Archive for October, 2011

As we move into the spookiest time of year, we also can’t ignore how popular vampires have become in pop culture. With a number of books, movies, television shows, and video games revolving around these mythological creatures, it is hard to say that they haven’t made an impact on a lot of our lives.

Vampires also have a tie in to the Renaissance and Medieval era, as it is during these time periods the lore of the vampire first surfaced. It was fabled that viscous rulers would need to feed on the blood of mortals in order to survive. Throw in the fact that most vampires sport a Gothic attire, it is easy to see why their costuming would fit right in at a Renaissance Faire.

Therefore we wanted to give you a few examples of vampire costuming you can find at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com:

Gatekeeper Cloak:  A dark cloak that gives an aura of mystique to whomever you encounter.

Vampire Queen Costume: An outfit that clearly shows your noble status while staying true to the Gothic style.

Vampire Cloak: What is a Lord of the Night without a patented cloak that they can use to disappear into the shadows? A must for any vampire attire.

Vampire Pendant: This pendant also sports the Gothic style and contributes well to the vampire feel. It is a great accessory for almost any costume.

We hope you find everything you need to make a costume that is deserving of a Vampire Lord or Lady.

As our loyal readers know, we like to provide you with a number of recipes so that if you are planning a Medieval themed dinner, you can provide your guests with adequate fare. If you are looking to keep everything as authentic as possible, you could even consider serving your dinner dressed in a Medieval Tavern Wench costume.

For the filling

800g pork shoulder, minced or finely chopped
400g pork belly, half minced and half chopped
250g smoked bacon, cubed
½ tsp ground mace
2 large pinches ground nutmeg
1 tbsp fresh chopped sage
Sage
1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper

For the pastry

575g plain flour
200g lard
220ml water

To finish

1 egg
Eggs, beaten
6 gelatine leaves
300ml chicken stock

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the filling.

To make the pastry, put the flour in a large bowl, then put the lard and water into a small pan and heat gently until the lard melts. Bring just to the boil and then stir into the flour using a wooden spoon. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, (it should still feel very warm) knead well until smooth.

Cut off 1/4 of the dough, wrap in cling film and reserve for the lid. Roll out the remaining dough to a circle and then place in the base of a non-stick 20cm springform cake tin. Working quickly while the dough is warm and pliable, press the dough evenly over the base and up the sides of the tin. Make sure there are no holes. Fill with the meat mixture and pack down well. Roll out the dough for the lid. Place on top of the pie. Pinch all around the edge to seal the pie. Make a hole for steam in the centre, using the handle of a wooden spoon.

Cook in the oven for 30 mins then reduce the heat to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and cook for 90 minutes. Brush the top with beaten egg and return to the oven for a further 20 mins. Leave until cold.

Soak the gelatine in cold water for about 5 mins, then remove and squeeze out the excess water. Heat the stock until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine. Leave to cool to room temperature.

Use a small funnel to pour the stock into the pie through the hole in the top. Pour in a little at a time allowing a few seconds before each addition. Place in the fridge to set overnight.

We hope you enjoy!

If you are planning on a Renaissance themed dinner, then this Raised Pork Pie can be an excellent main course to the meal. For added ambiance, consider serving the dish as an authentically as possible while wearing this Tavern Keep Clothing.

We stood there and watched the skeletons pick up weapons; ancient and rusty swords that still appeared lethal. Josephus remained in the clutches of the man who called himself Rulatha. We were surrounded and appeared to be out of options. Our chain mail armor would not even help us.

“You have three days to bring me the Baron’s daughter,” Rulatha started, “After that time, I shall unleash my host upon the Kingdom and claim her myself.”

“Three days?” Grantiere asked, “It took us that long to walk here.”

“My associate will see that your return is swift,” Rulatha held out his hand. One of the skeletons came forward, wearing a black Mage’s cloak and carrying a staff made of petrified wood. Its dark eye sockets had the faint glow of burning embers. As it walked toward us, it gestured toward the passage that would take us to the mouth of the cave.

“Three days, or your friend will be lost forever,” Rulatha taunted. With a snap of his fingers, Rulatha and Josephus disappeared. The remaining skeletons all came toward us so that we were forced to retreat to the cave’s opening. Once outside, the cloaked skeleton moved its arms in a very specific pattern while pointing with its staff.

I remember closing my eyes, and when I opened them, we were all standing outside the gates of the town. The guards in the towers were startled by our sudden presence, but called to open the gates. We moved inside and immediately reported what had transpired to our commander. He told us to get something to eat, but to meet him for a special court in and hour.

After our meal, we entered the chambers of the Queen’s royal adviser. In the chamber was our commander, the Queen’s adviser, the Bishop, and a man whose face was not known to me. Also in attendance was Baron Galt-Haldane. We all took our places around a table and we told them all of what had happened.

“I shall not hand over my daughter to this sorcerer!” insisted the Baron.

“Not sorcerer,” the unidentified man said, “Vampire.”

“Are you certain, Trevor?” the Bishop asked.

“There is no doubt in my mind,” Trevor responded, “My order has been tracking a vampire in this area for many years.”

“Why does the vampire have such an interest in a pendant?” the Queen’s adviser queried.

“You will have to ask that of the Baron,” Trevor replied.

“I do not know what you speak of,” the Baron stammered.

“Do not lie to me,” our Commander belted, “You’re putting the lives of one of my best men and the entire Kingdom in jeopardy!”

“If our foe truly is a Master of Death and you do not cooperate, Baron Galt-Haldane, it can be viewed as heresy,” the Bishop warned.

The Baron’s eyes darted around the room, meeting each of our gazes, as if he was hoping someone else would provide an answer. The room was silent as we all awaited to see what the Baron would say. After what felt like ages, the Baron sighed and leaned back in his wooden chair.

“I’ll need you all to come to my Manor,” said the Baron reluctantly, “There’s something you need to see.”

Choose the right costume for your character

If you are considering designing your first LARP character but aren’t quite sure on your costume, then this post is for you. Most LARPs or Live Action Role Playing games, are fantasy based, which means that many of the races made popular in fiction are available for playable characters.

But what type of costuming should you wear depends upon the race that you play. Hopefully we will be able to address that for you. Please keep in mind however, that these suggestions are based upon general fantasy settings. The LARP you attend may have a very specific take on a particular race, so it is encouraged to learn as much about the game setting before making any major decisions.

Humans: Humans are wonderful in the sense that they are so adaptable. Whether you want to be a noble, a warrior, a farmer, a tavern keep, or the town crier, you can wear almost anything you want, so long as it fits the Medieval theme.

Elves: Elves are generally regarded as somewhat of a regal race. They are usually fair, elegant, and refined. They are also drawn toward magic, and their fine clothing reflects this. An elf may wear something along the lines of this Medieval wool cloak. Most games also have a branch of Wood Elves, who live off of nature and have a deep respect for all that the woods have to offer. They typically use the land to live and are expert archers, hunters, and trackers. This Elven Prince Brocade tunic is an excellent example of this type of Elf.

Dwarf: Dwarfs are categorized as miners, craftsmen, cooks, or tavern keeps. They are a hearty race with a passion for good food, good drink, and treasure. Dwarves are also very stubborn, and will never back down from a fight and therefore make excellent warriors. For a craftsmen, this Innkeepers vest may be appropriate, while a fighter may consider this leather jerkin.

Orcs: Orcs are a green-skinned race who are usually cited for their incredible strength and battlefield prowess. Although they can take on other trades, fighting is usually their profession. Often hot headed, difficult to reason with, and at times brutal, a pack of Orc raiders are not a welcomed site. Unlike Elves, Orcs do not care about refinery and only wear clothing that is beneficial to them. That is why this woolen tunic is an ideal choice for an Orc.

We hope that these ideas have been useful to you and that whatever character you decide to play, that you have an amazing time.

Enjoy playing the game!

As the year starts to wind down, so do the seasons for most Live Action Role Playing games, or LARPs. Although some groups do have events all throughout the year, most LARPs do not due to camps closing in the fall, or the winter weather being too unpredictable to ensure the safety of participants.

If your game doesn’t push through the cold and snowy season, what else can you do to scratch your fantasy itch? Once you hang up your Medieval costume for the year, what can you do with your group to keep the creativity flowing? There are several options that you may be able to pursue:

Pen and Paper Role Playing: This is essentially the same as LARPing, except instead of heading out into the camp, you and your friends gather around a table to all take part in the story telling. There are several games and game systems out there, and once you find the one you all like, one person will become the Game Master. The Game Master will construct the story and present challenges to the players. To represent the chance of each encounter, players will role dice to determine the outcome of a conflict. With a dedicated group, it can be a very entertaining and rewarding experience.

Table Top Gaming: There are several table top strategy games that allow you to incorporate battle tactics into the core mechanic of the game. These types of games actually let you collect, assemble, and custom paint your own models so that the army can have the look that you want. There are rules for constructing your armies, moving through difficult terrain, shooting ranged weapons, and operating siege weapons. Most games also have various races to that you can play as orcs, undead, elves, witches, or whatever your favorite fantasy race happens to be. Everything comes down to your strategy, the roll of the die, and your ability to react.

Hopefully you will find these hobbies just as entertaining as LARPing and will be enough to hold you over until the start of the next LARPing season.

Dress right at the faire this fall

As we move closer to Autumn, there are many opportunities to put on a Renaissance costume. This is advantageous for you, because if you can wear your costume more than once, not only do you get to show it off, but you are also getting more value for your investment.

It is this time of year when most Renaissance faires are in full swing. Depending on where you live, you will find that there are faires that extend all the way into November. That is plenty of time for you to find your favorite costume and join in with everyone who loves to share in Renaissance culture.

But there are other times during this time of year where your costumes may also come into play. Halloween is not too far off and there is no reason you can’t use your costume for a party or to take youngsters trick-or-treating. Many communities also arrange for Fall Festivals. If you are on the planning committee for an event such as this, why not suggest having a Renaissance theme? Throughout history, many kingdoms would have a harvest festival, to give thanks for the year of plentiful crops. Why not hearken back to this historical trend, while wearing your Renaissance costumes all at the same time?

We wish you all a happy and healthy Autumn.

We all just stood there, staring at this new entrant to the scene. His hood obscured his face. His unearthly calm in the presence of our heavily armed company was unsettling. Von Ottenhiem bowed his head toward the figure, as did the remaining monks that we had tied up.

“Thank you, Master,” Von Ottenhiem said, reverently.

“In the name of the Queen, make yourself known,” Grantiere demanded.

“I’m much older than your Queen, and feel that it is she who she be paying me respects,” came the steady voice of the man.

As he stepped out of the opening and into the dim torchlight, we could see that he was wearing the Medieval pendant that we had been originally dispatched to retrieve.

“That pendant belongs to Baron Galt-Haldane; return it immediately,” said Grantiere.

“Mighty Captain, that is where you are mistaken,” the man started, “This pendant belongs to me and always has.” He started walking toward us. “It was the daughter of your Baron who stole it from me.”

Could it be dark magic?

“Your words resemble treason, stranger,” Grantiere warned.

“I assure you I speak truth,” the man began, “And furthermore I do not intend to relinquish what is rightfully mine.”
In an instant, the man threw back his hood an opened his mouth. Long white fangs extended from his mouth as he hissed. He drew back his sword and moved with unnatural quickness around the chamber. Before we could blink, his blade cut loose the rope holding Von Ottenhiem and his men. They jumped up and found their weapons as the melee resumed.

I was taken so by surprise, that one of the monks knocked my sword from my hand. I dodged out of the way and found the splintered shaft of my pike and used that to deflect the attacks. As I backed toward the wall, the man appeared behind me. I instinctively brought my wooden spear to strike. As I did, his eyes widened and he snarled. His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. With little effort, he threw me across the chamber as I slammed into the ancient carvings.

When my eyes opened, the man had his sword to Josephus throat. Baltus, Grantiere, and Celebryn all stood by, watching helplessly.

“If you wish to save your friend, you will bring me the Baron’s daughter,” he clenched his grip on his sword, “and since it is unlikely that the Baron will trade his daughter’s life for this man’s, please deliver a message for me: If my requests are not met, I will invade.”

“Just you and a handful of thieves against the army of the Kingdom?” Grantiere scoffed.

“You seem to underestimate me,” the man said and then snapped his fingers.

The ground below us started to rumble. From the earthen floor, white fingertips breached to the surface, followed soon by the ghastly grin of skulls. Dozens of skeletons, animated by some dark magic assembled around us and stood at attention.

“Please, return to your Baron and tell him that Rulatha sends his regards.”