Head Coverings in Europe, 505 A.D.

OK, here's the situation. I'm playing Ars Magica, a role playing game set in medieval Europe. The year is 505, and I want to introduce a character who is a descendent of King Nisus of Megara:

http://www.online-mythology.com/nisus_scylla/

I want this character to wear a head covering of some sort at all times to hide the lock of purple hair he's inherited from his heroic ancestor, and I want him to have a good excuse to do so. As Sikhism and Islam do not yet exist, how can I justify this?

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
OK, here's the situation. I'm playing Ars Magica, a role playing game set in medieval Europe. The year is 505, and I want to introduce a character who is a descendent of King Nisus of Megara:

http://www.online-mythology.com/nisus_scylla/

I want this character to wear a head covering of some sort at all times to hide the lock of purple ...[text shortened]... to have a good excuse to do so. As Sikhism and Islam do not yet exist, how can I justify this?

Your character could:
1. Have a fractured skull
2. Be having a permanant bad hair day
3. Pretend to be bald and have a cold head
4. Have a wig as his head covering

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
OK, here's the situation. I'm playing Ars Magica, a role playing game set in medieval Europe. The year is 505, and I want to introduce a character who is a descendent of King Nisus of Megara:

http://www.online-mythology.com/nisus_scylla/

I want this character to wear a head covering of some sort at all times to hide the lock of purple ...[text shortened]... to have a good excuse to do so. As Sikhism and Islam do not yet exist, how can I justify this?

Could he simply shave his head?

Originally posted by The Plumber
Could he simply shave his head?

The point is that his lock of purple hair is essential to his heroic might, just like his ancestor Nisus. Nisus was like Sampson; his heroic invulnerability was dependent on having that lock of hair on his head.

4. Have a wig as his head covering

That's actually a fairly plausible idea. I'll think about it. I'd rather permanently have a turban or something for spiritual reasons though. It's just cooler that way.

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
OK, here's the situation. I'm playing Ars Magica, a role playing game set in medieval Europe. The year is 505, and I want to introduce a character who is a descendent of King Nisus of Megara:

http://www.online-mythology.com/nisus_scylla/

I want this character to wear a head covering of some sort at all times to hide the lock of purple ...[text shortened]... to have a good excuse to do so. As Sikhism and Islam do not yet exist, how can I justify this?

Maybe he comes from a desert, and always wears the customary clothing of his tribe? AFAIK Tuaregs, Bedouin etc wore clothing that covered most of the head long before the arrival of Islam, in order to protect themselves from sun, sand and even cold conditions at night.

Originally posted by Acolyte
Maybe he comes from a desert, and always wears the customary clothing of his tribe? AFAIK Tuaregs, Bedouin etc wore clothing that covered most of the head long before the arrival of Islam, in order to protect themselves from sun, sand and even cold conditions at night.

That's a possibility; though it would seem as though such people would normally stop wearing those clothes if they wandered to England (which is where the game is set).

Originally posted by AThousandYoung
OK, here's the situation. I'm playing Ars Magica, a role playing game set in medieval Europe. The year is 505, and I want to introduce a character who is a descendent of King Nisus of Megara:

[i]http://www.online-mythology.com ...[text shortened]... o. As Sikhism and Islam do not yet exist, how can I justify this?

There is a story about one of his former deeds. However, nobody knows who the hero of his story is, except that he has the lost purple lock of Nisus. He wears a head covering to avoid being recognized as the hero of that story.