Forandiri..my kith and kin. Rangers...but not only that. I have a mind towards real world needs in extremis so this cannot all be fun and games.
As a Ranger Eledhwen has been to Far Harad, where the stars are strange...and East beyond the Sea of Rhûn to from whence came Wainriders.
I have a love of Central Asian Dance..and a fascination for Tribal Fusion dance..which can be interpreted and adapted in many different ways.
Eledhwen has seen a lot...as have I. Been around for a time.
So as real world things go something I have to consider is the very real possibility that someday we may indeed have to be wanderers. To that end I have looked into Rom style wagons ala the Wainriders, and foot and horse travel ala Central Asian cultures and to a degree, Great Plains Native Americans. Three items come from these as far as being able to live and move as survival may dictate; wagons, yurts or gers, and tipis.
A wagon requires outside motive power. In fact, they all do, but a wagon must have either a car, an ox, or some sort of horse or mule. Gers can be loaded onto carts hauled by people..or goats, or what have you. Tipis like gers. I have plans for transforming common utility trailers into Rom style wagons or wains if you prefer.
Yet....I am considering, strongly, the yurt. The tipi is nifty and is no question a fine shelter for all seasons...but the yurt appeals to me far more. Why? I am not sure. Perhaps because I have a fondness for things Central Asia...or maybe I do not wish to be yet another thief of the Native American's cultural heritage..although that doesn't really affect me much in this instance, to be honest. I am Dewin Arthes...aka Medicine Bear. That name was given me so I think it clear I haven't got a lot of hangups on that score.
Yet I love the horse cultures, and I have been in yurts often enough to be familiar with them. Tipis only once or twice. Shelter is vastly important to a nomad or wanderer so it must be portable...more or less.
I think it will be the yurt that I choose, despite the fairly recent yuppy induced bloom in prices and status implications they have.
Still some thinking to do on the matter, but that is where I am leaning.
Eledhwen
The Ranger-Harper of Minhiriath
Friday, January 13, 2012
Still going
I'm still hiking daily; Summit Road again today. Tough climb given conditions and weather, but exhilarating nonetheless. I've gotten better already; I made it to the usual turnaround in 30 minutes vice 45 from before. I need to lengthen the distance.
I may stand down tomorrow and do a flatland walk; one day out of seven perhaps, but we will see. I do not wish to overextend myself.
For these hikes I have used modern gear as I get back into trim; ALICE pack, cartridge belt, canteen, Ka-bar, poncho, firemaking gear, stove, lensatic compass...sometimes my camera, and modern clothing. Once I am more comfortable with the routes and in the walking and timing I will switch to Ranger kit and clothing.
Minimalist stuff in Winter is a serious challenge...but one worth pursuing. If I can hack that, I can hack pretty much anything. The one thing I cannot do, unless hunting in proper places, is go armed, more's the pity. It is a constant annoyance, the rules of this Commonwealth vis a vis weapons. You cannot legislate good behavior or safety. You can, however, punish hell out of those who violate same...only we don't. DUI man...seven offenses. Still driving and hurting folk. Just one example.
Anyway, I'm taking notes on the trails and bearings as I aim to update all the topo maps of the area; things change a lot between map runs and prints so if you want to know, really know, your area, this is the what must be done. And a Ranger ought to know their area of operations.
I watch for sign too, listen for animal life...now that my breathing isn't so loud. ;)
Weather has been ugly here but that has not stopped me. It will not. There is not a lot of time to get things done so I shan't waste a moment if I can help it.
Eledhwen
I may stand down tomorrow and do a flatland walk; one day out of seven perhaps, but we will see. I do not wish to overextend myself.
For these hikes I have used modern gear as I get back into trim; ALICE pack, cartridge belt, canteen, Ka-bar, poncho, firemaking gear, stove, lensatic compass...sometimes my camera, and modern clothing. Once I am more comfortable with the routes and in the walking and timing I will switch to Ranger kit and clothing.
Minimalist stuff in Winter is a serious challenge...but one worth pursuing. If I can hack that, I can hack pretty much anything. The one thing I cannot do, unless hunting in proper places, is go armed, more's the pity. It is a constant annoyance, the rules of this Commonwealth vis a vis weapons. You cannot legislate good behavior or safety. You can, however, punish hell out of those who violate same...only we don't. DUI man...seven offenses. Still driving and hurting folk. Just one example.
Anyway, I'm taking notes on the trails and bearings as I aim to update all the topo maps of the area; things change a lot between map runs and prints so if you want to know, really know, your area, this is the what must be done. And a Ranger ought to know their area of operations.
I watch for sign too, listen for animal life...now that my breathing isn't so loud. ;)
Weather has been ugly here but that has not stopped me. It will not. There is not a lot of time to get things done so I shan't waste a moment if I can help it.
Eledhwen
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sharpening Skills
North Mountain Road kicks ass. About twice as strenuous as Summit Road. O-o
More interesting though, is that there is a maze consisting of roads and trails winding all through there. A brilliant idea came to me; in the Corps we learned how to draw topo maps from measurements taken on the ground using pace counts and compass bearings with a bit of math. This is an awesome opportunity to do a number of things all at once; dust off the old cartography skills, sharpen orienteering skills, exercise naturally, and most importantly, updating old topo maps. By the time Summer proper rolls around I ought to have the entire Mt Toby area down like the back of my hand. I can do the same for the Pocumtuc area, the Pelham Dome proper, and then start working father afield. :) Keeping skills sharp, you bet.
I have been taking pics now and then as I ramble...soon I will put some of them up under 'Rhovannion' or some similar title.
This year's hunting license is in hand. :) Hunting commences at once. Hehehe. Rangering comes naturally.
It has been a long time since I felt so good, so healthy, so active...it is very pleasant indeed. So far, so good with the new program. Nifty part; I eat all day, essentially, but end up consuming less calories overall than I had been AND get more and better exercise in the form of forest rambles. :) Can't beat that with a stick!
At the moment I drive to the trailhead but it will not be long before that is no longer necessary. I will in time be able to hike to the trailhead and then hike the inner trails too....since there are several access points within pretty easy reach, I do not think it will take me long to achieve this and it will minimize the amount of people disturbed by my kit and clothing in the process. Here in the Commonwealth, that's a good thing.
Well, as long as the trailheads lead to Mt. Toby I'll be able to hike to them. Once I get out to the AT..the goal for the Summer, I *have* to drive to get there as it is a considerable distance to the West of us in the Berkshires proper. :)
We are supposed to get a couple of inches of snow tomorrow..first time this Winter. We shall see. I will be out in whatever it is anyway; a Ranger cannot count on good weather so must be comfortable in all sorts.
Practice, practice, practice. Keep those skills sharp!
Eledhwen
More interesting though, is that there is a maze consisting of roads and trails winding all through there. A brilliant idea came to me; in the Corps we learned how to draw topo maps from measurements taken on the ground using pace counts and compass bearings with a bit of math. This is an awesome opportunity to do a number of things all at once; dust off the old cartography skills, sharpen orienteering skills, exercise naturally, and most importantly, updating old topo maps. By the time Summer proper rolls around I ought to have the entire Mt Toby area down like the back of my hand. I can do the same for the Pocumtuc area, the Pelham Dome proper, and then start working father afield. :) Keeping skills sharp, you bet.
I have been taking pics now and then as I ramble...soon I will put some of them up under 'Rhovannion' or some similar title.
This year's hunting license is in hand. :) Hunting commences at once. Hehehe. Rangering comes naturally.
It has been a long time since I felt so good, so healthy, so active...it is very pleasant indeed. So far, so good with the new program. Nifty part; I eat all day, essentially, but end up consuming less calories overall than I had been AND get more and better exercise in the form of forest rambles. :) Can't beat that with a stick!
At the moment I drive to the trailhead but it will not be long before that is no longer necessary. I will in time be able to hike to the trailhead and then hike the inner trails too....since there are several access points within pretty easy reach, I do not think it will take me long to achieve this and it will minimize the amount of people disturbed by my kit and clothing in the process. Here in the Commonwealth, that's a good thing.
Well, as long as the trailheads lead to Mt. Toby I'll be able to hike to them. Once I get out to the AT..the goal for the Summer, I *have* to drive to get there as it is a considerable distance to the West of us in the Berkshires proper. :)
We are supposed to get a couple of inches of snow tomorrow..first time this Winter. We shall see. I will be out in whatever it is anyway; a Ranger cannot count on good weather so must be comfortable in all sorts.
Practice, practice, practice. Keep those skills sharp!
Eledhwen
Monday, January 9, 2012
Thoughts
I alluded to my being the fat broad previously, but also working on relieving myself of that particular title. ;)
I've come across a way I think will work for me. Combined from experimentation on my own and some things I heard an individual discussing, it consists mainly of eating five or six meals a day...about 200 calories give or take, each meal....which for me comes out to about every two hours or so. I do not eat anything at all after 1900 hours and I get to bed, or try to, around 2000, getting up around 0600 to get my son up for school. Added to this is exercise I like..and that consists of hiking. Today, for example, we walked a mile and half up Summit Road to Roaring Falls, then back again. It was in the 20s out and absolutely lovely for a walk. We took a few pics; one of the nifty things here in the Winter is that the water seeps from the various conglomerate stone facings and creates sheets of water and icicles, quite pretty.
So three miles, somewhere in the region of 1200 calories a day, give or take and adjustable for exercise, and plenty of sleep. It is early going yet but so far it has proven fairly easy to stick to...the hardest part seems to be remembering to eat every two hours instead of waiting longer. This whole exercise keeps the blood sugar levels pretty stable through the day which is an excellent thing.
Note I do not restrict the type of foods I eat with one exception; for these first couple or three weeks I will keep processed carbohydrates to a minimum. After that though, they'll be back in measured amounts. Essentially, I can eat what I want..in reasonable amounts and it leaves me without the feeling of deprivation. Perhaps I cannot have everything at once but that's fine...having something later is more like a treat and not taking foods out of the equation gives me a plethora of different things to eat. It does mean I do not eat out but then we do not do that anyway, save on rare occasions.
We shall see. It isn't really a diet and the exercise is what I love doing anyway so I am not in danger of stopping...in a month I will take stock. I can say though that already I feel better, more alert, no sugar crashes or highs, just a nice steady level of activity. Once in a while a nap..but they are short ones. :) Huzzah for naps! Hehehehe
Oh, we are also making the effort to reduce the amount of gluten in our foods..'wheat belly' may well be playing a part in things here even though we are not allergic or sensitive to it. Gluten is powerful stuff and can affect even those not allergic or sensitive. Interesting things.
Along with today's hike, along Summit Road, the which leads to the top of Mount Toby (the which is naturally named after Toby of Southfarthing fame) ;), I decided on some other things too. Primary among them is footwear. I've talked about this before but today's hike brought some things home to me.
Here in Rándiromar we are on the East bank of Anduin and a bit West of the northern Eaves of Mirkwood...well into the wooded foothills regions that surround the Grey and Misty Mountains, in the northern areas of Rhovannion. Terrain is hilly and often rugged. Summit Road is graveled...although in places this is not easy to tell. Chunks of masonry have been used to augment certain places and the area is pretty enough, and a touch wild for being so close to a settlement....(yes, I am playing a bit with scenics...the mountain really is called Mt. Toby though).
Walking up the rolling landscape, sometimes quite steep, on this gravel, I realized soft boots won't really cut it, and neither will ankle high boots. For one thing, the stone is rough and rugged and support is needed. For another, the injury sustained by me left ankle in the combat with the dragon a few years ago means it requires something more supportive and stable than an ankle high boot for sustained use.
Pondering this situation today I have decided to experiment with a pair of the oh so common Minnetonka moccasins by augmenting the soles, adding insoles, and reinforcing them via the use of stiffer leathers applied to the basic suede structure of the boot. I will add a cuff to the top to help protect that portion of the laces while also reinforcing the toe area, sides, and adding in a heel cup. I have no clue how this will all turn out but if it works they should provide some damned good boots and be very consistent with Middle Earth style in the process.
Being as it is Winter, although snowless just now, I also turned my thoughts to Winter Ranger wear. Pack covers of white, woolen clothing, my wooden snowshoes and even skis. Skis are thousands of years old, as are snowshoes....so quite compatible with the kit I feel. Especially for anyone spending much time in the Mountains or Northern Reaches. Since the Hithaeglir are not far off, and since we often get a lot of snow during Winters, they seem a wise thing to include. Of course, Climate Change is rearranging how things work and we are definitely without snow thus far, still we got a load of it last October.
Winter wear makes things more challenging in a variety of ways. The need to wear multiple layers increases bulk, which adds weight, which makes the fit of some kinds of gear more problematic, not to mention the loads necessary to carry in addition to Winter clothing. Something I had not turned much thought to before but am now doing so.
As one of the Rangers of MERF who hunts a great deal, I have my new annual sportsman's license with stamps for archery, primitive, bear, turkey, migratory birds and even fishing. Ought to be a good year, or I hope so anyway, at least in this regard. I have some serious misgivings about the year in general but there it is; nothing I can do about any of that save be prepared. Which I am.
As we go along this year I will cover a variety of things, such as Land Navigation and its various applications, survival year round, wild edibles and medicines, tracking and trailing, sign language, tactical deployment, scouting in the tactical sense, and various other bits and bobs as they come to me.
This'll do for now though.
Vendui
Eledhwen Rándiromar Anduina
I've come across a way I think will work for me. Combined from experimentation on my own and some things I heard an individual discussing, it consists mainly of eating five or six meals a day...about 200 calories give or take, each meal....which for me comes out to about every two hours or so. I do not eat anything at all after 1900 hours and I get to bed, or try to, around 2000, getting up around 0600 to get my son up for school. Added to this is exercise I like..and that consists of hiking. Today, for example, we walked a mile and half up Summit Road to Roaring Falls, then back again. It was in the 20s out and absolutely lovely for a walk. We took a few pics; one of the nifty things here in the Winter is that the water seeps from the various conglomerate stone facings and creates sheets of water and icicles, quite pretty.
So three miles, somewhere in the region of 1200 calories a day, give or take and adjustable for exercise, and plenty of sleep. It is early going yet but so far it has proven fairly easy to stick to...the hardest part seems to be remembering to eat every two hours instead of waiting longer. This whole exercise keeps the blood sugar levels pretty stable through the day which is an excellent thing.
Note I do not restrict the type of foods I eat with one exception; for these first couple or three weeks I will keep processed carbohydrates to a minimum. After that though, they'll be back in measured amounts. Essentially, I can eat what I want..in reasonable amounts and it leaves me without the feeling of deprivation. Perhaps I cannot have everything at once but that's fine...having something later is more like a treat and not taking foods out of the equation gives me a plethora of different things to eat. It does mean I do not eat out but then we do not do that anyway, save on rare occasions.
We shall see. It isn't really a diet and the exercise is what I love doing anyway so I am not in danger of stopping...in a month I will take stock. I can say though that already I feel better, more alert, no sugar crashes or highs, just a nice steady level of activity. Once in a while a nap..but they are short ones. :) Huzzah for naps! Hehehehe
Oh, we are also making the effort to reduce the amount of gluten in our foods..'wheat belly' may well be playing a part in things here even though we are not allergic or sensitive to it. Gluten is powerful stuff and can affect even those not allergic or sensitive. Interesting things.
Along with today's hike, along Summit Road, the which leads to the top of Mount Toby (the which is naturally named after Toby of Southfarthing fame) ;), I decided on some other things too. Primary among them is footwear. I've talked about this before but today's hike brought some things home to me.
Here in Rándiromar we are on the East bank of Anduin and a bit West of the northern Eaves of Mirkwood...well into the wooded foothills regions that surround the Grey and Misty Mountains, in the northern areas of Rhovannion. Terrain is hilly and often rugged. Summit Road is graveled...although in places this is not easy to tell. Chunks of masonry have been used to augment certain places and the area is pretty enough, and a touch wild for being so close to a settlement....(yes, I am playing a bit with scenics...the mountain really is called Mt. Toby though).
Walking up the rolling landscape, sometimes quite steep, on this gravel, I realized soft boots won't really cut it, and neither will ankle high boots. For one thing, the stone is rough and rugged and support is needed. For another, the injury sustained by me left ankle in the combat with the dragon a few years ago means it requires something more supportive and stable than an ankle high boot for sustained use.
Pondering this situation today I have decided to experiment with a pair of the oh so common Minnetonka moccasins by augmenting the soles, adding insoles, and reinforcing them via the use of stiffer leathers applied to the basic suede structure of the boot. I will add a cuff to the top to help protect that portion of the laces while also reinforcing the toe area, sides, and adding in a heel cup. I have no clue how this will all turn out but if it works they should provide some damned good boots and be very consistent with Middle Earth style in the process.
Being as it is Winter, although snowless just now, I also turned my thoughts to Winter Ranger wear. Pack covers of white, woolen clothing, my wooden snowshoes and even skis. Skis are thousands of years old, as are snowshoes....so quite compatible with the kit I feel. Especially for anyone spending much time in the Mountains or Northern Reaches. Since the Hithaeglir are not far off, and since we often get a lot of snow during Winters, they seem a wise thing to include. Of course, Climate Change is rearranging how things work and we are definitely without snow thus far, still we got a load of it last October.
Winter wear makes things more challenging in a variety of ways. The need to wear multiple layers increases bulk, which adds weight, which makes the fit of some kinds of gear more problematic, not to mention the loads necessary to carry in addition to Winter clothing. Something I had not turned much thought to before but am now doing so.
As one of the Rangers of MERF who hunts a great deal, I have my new annual sportsman's license with stamps for archery, primitive, bear, turkey, migratory birds and even fishing. Ought to be a good year, or I hope so anyway, at least in this regard. I have some serious misgivings about the year in general but there it is; nothing I can do about any of that save be prepared. Which I am.
As we go along this year I will cover a variety of things, such as Land Navigation and its various applications, survival year round, wild edibles and medicines, tracking and trailing, sign language, tactical deployment, scouting in the tactical sense, and various other bits and bobs as they come to me.
This'll do for now though.
Vendui
Eledhwen Rándiromar Anduina
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Blade Stuff
A new project came up from the general din and chatter of the MER fora. Well, not entirely new but new enough as I had forgotten an earlier concept of the notion until now. :)
I have three leaf-blade swords. Two are bronze and one is a high carbon steel version by Kris Cutlery. All are replicas of the Bronze Age Celtic shortswords found in so many bogs and burials. These swords persisted for a bit into the early Iron Age but once iron and then steel were on the loose, bronze was out as a weapons material and blades began to lengthen as smithwork became more involved and knowledge grew.
Still shortswords persisted. The Romans had the earlier Gladius Hispaniensis, a graceful leaf blade weapon which then morphed into much easier to produce straight sided blades via the Gladius Mainz and finally, the Gladius Pomepeii. After that the change to the Spatha, which had been a cavalry arm, became more and more dominant as the ability to train to high standards required of seriously offensive formations in disciplined close combat fell off...usually in favor of cavalry armies.
In Middle Earth, during the Second Age, when Númenor was still strong and vibrant, the main arms of their Legions (and they were called Legions), were spear, axe, and bow...the hollow steel bow being the most dreaded of weapons and their Archer Legions the most dreaded formations. They also carried, the infantry in any case, a shortsword...about the size of our Celtic leaf-blade or Gladius. It was preferred by the infantry. Anyone who has ever had occasion to use a thrusting weapon knows that in a combat press during melee, the most efficient and deadly weapon is the shortsword. Indeed, until the invention of the machine gun the gladius was the most deadly weapon ever invented by humanity, killing more people than anything else. This is not a fantasy.
In the SCA I specialized in shortsword and small round shield. I did almost nothing else. I became so proficient with it I rarely lost a fight for a very long while. I like the shortsword. Do not get me wrong, I love my Del Tin 'Glamdring', which has a slight leaf shape to it, but really my weapon is the shortsword. Above all others.
That brings me to the project. Since some of the blades of Westernesse are recorded as being leaf shaped, daggers for the most part but swords for Hobbits, I reckoned that it would be possible to take one of my swords and modify it into a Númenorean shortsword. The Kris Cutlery blade in fact. It was a gift to me from a very cherished friend, long since gone across the Veil.
The blade has been in storage for a long while so is in less than ideal condition. Still, the quality of the steel and craftsmanship make it a matter of cleaning up and re-polishing rather than anything major.
The project is as follows. I will remove the pommel, grips, and 'guard', such as it is...and clean up the blade, resharpening it in the process. I am also considering doing some light etching as well but we'll see on that. Tengwar script naming the blade would be a nice touch, carefully done. I will mock up new guard, grip and pommel and play around with variations until I am happy at which point I will make the real pieces and assemble the sword...then make a scabbard for it, incorporating Elven and Númenorean design notions, such as I know them, in the making. No jewels or fancy metal bits...I tend to stay close to the idea of not wearing any fair thing save one..the star brooch. This does not mean I cannot work the leather and wood, use colors and whatnot..I just won't make it terribly flashy.
This, with its baldric, will become my centerpiece weapon excluding the bow. I have a gorgeous longbow from Rudderbows that would get all the attention so I cannot include it. ;)
Along with cleaning up my Elven hunting knife, reworking the grip, and making a new sheath for it, this should be my big Ranger weaponry project of the year. I at least forged the blade of my knife...even if I am using a commercial blade for the sword.
Someday, when I can set my forge up again and Rándiromar Forge gets rolling again, I'll forge my own high quality leaf-shape blades.
I should probably say here that I love leaf-shaped blades for Númenorean weapons, but I love what PJ & crew came up with Elven weapons. Leaf-shape can be construed to be Elvish influence on Men...and since the Elves taught men the art as the Númenoreans knew it, it works. :) For me anyway.
Vendui!
Eledhwen Rándiromar Anduina
(Elf-Sheen [of] Wanderer's Hall [on] Anduin) For those who are curious.
I have three leaf-blade swords. Two are bronze and one is a high carbon steel version by Kris Cutlery. All are replicas of the Bronze Age Celtic shortswords found in so many bogs and burials. These swords persisted for a bit into the early Iron Age but once iron and then steel were on the loose, bronze was out as a weapons material and blades began to lengthen as smithwork became more involved and knowledge grew.
Still shortswords persisted. The Romans had the earlier Gladius Hispaniensis, a graceful leaf blade weapon which then morphed into much easier to produce straight sided blades via the Gladius Mainz and finally, the Gladius Pomepeii. After that the change to the Spatha, which had been a cavalry arm, became more and more dominant as the ability to train to high standards required of seriously offensive formations in disciplined close combat fell off...usually in favor of cavalry armies.
In Middle Earth, during the Second Age, when Númenor was still strong and vibrant, the main arms of their Legions (and they were called Legions), were spear, axe, and bow...the hollow steel bow being the most dreaded of weapons and their Archer Legions the most dreaded formations. They also carried, the infantry in any case, a shortsword...about the size of our Celtic leaf-blade or Gladius. It was preferred by the infantry. Anyone who has ever had occasion to use a thrusting weapon knows that in a combat press during melee, the most efficient and deadly weapon is the shortsword. Indeed, until the invention of the machine gun the gladius was the most deadly weapon ever invented by humanity, killing more people than anything else. This is not a fantasy.
In the SCA I specialized in shortsword and small round shield. I did almost nothing else. I became so proficient with it I rarely lost a fight for a very long while. I like the shortsword. Do not get me wrong, I love my Del Tin 'Glamdring', which has a slight leaf shape to it, but really my weapon is the shortsword. Above all others.
That brings me to the project. Since some of the blades of Westernesse are recorded as being leaf shaped, daggers for the most part but swords for Hobbits, I reckoned that it would be possible to take one of my swords and modify it into a Númenorean shortsword. The Kris Cutlery blade in fact. It was a gift to me from a very cherished friend, long since gone across the Veil.
The blade has been in storage for a long while so is in less than ideal condition. Still, the quality of the steel and craftsmanship make it a matter of cleaning up and re-polishing rather than anything major.
The project is as follows. I will remove the pommel, grips, and 'guard', such as it is...and clean up the blade, resharpening it in the process. I am also considering doing some light etching as well but we'll see on that. Tengwar script naming the blade would be a nice touch, carefully done. I will mock up new guard, grip and pommel and play around with variations until I am happy at which point I will make the real pieces and assemble the sword...then make a scabbard for it, incorporating Elven and Númenorean design notions, such as I know them, in the making. No jewels or fancy metal bits...I tend to stay close to the idea of not wearing any fair thing save one..the star brooch. This does not mean I cannot work the leather and wood, use colors and whatnot..I just won't make it terribly flashy.
This, with its baldric, will become my centerpiece weapon excluding the bow. I have a gorgeous longbow from Rudderbows that would get all the attention so I cannot include it. ;)
Along with cleaning up my Elven hunting knife, reworking the grip, and making a new sheath for it, this should be my big Ranger weaponry project of the year. I at least forged the blade of my knife...even if I am using a commercial blade for the sword.
Someday, when I can set my forge up again and Rándiromar Forge gets rolling again, I'll forge my own high quality leaf-shape blades.
I should probably say here that I love leaf-shaped blades for Númenorean weapons, but I love what PJ & crew came up with Elven weapons. Leaf-shape can be construed to be Elvish influence on Men...and since the Elves taught men the art as the Númenoreans knew it, it works. :) For me anyway.
Vendui!
Eledhwen Rándiromar Anduina
(Elf-Sheen [of] Wanderer's Hall [on] Anduin) For those who are curious.
Forandiri Activities
We Rangers, that is, reenactors of the Middle Earth Dúnedain Rangers, are scattered all over the place...internationally. Some belong to a variety of groups and to be honest, where once we were just Rangers we now have Dalesmen, Shirefolk, Breelanders, and Rohirrim among us. The group has grown since Andy's original pages inspired some of us so strongly.
Various groups coalesce...one lot has a Wood Elf gathering now and then. There are other gatherings now and again. My own group, the Forandiri, the Northern Rangers, is very small...generally my family with the occasional addition...yet interest has been growing in some quarters, slowly, quietly, but there nonetheless.
Does that make me a Chieftainess? Not really....except in my own immediate grouping. I am decidedly wary of ranks...they nearly always lead to class divisions on some folk strutting around and placing arbitrary 'marks' for others to meet to become equals...and as more people do more 'marks' are added. This sort of behavior is not that of Dúnedain in my opinion. Not really..although obviously from Master Tolkien's writings there were those who fell pray to it...look at Black Númenorians.
Aside from that, we do our thing quietly; learning the lay of the lands hereabouts as we ought and practicing the necessary skills as often as possible. I have taken pains to find the old fords across the Anduin here..and to see if indeed they are still usable. Some of them are not due to ending up in some business or private owners yard...some are washed away. A few...a tiny few...are still usable. I have taken great pains to learn all the various trails. In a place as thickly settled as Western Massachusetts one could be forgiven for wondering about this but in fact we have a proportionately huge amount of protected and public lands here...and there are trails and old logging roads running all over the place. Further to the West lies the Appalachian Trail and we have also the Robert Frost Trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail and a variety of others. Many of them interconnect. All of them require, at some point, the crossing of roads naturally.
We call these 'danger areas'. That is what we called them in the Marines. I use the same hand and arm signals I used therein...with a few added for particular purposes. The idea of course is to be able to move and work in silence. Crossing 'danger areas' or entering them provides excellent opportunities to practice these as well as observation and situational awareness. We use formations that are mostly single file, but line movements are possible and drills for setting ambushes as well as breaking contact are also in the mix. Sign communication is extremely useful...I call it Ranger Sign or Battle Sign as much of it is only used when doing a proper 'scout'.
To do these things requires one to be comfortable...at the least...with one's kit and clothing. Yes, I said clothing. To a Ranger, the clothing isn't just a costume or garb....it is part and parcel of the being. It has to be. What you wear affects how you operate and how well you can focus your mind. Just as your gear does. This explains my constant experimentation and near-obsession with the matters I think. 'What you do in training is what you do in war' is a truth, an axiom. Humans are animals of habit...and if your habits are right for one thing and not another you will be completely unprepared when that other thing happens...as Murphy's Law says it must at some point. People tend to wave this idea aside but it is in fact, true.
As a result, I often wear my Rangering kit and things even when just puttering about the apartment. Why? Because I become used to them and proficient with them..comfortable. I do not have to think about what I am wearing, how it is all laid out..it just is and I am part of it. If that makes sense. Some could say I take this stuff too far, but I would disagree. Folk are entitled to their opinions, and that includes me so there we are.
I am about to procur two more bows for my son and lass....they will be stronger than they can now comfortably draw but be well within established legal hunting power requirements. They will work up to them. That bow-fit exerciser for archers works a charm; I use it myself all the time. It is much harder to teach weapons use...in part because Massachusetts has such strict and ridiculous laws concerning almost everything that could be a weapon. Yet...there are foam and polypropylene alternatives. Not as good as working with the real things but useful for establishing basics.
Studying wild edibles...here's something to do all the time. People are generally shocked at what is edible...most varieties of plants can be eaten with care, and nearly all animals on the North American continent can be eaten. Preparation is essential...but even more important is the knowledge that lets you identify them and know when to harvest them. Some have to be eaten during a specific time else they become terribly poisonous. Parts of plants are sometimes inedible. Alkaloids are a specialty of plants and highly toxic.
Reading sign..another thing that can be done anytime one is out and about. Not just animal sign, but human too...although humans are ridiculously easy to track...just follow the junk trail for the most part. When you see an animal, go look at where it was....note the time. Check the spoor periodically to see how it ages. Make sketches, take notes, or even take pics if that helps set things. A game can be made of it.
Get healthy. I can say this because I allowed myself to get horridly out of condition. The fat broad is not far off the mark with me...but I am working hard at improving that. I am not terribly unhealthy, but I am not where I should be either...and if I stay this way much longer I will become dangerously unhealthy. Aside from injuries sustained in the fight against the dragon, nothing that is wrong with me cannot be fixed by proper exercise and eating habits. I have adopted far healthier eating habits...moving more in the direction of simple foods..and natural.
Times are tough. You never know when you might need your Ranger skills to survive for real. The time to have them down is not when you need them..but when you do not.
These are some of the activities that we Forandiri indulge in. There are many more. I cannot speak for other clans but ours works at being active, at learning, at doing. Not a bad thing really...a kind of exercise we actually like...as opposed to tolerate.
Wish I had some horses to work on the mounted aspects. Can't have everything.
Some things we can though, if we want them.
Siani
Various groups coalesce...one lot has a Wood Elf gathering now and then. There are other gatherings now and again. My own group, the Forandiri, the Northern Rangers, is very small...generally my family with the occasional addition...yet interest has been growing in some quarters, slowly, quietly, but there nonetheless.
Does that make me a Chieftainess? Not really....except in my own immediate grouping. I am decidedly wary of ranks...they nearly always lead to class divisions on some folk strutting around and placing arbitrary 'marks' for others to meet to become equals...and as more people do more 'marks' are added. This sort of behavior is not that of Dúnedain in my opinion. Not really..although obviously from Master Tolkien's writings there were those who fell pray to it...look at Black Númenorians.
Aside from that, we do our thing quietly; learning the lay of the lands hereabouts as we ought and practicing the necessary skills as often as possible. I have taken pains to find the old fords across the Anduin here..and to see if indeed they are still usable. Some of them are not due to ending up in some business or private owners yard...some are washed away. A few...a tiny few...are still usable. I have taken great pains to learn all the various trails. In a place as thickly settled as Western Massachusetts one could be forgiven for wondering about this but in fact we have a proportionately huge amount of protected and public lands here...and there are trails and old logging roads running all over the place. Further to the West lies the Appalachian Trail and we have also the Robert Frost Trail, the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail and a variety of others. Many of them interconnect. All of them require, at some point, the crossing of roads naturally.
We call these 'danger areas'. That is what we called them in the Marines. I use the same hand and arm signals I used therein...with a few added for particular purposes. The idea of course is to be able to move and work in silence. Crossing 'danger areas' or entering them provides excellent opportunities to practice these as well as observation and situational awareness. We use formations that are mostly single file, but line movements are possible and drills for setting ambushes as well as breaking contact are also in the mix. Sign communication is extremely useful...I call it Ranger Sign or Battle Sign as much of it is only used when doing a proper 'scout'.
To do these things requires one to be comfortable...at the least...with one's kit and clothing. Yes, I said clothing. To a Ranger, the clothing isn't just a costume or garb....it is part and parcel of the being. It has to be. What you wear affects how you operate and how well you can focus your mind. Just as your gear does. This explains my constant experimentation and near-obsession with the matters I think. 'What you do in training is what you do in war' is a truth, an axiom. Humans are animals of habit...and if your habits are right for one thing and not another you will be completely unprepared when that other thing happens...as Murphy's Law says it must at some point. People tend to wave this idea aside but it is in fact, true.
As a result, I often wear my Rangering kit and things even when just puttering about the apartment. Why? Because I become used to them and proficient with them..comfortable. I do not have to think about what I am wearing, how it is all laid out..it just is and I am part of it. If that makes sense. Some could say I take this stuff too far, but I would disagree. Folk are entitled to their opinions, and that includes me so there we are.
I am about to procur two more bows for my son and lass....they will be stronger than they can now comfortably draw but be well within established legal hunting power requirements. They will work up to them. That bow-fit exerciser for archers works a charm; I use it myself all the time. It is much harder to teach weapons use...in part because Massachusetts has such strict and ridiculous laws concerning almost everything that could be a weapon. Yet...there are foam and polypropylene alternatives. Not as good as working with the real things but useful for establishing basics.
Studying wild edibles...here's something to do all the time. People are generally shocked at what is edible...most varieties of plants can be eaten with care, and nearly all animals on the North American continent can be eaten. Preparation is essential...but even more important is the knowledge that lets you identify them and know when to harvest them. Some have to be eaten during a specific time else they become terribly poisonous. Parts of plants are sometimes inedible. Alkaloids are a specialty of plants and highly toxic.
Reading sign..another thing that can be done anytime one is out and about. Not just animal sign, but human too...although humans are ridiculously easy to track...just follow the junk trail for the most part. When you see an animal, go look at where it was....note the time. Check the spoor periodically to see how it ages. Make sketches, take notes, or even take pics if that helps set things. A game can be made of it.
Get healthy. I can say this because I allowed myself to get horridly out of condition. The fat broad is not far off the mark with me...but I am working hard at improving that. I am not terribly unhealthy, but I am not where I should be either...and if I stay this way much longer I will become dangerously unhealthy. Aside from injuries sustained in the fight against the dragon, nothing that is wrong with me cannot be fixed by proper exercise and eating habits. I have adopted far healthier eating habits...moving more in the direction of simple foods..and natural.
Times are tough. You never know when you might need your Ranger skills to survive for real. The time to have them down is not when you need them..but when you do not.
These are some of the activities that we Forandiri indulge in. There are many more. I cannot speak for other clans but ours works at being active, at learning, at doing. Not a bad thing really...a kind of exercise we actually like...as opposed to tolerate.
Wish I had some horses to work on the mounted aspects. Can't have everything.
Some things we can though, if we want them.
Siani
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Language
For = North, Randir = Wanderer. Both of these words are Quenya. As a noun ending with a consonant, randir takes on an i when used in plural form...so randiri = wanderers. When combining nouns the descriptive word usually comes after the noun, not before it, and descriptive particles are included in the endings of the various verbs and nouns. Combining 'North' and 'Wanderers' could yield either Randirifor or Forandiri...in this case it would more commonly be termed the latter as the 'beauty' of a word, its flow..mattered. Fornost...Forn = North, Ost = fort. Fornost is, literally, North Fort...aka Fort of the North. Ostforn does not sound so nice.
Randir = wanderer....or those who range, or rangers. Rangers of the North = Forandiri. Rangers = Randiri. That term can also be used as a designation of a people. More likely it would be Randirin.
Still learning and playing with the Elven tongues of Master Tolkien. Taking a number of courses related to them in fact.
Makes for some interesting work.
Siani
Randir = wanderer....or those who range, or rangers. Rangers of the North = Forandiri. Rangers = Randiri. That term can also be used as a designation of a people. More likely it would be Randirin.
Still learning and playing with the Elven tongues of Master Tolkien. Taking a number of courses related to them in fact.
Makes for some interesting work.
Siani
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