Lets talk Eorlingas.

[Wilhelm]

I can’t wait to see your kit once you have it together! I would love to one day join the ranks of the Rohirrim, but realistically I’d rather fine tune and elevate Barandir’ skit first and possibly add a Dwarven or Woodsmen persona before I get to Rohirrim.

Thank you. I am very excited. I have found some really cool dwarf stuff that I would like to work on at some point. I can pass as a dwarf LOL! Are there pictures of your kit here? I will look for them. Edit. I found some pics very cool!

[Barandir]

Thank you! It’s all entry level soft kit. I have plans to update my pants and surcoat/jerkin to dyed braintan, but I need to move and get settled in a new job first. There’s also a pair of boots I’ve got my eye on to update mine at some point as well.

[Wilhelm]

Thank you! It’s all entry level soft kit. I have plans to update my pants and surcoat/jerkin to dyed braintan, but I need to move and get settled in a new job first. There’s also a pair of boots I’ve got my eye on to update mine at some point as well.

Excellent!

[Eofor]

Apologies Wilhelm for not replying sooner, I too approached my Rohan portrayal from a living history background and have a few suggestions about where to begin.

As always with starting out on this journey (and like Udwin) I recommend having a think about who exactly it is that you're hoping to portray as it will help guide you in your gear choices and decisions. Some simple starting points may be where in Rohan is your home? What is your profession? How wealthy is the individual you plan on portraying?

For example a professional warrior in the service of Erkenbrand is likely to have high quality gear and be as suited to fighting on foot or from behind a defensive fortification as in the open plain. By contrast a scout of the Wold is less likely to be in mail and helm and possibly wearing clothing which blends with the environment. And then we have the example of the townsman who only takes up his spear or wood axe when the realm is in great peril.

Having this solid platform will help to answer most gear questions you have from colour of clothing through to shield size and lead to a more cohesive portrayal in the end.

Here is a small passage from my MERS application which goes through some of the choices I made while building my own portrayal, it might help explain what I am trying to say

Some thoughts regarding the conception of Eofor.

Despite having mulled over many options for this portrayal, my heart has always been in Rohan, but I have no horse, don’t really want a horse and have no intention of getting a horse!

Therefore for my own peace of mind I had to come up with a plausible storyline as to why a man of Rohan (who by the time of the war of the ring are quite closeted) would be out in the wide world wandering around horseless. I drew on Anglo Saxon culture to broaden the vision of Rohan that the Professor gave us and looking at the text found the example of Baldor and his rash boast which led to his death on the paths of the dead. These formalised boasts were not uncommon in Anglo Saxon society and were considered sacrosanct so I built a storyline whereby my persona through his own boastful pride ended up in self imposed exile until his task was done.

Eofor was born in 2941TA - A time period chosen specifically because it occurs in a void of major story events while still containing enough framework to build a conceivable persona, this date also allowed me to work other forum members into my stories and history.
I chose, too, a birthplace in the Westfold to take advantage of differences alluded to in the text, given that the men of that part of Rohan are more accustomed to fighting on foot or from behind a fortification.

Eofor left Rohan while still in his teens. He has no fixed abode and lives primarily in an inn called The Raven's Wing in the foothills of the Misty Mountains near the home of the woodmen. Because of this I have built his gear somewhat different to that of a ranger or wanderer - He may spend weeks at a time on the road and while comfortable in the wilderness but he doesn’t live in it.
Nor does he often need to stalk through the forest unnoticed so his gear is more colourful and flamboyant. He is well off with clothing made of fine weave and valuable accessories.

His wargear also differs from the classic Ranger archetype due to cultural differences and the nature of his enemies although many years away from his home have seen the occasional piece of gear be replaced or changed.

I noticed you planned to do a research deep dive, did you mean into the books of the films? I cannot recommend the books enough as there are many gear details in there which simply didn't make it to, or were ignored by the film crew.

I am not in any way a fan of lamellar for a Rohirrim portrayal as it's simply not what they wore BUT as a placeholder I think the Niederstotzingen helm is not too far away from the description of Eomer's helm. Certainly with it's horse hair crest it's closer than most attempts.
I would only be using it as that though, a placeholder.

[Wilhelm]

Apologies Wilhelm for not replying sooner, I too approached my Rohan portrayal from a living history background and have a few suggestions about where to begin.

As always with starting out on this journey (and like Udwin) I recommend having a think about who exactly it is that you're hoping to portray as it will help guide you in your gear choices and decisions. Some simple starting points may be where in Rohan is your home? What is your profession? How wealthy is the individual you plan on portraying?

For example a professional warrior in the service of Erkenbrand is likely to have high quality gear and be as suited to fighting on foot or from behind a defensive fortification as in the open plain. By contrast a scout of the Wold is less likely to be in mail and helm and possibly wearing clothing which blends with the environment. And then we have the example of the townsman who only takes up his spear or wood axe when the realm is in great peril.

Having this solid platform will help to answer most gear questions you have from colour of clothing through to shield size and lead to a more cohesive portrayal in the end.

Here is a small passage from my MERS application which goes through some of the choices I made while building my own portrayal, it might help explain what I am trying to say

Some thoughts regarding the conception of Eofor.

Despite having mulled over many options for this portrayal, my heart has always been in Rohan, but I have no horse, don’t really want a horse and have no intention of getting a horse!

Therefore for my own peace of mind I had to come up with a plausible storyline as to why a man of Rohan (who by the time of the war of the ring are quite closeted) would be out in the wide world wandering around horseless. I drew on Anglo Saxon culture to broaden the vision of Rohan that the Professor gave us and looking at the text found the example of Baldor and his rash boast which led to his death on the paths of the dead. These formalised boasts were not uncommon in Anglo Saxon society and were considered sacrosanct so I built a storyline whereby my persona through his own boastful pride ended up in self imposed exile until his task was done.

Eofor was born in 2941TA - A time period chosen specifically because it occurs in a void of major story events while still containing enough framework to build a conceivable persona, this date also allowed me to work other forum members into my stories and history.
I chose, too, a birthplace in the Westfold to take advantage of differences alluded to in the text, given that the men of that part of Rohan are more accustomed to fighting on foot or from behind a fortification.

Eofor left Rohan while still in his teens. He has no fixed abode and lives primarily in an inn called The Raven's Wing in the foothills of the Misty Mountains near the home of the woodmen. Because of this I have built his gear somewhat different to that of a ranger or wanderer - He may spend weeks at a time on the road and while comfortable in the wilderness but he doesn’t live in it.
Nor does he often need to stalk through the forest unnoticed so his gear is more colourful and flamboyant. He is well off with clothing made of fine weave and valuable accessories.

His wargear also differs from the classic Ranger archetype due to cultural differences and the nature of his enemies although many years away from his home have seen the occasional piece of gear be replaced or changed.

I noticed you planned to do a research deep dive, did you mean into the books of the films? I cannot recommend the books enough as there are many gear details in there which simply didn't make it to, or were ignored by the film crew.

I am not in any way a fan of lamellar for a Rohirrim portrayal as it's simply not what they wore BUT as a placeholder I think the Niederstotzingen helm is not too far away from the description of Eomer's helm. Certainly with it's horse hair crest it's closer than most attempts.
I would only be using it as that though, a placeholder.

Thank you very much for your input, I am re-reading the books and making notes as I go. As much as I love the movies I want to do a book faithful portrayal. I understand the disdain for lamellar and have abandoned that. When you think Eorlingas what is the quintessential helmet you think of? More Vendel/Valsgarde? I can see the shape of the Niederstotzingen maybe but the construction seems like it would be way off if we are not using lamellar for body defense. I thought a basic spangen would be perfect but obviously I am in the minority there. Do you look to helms like the Pioneer or Coppergate? Maybe I am looking a little to early in period? I will be honest I have been distracted from my research by making my own arrow shafts and have not picked up the books in a couple of weeks. Once again I appreciate your help and look forward to conversing further with you.

[Eofor]

I shared some of my opinions in this thread a while back which may be worth visiting, that the descriptions we have of the Rohirrim seem more to match the Svear than the Normans.

https://www.middleearthrangers.org/foru ... php?t=4617

As to the helm question I feel my own simple helm marries the descriptions from the text with my historical expectations. I do like the pioneer, it's a real tank of a helm and something I could picture the royal guard, or perhaps Erkenbrand wearing while fighting on foot.

Two descriptions of Rohirric helms from The Two Towers: the riders of Rohan -

‘their hair, flaxen-pale, flowed under their light helms’ and also ’from his helm as a crest a white horse tail flowed’

[Gulli]

Are you aware of Czech unit Theodreds banner, 301. Foot soldiers. They abandoned their steeds out of shame for losing Theodred in battle. Pretty good I think

[Eofor]

Are you aware of Czech unit Theodreds banner, 301. Foot soldiers. They abandoned their steeds out of shame for losing Theodred in battle. Pretty good I think

Pretty sure my helm would have seen action with them? But they don't maintain a separate online presence do they?

[Barandir]

I love the helm, Eofor. It really captures the cultural feel of the Rohirrim while seeming realistic and not too heavily ornamented for a commoner to own/wear.