Project Nightfall – An Unorthodox Halloween

The bridge of death.

I’ve circled in on our major project for the year. The bridge of death.

As with 90% of our naming convention, it’s name originates in comedy.

The beginnings of the idea took shape years ago, when a circular hole was worn into our grass…Last year was also rough on the grass.

From 2011 buildup

“A boardwalk”, I thought, would be the perfect solution. But, I just couldn’t get past how to integrate such a thing into our yard. Still, it remained in the back of my head.

I’ve long posted how one of the places I find inspiration is in Guild Wars. Both Project Nightfall and Charr coming directly from there. The latter even winning their Halloween contest.

I was out sight-seeing and stumbled on this, and instantly fell in love.

From Bridge of Death

A ruined bridge to nowhere. Call me crazy, but I can see it fitting in quite well…

From The Harvest

Fewer uprights to block views, yes…I can also see my skulls sitting on some of those uprights, bringing back some of the field of skulls to the equation.

I needed wood. LOTS of wood. My wife mentioned as much on Facebook, I’ve mentioned it to several folks, and we’ve gone knocking on a few doors of houses I’ve noticed lost fences over the winter.

Friends and neighbors have been pouring in donations so far. Downed fences are the ideal, but any scrap wood is useful. If you know of anyone looking to offload some, send em my way.

Alec.

From Halloween buildup '08

Alec is our middle child. And, much as me as a child, he is often in his own little world.

Project Nightfall is as much the result of Alec as of anything else.

Last year, walking the neighborhood, Alec asked me to make him some “halloween stones”. Meaning a graveyard. And, while I always kept it in the back of my mind, graveyards are really not my thing. Thus, when presented with a less than usual one with project Nightfall, I begun the graveyard as much for Alec as anything else.

Friday, Nightfall was set up. However, first, on Thursday night, I decided the boys and I would make monster cookies. Not having my recipe on hand, and with mom out of town, I grabbed this one off the net.

Now, part of the fun of monster cookies is mixing them by hand and making a royal mess. And, ever since Ratatouille came out, Alec has been wanting to be a chef, so I figured it was a great opportunity for him.

To say Alec is a picky eater is the understatement of the century. He just throws up if he don’t like it. However…something about touching peanut butter covered oatmeal triggered that response in him and he dashed for the bathroom.

Normally, this is the end of trying whatever. To my surprise, however, Alec wanted another go at the cookies. And, after washing up, I let him.

Uh oh…here it comes again…..

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

But, not this time. He just had fun with it exclaiming EWWWW! as he mixed it.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

What’s more, he even ATE them! This is actually quite shocking.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Project Nightfall began early Friday Morning.

From Nightfall

And, I let loose, allowing the kids to set up everything they could.

From Nightfall

And, that got Alec flitting around excitedly for most the day…

From Nightfall

So, for Alec, as much as for any other reason, here is the Project Nightfall Slideshow.

The Guild Wars Halloween Art Contest

At last, it has begun.

The Guild Wars Halloween Art Contest 2008.

Guild Wars Halloween Art Contest 2008
Official Rules and Conditions
We invite you to put your imagination and creative talents to work by crafting Halloween art with a Guild Wars® theme. This is our fourth annual opportunity to celebrate the autumn season with the entire Guild Wars community. Dream up your own way to bring a Halloween twist to Guild Wars, and enter the contest before 12:00 Noon PDT, October 27, 2008!

How to Enter:

Create a concept and bring it to life.

Some suggestions:

Carve a pumpkin or create a template for other pumpkin carvers.
Sketch a costume by hand or on the computer. If you’re extra creative, make that costume and model it in a photograph.
Design a desktop image or wallpaper.
Decorate a cake, bake some cookies, compose a menu, build an edible haunted house—put your culinary skills to the task.
Decorate your home in a Guild Wars theme.
Find your own way to bring a Halloween twist to Guild Wars, or a Guild Wars twist to Halloween.

Emphasis added.

If there is one thing I do around here, it is creating a concept and bringing it to life.

As for bringing a “Guild Wars twist to Halloween”, well, that’s where one might argue against me. Yes, Guild Wars has something to do with it, but I’m also pulling inspiration from South African tribes, and Plains Indians nations respective mythologies while making everything flow with the intended rest of the yard as well.

But, with snow coming this weekend, I expect to begin work next week, and have Project Nightfall up and running 10/17, weather permitting. As a teaser, here is some Guild Wars screens, and some work in progress photos in slideshow format.

And, more graves.

I’m to a point where I’m needing to prioritize things a bit.

And, while I’m waiting for some things prior to starting a super secret project, Project Nightfall is taking center stage.

The grave mounds, last seen, were just a bunch of joint compound mushed into some fabric and stretched over some chicken wire.

From Project Nighfall

2 of them fell victim to poor weather, and I’ve had to redo them.

The other 5, however, were given a coat of joint compound watered down and mixed with sand to give them some texture, and have been colored with some wood stain.

From Project Nighfall

They will finally be given a coat of Thompson’s Water Seal to help mitigate any water damage, though I don’t exactly plan on leaving them in the rain.

In other news, I’ve begun work on the little challenge from Dan to turn the faceplate into a Halloween prop.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

If you are a serious collector, or an employee of 2K, or otherwise sensitive to the mutilation of plastic, you may want to avert your eyes…NOW.

For, S/N 0203 of 2000 has begun it’s transformation into a bunch of beads to go with my skulls on a new necklace.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

And, with all the fun in the household, Talia has rather taken to this mask. Would not leave it alone in the store when shopping, and is rather happy to put it on and bounce around…till it slips, anyway.

Why don’t they make toddler sized versions? Ah well, not a bad toy for $1.

From An UnOrthOdOx Halloween

Just what color IS the underworld?

So, let me recap.

We have these graves from Guild Wars, onto which I’ve applied the religious rights of several African religions: The grave is where the body is buried, but the spirit remains with the family for a number of years, and is given a ‘pot’ to live in. After some time, the pot is taken to it’s resting place as well so that the spirit is reunited with the body, and the person can continue their journey.

However, if these rites are not performed correctly, or the person is not happy with what sacrifices were made, the deceased will become a ‘wandering spirit’ and inflict death and disease upon the land and family. Thus, fences, posts, and wards are made at gravesites to further help prevent wandering spirits from escaping.

For Halloween, that just sounds like fun.

Just what, however, does this underworld look like that the wandering spirit is struggling to escape from?

Is it a place red in nature?

Perhaps it is green…

Maybe it’s different for each spirit?

Let me know what you think. And try to imagine the above fully implimented with 7 graves, all finished, not stark white, more poles and charms in place to keep the spirits in, and fogged up properly.