Navarr costumes
Overview
The Navarri are a practical people and their clothes reflect this
Materials
Materials are practical, primarily those that come from hunting - leather and fur. Materials like linen, wool, velvet or silk are less common.
Colours
The pallette is the colours of a spring: soft greens and browns, gentle misty greys, and perhaps the dark blood red of birthing or dark autumnal yellow.
Inspiration
Wild/wood elves, The Rangers from Lord of the Rings.
Similar nations
Wintermark
Navarri tend to wear light leather armour and simple, earth tone clothes, much like the Steinr. Navarri decorations are more likely to come from nature, in the form of paints, feathers and beads, rather than the woven trims popular with the Steinr. Kallavesi mystics may also be occasionally mistaken for a Navarri Vate, however the Navarri do not wear animal headresses and do not believe in evoking animal spirits.
The Marches
There are also overlaps between the Marches Beaters and the Navarri. The Beaters tend towards later medieval period clothing, like jacks rather than the tunics and vests popular with the Navarri. The Navarri also tend to use large amounts of furs, pieces of leather and paints that the Marchers would avoid.
Costumes
Navarr clothing is layered, serviceable and well-worn. Even for civilians, it’ll often features pieces of leather armour, though this is to protect against the environment as much as enemy weapons. Clothes are suitable for people who live their lives in the wild forests. Not just a robust construction but practical designs, for instance hooded cloaks that give protection against the weather, but can also serve as bedding. Belts and straps feature quite heavily – both to secure clothing so it doesn’t snag, and to hold a variety of gear securely while moving through woodland. Boots are long and close fitting to protect the lower legs while walking.
Navarr style of dress varies, depending on how much contact the Striding or Steading has with the other nations. More isolated Navarr may adopt a rougher, more practical or primitive look; more integrated Navarr have access to a greater range of materials. However, most Navarr will fall somewhere in between these two extremes.
More isolated Navarr adopt a look primarily comprised of leather, furs and natural materials, suitable for hunting people who are used to sleeping rough.
Those Navarr who trade with their neighbours are more likely to have access to wool and similar materials so their costume reflects their closer contact with fellow members of the Empire.
Shoes
Children's costumes
Navarr children are taught the value of being prepared and ready at all times. They are encouraged to learn to fight with sword, spear and bow from an early age.
Armour
Thick hardened leather is the most common form of armour for the Navarr, occasionally supplemented with light chain or scale. Navarr armour often features an asymmetric pattern, with lines and closures that run diagonally across the body rather than vertically. Leather is the most common material used for armour by the Navarr, but they occasionally augment the armour with sections of chain or scale. A popular style is asymmetric with diagonal lines that overlap over the body, but a single breastplate is just as common.
Shields Shields are narrow and fluted, barely wider than the wielder. They are often heavily decorated with the thorn motif. Weapons The iconic weapon of the Navarr is a great barbed spear. Otherwise weapons are, light, practical and good for skirmishing rather than heavy combat. Bows are often short, for ease of use in woodland.