Days of Knights

[SirNathanQ]

Yeah that's the cool part, you can swap out surcoats and change kits at will I mean if you have a Teutonic kit, why would you need to swap it for anything else?

(Sorry, the Hochmiester was looking over my shoulder again...)

[Sir William]

I do like struedel, bier and Sir Brian in lederhosen...well, he does have nicer legs than I!  lol

Teutonic it is...the Hospitaliers wear too much in the way of overgarments...I might as well go full cloth and forego armor for all that it'd get noticed!

I liked the GDFB one that Sir Edward showed us yesterday...which reminds me of a question I meant to ask- I've read over on AA about how the surcoats should have a fitted look, rather than a straight up and down style garment like a t-tunic and such.  Is this true?  I don't mind getting them tailored, just wondered if I should.

[SirNathanQ]

Depends on the period. A good general rule of thumb is if it's earlier (before 1350) it's probably relatively loose. If it's after it's more fitted (eventually culminating in the extrmely tight-fitted jupon and fabric glued to the cuirass itslelf)

Though tabards stay loose. They just get shorter. 

[Sir Wolf]

so what does your kit need or campsite need in order for anyone to come?

[Sir Edward]

so what does your kit need or campsite need in order for anyone to come?

I'm not 100% clear. The website makes it sounds fairly like living-history, but it sounds like they just want people to make a decent effort to avoid modern anachronisms. So I think it's flexible.

[Joshua Santana]

I'm not 100% clear. The website makes it sounds fairly like living-history, but it sounds like they just want people to make a decent effort to avoid modern anachronisms. So I think it's flexible.

That is a good thing.   

[SirNathanQ]

You can get in touch with Brother Metz on FB if you have a question about a specific item. and the impression I got was historic appearance and look. Not strict living history specifications.

I mean, I was expressly told my kits pass muster (and trust me, they are riddled with inaccuracy), so I'm sure the majority of us would happily be accepted.

[Joshua Santana]

You can get in touch with Brother Metz on FB if you have a question about a specific item. and the impression I got was historic appearance and look. Not strict living history specifications.

I mean, I was expressly told my kits pass muster (and trust me, they are riddled with inaccuracy), so I'm sure the majority of us would happily be accepted.

Excellent!  When the Kit comes in, I am sure we all will get together with Days of Knights and do incredible, chivalric deeds at their events.

[Lord Dane]

Event looks great. Unfortunately, it is too far away.  I love events that focus on time-honored tradition & historical accuracy.  Have to keep my travel focused in New England for the time being. 

[Ian]

I'm trying to get an idea of how many folks are getting serious about attending DoK.  Are the folks who are going intending to camp or stay in local lodging and commute to the site each day?

I'm very interested in going.  This would be my first living history event, so I'm a total noob and am in all honesty a little intimidated about how things are supposed to be conducted.  I have no period camping gear, just my kit (hard/soft and some accessories), but I would really like to go.  The other thing is, by October my wife will be just about in her third trimester (we're expecting our first in January which blows my mind! ) so camping out would probably not work for her. 

I'm really just trying to get a feel for what others are doing as the noob in the group, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.  And I should have a shiny new bascinet to show off by then!

[Sir Ulrich]

I'd be very interested in going but it's rather far away and I dun have a ride there. I was wondering if I could be driven by my folks to a pick up spot and I can go with someone else the rest of the way as a carpooling idea. Do have a bit of stuff I'd have to bring but overall I think I could do it if someone else was willing to carpool with me and I could partially drive the way myself.

[SirNathanQ]

I need a ride as well, though I am pretty determined to go.... Somehow...

Ian, your kit would be awesome down there. You have one of the best ate 14th century impressions I've ever seen, and it would be awesome to have such a high-quality harness at DOK.
For camp accessories, a tent is the most important (though it is pricey, and I would reccomend making arrangements to bunk with someone doing a similar time period if you wish to avoid the initial cost)
Basically you need a well-fleshed out soft kit, a chest or two (they can function as furniture as well as storage) and little period things. Knights probably would have a flag or two w/ their COA, a couple nice things about, ect. Really try to think if you were a knight on campaign, "would I bring this" to each possible item.

[Sir Wolf]

i would like to go, but with work, travel and the kids i'm not sure i can go at this time. if you can't camp i would say get a period looking chair and bring with you at the least, that way you can set it up near a camp and sit with them

[Sir Edward]

I'm also a total noob as far as "living history" goes. I'm a bit intimidated too, since so far I've only aimed for "renfaire accuracy" and not "living history".

But I get the impression, after talking with some of the folks on the facebook group, that they're not aiming to be real strict, but rather want people to make an honest effort to be accurate where they can, and not come in with cheesy costuming and obvious anachronisms.

Sir Nathan and I are discussing the idea of carpooling. But one of the things we'll need to work out is lodging.

I do have a period tent (panther pavilion), but I'm probably still going to get a hotel room and be comfy. I'm asking Nicky about that, since he said he'll make hotel info available to folks.

I figure any of us coming from our group here will be welcome to use my tent as a staging area during the day. We can use it to create a display, and section off an area as a changing room. The side panels are pretty versatile, and I think it'll work to run a rope across the middle and hang up the panels to wall in one half, and have the other half be exposed but sun-shaded. I have yet to try that with the wall panels themselves rather than just hanging a sheet, but I think we can make it work.

By not packing actual camping supplies, I think I'll have enough room in my truck to pack other encampment items, like some chests and other goodies. I'm trying to compare it to going to Pennsic, where I pack the truck to capacity, and usually don't bring armor. Here I'll need to pack armor, but not bedding if I sleep off site.

Things to remember to bring for an event like this will include a wooden chair if you have one, tables if you have them, extra arms and armor to display, racks for them if you can manage it, period lighting (candles, oil lamps), and feast gear (mugs/goblets, utensils, plate, bowl).

I'll want to pack a cooler, and keep it in the "back stage" area of the tent. Modern stuff needs to stay out of view.

Everything I can think of packing is going to take up space in my little truck. I'm going to have to plan smartly.

[Sir James A]

I'm still on the fence with it. It's a big expense, and trying to transport something like a tent would take a large vehicle, such as my truck - which gets 10 mpg. Staying at a hotel wouldn't be nearly as immersive, and is less appealing to me (save for the showers part ). If someone is going and staying in a hotel that I can bum a shower off of, that would be perfect. I thought it was to become an annual event, but if it is going to be a "one time event", I'll have to push harder to make it happen.

I'm completely lacking in almost all campsite gear, though. I think it will be highly dependent on how much time/money I have for projects the next few months.