Note: This is generally useful for any LARP, but I am focused on SCA/GLG for these posts.

The Process of (re)Inventing Yourself

Building a Persona for SCA/GLG, e.v. is not as simple as just picking a name that sounds like Glorfindel the Obscure and putting on a cotton/polyester blend tunic, but it is close. There is a process that ensures your persona meets certain historical requirements. At minimum a Persona needs:

To be modeled after a culture known to Western Europe before the 17th Century (1600 C.E.)
Have a name that is appropriate to the time period, language, and society of that culture
Have a career path (Personas are generally considered Gentry by default, so this can be anything)
Have an outfit of clothing (Garb) appropriate to the time period and culture chosen
Have a basic feast kit for the time period and culture chosen (Plate, Bowl, Cup, Cutlery)

Beyond that, everything is gravy (as it were).

The general process, however, can be broken down like building a character in a roleplaying game, but you know your race will be Human.

Picking an Era
- The first step in the process is picking what era of history your persona lived in. This can be driven by an era you already know you like, or by doing a comprehensive review of historical eras to find one you want to go with.
- For your first persona, picking an era you already know you like is a good choice.
Picking a Culture
- The second step in the process is choosing what culture your persona lived in. Again, this can be driven by a culture you already know you like from the era you have chosen.
- For this step I do recommend doing some research into the culture to make sure it was relevant for the era. For instance, you might want your persona to have lived in the early middle ages, but you have a fascination for the Musketeers of France. This will cause some problems because French culture before 1066 was very different from French culture in 1622.
Picking your Name
- Now that you know what culture and era you came from, it is possible to come to a list of names that would be appropriate for your persona.
- It is important to pick a name that:
  1. We have historical reference for, because the local and Kingdom Heralds will check
  2. Is appropriate for your culture
- One good example I read is that it would be a poor choice to have a Chinese Consort named Sven Larsson.
Choosing a Profession
- What you did with your life is very important in this era. It may even have an impact on your name as, in many cultures, individuals only had given names. This means that when trying to distinguish Culthbert from Culthbert one might say Culthbert the Smith, and Culthbert the Farmer.
- This will also help you determine what kind of garb and gear you may have access to. A farmer would likely show up to militia muster with a spear and axe, while a blacksmith or minor noble might show up with a sword and shield.
- At this point in the process, you have done just about all you can do to create your persona without getting out and either purchasing or doing some DIY to build out your kit. The following sections cover that aspect and may or may never be fleshed out. If you have worked through Step 4, you should have enough to submit a persona to the court Heralds! Congratulations on your new Persona! Many Kingdoms and groups will have loaner gear that will let you get started at this point.
Choosing your Garb
- Now comes the fun: Dressing the part.
- Take some time here to plan out what you want to look like based on your era, culture, and profession.
- Keep in mind to try to use Period-appropriate materials as well as designs
- Try and avoid modern materials, but appearance is more important than construction for your first-time-out basic Garb
- There are Garb competitions where the judges will analyze the fabric material construction itself
Choosing your Gear
- With any outfit comes gear
- This is what kind of eating utensils and equipment you may have, weapons you may carry, camping equipment, etc.
- Sometimes, safety reasons and modern requirements may influence these decisions, but most things can be done in a period way
- At this point, you are kitted out and ready to go out to events!
Constant Growth
- From here, you can do anything. Write a biography, evolve your persona, start over and make a new one.
- Choosing Hobbies is a fun way to branch out your persona.

Starting Tips:

Some tips for new LARPers, SCAdians, and the like:

Start small.
- Make small steps so you can change. A good tunic is good for almost any era, so if you have a good plain weave tunic and decide to switch from the late 5th century to the 15th century, you have not lost your initial investment.
Set a Budget.
- Do not break the bank. The quickest way to kill a hobby is to spend more money than you have. Be responsible and plan out what you spend money on.
Do it yourself.
- I cannot express enough how much LARP, SCA, and the like are about learning how things were done. There is great joy in making an object with historical methods and tools.
- Sewing is a skill that is timeless, even if you never get past a simple stitch.