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[Syre Jari Kafghan the Dark Knight]

A few guys in one of the other games have been doing things like Samurai summer, I think next year is Monster summer (correct me if I am wrong guys)

I was thinking we could do something similar. Fleshing out our current soft kits. Make ourselves actually look more like the characters we portray. I challenge any of our many talented people whose characters don't look just right... yet to do this. I have a few projects in mind for myself this winter. Anyone else up to the challenge?

[Stellaria]

This is a good idea on a group level, too. There are so many units in Dagorhir that are only distinguished by colors - this would be a good opportunity to come up with distinctive clothing elements that unify your group and personify who you are and where you're from.
I know that this is going to get beaten to death, but looking to the A Song of Ice and Fire series, there are many distinctive peoples in those stories that are distinguished by both soft and hard kits. For example, the desert-dwelling Dornish, dressed in their many bright colored lightweight layers, all clashy stripes and flowy lines complimented by their copper armor. Or the Tyroshi with their outlandish blue and purple and green hair and beard styles. Or the tribes in the mountains of the moon, all rough leathers and furs and fabrics.
Pick something that distinctifies your unit - something within the realm of medieval plausibility -and see where you can run with it. Show who you are and where you're from!

[Syre Jari Kafghan the Dark Knight]

And as I thought of this while in the shower, my focus is going to be accessories.  Others might choose garb or something else, jsut think of a way to bring your character to the next level and enact it.

[Alric]

I've got a few stalled projects that I need to get on - sounds like a plan!

I'm mostly down to the focusing on the little stuff, so my goals are pretty nitpicky, but important to me for getting me where I'd like to take myself (posting them to keep me accountable!):

Clothing:
Everything handsewn (I still need underwear, hosen, cloak).
New belt (tablet woven?).
New cloak pin.

Accessories:
New knife (make it myself?), with proper sheath.
Nicer leather water bottle.
Super-period pottery (unglazed earthenware, smoke fired, no modern cheats).
Real shield.
Something to sit on (I found some evidence of Englisc stools, finally, so I don't have to rely on finds from Sweden!).
A new, better bucket!

[Stellaria]

A woven belt, new shoes, handmade socks, and head-coverings I don't hate are all on my list.

I have a long camp list, too, but that's for a different post.

[Ilsa Starling]

Blargh-- I want in.

I have a ton of garb, but most of it is either 1. wrong for Ilsa's look, or 2. suitable, but made years ago before I knew how to do a darn thing.

So!

I could do a lot with accessories (probably looking at acquiring a fur vest, real hoopak, fixing up my helmet (Fiaren beat me to the idea of putting a topknot on it, curse her!), getting my ears to look better, and making belt pouches), but I suspect I need to start from the ground up with some new tunics. Hrm.

[Varg Bloodeagle]

More poofy Danish pants, winingas until I have too many, warskirts, but this time with natural leather (going for a recent Conanish look).  And accessories, barbarians need bling, tons of it.

Abs would probably help too. 

[Tyrieal Firebrand]

Wow Alric, authentic drawers? I like my modern underwear too much to do that lol.

[Alric]

They're just boxer shorts! Only made from linen. And depending on your period (Roman or really late medieval), things similar to linen tighty whities are cool too.

[Atalan]

More poofy Danish pants, winingas until I have too many, warskirts, but this time with natural leather (going for a recent Conanish look).  And accessories, barbarians need bling, tons of it.

Abs would probably help too.

Not all of us can be Finn as Rocky Horror.

[Jack Stewart III]

I'm looking into getting a proper helm for next year, to get rid of this cheap Indian, one size fits all thing...(once I get this year's tax-refund, guess where a chunk of it's going!)
I'm also curious about what kinds of 'vests' were being worn during the 13th, something to be worn with my non-fighting, 'fancy garb'.
Trinkets, odds-and-ends, accessories...anything that catches my fancy!

Clothing: Everything handsewn...I still need underwear...

If you're going that far, why not make yourself a period cup/ cod piece?

[Silk]

I haven't gotten the cajones to try molding ears for myself. They're pretty much just going to be ear caps that look like scar tissue. I haven't found them pre-made anywhere and I don't know of a place that does custom work, so I may just have to do it on my own.. grr.

Other things to flesh out my character:

On field I want to be armored, more for look than protection. I want my weapons to look spiffy too.

Off field I want more long vests. I love the damn things. I'm nearly done with a new one, then I work on another. I also want to make a new segment skirt (I used to wear an all black one that I made when I screwed up a whole batch of GTG sashes. I want one in color now) and pants that fit right. I really don't dig the drawstring pants. I'm fat enough without an extra six inches of fabric gathered at my waist.

Ilsa, I (of course) dig the fur vest idea, but you should also have a small collection of short vests in loud colors! Possibly with bright buttons. Very Kender.

[Stellaria]

Clothing: Everything handsewn...I still need underwear...

If you're going that far, why not make yourself a period cup/ cod piece?

Learn history?

[Casimir Glassjaw]

I want a couple of head dresses.  A large feathered one for ceremonies and pre-combat rituals, and a decorated headwrap for dressing up/feast garb.
I also want to get some serious armor ideas fleshed out.  I am not looking for the protection it grants, just the pressence it brings.
Lots of belts too.  I want to wear like, three or four at any given time.  A belt pouch or two would also be nice.
Then of course, knives.  I want an eating knife and a carrying knife.  Both I plan to make but feel I lack the skill to do so yet.  The carrying knife is going to be obsidian with a horn handle.  I have been doing arrowheads for about a year and a half now but I just don't think I am good enough yet to warrant dropping the cash on a large enough chunk of raw obsidian to make a knife with.  The eating knife is going to be metal and will require some research on what I can use to safely make an eating utensil with, and some courage to make the leap into metal working.
Aside from that, some period shoes and camp gear and I am all set.

[Ravus]

I'm focused on Ravus' new-and-improved hard-kit for the winter, but hopefully that means come spring (my usual GET READY FOR DAG SEASON season) i'll be able to work on the soft kit for both Ravus and Shackles. Ravus will be getting a new belt/bandolier, some pouches, maybe some sort of satchel and either a leather bottle or some equally appropriate beverage-facilitator; beyond that i need to make some sensible looking pants and perhaps a cowl as far as garb goes. Shackles needs his own clothes (new tunics, skirts, his own cloak, surcoat, etc). Finally discovering Game of Thrones has given me far, far too many ideas for stuff i want for both of my personae so at least i know which direction my gear-related ADD will be jogging off in next.

[Leaf of Redwater]

I've got a fair amount to do, but I can always think of more.

Soft: cowl, a couple pairs of pants, wide stomach band, turk belt, pointed boots.

Hard: segmented kidney belt, knee-length lamellar, gauntlets, helm.

{As for unit-wide, I can suggest it, but many dont care, nor am I the leader. Don't get me wrong, I love fighting with them, but we seem under-par as far as kits go.}

[Syre Jari Kafghan the Dark Knight]

For those of you working on hard kits, might i suggest adding battle damage to them, or obvious repairs? Make them look like tools of warriors that have been through countless battles, instead of something off the shelf.

[Ravus]

While I'd normally support that plan, ravus is a mercenary and according to my particular view on that particular issue,clean, new armor would be the sign of a wealthier, more desirable mercenary (I.e. a merc with fresh new armor implies that he commands a price so high he can afford to buy new, better,  more expensive armor more regularly.)

That said I'll allow the armor to age naturally, and create such repairs as needed until *this* armor is replaced, should it ever need to be.

[Syre Jari Kafghan the Dark Knight]

at least you thought it out.

[Malpan]

I maintain a document with a list of the dag projects I have in the planning stages. These are not in any order:

Tent ((Getting two civil-war reinactment tents from family members, as soon as I have a place to store them. Just gotta figure out how much modification I want to make to make them goblin-appropriate))

Hammock ((So I can sleep in style))

Gobbo Drum ((I'm waffleing between making this out of planks of wood, in an octagon shape, or throwing it out of stoneware.))

Pros Aide adhesive for Ears ((someone mentioned at some point (Spiderling, I think?) that this was much better than spirit gum, I just need to remember to get my hands on some and try it out.))

Shield ((Not soft, but I'm just pulling over my whole list, I want to get a round shield to use with my pokey stick))

Iron Torches ((In the works, my cousin is pricing the iron.))

New Cloak (('cause my old one got stolen. GRR.))

[Milo Baines]

"Fleshing out your our soft kits."...

I'll play:

Accessories:
A new courier style bag...with ALL the buckles!
Two map/scroll tubes to hang from my belt and a non-rock holding bandolier.
A left handed holster for my Samaritan. (you can hate it if you wish)

Garb:
New tunics, possibly new tunic designs as well but mostly I just want a few more knee length tunics with the cloth waist wrap like I recently started doing.
Pants, as in something aside from scrubs...I'm hoping Wren will make me some cool ones, possibly with stripes.
Vests, something sort of like a short surcoat maybe...I dunno, gonna have to play around with it a bit...

Plus a bunch of other stuff I'm sure.

[Lady Krystal]

Iron Torches ((In the works, my cousin is pricing the iron.))

Looooove this idea! I have a guy in my unit who wants to make some torches to carry around instead of flashlights too I love the ambiance that fire provides ^.^

I've got tons of stuff I've been wanting to do, but I've never managed to nail down a specific time period for myself.

[Malpan]

The one thing you do have to be aware of is the open flame laws of whatever state you are camping in. Even where they allow open flame, it is often illegal to actually carry a lit torch around. Yeah, stupid nanny-state, but what are you gonna do?

[hivemind]

I've been working on this for my SCA kit for several months. I'm doing a Danish Viking Hersir, born in Hedeby in 973, fought at Maldon in 991, then participated in all the glorious looting of the Danegeld in England. This actually works well for me to remember the dates, because I can just chop 1000 years off today and I'm there. I was actually born in 1973, and enlisted in the Marines in 1991, and now it's 2011, so as far as my Viking's concerned, it's 1011 right now.

Anyway, I've got Kevat making me a handsewn wool tunic, Viking-style, that I'm getting at Father Christmas. I've got some winningas from Ilsa, and some Westland turnshoes in the mail from Viking Leatherworks (I tried making my own, I really did, and just... **** it, **** it in it's stupid ass. Getting that pattern right is a nightmare. If you're making shoes, and aren't particular, just make ghillies).

The pain-in-the-ass part of this is that because of the Legion, all my damned garb is black. I'm tired of black. I'm trying to go with mostly historical blues and yellows for this guy (see mah shieldz: https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rvve5zr2PFg/TpeojcpTTgI/AAAAAAAAD2w/7u63fQbFqgY/s576/DSC02152.JPG ).

So anyway, what I have accounted for so far:

• Turnshoes
• Winingas
• Shield
• Cloak pin (I had some adventures hammering heated brass rod the other day)
• Wool overtunic

What I still need to get:

• Viking 6-panel hat
• Linen undertunic
• Belt + pouch
• Seax
• Steel sword
• Linen hose / tight pants
• Cloak (just a rectangle of wool with hemmed or blanket-stitched edges)
• Jewelry (need silver, not brass, so I don't look like a thrall. At least a Thor's hammer, a bracelet, and an armband. I also have some bags of pierced polished gemstone chips I got on sale recently (garnets, amethysts and carnelians) so I'll probably make a necklace or two from those. I'd also really like to upgrade my penannular brooch for my cloak to sterling silver and amber... someday.)
• Some tablet woven trim to make it all pretty

I have a lot of that now, but it's all freaking black, so I'll just swap stuff out as I get non-black replacements. A good bit of it I can make myself without too much trouble (hat, belt, pouch, cloak, and the seax if I can find a good blank - no luck so far).

So, yeah, new soft kits, whoooo!

[hivemind]

Tent ((Getting two civil-war reinactment tents from family members, as soon as I have a place to store them. Just gotta figure out how much modification I want to make to make them goblin-appropriate))

You know what I think I'd do there? I'd just sew on some gobliny/orky glyphs and skulls and stuff for starters, and splash it with some different dyes while it's erected.

[Malpan]

There will definitely be a goblin paint job performed at some point, the question I'm working on now is if I want to make any structural changes first.

[hivemind]

Honestly, I'd reserve that for a rain fly or canopy outside the tent, or for cosmetic changes. I would not go ****ing around tearing out seams in a perfectly good tent...

[Malpan]

Yeah, but I got that annoying goblin mindset. "If it ain't broke, mess with it until it either is, or it looks cooler!"

[Sir Mirelle of Narnia]

"Fleshing out your our soft kits."...

Old LARP/reenactor speak.

Soft kit = Non-fighting garb

Hard kit = Fighting garb and armor.

[Mikhail]

I just keep seeing "flesh" and "soft" in the title, and wonder what the hell you guys are talking about in here.

[Rainen]

I don't have a soft kit... All of my 'kits' involve armor of some sort.

I think I just need garb in general. The same three tunics and similar pants is getting kind've old.

On the list-
Tunic
Heavy tunic
Jerkin
Tabard

Yet to snag off of people (stores)-
Winningas (Fiaren)
Fabric of several kinds (Jo Ann's)

[Stellaria]

Mirelle, Milo was pointing out that Jari said "our your" in the thread title. He needed to eliminate a word for it to make sense.

[Sir Mirelle of Narnia]

Mirelle, Milo was pointing out that Jari said "our your" in the thread title. He needs to eliminate a word for it to make sense.

Damn now I fail on top of Jari's fail!

[Rainen]

Fail pile! I just realized I probably mispelled Winnigas (Or is winningas correct?).

[Malpan]

Winningas is correct I believe. I remember it as "winning as [only a viking can]".

[Kaonna McAvoy]

Softies:

Tunics. I've completely depleted my stock. Three I'd consider tunics, and two of them are for feasting. The two other supposed to be tunics are....well, frankly they suck and I'm kinda embarrassed that I made them.

New surcoat. Need a spare for events, possibly with some embroidery if I decide I hate myself enough to do it.

Boots? Maybe if I find some I like enough to replace the ones I have.

Alcoholic utility belt needs adjusted.

Fancier belt

Hat? Maybe?

Cloak. Gotta cut the material I have to size and stitch the edges.

Carrying bag of some sort. Still searching for the correct style...or if they even used them.

Need more pants. And britches.

Considering getting a small axe for my belt, and maybe a real spear to go with the shield I'm working on. But it all depends on material availability and time. I kinda want to get a character appropriate sword as well. (not sure if it counts, but they wouldn't go to the field so...:p)

Make my awesome tent more awesome by adding an external A frame with carvings on the heads of the beams.

Possibly make a wooden chest to keep all my garb/bling in.

Weapons rack to hold the foam and real weapons.

Its gonna be a busy winter...

[Malpan]

The two other supposed to be tunics are....well, frankly they suck and I'm kinda embarrassed that I made them.

I used to have garb like this. I think it all got recycled into my patch-skirt though.

[Kaonna McAvoy]

Most of the old ones I had became newb garb. Tossed them at the new kids and told them to upgrade asap.

The last two may just become patches for when the knees blow out on my pants.

[Whisper Moonson]

I want to make more tunics. Also a hood with a nice, long liripipe. Eventually, more winningas, some period style pants or hosen and braies, some real turnshoes, and a nicer belt.

[Alric]

Winningas is correct I believe. I remember it as "winning as [only a viking can]".

I like it!

As some trivia, winingas is the plural to refer to a set, the singular is wining (think 'winding', because they're bands that you wind around your legs; I'm pretty sure that's the etymology). The -as on the end in the plural is an Old English version of the modern -es (in fact, my dictionary says that wininges is also correct for the plural). It's an Old English word, so technically it's what Anglo-Saxons like Alric would call them. I'm not sure if we know the Old Norse (Viking) terms for them; though modern German scholarship often calls them wickelbänder.

Jack: I already have a period cup. I use it for drinking. Wearing a codpiece makes as much sense for Alric as wearing an iPod.

I interlibrary loaned a book that will tell me how to make my bucket and stool!

[Rainen]

Alric, many thanks for the insight on the origin of the word.

Also, I think the Saxon makes great cups. Mugs, too. I drink my tea from them.

[Sven Kolfinsson]

Something to sit on (I found some evidence of Englisc stools, finally, so I don't have to rely on finds from Sweden!).

Ooh, a chair other than a stargazer would be nice. Where can I find such info, Alric? Also, I'm slightly interested in period underwear as well. Could you give me some key words to search to find reliable info on this topic as well? Thank you. 

[Milo Baines]

Mirelle, Milo was pointing out that Jari said "our your" in the thread title. He needed to eliminate a word for it to make sense.

Something like that...

[Swordbrother Lock]

Hard kit is my fantasy highlander kit. Soft kit is turning out way more fun.  Going Viking!

*Working on sewing suede boots and going to try turnshoes (may also buy a pair)
*Buying an amber necklace from Kevat
*Making a new, more detailed belt pouch
*Icy is making me a wool tunic for winter
*putting my Thors hammers on leather cords instead of what they come with
*Just got 2 linen tunics and winnigas from Kevat. Also, she forgot her seax at my place, so I'm playing with it and not giving it back.

[Sarus]

My Thracian kit is coming together. About half of it is finished so far, but I should have it solid by Ides of March next year:

- Wool tunics, to be layered over my linen ones
- A couple chitons for camp/feast wear
- A cotton zeira, for use on the field
- A thick, woolen himation, for layering in winter fighting or at camp
- A few good brooches for the above, for camp/feast wear
- Phrygian cap. And yes, I'll wear it on the field despite the Smurf taunts.
- A spiraled torc armband that I plan on forming out of leather. Possibly a few bracelets to go with it.
- Sandals, for camp wear
- Drinking bottle. I'm using a Kraken rum bottle, but need to work on it a bit more to make it serviceable
- Two belts. A thin one to hold my clothes together, and a heavier one for the camp/feast kit
- Would love an alopekis cap (old fashioned coonskin cap made from a fox), but that's a long-term proposition

[hivemind]

*Making a new, more detailed belt pouch

Warning: there is scant evidence that Vikings used belt pouches, from what I've found so far - at least Scandinavian Vikings. Plenty for the Rus...

[Kevät]

Hard kit is my fantasy highlander kit. Soft kit is turning out way more fun.  Going Viking!

*Working on sewing suede boots and going to try turnshoes (may also buy a pair)
*Buying an amber necklace from Kevat
*Making a new, more detailed belt pouch
*Icy is making me a wool tunic for winter
*putting my Thors hammers on leather cords instead of what they come with
*Just got 2 linen tunics and winnigas from Kevat. Also, she forgot her seax at my place, so I'm playing with it and not giving it back.

Give me my seax back, Lock!! OR ELSE!!! It's too pretty for your kit anyway...

[Ilyas ibn Yahya]

My persona is currently a fantasy saracen tentatively based off of a Faris fighting under Saladin between the battles of Hattin and the Siege of Jerusalem.

Soft Kit:
Turban (One at the least, preferably two or three)
Tunics (I have two that I need to get from a friend. However both are grey and of a very light weight wool. Persian miniatures show vivid greens, blues, and reds.)
Undertunics (I have none and would like to progress from underarmor)
Coat
Belt (Apparently real warriors wear belts not sashes)
Salwar (I have two pair that have the same issues as the tunics)
Footwear (I have what I think are unobtrusive shoes but boots are actually the way to go.)

Something to sit on that is more comfortable then a stargazer chair.
Flatware
Larger drinking vessel
Tent (wish list)

Hard kit:
A better nasal helm (currently a spangen with dubious fit to my head)
Aventail
Finish closing up my Haubergeon
A better gambeson (Either Christmas or post tax season purchase)
Vambraces (next year perhaps)
Greaves (next year perhaps)
Horse bow
Arrows
Mace (Blue)
Spear (Due to transportation issues it's a low priority.)
Plasti-dip my shield.

[Malpan]

(Apparently real warriors wear belts not sashes)

LIES! Lies and slander! Lies, slander and propoganda!

[Alric]

Something to sit on (I found some evidence of Englisc stools, finally, so I don't have to rely on finds from Sweden!).

Ooh, a chair other than a stargazer would be nice. Where can I find such info, Alric? Also, I'm slightly interested in period underwear as well. Could you give me some key words to search to find reliable info on this topic as well? Thank you. 

For the chair, I'm going to be making 3 or 4 legged stools based on finds from the Coppergate excavations, in Viking Age York. Some other ideas: http://www.vikinganswerlady.com/wood.shtml#Furniture

For underwear, look for braes / braies. Here's what I base mine on (the shorts Goliath is wearing, in the bottom left corner):


source: Harl. MS 603, f.73, British Museum, on http://nvg.org.au/article.php?story=20070821043854652&mode=print