Fafnir Bracers

Padded Protection: The Fafnir Bracers

One of the major difficulties with steel armor is the comfort factor. An armor piece can be protective and attractive, but may be uncomfortable to wear, especially if you’re using it for a LARP battle. However, these bracers have an ideal solution.

The bracers themselves are made up of two steel plates. The plate nearest to the wrist wraps around the shape of the arm, while the upper plate has corrugated detailing and is shaped from the elbow, which makes it both attractive and more stable.

These plates are riveted together and to two adjustable buckles, which allow you to ensure the fit is perfect for your arm. What makes this armor special, however, is that the steel is also securely riveting to a padded suede leather backing. This leather backing makes sure that you can comfortably wear these braces for far longer, even while moving around.

The bracers are available with either a polished steel finish, or a blackened finish. With these two choices, you have the option of playing an upstanding guard or soldier, or perhaps a more morally ambiguous warlord or rogue-like character. In any case, you’re sure to find these bracers perfect for any LARP event, re-enactment, or Cosplay.

If you’re after a complete suit of armor, it’s recommended to stick to the same set, as each piece is designed to fit together.

The Many Faces of Fafnir: The Norse Legend

In the late 13th century, the Icelandic Volsunga Saga tells the tale of a dwarf named Fafnir. Fafnir was a fierce warrior and the son of a Dwarf king, who clashed with the Gods when they inadvertently killed his brother. His brother had, admittedly, taken the form of an otter at the time. A modern jury would struggle with that case, for sure.

In any case, the Gods realised their mistake when they showed off their kill to Fafnir and his father, who reacted poorly, to say the least. They made amends in the form of a ransom of gold. Unfortunately, Loki was the one who gathered the gold, and he decided to gift them with cursed gold.

The gold would bring the death of whoever owned it. This took place when Fafnir, driven by greed, murdered his father and took the gold, before turning into a dragon to guard it. Dragons are much harder to kill than otters, apparently.

Still, Fafnir himself was slain by Sigurd, a Norse hero who was eventually murdered in turn.

In Wagner’s opera written some five hundred years later, Fafner was a giant who originally tried to kidnap a goddess before taking the hoard of treasure instead. He did, however, still murder a family member and turn into a dragon who had to be slain.

Even later, Tolkien may have used Fafnir as inspiration for some of his more famous dragons, such as Smaug and Glaurung.

Tech Specs

The technical specifications of the Fafnir Braces are as follows:

•         Material: 18 gauge steel with cowhide suede leather lining.
•         Colour: Polished steel or black.

The following measurements are approximate due to the handmade nature of this armor:

•         Length: 12.6 inches.
•         Top Width: 8.7 inches.
•         Bottom Width: 5.9 inches.