In English: A Swashbuckling Scoundrel from Faerûn (Worldcon Cosplay Report)

I promised you pictures. There will be pictures. Also moaning about the misery of sewing satin and sequin fabric together, because what kind of a masochist does that? One who wants a rainbow cloak, apparently.

Photo by Hannele Kuoppala

Target: Jarlaxle Baenre, a legendary drow mercenary with his own all-male mercenary band (because that’s how he rolls). He can be found in the Legend of Drizzt series of D&D novels by R.A. Salvatore as well as in the Sellswords spinoffs, where he progresses to have extremely heterosexual adventures with the legendary assassin Artemis Entreri. He has an odd fondness for Drizzt. It is important for him that Drizzt keeps his good alignment, because in Jarlaxle’s words, he is ”the one who got away”.

Accessory: Drizzt Do’Urden, the legendary paladin-like drow ranger whose character growth is constantly destroyed by main character syndrome. Son of Jarlaxle’s very dear friend Zaknafein. (He keeps talking about this to Drizzt, who is mostly confounded and suspicious, with good reason.) At this point, Drizzt has lost his friends and does this thing where he reverts to unfeeling hunter mode.

Meaningful Magical Item: Idalia’s Flute. An ordinary-looking flute which plays beautiful, clear music. It is said that the monk Idalia put a key inside the flute to unlock any heart.

Day One: The Test Run

Photo by Hannele Kuoppala

 

Jarlaxle and his list of magical items. Photo by Hannele Kuoppala.

I didn’t have Drizzt with me for this day. By the end of the day, I realised several things: the shirt kept slipping off my shoulder, the paint failed on the arms and around the neck, the makeup wasn’t quite enough, and I desperately needed some gloves. Also my magic wand holster took some damage. What’s a drow to do? Go get a pair of gray stockings, change the shirt (I may have had a wardrobe with me), upgrade to a bigger and shinier scarf, and borrow some glue, good advice and a pair of leather gloves from a prop-maker friend.

I still had great fun strolling about as Jarlaxle, who is endlessly fascinated by everything, and it was a really good idea to do a test run. I’ve always preferred spending the whole day in cosplay rather than only dressing up for competitions. It’s lovely to see the reactions from people. Besides, I had many tiny props which couldn’t be seen from a stage. Many, many props.

Day Two: The True Test of Character

Before the Masquerade:

Who could resist that red-eyed charm? Photo by Suvi Kauppila.

 

Drizzt drinking tea. Moodily. In the dark. Photo by Suvi Kauppila.

 

Jarlaxle, Drizzt and the Worldcon polar bear. Photo by Leila Paananen.

 

Backstage:

    

Jarlaxle ironing Mielikki’s shirt. It doesn’t get any more meta than this! (Mielikki, also referred to as the Forest Queen, was the neutral good goddess of autumn, druids, dryads, forests, forest creatures and rangers. Her symbol was a gold-horned, blue-eyed unicorn’s head facing left and she resides in the Grove of the Unicorns, located within the House of Nature. (Source: Faiths and Pantheons, 2002.) Photos by Henry Söderlund & Lincoln Peters.

Drizzt having a nap before the grand event. Photo by Suvi Kauppila.

 

Official Masquerade Photos (by Henry Söderlund & Markku Lappalainen):

Pose…

 

Ponder…

 

A wild Drizzt appears!

 

What’s a mercenary to do? But wait! He’s got a magical flute!

 

Post-masquerade Fight Montage (photos by Annika Lehto):

He’s still got some fight left in him!

 

The famous double cross down parry! That is some… interesting technique.

 

Idalia’s Flute to the rescue! It will unlock his hunter’s heart. Note the magic wand holster.

 

That was that! What an experience. I’d only participated in one masquerade before, and the Finncon one is… slightly smaller than this. But people pestered me enough that I felt compelled to compete and even participate in Workmanship Judging. The latter means that a group of judges looks over your costume and craftsmanship backstage.

As you can see, that went rather well! I got a Workmanship Award for ”Most Magical Items”. You couldn’t see most of them from the stage. My drow grammar also made an impression.

I told the judges I only got started on the irregular verbs. Apparently, this was geeky enough.

 

Then there were the magic wands: Wand of Glue, Wand of Lightning Bolts and Wand of Illusory Fire

 

And a whole list of items I have no photos of at this moment. The list, however, I do possess.

JARLAXLE’S MAGICAL BELONGINGS

 

(Should any items prove to be missing, inquiries should be directed at Kimmuriel of Bregan D’aerthe; he has likely confiscated them again.)

 

Diatryma Feather
Grappling Hook Earring
X-Ray Eyepatch of Mind Blank
Blurred Piwafwi (aka the Rainbow Cloak)
Bracers of Illusory Daggers
Extending Daggers
Wand of Lightning Bolts
Wand of Glue
Wand of Illusory Fire
Drow Noble Brooch
Brooch of Shielding
Ring of Arbitration
Mirror Image Ring
Ring of Teleport
Ring of Portals
Ruby Pendant of Beguiling
Whistle of Knocking
Horn of Hearing
Silver Mace Charm
Drow Sleeping Poison
Double-Sided Portable Hole
Obsidian Nightmare
Orb of Last Resort

That is all for now, folks! There may be photo sessions planned for the future. For now, Jarlaxle bids you a most pleasant night.