collecosplay

[collecosplay]

All Hallow’s Eve LARP by L'Chaim Games - Meiserich (my ghost OC)

London, 02.12.23

Photos by Unai Garcia

Another batch of photos from this fun LARP. What made this LARP so delightful to me was the fact that I had a lot of time to prepare a character and that the character creation was very straightforward.

As a ghost you would have a brief summary of your life and the circumstances of your death which were interesting conversation starters with other characters. In addition to that, by having a wish mechanic in the game your character would also have a goal and by choosing a faction of ghosts to belong to (I was Duty Bound), this gave your character motivation. These things together made an excellent framework in my opinion.

You could pick from any time period before 1948 and any country, so if you already had kit from another game or had an interest in a particular area there was a lot of possibilities.

Additionally, by preparing a few entertaining stories beforehand, Meiserich was really fun to play in a conversation. Some LARPs I have no idea what to say because I don't know what's going on, but here I could just find hooks in conversations during a lull and start telling a fablieau* and be comfortable not knowing everything.

*Kleio Pethainou's podcast 'The Court Jester' was instrumental preparation for this character.

#colle's work #larp #Jesters #Meiserich

[collecosplay]

Eey I'm the thumbnail?!

Thought Bubble 2023 cosplay music video by Parsley Leaves.

Harrogate, Sunday 12.11.23

As The Ancient Witch / Olruggio from Witch Hat Atelier.

I'm the last shot of this video at the 04:02 mark after Gandalf and Frodo.

Thought Bubble was so overwhelming, so many artists to go through, but I love this convention because I feel like I'm seeing a lot of original art rather than huge IPs everywhere.

I made this cosplay for the Pass the Brushbug Challenge. This was his first outing at a convention. I do enjoy it when I see other fan works depicting Qifrey and Olruggio as the King and the Witch of the Tales within Witch Hat Atelier. It let's me know as a fan base we have some common theories.

#Video #Parsley Leaves #thought bubble #uk conventions #Olruggio #witch hat atelier #The Ancient Witch

[collecosplay]

All Hallow's Eve LARP by L'Chaim Games - Meiserich (my ghost OC, yes he was shot in the face)

aka "Ghost Ball! Ghost Ball!", London, 02.12.23

Photos by Astora Photography on FB

My jester took so long to make because I took inspiration from Diana Wynne Jones' 'Howl's Moving Castle' where Sophie cuts up Howl's suit into triangles and then sews it back together, so Meiserich's outer layer is all triangles.

I wanted to make Meiserich out of scraps from previous projects, so virtually all of the cost of the outfit is the time that went into it. I worked on him for six months in virtually any free minute I could find the energy for. But it was worth it.

It's not 100% historically accurate, but this outfit was designed to double as a cosplay for the Fool from Robin Hobb's 'Assassin's Apprentice' and the rest of the Farseer Trilogy. (I still have to read the other books! No spoilers please though I have seen some sneak peeks thanks to fanart <3)

More about Meiserich as a character under the cut!

Meiserich (anglicised pronunciation: My-Zer-Rick) is a colloquial German name for galium odoratum, sweet woodruff. It's a flavour you can get commonly in German desserts and schnapps (Waldmeister), but I've never come across the flavour in the UK.

Meiserich is a jester from the early 1400's and lived in a part of the Holy Roman Empire that is now Germany, namely within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Münster. At the court of Droste zur Aa Meiserich had a close relationship with Lady Klara of the keep. In 1412 this court took part in a knights' jousting tournament in Buda where the future Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund was also in attendance. Whilst there, through social occasions, Lady Klara found out and obtained evidence that Sigismund was the one who poisoned the previous King of Germany, Jobst of Moravia. She confided in Meiserich what had happened.

It comes to light that Lady Klara knows too much, so Sigismund sends soldiers to Münster to besiege the keep. Meiserich encourages his Lady to run and hide with the evidence of the poisoning. As a jester it was also Meiserich's job to act as a messenger and diplomat at times. However, the siege negotiations failed, he was shot dead with an early arquebus design and the castle was fired upon with trebuchets. Lady Klara initially survived in the rubble in an airpocket but ultimately suffocated.

Meiserich usually haunts the ruins of the castle keep he used to live in. It is now a tourist destination and he likes to tease the tourists. He also eavesdrops and through them and the keep staff learns of other things going on in the world. He has not forgotten about Lady Klara and wants to reveal the truth she uncovered to the world.

Please note: The poisoning plot is fictional, Sigismund doing this is something I made up based on some Wikipedia reading I did.

His wish to have fulfilled at the LARP was to have the keep in Münster renovated and restored, revealing the buried corpse of Lady Klara. In her hand are a vial of poison and a letter proving Sigismund was the one who poisoned the previous king of Germany, Jobst of Moravia. It will be a joy for the historians and great to hear the tour guides at the keep bring this up in perpetuity.

And he got his wish fulfilled at the game! I'm so happy. Monsieur Roc Flamboyant (a French noble, 1600's) was touched enough by Meiserich's story and devotion to Lady Klara that he made the wish for Meiserich. I could not have asked for a better end to this game.

Shout out to the podcasts that helped me put together Meiserich as a character:

Gone Medieval by History Hit

We're Not So Different - esp. episode "Medieval Fail Sons: Wenceslas IV & Sigismund"

Weird Medieval Guys - esp. episode "Sieging for Dummies"

The Court Jester by Kleio Pethainou

I'm glad I picked the early 1400's for Meiserich's death, this is still before the Western printing press, Columbus sailing off to the detriment of many, the fall of Constantinople, and the big witch hunting craze, so he died in a bygone world on the cusp of the Early Modern Period.

If I could give him one power like in BBC Ghosts, I'd say that the two bells on his hat are audible to the living.

#colle's work #LARP #Jesters #Meiserich

[collecosplay]

Major Jack Bancoran in London

December '23, photos shot by berahthraben.cosplay (Instagram)

A day in the life of one Gay James Bond Parody. Complete with old MI6 Building.

Items are all bought, EXCEPT for the brooch. It's a cameo of Maraich and it was made by berahthraben.cosplay (Instagram). The cigarette is a prop (made people look whenever I just got it out of my pocket). The book title is 'The Boys Book of Spy Craft'.

[caption for the bench pics: wtf are they doing in there]

Bonus, he went to the theatre: (I made the cravat)

#Patalliro! #jack barbarossa bancoran #Bancoran #Patalliro #Jack Bancoran

[collecosplay]

Doki Doki Manchester - 9th and 10th September 2023

Saturday - Wei Wuxian as Yiling Patriarch (Mo Dao Zu Shi / Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation) - handmade

Sunday - Jack Barbarossa Bancoran (Patalliro!) - closet cosplay but holy hell did I hunt for that shirt

This was the final Doki Doki! I'm going to miss this event, as they always had a cultural based programme with talks, demonstrations, films, and games to go with the merch and artist stalls. They even had an after party at a nearby pub.

Doki Doki Festival was an independent charity event for Aid for Japan. As the children they supported after the March 2011 Tsunami have grown up, they have achieved their goal in supporting them into adulthood and will no longer be organising this event.

The venue was a gym. It was boiling hot, but we had a lot of fun. Loved the contrast of being asked for a lot of photos as Wei Wuxian and not even receiving a single acknowledgement of my existence as Bancoran. But that's OK. It's probably for the best.

The professional photos taken with the grey background were taken by www.kevinpack.com, with permission to post.

Disclaimers: The cigarette is a prop, the Work Out sign is an inside joke for the MDZS fandom, and please drink responsibly

#Mo Dao Zu Shi #wei wuxian #Patalliro! #Jack Barbarossa Bancoran #Doki Doki Festival #uk conventions #colle's work

[collecosplay]

Comic Con 2023 Huddersfield Tour [4K] Cosplay Convention Video

(22.07.2023) I get interviewed at 10:40 >.<

The teeth are plastic, but I think he misunderstood, they are just not the halloween-shop cheap ones. They are the Lady Fangs by Scarecrow. You need to mould them to your own teeth initially and then I also add a type of dental adhesive so they definitely don't fall out. I've had them for a very long time now (I do clean them).

Ears are by Madhouse FX, based in Spain. They are very good, but they only take group orders.

I don't remember where I got my geta from... I could dig it out if people want to know.

And I know about the 3 original episodes featured in Ayakashi: Samurai Horror Tales, I just wanted to keep it as simple as possible.

It's weird to hear your own voice.

#huddersfield #Huddersfield Comic Con #Cosplay Convention Video #uk cosplay #uk conventions #Youtube

[collecosplay]

The Medicine Peddler (Kusuriuri) - 'Mononoke' (2007)

22.07.2023

Just a few more pictures of myself that I liked. All were taken on selfie settings on a tripod.

I would have liked more dynamic poses, but the floor was uneven and I was afraid the geta would break my ankles. Didn't want to go to A&E on a Saturday evening in full cosplay.

#mononoke 2007 #mononoke #kusuriuri #kusuriuri cosplay

[collecosplay]

The Medicine Peddler (Kusuriuri) - 'Mononoke' (2007)

22.07.23

He won the Huddersfield Comic Con cosplay contest! It's a small con that I hope will grow in future. They have local traders, artists, UK media guests, and cars from various franchises.

I made Kusuriuri a few years ago now and he is always a joy to wear. I tie the obi in a tateya musubi style and this time I got it to hold all day! He is mostly made from curtains found in charity shops.

I use my wigs for other characters, so I never style them in a way that I can't reuse them. The sacred sword is made from layers of foam board stuck together and sanded down into shape with an aluminium foil head, covered in thermo plastic to shape the face and stick the hair in place.

I took most of these pics after the con in a little wood for atmosphere.

Because I was asked by several people:

Ears - Madhouse FX, Spain -> Lavender Ears

Teeth - Scarecrow Fangs -> Lady Fangs

#kusuriuri #mononoke #mononoke 2007 #Kusuriuri cosplay

[collecosplay]

Olruggio, from ‘Witch Hat Atelier’ by Kamome Shirahama

 24.06.2023, with Mini Beladruit!

Photos, Cosplay, and Beldaruit doll made by me, Colle.

Like all Olruggio cosplayers, it took a while for me to decide where to put his tassels. The beard was ventilated using toupee lace and leftover wig hair. It’s essentially crochet on a smaller scale.

I keep the hat on my head with buttons sewn onto the wig and loops on the hat, but sometimes you end accidentally up posing like a fashion model to put the hat back in place XD

#Witch Hat Atelier #tongari boushi no atelier #Olruggio #olruggio cosplay #Beldaruit

[collecosplay]

I've been nervous about posting WIPs because I've been working at a much slower pace than pre-pandemic, but my aim it to have a fancy OVA Daryun as in Sachiko Kamimura's artbook ready for Thoughtbubble 2023 in Harrogate (UK) in November.

This is my first time working with foam and Worbla to make armour and I can say with confidence that working with fabrics is still my favourite method for cosplaying lol

#arslan senki #the heroic legend of arslan #Daryun #Cosplay

[collecosplay]

Guiscard as a soldier

02.01.2020, in a little forest near my hometown, Germany

Photos and doggos: Bally_2091 on Instagram~ (thank you!)

Inspired by あかこっこ's fanart (Pixiv user 6441597).

I don't wear this cosplay like this in public because I'm aware that the two-barred cross used for the fictional Lusitania on his back is a real religious and heraldic symbol. But this is the canon design the author Yoshiki Tanaka had in mind and I think it's part of his character, so I didn't want to leave it out.

I do like the idea of action!Guiscard, I like to think that he actually spent a little time with the troops before of course taking on more managerial responsibilities. He picked up a sword against Andragoras, so he must have some degree of training... (look, he tried, OK?)

#The Heroic Legend of Arslan #Arslan Senki #Guiscard

[collecosplay]

“I do no worship gods - I AM god!” - Xie Lian

Xie Lian from Heaven Official’s Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu

Photography and Edits by @jairawolf (Instagram)

Externsteine, Germany, December 2019

I love the Incorruptible Chastity Meatball scene.

I don’t have a sword because I still need to make one and it wouldn’t have fit in the suitcase ^^; Hence the flower prop for this shoot. The ring is a quartz ring I bought at a medieval market and I added a touch of blue after seeing the PV for the upcoming donghua.

Thank you to Jairawolf for a great day, showing my around the area, climbing around to take amazing shots, and coming to my rescue with back up bandages. I was on the train when I realised I had left mine at home! Usually my bandages are not actual bandages but non-elastic cotton strips I can open up for safety - especially the one around the neck. In this photoshoot they are actual bandages, but we were careful to leave breathing space. San Lang really did save me again!

#xie lian #heaven official's blessing #tian guan ci fu

[collecosplay]

YCC Cosplay Ball 2019 - Cosplay Music Video

YCC Cosplay Ball, 22.09.2019, Sheffield, UK

Video by Parsley Leaves

Me, Colle as Wei WuXian

@berahthraben as Lan Wangji

Oh wow, we open up the video as Wei WuXian and Lan Wangji from Mo Dao Zu Shi aka Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation!

Although the Yorkshire Cosplay Con Cosplay Ball feels more like a mini-con to me with all of their activities than a dance-focussed event, I had a lovely day.

Taking place in a hotel the bar is open, so you can purchase food and drinks easily. There are several competitions to take part in (cosplay, art, dance, couples challenge, talent show...), plus they have a few vendors, video games, and panels to interact with.

Dancing-wise the music tends to switch a lot between novelty songs, so it’s hard to settle into a dance. The dance floor is not always free as some competitions will use the space throughout the day. I can see why it’s called a Ball, but I would say dancing is not the main focus of this event.

As a whole it’s a more social event than a large con, designed to offer various activities. It’s easy to talk to people and the dress code that encourages more formal attire lets you see some amazing cosplays, as you can see in the video!

[[Had this in my drafts~]]

#wei wuxian #mo dao zu shi #YCC Cosplay Ball #Cosplay ball #lan wangji

[collecosplay]

Guiscard in the Forest before he had to leave for Pars 

(with cloak)

02.01.2020, in a little forest near my hometown, Germany

Photos and doggos: Bally_2091 on Instagram~ (thank you!)

I didn't have proper photos of this cosplay yet. I have a soft spot for Guiscard because most of the time he doesn't want to be doing paperwork.

This cosplay always smells like Mastix for me because that’s how I glue the beard on. It’s made from latex milk and bits of wool, but it does its job.

So Majestic

#Arslan Senki #The Heroic Legend of Arslan #Guiscard #Colle's Work

[collecosplay]

Xie Lian at the Mahou no Yoru Cosplay Ball 2019

14.12.2019, in Schwerte, Germany

Photo on throne: Jairawolf on Instagram (my Hua Cheng)

Series: Heaven Official’s Blessing / Tian Guan Ci Fu

One bedsheet and a voile curtain picked up in the sale = an IC outfit for the scrap god. Though I added a bit of blue after the donghua PV was released, while the earring(s) as well as the mask were just for the ball. In the end, I didn’t want to look too shabby for the very ornate San Lang and the dresscode.

With the type of ticket we had, we got in earlier to take part in dance workshops for medieval, standard, and Latin dances which I really appreciate. The balls in Germany are very good at picking out music from shows, films, and general pop culture that you can dance these dances to (and towards the end, please all rise for the German National Anthem Digimon Adventure Opening Theme)

Mahou no Yoru has great photographers at little scenery stations and I can’t wait to see and show you the results~ This Christmas event also offers a 3 course buffet, live performances by the dedicated organising team, and a Santa visit, too.

I’ve met some really kind people there, who even drove San Lang and me back to the hotel when a taxi ride following a diversion would have cost us a lot more than expected. 

I hope to see you at the Dokomi Ball in summer 2020!

#Xie Lian #Heaven Official's Blessing #Tian Guan Ci Fu #mahou no yoru

[collecosplay]

Merrill, Dragon Age II

Murton Park, Yorkshire Museum of Farming, York, UK

23rd November 2019

Photos by @berahthraben

Cat is the charming site cat, Morgana~

I made Merrill for a Dragon Age fan shoot, so hopefully I can add more pictures later! Despite the rain and cold, I had a fun time and I think we all got some great photos out of it.

I only had about 3 weeks to make her and join in, but luckily I had some leftover fabric from Mablung, some fur gifted to me by Berahthraben, and the idea to make the chainmail out of some sparkly tights.

If the weather had been better I would have considered sandals, but it just wasn’t possible~~

#Merrill #Dragon Age #dragon age ii #Elf Mage

[collecosplay]

Lt. Darian zur Börde staying at her cousin’s manor

OC: Riots & Revolutions LARP character

Location: Tatton Park, UK, 01.09.2019

Photography: @berahthraben and @maliex

Riots and Revoloutions is a UK based LARP set in an alternate timeline of late 18th Century Britain. 

Darian is Prussian, but is a lieutenant in the EIC as in this timeline they allow women to be part of the army. On leave due to a wound received in battle, she was visiting her cousin Mister Gabriel StJohn, here owner of Tatton Park, when E1 took place.

(Note: These are just photos we took at Tatton, the event itself was held in a boarding school)

E2 is aimed to take place towards the end of 2020. The Facebook page for this game is named: Riots and Revolutions LRP

#Tatton Park #Riots and Revolutions LRP #UK LARP #18th century LARP #LARP #Darian