This week we’re going to take a look at a piece that will be available very soon for magic enthusiasts everywhere.
Hrothgar’s Hoard, a high quality gaming accessory brand, was recommended to me by fellow board gamer, Kristen (IG: @blooming.boards). The company is launching a collection of custom wands in a Kickstarter campaign next week (10/02/2018) called Dragon-Slayer: RPG & Cosplay Wands. I was overjoyed to get in on the pre-launch excitement with this beautiful acrylic and hardwood wand.
As it happens, I had a couple of D&D sessions and a Hogwart’s wedding to attend, providing good action time to give her a spin. Thanks to emailed post office alerts, I knew the day that my wand would arrive and I waited anxiously for our mail carrier. At some point, I had to leave the house, but he waved me down and delivered the package directly into my eager hands…while my car idled in the middle of the street. Not kidding. Totally worth it.
As soon as I cut the packaging away, I could smell the amazing wooden display box. Full marks for presentation!
I popped the top and was instantly giddy at the velvety coloring in the wand’s shaft. I know very little of acrylic and the processes necessary for this type of prop work, and I was rightfully stunned. This wand is absolutely beautiful. Stills do not do her justice (she’s now an extension of my arm, so she gets to be a she). She is lighter than I expected overall, but the solid acrylic shaft is a noticeable counterpoint to the wooden handle. Due to this weight distribution, I found her to be a fantastic offensive wand–stick with me here. Imagine feeling the magic in the tip of your wand rather than your hand. Think of the way you might tap your pencil against a table versus the way you might tap the table with a spoon–not unbalanced, but there is a definite “business end” of the piece. Importantly, because of my two younglings, this is not an ideal wand for child-sized hands. The handle is not uncomfortably larger than my other wands, but is wider for a great reason.
Like a great dress, the wand has a pocket.
Hrothgar’s Hoard wands have compartments in the handle. This one came with a set of mini dice, but I can think of a number of fun secrets for my future magical adventures. For the Hogwart’s wedding, I slipped in a slender glass vile containing a Hippogriff feather–a super fun detail for Harry Potter fans. A wedding attendee remarked that an “adult-level” potion bottle would be a nice secret, but based upon the pocket size, one would not feel the effects of such a potion, so it is not recommended.
During our weekly D&D session via Roll20, I pulled out my new wand and flicked it around during an encounter. While props are really only for personal benefit in this online gaming situation, my wandless group humored me and that was enough. Again, the acrylic shaft is a great weight for power hungry players, and I could see this being very beneficial in a live-action setting.
Back to the beautifully crafted handle: For costumed individuals, specifically those who look to purchase standard size wand holsters and robes with wand pockets, please be aware that the handle is slightly larger than a generic wand. If you make your own wand carriers, you should be fine.
Based upon my experience playing with this beauty, Hrothgar’s Hoard Wands are a great fit for costumers, cosplayers, D&D magic casters (or their DMs who just like to point at people), and LARPers. For Potterheads, there will be great fun in customizing your wooden wand once the Kickstarter campaign goes live next week. Stock up on your dragon heartstring people!
Visit Hrothgar’s Hoard for your tabletop accessories and get in on this magic!
