The Goblin Ball is brought to life in the imagination of our guests. With the calibre of artists who attend The Goblin Ball (come on! You are ALL artists! Look at your outrageous costumes!) we are always surprised and honored to have people who are willing to play!

From amazing art, to short stories we are always excited and honored to be the recipient of such wonderful creations! The Ice Guardian (played by the menacing, yet calm Charley Noates) has sent us an account of what happened when he returned to The Ice Kingdom.

The Ice Guardian spent the evening bestowing passive aggressive offerings of Chili Chocolate to our Fire Gods. Did you know chocolate cancels out the burning fire of chili. Extremely thoughtful yet disturbing and completely appropriate.

Here is his account of what happened to the Ice Guardian following The Goblin Ball.

The Snow Guardian took a deep breath as he entered the Ice Palace. While he always strove to maintain a calm and detached demeanor the recent trip to the Ember Rule had taxed his endurance. Returning to his birthplace of ice and snow restored his strength and calmed his thoughts.

Nodding curtly to the palace guards as he walked, he thought over the recent events. The escape of Princess Pintina from the Ice Kingdom, her theft of the Snow Apples and her defection to the Ember Rule. It was with these matters in mind that he strode towards the quarters of his ruler and creator, the Ice Queen herself.

As he entered she was seated upon a chair that could almost be a throne unto itself, wide and high-backed, crafted from purest diamond ice and softest snowsilks, turning over what appeared to be a sky blue rose in her hands . Her gaze looked him over and, as ever, he felt the full force of her assessment fall upon him. He closed the doors behind him before he approached and knelt in respect and reverence. 

"My Snow Guardian," she said, her voice soft yet chilling at the same time, "my keeper of secrets and whisperer of honeyed words. You have returned from the Ember rule, from the care of my warm sister unharmed." She paused as she looked him over, her eyes catching momentarily on his hands, still mildly misshapen from where the Fire God had gripped them. "Mostly unharmed, it seems." Her eyes grew harsh again and her lips pursed. "But I did not summon you. Why have you come before me?"

The Snow Guardian took a breath. He knew that he was about to tread on dangerously thin ice, and to speak poorly would result in nothing less than his very literal destruction. "Majesty, I have served as your loyal subject for many centuries now, and been your eyes and ears among the last two Goblin Balls. It is for this reason I need to ask you a question, simple in its asking but terrible in its implications."

"As you know," he began, "when Princess Pintina escaped from the custody of our kingdom she took with her Snow Apples stolen from your own garden. These apples are an incredible source of Ice Kingdom magical power, and our kingdom is lessened by their loss."

He saw her eyes narrow upon him, but carried on, knowing he was already past the point of no return. "And while at the Ball in the Ember Rule I witnessed the same Princess, now turned to the energies of fire instead of frost, steal the Heart of the Fire God."

"Many would think that Pintina is opportunistic, seeking to move from Kingdom to Kingdom until she finds a place of sufficient power or opulence. Some would assume that Pintina is working to usurp the powers of the various Kingdoms, that she first stole Snow Apples and then the Heart, and next would seek to steal the items of power from Terra Bayou and Starlantis. "

He raised an eyebrow and continued to speak carefully. "But I have considered a third option. That these actions are the results of a higher plan. A plan that, like the mind which conceived it, is cold, calculating and ruthless. A plan that moves with the patience and unstoppable certainty of a glacier."

The Snow Guardian stood and looked his queen directly in her eyes. "Majesty, my question is this: Is Pintina actually still loyal to you, and working under your instructions to steal the items of power from the other realms?"

One would not think it possible for the air in an Ice Palace to grow cold....

The Goblin Ball 2014. What can we say? So many astonishing guests and so many amazing adventures were had on the evening of the 14th of July 2014. The realm of Ember Rule was a far cry from the Ice Kingdom and everything was so different. We offer a reflection on our past and give hint to the future of THe Goblin Ball in 2015.
Photos in this post are on behalf of Ellen Duffy Photography who provided the photoshoot for the evening! Be sure to check your shots here!

The Goblin Ball: Ember Rule was phenomenal all thanks to our guests and the artists involved. Lizzie Sharp provided the makeup crew who created the creatures who inhabited the event and the photographers made all of our guests feel special.

Guests were welcomed to a Goblin Marketplace that had several amazing artisan stalls including Nightshade FX and Roseberry bay soaps.

Pintina arrived, forcefully returned to face a family of Gods who were quick to forgive. Guests were invited to choose her fate - Bless or Damn. In the end Pintina was presented at the end of the Walk of The Gods and Blessed with Demi Goddess status.

Through the evening Animata String Quartet played renditions of songs from Game of Thrones to Labyrinth allowing our guests to be immersed in the romance of the evening. Lamplight Circus and Lee from Melbourne Magic festival provided the wandering entertainment  and Shimmy Bliss once again proved hypnotic. Omega kept the Gods inferno pumping with song requests in a red lit room of DOOM!

The Quests were more popular than we had intended with over 200 quests being completed before 10pm. Next year we will grow this side of our guest experience and maybe making things a little harder and more immersive!

By the end of the evening as guests had grown weary of photoshoots and adventures we closed the doors at 12. Pintina had double crossed Ember Rule by stealing the heart of the God and left  a clue beckoning us to follow her to Terra Bayou.

Next years adventures will surely be interesting as we explore The Power of Voodoo!

Just Who were these Ringmasters who ran around the venue?
You may have seen the 5 Ringmasters running around the venue and sometimes talked to a few. But what were their roles on the evening?
The Ringmasters are actually the production crew who have been working hard (sometimes up to a full 12 months before) to make sure the event runs as best as it can.
The story line of the Ringmasters isn't something that was accidental. The Ringmasters are here by appointment of Jaggies - a mysterious figure who may be revealed in an event or two - but all you need to do is remember to seek them for help and fun on the evening.
The Ringmasters were all amazed by everyones efforts on the evening and we can't wait to see you again next year!

Pintina
Congratulations, thanks to our guests Pintina survived another Goblin Ball. Last year the brat Princess schemed and harassed our guests to make sure they felt uncomfortable. This year with the possibility of being granted Demigoddess status, Pintina grew up a little and with some handy positive PA from the Acolytes from the realm of Ember Rule Pintina reached that goal - only to double cross Ember Rule at the final moment replacing the Gods heart with a Voodoo doll. This could only mean we must follow her to Ember Rule and experience the Power of Voodoo in 2015!


The Acolytes
Our VERY valuable volunteers for the evening were wonderful in supplying help to the guests who were a little lost to find their way! Even the Guards of Ember Rule who provided Fire twirling and Belly dancing made quite the impression. Next year who can we expect to help our guests through Terra Bayou?

The Quest Masters worked tirelessly at taking our guests on adventures and making sure their motives where known.

Hasina made sure her love of Pintina won over the crowd and successfully won over the hearts of the guests.  Would the fact that Pintina double crossed Ember Rule sway her devotion?

Amak from The Ice Kingdom was unsuccessful and grew in anger toward Ember Rule. We wonder if he will attempt to travel to Terra Bayou to gain revenge. 

Bodhisattva was key in gathering guests runes to expose the future and she was able to use this information to expose that Maude was intending to steal the Gods heart - but did she know more than what she was letting on?

Maude - framed or foe? Next year as we travel to Terra Bayou we may see more of what he was attempting to do with the God's heart.

Paiva the Fire Goddess was awaiting the return of not only her God but also of Pintina. When Ebon came with the promise of forgiveness the were able to accept Pintina into her rightful place of Demi Goddess. 
Do they have forgiveness in their heart (the one left between them) to see past Pintina's shortcomings to allow her to reclaim her place in the family at a later stage or has Pintina escaped with the blessings, and the heart?

The Walk of the Gods at 10pm was amazing! There were so many fantastic costumes however Tracy and David (who came as a tree!) were the ones who the Gods bestowed the Title of Gods Honored. They took home a skull from Nightshade FX and double passes to next years trip to Terra Bayou. (Photos of the Tree Sentinel to come!)

So where do we go from here?

Terra Bayou is a world of New Orleans inspired Voodoo where we can be sure to see our Demigoddess Pintina explore and attempt to complete her next ulterior motive, but what could it possibly be?

Next year we bring an authentic New Orleans flavor to the Goblin Ball that includes Voodoo, southern charm and a little touch of death. Lets just say it won't be such a walk in Ember Rule for our dear Pintina. The Swampland of Terra Bayou awaits. Will you be invited to walk the Grand Mardi Gras for the Barons of Terra Bayou?

For updates and news be sure to follow The Goblin Ball on facebook and join The Power of Voodoo event!

We love feedback and it's all been wonderful however if you would like to give inclusions for next year feel free to submit them at The Goblin Ball page and we will do our best to consider your requests.

The jaw droppingly talented Lizzie Sharp is returning this year to come and play at The Goblin Ball. While helping to create some of the most interesting characters, Lizzie and team did such an AMAZING job that even relatives of the cast didn't recognise the actor behind the makeup.

We touched base with Lizzie a week before the event to see what she had in store for our guests in 2014!

You Helped at the last Goblin Ball, what was your favorite character to design? 

Ice Queen and King

This year there are so many crazy characters from various realms, where do you get your inspiration from? 

After so many years of visuals and believing in the underworld, I believe... Goblins and Mermaids are Real 

As an experienced Makeup Artist what would be your most memorable experience world wide? 

Seeing Angelina Jolie Directing every day at work, Incredible woman. 

As a professional what are your suggestions for our guests in getting ready to create that special character and translating it to their makeup? 
 
Look at your facial features, what Mark making for a character suits your face? What colours , shapes, scales of tones, textures would your character have? Research what's been done, see what doesn't work and what does... Try New things when designing push ideas so it not just another character. 

What are you looking forward to this year for The Goblin Ball 2014? 

To Bring some of Australia's Top Makeup Hair SPFX Artists along and create characters celebrating with you guys!!

We can't wait to see what Lizzie comes up with this year! Tickets are still available but we are quickly running out!
Make sure you book early to avoid disappointment!!

The Goblin Marketplace is a space for many collectables and trinkets to grab at a special price. We have some amazing Goblin remains from Nightshade FX and some curios that you can only purchase on the night.

We also have vendors who are looking to share their wicked wares and maybe have you leave with a luxury item or two.

We caught up with Mary from Roseberry Bay soaps and asked her a few questions about what makes her magical trinkets so attractive! At a price range starting from $5 there is always the possibility you can leave with a trinket from the market.

How long have you been making soaps and why did you start?

I started making soaps about 5 years ago. I had always seen these beautiful creations at markets and only ever bought handcrafted soaps as I thought they were better than those that you could buy at the supermarket. One day I decided that, as I was creative and loved a challenge, I would give making my own soaps a go - and then I was hooked! I love the fact that I can say what ingredients go into each soap, that I can dictate how they look and how they smell.

Why did you decide to travel all the way to The Goblin Ball to sell your wares?

I decided to try my wares at the Goblin Ball as it seemed to me to be a unique marketplace which will be filled with creative and enthusiastic people. People who will understand my creative processes and appreciate the hard work and soul that goes into each soap I make.

Your soaps and lotions have an amazing blend of ingredients. What goes into such a delightful potion?

Any good soap should have a mix of good quality oils and butters. I don't use Palm Oil in any of my soaps as I care for the world I live in and don't think that it is a necessity. The majority of commercial soaps aren't in fact soaps at all! They, like shower gels, are detergents ... full of harsh chemicals and artificial components that aren't good for the environment or for our skins. I believe that we should only use the purest of ingredients on our largest organ (our skin) so most of my soaps are made using Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil and Cocoa, Shea or Macadamia Nut Butter. I also always add either fresh goats milk or coconut cream for luscious creamy lather.

You have such a large collection of magical soaps and goods, what is your favourite delight and what makes you inspired?

My absolute favourite soap for the Goblin Market is the Ember Rule soap. This is fragranced with Sweet Orange and Chilli Pepper fragrance oil which has a sweet and spicy bite which, to me encapsulates the two sides of the Goblin Realm. I also love the colours - yellow, orange, black and white to me speak of flames and heat.

The Goblin Ball is a weird and wonderful event with so many amazing guests. What are you looking forward to on the eve of The Goblin Ball?

The thing I am looking forward to most of all on the night, is seeing everyone in their amazing costumes. I was supposed to attend last year but had to pull out at the last moment as I was ill. The photos I've seen of the night drove home to me the dedication and passion that those attending have - and I'm excited to see everyone in the flesh.