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Fenslands Dress Shaman Houses Skald Bibliography |
Fensfolk DressWhat follows are some general comments on the common dress of the folk of the fenslands. This is a guide, and as with any people variety is the spice of life.Common folkCommon folk generally wear a tunic and leggings. If the leggings do not reach to their ankles they will wear stockings of some sort to keep out the cold in winter. On their feet they wear the best boots they can afford and in all but the warmest weather a well lined clock around their shoulders.Warriors:Warriors are typically garbed as the common folk but add either a leather tunic or a shirt of mail armour for any that can afford it. Spear and shield is the most common weapon combination with daggers for backup but swords are popular with those that can afford them or have gained them in battle. A group of warriors clad in mail wielding swords is the sign of a successful Jarl that rewards his warriors and sees that they are well equipped, often with the spoils of battle.Berserkers:Berserkers generally wear as much armour as they can get, to literally make them as tough as bears with the amount of mail armour they are wearing. Fearless in battle they may use a weapon in their off hand as well seeking to drop their opponents under a storm of blows. They relying on their armour to deflect weapons and rage to ignore what wounds they do take. Cloaks of fur or skins are common with their rage and reckless fearless charge leading to the common conception in the west that all fensfolk are raving savages clad in skins and mail. For it is the frothing berserk, tough as a bear and covered in skins of which tales are told. This dress trends from the interpretation bearsark, or bear shirt, where the mail shirt is a shirt as tough as a bear and the skins and furs are the appearance of the bear.Shaman:Dress for Shaman’s typically depends on the role they are fulfilling at the time. Day to day; most Shaman are dressed in robes, the advisor or scholar appearance, expecting of respect and setting them apart from the common folk and warriors. This is the image of the fens Shaman that most know, the spiritual guide and advisor, distinctively dressed. This is also the way most are dressed almost all the time for as with everyone else major events such as major ritual working and battle are the rarity and not everyday events. For battle most will add armour as warriors do, those Shaman that lead from the line in battle will be dressed in at least as much mail as those they lead. Telling the Shaman of a militant house from the Beserkers he is leading into battle can be difficult excepting that he will be the one chanting and telling stirring tales to rouse his colleagues before the charge. For rituals baresark, bear of shirt is considered typical. For war the berserk or bearsark adds as much armour and fur as possible, while for magic the Shaman takes closeness to the power and the world, stripped to the waist and barefoot. For major rituals the Shaman will chant for hours dressed like this. Some of the more militant Shaman houses that protect the old ways, the ways of rough times and warriors measured by their mettle and honour encourage their Shaman to go baresark and bearfoot when they have a point to make. The Shaman is the spiritual guide of a tough people in a tough land and those who will face chill fens weather stripped to the waist and those they would have argument with baresark, clearly displaying their lack of armour are considered by some to be what it takes to lead a tough people by example, by being tougher still. |
| Last Revised | : 5th October 08 |
| This page copyright | : Mark J. Steedman |