Halloween 2006

[Rhydderch Hael]

Well Hell's Bells, my pretties— I bought the el cheapo in-store LotR Ringwraith costume from Party City at the beginning of the month. That's the problem with you casual, "normal" people— treating Halloween as something to prepare for a week prior to the 31st. I had my stuff acquired well before the ides of October.

I regret I was never able to find a bona fide medieval travelling cloak (my one regret in this wretched life). But this is the Antelope Valley I'm talking here— if it ain't made of carbonyl iron composites or stamped with a big honkin' American flag, it's unholy and shan't be seen here.:(

Ringwraith getup. Black shoes. Now, what you're looking for are a pair of scaled gauntlets. I myself did not bother with that route. I'm just using black deerskin motorcycle gauntlets. I'm not actually going out— I'm doing door duty, which permits me to indulge in one particular aspect of the costume— instead of the cheap gray nylon belt that comes with the costume, I will be sporting my black/oxblood sword belt instead.

Of course, what comes with a sword belt should be glaringly obvious. It will be peace-tied, of course.

I live in an apartment complex now— I'll expect trick or treaters. What they should expect is a guy who does not pull punches when it comes to decorating my ground-floor patio. Mind you, I do not go for blood 'n gore, but the operative word here is 'macabre'. There's a skeletal Reaper floating within my arbor bench. I have two Jack-o-lanterns with sinister grins on their faces. Black undercloth and green scrim over the railing, and a few pierced-metal lanterns (think the tavern scene in the opening cinematic of Diablo II).

Vinyl window appliques of cartoon ghosts with big smiles on their faces saying "Happy Halloween!" will not be part of the scheme.

I bought a skull from the party store. Not one of those crappy plastic ones— I'm talking resin-bonded alabaster. I'm talking about a life-sized figurine of a skull with voodoo markings. A fine, serviceable prop— the kind you keep on your bookshelf all year 'round. Almost gave the clerk a funny look when she stated the limitations of the merchandise refund policy— I ain't giving ol' Bones back even if they paid me double.

The Nazgul costume comes in one size for adults. One Size Fits all, my foot! :angry: I'm just a liiiiiiittle too broad in the shoulders for the best fit. Mind you, it does fit, but the costume is essentially a polyester gown with tatters draped over it. The overall effect is— well— slimming. Broad shoulders, waisted torso. I might as well buy myself an Elvira wig! :blink:

My stopgap solution is to wear a full-length black leather overcoat beneath the costume in an attempt to bulk it out to the silhouette of a travelling coat instead of an evening dress. If the sword becomes a bit too much, I have a walking stick with a trio of foam rubber skulls tied to its top to serve as a totem staff of sorts which I can wield while the longsword comes off the belt's frog.


Music recommendations— Apocalyptica's Inquisition Symphony can serve a turn. A few pieces from the album Cult might do, but Inquisition has the grace of being a cover album that your average metal-head may recognize but the uninitiated will merely think is some wickedly cool cello music. Cult is mostly original compositions— while it is Gothic overall, only a few pieces are truly 'dark'.