The Arlorian Costume Chest Contest | WINNERS!
The Arlorian Costume Contest WINNERS!
We were absolutely blown away by all of the incredible entries submitted to the Arlorian Costume Chest contest! Such spook, such originality and overall--a near impossible decision to pick our winners. Alas, we did have to narrow it down to the top 5--so--congratulations to our winners:
Arachnophobik
For the Demon Warrior Sho Glaval.
Neoatrai
For the Scarecrow Sorcerer
shazie
For the Noble Cowboy warrior.
Onayocary
For the Happy Halloween rogue.
Vildax
For the Voodoo Doctor sorcerer.
and, one special Honorable Mention to give out to ilhanna who submitted the "Dead Man's Bride" rogue. The art was incredible, but this entry really stood out to us for its in-depth and gripping back story. Amazing! Check out the art and the story below. For Honorable Mention, ilhanna will receive 150 platinum to spend in game.
The Dead Man's Bride
The story of Yellow Daffodils is one of the most popular plays in Garetta, a staple during Midsummer and harvest festival as well as Yule festivities in the city.
This year's production is especially good. The actress playing Yellow Daffodil stood staring at the man lying in a pool of red in the center of the stage. The orcs had hacked off her thick, brown tresses. Her crown of yellow flowers was askew. The hem of her lacy wedding dress was soaked with the red and black of human and orc's blood, so she had torn it off. She was wearing a light archer chest armor and a belt hooked with double knife sheaths. They belonged to the dead man, her groom. They were supposed to wed that morning, but the orcs came, trailing massacre.
Her nurse came to her, mute with horror. She could only touch the girl's arm, as much to comfort herself as to solace her charge.
"They have taken what's mine for the last time, Nurse," said Daffodil (and the audience whispered the line along with her). "'Tis my turn now."
She turned to kiss the old matron on the forehead with lips moist with her groom's blood. "Farewell," she said (and a lilting fiddle sound begins the background, and eyes start to glisten). "Wait not for me."
Scholars dismiss the tale of Yellow Daffodil as yet another propaganda to glorify and romanticize the rogues and their mercenary ways. The fact that the girl is nameless and known only by the flowers on her head seems to confirm this theory.
But veteran soldiers swear there is sometimes another fighter among them when the battle gets tight and hot and scary. Someone or something seems to peel out of the shadows, and in the dim lights deep underground all they could see is a blur of motion weaving through the enemy lines. Sometimes a clipped voice will issue short orders: "Here", "Get him first", "Skip them" and the soldiers will argue whether it was a man's or a woman's voice before meekly admitting they cannot be certain because what with the echoing screams, explosions, clanging metals and the new recruits crying for their mothers it was really hard to tell.
What they agree on, however, is that there are glimpses of yellow flowers, fresh and vivid even in the depths of winter. After a while, there grew a custom among the loved ones of Garetta soldiers to leave yellow daffodils by the mine entrances. "Save them, lady," they will say as they lay down the stalks of sunshine on the ground. "Let them come home."
Congratulations to all winners for a job well done! Prizes will be granted within 24 hours.
The soldiers rarely take orc prisoners. But even the few that they capture speak of the Dead Man's Bride with dread.
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