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

Kairos has faced cataclysm before, navigating their survival through their devotion to the Gods and taking their destiny into their own hands through martial prowess and magical divination.

Kairos is a nation that has existed while other civilisations have risen and declined. Their self-belief is as strong as their Kolossi – and their clothing reflects this. The main element of the Kairos aesthetic is drapery – fabrics that flow and move with the body, with a wide variety of colours available to them. Ancient Greece is a heavy inspiration, but also Neo-Classical shapes for those who appreciate a little more tailoring, and some of the more structured lines of Rome and the Byzantine, alongside fantasy elements like Atlantis and the various media that have been inspired by it.

Layering is key in Kairos, both for warmth and to display the elegance of their clothing. A basic outfit may be made up of a long tunic and leggings, with an overlayer of a dress, chiton or toga. This is accessorised with a cloak or over-robe for warmth, gold jewellery, some form of headdress, and a belt. The colour gold has significance in Kairos – it not only harkens to the nation’s wealth, but also their relationship with the Gods. Halo-like headdresses are common, decorated with gilded flowers and leaves, or more simply in the form of circlets and headbands for practical situations. Gold bangles and cuffs are also popular, reminding the people that their actions and gestures are in service of the Gods.

Though scale, chain, leather, and cloth armour are all popular, armour crafted in the form of the body, such as muscleplate, is valued above all others. It is said to evoke the eventual goal of every Kairosi warrior: to become the Kolossi who guard their people forever more.

Colour Palette

Rich jewel tones to muted pastels, metallics to neutrals, Kairos has a wide colour palette.

Fabrics that drape well – cottons, muslins, silks, synthetics, wools and jerseys.

Themes And Key Words

Ancient Civilisations, precursors, divination, headpieces, gold, muscle-plate, halo headdresses, Oracle masks. This nation’s kit is inspired by classical and Neo-classical art and clothing.

Clothing in Kairos can be incredibly simple, achievable with just a length of fabric and a couple of brooches or pins. It can also be quite structured and tailored for those Kairosi who prefer it, but drapery is still an essential element. The look is literally statuesque – perhaps one day the outfit will be immortalised in a stone Kolossus.

Although these clothes suit the warmer regions of Kairos, they are no strangers to colder climates – cloaks of all kinds are common, as well as wrap layers like simple coats and robes, often with large hoods attached that can shield the wearer from the elements. Warm base layers are layered under gowns and tunics to ensure that they are ready to react to whatever the future brings.

Kairosi armour is often thought of as the muscle-bound breastplates that are so recognisable outside their nation, but many other styles are worn as well. Service to the nation and to the Gods, that is what matters above all, and the emphasis on golden elements help remind the people of Kairos about this connection.

Fantasy Inspiration

Fantasy takes on ancient civilisations and Greco-Roman theology – the Gods, Olympus and merging futuristic elements with classical.
Atlantis is sometimes an interesting take on fantasy-Hellenic aesthetics.

High fashion and modern fashion clothing with classical influences; long draped sleeves and veils, sleek lines and gold belts and other jewellery.

Historical Inspiration

Ancient Greece, the very simple styles that can be achieved with a length of fabric and two safety pins or fibula brooches – chitons, peplos and himation and chamlys-style cloaks.

Ancient Roman clothing for the same reason, as well as tunics and togas. Togas may be less practical however!

Neoclassical clothing, fashionable from 1795-1815. Though outside the game’s general timeframe of historical inspiration, the simple gathered dresses and use of sashes and costumey elements works with enough key accessory items to make a coherent look. The additional structure and support given by short stays could solve to problem of Ancient-era kit as well, and allow clothing to be more tailored without losing the essential design elements. Regency gowns, if worn, should be mixed with the key costume items to ensure they fit the setting.

A style of gown called the “robe en chemise” also works very well for mixing the classical drapery with more structure, but should be worn without the padded underpinnings that give them the late 1700s fashionable saddlebags shape!

Headwear In Kairos

The iconic headwear in Kairos is detailed below in the Key Costume section.

Other than these, phrygian caps, bag hats and soft round hats are practical and warm in cold events. Scarves and veils can do double duty, covering the neck and head to keep the sun and rain off, as well as looking dramatic and adding interest to an outfit.

Fabric headscarves, ribbons and other hair decorations are widely worn in Kairos and can help get hair out of the face when fighting or doing tasks.

Key Costume Items for Kairos

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 – Headdresses and Oracle Masks

Headdresses are worn by many citizens in Kairos – usually Kairosi people have a variety of them to choose from ranging from simple for everyday wear to more highly decorated or impractical to be worn for ceremonies and festivals.

The most striking of these are elaborately styled head-dresses that evoke halos, with radiating points and other decorations around the face such as flowers and celestial motifs.
Simple circlets and metallic bands are also popular, as well as cloth or leather headbands, usually with metallic decoration of some kind; leather tooling or paint, patterned fabric trims and braided cords.

Laurel leaf and other leaf crowns are a common prize in sporting and musical competitions, and worn in particular by those who wish to advertise their talent in those areas, as well as show pride in themselves. These are commonly encased in metal to preserve them afterwards.

Decorated masks, usually of gold, silver and bronze are used in weaving, and commonly carried by Augurs or worn on top of the head to mark their occupation. Primarily associated with divination magic, these have become known as “Oracle Masks”, but are also used in theatrical pursuits to denote characters in mundane plays, and for those who make use of dramaturgy in their weaving.

Whilst common – headdresses and masks are not the only way to show ones splendor in Kairos and they are not neccesary for those who would rather not wear things on their face or head.

Please be mindful of practicality on the battlefield – headdresses with sharp points will not be allowed in combat areas where there is risk of harm to yourself or others. Simple bands and ribbons may be a better alternative.

Key Costume Item – Gold Accessories

Another key element of Kairosi clothing is the use of metallic accessories; usually of gold but sometimes in silver, bronze and other metallic tones.

Gold bangles, cuffs, torcs, necklaces and other jewellery are common; some are gifted at life milestones or handed down from family, friends and mentors.

Decorative vambraces and greaves are popular among the martially-minded to show off elements of their armour even when not wearing the majority of it, and sometimes to celebrate past victories or in memory of those lost.

Belts are sometimes highly decorated items of jewellery as well, tooled and painted with metallic paints or with decorative buckles and hangers, or using decorative chains and cords as waist jewellery alongside more practical belts.

Armour For Kairos

Kairosi armour is obviously heavily influenced by Ancient Greek diaspora armour, but there is space to include elements of Roman, and earlier Bronze Age styles that are not quite so iconically Greek.

NOTE: Some Roman elements are not on brief for Kairos, because they are so connected to Imperial Rome and do not merge well with the rest of the look and feel for this nation.
These are Roman Galea helmets, metal Lorica Segmentata and Pterges or Singulum which fall only from the front of the belt.

Light and Medium Armour

• Linothorax, particularly padded fabric and leather versions that have not been reinforced to the extent that they are heavy armour.
• Leather muscleplate and other leather breastplates.
• Leather or padded fabric pauldrons, vambraces and greaves.

Heavy Armour

• Chainmail, as well as Lorica chainmail – the Roman style with an additional piece of chainmail at the shoulders and clasp in the front.
• Scalemail, and Lorica scalemail – the Roman style which sometimes had additional pieces at the neck and shoulders.
• Muscleplate breastplates, breastplates with the impression of a torso outline.
• Manaca – Gladiator-style armguards.
• More primitive bronze age styles of armour.
• Linothorax that is reinforced and solid, which would count as heavy armour, as opposed to lighter versions.

Helmets

• Corinthian helmets are the most iconic, in varying shapes and degrees of complexity.
• “Elven” style helmets that are inspired by the Greek style of helmet shapes.
• Simple round helms also work.
• Helmets sometimes have plumes, but are not essential.

Weapons In Kairos

• Round, especially slightly domed round shields.
• Bucklers of various shapes, especially round and square.
• Moon-shaped shields – crescent and half moon in particular.
• Short swords are the most commonly carried weapon by Kairosi citizens day-to-day.
• Two-handed spears.
• One-handed spears and javelins.
• Sickles and curved swords.
• One-handed mage implements, sometimes highly decorated and paired with a shield or martial weapon.

Archetypes In Kairos

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.

Psiloi

The Psiloi are critical to Kairosian military strategies. Even with a heavy core of armoured troops, no army is complete without solid arms of light infantry that can skirmish and harass enemy flanks or archers that can target enemy commanders, healers, or casters.

Psiloi tend to prefer to keep their armour light, with half coverage heavy armour or fabric and leather light armour. They tend to be the most practically dressed in battle lines, able to change up their tactics dependant on necessity alongside the heavy Heralds. Their headdresses, when worn, are less ostentatious, and they sometimes utilise stealth with cloaks or scarfs to cover their weapons until in position.

Kurusso

Priests, known as Kurussi, or singularly as Kurusso, lead everyday lives alongside the rest of the citizens. They are ordinary people whose role within society is to interpret and spread the words of the gods, but the Kurussi mustn’t be seen as anything more than mortals. Closeness to the gods is not the same as being above others; that is one of the teachings of the combined pantheon. Equality across all aspects of society is vital to the Kairosi ethos. Priests can either speak for a single god or stand for the full Pantheon, there is no real distinction between the two.

Usually there is some degree of symbology in the colours and clothing worn by Kurusso based on the God or Gods they worship primarily. A Kurusso who is a follower of the Celebrant is usually vibrant and decadent in their dress, whereas one who worships the Shadow might be wrapped up in veils of subtle, subdued colours.

Tools used by a Kurusso are equally varied, but most priests use a symbolic focus in their ceremonies – a Priest of the Smith might carry a ceremonial hammer to better encourage Masons in their duties with divine inspiration. A follower of the Guardian might carry a shield painted with stories of their God’s intervention in mortal lives. These are deeply personal, do not carry any inherent magical or divine power, but are familiar helpmeets for a priest to work through.

Heralds

A core part of the Kairosian military, the heavier troops are usually at the centre of most army manoeuvres. Armoured troops wielding shields and often spears fulfil the dual roles of initial punch and then line holding while lighter armoured troops and archers flank the enemy forces pinned by them. 

In battle the Heralds seek to stand out – partially to direct the enemy’s attention away from other targets on the field, partially to build their reputation. Flamboyance in dress is also common, both with weapons and armour and with day-to-day clothing.

How To Put Together a Kairos Outfit

• Base layers; a tunic or chemise and leggings or loose-fitting trousers. Thermal layers should be added in colder months!
• An overlayer tunic or dress, chiton or toga.
• More layers – a simple wrap-coat or sleeveless long layer.
• a cloak or scarf, long enough to provide protection from the elements.
• repeat as needed to layer up!
• Key costume items: gold or other metallic jewellery, headdress, wrist cuffs and belt.