Working on a Bree-lander kit

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Greg
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Greg »

Loving watching this come alive, Taurinor. Or, um, *ahem*, should I say, 'Ned'.
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Taurinor
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Taurinor »

Greg wrote:Loving watching this come alive, Taurinor. Or, um, *ahem*, should I say, 'Ned'.
Thanks! Because I actually enjoy documentation, I can honestly say that it's fun to work on. I hope folks watching the process happen will feel better about writing up their own kits - I know I sometimes feel like the complete kit write-ups on the Wiki must have just leaped, fully formed, from their creators' heads, and that makes it feel even more intimidating. I also hope folks will feel free to "borrow" any references I've included for their own write-ups, as well :mrgreen:
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Udwin »

Ned, I heard about this in a recent NatGeo, and was able to read the complete scholarly article Here.
Image
Called the 'Thames beater', it's an Alder club dated to 3530-3340 BCE (aka FOURTH AGE!). If it was me doing a Breelander kit and I need a stout cudgel, this is what I would make a copy of. It's in the right area, the wood is known in the area, AND its an authentic artifact from the right time.
Personae: Aistan son of Ansteig, common Beorning of Wilderland; Tungo Brandybuck, Eastfarthing Bounder, 3018 TA; a native Man of the Greyflood, c.850 SA
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Taurinor »

Udwin wrote:Ned, I heard about this in a recent NatGeo, and was able to read the complete scholarly article Here.
Image
Called the 'Thames beater', it's an Alder club dated to 3530-3340 BCE (aka FOURTH AGE!). If it was me doing a Breelander kit and I need a stout cudgel, this is what I would make a copy of. It's in the right area, the wood is known in the area, AND its an authentic artifact from the right time.
THAT is excellent! Definitely going on my project list!
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Ringulf »

It is very cool but what it really says to me is that a stout club of a native hard wood could look just about any way the carver felt it should and was as fished as his skill allowed. Thus giving this project a very open ended interpretation, as most "folk" crafting would be.
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Greg »

That's a fantastic find! Likely our first legitimately period find that's more tangible than an in-book reference.

A word of irritation: A quick cursory search has shown that acquiring Alder in, say, a 4x4 block big enough to make one of these is a nearly impossible task, unless you want to pay $150+ for a pre-cut/lathed table leg.
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Ringulf »

Arg! That is is an expensive price of wood! Do you think you could find it occurring naturally (one possibly ornamental in need of a trim?) There are some places on the internet that you can get rare or uncommon wood. By the time you find it and ship it, I think you may take a liking to good old English oak or even ash if you have gone a little further up the Greeneay for it...
I am Ringulf the Dwarven Woodsman, I craft leather, wood, metal, and clay,
I throw axes, seaxes, and pointy sticks, And I fire my bow through the day.
Come be my ally, lift up your mead! We'll search out our foes and the Eagles we'll feed! :mrgreen:
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Taurinor »

Yeah, I also did a bit of Googling for alder, and it's likely I'll be using a different wood, at least for a first iteration. I'll be checking for references to different woods in the text at some point. Good thing to keep in the back of my mind, though!
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Elleth »

Well that's interesting: I'm curious though - reading the article, I don't see what convinced them this particular object was intended as a fighting weapon, as opposed to some other tool. Not to say it *couldn't* have been - I sure would't want to get thwacked with it.
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

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Elleth wrote:Well that's interesting: I'm curious though - reading the article, I don't see what convinced them this particular object was intended as a fighting weapon, as opposed to some other tool. Not to say it *couldn't* have been - I sure would't want to get thwacked with it.
My guess is that one of the cited works made a fairly convincing case for it being a weapon, but not all of them are available digitally, so I can't be sure. The 2004 Webber, et al. source seems likely.
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

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Taurinor wrote:Yeah, I also did a bit of Googling for alder, and it's likely I'll be using a different wood, at least for a first iteration. I'll be checking for references to different woods in the text at some point. Good thing to keep in the back of my mind, though!
Alder is the only tree mentioned specifically near Bree (east of Midgewater)... once you cross the Hoarwell you get more pines and firs, with birch, oak, and beech around Rivendell.
The Shire and Buckland have your best bets for documented hardwoods--oak, elm, willow, alder, ash, cherry, chestnut, plum. Plus a pine, fir, and larch around the Old Forest.
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Taurinor »

Udwin wrote:
Taurinor wrote:Yeah, I also did a bit of Googling for alder, and it's likely I'll be using a different wood, at least for a first iteration. I'll be checking for references to different woods in the text at some point. Good thing to keep in the back of my mind, though!
Alder is the only tree mentioned specifically near Bree (east of Midgewater)... once you cross the Hoarwell you get more pines and firs, with birch, oak, and beech around Rivendell.
The Shire and Buckland have your best bets for documented hardwoods--oak, elm, willow, alder, ash, cherry, chestnut, plum. Plus a pine, fir, and larch around the Old Forest.
Wow, thanks for the analysis!
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

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I wish naturally-occurring was a possibility, but it’s only in the Pacific Northwest.
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Taurinor »

Aaaaand I've finally updated this again - added my hard kit picture, but I forgot my axe! :oops: Ah well, I figure y'all know what an axe looks like. I'll try to take a picture with all my gear, and it'll be in that. If it really bothers me down the line, I'll just take another picture!
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Re: Working on a Bree-lander kit

Post by Iodo »

Great work :P
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