Quest for the Golden Prim may find this contest of interest ...

One of the charcaters in the Quest will be making his first appearance here - but we're not going to tell you WHICH character!

And at The Primgraph Summer Garden Party, where the results will be announced, readers will have the opportunity of meeting members of the cast.

The Garden Party is 2:00 – 4:00 pm SLT, Saturday 29 August – in the grounds of the Primgraph Press, Caledon Glengarry: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Caledon%20Glengarry/59/141/24 - but don't worry; you'll be getting a formal invitation!

And the story continues...

Episode two of the Quest for the Golden Prim is now available in issue No. 7 of The Primgraph, which has just hit news stands! You have been patiently waiting since we left Sir JJ Drinkwater in his secret study drafting mysterious letters...but...to whom?

Find out as your read the latest installment in our adventure! The Primgraph No. 7 available at http://en.calameo.com/read/00000423407faa11b4d8e.

Coming this weekend!

The new edition of The Primgraph will be published this weekend - and inside will be the latest episode of The Quest for the Golden Prim!

Our hero can't wait for his copy - can you?

Coming soon!

The next exciting instalment of The Quest for the Golden Prim will be appearing soon in Issue 7 of The Primgraph magazine. Make sure that you don't miss it!

Episode 1 now available as a standalone

Episode 1 of The Quest for the Golden Prim is now available as a standalone web comic on Calameo.

The Quest for the Golden Prim: Episode 1

Publish at Calaméo or browse others.

And there are sample pictures from Episode 2 on the back page!

Coming soon ...

The next exciting instalment of The Quest for the Golden Prim will be appearing soon in Issue 7 of The Primgraph magazine. Make sure that you don't miss it!

Quest for the Golden Prim, panel 2

(click to enlarge!)

Quest for the Golden Prim, panel 1

The Historic First Panel from Quest!
(click to enlarge!)

Casting Call

The Quest for the Golden Prim is seeking CHARACTERS who are hungry for fame, fortune, and possibly terrifying danger around every corner.

If you are:

• a villainess, swarthy flyboy, brilliant and misunderstood ward, and/or an insouciant tiny
• willing to dedicate at least a portion of yourself to the cause
• interested in plurking, tweeting, and blogging your character's backstory for even greater fame and danger
• and desirous of wearing fantastic gowns and/or performing daring deeds while vying for fame, fortune, and the secret of the golden prim,

Look No Further.

What is The Quest for the Golden Prim?
The Quest is a new web comic, appearing firstly in the pages of The Primgraph magazine, and also on the dedicated web-site: http://goldenprim.blogspot.com/

The individual frames are created in Second Life, edited in Photoshop, and then published.  This gives a rich and detailed look to the web comic - and is great fun to create!

The idea is to appeal initially to the denizens of Second Life (particularly the vintage and steampunk regions), but also to a wider web community who may enjoy steampunk and gaslamp fantasy, or even just web comics!

There is an adventurous and amusing story arc planned which will unfold over the coming months, as the characters embark on The Quest for the Golden Prim!


What playing a part will involve:
As a character, you may be called upon to take part in a photoshoot once every six weeks.  This should not be too onerous - it will probably last about two hours.  And you may not be called for each and every episode.

An equally important role is promotion.

What we do want our chosen cast to do is to help build the webcomic through their activities.  We would like our characters to build up a background and to support and drive on-going interest through a wide use of web tools.  We will be expecting our characters to contribute to the main blog on a regular basis, following guidelines that we will agree together (i.e. we might decide that the character is likely to keep a journal, to write letters (or postcards) to a friend, or might prefer to contribute in the form of extracts from newspaper articles).   We'll also expect you to create Twitter and Plurk accounts in the persona of your characters, and, if you wish, develop other social networking tools too.

We are hoping that our characters (and our cast) will become well-known - through your activities.

But we also want to make it clear that, by and large, we will be asking you to play characters.  This means they will have a different name from your main avatar (who will, nevertheless, be credited for the role).  Think of yourself as an actor appearing in a science fiction series on television.  We want you to be associated with the role, but for the role to be separate from you.  And like actors in a TV series, you may be asked, from time to time, to give interviews as yourselves to the Press, whether written or podcast, or inworld TV  (the personal appearances at fan conventions we see as being some way off).

A few people will be appearing as themselves (such as JJ Drinkwater).  These will be minor roles - the people we choose through the auditions will be the stars.

At the moment, there is no financial reward for appearing in the series.  If we can monetise the project later, we hope to be able to pay our characters.  But that isn't going to happen soon - and people who are looking for paying employment in SL will not find it here.  We are, however, hoping that designers will be interested in becoming involved, donating skins, hair, clothes and furniture.  This will count as sponsorship of the series, and will lead to them receiving advertising on the blog.  It will also mean that our characters will gain free goodies.

One final point - we accept that people may enter projects with the best will and the best intentions, but that real life has a nasty habit of intervening.  Therefore we will be creating a database, and asking you to provide full details of your avatar appearance so that - in the unlucky eventuality of our having to replace you - we can create a character who looks very similar.  Please that this will be the character avatar appearance you assume for the webcomic - we have no desire to re-create your personal avatar!  It is, in fact, an argument for your seeing your character avatar as something distinct from your regular appearance.

If you have ANY questions, please feel free to contact Saffia Widdershins or Viv Trafalgar at: the.primgraph@gmail.com


What we need from you:
Answers to the following questions:

your primary avatar name

your timezone

your sim-of-residence and/or preferred area of second life

acting or RP experience

contact email

ability of time to contribute to the project

do you desire a major role or a minor role?
Do you have a preference a particular role (e.g. hero/heroine/villain/villainess/insouciant tiny)?

experience with plurk, blogger, twitter, people, prims, death and dismemberment

We would like you to write a short piece (250 - 400 words) on one of the following:
A background story about your character OR
Your reaction to the news that one of your close friends has been killed by mysterious agents of the enemy (perhaps a journal or a letter) OR
Your nefarious plans for the heroine, should she fall into your clutches


The expedition to discover the secret will, we envisage, involve other people in addition to the heroine and heroine.  You might like to offer an interesting character who would have some reason for being part of (or joining) the expedition.  We will certainly have a place for convincing characters with a well-thought-out story to tell.  You might wish to offer such a character in addition to an application for a major role.  Think: Cliff*

Casting will run from June 22 through June 26th. The deadline for applications is June 21st. You will be notified if you have been successful; the results will be publicly announced at a party to open the new Primgraphh offices on Sunday July 5th.

* John Ratzenberger originally auditioned for the part of Sam on Cheers and it was clear at once that he wasn't getting it.  As he was leaving, he suddenly stopped and said, "Hey, do you have a know-it-all in your bar?"  "What?" they asked, and Ratzenberger did an improv on the spot of a character who was a store of useless knowlege that he would share at any opportunity (or no opportunity at all).  Thus was Cliff born.

Little does anyone know...

Discover the secrets - click here!