#ladies who larp
I’ve been working on a Landsknect kit for my kender-character, Ilsa. I made this stupid hat for Hearthlight’s Siege of the Azure Castle, so every photo of me from this event is me grinning like mad because I’m so pleased with it. :D
It actually lasted throughout a whole day of fighting in the field and woods! At the end of the day, during the ladies’ tournament, Aella Greywolf flicked it off my head, and you could HEAR the crowd go “ooooh.”
Photo 1 by Tungsten. Photo 2 (and alphabet magnets, which she stuck to my armor) by Mariner. Thanks, friends!
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Because it is like, the worst.
OKAY, SO THIS IS EXCELLENT REAL TALK. Let’s also add:
- If you’re on hormonal birth control pills, and you have an upcoming event that coincides with a placebo week and thus a period, you can SKIP YOUR PERIOD by just starting your new pill pack early. You go straight from week 3 of your active pills in your old pill pack to week 1 of your new pill pack. You might have to ask your pharmacist to refill your prescription early, but it’s TOTALLY WORTH IT. Here are more detailed instructions!
- If you’re caught with cramps while you’re out camping, fill a hard-sided water bottle with hot water for an ad hoc heating pad. (You can use this same method to sleep warm during cold-weather campouts– water holds heat for a LONG time!) Just make sure your bottle has a sturdy, trustworthy lid, so you don’t drench your sleeping bag or clothes! I use a big 32 oz Nalgene, and it works perfectly.
- Build yourself a Bag of Necessity! This is just a little kit of things I often desperately need but always forget, all stored together in a waterproof container. Mine is a quart-sized Ziplock that fits into my in-character shoulder bag. It contains many small necessities (hair ties, bandaids, gum, etc), but for uterus-emergencies, the relevant items are:
- a tampon
- a pad
- hand sanitizer
- ibuprofen, and
- chewy ginger candies for nausea.
Fighting while being on your period isn’t enormous fun, but it doesn’t have to be awful. Do your best to be prepared, and help your fellow uterus-havers out!
The Royal Court ofChesterwick at the game on Friday, one of our first nights without The Price! Of course we all acted out. It’s insane how much we’ve grown over the last year and a half and how much joy these people bring me. We now have almost 20 registered members, and had 16 at Quest! Honestly, never would have dreamed of being this excellent.
Chesterwick is a warband from the LARP game Swordcraft, based in Melbourne, Australia. We take inspiration from the 14th century.
Photo by Portrait Photography Melbourne.
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I made a pouch! This has been a part of my “one item a week” endeavour leading up to Swordcraft Quest, Australia’s biggest medieval LARP event. I picked a few items of mine that really weren’t up to scratch and needed an overhaul and have worked towards crafting well made items with quality materials.
This bag is inspired by a 14th century pilgrim’s pouch and apart from the alcohol based dye and kangaroo leather thonging, is largely historical.
Top - 1.5mm cow leather
Bottom - thin sheepskin
Lining - 100% wool
Thread - 100% linen, waxed with beeswax
Fittings - Pewter, mostly from Billy and Charlie.
Dyes - Angelus alcohol based dyes.
This bag took about ~40 hours to make and I’m very pleased with it. It is made to fit my iPhone 8, credit cards and ID, so that I don’t have to leave them in my tent at the event.
If you’re interested in my inspiration behind this bag or want a breakdown of how I made it (which is not a step-by-step how-to, mind you, but more of a rambling about the process), you can check out a youtube video I made about it here. Feedback and questions welcome!
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I’ve been making some videos for work so I’m slowly getting over my fear of being on camera. A lot of people comment on the hair I use for my character, Duchess Cecilia, so I decided to put together a shortish video about how I do it. I’m NOT good at doing hair, so please excuse my messy braiding I also show how to wear a veil over it and show a few different head accessories.
If you don’t really like hair at all, the video briefly features a very grumpy fat kitten, so it’s probably worth watching just for that.
An early morning picture that Kieran snapped of me at Rowany Festival (SCA event) around this time last year. I love my hair here, I wish I never cut it! This is the face of someone who REALLY wants caffeine.
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I’m in love with this photo that my friend took of me in my 14th century longbowman gear! This is my Chesterwick side-character (for when I’m not playing the Duchess), William (Willy) Hunter. He’s a fine young lad who works in the stables, taking care of the horses and dogs.
Photo taken by the amazing Michael Rutter.
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First project of the year: lamellar. I have a massive soft spot for eastern armour and Rus style, but never really get a chance to wear it because we’re stuck pretty firmly in the XIVth century. When we had a night off I took the opportunity to throw together a kit and get on the field. The only thing I was really missing was gauntlets. I took most inspiration from the 11th century.
We’ve had this lamellar stuff lying around the craft room for years, and I’m always stubbing my toes on it. They’re 18ga (1mm) mild steel plates, laced together with leather thonging. The straps are made from leather and sewn on/ reinforced with artificial sinew. I made my breastplate in like 8 hours because I’m the size of a child, whereas it took Kieran 3 years to make his because he’s super lazy. I’m going to do another post later with WIP/ up close pictures of how it’s constructed and what it’s looks like on the inside, because it’s pretty interesting.
Belt, greaves, pants under tunic, gambeson: ArmStreet.
Helmet: It’s called an Italo-Norman cabaset helm and I have no idea where we got it from, we’ve had it in our personal armoury for years.
Axe:Calimacil Dane Axe
Pictures were taken at Swordcraft LARP in Melbourne, Australia. They are taken by Portrait Photography Melbourne andMichael Rutter Photography.
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Get a girl who can do both! The Prime Minister of Granada and Duchess Cecilia of Chesterwick, in our finery and then in our armour! This was taken at the most recent Swordcraft Quest, an Australian LARP battlegame with over 500 attendees.
First photo is by Penwoody Photography.
Second photo by Portrait Photography Melbourne.
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When we to Canada a few months ago we stopped by Medieval Chaos on Vancouver Island. It’s a small, immersive LARP set in a beautiful little medieval village called Dagger Deep. I played a vapid little wood elf called “Wattle”, and Kieran played his usual Rus mercenary, Olegg. Everyone was lovely!
Unfortunately, I just didn’t have it in me to really roleplay. The trip kind of proved to me that I have one too many characters in my head, and I haven’t emotionally moved beyond some of my earlier characters, namely Erin Westwood, who I played last time I visited Dagger Deep. The memories of playing her were just a bit too clear and still tugged at me emotionally, so I found it utterly impossible to truly get into character. I found myself playing a more boring version of myself. I felt embarrassed.
Luckily, Kieran was there to overshadow my failures. As usual, Kieran/ Olegg was the star of the show (anyone who’s LARPed with the two of us knows that the character of Olegg is pretty hard to compete with - he’s been playing Olegg for four years and is also just a fantastic actor. But don’t tell him I said that). We were lucky enough to be paired up with Ash (who played Ajax during my last visit), who is also a 10/10 amazing actor and probably my favorite roleplayer ever.
Emotional difficulties and roleplay inadequacies aside (which I’ll probably write about at some point in my other, write-y blog), I LOVE the environment of Medieval Chaos. Can’t wait to go again.
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I love this photo because it shows my whole hairstyle! It’s basically two braids pinned up on top of my head, a silk veil and a tiara. It worked out really well, and I’ve now been wearing this style for months!
I remember being super, super tired at this meeting - we arrived the night before at 2am and barely got any sleep. It was a meeting to decide how we were all going to ally with the Red Avatar, and I was barely up to speed on what exactly was going on.
Photo was taken at Swordcraft Autumn Quest 2017.
Thank you J&J Photographs for the awesome photo!
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One of the best parts about working for ArmStreet is that you get to try fancy stuff on! That Found Princess Cape is seriously amazing - cotton velvet with crazy embroidery and silk lining. Gorgeous! It’s also nice and warm, thus why I was wearing it.
You can check out the cloak here.
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How is Pennsic already over? I remember last year it dragged on for what felt like forever - I never had enough sleep, or enough time, or enough patience. I loved the experience, I wouldn’t trade it for anything, but the whole thing felt like a struggle because I never knew what to expect. To be honest, I was happy to go home.
When this Pennsic started, it felt like last Pennsic never ended. It’s as if my life was put on pause last August and everything this year has just been a part of one big intermission, filling in the gaps, pushing time along. When Pennsic started, life resumed.
Same lake, same good company, same walk up the hill to work. Same shops, same food, same customers. Just like last year, the sun would set and the smoke would rise like an old friend and linger until the morning light.
Weirdly enough, when I’m home I almost miss the drumming. To be honest, after a few days of Pennsic you stop hearing the drums - they just fade into the atmosphere, become a part of your heartbeat, lull you to sleep. As I sit in my bedroom writing this I feel a certain sense of loss, as if the quiet night isn’t quite as peaceful when it’s not marred by that steady rhythm.
Last year I couldn’t wait to go home, I basically ran to the airport. This year, I was grasping at the moments, watching tents collapse and the dust rise as people filed away down the dirt roads around us. I didn’t want it to leave, I had so much more to do and so many people to hug. I had poetry to write and walks to go on and carp to feed. By the time we left, it wasn’t Pennsic anymore, it was just Cooper’s Lake Campground.
I suppose I’m now existing in the twilight zone between Pennsics, and next July my life will resume.
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It’s been a good couple of weeks at Swordcraft! It’s finally cooling down so I’ve been able to armour up. I busted out the mail for the first time since last winter and it looks lit
Currently testing out the design of this new leg harness, which I’ve found some functional flaws in but it looks great
Just got back from an amazing week of Swordcraft Quest here in Victoria, Australia. Couldn’t be prouder and more happy with the event.
After an excellent week of roleplay, I had the honour of commanding our aggressive flank in the final battle, leading to victory!
Already planning for next Quest.
Boots, armor: ArmStreet
Spurs, standard: MakeYourOwnMedieval
Livery Collar: Armor and Castings
Shield, plaque belt, everything else: me, Sun and Swords.
I’m talking about Swordcraft Quest, our local LARP event, with a group of other warband leaders! The stream starts 15 minutes after this post so tune in if you’re interested in our LARP events in Australia and want to know what it’s like to lead a group.
Walking around at Swordcraft, being a derp. I’m carrying a handful of yellow sashes, which show which side we’re on (each night there is a side with and without sashes).
In this, I’m dressed as my man-at-arms-type character, Willy.
Gambeson, breastplate: Sun and Swords+ArmStreet
Padded chausses, hood, scabbard/ belt: Sun and Swords
Mace:Calimacil
Photographer:Snap Happy Ian
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Probably one of my favorite looks from the last two years or so. Super, super simple and comfortable, and really easy to do archery in!! This is my usual Swordcraft character, Cecilia, Duchess of Chesterwick.
Basically, it’s an underdress, an overdress, a breastplate and a hood! The profile of it all ends up coming across as quite 14th century (early), while still remaining fantasy and LARP appropriate.
Model:Sun and Swords
Photography:Tony DelovHood, belt, scabbard: Sun and Swords
Underdress:ArmStreet
Overdress:ArmStreet
Pouch:ArmStreet
Boots:ArmStreet
Breastplate: Sun and Swords + ArmStreet
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Apparently, I’m now banned from using the selfie camera. I wonder why?
Photos taken at Swordcraft LARP at half-time - thus the sweatiness.
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A closer look at my kit from Friday, I probably should have done a step-by-step breakdown but oh well… maybe next week!
Underneath I’m wearing medieval underclothes, including braies, hose, and an under tunic.
For armor I’m wearing padded chausses (leg gambesons), a gambeson, my flat ring riveted chain (weights ~10kg+ish?), a butted mail gorget (it’s a temporary stand in, I’m in the process of making a flat ring riveted one using leftover mail I trimmed from mine), and a stainless steel 16ga 14th century bascinet (under my arm). Over top of it all I’m wearing a cotte d’arms which doesn’t actually belong to me, but I made it so sometimes I decide to wear it >_>
I’m also wearing ArmStreet’s padded fencing gloves, which are excellent and I highly recommend.
For weapons I’m using my all time favourite sword, a longsword length Ateliers Nemesis Knight Sword which IMO is the best single handed sword you could possible buy for LARP. With it I’m using my usual heater shield (it’s on my back, you can kind of see it), which I’ve had for a while now and could probably use a touch up.
This is my kit for Swordcraft, a Melbourne, Australia based LARP game. I’m with the warband Chesterwick, which is inspired by the 14th century. Photo by Portrait Photography Melbourne.
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