My LARP Journey - Prepping for Empire part 1

I said at the beginning of the year I was going to do some larping, and that my larp of choice was Empire by Profound Decisions.  Let's say I've been busy gathering kit.  Mostly soft kit mind you, I've had armour lying about for ages (I buy dumb shit when I've been drinking, incidentally I don't drink anymore).

The setting of Empire really interested.  The Empire consists of 10 nations;  The Brass Coast, Dawn, Highguard, Imperial Orcs, The League, The Marches, Nevarr, Urizen, Varushka and Wintermark.  Each has it's own distinct clothing style and ideology.  I chose Dawn, because the Arthurian style of dress really speaks to me.  The Dawnish are all about the glory, are very hyper competitive and driven.  And each Dawnish house has its own heraldry and colours, which means the Dawnish camp (and battle lines) are a riot of colour... they way medieval society is supposed to be.  Take heed Holywood.

If you pick a human, you can be a bog standard human like me, or you can pick a lineage like my other half did.  There are six lineages in all; Briars, Cambions, Changelings, Draugr, Merrow and Naga.  Sarah picked a Naga by the way.

So who is my character?  My character is Bertrand De Loup, Earl of house De Loup.  Slayer of wolves and lover of confectionary.  Honestly if you want to know more about him you're going to have to ask me in game.  I've been building his backstory for 3 months and have even worked my gammy knee into it.  I can tell you I created my own noble house, because I suffer from anxiety and didn't want to step on anyones toes.  It also gives me a chance to build some leadership skills, and build on my real life character.

Empire runs 4 times a year.  I will be attending the third and 4th events this year.  I wont have my kit ready in time for the first one, and I can't make the second due to work.

I'll go into Empire a bit more later on.  But if you want to find out more check the Empire Wiki

That's enough waffle, how about some pictures?

Yes that is a rapidash on top of the mirror.  This is me in the start of my soft kit.  It needs a lot of work.  I'm awaiting a hood that I can wear chapperon style.  I need trousers or hoes.  I can't go about in my jeans.  I also plan to see the optician about contact lenses.  I don't mind wandering about camp with my glasses on, but I'd rather not go onto the battlefield with them on(I'm really blind so the last time I got glasses it cost £240, only £30 of that was the frames).  I think I look a bit too Wintermarky, and definitely not noble, so I plan to get a more noble looking coat as an outer layer.

This picture is fucking blurry.  Sorry for that, but that shit is heavy and I'm not putting it all back on to re-take it.  You'll just have to wait for the next one.  That isn't the tabard for the the final outfit.  The sent me the wrong one, I wanted a quartered one, not halved.  But it never hurts to have a spare.  Annoyingly my gambeson shrunk.  No I didn't get fat, it's too short, so I need a new one.  The hard kit is nearly done aside from a few odds and ends.  I need a decent pair of stiff boots.  My greaves dig into the tops of my feet.  I also need a better arming cap and padding for my thighs to stop the chaffing.  Most Dawnish players have go for gleaming plate, but I've went for mainly maile.  I think it looks more Arthurian.

Well that's it for now.  I'll go through my the individual parts of my kit at a later date.