Happy Halloween!

Cosplay Twenty-Ten

A look at some of The Creative Murloc's costumes from the last year.


So the Murloc's cosplay year began in April, with Ye Olde Renaissance Faire. Not being pregnant this year, she wore the same (rented) costume that she wore two years previous. Let's compare her pre-and post-pregnancy:

She certainly fills out the dress a bit more. Not that I'm complaining, mind.

The bodice must be tighter the second time around.

As usual, she got her hair done.

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Pics on Teh Interwebz

So there are pics of my wife all over the interwebz.

http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=10&cId=3182053

http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/blizzcon-photo-gallery/blizzcon-photo-gallery/1415399/12

http://us.blizzard.com/blizzcon/photogalleries/index.xml?1

So what do you think of her as a blonde?

ComicCon 2010

Can you identify the following people?
Answers below each picture. Highlight to read.

Grand Admiral Thrawn (with ysalimir)

Professor Alistor "Mad-Eye" Moody

The White Queen, Mad Hatter, and Red Queen

Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and Futurama.

Maurice LaMarche, voice of The Brain from Pinky and the Brain; Kif Kroker, Morbo, Calculon, Lrrr, Hedonismbot, and other additional voices from Futurama. Phil LaMarr, voice of Hermes Conrad. John DiMaggio, voice of Bender, Elzar, and others. Billy West, voice of Philip J. Fry, Professor Hubert Farnsworth, Zoidberg, Zap Brannigan, and others.

John DiMaggio. Billy West. Katey Sagal, voice of Leela. Lauren Tom, voice of Amy Wong and Inez Wong. David X. Cohen, co-creator of Futurama.

Scott Rosenbaum, writer/executive producer for "V". Charles Mesure, Kyle Hobbes on "V". Joel Gretsch, Father Jack Landry on "V". Logan Huffman, Tyler Evans on "V". Elizabeth Mitchell, Erica Evans on "V". 

Morena Baccarin, Anna on "V", Inara on "Firefly", and Adria in "Stargate". Scott Wolf, Chad Decker on "V". Laura Vandervoort, Lisa on "V". Morris Chestnut, Ryan Nichols on "V". Steve Pearlman, executive producer on "V".

Kari Byron, Adam Savage, Jamie Hyneman.

Tory Belleci, Kari Byron, Adam Savage. (Not pictures: Grant Imahara.)

Babby's First Halloween.

It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by her.

Obvious exits are E, N, S, and DENNIS.

(More photos here)

"I watched with pride as you grew into a weapon... of righteousness."

(If you do not recognize the quote, you are not geeky enough to be reading this post. Please go here and come back when you're cooler. I'll wait.)

Ok, so the sword runeblade in the cinematic is called Frostmourne.

Backstory:
Frostmourne is the runeblade that Ner'zhul, the Lich King, thrust from his Frozen Throne, intending that Prince Arthas Menethil – his unwitting potential host – would discover it on the continent of Northrend.

After disobeying the orders of his mentor, Uther the Lightbringer, and pursuing the Dreadlord Mal'Ganis to Northrend to exact vengeance on Mal'Ganis for slaughtering his people, Arthas met with the dwarf Muradin Bronzebeard. Muradin had heard of Frostmourne's power and was searching for it when Arthas and his men arrived. When the forces of Mal'Ganis began to close in around them, Arthas and Muradin set out to claim the weapon.

Frostmourne was guarded by several revenants who tried to warn Arthas of the danger, but he destroyed them regardless. When they found the sword, Muradin read the inscription on the dais:

"Whomsoever takes up this blade shall wield power eternal. Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit."

Muradin realized then that the blade was cursed, but Arthas said he would gladly bear any curse to save his homeland. When Arthas spoke those words, the ice encasing the sword shattered and exploded outward. A jagged shard struck Muradin, apparently killing him on the spot. Arthas didn't even seem to care as he discarded his hammer and took hold of the blade. With the sword in hand, Arthas returned to his base and staged a counterattack against Mal'Ganis, quickly destroying the dreadlord's base. The dreadlord confronted Arthas, telling him that Ner'zhul had known he would take the cursed sword. He spoke as if he believed Arthas was now on his side. To the demon's surprise, Arthas used the runeblade to slay the dreadlord at the Lich King's command.

Upon taking Frostmourne, Arthas forfeited his soul to the Lich King and became a death knight. After a relatively short time in Northrend with the blade, Arthas returned to Lordaeron, where he slew his father with the sword and claimed the throne.

So, a while ago, Blizzard teamed up with Epic Weapons to produce a full-size (and full-weight) replica of Frostmourne. It can be yours for a mere $379. When they first announced it, Blizzard employees were offered a discount, having the opportunity of snatching up this unique piece of Blizzard memorabilia for the low, low price of $300. The Murloc came to me, begging and pleading for permission to buy it. When I pointed out that it really wouldn't be the most fiscally responsible thing to do, she threw a mild temper tantrum, commenting that sometimes she wished she was still single so she could spend her money however she wanted, and vowed to save money by not eating for a month, because we were so poor that we couldn't afford a $300 broadsword runeblade. (I, of course, pointed out that if she were still single, she would still be living with her parents, or worse, on the street, because she does not have the fiscal responsibility to stick to a budget, as evidenced by her desire to put a replica sword runeblade above food.)

Anyways, the past is the past and we moved on. But when Blizzard announced a couple days ago that Friday the 17th was going to be Pirates vs. Ninja day at Blizzard, and that the person with the best pirate or ninja costume would win a Frostmourne, and the Murloc got it into her head that she could get Frostmourne through cosplay, well, look out world.

She's coming for you.



Laser-eyed kitteh prepares to fire.

And of course, to the victor go the spoils.


Cone-of-shame kitteh is not intimidated by your runeblade.

That picture does not properly convey how heavy the thing is. It's solid steel, and weighs 16 lbs, but feels more like 50.



The detail is incredible. It really is an awesome sword runeblade.



Of course, all this came the day after Rie won the "Blizzard appreciation day" contest—where the employee who best showed enthusiasm for Blizzard would win an NPC in World of Warcraft named after them—by putting on blue eyeshadow, blue false eyelashes, blue lipstick, a blue wig, and wearing much Blizzard-related apperal.


Imagine if she used her powers for evil.

Blizzcon 2008: The Making of a Costume.

I didn't take that many pictures at Blizzcon this year, and those I did take didn't come out well. You'll probably be able to find better pictures on the official website.

So instead, I'm posting "behind the scenes" photos of the making of the Murloc's costume: the Sorceress from Diablo II.

She put an incredible amount of time and effort into this costume and I think it shows. She actually took a leatherworking class to be able to make the bracers, greaves, belt, neckpiece, and hairclip. The staff was handmade and painted entirely by her (except for the runes, which were etched in by a friend).

I'll try to get her to log in to comment on these pictures.

Ren Faire...

...was attended by us yesterday. Rie not only got her hair done, but she dressed up as well. I thought I'd share pictures so I could gloat over how pretty my wife is and make you all jealous that she's mine.









When I'm rich, I'll hire a hair stylist to come in every week and do Rie's hair like that.