Vanguard Rillet Rapier

Marcel was a professional. His gloves felt like a fish had swallowed his hand, as the fabric was soaked with water from the unrelenting rain. His hat dripped, and the feather at the back dropped, dripping ice-cold water down the back of his neck. But Marcel didn’t move, as he was on the prowl. His target was a young nobleman who had insulted the Queen’s chambermaid. Marcel struck with viper-like speed as the young nobleman stumbled drunkenly from the tavern. By the time the alarm went up, he was long gone.

Epic Armoury's Rillet Rapier is part of the Vanguard line, taking its design cues from the rapiers of the Renaissance. Where most rapiers featured a thin blade, this is designed like the rapiers traditionally used for battle and war rather than the ornamental blades of the courts of Europe. The weapon guard is designed to protect both the top of the hand (like a normal crossguard) and the fingers like a normal basket hilt would. The handle is grooved to improve the wielder's grip, while the shape (or rain guard) is set inside the crossguard, with engravings to look like crawling vines. Similarly, the pommel has matching engravings around the globe to match the chappe. The blade is made from closed-cell polyurethane foam and coloured to look as lifelike as possible. Unlike most LARP weapons, the Vanguard line requires virtually no maintenance beyond checking for wear and tear in the form of cuts or breaks.