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DerynifanK

March 17, 2024, 03:48:44 PM
Happy St Patrick's Day. Enjoy the one day of the year when the whole world is Irish.

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

Started by Evie, March 11, 2012, 08:52:30 PM

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Evie

Yep, sure did.  Memorized the entire chapter. 

Or not.    ;)

(Though yeah, I remember the gist.   :D )

KK says the littles were very well behaved and quiet during their overnight stay.  I suppose they wanted to be on their best behavior around The Author.  Though she gifted them with a cute little decanter, so once that's filled with some potent adult libation of choice, they might end up in party hearty mode again.   ;D

Tonight was the highlight of the con as far as the Mini-Deryni were concerned.  They got to join KK on her final panel, as did LEGO Duncan!  Yes, a photo or two might have been taken of this cast of characters, and I'll see if I can upload some later.  They seemed rather shy in those unfamiliar surroundings, so they just sat there on display and allowed KK to do all of the talking.  Hopefully we'll have a new Forum member or two show up, since KK mentioned the Rhemuth Castle forum and our Sunday chats, and also talked about some other fan projects like Shiral's itteh bitteh Hagios Iob.



"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Evie


Duncan's cunning mitre by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

I introduced the Mini-Deryni to the Firefly series, so Duncan was thrilled when we found a Jayne hat in just the right size for him to wear.  It's much more comfortable than his mitre, although I suspect Archbishop Cardiel would prefer for him not to wear his Browncoat gear along with his episcopal regalia.


Maybe it's a Shepherd thing? by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Turns out Duncan wasn't the only bishop who turned out to have a thing for Firefly, although Denis's favorite character in the series seems to be Shepherd Book.  That figures.   :D
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

DesertRose

"If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty, and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans."

James Herriot (James Alfred "Alfie" Wight), when a human client asked him if animals have souls.  (I don't remember in which book the story originally appeared.)

Evie

Quote from: DesertRose on September 03, 2012, 10:58:51 PM
How fuzzy is Denis on the subject of kneecaps?

LOL!     ;D. Come to think of it, I don't recall KK's bishops having the same reservations regarding the use of edged weapons and the spilling of blood that at least some of the warrior clergy in the real world Middle Ages did.  Did Duncan carry a mace into battle or a sword?
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

derynifanatic64

All Edmund Loris needed was the sharp edge of his tongue and a steely look of daggers from his eyes. ;D
We will never forget the events of 9-11!!  USA!! USA!!

Evie

Not to mention the occasional sharp wooden stake and some kindling.
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

KK

Quote from: Evie on September 03, 2012, 11:37:13 PM
Quote from: DesertRose on September 03, 2012, 10:58:51 PM
How fuzzy is Denis on the subject of kneecaps?

LOL!     ;D. Come to think of it, I don't recall KK's bishops having the same reservations regarding the use of edged weapons and the spilling of blood that at least some of the warrior clergy in the real world Middle Ages did.  Did Duncan carry a mace into battle or a sword?

Well, Duncan is the son of a duke, so old habits die hard.  But in fact, there doesn't seem to be any prohibition against clergy shedding blood in Deryniland.  (It always seemed like a dumb restriction to me, if you're going to allow them to carry maces.)  Obviously, it's better if clergy are non-combattants, but that isn't always possible if justice is to be served.  KK

Evie

Glad to see you survived Dragon*con, KK!  At least now I won't have to figure out how to make a 1:6 scale mace....  :D

Speaking of Deryni (and more specifically the mini-Deryni) in wartime, I found something I might be able to build a nice Royal Pavilion around once I get my hands on some canvas.  And my DH has some wood scraps left over from his Dragon*con prop building, so hopefully I can figure out how to make a proper bench or two soon.
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Evie

OK, here's another update....


Haldane gown by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Here's the red velvet (actually velour) undergown I started at Dragon*Con and finished tonight for Araxie.  It can be worn as-is or with a bliaut worn over it.  I haven't embellished it, and if it's worn as an undergown, it really doesn't need anything extra, though I might add just a little extra something at the cuffs and/or the hem where it will show even if something else is worn over it.


Haldane gown by evian_delacourt, on Flickr


Haldane gown by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

And now here's a couple of shots of the embellished bliaut:


With the bliaut added by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Here is the bliaut worn over the new velvet undergown.  I added the contrasting gold-embroidered collar to the bliaut tonight.  I was originally considering adding some gold to the main fabric of the bliaut, over the printed tan pattern, but now I'm thinking that might be a bit too much.  (Plus, if I decide I don't like the effect and wanted to take the gold couching off later, this fabric would show the needle holes even after the gold threads are removed, and I don't know if I really want to risk ruining the gown now that I've come this far with it.)


Closer view of collar by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Here's a closer look at the gold couching on the collar.  I like how this turned out, and I think the contrasting fabric adds a needed final touch to the bliaut.  Araxie looks like she''s happy with it too.   :)
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Jerusha

From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggity beasties and things that go bump in the night...good Lord deliver us!

 -- Old English Litany

Evie

Quote from: KK on September 09, 2012, 11:57:58 AM
But in fact, there doesn't seem to be any prohibition against clergy shedding blood in Deryniland.  (It always seemed like a dumb restriction to me, if you're going to allow them to carry maces.) 

I do tend to wonder how in the world anyone is meant to crush an enemy's bones with a mace "bloodlessly."   :D
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

KK

That's but one of the reasons I always thought that prohibition was so silly.  A mace will shed blood, usually pretty spectacularly.  Non-violence is still the ideal, but the reality is that sometimes clergy have to shed blood.  KK

Evie

If I remember the Jedi Code from my role-playing days correctly, a Jedi would try not to kill if incapacitating would suffice, would try not to fully incapacitate if a less grievous wound would stop the opponent, and wouldn't wound him at all if persuasion, diplomacy, or a Jedi mind trick would prevent the escalation to violence in the first place.  That seems like a code that might serve warriors in the clergy well too, especially if they have the added benefit of being Deryni.  Though granted, when it comes to self-defense or the defense of others, especially against an enemy unlikely to yield to reason (or if it's too late to attempt that), the decision to kill would be a quite valid one (not to mention covered by the general absolution granted before a battle, IIRC, in the case of wartime situations).
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Evie

OK, so the littles are more or less clothed (although they still need some accessories like shoes, and it would be nice to have several extra changes of clothes for them, armor, etc.), so now it's time to learn a bit about woodworking so that I can make furniture.  Here are the first pieces cut for some bench seating.  


Bench pieces by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Top of bench seat and decorative edging to be added to each side.

This was the first time I've tried to use a scroll saw, but fortunately all I had to do was cut straight lines (the edge trim was bought pre-scalloped), and the blade cut through the soft wood pretty much like butter.


Bench pieces by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Here are some of the pieces roughly assembled to show how the trim will eventually be attached to bench seat edges.  I still have to cut out the legs for the bench and decide whether to permanently attach them to the seat's underside or come up with a method for the bench to be temporarily assembled and then broken down for storage.


Bench pieces by evian_delacourt, on Flickr

Another view of the corner where two pieces of trim will join up.  Eventually I want to stain the bench a dark color and then paint the scalloped trim gold.  I haven't decided yet whether to paint the entire trim gold, or just along the scalloped edge of it.  An alternate idea would be to mix up a crimson-pigmented egg tempera paint and paint the main components (seat and legs) of the bench crimson, so that the resulting bench is in Haldane colors, and edge the legs in gold to match the seat trim.  I still haven't decided which way to go with this project.  I plan to use wood glue to assemble the top, and then work out exactly how I want to attach the legs.  One idea I had was to add two parallel slats to the underside near each end, forming a groove in the middle into which the tops of each leg can fit.  Hopefully they won't have to be glued in, and the bench can come apart for storage, but if they end up having to be glued in for stability, the two slats framing each side of the legs should at least provide some extra reinforcement where the legs join up with the seat.

"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Evie

Sorry no new news on this front in a while.  Having a senior in high school who is also participating in high school athletics for the first time is sucking up most of what little spare cash I had.  *sigh*

However, I'll hopefully have more to report soon.  Today, I found a great deal on a vintage Marx horse that's just the right size for the littles.  It's a bit of a fixer-upper, but still structurally sound.  Just needs some sanding and repainting, I think, so I'm looking up how to restore it.  (Alkari, you're my resident horse expert; would you refresh my memory on which horse breeds were not in Western Europe in the Middle Ages?  Judging by the photos, this horse is a currently pale cream color with a white mane and tail.  I think he's meant to be a Palamino, but as I said, he needs repainting, so he could end up a completely different color by the time I'm done with him.)  And of course he'll need tack.  I'm thinking a cute little caparison in Haldane or Corwyn colors, maybe.  Or perhaps he'll be Dhugal's horse.  IIRC, Dhugal's one of the figures whose joints will bend the right way to sit in a saddle properly.  Which means, of course, I'll have to work out how to make a proper medieval saddle....   :D 

I also found a playscale sized "oriental carpet" that's 12" x 8" (real scale equivalent would be a 6' x 4' carpet), which was also on sale for a great price.  One that large is very hard to find, since they're usually sized for 1:12 scale dollhouses.  I found some hand-woven "Oriental carpet" placemats on a different website that were gorgeous, but those were almost $50 each.  Nope, I just don't love playscale furnishings that much, no matter how sumptuous!   :o

I've also been checking out library books on creating dollhouse furnishings (I just have to remember to multiply any measurements by two), and some of the "recipes" for polymer clay food look very tempting.  I might have to give that a try sometime soon.  The Mini-Deryni need something to fill those empty dishes they've already got.

"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!