Teutonic great helm...now with wings?

[Sir James A]

Nice work ... However, I feel like the membership is being silently taken over by Teutonic influence. Is there no more love for us poor Templar? LOL

I've got some Templar gear for next season, but still working on finishing up tailoring my mail. The Templars are just less obvious than the Teutonics.

[Sir Douglas]

I have a Hospitaller heater shield that I made a while back. Does that count?

The Templars are just less obvious than the Teutonics.

Yeah, all that secret society stuff and whatnot.

[SirNathanQ]

Pshh. More like their acute lack of a nation-state! 

[Sir Ulrich]

You did a good job on that man, maybe at DoK 3.0 we can do a Teutonic order presentation, I already have everything I need for that order, hopefully Nathan and Ed can make it that year, they both have Teutonic kits in order. I was the only Teutonic knight at DoK 2.0 so I mostly hung around the Templar encampment and around Joe Metz's tent due to me doing both eras. Considering it looks like you're doing 13th century teutonic that makes me, Nate, You and Ed all doing the same order similar eras. More than enough to make a group, plus the other crusaders at DoK might want to join as well.

[Sir Douglas]

I'd really like to attend a DoK event; it looks like a lot of fun. Only problem is that my maille is entirely aluminum, and as I understand it that's a big no-no. I understand why, but it still kind of sucks since I have practically everything else right down to the braies. I wonder if I could get away with just a soft kit and maybe bring down some helms just for display or something. Does anybody do that, or do you need a full armor kit, too?

[Ian]

Doug, there are plenty of people at DoK who do portrayals that don't include any armor at all. Hard kit is not a requirement. While you're right that aluminum maille is a no-no, you could still very well display everything else and be just fine.

[Sir James A]

As Sir Ian said, armor isn't a requirement. The first one (last year), I'd say about 2/3 or 3/4 of the people there were not in armor, and half were not even portraying knights. It's called "Days of Knights" but the actual theme is more of "medieval people's lives" - which isn't nearly as catchy a phrase.

[Sir Douglas]

Okay, good. I've never done anything like that before and wasn't really sure.

[Sir Edward]

Okay, good. I've never done anything like that before and wasn't really sure.

The good news also is that while they encourage everyone to be as accurate as possible, I didn't really see anyone give anyone else a hard time for their "cheats".

[Sir Douglas]

Okay, good. I've never done anything like that before and wasn't really sure.

The good news also is that while they encourage everyone to be as accurate as possible, I didn't really see anyone give anyone else a hard time for their "cheats".

Yeah, I try to be as accurate as possible, but as I've only really been seriously into the accuracy aspect for a little over a year, I'm constantly learning new things and my kit is always changing. I know some of those guys down there have been doing this stuff for years and are so accurate they look like they just walked out of a time portal.

I think if I manage to go, a soft kit for my first visit would be fine. At least I'll be able to see how the event all works while still being able to participate. I like participating.

[Sir James A]

We had some info on another thread about DoK, but the main thing is don't try to pass something off as accurate that isn't (like butted mail). And don't show up with dragon wings unless it's heraldic.

[Ian]

Living History standards can be a very fine line to walk.  In the ideal world we would all have 100% accuracy in our kits.  This is of course virtually impossible.  So, instead we strive to be as close to 100% accurate as we can.  If accuracy is not your goal, then the truth of the matter is that Living History is just not for you.  The fine line comes in when we try to decide where said line should be drawn.

The reasons that people can't reach 100% accuracy can range from financial reasons, to a lack of information on a given time period, to poor research, to just plain laziness etc.  But at the end of the day, we just can't reach 100%.  I think the most important thing is that you have the desire to continually improve your kit and not intentionally misrepresent historical knowledge.  At the same time, a reputable living history event can't allow someone in a blatantly inaccurate kit to participate as part of a historical timeline, even if that person is 100% well-intentioned and may not have been able to afford the good stuff.  You also need to be able to take criticism.  If someone tells you your buttons aren't accurate for 1475 Burgundy, and they really aren't, you have to remember, the goal is to be as accurate as possible, so taking that criticism without being personally offended is something that people need to become comfortable with.

So what do we do?  Do we let people in with aluminum maille for the sake of not being exclusionary?  Or do we say sorry, if you have aluminum maille you can't participate.  It's almost always a damned if you do, damned if you don't kind of situation.  On one hand you're getting good people who are well-intentioned, and on the other, you're degrading the quality of the event. 

What I've tried to do is meet the standards as close as I'm able in what I plan to display, and then as time goes on and I acquire more stuff, I can expand my impression.  For instance, I'm now trying to focus on my encampment so that I can display an open tent with historically accurate furniture etc... I wasn't quite there this year, so I kept my tent closed during public hours.  Start off with what you can, and people will be more than happy to help you along the way.  Then as you build on your impression, slowly expand at the pace you're comfortable with.  It's the continual improvement that drives us!   

[Sir Douglas]

Don't get my wrong, I fully understand the purpose of living history, how "stringent" it can be, and why it is thus. That's why I think my best bet for a first time visit would be just a simple soft kit. That way I can sort of get a taste of living history before buying the pie, so to speak, while still being able to pull off something reasonably accurate.

Like I said, I do like accuracy and finding out how to better improve my various gear, but I'm still very much at the early learning stages. I often learn new things daily, so what I "know" changes just as fast. But I would like to give it a shot to see if I like it. I might not. Or I might decide I'm not ready yet and just wait a few years until my knowledge increases a bit more. Won't know unless I try, I suppose.

[Ian]

Don't get my wrong, I fully understand the purpose of living history, how "stringent" it can be, and why it is thus. That's why I think my best bet for a first time visit would be just a simple soft kit. That way I can sort of get a taste of living history before buying the pie, so to speak, while still being able to pull off something reasonably accurate.

Like I said, I do like accuracy and finding out how to better improve my various gear, but I'm still very much at the early learning stages. I often learn new things daily, so what I "know" changes just as fast. But I would like to give it a shot to see if I like it. I might not. Or I might decide I'm not ready yet and just wait a few years until my knowledge increases a bit more. Won't know unless I try, I suppose.

I hope you didn't read what I wrote as anything directed specifically at you.  In fact, I think you're very much on the right path.  Your decision to aim for a very accurate soft kit and build from there is absolutely a great idea, and what I was trying to convey when I was talking about slowly expanding an impression.  You're going about things the right way.  I would encourage you to really consider going to Days of Knights next year.  For many of us it was our first foray into real Living History and it was like nothing I've ever experienced before.

I think you'll find if you choose to become a Living History participant that it's an incredibly fun and rewarding experience.  I really found my niche in the LH world, and I think you may find that you really enjoy it as well.

[Sir Douglas]

I hope you didn't read what I wrote as anything directed specifically at you.  In fact, I think you're very much on the right path.  Your decision to aim for a very accurate soft kit and build from there is absolutely a great idea, and what I was trying to convey when I was talking about slowly expanding an impression.  You're going about things the right way.  I would encourage you to really consider going to Days of Knights next year.  For many of us it was our first foray into real Living History and it was like nothing I've ever experienced before.

I think you'll find if you choose to become a Living History participant that it's an incredibly fun and rewarding experience.  I really found my niche in the LH world, and I think you may find that you really enjoy it as well.

Oh no, not at all. No offense taken. I just know that can be a topic of some confusion; some people don't understand the distinction between Living History and, say Renaissance Festivals. I do, but I also freely admit that I'm not as knowledgeable as a a lot of Living Historians yet. But yeah, if can get everything I need together by then, I'm seriously considering going. Plus, if they're moving it back to the Frankfort area, that's a good bit closer to me than it was this past year.