Archive for July, 2010

Are you the kind of person who loves to go to Renaissance Faires or Medieval Reenactments?  Are you always impressed with the authenticity that those who run Faires bring to the table?  It is impressive to see someone portraying a King or Queen and to see them in period clothing and speaking as if they were from the historical era.  It’s almost as if they walked right out of a time machine.

Do you want to be able to interact with these characters as if you were from the same era?  If so, you are going to need two very important things:

1)  A Renaissance Costume:  Renaissance or Medieval costumes are extremely important in terms of creating an atmosphere that represents the time period you are trying to recreate.  Since humans rely mostly on their sight to portray atmosphere, being in authentic garb and costuming really helps to set the scene.  You can find authentic Renaissance clothing at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com.

2)  Speaking Guide:  Being able to converse with someone who is portraying an actor from a different era is important also to help create atmosphere.  But in some cases, knowing what to say and who to say it to can almost be like learning another language.  We looked around and found that this site provided a good basic article for understanding how to speak in the Elizabethan era.

Now that you have the elements you need, try to put them together and go out and enjoy your Renaissance Faire!

If you are planning on attending a Medieval LARP (Live Action Role Play) event, there are a number of things that you’ll need.  You will need Medieval clothing, Medieval boots, accessories, and a weapon.  But you obviously can’t use a weapon like the one you see in this post’s picture.  The object during a LARP is to successfully strike the opposing player with a weapon.  Using actual steel or wooden weapons is very unsafe.

That is why most LARPs use what are known as boffer weapons.  Boffer weapons are typically constructed out of PVC pipe, closed-cell foam, open-cell foam, Goop adhesives, and duct tape of various colors.  When constructed properly these weapons form a safe alternative and allow for actual combat to ensue at LARP events.  The types of weapons you can actually create through this method are only limited by your imagination.

For detailed instructions on how  you correctly and safely construct a boffer weapon, please visit this boffer weapon construction guide, provided to us by our good friends at Wyvern Rising, a Fantasy Medieval LARP based out of North Eastern Pennsylvania.  If you chose to follow this guide to make your own weapon, please note that the weapon sizes/requirements are specific to their rules system.  If you are making your weapon for a different LARP, make sure to find the correct weapon lengths, then return to this guide.

Last week we brought you a post that demonstrated the various signs that you can use to identify an approaching thunderstorm.  We wanted you to be able to have a way to know when you should seek shelter to protect both your Medieval clothing, and your lives.

But what happens if you are far away from shelter and a storm arrives rapidly?  What are you going to do?  If you keep the following tips in mind, and put them into practice, you will be able to ride out the storm.

1. Don’t Panic:  Although a thunderstorm is bad, it is not the end of the world.  By remaining calm, and taking notice of your surroundings, finding a safe place for you and your fellow campers can be very easy.

2. Get Out of the Open:  Lightning is drawn high points.  If you’re in the middle of an open field, that makes you the highest point.  The best plan would be to get indoors, but if that is not possible, at least get out of the open.

3. Avoid Tall Structures/Trees:  While you’re seeking shelter from tip #2, make sure it isn’t something extremely tall, such as a large tree, radio tower, etc. Lighting will also be drawn to these tall objects, so avoiding them is a must.  If an indoor shelter is not possible, consider finding a ditch or ravine so that you become lower than your surroundings.

4. Split Up:  Lighting has the capability of striking multiple people who are grouped together. Make sure to put some space between all of the members of your group so that the lightning does not travel from person to person.  You can stay within sight of your group, just so long as you are not all huddled together.

5. Remove Metal:  Lighting is also attracted to and flows through metal.  Make sure to avoid metal structures and to remove any metal jewelry or accessories, like weapons or armor, that you may be wearing or have with you..

6. Get Out of Water:  Lighting flows through water.  Even if the lightning strikes a body of water hundreds of yards away, the current can still flow for a very long time.  If you are swimming or boating, get out of the water immediately.

At PearsonsRenaissanceShopp.com, you can be sure to find the finest Medieval clothing in all the land.  But clothing is just one important element to understanding and appreciating the Medieval era.  There are countless ways with which one can study and interact with this important historical period.

We became very aware of this fact when we met Will Kalif, who runs the site Heroic Dreams – All Things Medieval.

Heroic Dreams is a virtual treasure trove of information on and endless list of topics that is sure to peak anyone’s interest.  The site is well maintained and the archives date back to August 2006.  The site is even broken down into categories so that you can conveniently browse through the topics of your choice.  Some examples of the categories include:

• Movies
• Books
• Wargames
• Board games
• Lord of the Rings
• Dark Ages
• Medieval Weapons
• For Writers
• Websites
• Siege Engines
• Dungeons and Dragons
• Blacksmithing
• Comics
• Many, many more

One post we loved was a post that instructed you on how to make cardboard shields for your Halloween costume.  These shields can be used for any other type of occasion, look great, and are simple to make.

So make sure to stop by Heroic Dreams.  And if you do, let Will know that we sent you!