The League look and feel
Overview
The League is urban. The influences come from the Italian city states, the Hanseatic league, and Prague, as well as classic fantasy cities. This is a nation ruled by powerful guilds, and while there are poor people the cities are well maintained and are very different to the shambolic chaos of a Port Blacksand or even a Lankhmar.
The League is rich. Fine fabrics showing the wealth and style of merchant-princes. Rich silks in the south and fur trim for the northern cities of Temeswar and Holberg. It is opulent not ostentatious, a purposeful show of wealth and power.
Also see League costumes and League icons and artistry.
Feel
Flamboyant, rich, urbane, ambitious, loyal, resplendent, flourish.
Breakdown
Influences
High medieval and renaissance luxury.
Materials
Velvet, Cotton, Sillk, Fur Trim, Brocade, Damask, Jacquard
Colours
The pallette is rich and autumnal. Wine reds, golden yellows, supported by rich oranges and deep blues and blacks.
Clothing
In the south, short doublets of richly patterned silks are cut to flatter. Sleeves are either tight with the undershirt puffing from beneath or occasionally full, and the effect is somewhat top-heavy, with trousers cut to a slender leg. Slashing is the height of fashion, particularly amongst the military whose taste verges on the gaudy.
In the north the climate is colder, and clothing reflects that. More fur trim, more layers. Perhaps a long sleeveless gown of velvet over the fashionable doublet, which might be made of leather not silk.
Ladies who do not favour doublet-and-trousers wear elaborate high-waisted gowns. The neckline may be lower than in other nations, cut almost to the waistband. An undergown, chemise or kirtle, often of a contrastng colour, is usually visible at the front. A fashionable lady of the northern cities will wear a long, full, gown, sleeved and high-waisted. To the south, the gown might be sleeveless, or with sleeves slashed like a doublet’s. Ribbons are often used as decoration.
Armour
Armour is usually worn to allow the brightly covered clothing beneath to show through. A full harness is rarely worn, and heavy armour is usually concentrated over the vital areas, particularly the chest and head.
Those Free Companies that can afford it purchase matching armour. Those that must make use of what they can salvage combine it with matching costume to ensure that their group is identifiable as a single unit.
A starting Free Company may equip its members with a bright uniform in two contrasting colours and a quilted jack. Wealthier companies may have matching arming doublets, armour and helmets.
Weapons
Professional soldiers tend to prefer crossbows, long spears or halberds. Street fighters usually favour a light sword with a main gauche or stiletto for the off-hand. Shields are not common in either case.
Bravos
A bravo is usually light armoured if at all. They usally wield a rapier, sometimes paired with a short parrying dagger like a main gauche. Many bravos are part of a free company.
Free companies
The riotously bright uniforms of the free companies mostly comprise two colours, with sleeves and trousers in the main colour, slashed to let the contrasting colour show through. A steel breastplate and helm provides the basic armour.
Despite their gaudy appearance, the members of a Free Company are professional soldiers well used to carrying all their campaign equipment on their back in handy pouches, packs and blanket rolls.
Banners
An iconic impressive banner makes a bold statement for any Free Company.
Children
The Empire outlaws children taking the battlefield until they have passed their Citizenship tests, but some Free Companies include children of all ages. When employed as messengers, it is a matter of pride to dress them as well as the soldiers of the unit they represent.
Costume
League costume is beautifully tailored with layers of complex cutting and decoration. The ladies’ gowns are high waisted with low necklines and complicated detailing such as puffed or slashed sleeves.
Gentlemen wear doublets with similarly complex decoration; sleeves are often laced on to the body of the doublet. The look is generally rather top heavy with slim fitting trousers or breeches and high legged boots.
Theatre and masks
The tradition of masked theatre runs strong in League cities, where it is an important constituent of the magic of a performance. Facemasks are also a common element of fashionable attire for individuals from all walks of life.
This custom sprang partly from the popular Facio style of masked theatre, where actors and even audience members swap characters as they swap masks, and partly descends from the traditions of cowls and veils in Highguard society. Masks allow an individual to cultivate anonymity and the air of mystery. Some groups – military units and criminals especially – may go so far as to all wear matching masks even in dangerous situations.
Churches
The heavily decorated robes of the League priests are in sharp contrast to some of the ascetics of other nations. Lavish embroidery, metallic threads and elaborate headdresses are all used to communicate their importance.
