Vanguard Duelist Sword

Marcel was a professional. His gloves felt like a fish had swallowed his hand, as the fabric was soaked with water from the unrelenting rain. His hat dripped, and the feather at the back dropped, dripping ice-cold water down the back of his neck. But Marcel didn’t move, as he was on the prowl. His target was a young nobleman who had insulted the Queen’s chambermaid. Marcel struck with viper-like speed as the young nobleman stumbled drunkenly from the tavern. By the time the alarm went up, he was long gone.

Epic Armoury's Duelist Sword is part of the Vanguard line, and it takes its design cues from the longswords of late mediaeval Europe, as well as the swords from the early Renaissance, with a smaller crossguard and a slightly thinner blade. The hilt is made from polyurethane and is highly detailed, with a grooved grip and a petal-ornament version of the rain guard or chappe protecting the part of the blade next to the grip. Meanwhile, the pommel is leaf-shaped, and the whole grip is in the primary colour with gold detailing. The blade is made from closed-cell polyurethane foam and coloured to look as lifelike as possible. Unlike most LARP weapons, the Vanguard line requires virtually no maintenance beyond checking for wear and tear in the form of cuts or breaks.

The Wizard was angry. Not only had they conflated him with the bombing of Dresden, not only had they ruined his Star Wars marathon, they'd had the temerity to ask about The Hat.

"It's a Witch Hunter's Hat. Do I look like a Witch Hunter to you?" he asked between clenched teeth.

"But it's on the cover of the books!" the annoying one replied.

"Then maybe you should have bought the UK edition." he said in a voice colder than the mantle of Winter's Knight.

Protecting the innocent people of your country from the spells and curses of witches rests on your shoulders. It is your responsibility to find the dreaded creatures and put an end to their evil ways--often at the risk of your own life in the process.

Anymore, the townsfolk recognize you by your iconic wide-brimmed hat. You had it enchanted to protect yourself from charms and illusions, but it is also a symbol of the hunter that you are. It is a warning to any witch who dares to cross paths with you.

DETAILS

Epic Armoury’s full-grain leather costume Witch Hunter Hat is handmade and embellished with a cotton canvas band, held in place with glue and leather pentagram along the brim, giving this gothic fashion a arcane twist. The stitching around the edges and the stiff crown strengthen this hat’s structural stability, so with regular leather care you can expect Epic Armoury’s Witch Hunter Hat to have a long lifetime. Use this Witch Hunter Hat to create a steampunk statement or add some interest to your kit.

INSPIRATION

• Inspired by a similar hat worn by Vesemir, Geralt’s mentor in The Witcher universe--considered the height of fashion in the year 1112!
• Also similar to the hat worn by Vampire Hunter D and Van Helsing

Reaching out your arm, the falcon glides and lands upon your Falcon Glove. You offer it a gift and it gulps down the shrew before preening its feathers and looking noble upon your forearm.

You take great pride in this bird of prey and its ability to hunt for your pleasure. It is a sign of your status amongst the nobility, and you treasure the entertainment.

DETAILS

Epic Armoury’s Epic Black Falcon Gloves are leather gloves with long cuffs to protect the forearm. They are made from black dyed leather with two suede fingers. All joints around the fingers, wrists and edges are stitched, improving the strength of the material by preventing it from deforming with heavy use or from exposure to the environment. The fit of the gloves can be adjusted with leather lacing along the side of the cuff.

These gloves are fully compatible with other Epic Armoury metal and leather items. Their low-fantasy look and moderate style can be used with a multitude of settings, allowing freedom to create your own unique costume.

HISTORY

• Leather has been used for gloves for thousands of years
• Leather is used for a better grip on tools and to protect the hands
• Falconry may have begun as early as 2000 B.C., and was a status symbol amongst nobles in medieval Europe

The sword sits in the baldric hanging down from your shoulder, faithful to its master despite the challenges. It has been a long and dusty road--and your uniform down to your Landsknecht Shirt and pants are covered in dirt and grime--but that sword has remained at your side through it all.

As your infantry unit comes to a halt, there is the tension one always feels before the fight. You resist the anxiety, because the moment you step into battle all of that must fade away. It will be you fighting alongside your fellow soldiers, and it will be the sword hanging in your trusted baldric that keeps you alive.

DETAILS

Epic Armoury’s Landsknecht Shirt is a hip-length shirt with baggy sleeves and vertically cut colours, most often associated with the wealthy men of the Renaissance. Made from durable heavy cotton, this shirt has a broad neck which can be laced open or closed. The contrasting puff-and-slash sleeves end in narrow cuffs at the wrists, which are adjusted by tightening its reinforced cotton cord to get the best fit.

The Landsknecht Shirt is fully compatible with Epic Armoury's other clothes and armours, and the style will fit with a broad variety of characters.

HISTORY

• Shirts began as a form of undergarments for men in the 7th-10th centuries
• Considered more of a Renaissance-era fashion for men with its billowy sleeves
• Traditionally worn as an underlayer beneath a doublet or vest

Marcel was a professional. His gloves felt like a fish had swallowed his hand, as the fabric was soaked with water from the unrelenting rain. His hat dripped, and the feather at the back dropped, dripping ice-cold water down the back of his neck. But Marcel didn’t move, as he was on the prowl. His target was a young nobleman who had insulted the Queen’s chambermaid. Marcel struck with viper-like speed as the young nobleman stumbled drunkenly from the tavern. By the time the alarm went up, he was long gone.

Epic Armoury's Rillet Rapier is part of the Vanguard line, taking its design cues from the rapiers of the Renaissance. Where most rapiers featured a thin blade, this is designed like the rapiers traditionally used for battle and war rather than the ornamental blades of the courts of Europe. The weapon guard is designed to protect both the top of the hand (like a normal crossguard) and the fingers like a normal basket hilt would. The handle is grooved to improve the wielder's grip, while the shape (or rain guard) is set inside the crossguard, with engravings to look like crawling vines. Similarly, the pommel has matching engravings around the globe to match the chappe. The blade is made from closed-cell polyurethane foam and coloured to look as lifelike as possible. Unlike most LARP weapons, the Vanguard line requires virtually no maintenance beyond checking for wear and tear in the form of cuts or breaks.

The underdark is your domain. In the pitch blackness, the smell of damp earth all around, you wait with your raiding party. When night falls on the lands above, you will emerge.

The sun-lovers have come to fear you and the silence in which you strike. With your Bone Blade, you are able to maneuver in the shadows until your target is exactly where you want them. You are formidable. You are the assassin.

DETAILS

Epic Armoury's Bone Blade is a dark-themed, one-handed chopping sword. The 66 cm curved single-edged blade is sculpted to look like sharp bone-white plates riveted onto a brazen core, giving it a deathly appearance. With a horned crossguard and bone pommel protecting the 15 cm split-leather wrapped handle, this dark weapon is a malevolent addition to any villain’s armoury.

Made from durable closed cell foam around a solid fibreglass core and finished with a strong latex coating, you can feel confident that your LARP weapon will provide the safety and appeal you want when crafting your battlefield kit.

INSPIRATION

• Design is inspired by dark elves, which were first mentioned in Norse mythology as the Dökkálfar or Svartálfar written in the Prose Edda in the 13th century
• J.R.R. Tolkien mentions dark elves, the “Moriquendi” in The Silmarillion
• Have also been referred to as “Drow” in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, made famous by R.A. Salvatore’s The Dark Elf Trilogy

Wheher it is an epic sword of flame, or a Blade of Bacon, the Hellfire is a weapon that will strike fear and jealousy into the hearts of your enemies.

War is all that you know. For your clan, war is a permanent state of being. Just as you need meat to sustain you and leather armour to protect your leathery green skin, war keeps your thirst for chaos and violence sated.

Your clan now gathers to prepare for the war against the goblins. The creatures used to be your allies, but in the last battle they became cowardly and ran. Now there is nothing more to be done than to hunt down every one of them and serve them over your fire.

You begin by picking up Hellfire, the blade that burns alongside your rage.

DETAILS

Epic Armoury’s Hellfire is a medium length sword designed as part of the Orc Universe collection. Carefully handpainted deep gradient reds and oranges, Hellfire appears to be burning from intense magic. The 60 cm double-edged blade is notched and worn, connected to a dark metal coloured crossguard which protects the 15 cm ergonomic handle. The handle is wrapped in split-leather for a secure and comfortable grip, and ends with a crudely gemmed pommel.

Made from durable closed cell foam around a fibreglass core and finished with a strong latex coating, you can feel confident that your LARP weapon will provide the safety and appeal you want when crafting your Orc-inspired kit.

INSPIRATION

• Earliest references to orcs are found in Old English and Anglo-Saxon sources, such as in Beowulf and in 16th century Italian folktales
• The word itself stems from the Latin word Orcus, which was the name given to the Roman deity of the dead
• J.R.R. Tolkien’s 20th century The Lord of the Rings series describes orcs as brutish, aggressive beings with a taste for human flesh
• Tolkien’s writings influenced many role-playing games, and are now seen in such games as Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer and Warcraft

As an Adventurer, you never know who you might be working for or what beast you’ll be sent to dispatch next. There’s only one thing for certain: if there’s enough money or glory to be had, you’re the right person for the job.

Admittedly, when the farmer came running into town claiming his crops had been torched, you hadn’t anticipated a trap. By the time you realized that the farmer was luring you into a bandit ambush, they already had you captured. At least your Adventure Sword is safe in your swordholder! Now, if you can just wiggle out of those ropes enough to grab the hilt…A bandit notices and takes your sword for himself.

You really need to rethink trusting farmers.

DETAILS

This bestselling Epic Armoury Adventurer Sword is a medium-sized narrow sword with a broad cross-guard and distinct pommel. The blade is 65 cm long and 5 cm wide with a central ridge and ricasso near the cross-guard. The ornate guard is broad and sturdy, protecting the 13 cm long handle, ergonomically wrapped in split-leather for a better grip. The pommel is shaped in the form of a cut diamond.

Constructed to have an elven likeness, this blade is ideal for fast parries and quick, slashing ripostes, making it the first choice for the discerning adventurer. Made from durable closed cell foam around a solid fibreglass core and finished with a strong latex coating, you can feel confident that your LARP weapon will provide the safety and appeal you want when crafting your adventuring kit.

HISTORY

• Also referred to as a “Knightly sword” or “arming sword”
• Designed so that the center of mass was closer to the hilt, improving its maneuverability
• Typically used with a shield or buckler

You strike your Leonidas sword against your shield, shouting alongside your legionaries outside the gates of Syracuse. Inside, their people are filled with terror, deafened by your army’s trumpets and noise. Arrows rain down and you and your fellow soldiers form a barrier with your shields.

There is nothing that can stop you. The design of your shield allows you to stand in close formation, advancing on their defenders and dispatching them quickly with your weapon.

DETAILS

Epic Armoury’s Sword of Leonidas is the perfect latex weapon for tackling one thousand descending nations and their armoured beasts all at once. Reminiscent of the modern bowie-knife, the Sword of Leonidas is a makhaira-type blade designed to effectively chop through your enemy. The 10 cm split-leather wrapped handle is protected by both the crossguard and pommel thanks to their hooked shape.

Made from durable closed cell foam around a fibreglass core and finished with a strong latex coating, you can feel confident that your LARP weapon will provide the safety and appeal you want when crafting your Spartan-inspired kit.

HISTORY

• Considered a makhaira-type blade, which is an ancient knife or sword with a single cutting edge
• Leaf design lent itself to both cutting and thrusting and has likely been around since the first swords created