Re: Work In Progress--Deryni Action Figure Project (was Duncan Action Figure)

[Evie]

OK, more Duncan piccies. Nothing for him to be embarrassed about this time.   

Carthmoor blue by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Duncan shows off the lovely blue velvet for Nigel's Carthmoor blue Court surcoat.  I need to find out what Nigel's coat of arms would be after Kelson's "heir and spare's" births.  I don't imagine he'd still be using the Haldane arms with the mark of cadency for the second-born son at that point, but he probably is entitled to Carthmoor arms, and I don't know how those differ from the Haldane gold rampant guardant lion on a crimson field, and I'm not sure if it's as simple as just using the Haldane lion on a blue field.  Questions for KK, I guess, unless there's some book description of Nigel's arms that I'm forgetting (and an indication that it would be the same in 1136 after Kelson has had an heir or two.)

New shoes by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I put together some shoes to match Duncan's new chausses over lunchtime today. I could go back with a curved needle and sew the tops of the shoes to the bottoms of the chausses to make each leg a single piece, as was often done in period, though I might leave them separate for greater ease of dressing and undressing him. I was hoping to avoid that slight gap at the ankle, but it's not too obvious. If he wears spurs, the straps should cover that gap, but of course he wouldn't go around wearing spurs all the time.

Close up of shoes while seated by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Sitting helps close the gap between the chausses and shoes. (That white line you see is dried Fray-Check, not skin.)

Cloth soles by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Since this is meant to resemble footed chausses rather than an outdoor shoe, I used a matching cloth sole rather than the adhesive rubber that I normally use to simulate a thick leather sole.  He might want some little wooden clogs or pattens to protect the soft shoes if he goes outside in them, or he could theoretically treat them like socks and wear outdoor shoes over them.  (Though there is a rigid sole of cardboard inside the shoe so that he can stand up properly, so making an enclosed overshoe for him might be easier said than done.)  Making pattens might be fun, actually.  I could cut up some wine corks to make the soles.   

[revanne]

I could cut up some wine corks to make the soles.   

The lengths of devotion you go to for authenticity I guess it will be pretty stressfull drinking the wine

[Evie]

I could cut up some wine corks to make the soles.   

The lengths of devotion you go to for authenticity I guess it will be pretty stressfull drinking the wine

Maybe I shouldn't cut the corks immediately after drinking up the wine....   

[revanne]

Not unless you want Rhys to use some of his scary looking instruments on you

[Evie]

Not unless you want Rhys to use some of his scary looking instruments on you

LOL!   

[Elkhound]

How about a crimson lion on a gold field for Nigel?

[Evie]

That would be visually appealing, but I seem to remember that KK already has some mention of Nigel's arms in at least one of her books.  I vaguely recall her mentioning it being the Haldane arms with the mark of cadency for a second son at the top of it, but I also think that was during King Donal's reign, and now that Kelson is the bearer of the Haldane arms and has an heir of his own, I don't know if Nigel would still be using those arms.  KK definitely lists a deep blue (royal blue or sapphire?) as being Nigel's main heraldic color in other scenes, so maybe he uses the Haldane gold lion rampant guardant on a blue field now?  That would show his Haldane bloodline while being sufficiently different to show he is no longer the direct Haldane heir (and the blue is probably associated with Carthmoor and whatever arms the previous Duke(s) of Carthmoor bore.)

[Jerusha]

I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that Nigel's banner was the reverse of Brion's - red lion on gold.  I can't remember if it was in one of the books, or in an article or story in the Deryni Zine.  I'll have to do some checking, but I'm not quite sure where to start.

[Evie]

Please do check, though if it was from the Deryni Archives 'zine, that would explain why I can't remember reading that.  I'd prefer a reference from the actual novels or the Codex, though, since that would help to ensure canonicity.

And in the meantime, here's what Duncan and Helena got up to during lunch today:

Mini-Deryni Adventures:  Female Fripperies by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

[Jerusha]

This is from the Deryni Archives, Vol 2, written by "B. Frazer":  "The arms of Carthmoor are derived from the arms of Gwynedd, as is fairly common from the arms of the royal family. Hence the arms of Gwynedd (Gules, a lion rampant guardant Or - a gold lion on a red field) have first been counter-charged  (the colors reversed to a red lion on a gold field) and then contained within a red border to further difference them."

I'm assuming anything from B. Frazer is canon.   

[Evie]

LOL! Yes, I'll accept anything by Countess Bevin as canonical. 

[Laurna]

LOL

"Not nearly as hot as the view from where I'm sitting."

So much trouble over a pretty blue gown.

[Elkhound]

"Cover up, girl!  I'm celibate, not dead!"  (Put him in bicycle shorts and a tank top; equal opportunity, you know.)

[Evie]

I had Duncan running around in the medieval equivalent of boxer shorts when I was still working on his chausses.  They're about the same length as Bermuda shorts, so perfectly modest by our standards.  For that matter, medieval peasants working in the fields in summertime would often strip down to their braies, apparently without violating their own standards of modesty (I can't imagine modern-day farmers stripping down to their underwear at harvest time, can you?), so he'd probably have been considered decently enough covered even just wearing his braes, albeit underdressed by noblemen's standards.  I don't imagine a medieval bishop would be given to running around in his underwear unless his palace was on fire in the middle of the night and he didn't have time to grab the rest of his clothing! 

But now you've made me want to make Duncan a tank top and spandex bicycle shorts.  Thank you ever so much.  LOL!  It's bad enough that I've already found the perfect scrap of bold print fabric that I was planning on making him a little Hawaiian style shirt out of.  Paired with his sandals and the braies worn as modern-day white shorts, he'll be dressed perfectly for a day at the beach!   

[Evie]

Itteh bitteh letterses:

Close up of letter from Evaine by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Miniature letters in faux Latin generated by a "Lorem ipsum" text generator.

Mini correspondence by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Letters from Evaine, Kelson, Nigel, Alaric, and Duncan. The ones from Evaine will go into her writing kit for shipping to KK; the others will remain in my collection.