Darkgate Inspiration - Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twin Peaks, the X Files, Sixth Sense.

90s Media - Clueless, Friends, Fight Club, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Absolutely Fabulous, Pulp Fiction, Four Weddings and a Funeral.

90s Music - Nirvana, Oasis, Limp Bizkit, U2, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Spice Girls, NSYNC, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Bob Dylan, Fatboy Slim, Madonna.

The spirits, ghosts and spectres fall into the category of ethereals. Varying from subtle spirits to haunting visages, ethereals have a wide variety of options, including:

• Spirit patterns - wispy edges, swirling mists, jagged edges. Achieved through makeup as well as through patterns on costume, unnatural markings across the skin and clothing can be used to indicate to the incorporeal and strange nature of ethereals. Equally, pale complexions can work just as well to show their translucence.

• Signs of death - a slashed throat, decayed features, hollow eye sockets. Ethereals are the most dead-looking of the supernatural creatures of Darkgate and so showing the decay of their mortal body or signs of their death can be a creative and fun way to show their death signs. You don't have to cover yourself in blood - you're long dead, after all, and red is one of many options.

• Pointed ears - elven-like ears, regardless of length, are appropriate for spirits who's forms have been drawn away from that which was human. These can be achieved through prosthetics on the tips of your ears.

• Trailing essence - layered translucent fabrics near the feet such as organza beneath a more natural costume layer like a skirt can be used to make it look like you are floating and not attached to this realm. Please ensure these layers do not trail onto the ground - it can be a safety hazard that people (including you) can trip over.

Lycans hold an affinity to a particular kind of animal, whether it be a wolf, a street cat, a rhino, a ram, a snake or a shark. Consequently, then, costuming can vary wildly for a lycan, but options include:

• Extra body parts - fox ears, ram horns, stag antlers, bird wings, wolf tail, fish fins. This can be achieved with EVA foam or fabric and stuffing. Please use soft materials that are safe to poke people with - you might not mean to whack someone with ceramic horns, but accidents happen and safety does come first.

• Animal eyes - slit pupils for snakes, blackout eyes for fish, unnatural colours for wolves, cats and others. This can be achieved with contact lenses, but the idea can equally come across using cleverly applied makeup.

• Physical markings - tiger stripes, scaled skin, gills, dappled fur. This can be achieved using face paint, but also using prosthetic fur or costume pieces to make it look as though fur, fins or scales are a part of your own body.

• Fangs - whilst they can be appropriate, but when worn alone may lead to you being mistaken as a vampire. But, they can make an excellent addition to a lycan such as a lion, snake, wolf or even pirhanna.

Whether they be beautiful creatures of the night or tormented undead that struggle to hide their true nature, vampires across media have come in all shapes and sizes. Suggestions on how to appear as a haunting creature of the night include:

• Fangs - there are prosthetic teeth that can be purchased from major online retailers to create the image of fangs on your upper and/or lower canines. Equally, white face paint in small triangles on the lower lip can provide this impression.

• Unnatural complexion - smooth, pale skin, cracked porcelain aesthetic, enchanting beauty. Makeup such as foundation can make your complexion smooth. More Buffy-like vampires can paint in a pronounced brow, or some pale face paint can be used to create a more Van Helsing or Twilight-like complexion.

• Strange eyes - red, purple, black, white eyes. An unnatural nature can be shown through the eyes, whether it be through contact lenses or through some cleverly utilised makeup.

• Prominent veins - near the eyes, neck or arms, veins can be prominent in a darker grey or blue tone to show how removed from life vampires are. This can be achieved through face paint, but can also be achieved via embroidering or painting veins onto items of clothing that match the skin to give the illusion of it being a part of the body.