ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces a case of online mourning in Second Life (SL), a shared virtual environment, and discusses the complexity of virtual and actual identities that are at play within online role-playing communities. It explains the key concept which is mediated experience, which is derived from notions such as experiences of online space and place and experiences of virtual identity. The chapter discusses how a virtual space works as the mediator for online mourning and how spaces become emotionally loaded places, and thus highly meaningful for the players. It explores the research material that has been a part of a larger PhD study of online mourning practices, and consists of a group interview in a role-playing community in SL, survey answers about mourning in gaming communities and email interviews with SL and World of Warcraft4 (WoW) players. The Gorean philosophy is based on master-slave relationships, and there are many roles from which the players can choose.
