The shift from Warrior Archer to Ranger Bard is nearly complete. The bow is still my weapon, but more for hunting than war, and the sword is left home now in favor of an Elven longknife. My garments are more often dress and overdress than tunic and trousers now. More suitable for the lady Harper who tells the tales of old, creates the new tales to honor the valiant and satirize the evil. More suitable for time around a good fire or hearth, or in the hall of keep or home than for the wild places, aye.
I still visit the wild places, aye, but my tasks are less concerned with watching the bounds than with keeping Deeds, Renown, and Infamy clear in the minds of the Folk.
Lindar I am become; I have spent much time at the colleges in Dol Amroth to hone my skills and expand my talent and knowledge. Much time have I spent in the librarires of Dol Amroth, Pelargir, and Minas Tirith. Mourning I have done, over the lost Lore of Osgiliath, and deeper still over the fallen Kingdom of Arnor and beyond, to the Akallabêth itself. What Lore remains is mine to keep alive as best I can, along with those like me.
In dress and gown, wimple and veil, simple jewelry, and humble shoes, with harp and lyre I go, from place to place, hearth to hearth, hall to hall...teaching, learning, sharing, remembering, reclaiming, and renewing.
All things change in the fullness of time. As my ancestors once did, so do I still; I accept the changes that age brings.
Eledhwen
The Ranger-Harper of Minhiriath
Monday, October 5, 2015
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Winter Approaches
Winter is coming, indeed it is. I can feel Skađi's breath in the morning breezes and chills. She is waking, and the Winter that is coming will be enough to test the mettle of even the toughest. A challenge, then, and a worthy one.
To that end I am going over all Winter and Mountain kit and gear. Winterizing my instruments is also a high priority, or at least, the cases they are carried in. Since one has to have heavier clothing and gear in the Winter, the instruments will be lighter and simpler during that time.
This year I'll be out there more often in Norse style clothing, and proper womens' clothing at that (if there is such a thing). Partly to see how that works (I've hunted in a dress before, but not apron dress and the rest of it), partly because I love the look, and partly because my 'medieval' hunting has gone more Norse of late...call it 11th century (St. Huberts runs from the 10th to the 15th centuries.).
From a Middle Earth perspective, no, not Rohirim. Rather the folk of the far North, more like those from Forochel and other wild Northern places. Peoples who never left the North after Arnor collapsed and the smaller kingdoms were overrun. Icy, cold, tough, self-sufficient. Works for me.
From a historic standpoint, yes, the longbow is used, but because the Norse also traveled to places like Byzantium and Anatolia, the 'Turkish' bow is also available. That means composite bow. :) Woot!
All this also means furry hats, furred cloaks and mantles. Very, very nice stuff.
I have my scramasax, a good Norse 'kitchen' knife, my sunstones, whetstone, whistle, arrows, bow....even my axe. Of course I have snowshoes. I have skis too, but they are telemarks and not like those used by the Norse....I'll have to make some like those at some point. New snowshoes are in the offing as well....solid stuff made from wood and wood fiber. New mid-calf boots....although I may keep the mukluks since adding a bit of removable fur around the top will make them look much like the sealskin boots some of the Norse wore, or some of the fur lined boots. It works.
With me also will go the pocket sized books; Havamal & Voluspa, Elder Edda, and Younger Edda. I'll take my runes too. With my Native America flutes I can make music to go with the Winter winds. ;)
This year we can hunt bear during the whitetail season. I'm not specifically aiming to hunt bear, but if one shows up while I am out there and I have a good shot, I'll take it.
I journeyed to the South, to Far Harad, where the stars are strange. Now I am in the far North, where the nights last for months, and the days also. Adventure is meat and drink to a Ranger, aye....and even more so for a Bard.
To that end I am going over all Winter and Mountain kit and gear. Winterizing my instruments is also a high priority, or at least, the cases they are carried in. Since one has to have heavier clothing and gear in the Winter, the instruments will be lighter and simpler during that time.
This year I'll be out there more often in Norse style clothing, and proper womens' clothing at that (if there is such a thing). Partly to see how that works (I've hunted in a dress before, but not apron dress and the rest of it), partly because I love the look, and partly because my 'medieval' hunting has gone more Norse of late...call it 11th century (St. Huberts runs from the 10th to the 15th centuries.).
From a Middle Earth perspective, no, not Rohirim. Rather the folk of the far North, more like those from Forochel and other wild Northern places. Peoples who never left the North after Arnor collapsed and the smaller kingdoms were overrun. Icy, cold, tough, self-sufficient. Works for me.
From a historic standpoint, yes, the longbow is used, but because the Norse also traveled to places like Byzantium and Anatolia, the 'Turkish' bow is also available. That means composite bow. :) Woot!
All this also means furry hats, furred cloaks and mantles. Very, very nice stuff.
I have my scramasax, a good Norse 'kitchen' knife, my sunstones, whetstone, whistle, arrows, bow....even my axe. Of course I have snowshoes. I have skis too, but they are telemarks and not like those used by the Norse....I'll have to make some like those at some point. New snowshoes are in the offing as well....solid stuff made from wood and wood fiber. New mid-calf boots....although I may keep the mukluks since adding a bit of removable fur around the top will make them look much like the sealskin boots some of the Norse wore, or some of the fur lined boots. It works.
With me also will go the pocket sized books; Havamal & Voluspa, Elder Edda, and Younger Edda. I'll take my runes too. With my Native America flutes I can make music to go with the Winter winds. ;)
This year we can hunt bear during the whitetail season. I'm not specifically aiming to hunt bear, but if one shows up while I am out there and I have a good shot, I'll take it.
I journeyed to the South, to Far Harad, where the stars are strange. Now I am in the far North, where the nights last for months, and the days also. Adventure is meat and drink to a Ranger, aye....and even more so for a Bard.
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Of Harps & Lyres
The Harp I have under construction is a step on the way to making a Rangering Harp..that is, a very light but strong Harp I can take with me while ranging about. Combined with my composite bow and Elven hunting knife, I should be well sorted. The current project won't be seen until I have completed it.
However....
I have a Lyre kit. It is not particularly period to anywhere or when, but is a kind of composite of various Old World style Lyres. It looks most like a Grecian or Roman Lyre to my eyes. What has this got to do with Rangering? Glad you asked.
Lyres & Harps are similar...it is likely the former preceded the latter, but they are so very similar in sound and performance as to make them work in the same kind of setting. Harps are more flexible in some ways, but Lyres are surprisingly flexible as well. I figure the Númenoreans had both, and likely so did the Dundedáin and Gondorians. Certainly they would be well known in Dol Amroth on the Bay of Belfalas, as that city is noted as having the finest Harpers known.
What this is leading up to is that I plan to decorate the Lyre kit to make it a sort of 'Númenorean' Lyre. Really what this means is that it will have wood-burned designs in the soundboard, painting on the body frame, and the little decorative disc that says Musicmakers on it will be flipped and the Northern Rangers design painted on it. That is it. Subtle, but a step in the right direction.
The nice thing about this Lyre is that it is quite compact and very light. Itself it is a first step to building some seriously period Lyres of the Trossingen, Sutton Hoo, or the Irish or Welsh Lyres that have been found. Those will also be dedicated to Middle Earth in a variety of ways, decorative mostly, but also carving. Perhaps I will do one that I supposedly got while going through Dol Amroth.
Dol Amroth is my favorite Gondorian city, I might add.
I may get some photos of the kit today as I begin the build. :)
Eledhwen
However....
I have a Lyre kit. It is not particularly period to anywhere or when, but is a kind of composite of various Old World style Lyres. It looks most like a Grecian or Roman Lyre to my eyes. What has this got to do with Rangering? Glad you asked.
Lyres & Harps are similar...it is likely the former preceded the latter, but they are so very similar in sound and performance as to make them work in the same kind of setting. Harps are more flexible in some ways, but Lyres are surprisingly flexible as well. I figure the Númenoreans had both, and likely so did the Dundedáin and Gondorians. Certainly they would be well known in Dol Amroth on the Bay of Belfalas, as that city is noted as having the finest Harpers known.
What this is leading up to is that I plan to decorate the Lyre kit to make it a sort of 'Númenorean' Lyre. Really what this means is that it will have wood-burned designs in the soundboard, painting on the body frame, and the little decorative disc that says Musicmakers on it will be flipped and the Northern Rangers design painted on it. That is it. Subtle, but a step in the right direction.
The nice thing about this Lyre is that it is quite compact and very light. Itself it is a first step to building some seriously period Lyres of the Trossingen, Sutton Hoo, or the Irish or Welsh Lyres that have been found. Those will also be dedicated to Middle Earth in a variety of ways, decorative mostly, but also carving. Perhaps I will do one that I supposedly got while going through Dol Amroth.
Dol Amroth is my favorite Gondorian city, I might add.
I may get some photos of the kit today as I begin the build. :)
Eledhwen
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Randirlindë
After some contemplation I decided to go whole hog into the transition from Warrior to Bard. I was reminded by a fellow Ranger that Dol Amroth is noted as having the most skilled harpers and while I am of the North and not of Gondor, still the fact remains that those in Gondor came, like we of the North, from Númenorë. If harpers there are in the South Kingdom, then harpers there were and are in those of North. I am one such.
We no longer have the grand courts and cities, and Annuminas lies ruined, yet still we remember and still we are of the Sunken Lands. Descendents, certainly, diminished, undoubtedly, but however our lives and bodies may be less than of old, still do our hearts and spirits burn brightly.
Randirlindë am I, and my task is the history, genealogy, and soul of our people. Their deeds, their follies, their triumphs, and defeats. All are mine to keep and to recite down the years left to me. Too, it is for me to inspire, give hope, warn, and remind my folk of the wiles of the Enemy. I also shame and damn the enemy, revealing his deceits whenever I can.
For this purpose I have designed and shall soon build a harp worthy of our long history, or so I hope it will prove to be.
Eledhwen, Randirlindë.
We no longer have the grand courts and cities, and Annuminas lies ruined, yet still we remember and still we are of the Sunken Lands. Descendents, certainly, diminished, undoubtedly, but however our lives and bodies may be less than of old, still do our hearts and spirits burn brightly.
Randirlindë am I, and my task is the history, genealogy, and soul of our people. Their deeds, their follies, their triumphs, and defeats. All are mine to keep and to recite down the years left to me. Too, it is for me to inspire, give hope, warn, and remind my folk of the wiles of the Enemy. I also shame and damn the enemy, revealing his deceits whenever I can.
For this purpose I have designed and shall soon build a harp worthy of our long history, or so I hope it will prove to be.
Eledhwen, Randirlindë.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Wander I Ever Shall
I have grown silver over these years, chasing the Shadow. My eyesight is not what once it was. My strength, not yet withered, is no longer young. My spirit remains undimmed, the flame of my spirit burning as brightly as ever. Yet age catches us up....the gift of Eru to Men. So it is meant to be and I find no fault with it.
I can still draw bow, but not so strongly as once I could. I can wield shortsword, but not so tirelessly as before. I can range the wilderness, but not so swiftly as in my younger years. Time has wrought changes.
Yet there are things I still can do, which rely not on strength of arm, speed of foot, nor endless endurance. I have some small knowledge of the world and its workings, a little glimmer of Wisdom, and I can harp.
I have taken up my harp and even now the deeds of heroes and of villains are marshaling themselves in my thoughts. From thought flows word, shaped by the flow of Awen into praise or satire as needs must.
I have been a Ranger for many long Winters. My ranging days are closing but my wandering shall not cease. My weapons may change, but the new ones are sharper in their way. To remember, to honor, to damn, and to shame are all in my arsenal. To teach and to illuminate.
I shall wander to the end of my days. My weapons may change, my pace may slow, yet wander I ever shall.
Eledhwen
I can still draw bow, but not so strongly as once I could. I can wield shortsword, but not so tirelessly as before. I can range the wilderness, but not so swiftly as in my younger years. Time has wrought changes.
Yet there are things I still can do, which rely not on strength of arm, speed of foot, nor endless endurance. I have some small knowledge of the world and its workings, a little glimmer of Wisdom, and I can harp.
I have taken up my harp and even now the deeds of heroes and of villains are marshaling themselves in my thoughts. From thought flows word, shaped by the flow of Awen into praise or satire as needs must.
I have been a Ranger for many long Winters. My ranging days are closing but my wandering shall not cease. My weapons may change, but the new ones are sharper in their way. To remember, to honor, to damn, and to shame are all in my arsenal. To teach and to illuminate.
I shall wander to the end of my days. My weapons may change, my pace may slow, yet wander I ever shall.
Eledhwen
Saturday, May 9, 2015
A Dark Likening...
It started with Saruman, fallen into folly. He took the great orcs of the mountains and bred them to corrupted Men of Gondor, creating the Uruks. They knew no pain, no fatigue, had no compassion...an army of psychopaths.
That was at the ending of the Third Age. Here now, ages later, they have come to look like other Men...indistinguishable to the eye for the most part. Ah! But their behavior always shows them for what they are...Uruk Orcs (I shall not give them the name of my own race for any reason). Now they rarely wield weapons of war, more commonly wielding weapons of finance and technology. They have found their way into all of our counsels, even the highest.
Aye, the Shadow has returned, but not, this time, as a single entity. Rather it has come to us as a dispersed and disguised host of beings seen as people....people lauded for wealth, power, and barely hidden corruptions of the vilest sort.
As has always been the case, peace left us to become complacent. The Watch was allowed to lapse, folk said there was naught to worry over any longer. The Shadow, they said, was gone save for small, insignificant remnants. And so it was...for a while. But it always grows back, does the Shadow. After a defeat it always returns....each time more difficult to see coming...but at least then it manifested itself in the will of a single spirit....now it is dispersed...a kind of social hive mind.
And we sleep even now, most of us. A few of us, as always, see and know it for what it is....
Whether that will be enough remains to be seen.
Eledhwen
That was at the ending of the Third Age. Here now, ages later, they have come to look like other Men...indistinguishable to the eye for the most part. Ah! But their behavior always shows them for what they are...Uruk Orcs (I shall not give them the name of my own race for any reason). Now they rarely wield weapons of war, more commonly wielding weapons of finance and technology. They have found their way into all of our counsels, even the highest.
Aye, the Shadow has returned, but not, this time, as a single entity. Rather it has come to us as a dispersed and disguised host of beings seen as people....people lauded for wealth, power, and barely hidden corruptions of the vilest sort.
As has always been the case, peace left us to become complacent. The Watch was allowed to lapse, folk said there was naught to worry over any longer. The Shadow, they said, was gone save for small, insignificant remnants. And so it was...for a while. But it always grows back, does the Shadow. After a defeat it always returns....each time more difficult to see coming...but at least then it manifested itself in the will of a single spirit....now it is dispersed...a kind of social hive mind.
And we sleep even now, most of us. A few of us, as always, see and know it for what it is....
Whether that will be enough remains to be seen.
Eledhwen
Ranger Stuff
Mae govannen;
Bowyering and fletching, hobby pursuits that appear to be morphing into something else. I am not certain quite how this is happening, but it does appear to be (very slowly) moving into something more than a simple hobby. Selling arrows...and I have some interested folk in bows I have been learning to make....none of which are field tested yet. I wonder if making the things that go with them will go that route? Quivers, bow quivers, strings, vambraces, and gloves, to name a few. I must admit, it would be nice. That said, I am not counting on it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think of becoming a bowyer and fletcher. A blacksmith, sure...I am formally trained to it...but this archery stuff I am entirely self taught. Apparently I do well with the arrows and the bows seem to turn out well too.
I am currently working on a Ranger bow...more specifically a Northern Ranger bow. All that really means is that I am working designs into the bow that reflect the Northern Rangers...the Forandiri. Along with those are sea motifs....I am very fond of the sea and so do honor to the seafaring past of the Dunedain.
So there is an example...armory for the Sea Rangers. More fitting, perhaps, for those Rangers operating in the Bay of Belfalas out of places like Dol Amroth and Pelargir. However, I figure the Kingdom Renewed might use such folk operating out of Forochel and the Lindons. Yeah, flimsy reasoning, but there it is. I like the sea, I like rangers, so I combined them.
The same kind of reasoning 'supports' my use of bamboo as a bow backing....it comes from the East and so travels beyond the Sea of Rhun made it available...as did the copious booty from defeating the Eye. Ditto Haradrim items. Yes, this is all post Ring, but eh, I'll use it.
For the sea motifs on the bow I am using seabird imagery as well as dolphins. Nothing huge, no ugly monster carvings, nothing to compromise the wood. Mostly a bit of woodburning and wood dyes...what carving this is I keep very minimal...more of an accent.
I am also being enough of a heretic to work on an iconic bow for the Northern (Sea) Rangers. I am going to work with a reflex-deflex design, the which is far older than I had previously thought. Eventually I might use siyas instead of the deflex portion but we will see how the basic sort functions. They are not as common with folk as the standard longbow design. They aren't composite bows...although they can be laminated (also a far older technique than I thought); adding siyas won't make them composite bows. I am not even sure I can make that work, but it is worth a try.
If it does work, I will wind up with a very unique bow for the Northern Rangers. Or really, anyone I might make one for. No idea how feasible it is. I will try it though.
I am also going to start working with wood dye designs on arrow shafts. Color combinations and designs. No carving, obviously, but paint and dye can do some interesting things. I have dipping tubes and colors, and brushes and such, so in addition to my name in Tengwar as a marker, Northern Rangers might have arrows whose differences lie in the detail of the decoration. I prefer grey and white flights...seabird stuff...but there are seabirds with other colors too so that is worth looking into as well.
Strings...at the moment Flemish twist types, but there other kinds to work with as well. Something else to work with...and perhaps multi-colored strands to make the string. ;)
Sounds a lot of work, I know, but it fascinates me. Granted, the Northern Ranger stuff is kind of limiting from a design standpoint but it is a starting place and one I really like so one I will pursue with great intention. Where it goes from there...I have no idea.
Leather stuff...yes, the sea motifs and Northern Ranger motifs will carry into those as well. I am not certain just how...I need to work with the sketchbook for a while, but I will come up with something.
Lots of learning going on..and that motivates me more than anything else.
Vendui!
Eledhwen
Bowyering and fletching, hobby pursuits that appear to be morphing into something else. I am not certain quite how this is happening, but it does appear to be (very slowly) moving into something more than a simple hobby. Selling arrows...and I have some interested folk in bows I have been learning to make....none of which are field tested yet. I wonder if making the things that go with them will go that route? Quivers, bow quivers, strings, vambraces, and gloves, to name a few. I must admit, it would be nice. That said, I am not counting on it. Never in my wildest dreams did I think of becoming a bowyer and fletcher. A blacksmith, sure...I am formally trained to it...but this archery stuff I am entirely self taught. Apparently I do well with the arrows and the bows seem to turn out well too.
I am currently working on a Ranger bow...more specifically a Northern Ranger bow. All that really means is that I am working designs into the bow that reflect the Northern Rangers...the Forandiri. Along with those are sea motifs....I am very fond of the sea and so do honor to the seafaring past of the Dunedain.
So there is an example...armory for the Sea Rangers. More fitting, perhaps, for those Rangers operating in the Bay of Belfalas out of places like Dol Amroth and Pelargir. However, I figure the Kingdom Renewed might use such folk operating out of Forochel and the Lindons. Yeah, flimsy reasoning, but there it is. I like the sea, I like rangers, so I combined them.
The same kind of reasoning 'supports' my use of bamboo as a bow backing....it comes from the East and so travels beyond the Sea of Rhun made it available...as did the copious booty from defeating the Eye. Ditto Haradrim items. Yes, this is all post Ring, but eh, I'll use it.
For the sea motifs on the bow I am using seabird imagery as well as dolphins. Nothing huge, no ugly monster carvings, nothing to compromise the wood. Mostly a bit of woodburning and wood dyes...what carving this is I keep very minimal...more of an accent.
I am also being enough of a heretic to work on an iconic bow for the Northern (Sea) Rangers. I am going to work with a reflex-deflex design, the which is far older than I had previously thought. Eventually I might use siyas instead of the deflex portion but we will see how the basic sort functions. They are not as common with folk as the standard longbow design. They aren't composite bows...although they can be laminated (also a far older technique than I thought); adding siyas won't make them composite bows. I am not even sure I can make that work, but it is worth a try.
If it does work, I will wind up with a very unique bow for the Northern Rangers. Or really, anyone I might make one for. No idea how feasible it is. I will try it though.
I am also going to start working with wood dye designs on arrow shafts. Color combinations and designs. No carving, obviously, but paint and dye can do some interesting things. I have dipping tubes and colors, and brushes and such, so in addition to my name in Tengwar as a marker, Northern Rangers might have arrows whose differences lie in the detail of the decoration. I prefer grey and white flights...seabird stuff...but there are seabirds with other colors too so that is worth looking into as well.
Strings...at the moment Flemish twist types, but there other kinds to work with as well. Something else to work with...and perhaps multi-colored strands to make the string. ;)
Sounds a lot of work, I know, but it fascinates me. Granted, the Northern Ranger stuff is kind of limiting from a design standpoint but it is a starting place and one I really like so one I will pursue with great intention. Where it goes from there...I have no idea.
Leather stuff...yes, the sea motifs and Northern Ranger motifs will carry into those as well. I am not certain just how...I need to work with the sketchbook for a while, but I will come up with something.
Lots of learning going on..and that motivates me more than anything else.
Vendui!
Eledhwen
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Ranger Season!
Mae Govannen!
Right then, it looks to be a great year for Rangering about. New trails, new kit, new clothing, and more on the way. To start off, I found these sketches on the Rangers of the White Tree Facebook page:
Why do I find these so exciting? They speak to me of Arnor, Gondor, and Numenor that was Westernesse. I have always been more Numenorian in my leanings than anything else, more Second Age than Third. Also, these are a lovely blend of different cultures; Late Roman, Byzantine, and early Medieval Europe. They mix it so well too. I wish I had thought of this myself way back in my younger years with the SCA. Even so, I can use them now.
"But Eledhwen, those are all black and white, what good is that for a Ranger?"
Glad you asked. For a Ranger we just use 'earth tones' for fabric...you know, the usual greens, browns, greys, and even black. In my case, browns and greens, with a bit of grey, and black or very dark blue decorative bits. Remaining subdued and plain, but still in line with these sketches which speak to me so clearly.
Of course, your mileage will vary. *I* find them spot on, but others may not. I have never, ever, liked the later medieval images used by various folk for Gondor. That is just me, however.
In any case, from this point forward (and even a little backward as I revisit extant garb with decorative work), folk will have no trouble noting me as my garments, mannish and my own feminine dresses, will be based around these. I have to admit, the sagum and paludamentum type cloaks are very, very nice with this.
Additionally, I will be including this style of work in the decoration of my leather and wood projects..no bright colors, no glitz, just subdued work. The only truly fair thing I will wear is my Ranger Star.
On top of all of that, silk painting of the Northern Rangers flag begins in a week or so. Yes, that ridiculously complicated pine tree is to be painted. No idea why I do this to myself, but I do. There will be writing in Elven script on the banner, and there will be pennants for the spears and gonfanons for the wall, not to mention cushions. Yeah, obsessive, aren't I? ;)
Shadows' Bane, my bow, and Orcbane, my Elven knife, also going out and about. One of these days I will render them in Elvish...and name the Numenorian shortsword I am nearly done with. Yes, I still have my DelTin Glamdring, but honestly, I much prefer shortswords. I do have a spear, naturally, and I even have an axe....a belt axe, mind.
New boots. I am patterning them off the Medieval Hunting Boots seen in so many of my hunting texts. They will have a stacked leather heel, although not high stacked, and cuffs at the top.
Also on the new front; the Ranger pack I have been mucking about with. I have found that I need a frame. I have decided to build one and enclose it in canvas and good webbing and then attach the pack itself to that. If I get it right, it shouldn't be terribly noticeable. Sorry, but the misalignment of my shoulder requires it.
Finally, new arrows for my bows. I am fletching these with natural turkey feathers...although if I can get them, I will use natural grey goose feathers. These will be bound with artificial sinew, tipped with good hunting broadheads. The new trail area I will be hiking runs right through a nearby Wildlife Management Area that I can hunt in as I patrol, for whichever game is in season at that time.
So that's the update for this season.
Vendui!
Eledhwen
Right then, it looks to be a great year for Rangering about. New trails, new kit, new clothing, and more on the way. To start off, I found these sketches on the Rangers of the White Tree Facebook page:
Why do I find these so exciting? They speak to me of Arnor, Gondor, and Numenor that was Westernesse. I have always been more Numenorian in my leanings than anything else, more Second Age than Third. Also, these are a lovely blend of different cultures; Late Roman, Byzantine, and early Medieval Europe. They mix it so well too. I wish I had thought of this myself way back in my younger years with the SCA. Even so, I can use them now.
"But Eledhwen, those are all black and white, what good is that for a Ranger?"
Glad you asked. For a Ranger we just use 'earth tones' for fabric...you know, the usual greens, browns, greys, and even black. In my case, browns and greens, with a bit of grey, and black or very dark blue decorative bits. Remaining subdued and plain, but still in line with these sketches which speak to me so clearly.
Of course, your mileage will vary. *I* find them spot on, but others may not. I have never, ever, liked the later medieval images used by various folk for Gondor. That is just me, however.
In any case, from this point forward (and even a little backward as I revisit extant garb with decorative work), folk will have no trouble noting me as my garments, mannish and my own feminine dresses, will be based around these. I have to admit, the sagum and paludamentum type cloaks are very, very nice with this.
Additionally, I will be including this style of work in the decoration of my leather and wood projects..no bright colors, no glitz, just subdued work. The only truly fair thing I will wear is my Ranger Star.
On top of all of that, silk painting of the Northern Rangers flag begins in a week or so. Yes, that ridiculously complicated pine tree is to be painted. No idea why I do this to myself, but I do. There will be writing in Elven script on the banner, and there will be pennants for the spears and gonfanons for the wall, not to mention cushions. Yeah, obsessive, aren't I? ;)
Shadows' Bane, my bow, and Orcbane, my Elven knife, also going out and about. One of these days I will render them in Elvish...and name the Numenorian shortsword I am nearly done with. Yes, I still have my DelTin Glamdring, but honestly, I much prefer shortswords. I do have a spear, naturally, and I even have an axe....a belt axe, mind.
New boots. I am patterning them off the Medieval Hunting Boots seen in so many of my hunting texts. They will have a stacked leather heel, although not high stacked, and cuffs at the top.
Also on the new front; the Ranger pack I have been mucking about with. I have found that I need a frame. I have decided to build one and enclose it in canvas and good webbing and then attach the pack itself to that. If I get it right, it shouldn't be terribly noticeable. Sorry, but the misalignment of my shoulder requires it.
Finally, new arrows for my bows. I am fletching these with natural turkey feathers...although if I can get them, I will use natural grey goose feathers. These will be bound with artificial sinew, tipped with good hunting broadheads. The new trail area I will be hiking runs right through a nearby Wildlife Management Area that I can hunt in as I patrol, for whichever game is in season at that time.
So that's the update for this season.
Vendui!
Eledhwen
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Archery stuff
Archery has become a major focus of my Ranger activities, across the board. Fantasy, Medieval, Modern, it does not matter. Hence, there will be some pieces here concerning modern archery and hunting concepts...and some to do with emergency preparedness as well.
I have a lot of bows. Three horse bows, four longbows, one compound bow, and two longbows under construction. I make wooden arrows...but I am looking into making my own carbon arrows too. I also have bowfishing shafts. Anyway, I have a lot of them...and I love them.
This year will feature a LOT of camping, backpacking, hunting, and related activities...as well as preparedness drills. I will be doing a lot of this in a variety of kit...from Middle Earth to modern or even disaster modern.
Among other things I am using camo facepaint, civilian camo clothing (Realtree, Mossy Oak, etc), which are a LOT more effective than the standard military camo patterns..mostly due to the focus on the individual rather than on units. Civilians are generally hunting, so hiding and being unseen is paramount....military people are simply trying to avoid immediate detection so that ambushes and battles can be manipulated to gain surprise. It is more complicated than that, but in a nutshell, that will do for this blog.
We have takedown recurves to go with the emergency packs. I have modern bows for situations where I have enough warning to prepare better than grab and go allows.
I prefer bows over guns. Why? One word; Noise. Fire a gun and everyone in the vicinity knows something is up and pretty much where, generally speaking. It attracts attention and investigation. For our purposes, the point is to E&E without detection as best we can, and that means keeping noise and light discipline firmly in place. Silent movement and camouflage. Hand & arm signals, various whistles and clicks.
With any luck, this sort of preparedness training won't have to come into play. However, better prepped and ready than surprised and unprepared.
I have a lot of bows. Three horse bows, four longbows, one compound bow, and two longbows under construction. I make wooden arrows...but I am looking into making my own carbon arrows too. I also have bowfishing shafts. Anyway, I have a lot of them...and I love them.
This year will feature a LOT of camping, backpacking, hunting, and related activities...as well as preparedness drills. I will be doing a lot of this in a variety of kit...from Middle Earth to modern or even disaster modern.
Among other things I am using camo facepaint, civilian camo clothing (Realtree, Mossy Oak, etc), which are a LOT more effective than the standard military camo patterns..mostly due to the focus on the individual rather than on units. Civilians are generally hunting, so hiding and being unseen is paramount....military people are simply trying to avoid immediate detection so that ambushes and battles can be manipulated to gain surprise. It is more complicated than that, but in a nutshell, that will do for this blog.
We have takedown recurves to go with the emergency packs. I have modern bows for situations where I have enough warning to prepare better than grab and go allows.
I prefer bows over guns. Why? One word; Noise. Fire a gun and everyone in the vicinity knows something is up and pretty much where, generally speaking. It attracts attention and investigation. For our purposes, the point is to E&E without detection as best we can, and that means keeping noise and light discipline firmly in place. Silent movement and camouflage. Hand & arm signals, various whistles and clicks.
With any luck, this sort of preparedness training won't have to come into play. However, better prepped and ready than surprised and unprepared.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
What I've Been Up To
Aside from dealing with ridiculous amounts of snow and extremely cold temperatures, these are the things I have been up to;
The top image is a photo of some arrows I made for Greg Lammers (fellow MERF member), recently completed. The are 11/32 ash shafts with 125 grain field points, five inch flights, and wrapped with artificial sinew.
The bottom image consists of projects I have under way..all of them my own items. Three arrows, again of 11/32 ash shafts, five inch flights in a left helical twist, two of which are bound with sinew, one of which has an insert in the self nock. The points are 125 grains, in the case of the broadhead and blunt, but the whistler I have not measured. The arrows are still under construction, along with 11 others.
The horn is my new hunting/signal horn...from Scotland it comes, taken from the makers' own cattle. It is a great big thing and quite thick so I will be working some scrimshaw on it...to some degree. It will receive new thongs and a baldric.
The quiver is a Sherwood from an online leatherer whose name I do not recall. I have begun disassembling it, as can be seen, and will keep going so I can make some modifications to it. This quiver is entirely for my MER activities since we have little evidence that back quivers were used in Europe, although we know they were used in other areas of the world like Africa and Japan.
I am also going to make a couple of belt 'quivers' of different sort...one a bag type meant to go along the small of the back, the other a waist quiver that hangs from the belt at the side. Both are medievally appropriate.
Other bits that aren't shown here; various belt pouches for archery bits and bobs, more arrows with different kinds of points on them, bows, new hoods, and some dresses.
Spring turkey season kicks off next month...I shall be prepared.
Eledhwen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)