Quick-Fire Community Questions
Round 7: Caleb Allen

For this round of Quick-Fire Community Questions, we invited Cosplayer Caleb Allen, the newest member of the AC Partnership Program.

Caleb as Ren Faulkner, the Scottish Assassin

Col: Hi there Caleb. Welcome to the series!  Please could you tell us about when you first start playing Assassin's Creed games, and which one is your favourite?

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Caleb: I first started playing AC when AC:III was released. I heard the hype surrounding it and decided to pick up the first game and go from there. I've been hooked ever since. My favorite game has switched over the years, but currently my favorite is AC: Origins. It's an amazing setting, with a great story and fluid gameplay.

Col: 

How long have you been cosplaying, and do you have any favourite Cosplayers?

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Caleb: I've been cosplaying for a year now, and a few of my favorite cosplayers are @appalachian_assassin and @annettabarbierithementor on Instagram. Both are fantastic people and they supported me when I first started cosplaying! 

Col: When creating Ren Faulkner, what was your main inspiration? 

Caleb: My inspiration stemmed from the lack of Scottish Assassins in the AC universe. The idea was just too cool to pass up, and I went with it.

Col: Did you use many reference images to aid you in the production of your Scottish costume? 

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Caleb: I only used a couple I found on deviantART, the rest came from my imagination. There's not many Scottish Assassins to be found online, so I went ahead and added to the roster.

Caleb as a Levantine Assassin during the Third Crusade

Col: How do you decide on a backstory for your characters, and are you looking forward to developing these further now that you're a member of the partnership program? 

Caleb: Absolutely! I love delving into the backstory of OCs. It's a fun challenge because I want to stay as historically accurate as possible, which is a bit hard since Ren Faulkner is a bit anachronistic. 

Col: How long does a cosplay project normally take from start to finish?

Caleb: That depends. A lot of my costumes I've gathered from performing in the Sarasota Medieval Fair, so I had the kilt and shirt already from 2015. But making cosplays from scratch can take a bit of time finding and/or making the right pieces.

Col: If Ubisoft were to include one of your characters in a future game, which one would you choose and why?

Caleb: A Scottish Assassin's Creed game set in 1314 with the War for Scottish Independence! You could meet historical figures like Robert the Bruce and Walter Stewart, and explore the moors and lochs of Scotland. It would be such an awesome game and would bring the series back to its medieval roots.

Col: Which is your favourite cosplay project you have done to date?

Caleb: Ren Faulkner! It's what started my page and I've had the most fun working on it.

Caleb as a Pirate Assassin

Col: How easy/difficult is it to make an Assassin costume? Were there any challenging details or processes involved in creating the finished product?

Caleb: With my three Assassin OCs so far, the most difficult was my Scottish one. Creating the look and putting together the leather pieces was a nice challenge. I think the shoulder belt was the hardest to get right. 

Col: Which part of one your cosplay projects are you most proud of?

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Caleb: The leatherwork I do for my cosplays is my strongest area. My favorite piece I've made is a full length scabbard for Ren's sword!

Col: Do you wear your costumes at events, and what is the general response to them?​

Caleb: I've worn several of my cosplays to renaissance festivals and events! I've gone to METROCON twice now with Ren and people have loved it!

Col: Do you have any future plans? 

Caleb: I want to make a Roman Assassin! Not Renaissance, but early Imperial Era. I was hyped for the rumors surrounding Ubisoft's next game, but since that's not happening anytime soon I want to make my own take on it!