Saturday, March 13, 2010

Masquerade Ball

We the Guardians of the Black Forest and more are hosting a Fundraising Masquerade Ball on Aug 20th -21st 2011! NEXT YEAR and we are so EXCITED!!!! You can RSVP on our FaceBook . More updates available soon

The Masquerade Ball Costuming

Choosing Masquerade Ball Costumes


In Venice during the Italian Renaissance, a masquerade costume was an important decision. Women spent months determining what sort of gown they would wear and no expense was spared in having the outfit and matching mask made. It was traditional for couples to have matching costumes. Many modern couples still choose to match, or set off each other’s costume in a striking manner. This is important not only for making a memorable entrance, but also so that whomever you are with is recognizable, even though they are hidden by a mask. Masquerades were always a safe arena for a lot of flirting, even among married couples, but if anything seemed to be going too far, an approach by the person who was clearly the mate of whomever was being flirted with too excess would nip the trouble in the bud.



Presuming these are not problems you need to worry about if going as a couple, you should still put extra care into your costume. Bear in mind that “couple” does not have to mean a romantic couple – women or men who are only friends go in pairs as such varied types as Harlequins, sprites, musketeers, rogues or muses. Think about what most appeals to you and what’s most practical to accomplish.



Fantasy Costumes

The fantasy aspect of masquerade ball costumes dates back to the beginning of the balls. In this sense, the costume could be a period outfit, such as a Victorian dress, but might suggest a theme, like a nighttime sky or a deck of cards. It could be a fantastical creature like a fairy or leprechaun, or an animal like a unicorn. Look at examples of Cosplay costumes to inspire you as you decide upon your costume. Remember too that you can take a basic period costume and use your mask to bring more to it. That way, if you rent an Elizabethan dress, you can add fabric or accessories to your mask and jewelry to tie an outfit together.



Buying Costumes

If you’re going to an event like the Venice Carnival, you should go all out and get a high-end costume. The costumes seen there are breathtaking. However, for most people, budget is an issue and unless you will be using the costume many more times or can easily sell it, you probably want to acquire something less expensive.



Besides rentals, there are some more affordable options when buying masquerade costumes. Center Stage Star has a few good choices, although only for women. They only sell one mask and it doesn’t match any of the costumes, but there are many outlets for buying excellent masquerade masks. You can also get a base for a mask and then design it yourself, although this requires some artistic ability and a lot of patience

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Fair Season

Fair Season is just right around the corner and we, The Guardians Of The Black Forest couldn’t be more excited! With the weather already turning out to be extremely nice, we think this fair season will be awesome. With more to offer than last year we will continue to keep getting better each year! With historically correct clothing and weaponry, along with tents, and true history facts! People seem to love us more and more, we personally think it’s the shiny things, and the flying water and food from smashing things to pieces, but that is for our public to decide!




Looking forward to a wonderful and safe fair season! See you all soon!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Mercenaries Laws of War

Art 47. Mercenaries

1. A mercenary shall not have the right to be a combatant or a prisoner of war.
2. A mercenary is any person who:

(a) is especially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed
conflict;
(b) does, in fact, take a direct part in the hostilities;
(c) is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for
private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the
conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid
to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party;
(d) is neither a national of a Party to the conflict nor a resident of territory
controlled by a Party to the conflict; (e) is not a member of the armed forces
of a Party to the conflict; and
(f) has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official
duty as a member of its armed forces

What is a Mercenary





A mercenary is a professional soldier hired by a foreign army, as opposed to a soldier enlisted in the armed forces of the sovereign state of which he is a citizen. He takes part in armed conflict on many different scales, and is "motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party"

NOTE: A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary, even though he gets remuneration for his service.

As a result of the assumption that a mercenary is essentially motivated by money, the term "mercenary" usually carries negative connotations, though that can be a compliment in some contexts. There is a blur in the distinction between a "mercenary" and a "foreign volunteer," when the primary motive of a soldier in a foreign army is uncertain. For instance, the French Foreign Legion and the Gurkhas are not mercenaries under the laws of war, since although they may meet many of the requirements of Article 47 of the 1949 Additional Protocol I, they are exempt under clause 47(c) (as they are not "promised ... material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party to the conflict") and clause 47(d) (as they are "... a member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict"); some journalists describe them as mercenaries regardless.

Who we are


We are The Guardians of the Black Forest. We are a living history reenactment group that portrays a Germanic mercenary group from the early 1400's. We are also a historical combat group giving demonstrations of authentic weapons from the 1400's as well as techniques while using said weapons. We are available for hire for renaissance fairs, weddings, birthdays, as well as other special events. We offer community service, and History lessons for schools please feel free to contact us via email at GuardiansOfTheBlackForest@yahoo.com and also visit us on Faceboook. Guardians of the Black Forest