All costume weapons will be inspected thoroughly by event staff before being allowed admittance into ExileCon and will be tagged once they are deemed okay. The tags should not be altered or removed from the item, or the weapon may be confiscated.
Below we have put together some guidelines on various costume weapons and effects that we might expect, and how they will need to comply in order to be admitted to ExileCon:
- Any costume weapons brought to ExileCon should not be in any way functional, and should also be lightweight and of an appropriate size.
- Oversized items are considered anything that will inconvenience other attendees, such as being difficult to move around, unable to turn without hitting someone, etc. If we determine an item is oversized it will not be permitted.
- All costume weapons and effects should not contain any live rounds, ammunition, or the ability to fire any kind of projectile (this includes anything akin to BB guns, nerf/airsoft weapons, etc.).
- Replica gun costume weapons are not permitted under any circumstances.
- Replica bow or crossbow costume weapons should not have a tensile string (making it possible to fire projectiles) or have no string at all. Any accompanying arrows should not have a head, or the head should be made of a soft substance and significantly blunt/rounded.
- Any costume weapons with a replica blade of any kind should not be made of metal and will have blunt rounded edges. This includes but is not limited to costume weapons made to replicate daggers, swords, axes, spears and lances.
- Metal costume weapons of any kind will not be allowed into the event - this may include weapons with metal parts, such as a wooden staff with a metal spear head on the top. We would consider this a weapon, and not a costume.
- Sharp costume weapons of any kind will not be allowed into the event, including sharpened blades, needles, or anything with a sharp point. As above, these are real weapons and not costumes.
- Large costume weapons should be made of an appropriate light-weight material. A replica Stone Hammer made of actual stone would be a real weapon, and incredibly heavy to carry all day - we would not allow this into the event. A replica Stone Hammer made of styrofoam and balsa wood would be much more appropriate for the event, and also safer.
- We will not be allowing stilts at ExileCon for Health and Safety reasons.
- If your costume is large you may not be permitted to sit in the allocated seating for the Keynote speeches on both days, and the closing talks on Sunday - we expect the theatre to be at capacity for these talks.
If your costume weapons do not meet these standards they will not be permitted into the event, or may be confiscated for collection at the end of the day. Please be prepared for the possibility that your costume weapon may not be permitted.
Please also consider your behaviour whilst in costume and carrying a costumed weapon - posing for "attack" photos with other attendees would be permitted. Actually wielding a replica Marohi Erqi at another attendee with any kind of force (even when it's made of foam) would not be permitted. Behaviour that our event staff considers to be dangerous or aggressive would result in being asked to leave the event.
