“Once upon a midnight dreary,”

The Raven is probably known by many people as a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow descent into madness. Perhaps Poe himself was a little mad and he fits right into Halloween, where things are spooky.

I love it when I travel around Second Life and see ravens and crows in a field. They add this element of fright into a scene. Crows are more aggressive and a bit smaller than a raven. Perhaps the differences are not as noticeable at first. Crows make a higher-pitched, lighter noise that sounds like they’re saying “Caw!” A raven’s call, meanwhile, is a lower, more guttural croak.

Whichever you prefer these birds are all part of the sounds and terrors we so love during Halloween.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

Let the goosebumps spread and the hairs stand up on Halloween and let the candy fill your dreams.

Happy Halloween!!!

From the Retreat and Basement Club!!!

The Pirates of Monte Likka Hunt will be up and running until November 2ish or so...hurry and find the goodies.