By Dhrizzle

Photos By Dhrizzle and Awyin

As a full-time warlock, engineer and adventurer I’ve frequently had to put fashion on the back burner, committing some awful faux pas on the battlefield and relying on a plain dress or simple shirt and trousers combo for casual wear. Describing me as “nerdy” in the work wear I had when I first left Dun Morogh for Loch Modan would be a kindness and the shameful states of some of my other outfits have been blocked from my memory.

Things changed for me as I reached the milestone 40 mark. With no mount to save up for (thanks Strahad for that nifty felsteed trick) I had the spare cash to make sure I could have pizzazz and pew-pew by investing in some matching sets from a friendly tailor. The Shadoweave set was a must, of course. With its dark purple tones and the gorgeously alluring mask it adds an air of mystery and force to any warlock out in the field. I also purchased a complete Black Mageweave outfit; its sombre tones, high neck-line and sustaining qualities were perfect for more formal occasions, usually joining other mortals on adventures into dungeons. If you go for this outfit, please consider carefully between the robe and vest as the scanty leggings can be rather revealing to the elements and anything - or anyone - else about, so you have to be sure you have the constitution and figure to carry it off.

Of course a girl can’t always be seen in the same get-up, but having finally gotten a look I could love I was loathe to go back to my old mish-mash style. Again tailors can be a great help and my tatty old Shadoweave set was gradually replaced with Felcloth clothing, a racy little red number which is both stylish and comfortable with an adorable hood, though it does come with a slight risk of demonic possession and fel-corruption. Those of you who like to make your own clothing will be delighted to know the accessories match the Robe of the Void beautifully, if you choose to stitch one up. Unfortunately when it came to retiring the old Black Mageweave, tailors let me down somewhat. The best they were offering in my price-range was the Runecloth set, a little priestly looking for my tastes though still functional of course. If you have the spare cash the cool grey tones of a Mooncloth suit are a great addition to anyone’s wardrobe, but any self respecting dabbler in dark arts will avoid the pure white robe (ugh) and take the much more respectable vest.

Finally comes the beautiful Dreadmist set. Whilst many think it a little garish and overbearing, I think it’s definitely a case of more is more with the beautiful detailing adding a sense of sophistication and power. One warning about this ladies – if dressing to impress leave the hood down as finding a man who is attracted to sinister glowing eyes may have unexpected and unpleasant results.

A More Discreet Look

In today’s climate it isn’t always wise to advertise an affinity with the darker side of magic so I always try to keep something for dressing down in my bag. Swashbucklers’ shirts are all the rage these days and a red or white one will go well with some simple linen trousers. For a more feminine look try mixing in the Kilt of the Atal’ai prophet from the Sunken Temple, a lovely skirt that also goes well with a Lavender Mageweave Shirt giving many great variations from just a few pieces. Of course being discreet doesn’t have to involve dressing down – a variation on the Mooncloth set mentioned above, using neutral colours like greys and blues, can give the impression of a powerful caster without any overt signs of a darker affiliation. An Arcane Cover (see Gizmo 2 on Hats) tops this look beautifully and tilted rakishly can hide any signs of madness around the eyes. Of course when traveling incognito its important to have a regular mount to ride as a burning demon horse can be a complete giveaway to people on the lookout for ‘locks.

Accessorise With Engineering

Be it a tech-priest, warlock engineer or tinker-mage any caster who dabbles with devices will proudly wear some sort of eye-piece they have cobbled together. These can add an individualistic splash of colour to many outfits, be it purple, green or my favourite rose-pink. I’m currently loving the mad glint a green lens gives me with my felcloth robe. Also not to be overlooked are the pleasingly chunky Rocket Boots (gnomish of course), and the graceful Parachute Cloak both of which are fairly cheap to make and have some enjoyable effects too.