I am trying on my clothes for the upcoming spring masquerade so that everything is ready, and my sambos are trying on their dresses. Jane and Iselin take turns taking photos of each other and the others with the mobile phones and showing how they look from different angles. I am a very fortunate man.

It is a masquerade, which means cloaks with hoods, and the hoods also protects hair and so on if it rains. Our special cloaks are reversible, so one side is to distinguish us and attract attention, while the other side is discreetly green to more or less blend in with others and be less visible in nature. Cloaks and hoods are very common according to Haera, because the venue and feast halls are basically unheated, and people move in and out through open doors. It tends to get warm enough anyway in the sun or if most of the exterior doors close, with so many people and lots of lit chandeliers and candlesticks. But April can be cold and snowy, just as it can be 20C and sunny. The weather is especially crucial for women, as low necklines and cleavage exposure is common in warmer weather. Haera has described how some women wear dresses with wide circular necklines where the dress barely rests on the shoulders, while others have V-necks, perhaps with lacing. Some show no cleavage at all and have high collars. It depends a lot on the woman or her husband's taste, the woman's bust and general appearance, as well as religion and social norms where they come from.

But a mask and veil that at least covers the eyes and hides identity, and being in another country with less strict laws and social norms, gives you the opportunity to be daring, and if it's warm, some women wear dresses with lots of lace and frills, and nipples may be visible through it. If the weather is cold, it is more common to wear an elegant long-sleeved dress or tunic under a thinner dress with an open neckline or lots of lace. Simply elegant and expensive layer upon elegant expensive layer, and there will be plenty of other feasts and more private-exclusive events during the week, some mostly indoors, some completely outdoors, including a tournament, and it is a Queendom, so of course women and men want and should have options. My sambos' dresses are clearly inspired by Jane and modern Midgård, and they will need to wear two layers if it is cold.

"So, how do we look?" Iselin, Jane, Ciara and Caecilia pose for me.

"Absolutely fabulous! You look stunning, and I'm happy that you are my women."

Ciara gives me a pleased hug and a kiss while Jane replies: "Good! Because that's the idea! This is also a declaration of war to other women at that masquerade, that unless they're as hot as us, they should know their place and shouldn't even bother flirting with you!"

I am happy to respond to their kisses, and Jane doesn't need to tell me that I should avoid ogling other women at the masquerade, or other social events we might end up at.

It's fun to see Alith, Bodil, Hillevi, Gunhild and Elvira dressed up in party dresses for the first time, and honestly, Alith and Elvira are on a whole other level than what they usually wear, or even wore during the wedding feast, and Hillevi looks very good too. But everyone looks good, and some clearly enjoy wearing something pretty and quite expensive. If our group don't attract a lot of attention when we make our entrance, I'll eat one of my socks. Especially considering how well our bodyguards will blend in.

In that special party dress, the first thought is not that Alith is a bodyguard, and I commend Jane and the bodyguards for how good and exclusive they have made it look. The bodyguards are happy with the good mobility and how the dress and body armour jacket feel on the body. You don't really notice the specially adapted and tailored body armour 'jacket' underneath, and the colours and patterns on the dress look festive and elegant, but the dresses will not stand out too much in nature.

There are two designs of body armour jackets, and both designs are designed to be a high-necked, close-fitting short-sleeved 'jacket', with a decorated outside and collar, but basically brigandine or coat of plates, i.e. with metal plates. The jacket provides at least some protection for the torso, hips and optional arms, and is elegant enough that they can wear it on the outside if needed, without it shouting 'armour' like chain mail or Thyra or Laugs steel harness does.

One design is basically what I remember to be the historic 'jack of plate', that is two layers of leather with overlapping metal segments sewn between the leather layers, with many layers of linen fabric on the inside, since that should be better penetration protection than felt. Silk would probably be even better, but that is very expensive if we even find it. The other design is pretty much the same, but two-layer 'separate' outer leather and inner linen jackets where each has flapped pockets-pouches for large metal plates on the 'inside', where the inner garment have mostly overlapping pockets, but the outer jackets pockets placement is designed to really overlap when the outer and inner jackets are worn or lashed together. The whole point of that design is that it can quite easily be taken apart to outer and inner jacket plus lining, which can have the plates removed and be properly washed, or even be worn separately. The inner jacket-shirt look a bit like a discretely segmented or brigandine armour, but better shaped plates will improved that, and wearing something on top will hide that look. Even modern Midgård body armour is kind of obvious unless something is worn on top.

I suspect that the wearer will sweat in any of the body armours, and moisture and salt will make the steel plates in the 'jack of plate' rust like hell, and can't really be washed either, and that will eventually be a nasty smelly discoloured armour. The second designs plates are also larger, and partially shaped to the person wearing the armour and the plates location, instead of pretty much all being the same size and shape, and that sure makes the armour fit better on a woman with Alith's curves, and should protect the spine better too. These armours have simple iron plates in the pockets so they're usable, but another benefit is that we can make the plates by ourselves for best fit, with best steel and proper hardening, with thickness we decide after testing, that might change thickness for different locations and front-back. We will even paint or plate them with something to resist corrosion, probably zinc or gold. The plates in 'jack of plate' will rub against each other, but this design puts each in a cloth pocket and won't until worn through. Beside naturally domed to fit, we can try slightly domed plates to better resist hits, and adding thin ceramic plates behind the thin hardened steel plate in the outer layer, or in the front of the metal on the inner 'jacket', and without any craftsman-craftswoman knowing that. If the plates break or gets damaged, it's easy to take apart and replace.

I have explained a little about modern body armour against firearms with Kevlar and ceramic plates, and Alith wants us to try something, and with this special two-layer jacket we can. Even though we may never need it, it would be reassuring to have something that helps. We cannot make Kevlar aramid or similar synthetic materials, but we can try different types of ceramics to see if any are useful enough. If we encounter firearms, it will probably be shotgun pellets or 11 to 17 mm round soft lead balls at 250-450 m/s, not high-velocity 7.62 mm steel-core rifle bullets. That makes an incredible difference when it comes to penetration protection, impact distribution, and splinter absorption. Of course, we will also test hardened steel of various thicknesses. I did order a square-ish piece of each armour jacket design to experiment with since I want to know how good the armour will be against blows, stabs, strikes, arrows and muskets.

Regardless of what happens, body armour is always a balance between bulkiness and weight, and what it protects against. Leather. Hardened leather. Thick padding. Chain mail. Metal plates. Everything has its pros and cons, and we are more likely to encounter swords, axes, arrows, bolts, daggers, hammers and such than high power firearms designed to penetrate. It also doesn't matter how good our body armour is if we are hit by a cannonball. Then there is distance. A pistol at 1 meter is likely, and so is a musket at 20 to 50 meters. A musket at 10 meters is a big difference from one at 100 meters. From what I have been able to test with sound and recording, it appears that a musket with a supersonic round ball has already lost 60% of its energy at 100 meters, which is significantly faster than I expected. However, it is still a damn dangerous projectile that can have 1000 joules simply due to large calibre and weight, but then there is the accuracy at longer distances, and no sights on most muskets, and fouling, and combined that kind of explain why longer range shooting with muskets lines was seen as wasting ammo and dumb even during the Napoleonic era. Rifling, minie ball and such changed that, but that is not what normal infantry had.

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Still, a large muzzle-loaded musket that needs support and fires a really powerful charge is a concern, because you can make 4000-6000 joule black powder muskets. As long as the barrel can withstand the force of the powder charge, handmade muzzle loading black powder weapons are not limited by the performance of a particular cartridge calibre, because you can just pour in a little more black powder before the ball is rammed in place. In fact, larger diameter bullets and thicker barrels are easier to manufacture than something with a fine calibre and light weight, and will have more energy at longer ranges.

Then there is also the issue that no matter how good protection the jacket gives, that is just a part of the whole body, and most crucially the head needs a helmet, but that can't always be worn. Both body armour jacket designs have similar and removable upper arms with less overlapping plates on the arms outside, but not the inside, and the armpits are not covered either, but the arm and shoulder is free to move without looking heavily armoured or making metal noises. It seems to work well enough, but changing to chain mail is an option. The also removable forearms will have long steel plate inserted on the outside so that the arms can be used to emergency parry with. Olafr will also forge daggers or shorter throwing spikes that can be hidden along the forearms if some long-sleeved garment is used on top, he just has to finish other things first. Both designs have a couple of hidden holsters, including a back holster for a short sword or tomahawk.

The bodyguards' dresses are designed to allow access and be able to draw from to the special holster on the back of the body armour, which can hold a short sword or tomahawk, which the bodyguards' cloaks will then help to conceal, but slightly 'airy' fluffy dresses with frills on the outside and none of it is visible, and that includes F-S style combat dagger or a small sai-like stiletto dagger along the leg in their special thigh holsters. If it is an emergency and the skirt part of the bodyguards dresses gets in the way, it can be quickly removed by undoing a hidden button and pulling out a leather belt under the wider decorative waistband, revealing proper trousers underneath, with thigh holsters and pockets. Jane loves that detail and that it actually works, and that Alith also carries four longer and heavier throwing spikes and, of course, a regular knife.

After what happened, snide comments about Alith's fondness for carrying many weapons have almost disappeared, and a hidden tomahawk or short sword along the thigh or back, plus a telescopic baton and F-S combat dagger or longer stiletto dagger, seem to be becoming standard accessories for our bodyguards in dresses. Normal swords are simply too long to both carry and draw, and the dresses are designed so that, in addition to access to the back holster, there are also a couple of hidden pockets and slits, and it should be possible to fairly quickly draw the short sword or similar from a leg holster, which will be adapted to lie flatter against the hip and leg. What is carried on the back is concealed by a cloak, hood and hair, although a potential problem is that a cloak cannot always be worn. However, discreet weapons are often good enough, especially when carried by beautiful women. A properly plated and buttoned up armour jacket eliminate 'distraction by cleavage', but they can remove the armour plate covering the middle and the throat, and fold that piece away to get a narrow cleavage and look stylish, and they are right that a narrow cleavage won't be that much of a risk. There are far easier ways to wound them, like the whole head.

Longer, heavier throwing spikes that are thrown without rotation seem to be fairly practical for combat, and most bodyguards practise throwing for distraction and damage, and to use as stabbing weapons or using the butt as a blunt tool, although Alith and Ryla practise the most. Thrown, the penetration is quite good against unarmoured targets, but throwing spikes are a short-range weapon for about 2 to 7 meters, although Alith has shown that she can hit targets at longer ranges of 15 to 20 meters. One potential use for lobbing from longer distances is to get the enemy to raise a shield, and then someone else use a bow to shoot under the shield at stomach or legs, or use another throwing spike. Sure, we might generally have firearms that can shoot through normal wood shields, but other future warriors or such might not have that.

Another thing is that we now have a lot of chain mail, so there is already discussion about whether it would be better for the bodyguards to wear custom-fit chain mail under their dresses instead of the body armour jacket, or on top of it. Chain mail is more flexible and probably provides better protection against certain threats, and can cover more of the body. They sure don't care about the weight. Alith will try a custom fitted short sleeved chain mail jacket to see how it fits, how it looks, how it sounds and how it feels to move in, and she might be laced into the chain mail. However, the lacing can be done on one side so she can do it herself, or on the back if there is no other option. They will sew a section that imitates the body armour jacket and try out how that protection compares to regular chain mail and leather. Stabbing weapons, throwing spikes, arrows, swords and finally a pump-action GYPS1.

I have had a similar two-part body armour jacket made, but one that is considerably more elegantly made and more decorated on the outside and collar and buttons. There has apparently been a lot of discussion in recent months between Iselin, Kari, Ciara, Jane, Caecilia, Alith and Gunhild, who have weighed the pros and cons of protection, elegance and showing hairy body parts, with the complication that I sweat a lot. As I often wear short sleeves or roll up my sleeves, the compromise is that I can do so if it is done elegantly, so in addition to my body armour jacket not having attached forearms, one of my new elegant jackets and two shirts have been given sleeves with a specific loop and button for rolling up, as some modern shirts have.

Considering what has happened, right now there is no longer any question that I won't wear the body armour jacket or chain mail during our Reiekrône visit, but the most elegant chain mail I have has arms, and reach halfway down my thighs. We might need something more discrete. Which will be extra warm and sweaty as I need to wear at least a thin padded layer underneath. The body armour jacket will also be a sweaty nightmare if it gets hot, but such is life, and at least it feels perfectly fine in terms of comfort and weight distribution. Can I have elongated ventilation holes made in the padding shirt under the chain mail? It should be comfortable enough and cooler than something that covers everything. Might have to consider making a new under piece for the two-layer body armour with something like, or a mesh like structure. Sure, it will decrease protection a bit, but as long as those holes are under the larger plates, it might be worth it. Overheating and sweating like hell isn't combat efficient, and it's not like I plan to go into combat with that armour.

The problem with visible body armour is that an enemy just have to aim for the head, neck and other body parts, and just a deep cut in the wrist and such might make me bleed out, and will be a grievous wound with huge future consequences. I dislike using gloves, but it might be cold, and it's not bad to have some elegant cloves available, especially with some hidden wrist protection. Showing up in a full helmet is obviously not acceptable, but after what happened, at least a face mask made of gold-plated hardened steel will be manufactured for me to test. I will sweat even with a fabric face mask, and at least solid metal is easy to wipe off as it won't get soaked in sweat. Jane has suggested a mask on a stick, and two different masks at each end of that stick, so I can switch, but it will just be tedious and annoying to have to hold it all the time, and I want my hands free. But I too remember Heath Ledger's mask in the movie 'Casanova'. However, we will bring alternative masks with us. It has already been decided to make an extra cloak, where they will try to hide some chain mail in the hood of the cloak. If I have a the body armour jacket or chain mail jacket, it covers the most important parts of my body, and usually the hood is not up and the rest of the cloak is airy and movable.

During the masquerade, the plan have been for me to carry my sword, my folding knife, my multi-tool and my boomstick, as well as an MB belt, but I might leave my boomstick and just carry the RY1 air revolver on my lower back or hip. Sure, the boomsticks first shot is probably more powerful, and I can parry with it, and it got a dagger and tear gas, but I don't like carrying it. I like my hands free. Alith loves that I have my Boomstick, and its features. Maybe I should make a new version that is an air gun and can hold a small magazine of 3+ shots. Better than one shot and then reloading, and with the longer barrel and such, it should be more powerful than RY1.

I'll also have to try to build a more discreet firearm for Alith, but she really wants a RY1 air revolver. Most in my company want air revolvers, so many will be manufactured. They also want me to always have a radio nearby, and I prefer if my sambos have at least one too, so I need to build something compact. A walkie-talkie style handheld radio shouldn't be that difficult with Midgård parts and battery, but the antenna will be troublesome and will give the radio poor performance. But even a few hundred meters can be incredibly useful in a large, crowded feast complex or in a city, and I should be able to reach much further than that with a better antenna.

Caecilia will carry a discreet shoulder bag under her cloak, like she usually do, with a notebook, condoms, water bottle and a few other things, so it should be possible to hide an air revolver or flintlock pistol in her bag. Or make a new shoulder bag with an integrated quick draw holster pouch. Caecilia has said that I should take Ryla instead of her, as Ryla is better from a security perspective, which I understand, but Caecilia deserves to be seen and to experience the masquerade. However, it is a very good idea to prepare so that Ryla also has matching pretty clothes, a mask, body armour, etc, for the 'shit happens' factor. Ryla's height and bust makes it difficult for her to borrow clothes from others, especially clothes good to fight in, and she will probably need clothes like that so sooner or later. Similar applies to Agnes. The cost is acceptable.

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