Pearsons Renaissance Shoppe Blog

Find the perfect monk's robe

‘Tis day three of my post in the watchtower.  I know in my last entry I said I was going to record exciting events in this journal, but I’ve come to learn that exciting events need to actually happen before they can be recorded.

Let’s see, so far I’ve observed the following coming through the gate:  A wandering minstrel, a suitor for the princess, a company of soldiers returning from patrol, and several merchants looking to sell their wares.  Exhilarating.  It doesn’t seem like anything exciting is happening in the entire kingdom however, as I spoke with some of the soldiers who had returned and they had reported finding nothing out of sorts.

I am about to end my shift for the day and return to my home.  Though, as I glance toward the gate one last time I noticed that we have a new arrival.  They appear to be monks.  That is peculiar, as we do not have any monasteries within the castle walls.  But their monk’s robes clearly define who they are.  Perhaps they are seeking an audience with the Queen.

No mind.  The Captain is escorting them personally.  Back to day dreaming until I can climb down from my post.

Isn’t it wonderful to know that Spring is almost here?  Winter will finally be cast off as we begin to enjoy longer days and warmer temperatures?  The coming of spring also marks the beginning of many Live Action Role Playing games, or LARPs, seasons.  Since the events will soon be upon us, now would be a great time to think about and prepare your character’s costume.  But what type of character are you going to be?

LARP season is on the way!

Perhaps you are thinking about playing an Elven mage who has power over the forces of magic.  You may not be one of the most respected fighters in your game, but the damage you can hurl at the enemy along with the magical protection you can offer your allies will be second to none.

Or maybe you were planing on portraying a rugged dwarf who has spent most of his life below the mountains, who only recently ventured to the surface looking for new treasures.  Will you be the traditional archetypal dwarf who is a miner or craftsman?  Or will you break the mold and play something different?

Will you entertain the notion of playing a human, where your options are almost limitless?  Will you be the sagely cleric?  A cunning rogue?  A daring warrior who leads his comrades into battle?  If so, you may want to consider wearing a riveted aluminum chain mail coif for added protection.

Whatever character you come up with, you will be sure to have fun this season while you LARP.  You will also be sure to find costuming you need at Pearsons.  Let us know about your character in the comments section.

Keep history alive with a Roman Gladiator Kilt

Although the focus of PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com are the Medieval and Renaissance eras, we still do include some outfits from other historical periods.  Today, on the back of a very interesting news article, we wanted to point out that we do have some Roman themed costumes, such as this Roman gladiator kilt.

According to WalesOnline.co.uk, archaeologists uncovered an uncommon ancient Roman fort in the playing fields at a school in Great Britain.  During the height of the Roman empire, its reach extended well into the British isles.  It was there, where they would face stiff resistance from fierce local tribes.  This particular fort, the fort of Nidum, was built to defend against a tribe known as the Silures.

The fort of Nidum would have been occupied by a unit of auxiliaries.  Auxiliaries were still fine Roman soldiers, but did not carry quite the same prestige as the legions.  The fort was original constructed out of wood, but was later rebuilt with stone.  Elements of this fort that make it unusual for Roman standards include:  A large double ditch and rampart, an external road, a trench for a palisade to prevent the rampart from collapsing, a possible lifting device, and a internal tower.  The internal tower was constructed in such a way that would have allowed for the soldiers to shoot at those foes attacking the gate.
The bottom line about the fort of Nidum is that it is extremely defensive.  The combined width of the exterior defensive structures and obstacles was more than 12 meters, which is quite impressive.  Given the nature of the Roman army was to attack, the highly defensive nature of this fort indicates that it was located in a very hostile location.  The Silures must have provided the Romans with quite a challenge, which is generally unheard of.

It is discoveries like this that keep history alive for most people.  It is also one of the reasons why we like to provide you with authentic historical costumes, so that you too can keep history alive.

Who doesn’t love the iconic character of Robin Hood?  There have been so many books, movies, and plays written about Robin Hood that it is hard to deny him as an entertaining and appealing literary figure.  Who else would rob from the rich and give to the poor?  He is still popular today as there was the Ridley Scott movie last year, “Robin Hood,” which starred Russell Crowe.

Rob from the rich and give to the poor!

PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com also recognizes the importance of this character, by introducing our new Robin Hood costumes line.  These Robin Hood costumes are authentic replications of the outfits worn by Russel Crowe and company in the movie.  If you liked the look and presentation of that particular interpretation of Robin Hood, then you can find those same costumes at PearsonsRenaissanceShoppe.com.

Of course we also have several other Robin Hood costumes that aren’t associated with the movie.  Whether you are putting on a theatrical rendition of the Prince of Theives, or simply wish to portray him at a Renaissance Faire, you will be sure to find what you need to put together an amazing wardrobe.

Save some hard earned coin!

The Queen is well aware of the fact that not everyone has extra coin to spend on Renaissance outfits or Medieval costumes.  We know that it has been hard to find work.  Times have changed.  There aren’t as many dragons terrorizing the countryside.  Vampires haven’t been coming into the villages as frequently anymore.  There aren’t even that many damsels in distress.  How’s anyone supposed to make an honest living?

Even so, some people still would like a brand new Medieval costume to supplement their wardrobe.  For those people, the Queen wanted to make sure that we took the time to remind you about our Renaissance outfit sales and specials page.  This is the location where we sell our wares for reduced prices for those noble knights who are “between” jobs.  Don’t worry there are also a lot of Renaissance dresses on sale for the ladies as well.  Always make sure to stop back.  You never know what type of savings you might find.

My name is Danius Halbing.  I’ve served on the Town Watch for five seasons, and in that time I’ve fought in many battles, been to many exciting places, and found out this dawn, that I shall be reassigned to a new post that shall be my greatest challenge to date:  Watchtower Duty.

I was told by our Captain that it would be a “Duty worthy of all my ancestors.”  I suppose he is of the opinion that the Halbing brood did nothing but stand around in an elevated platform for centuries.  However, my loyalty is to the Queen and if she needs someone in the watchtower, so there shall I be.

Since I anticipate my assignment to be uneventful, I decided to keep a journal as to record this exhilarating portion of my life.  As the sun crested the horizon this morning, I put on my Medieval palace guard tunic, sheathed my sword, picked up my pike and made way to watchtower overlooking the main gate to the castle.  I am scarcely able to contain my glee.  I shall continue to record any events of interest in this journal.  That is of course, permitting anything interesting actually happens.

A few weeks ago we brought you some humorous tales that we have collected from various LARP groups and presented them to you with the intent of evoking a good chuckle.  Today, the Jester is at it again.  He has found these two stories that will hopefully bring a smile to your face.

The first story revolves around the uncanny (and unintentional) timing of the gaming staff of one LARP.  It was a late night and to pass the time, many of the players were enjoying some story telling around the fireplace in the tavern.  One particular Elven Mage was recounting a story from her past about the “Night of the Fire Dogs.”  In this tale, an evil mage experimented with darkness magic and when things went terribly wrong, it ripped a seam between the real world and the plane of magic.  When this happened, dogs, shrouded in flame, came through the void and attacked the mage.

Unbeknownst to the players, the game staff had arranged for a few players to play the role of wolves  for a different encounter.  As soon as the mage was done telling her terrifying tale of the fire dogs, the people playing wolves let out a howl to make their presence known; completely unaware of what had just happened inside the tavern.  Needless to say, maybe of the players inside the tavern were very reticent to go outside.

The second story involves the lighting reflexes of a Human Mage.  The town was being assaulted by a creature known as a Harbinger, which was a creation of pure darkness energy and wore a costume much like our Medieval Gatekeeper’s Cloak.  It was so powerful, that a special substance had to be created in order properly dispose of the creature.  This substance required many components, but the component that makes this story funny is “swamp water.”  After they had gathered the materials needed for the substance, the players started to combine them.  The intent was for the substance to be applied to a weapon.

However, shortly after this substance was made, with real swamp water, the Harbinger assaulted the Abbey and looked through a window screen to see if anyone was inside.  The mage quickly grabbed the bowl and threw the swamp water mixture at the creature through the window screen, covering the player in stagnant bog water.  The mage then asked, “Did it work?”  The staff member playing the Harbinger spit the water out of his mouth and said, “Yes, I’m dead now.”

See what happens when you are quick on your feet?  Does anyone have any other LARP stories they’d like to share?

One of the most common public figures in Medieval society was the innkeeper. Whenever out-of-town travelers came into a new town, they eventually ended up at the inn. The inn was a place for merriment, drinking, and lodging.

Therefore, whenever someone new arrived, they always talked to the innkeeper to learn about the town. The innkeeper would also gain knowledge of the outside world as travelers pass through town. The innkeeper was like a Middle Ages version of the Internet.

So if you are looking for a persona to adopt at Medieval or Renaissance events, the innkeeper is a solid option. In order to look the part, you’re going to need a costume that is both authentic and comfortable. Our Medieval Innkeeper’s Vest meets both of these requirements.

Or, if you are putting on a theatrical production that takes place in a time period where the Renaissance or Medieval time frame applies, this Medieval Innkeeper’s Vest will certainly help bring your story to life. This is especially helpful when considering one of the most infamous innkeepers throughout the theatrical world: Thenardier from the musical “Les Miserables.” This character is a slimy con-man who runs an inn, attempting to rip-off his customers in the process. This vest is the perfect costume for such a character.

One of the most appealing aspects of the Medieval times was the notion of Wizards and the magic that they could cast.  Of course finding real magic can be incredibly difficult, but if you wanted to play the role of a wizard at a Renaissance Faire or Medieval event you are going to need both a Medieval wizard’s cloak and some magic of your own to perform.

In order to complete this trick, you’ll need a carrot, a sheet or handkerchief, and some small pins.  You’ll want to cut the carrot so that it is roughly the same size and shape as your thumb.

When you perform this trick, you’ll want to have the carrot concealed in your hand or pocket.  Pull out the sheet and start to twirl it around to show that it is an ordinary piece of fabric.  Then make a first, stick up one of your thumbs, and put the sheet over your thumb.  As you do this, quickly slide the carrot  up so that it now makes the shape of your thumb.

Explain that you will be able to withstand the pain inserting the pins into your thumb and that with your magical power, you will remain unharmed.  Carefully slide the pin through the sheet and into the carrot, adding in a bit of acting if you so desire.  Show the crowd that you have the pins in your “thumb.”
Then remove the pins, again adding some acting if you’d like.  Once they are all removed, inform the crowd that when you remove the sheet, that your thumb will not contact a single mark.  When you reach for the sheet, make sure to also pull the carrot away with the sheet so that you don’t have to conceal it again.  Put the sheet, and carrot, into your pocket and reveal to the crowd that you are unscathed.  You might want to rehearse this trick a few times and remind children in the audience to not try this by themselves.
Do any of you have magic tricks that our Medieval wizards can try out for themselves?

The Queen is well aware that when it comes to the winter months, that her subjects enjoy nice warm meals to take away the chill in the air.  Therefore, she has ordered her cooks to provide you all with her favorite winter stew recipe.

Ingredients

-4 slices turkey bacon, coarsely chopped

-1 ½ cups finely chopped onion (2 medium)

-1 ½ cups diced carrots (2 medium)

-½ cup diced celery (1 stalk)

-3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth

-2 cups dry red wine, ie: Merlot or Zinfandel

-1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried leaves

-2 bay leaves

-2  2 ½-inch-long strips of orange zest

-3 ½ pounds of sliced shank, or cubed stewing beef, that is already trimmed

-½ cup chopped watercress or parsley

-Fresh ground pepper for seasoning

1)      Heat oil in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add in bacon and cook, stirring often until the bacon is lightly browned, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes.  Into the Dutch oven put the carrots, celery, and onion and stir until they are all lightly browned and softened which should take about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add broth, wine, thyme, orange zest, and bay leaves and bring them to a boil.

2)      Rinse the beef under cool water then place into a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker set to high.  Add the mixture from step one into the cooker. Put the lid on the cooker and allow the beef to cook for 6 to 7 hours, or until the beef is very tender.

3)      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and using a slotted spoon, place the cooked beef into a bowl. Remove the bones.  If desired, scoop the marrow from the bones and add to the meat.  Use the spoon to break the meat into small bite-sized pieces.  Cover and keep warm.

4)      Remove orange zest and bay leaves from the sauce and skim out the fat.  Then pour the remainder of the sauce into a large skillet.  Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, occasionally removing the foam for about 20 minutes.  Season with pepper.  Return the beef to the broth and heat through.

5)      Ladle the stew into bowls and sprinkle with watercress or parsley.

At winter Renaissance Faires or Medieval events, this delicious stew can be dished out by those wearing serving wench costumes.  The Queen hopes you enjoy!