Heroic Dreams - All Things Medieval

Website and blog review

Being involved quite deeply in the medieval stuff and having a blog and several websites that are deeply involved in it means that I get a lot of email from shops and stores that sell renaissance and medieval clothing.

Now, this is great and it helps me to keep tabs on what is out there but for the most part none of them offer anything special. That is “for the most part”.

I got an email from one particular renaissance shop that also has a blog and I was really astonished at how good it really was.  The clothing and accessories are high quality and superbly made. I am not really into the clothing aspect of the Renaissance, medieval period or LARPing but their selection is really high quality. I like it.

And, To take this a bit further they obviously have a love of the whole arena and it shows in their blog. Here are some sample posts they have:

• Where to Go with Your Renaissance Costuming
• Allied Kingdom: Medieval Research with Joyce
• Waterproofing Your Footwear

Anyhoo, I am not affiliated with them in any way and I don’t know them but I very much approve of what they are doing. This is because we obviously share a passion here! So check them out:

Their Blog: http://blog.pearsonsrenaissanceshoppe.com/

Their website where you can see and buy some beautiful stuff: http://www.pearsonsrenaissanceshoppe.com/

That headline sounds a bit like reaching for the stars but…. there are some astonishing deals going on in eastern Europe right now. Of course there are plenty of wonderful castles to be had in France and Tuscany in Italy these tend to be pricey. But in eastern european countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and in particular East Germany there are a lot of amazing castles and manor houses that are available for practically a steal. They of course need work but isn’t that part of the fun of owning a castle? For me part of the work would be to add internet access and a large screen tv

So, How exactly do you buy and renovate a medieval european castle or manor house? Well, you go to the experts and I have an article here that was written for this blog and my medieval castle website by two such experts. Enjoy and let me know if you do buy a castle!
 
“FOR SALE”: Old Castles in Europe
by Helga van Horn and Stephen Ferrada

Castles are everywhere!…if you know where to find them. In Europe, East Germany to be precise, has become a kind of “Wal-Mart” for castle shopping…

Think “castles” and most Americans think Walt Disney towers, turrets and dungeons. There are a few of those still around but the bulk of castles and manor houses in Europe are baroque and either restored to perfection or falling down. Many are in-between, still habitable, and at prices most Americans can only dream about.

To refresh the memory, a short historical recap: Castles were traditionally built to defend and not to impress, particularly between the 12th and 16th century in Europe. From the mid 16th century on the Renaissance period introduced home comforts such as paned windows, fireplaces and ornamental details, followed again by the 18th century baroque period when towers and battlements gradually disappeared.

Instead of defense, prestige and elegance took over. Buildings adopting larger windows, wooden parquet flooring, tiled stoves for heating and on. An abundance of crests, coat of arms and many decorative highlights became evident, gardens and parks laid out in the English style incorporating lakes and fountains became all the rage. To be involved with building such a castle was clearly an emotionally challenging and creative experience for all concerned.

Later, into the 19th century, the desire to combine the romantic Renaissance architecture with “modern” convenience led to a flush of imitation “Neo-Gothic” designs. High turrets and towers flourished again, their popularity outstripping supply, even today.

Before deciding the type of castle one would like it is important to decide where it should be. France and Tuscany in Italy are still very popular locations although it must be said that the conveyancing procedures in France can be complicated and expensive while property in Italy (mostly manor houses rather than castles) are considerably more expensive than elsewhere in Europe.

2) The richest selection of castles and manor houses are to be found in the eastern states of former East Germany, followed by more eastern countries, like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and others.

It has been said that looking for castles in East Germany is equivalent to a small child in a candy store…the opportunities are rich indeed but great care is needed to make the right choice. This part of Europe is positively dripping in recent and not-so-recent history, bordering on the old Austro-Hungarian Empire with the great historic cities Prague, Vienna and Budapest within easy driving distance from any of the eastern Germany states.

After the end of WWII and the introduction of the communist “Land Reform” laws in 1945, virtually all private castles and manor houses were confiscated by the authorities for municipal purposes. The bare minimum in repairs were carried out over the 40 some years of the GDR (German Democratic Republic.) The situation worsening after the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the end of Communism. Many historical buildings were simply left standing empty and unattended for nearly 20 years, while others were sold to speculators in the early 1990´s who mostly did nothing to hinder further decay.

As a result many ancient castles and manor houses have suffered…but they are still standing and are serviceable, a credit to their original superb build quality. Combining solid condition with good location there are many “gems” to be had. Take the baroque 1685 built knight´s castle in the Saxon village of Klingenberg (www.poshjourneys.com). Selling price 40.000 US dollars, with a spiral sandstone staircase and magnificent rural views to die for…

Sure there are a few problems and it needs full restoration but 300.000 dollars could make it habitable (in part at least). A genuine baroque baronial residence for the price of a condo in an large American city!

Buying property in Germany could not be easier. Non-German nationals can buy property outright, conveyancing is straight-forward and reasonable. However…it is essential to have a knowledgeable consultant on hand, somebody familiar with the purchase procedures, who can help and advise about restoration plans and who speaks the language. The fees paid for such a person is worth every red cent spent!

Let´s face it…the dream of your very own castle or ancient manor house in Europe is a very seductive one. Yet it is only the fortunate few, with ample funds, who can avoid getting their hands dirty. For most of us some kind of…

3) …fixing-up is unavoidable. But problems with municipal services, historical building authorities, and countless other unforeseeable issues can create headaches for all buyers, with or without limitless funds…hence the need for a good and reliable consultant.

If you do decide to buy a “fixer-upper” it is vital to have the funds for the full purchase price lined up as well as the most urgent repairs which may require a professional contractor. German banks will not give loans to non-nationals. It is essential to budget for all the incidental expenses including daily living if you want to live in the castle yourself, as well as the likely on-going restoration costs. With careful planning a whole family could move into an unfinished building earlier than at first imagined.

In case financing is a problem why not team up with other “castle-fans” creating a partnership and pool resources to buy (and restore) the castle of your dreams? This way the purchase price and restoration costs can become surprisingly affordable. This writer, together with three partners, bought a castle near Leipzig in Saxony and has first hand experience of what is involved in buying and running it.

The author of this article, together with associate Manfred Pawlik (specialist in castle restoration) and Englishman Stephen Ferrada, both of whom have valuable experience related to buying and restoring historical property, have all bought their own dream properties in East Germany. The highs and lows of castle ownership, the tears and laughter, have all been experienced.

And there has never been a better time “to take the plunge”…the dollar hitting a two year high against the Euro recently.

For more details and pictures of castles that are for sale go to:

http://www.poshjourneys.com/castles_as_an_investment.htm

And if you are interested in medieval castles be sure to check out my website where I have everything about them including floor plans and more. Medieval Castles

 Karos Online - A Free MMORPG

There has been a lot of growth in the online gaming industry. And there are all kinds of choices we now have when it comes to these games. There is the straight up Warcrafts (which I used to play a lot) in which you pay a monthly subscription fee and get unlimited play.  And there have been some moderately interesting free MMORPG’s which have been very interesting.

But, what I really want is a free online MMORPG that has the look and feel of a paid game. And there is a game that has just came out that might fill this requirement. It is called Karos Online and it is pretty intriguing. They are following an interesting business plan that just might work.

The game is 100% free to play. So how do they make their money?

They make their money, it appears, by selling additional items that you can use in game.  And not only that but they have an interesting way of doing this. A lot of the items have time limits on them. For example: The game has fishing and mining so you can purchase a lucky fishing rod or a lucky mining pick. These lucky items, depending on which type you buy will have a chance to increase your yield. And they will last a certain period of time say 7 days or 30 days. It is an interesting concept in which you can shop in degrees. Spend a little to get a little extra; spend a little more and get more. You can even purchase items that will give you a 50% experience bonus toward leveling up. The potion only lasts an hour but you can buy them in quanitities.

This kind of set up is rather appealing to me. Why?

Because being an adult and having discretionary income I can improve my position in the game by spending a little money. And you have to consider something. There will be an awful lot of players that just play the free version. So if you are going to spend a little money you are going to have a marked advantage.

If you were to buy software for a new game how much would you spend? $50 or $60. That probably goes a long way in this game. And if you compare this to subscription games that you pay 10-20 a month well then I would imagine that 10-20 a month in this game would get you a nice advantage.

Getting in on the ground level

The game just launched in the US (April 9th) which means it is a wide open world and an opportunity to get into the forefront of things. I guess you could call it a land grab of sorts where the first in do have a distinct advantage.

Classes: They seem to have a nice assortment of the classes you would expect like paladins, healers, warrior types, tank types, rogue, sorceress etc.

I have more stuff including lots of screen shots on my website here: About Karos online

I am probably going to sign up and give this game a try. If I do, I will let you know how it is.

This is something that I dream about. How about an 12th century castle in France? Sound pretty good? It gets better. How about it being where Richard the Lionhearted lived? and is buried?

This castle is absolutely magnificent and, according to the sales website, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt considered it.  I guess it is in their price range.

A little bit about the Castle.

It was built in 1179 and it has seen a whole lot of history and action. It was destroyed and rebuilt a couple of times over the centuries and it played a role in the Crusades, the French Revolution, and the Hundred Years War.

Something quite beautiful about this castle is the way it has embraced and merged the past with the new. It still retains its heritage and its status as a historic momument with all the rustic charm that entails -yet it has been upgraded to all the modern amenities like a Theater, Jacuzzi, satellite TV, DSL, while still keeping a Chapel, Great Hall and more. It is currently being operated as a private hotel with 15 Guest bedrooms.

You can learn more about this castle by visiting the official sales website here: Montbrun Castle for sale You can also see more pictures, get more information and even see the floor plans.

I got an email from a cartoonist (gruhn) who has a website called webdonuts. He does daily single frame cartoons that are a real hoot and reminiscent of the old Gary Larson Far Side stuff - same kind of zany humor. Anyway he did a Medieval Comic that he thought I would like to share with my readers. He was right.

You can check out more webdonuts on his site at: Webdonuts.com