Racial Motifs 43 : Harlequin Content . GRIM HARLEQUIN STYLE By Chamberlain Haskill My Lord Sheogorath has directed me to compile a guide for those seeking to create " Grim Harlequin " arms and armor , so that the Mad God ' s mortal servants may have a way to make all their equipment look the same . Of course , this standardization runs counter to all other cult practices , and is insane on the face of it . ( Ahem . ) Milord has probably already forgotten he asked me to do it , but what better do I have to do with my time than write manuals for mortals ? Actually , almost anything , now that I think about it . AXES Curved crescent axe blades are specified , with edges of varying depth , and a complicated cluster of sharp , curved … somethings … at the haft . You know : what - you - may - call - ems . Also , grinning skulls . Put those on everything . BELTS The belts shall be made of one , two , three , or four leather straps , of tanned Human or Elf skin , where possible . A grinning skull for the buckle , of course , Hip tassets may also sport skulls , wearing fool ' s caps and with tongues extended . The extended tongue is very important — a stylistic hallmark , really . BOOTS Pointed toes are required . This is not negotiable . Uppers may be of dark quilted motley , as you like . But nobody will be looking past the pointed toes : do that right , and the rest is gravy . Note : not actual gravy . Gravy may be implied , but is never stated . BOWS Now isn ' t this a pretty thing : seed pearls on the facing , and swooping recurved limbs that terminate in finials curled ' round large , lovely milk pearls . An instrument of death , but ornamented with nacreous excretions : simply splendid . Don ' t you think ? CHEST PIECES Straps , straps , straps , and many layers — but not too rigid , not to confining , we do not wish to make it impossible to somersault . A Grim Harlequin must somersault , after all . As appropriate . ( You ' ll know when . ) Also : grinning skull sternum cameo . Very important ! DAGGERS What we want here is more or less a curved poniard . Pointed , of course , but with a definite crescent edge , so that it matches the swords and axes . The serrated back edge is handy for cleaning fish or grating cheese . A bastard to keep clean , though . GLOVES His Derangement has decreed that the fashion in Grim Harlequin gauntlets this season shall be for half - fingered gloves — the upper half . The lower digits shall remain nimble and free , so they can , as Milord Madness puts it , " Dance like little rabbits from blade to bow and back again . " The metaphor is strained , but you get the point , do you not ? HELMETS Let your headgear be a cunning cowl that simultaneously evokes both a fool ' s cap and an executioner ' s hood — jolly but gruesome is the goal here , mortal . And there ' s nothing to lose by adding a mummy - wrap bandit ' s mask to the lighter sets , or a skull visor to the heavy . LEG GREAVES These should match the boots . I suppose . Just between you and me , to be quite candid , I have had no instruction from The Avuncular One in the matter of graves or schynbalds . Not a peep . It ' s as if he didn ' t care what you put on your lower legs . Make of that what you will . MACES The Grim Harlequin mace head is a grinning skull ( naturally ) wearing a fool ' s cap , with a long extended tongue that wraps right ' round the top of the haft . It ' s quite cunning , really . If I were a mortal , I ' d want both the one - handed and the two - handed versions . But I ' m not . SHIELDS Grinning skulls , fool ' s - capped jester faces , diamond quilting , those curving sharp what - you - may - call - em motifs : the Grim Harlequin shield has it all , really . Strap this on your off - arm , and they ' ll get out of your way in the grocery store , believe me . SHOULDER ARMOR For your left pauldron ? A grinning , grimacing jester - face with an upturned spade beard , of course . Oh , and another one on the right . Assuming symmetry is your goal . Who knows — it might be ! STAVES I already effused about the fool ' s - capped grinning skull on the mace head , doing so again about the same motif on the finial of the Grim Harlequin staff would be just rather tedious . I would prefer not to . SWORDS The swords should be long , curved single - edged blades — almost scimitars , really . The crossguard is another one of those clusters of curving overlapping sharp whatevers , you ' ll recognize it when you see it . And there , that ' s the Grim Harlequin guide , for what it ' s worth , which fortunately is not up to me .