How important are weapons to your persona?

[DonaCatalina]

Fot all the Hollywood hype, very few people actually wore swords every day. Sumptuary laws that varied from time to time and place to place generally limited blades over a certain length to nobility.
There is some disagreement between hsitorians about wether this gave rise to long daggers and stilettos in Italy, and even short cutlasses.
But at Renaissance Faires it seems that everyone including the bar wenches have to carry a blade.

How important do you think your blade is to your Faire Persona?

Would you feel undressed without it?

[BLAKDUKE]

Dona Catalina:

Your initial statement I think is the crux of the matter, "HOLLYWOOD HYPE"  I would be willing to bet that a lot of us have grown up with Errol Flynn.  My initial personna was a combination of Don Juan, Geoffry Thorpe(the sea hawk),  His character in Against All Flags  and Stewart Granger in Scaramouche and Swordsman of Sienna.  My alternate personna if I am doing a faire as King(not Henry VIII) I only carry a daggar.  However as the BLAKDUKE I carry a rapier, which is vital to the character I have created.  However being a 21st century individual and only having very dim memories of how to comport myself in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries I have found that my boots get tangled with the tip of the scabbard.  So I have found a dress sword to carry that is somewhat shorter.  So to answer your question YES it is vital to my main personna to carry a sword.   I did violate my own edict of not attending a faire that had a no weapons policy once.  It was in order to take my grand-daughter to Sterling.  I have to admit I felt lighter and was able to move about easier but I did not like the whole scene without my sword.

[Carl Heinz]

Swords were more frequently worn by nobles.

However most folks carried a knife of some sort--usually just for eating.  These were generally worn on a belt.  Boot knives have a bit more of a sinister connotation.

When middle class, I generally carry a short dagger.  My favorite is a pattern welded piece with ivory handle and silver fittings.  When peasant, I like my welded cable knife with a bone handle.  It looks somewhat rustic.

However, I'll admit to having accumulated a number of pointies over the years and, as I've mentioned elsewhere, my favorite provider is Jim Hrisoulas at Salamander Armory.  And, no, I don't work for him.   

[Capt. Morgan]

Weapons? We don't need no stinkin' weapons! 

As an Immortal assassin?

Hmmm.....

I usually count on my rapier-like wit to disarm my opponents! 

(Remember, I can be one of those "Bad Things" that happen to bad people!)

[sealion]

The lady relies on gentlemen to defend her.
The pirate carries a firearm.

[SirRichardBear]

Like others mention it depends, at Scarby and Four Winds my persona is "working" as a Royal highlander guarding the person of the Queen carrying a blade is pretty much a requirement.  However even there on days I'm planing to spending with the wife watching shows I'll not carry a sword.  Of course being Scottish that doesn't mean unarmed I'll have my highland dirk, my Sgian Dubh and most likely a good walking staff.  When visiting TRF, Middlefaire  or anyother faire were I'm not a "working" playtron I don't normally carry a sword just my highland dirk, my Sgian Dubh and most likely a good walking staff.   

[Queen Bonnie]

 As A lady wizard- My wand ,athame and staff are very important and I never leave home without my bodice dagger! I feel undressed without my sharp pointies. My Pirate evil twin out does me on the weapons though! She is very well armed!  Although I think dragging around a cannon is a bit much! LOL!

[Martin Montgomery]

 As my persona started out as a simple merchant,I carry only one wide bladed dagger,for my own protection. I do however,usually use a very large and heavy walking staff,which increases my reach considerably!! My persona may start to show the influence of years of writing with the DMT crew and start to change.

[Sir Morgan]

For me as a child of the highland I like to have at least a sword on even if it is the wrong style.

[Dracconia]

As long as I have my bodice dagger I am fine! I have other sharp and pointies..and when walking parade I might wear my sword...but other than that no...why do you think I keep all the men around...they do the killing for me...

meat pie anyone?

[MorganaLightskirt]

They may not be that important to the persona...but the increase in confidence(attitude!) when I don Mithrodin is amazing...I do love my sword!  And the knives on both arms...well, hehehe

[Al-Nimer]

I usually carry a sword and dagger, whether I'm a knight, pirate or Scotsman.  I consider these weapons a necessity for the first two.

[Lady L]

We have no weapons and they are not necessary.

[Malcolm]

As a kilted Scot, I always carry my sgian dubh in my right stocking top. Tradition dictates that a Scot will leave his weapons at the door of his host, except for his sgian dubh, and that should be displayed for all to see. By displaying his sgian dubh, a Scot is declaring his friendship.
Beware of any Scot that does not display his sgian dubh in this manner, for he is hiding it elsewhere.




Since I have one made of plastic, I can wear it even at Faires where weapons are not allowed.

[jcbanner]

It depends on which event that I'm working at.  RSL has two yearly events, the renfaire in late spring, and the piratefest in the fall.

At the renfaire, my character is a woodworker, so I have no need for a weapon, so I have none, I'll always have my belt knife with me, but its for carving with and eating with.  after that, most my woodworking tools could be used as weapons, axes, and other large blades and all that.

However, at the pirate fest is a different matter all together.  There, I'm a personal hired guard and "business handler" for the owner of a fleet of shipping vessels.  My master though is not above dealing with roughs, cut throats, smugglers, and finding buyers for merchandise that isn't exactly documented where it comes from.  So at that event, I'm little better then a thug and a henchman, (though you should never call me such to my face, I'll be quite insulted since I'm the top guard for a very wealthy business man.

Here, at this event, I'm well armed. I have to be, I need to look semi respectable, but also beable to put on a good show.  My profile pic is from the pirate fest, though most of the weapons are not visible in it,  but I like it that way.  they'll see my French military saber, hanging in one hip, and on the other hip a throwing axe modified for a better fighting grip and that sits next to one of my flintlock pistols, my other blackpowder pistol is hidden and easy to conceal under a sleeve cuff as a close range "argument stopper"  I also have a number of knives that will seem to show up out of no where.  It wears me down like nothing else, but my swordbelt and two shoulder baldrics combined weigh between 40 and 50 Lbs.
Bloody 'ell hard ta be a guard with out yer weapons it is!