Home
/
Docs
/
Menhirs Fate Wiki
/
Look and Feel
/
Avereaux Look And Feel

Avereaux Look And Feel

The information below is intended to be used to get a feel for the atmosphere of the nation and provide inspiration about what kinds of clothes, weapons and armour are common. Costume is aspirational, and attendees are not expected to have perfect kit from the start – instead we encourage everyone to put effort into improving their kit over time, starting with basics and adding to it bit by bit, and not criticise others costume. Advice should only be given when asked for.

The “Key Costume” for each nation is intended to be elements of national dress that help to identify the difference between nations, with pieces of clothing or themes which highlight that difference. A basic LARP shirt or tunic and trousers or skirt is all that is needed as base layers for every nation, plus some element of the Key Costume for the nation chosen as where that character is from. Everything else is a bonus – but it improves the look of the whole setting when everyone buys in to the world being played out and endeavour to look on brief for their own nation.

More information on the minimum costume standards and items which should be avoided in all nations is available here.

Nation Overview

Wardens wander the paths between freeholds, making sure all is right in Avereaux.

A nation of stories and fables, the people of Avereaux refuse to let the grim nature of recent events to get on top of them and lead by example by not letting the war stop them from being the best version of themselves.

Avereaux is the beating heart of the world of Menhirs Fate, with an optimism and enthusiasm about life that is reflected in their clothing. We’re heavily influenced by the “starting point” in fantasy media – the place worth fighting for when all around might be in disarray.
With that in mind, clothing in Avereaux is simple and pastoral in theme, with some “cottagecore” elements to complement the fantasy themes.
“Travelling gear”, short tunics in dyed colours, wrap-over layers that can be as versatile as possible and classic fantasy elements like wizard hats mix with comfortable bodices and stays and full skirts.
Comfort and practicality are key, and adventuring parties might commission matching vambraces or short cloaks to show their allegiance – which become keepsakes to tell the stories of their adventures in years to come.

Colour Palette

Pastels and mellow earthy tones; pleasant and bold.

Fabrics are mostly natural and simple – cottons, linens and wools, either plain or with simple prints and plaids.

Themes And Key Words

“Adventure Casual”, “Larpcore”, “Cottagecore”, “Hobbitcore”, this nation leans into easily accessible LARP clothing, kit that is inspired by tabletop roleplay games and the tropes that they have inspired.

Avereaux clothing is casual and comfortable, focusing on individuality and personal expression. As a Nation made up mostly of small villages and towns where everyone knows everyone else, practicality is mixed with the cultural desire to be the best at what you do, so an occupational flair is common, with aprons, separate pockets and backpacks common utilitarian accessories.

Some Avereaux prefer to dress for the road all the time, just in case adventure calls when they least expect it, with “travelling gear” as part of their daily wear. Others enjoy a more pastoral style, embracing their place as the breadbasket of the Crownlands and the simple pleasures working their trade provides.

Armour tends to be piecemeal – it is very rare for a citizen of Avereaux to own more than a few pieces of plate armour, and these are usually heirlooms, passed down from a relative or mentor and symbolising trust passed between generations that an item’s story will continue. Chainmail is common, as are leather armour pieces like vambraces; often engraved or painted with the symbol of an adventuring party as part of their group identity.

Fantasy Inspiration

The introductory episode in fantasy media – establishing the basic dynamics of a region, with the default tavern, blacksmiths, potion shop and friendly neighbourhood wizard to go on a quest.

Avereaux is a place worth fighting for. While all around may be plunged into darkness, it is a beacon of simplicity and homely hospitality.

Historical Inspiration

This nation has some historical influences that are on the very latest end of the historical sources used at Menhirs Fate, including stays and bodices inspired by the 17th and 18th Centuries. These have been included because we feel they best fit the pastoral worldbuilding of Avereaux, with elements of its setting that suit the “cottagecore” aesthetic and are reasonably accessible commercially currently, and can be gender affirming and used as support wear.

Costume elements to reflect this:

stays and bodices – comfort and support when fighting or working
multiple layers of skirts for warmth, and dresses with waist seams to give as much volume as possible to the skirts. Long dresses without waist seams are more on brief for Valdraeth.
hats for practicality’s sake against the elements when working outside or adventuring in the wilds
workwear – aprons, separate pockets, adventurer’s backpacks

Other influences are the early medieval tropes that have inspired a lot of fantasy costume:

short tunics in dyed colours
“Travelling Gear” – coats and robes, with our without sleeves that wrap around the body and provide protection from the elements
shawls and scarves, especially oversized ones what can be used as versatile cloaks and hoods
fur and sheepskin used fur-side inwards. Charity shop coats can be used for this, but collars should be removed to avoid looking very modern

Headwear in Avereaux

Hats are commonly worn in Avereaux to keep off the sun and rain – straw hats in particular, but also wide-brimmed felt hats. Other styles of medieval hats are also appropriate; bycockets, round hats, bag hats and other simple styles of wool hats, all the better to show off souvenirs of past adventures for all to see.

The other common form of headwear are hoods, usually cut round in shape, with or without fastenings.
Decorative patterns cut into the edge known as “dagging” is looked down on for being dangerously Valdraeth in style; and hoods that are shaped with a pointed front are a key costume element in The Wonder. Avereaux hoods are commonly used for group identification as they are a simple item to make or commission when an adventuring party set out together and wish to having a matching element of their clothing.

Hedge Mages jealously guard their pointed, wide-brimmed hats, and have built up a culture of personalising them for their own needs to the extent that no two Hedge Mage hats are alike!

Key Costume Items for Avereaux

Key Costume Items are elements of the Look and Feel of each nation that are a cultural part of what makes up that nation, informed by their history and societal norms. Ideally, an outfit for any nation should aim to incorporate at least one of the Key Costume Items to ensure that characters are recognisably from their nation at a distance!

Key Costume Item – Souvenirs

In celebration of deeds and remembrance of fellow adventurers, the people of Avereaux often save keepsakes of past moments in their lives.

These could be a patch made from a banner once wielded by a foe, a badge purchased in a far-flung town, or a trinket once worn by a friend, sewn onto the hood or lapel of the wearer.

Key Costume Item – Heirlooms

Avereaux values the group identity of adventuring parties, and it has become normal to commission matching items when a group sets out together.

These could be as simple as a scarf that can be worn as a hood in bad weather, or a cloak or hood in matching fabrics. Individual fashion preferences could be taken into account here, with some members of the party wearing shorter or longer varieties.

More martial groups may instead wear matching armour items – vambraces are common, with a painted or embossed group sigil.

After an adventure is over, it is common for these items to be held as keepsakes and passed down to other family. Relics from the most famous and heroic adventuring parties are held in high honour, valued by collectors and lost items tracked down by chroniclers.

Armour For Avereaux

Armour for Avereaux is broadly inspired by early medieval armour, in particular Norman-style chainmail and helmets, as well as classic fantasy adventure elements inspired by the same period.

Light and Medium Armour

Light and medium armour in Avereaux tends towards “Ranger” style light leather pieces, with an emphasis on travelling gear.

Asymmetrical pieces, like pauldrons and other arm armour.
Padded layers more often lace or button up, rather than using buckles.
Soft leather or suede jerkins and bodices worn as versatile clothing items that offer some protection.

Heavy Armour

Armour generally skews more “traditional” and “old-fashioned”, due to so many items being heirlooms passed down.
Full chainmail hauberks are the most common, often with full faces or matching chainmail coifs worn alongside.
Plate is usually more piecemeal – a breastplate or gorget here, vambraces and tassets there, almost always passed down from a relative or friend.
The look is Norman, Bayeux Tapestry, French early medieval, with some “fighter” elements.

Helmets

The important thing about Avereaux helmets is that they don’t obscure the face – all the better for Chroniclers to see who is who in a fight, and take down notes appropriately.

Norman-stle Nasal helms.
Kettle helms.
Open-faced helms.
Chainmail coifs are a valid alternative to helmets.

Weapons In Avereaux

Avereaux citizens usually use one signature weapon rather than many, representing the role they play in the story of their adventure. This is either an heirloom or the weapon they hope one day will become one, and be passed down in turn.
In Avereaux weapons are usually given names, and parts replaced to maintain the lifespan of the item. Some weapons are so old, every part of them has been replaced in some way, but it is believed they still keep their essence as an heirloom due to the continuation of their story in the hands of their owners.

Kite shields and teardrop-shaped shields are most popular, many are painted or covered with fabric shield covers that depict the various battles its owners have taken part in over the generations of ownership
swords, particularly shortswords and bastard swords that can be used in combination with a shield
spears are common, especially amongst those who do not dedicate their lives to a martial lifestyle, for their ability to keep a foe at a distance
axes are common for the same reason as spears – many people learn to use them at home long before they are taught to hold a sword
longbows, shortbows and crossbows are equally common, depending on the archer’s preference

Archetypes In Avereaux

Archetypes are particular types of character in each nation, which offer a framework of the default types of mage, priest, warrior, artisan etc within that culture, and a way to think about designing a character who fits into the nation as a starting point, in order to encourage a cohesive nation that can make choices about individuality from that point.

These are by no means exhaustive, but the examples below depict some flavours of common character types and the costume elements that are often worn by them.

Hedge Mages

Hedge Mages are professional busybodies and enablers who guide adventurers on their path, encourage changing what needs to change and maintaining what’s important. They bring new heroes into the spotlight and giving them the tools they need to become their best selves. Some are martial, providing fighting support and advice: part careers advisor, part local eccentric.

The iconic element of Hedge Mage clothing is the Wizard hat, with a wide brim and pointy crown. Often these are decorated with souvenirs in the same way that other Avereaux citizens collect keepsakes of their adventures. What a Hedge Witch keeps in her hat is her own business, and there are many stories about a party in trouble being pulled from disaster by virtue of their Hedge Mage having JUST the right item for the situation tucked away in the recesses of their hat. There are an equal number of stories about the curses that befall the unwary who touch a Hedge Wizard’s hat without permission…

Cloaks, scarves and poncho-like wrap layers are also very common. As their name suggests, Hedge Mages are used to roughing it in the wilderness and practicality in their wardrobe is valued.

When a Hedge Mage joins an adventuring party, they often add a sash of the party’s group colours to their hat, or switch out their cloak to one of a matching colour.

Staves and staffs are the iconic weapon for Hedge Mages, and it is rare for one to adventure without one. Some prefer the versatility of a short walking stick which can be used in combat as a magical rod alongside a sword, dual-wielding magic and melee together.

Chroniclers

Storytelling – and witnessing great deeds is a way of life in Avereaux. Accompanying combatants in order to make sure brave deeds are recorded and a true (or mostly true) story is told, Chroniclers are scribes and scholars tending to a network of small libraries, bringing stories between them by hand. Some are talented musicians who prefer poetry to prose and to sing their stories, others take notes to compose their epics when safely back in their libraries. It is a rare adventuring party that sets out without recruiting one from their local repository of stories, otherwise, who would tell their story?

Chroniclers are usually prepared for the task ahead, with travelling gear, scroll cases, and comfortable layers.

Big cloaks are handy, to be wrapped around as protection for the person and what they’re carrying, especially if that’s a precious notebook to keep track of the tale to tell when back home.

Chevaliers

With a fighting spirit and strong sense of honour, these individuals seek to become a part of legend, found always where the fighting is thickest and the chance for glory greatest. The Chevaliers are a force to be reckoned with but all heroes know that if they wish to be truly remembered as one of the greats they must be good in all things, gratitude to one’s company and temperance for the safety of others mean just as much as a sword blow in defence.

Chevaliers might be intimidating in chain and plate, but that’s not all they are. When out of armour they dress as casually and practically as the rest of Avereaux citizenry, but some prefer to wear a gambeson as outerwear to ensure they are always somewhat armoured, just in case.

Often when a Party makes or commissions a set of cloaks, hoods, sashes and other matching-coloured party heirloom, Chevaliers will choose to wear a surcoat in that colour, so as to signify their membership of the Party, but without getting bogged down with clothing that might get in their way in a fight.

Chevaliers, like other people from Avereaux, commonly have one signature weapon which has a name and a story, even if that name is newly given and the story only just began. Chevaliers keep this weapon close, making sure not to be caught unawares.

How To Put Together An Avereaux Outfit

Basic “pastoral” outfit:

short tunic, blouse or shirt in a dyed colour (not white)
simple trousers or skirts, or dress with waist seam and full skirt
thin-medium belts
bodice, stays or jerkin with laces, points, ties or buttons – buckles look more Valdraeth in style
loose skirts or culottes with enough flair to not restrict movement – perhaps with petticoats underneath
a round hood or cloak for warmth and to show allegiance to the character’s group or village, without dagging, which looks more Valdraeth in style
occupational accessories – aprons, pockets, toolbelts, scroll holders, bandoleers etc
vambraces are a common way to show group affiliation, or may be an heirloom from a past adventure

Basic “travelling” outfit: