Welcome to The Realms...

Looking for a book on how to throw a medieval feast? Well, check this out!

This is a wonderful book, rich in detail and lush in pictures. It starts with a history of feasts, describing tables, foods, and the people responsible for preparing the feasts. It touches on period foods and production, farming and harvesting. Pictures illustrate the medieval feast halls, as well as the farms and gardens.

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224 pages, color and black and white illustrations.

Pick up a copy here: Fabulous Feasts: Medieval Cookery and Ceremony

Hello Newer Players

Syruss here; and I want to tell you a little something about creating your first Realms character.

As a note, I would suggest hitting a few fight practices in the area around you, to get a better feel for the rules, the combat, and the general flow of our wonderful game. If a fight practice is not readily available for you, try your hand at NPCing this will give you an opportunity to try different weapons as well as possibly using some spells.

Now whether you have LARPed before, have done some light tabletop role-playing, or this is your first whack at both there are a few key things you should consider before you put on the attire of your fantasy self.

1. Background: Your character’s upbringing is vital for how your character turns out in his later years. Background could be used for some rich role-playing experiences that may help you make new friends, allies with common interests, or even sworn enemies. For example; Matt the fighter was raised in a small village, that village was ransacked by evil trolls. Matt then spent most of his child hood training to fight so he could smite any troll he comes across. Or perhaps Matt’s father was a great wizard who was destroyed while experimenting on new magic; Matt could grow up with a huge fear of magic and runs off every time he sees spells and magic being used. However If you are not into role-playing, but just love to fight, it's OK to go to events for that.

2. Choosing a name: When choosing a name it is important to note that you may want to avoid common fictional names; it may result in you being the butt of everyone’s joke when you do not live up to Conan the Barbarian. Also take into consideration that a name that you think sounds awesome (like let’s say Blade) it probably has been done before. Do some research when picking a name, remember simply names are easier to remember. Also stick to your guns if you’re called Tobiuse the mighty and people start calling you Toby Wobbly nip it in the butt fast and correct them because Realms nicknames have a tendency for sticking to you like glue.

3. Race: Your character’s race is important for many different reasons, it could help decide what weapons you want this character to fight with, or what types of magic your character uses. Some one may want to role-play being a not so bright Orc, he could role-play using big axes gaudy maces and battle torn armor to better get a feel for his Orcish self. It is important to note that while you may role-play different races, you race does not give you any EXTRA abilities. You can role-play having negative consequences for a race if you so choose, such as Tom wants to role-play being a were wolf so he would take silver strikes as armor piercing shot (even though there is no rule making him do so) he would simply do this for a role-playing aspect.

4. Fighter/Spell caster. When designing you first character you may choice to fight with any weapon/ weapon length or have magic and smaller weapon sizes. The more magic you learn the smaller your weapons shall be.
I always suggest hit a few events as fighter and learn the ropes before deciding to take spells (again just my opinion). Hitting events as a fighter allows you to use a bunch of weapons and you can really determine if the fighting aspect of this game is the thing for you. It also gives you a chance to meet a few different spell casters so that you can decide what type of magic interests you.

5. Alignment. Good or Evil Righteous or Neutral your alignment will dictate how your character interacts with other players as well as NPC’s. Here is a good scenario; Bill the evil necromancer has no guilt or hesitation when it comes to killing an innocent and sacrificing their victim to their evil god. Bill would most likely hang out with the dangerous crowd. On the flip side Dave the holy paladin witness Bill sacrificing this poor victim and his conscience will not allow this act to go unpunished.
You may role-play any alignment you want but note that evil actions will most likely result in certain death or even permanent character death.

6. Garb. The way you dress or appear is vital to adding to the realism of our game. If you play a Samurai you may want to wear more eastern garments, if you play a Celt you may want to invest in a kilt, or maybe you want to play a Cleric; white robes may be the clothing for you. There are tons of clothing options as well as accessories that you can use to submerge yourself into you new persona.
The best way to find good garb for you are stores after Halloween, Wal-Mart Scrubs make for excellent garb pants. You may want to get clothing that is a few sizes larger so that it gives off the baggy renaissance look.
Now if you do not sew and you are looking for inexpensive garb you just need to get creative; Take an extra large t-shirt without a front pocket cut off the sleeves and cut away the ribbing at the neck and that would make a good tunic.
For good garb ideas look up renaissance fair photos, or watch medieval type movies; there is an endless source of information for garb out there on the web. Footwear is also key, boots are generally inexpensive if you know were to shop, payless, Wal-Mart, k mart ect. And they are a great look. However you may want more support and sneakers are the way to go, you can find shoe covers for your sneakers to give them a more medieval look. If you can’t find shoe covers then plain black slip-on sneakers work nicely.

7. Gear. So you got your garb, your history, and your weapons now its time for your event gear. Knee pads with save your legs when you older; trust me a good pair of kneepads is invaluable. You will also want to invest in a sleeping bag and tent for those over night events with no cabins. As well as a tote or a waterproof container for your garb so it doesn’t get soaked in the rain.

8. Weapons. Like garb your weapons will add to your character realism greatly. While new weapons are not required to play, you will inevitably have to make a weapon for you character or pay some one to do so…so choose what you think your alter ego would want to fight with.

With all that information you are well on your way to creating a new Realms Character, remember this game is about having fun and you can have as many character as you want. So if your first character isn’t doing it for you…re-roll and start over 

I will see you guys on the field

Callahan Marsden
Syruss of Grimloch.