Andash draws its inspiration from Moorish Spain, The Near East, and Morocco. Strong influences of Sinbad, Arabian Knights and the heights of the Eastern-Roman Empire compliment this, creating an aesthetic built around flowing fabrics, curves, and bright colour. The varied natures of Andash provide texture to this styling, with the far-travelled nomads favouring harder wearing fabrics of linen and even wool, while the cityfolk of Obregon put more importance in style and statement with their kit favouring lighter fabrics such as silk. Even stranger are the varieties of heroic archetypes such as the sea-going Corsairs, the war-winning Jannissaries, and the history-preserving Wreathkeepers.
When putting together your Andashi kit, reflect on how much your character favours form over function, how this set of clothes and equipment might present themselves to new allies, but also to the harsh light of the sun and desert sands. Is it more important to your character to feel at home in the harshest environment? Or to look good while you're there?
Feel
Desert Wanderers, Vibrant Cityfolk, Light, Flowing, Wealthy, Ancient, Religious, Ornate, Bright, Colourful.
Influences
Morocco, Near East, Moorish Spain, Sinbad, the Mediterranean.
Materials
Silks, fine linen, chiffons, georgettes, cheesecloths, worn in loose layers.
Metals are almost always warm metals such as brass, bronze, or gold, with silver largely discarded, and steel or iron reserved for tools and weapons.
Leather, and heavy materials such as wool are rare when used as clothing as they weigh you down and keep heat trapped. Save for good boots, armour, or a belt, leather is rare.
Colours
Red, yellow, orange, bright blue and deep purple. Bright and warm colours that make a statement. Regardless of your colour scheme, it should be bold and striking. On the wide sands of the desert there is no sense in hiding when one can be seen for kilometres, and on the broad streets of Obregon, being seen is half the point! Muted and cool colours speak to a sadness in the person and sense of underhanded mistrust (why else would someone attempt to hide from your sight?!) Undyed and raw colours such as white, creams, and tans speak instead to poverty, someone who cannot afford dyes and good fabric is likely desperate or soon to perish in the desert or on the sea when their luck turns bad.
Clothing
Loose, layered, and light is the order of the day for Andash.
Base layers tend to be a light shirt, tunic or kaftan, ideally of linen or cotton. Pants come in a variety of forms, but all are big. 'Harem Pants' feel most at home in Andash, as do any other wide-legged, loose pant. Skirts and dresses follow a similar bent, with light fabrics, but not particularly ornate stylings. Atop this base layer you will often find light coats without much structure, really just a heavier version of their base tunic. Cloaks and capes favour multiple layers and wraps.
Headwraps and headscarves are very common for their ability to shelter the wearer and add more flash of colour, particularly if adorned with fine gold or jewelry. The tagelmust style is very common, but even a simple scarf over the head.
Hero Pieces
Headwraps, Headscarves, and Heads Up.
A headscarf immediately elevates any kit into feeling Andashi. A costume move so easy it is comparable to adding furs to an Iron Valley kit. It can be as easy as finding a colourful shemagh off the internet, or a silk scarf. The texture it adds provides layers, the colours help your kit pop, and the style evokes Andash. As an added option, a wrap placed around the brow of a helmet can turn many european-styled helmets into an Andashi style with ease.
Shine Bright
Warm metals help Andash stand out against other Realms. If you have the choice between gold and silver, pick gold. This also applies to jewelry, in that adding a bracelet or ring inset with rubies or amber can immitate the sun and add more warmth to your kit. If you're interested in a kit with bling and wealth, Andash is foremost.
No Such Thing as Clashing Patterns
Texture in an Andashi kit is not only physical, but also visual. Using a variety of different patterns, weaves, and styles can produce a varied kit that gives feelings of energy and creativity that Andash wants to embody. Don't be afraid of mixing different pieces or styles.
Desert Advantage
There are a handful of pieces of kit that are really only valid for Andash in many situations. Options such as short pants, sandals, and many kinds of jewelry such as ear chains really only suit Andash. Take this opportunity to wear these pieces to not only bring more Andash to your kit, but also to flaunt your individuality as a Realm.
Example Kits
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Common Mistakes
Bare Head at Your Peril
Headdresses and Headscarfs are not mandatory of Andashi, however they are the easiest way to make a kit definiably Andashi. It is ok to not include them, but beware that your kit may be more likely that your kit could be mistaken for another Realm. Make sure your shape, colours, and styling are still very much Andashi.
Less is Less
The harsh temperatures of Andash mean that you can get away with wearing less. But you have to make sure that your kit still feels Andashi, is appropriate for Summit, and meets the coverage requirements. A simple pair of brais and an orange poet shirt may meet the Andashi brief technically but it will just look lazy and half-finished.
Charity Shop Modernity
So much Andashi kit can be found at charity shops due to the populations from India and the Middle-East present in Australia. This is great and we encourage it, but just make sure you don't end up in a set of modern clothes that happen to be Arabic or Indian themed. Retain your fantastical elements through multiple layers, bright colours, and avoiding conservative styles.
Boho Woes
Many colour schemes and Andashi patterns are common in boho-chic stlyes common in the 1960s. While pieces of this styling are fine, make sure you don't end up too far, as you may appear particularly modern or particularly tacky. Make sure you include long flowing sections of cloth, and consistent colours, where boho-chic may attempt to overwhelm with a mess of colours, or simple garments.
Doesn't that belong to someone else?
The broad geographical influences for Andash may tempt your to particular pieces of kit that are already spoken for in other places of Concords world. In particular, be sure to avoid ancient Greek styles of dress and armour (common in Dendarr) and Imperial Roman styles of armour and dress (common in Central Artebazzan for ceremonial purposes).
Do Nots
The following items are not appropriate for Andashi kits:
- Any modern or historic religious iconography
- Headdresses particularly attached to any faith such as the Dastarr or Paag.
- Headwear outside of our time period, such as the Fez.
Weapons and Armour
Andashi warriors value a finely crafted piece of weapon and armour that does not unduly weigh down the wearer. Fine chain of small links, beautifully inlaid plate mail or lamellar is the call for heavier armour with intricately carved leather for light fighters. Mirror-Armour of the Near East is perfectly representative. Helms tend to be tall and incorporate chain or plates down the neck. They often also include patterns or a headwrap.
Shields are often large and circular like the Hoplon style of Greece or in stranger styles, cutouts are common and the personality of the warrior is often on display with its style.
Curves are common across all weapons, with Shashmir sabres or curved daggers revealing the skill of Andashi bladesmiths. Maces are uncommon, seen as a little too brutish, but an Andashi thug bucking the trend is hardly out of the question. However the Andashi at war are well known for the spear wielders, either in the form of fine glaive polearms or heavy spear and shield combinations.
Lighter warriors will tend towards leathers and smaller plate armour with the polearms remaining common. Andashi duelists armed with sabre and dagger can fence with the best of the Lerona Mere and should be considered very dangerous.
Andashi bows tend towards smaller recurve styles with hip quivers and jeweled ornamentation.
Particular pieces of armour or weapons that evoke the Andashi look and feel include: