Category: The Raider

Fast moving, medium armored, raider kit.

Halloween Viking(ish)

Armor, Axe, The Raider

Last Halloween I dressed in my full plate armor. It was a hit in the neighborhood. I wanted to wear some of my kit again the next year, but wanted to look completely different. So I decided, instead of 15th century knight, how about 10th century Viking? I started to let my hair and beard grow for the whole year, and this was the result:

viking
viking double

This kit was again a success in my neighborhood, and also won the best costume contest at my work. Yeah, I know it’s not historically accurate. I’m fine with that, and everyone else seemed to be fine with it, too — that is, few people know historical accuracy from fantasy.

I shaved off the beard November 1st, and cut back my hair a few days later. I did really like the look of the long hair and long beard, but it’s such a bother to maintain and live with on a daily (hourly!) business. I’m now back to my normal look.

The Old Adventurer.

Full Raider Kit

The Raider
Raider Kit

This is my full “raider” kit.

While I was waiting for new/replacement pieces for my knight kit, I started working on a different “character” to gear up as. This raider is sort of Viking-ish. This gear isn’t really of the Viking era (many things are anachronistic), but it does have that feel at first glance.

The helmet is a Viking style, painted black. I’m wearing a chainmail coif (head, neck, shoulders armor) protects my neck where the helmet doesn’t.

The chainmail is over a thick gambeson (padded armor). The fur shoulder/cape is clasped with a penannular brooch.

The shield is something I made myself, and I quite like it. Although, a center/boss grip would be more historical (and more practical), but I don’t have such a shield (yet).

The greaves are padded, similar to the gambeson. The greataxe is explained here, and the one-handed axe is explained here.

This kit is much more comfortable and mobile than the full plate knight kit. I like wearing this (and I can put it all on by myself). Of course, it’s not as protective as having all the steel plates, but that’s the trade off: mobility and self-sufficiency vs. protection and dependent on a squire.

The Old Adventurer

Medium Armor Kit

The Raider , , , , ,
medieval viking raider
Medieval Viking Raider

I’m experimenting with another “character”. This one I imagine as a raider, moving fast, pillaging the countryside, and getting away before the knights show up. This isn’t historically accurate — a bit of mix and match — but I’m happy with this first attempt, as a fantasy concept.

The Old Adventurer