#crupper

[m3dieval]

An inside look at medieval horse armour. This article has lots of good examples of surviving pieces.

[ultimateaclrecovery]

My door fell down…..

It’s been windy and I heard things rattling so went out to check what was making noise but was definitely not expecting this. Several of the screws got pulled out of the hinges, one of the hinges broke off, and there’s chunks of metal on the ground too. I unscrewed two screws to get it the rest of the way out so it would stop hitting the grill and being a nuisance and brought it inside, but I’m not sure it’s salvageable. I mean I don’t need a back screen door necessarily but I’m still annoyed that it literally broke off

[prettypurpleponies]

Shout out to two horse tack for adding the purple stitching option to their crupper when I emailed and asked about it 🙌

And yes I will happily pay ten extra dollars for purple stitching

[hedgehog-moss]

I'm happy to announce that this month I was finally able to buy Pirlouit a proper packsaddle! Doesn't he look very professional? And handsome. He receives a lot of compliments every time a visitor sees him all dressed up.

If he looks a bit wary in this photo it's because it was the first time I added the baskets, and as he'd never seen such large baskets before he wasn't sure they weren't about to eat him. His nervousness only took the form of twitchy ears though, there was no drama. (And he can be very melodramatic, so really he's been very stoical and self-possessed in the process of getting used to the packsaddle.)

He can also sulk for days if I make him do something he doesn't like (e.g. hoof care, which he seems to interpret as pointless torture), so I find it gratifying that every time we've used the packsaddle so far, he didn't try to avoid me the next day but came to greet me—he makes it very obvious when he is offended by an activity, and I'm glad that he seems to enjoy being asked to help carry things :).

When I bought the packsaddle I was a bit concerned about the girth being too small, because Pirou refused to let me measure his circumference beforehand (and I was pretty sure having to resort to some sort of girth extender would embarrass him) (but he does have a very round belly...)

But no; I was able to fasten all the straps—though I spared him the crupper strap at first.

I had to have two tall trees felled in the pasture (because of a project I will talk about in another post), and I also cut a couple of storm-damaged trees in my woods, so I spent a lot of time this year cutting & splitting logs. I now have several stacks quite far from my house, in places that can't be reached with a wheelbarrow, and my donkey's help is very appreciated to carry everything to the woodshed. Plus, the people who visit me are usually more into doing stuff with the llamas, so this allows me to give attention to Pirlouit too, while doing something useful.

Aren't you proud to be now in my Top 3 Most Useful Animals, Pirou?

... wait he's still grumbling about that one comment.

[neonfretra]

continuation of my philipp grubauer as a horse design :3 the whole gangs here!

layers+design notes below the cut!

they are all wearing horse armor, which is incredibly funny because WHO is fitting they sheep for war

disclaimer: i dont know nothing about horse armor actually, i am heavily referencing image searches and these are aesthetic over function

to defeat the whole function of horse armor, they continue to not be able to seat a rider because HAHAHA chris barely reaches the tops of joey and grubis legs in this FORGET supporting a riders weight

the shoulder guards (a modified version of the peytral) and hip guards (the crupper) use the pattern of their blockers and pads. people were NOT joking, they sure are white across the board

the plate in front of their neck (which is the OTHER part of the modified peytral) is intended to mimic neck guards on goalie helmets. funny enough only grubi actually wears one!

the designs on said plates are the franchise logo (center) and the shoulder designs (flanking on both sides of logo) for their team!

the face plate (the chanfron) has a metal gilding on the front to mimic the cat eye cage design! there is plating underneath because a cage is NOT enough armor

still on the chanfron, the sides are extended down the face as decoration, with tentacles (chris and grubi) or wings (joey)

also decorative are loops that go around chris and joeys horns, which are, again tentacles (joey) or wings (chris)

LAST POINT ON THE CHANFRON! the colors and patterns are from their helmets but incredibly simplified because i am not accurately recreating them. they got city skylines on those man

both joey and grubi have cloth underlayers to look like jerseys

joey is in firebird visiting colors

grubi is in kraken home colors

dreidger doesnt have an underlayer because i think the wool is a sufficient barrier against friction LOL

chris is a whiteface sheep with black wool because of this post comparing driedger to a sacrificial lamb by seattlekrakenyaoi and the kraken as jellycats post by scoringchance

another name for whiteface sheep is penistone sheep. im sure well be very mature bout this one ^_^

joey is a luing cow with a curly brown coat because everyone says he has beautiful brown cow eyes

i prefered luing cows over the more popular highlander cows (the fluffy cow, also crossbred with shorthorn cows to make said luing cows) for the texture of their coat LOL

chris and joey both have netting wrapped around their horns, joeys draped between his to resemble the net

grubi is a dappled gray draft horse with a blonde mane

the horse

[empirearchives]

Victor Hugo popped off here…

“There exists a very respectable liberal school which does not hate Waterloo. We do not belong to it. To us, Waterloo is but the stupefied date of liberty. That such an eagle should emerge from such an egg is certainly unexpected. If one places one’s self at the culminating point of view of the question, Waterloo is intentionally a counter-revolutionary victory. It is Europe against France; it is Petersburg, Berlin, and Vienna against Paris; it is the status quo against the initiative; it is the 14th of July, 1789, attacked through the 20th of March, 1815; it is the monarchies clearing the decks in opposition to the indomitable French rioting. The final extinction of that vast people which had been in eruption for twenty-six years—such was the dream. The solidarity of the Brunswicks, the Nassaus, the Romanoffs, the Hohenzollerns, the Hapsburgs with the Bourbons. Waterloo bears divine right on its crupper.”

— from Les Misérables.

[italics by me]

[thesixthplaneteer]

Charred Saints - Godwynn Forrester

My entry for the Charred Saints event by @tzimizce!

A high whinny rang out like the call of a herald's trumpet. It comes from a white destrier streaked in red with an armored rider. Its hooves struck hard with its loping walk, making a dreadful ring with every step. The creature took heavy breaths as if its pace labored it. What was left of the barding covered little of the horse with what remained smeared and splattered with blood. Shreds and links of chainmail dangle precariously about the head and neck. The remnants of the peytral bent and dented. Tattered strips were all that remained of the flanchard. Absent was the chanfron, crinet, and crupper. Though war torn and haggard by all appearance the steed loped onward to the venue that would host Palla Grande. 

The rider sat deathly still in the saddle, proud posture, and as battle worn as his mount. Red eyes glared through the small gap between his visor and sallet, fixated on his destination and unmoving. His armor bore the same sign of battle as the barding on his horse. Blade scared, gore slick, pockmarked, and sundered. His right arm hangs limp to his side. The right gauntlet was missing to reveal blackened, cracked, and bleeding flesh underneath. Wrapped around his right wrist and hand is a chain. Most of the links had scaling indicative of being exposed to intense hate, except for a pattern of polished links. Dangling by the chain was the twisted and warped remains of a sword. Most of the blade was missing, leaving the charred hilt. The mockery rosary swayed and bounced with the pace of the horse.

There were large and small details alike to catch the eye and scrutiny. However the stand out piece of the ensemble was the tabard the rider wore. It was pristine, unbesmirched, free of stain or impurity. The pattern was split into quarters and trimmed in red. The upper left and lower right quadrants bore a forward facing stag head on a diagonal split background of dark blue and ochre. The upper right and lower left quadrants bore the symbol of the Sword of Caine in brilliant crimson on pure white. 

The clopping of the horse stopped at the entrance, in front of the gawking mob feverishly awaiting the festivities. The rider removed his helmet and let it clatter to the ground. To any applause or praise he only gave silence as he dismounted his horse and entered. Sir Godwynn Forrester has arrived.

[warsofasoiaf]

Do you have a good chart or know of the words for the gear a horse would wear. I know the reins and stirrups but that’s it, I need to know what a king would have on his horse when riding to castle to castle but wants to make a show of how rich he is with his horse as well

Most folks are familiar with the saddle, but there's plenty of equipment that the saddle needs in order to make sure it doesn't slip or move like the breastcollar (also called the breastplate, but given how often I talk about armor, I'll use the more distinctive term) and crupper. Pay special attention to the saddle blanket, which help provide padding and support, and can be richly decorated - a king's saddle blanket is likely of high quality, bearing the symbol of his house. Your stirrups would be on the bottom of the saddle, for the feet.

There's the bridle, which is an essential part of the reins which helps guide and direct the horse. There's the bit, which is the part that's by the horse's mouth, whereas the noseband is, like the name suggests around the nose, and the martingale, which goes around the girth and between the legs. The reins, bit, and bridle form what is essentially the "steering wheel" of the horse, while the martingale keeps the horse's head from rearing back and striking the rider. Some tack doesn't have a bit, instead pushing on the horse's nose and chin, this is called a hackamore in today's parlance. Don't confuse the bridle with a halter, which is used on the ground to lead and hitch the horse (if you secure the bridle to a hitchpost, the horse might hurt itself or rip the bridle).

Then, of course, a wealthy king would probably bard his horse. Barding is horse armor, which depending on the technology of the people in question, might be metal plate, strap and lamellar, or hardened and boiled leather. Well-crafted and embellished armor is a great way to showcase your wealth. Bling can be shown directly, of course, but having a truly impressively crafted set of barding means that the king employs the most skilled armorsmiths. Good armor doesn't just keep your horse alive, but it allows the owner to flex on everyone.

Thanks for the question, Anon.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

[aquicat]

The Trials of Mathurine (Les Essais de Mathurine Modern English Translation)

For more information of Mathurine de vallois please check the wiki.

In short, Mathurine was a court jester of France in the 1600s, she foiled an assassin, gave no fucks, and spend her free time writing hilarious political satire, apparently. So, without further ado, this is my translation of (what is thought to be) her writing:

When I consider my life, I find it seasoned with many useful moments. Albeit, the little children squark: “Aga! Mad Mathurine!” at me as I pass through the streets. They are right: It is true that I’m tainted by this disease: my senses can be rancid and my imagination becomes mouldy and dislocated. This came to me from a rifle shot I received to the head at a ballet of Caresme-prenant. Baste! 

Even if I am mad, there is one occasion I was able to seize so bravely that I am reminded of it more every year in the form of twenty and thirteen jacobus of rent, without counting the trick of the stick.

There are those who believe they are made of cloth, and there are also ‘clever people’ who are more foolish than I am a beast by half past seven. Consider (if you please) that I spend my time with cheer and without melancholy. If something turns me to boredom, I simply visit my good friend, who makes me eat his hissope [fragrant] soup - that’s as fat and bacon yellow as golden thread; and in the end I can fall back on my lecherous shield: “Until goodbye, Mathurine.” However, I am always ready for commands in the service of gallant men, whether in peace or war, at all hours. The armour of my costume is always in good condition as I often have it polished. This is with a whimple made for the occasion, as there are furred parts at the front.

By Jove! Tabarin makes more profit from two or three buffoonish questions, shitty riddles, or silly jokes than his master does with his holy, disease curing remedies because the world wants nothing more than to banter. [Quack doctors often had clowns travel with them, Tabarin is one such, and a famous one, I believe] So he ends with slapstick, so that people will remember him and want to return. 

The wisdom of this world is madness before God, which makes me hopeful that (in this country) I will be rewarded for double food, for I am doubly mad! If all the madmen and madwomen in Paris  wore cruppers, many would be walking around with their ass skinned, for there are all sorts of madmen, of all ages, qualities and sexes. But they are mad in the fashion that trots, and, as Master Guillame says:

Some are mad and others strange

As marvellous as beautiful angels

Brand new descended from heaven

And those are glorious madmen

There are qualities which are farce and serious; they carry proud arrogance. You would think, by the air pursing their lips like a new bride, that they were Socrates himself! Therefore, about this kind of madmen, Master Guillaume says: According to our good devout doctors, we call them wise fools.

And of course, they find nothing well done if they have not done it themselves. Lord give me faith if they noticed someone on someone. They’d set us to leaf through all the approaches of Aretinus father than find fault with theirs; perhaps they would like to inform against them, claiming that this one is not in fashion yet this one is. I am weary for this list of reproaches! Good people, we create in all fashions, and we have already achieved this quite well as there are more than fourteen jubilees. You other readers, have you heard of a certain jumble of pamphlets called ‘the Caquet de l’Accouchee? Doubtlessly you have, for more copies have been sold than of the familiar epistles, or oration of the saints.

A certain person presented me with a copy the other day, and reading it greatly heated me. Judging by the temper in its words, I immediately saw that it was written by another malcontent, who was above plundering no lip. These people have no wit to conduct themselves, and would wish to be given the world in their palm. It is pure ambition to envision oneself as one day canonized by Master Pierre du Coignet. But the chapter on Notre-Dame is full of the reformation of the priests who sing about the defeat of the Huguenots and death of the Grand Turk in the taverns. I’m sure you know well that the narrator of the Caquet is a fashionable fool. He says that he has been ill at the beginning of his litany - no doctor can tell, but he is in grave danger of death as he no longer knows what he is saying.

Whoever plays the chatterbox did not have a good influence on him, and he boasts about his heritage just as he does his mind. I think he may have gnawed, like a viper, at his mother’s stomach to get out had he not found the plughole at the base of the womb. Maybe she made him kiss her ass as he passed (which he found dirty at the time) and this is the reason he wants to take the whole female sex in his pocket? I heard Pierre Dupuy claim he is the bastard son of a Pasquin, yet I know nothing of him other than that he is known for his caquet and that he is considered the brother of Merlin of England. Notice, ladies, how he flirts about the street women, old young, puny, qualified, public and of all conditions who have not thought on his flirting any more than I have of being a soldier of Babylon.

Do you notice that he is like the monkey who pulls chestnuts out of the fire with the paw of the greyhound? I perceive that he would like all woman to be an echo of his stupidity, and charlantary the subject of his state reforms. For less than a hundred crowns, I will tell you some reasons.

For the first item, let us begin with the Isle du Palais [a prison on an island]. His curiosity made him approach Tabarin: “Are you ill?” Tabarin said. “Yes,” replied the chatterbox, “but my illness is not contagious, it is but of the mind.”

“I addressed myself to you with credit from your master, who is thought to know marvellous, marvellous things. And he was never stingy with his knowledge. You can look about whatever you want. But I will provide what you desire, I am no less a scholar than he,” he said boldly. “I would like, honest lord,” he said bravely, “if your benevolence obliges, to learn your means of telling the virginity, or lack of, of a girl. Because, besides avoiding being a cuckold, it would benefit me among company.”

Then Tabarin replied, “is that all? I will satisfy that desire - one must know these things before loving. Go to Cormier’s and have dinner prepared, and we will get better acquainted. In the mean time, I will ponder my most exquisite secrets, and will return to you in an hour.”

“I will wait for you there,” said the chatterbox.

“I will go and find you,” said Tabarin, “have the wine put to cool.” Both made it to the place, and dined deeply.

After dinner, Tabarin said, “sir, these are not day to day questions of the chaffaut. Moreover, all work requires pay, as I’m sure you know.”

“I know it well,” said the curious one, “so I beg you to put this couple of pistoles in your pocket.”

“Good,” said Tabarin, “listen… when you wish to know the virginity of a girl, put one of your hands on her cunt - do you hear me well? Then, at the same time, blow into her ass. If you feel the wind on your hand, she is undoubtedly pierced. And there, that’s for your money. Farewell, sir.”

It is one of Tabarin’s old tricks, which turned the man green again. And so the laughter remained refined. Nevertheless, he vowed to have revenge on the jester and affronter. That is one reason he is angry at women. 

The second reason is that (by Saint Barbara!) no one has cared to listen to him, or to make a point of his flirting except for an old picardy woman, who was going to shout the mustard. Still he could not enjoy it.

Also, it is a very empty defence. Jan Vouaire, though they say I am ugly and mad, I would not have lent him my ass to kiss. [some joke about Saint Fiacre that is beyond my translation capabilities]. Necessity has dragged him so low that he has made a profession of lending money, and was forced to approach all sorts of women of a fine sort, which he has now exchanged in the office of a pimp. You should have seen him going door to door like the pig of saint anthony! He asked the ladies authority, the damsels for courtesy, the presidents and mistresses of requests, counsellors, favours; to the lawyers council, to the clerks coppies, to the procurators care, to the clergywomen writing, to the solicitors diligence, to the financiers money, to the bourgeois lodging, to the merchants estoffs, to the bakers foüace, to the roasters flesh, to the tavern keepers wine, to the chambermaids service, to the artisans credit: on which was founded the strongest of all his hopes. But knowing himself doomed, he drank as if he were castrated…

Further, having introduced himself to an old woodswoman who’s got the reputation of having experience and knowing deep secrets of nature, who can tell you a good story property and finely draws the coin from the hands of the daft ones like him. Now he found himself lovesick to the third degree and resolved to seek help in this old woman and a pitiful place full of mortal sins, where he fell for almost the same trick that Tabarin had played on him. Upon entering, he greeted this nymph of Pluto, “my gossip, is it not obvious, from my face, that I am ill?”

“Yes,” she said, “I have a remedy for everything, except death. What is your illness? There are several. It’s not the plague, at least?"

“No,” he said.

“Well!” she said, “is there not a problem with the head, stomach, arms legs and all else?”

“No, my illness is worse than all that,” he said.

“I wish to withdraw from you,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” he said, “it is not contagious. How to say… it is a woman’s illness.”

“Is it,” she said, “an illness of the womb?”

“No,” he said, “I mean the illness is caused by women.”

“I see, so be it,” she said, “well, there are chancres, colts, pisse-chaude, pox, crystaline and other types too. What kind is your disease?”

“None of those, none of those,” he said, “no, the evil that works on me is love-sickness.”

“Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!” cried the Adade, “have courage! You will not die from it, and I’m the expert on that. Why, you have found the shoes to fit your foot: there is no one in the world quite like me; ready for anything, like a minister’s chambermaid, expert in the woman’s trade. I know how to erase freckles and wrinkles from the face; I make talcum oil to perfection, I know how to make a joint tighten so that a runner might be taken for a virgin.” In short, she showed him a multi tiered box full of ointments, on the lid of which was written:

The medicine here

Is good for curing urine

And for taming thrushes,

Mares cure farcin;

It makes many thefts,

It makes rebirths sing,

It makes young ladies crave love.

“Now… what you seek is another item. Let us speak softly… I have brought a certain little root from Egypt which will make you loved by the virgins. Is that not what you seek?”

“That is it,” said the man, “it would bring me great happiness if, by your means, I could experience this science and achieve my dreams!”

“You want to know, don’t you sir?” replied the woman, “I honour the archbishops; I do not walk in front of the cross.”

“So I understand, my friend,” said the chatterbox.

 Now, here is something to laugh at. “Yawn, sir: which one do you want? Tell me her name, and I will just force her to come and sleep with you.”

Our man, half ecstatic and rubbing his arms, names the woman to her. She begins to plot to take one of her comrades, hideous, deformed and capable of killing a delicate person, to his bed. He had his way with her, then, the next day (wanting to look upon his beautiful subject in the daylight) he was overcome with fear and shame, believing that it was Prosperpine.

He wanted to flee, but she followed him saying, “Pay me! Dear Lord! Is this how you thank the world after you’ve used it?”

And three!

Also, near the same time, the doctor promised him a certain drug to make him robust in the game of love. In effect, his prescription was sent to an apothecary, who made a grave mistake; for instead of giving him the correct medicine, he was given one ordered for one Franciscan for the purpose of releasing his belly. This was also given to his father-in-law, and they both found themself very astonished when the time of the medicine came. And, not knowing who to blame for his misfortune, our man raised his shield.

My mind turns when I think of this business, and I will go completely mad if he is not chastised like a true villain. Sus! Sus! Let every woman smear his face with cow dung! Let every girl spit on his moustache! And let them all curse him so many times that he can only defecate which whips and run from a beast the rest of his life! He is a villain, and knows not one secret of women: we are too wise as to babble in the way he says we do, not one of us is so foolish (if she had let the cat go to the cheese) to speak of it to even her closest confidant. Together, we keep this oath quiet; there is no young girl who would not rather do it twenty times than speak of it once. 

It would satisfy you to know that I have discovered the subject of the Chatterbox’s discontent: It was consulting and old Sibyl, whose tripod now serves to support my piss pot.

This makes me seem, when I want to, wiser than thirty-five Diogenes’ [philosopher]. Until goodbye! I cannot talk any longer on this; especially as Count Mansfeld [commander in reformation war] makes me lose my chatter. We must disperse all this chatter and leisure that influence this drunkard to hoax the women he drags around, for fear he will come to prevent the continuation of work in the hostel of my good friend - eat our melons and drink our wine. I will find out if he hasn’t returned from his trip to Notre Dame, and I will send you word by this same messenger.

Sanita et Guadaigne.

Read french the original here.

This was done with the help of google translate, though almost every sentence had to be re written, as (shocker) shoving middle french into a modern french translator does not tend to go very well!

[sunshinemoonrx]

Cai, Bedwyr and company

So pretty much ever since this post about the original folkloric magical-warrior Arthur, I've been doodling designs for other characters surrounding him (and that real good art I rb'd yesterday kicked my ass into wanting to upload them finally).

Of the companions of the Welsh version of Arthur, Cai (or Cei/Kei) has to top the list. Most magical guy in the world. Per Culhwch & Olwen dude has heat and cold powers, he can grow giant, he can survive underwater for nine days. He fought a giant cat once. (It's actually kind of interesting that he later was adapted into the boorish, incompetent Sir Kay because of how amazing he originally was; it's the classic anime rival bit where you can show how cool your new OC, Lancelot or whoever, is by having him be better than the existing best guy)

I was already leaning into the "slutty magical anime boys" aesthetic and, with characters like this who only appear once the legendary Welsh versions of the 9th century on get into full swing, I felt more license to go further with that (whereas my Arthur and Trwyth look slightly more down-to-earth because they appears even earlier as small-scale local figures).

So my concept for Cai is that since he can generate heat from his skin so intense no rain can touch him without evaporating, by anime girl character design logic obviously he has to leave his back and shoulders and thighs uncovered since that's where I'm having his wings of magical flame project from.

The hair gave me a little trouble--I briefly thought I could give him two-coloured hair to reflect his heat/cold thing, but then I remembered one of the popular HeroAca guys is a two-colour-hair fire-ice-powers guy so I hard-swerved away from treading on those toes. In the end I settled on the MILFy ponytail at the bottom since it'd keep his hair clear of his back, since again, it's very logical and strategically important for the skin there to be bare.

The gloves and metal bands, meanwhile, are meant to be like a shadow the hedgehog power-limiter kinda deal, where he can take them off to unleash his full elemental power. That works with gloves but not really the boots, but I didn't want to lose the symmetry, but then! A piece of medieval Welsh poetry gave me inspiration for another function, and a way to make the design hornier I guess.

One of the Triads of Britain refers to the Three Fettered Men of the Isle of Britain: "Because horses could not be obtained that were suited to them, owing to their size; so they put fetters of gold around the small of their legs, on the cruppers of their horses, behind their backs".

Cai isn't one of the three, but in addition to his main epithet "Cai Wyn" ("worthy Cai", or "Cai the Fair", so it's important he's hot you see), he's also known as "Cai Hir" ("Cai the Tall"), which may be a reference to his ability to grow giant, and fits the 'reasoning' in the Triad. So the bands on his legs became fetters of gold, and my idea is he releases his power by breaking the chain to do his Ultraman rise.

A "crupper", meanwhile, seems to be like, an ass-harness? Sure, that fits the vibe we've ended up at. I figured that can be what he slings his sword from, and then spent...a while trying to figure out the logistics of that. So y'know I had to draw his hips and ass a bunch. For science.

As you can see, there's a couple of attempts to render the leotard as chainmail; one story, Rhonabwy's Dream, describes Cai as wearing mail of pure white rings with pure red rivets, which sounds gorgeous but I dunno how to draw white chainmail so I mostly gave up. He can wear one over the other, I guess?

In Culhwch, Cai (who is the best sword-maker in the world, naturally) forges a sword for the giant Wrnach Gawr, then kills him with it and takes it, so I figured that'd be a cool weapon to give him. Cai asks if he'd like it to be white-bladed or dark-blue-bladed, and Wrnach answers "whichever way you prefer"; we never find out what that is, so I thought an asymmetrical design incorporating both would be fun.

Anyway, here's another friend: Bedwyr! Precursor to Sir Bedivere, Bedwyr is Cai's constant companion, who "never feared a quest that Cai went on". Do Not separate them. He's the Fast Guy; though he has one hand, he can draw blood three times faster than anyone can with two; by the time you notice he's stabbed you once, he's stabbed you another seven times, etc. He's also noted as the most beautiful man in all the land (except Arthur, and one other guy whose name never comes up anywhere else).

I had kinda wanted to give Cai lots of hair volume but was thwarted by the bare-back thing so I made that Bedwyr's thing, and he's gotta be a spear guy given the above (another fun thing is his spearhead can fly off and stab guys on its own then come back to him). Another Triad calls Cai one of the "Three Diademed Battle-Leaders of the Isle of Britain", but adds after giving the three that "And one was diademed above the three of them: that was Bedwyr son of Bedrawc." So that's why they both have little tiaras, and while I flip back and forth on the look I settled on making Bedwyr's a little fancier and Cai's simpler to conform with the poem.

So that's how we arrive at what I consider my final designs for these two lovebirds (one poet tells us Bedwyr's death left Cai "heartbroken"); in the end I prefer the sword-harness just looking like a simple belt from the front, and I added some boots? Thigh-socks? Something?? to Bedwyr to break up the design a bit. The asymmetry of them to conform with his tunic's skirt is inspired by Marin from Saint Seiya, who really rocks the asymmetrical leggings.

And on the right is an initial go at Gwenhwyfar, precursor to Guinivere (and I try to respect the Welsh spellings and pronounciations generally, but I may sometimes refer to her as just "Gwen" in this case). I was inspired by a fragmentary dialogue between her and an antagonistic warrior Melwas (who spends half the dialogue trying to fight Cai actually), where he calls her "Gwenhwyfar of the deer's glance", which brought a vision of a spooky lanky cryptid lady with all-black too-long eyes to mind.

The battle of Camlann was said to be brought about by conflict between Gwenhwyfar and her sister Gwenhwyfach, and a blow struck by the latter to the former, but they might also be like...reflections of the same person's good and bad sides or something?? It's all very murky. In any case, I couldn't stop thinking of Gwen as someone who punches dudes, and the main other instance of that in Welsh legends are their versions of "witches", who wear armour and kill with iron claws. Gwen's mother is a member of the Roman nobility, so I thought fuck it, let's get real wacky and ahistorical and dress her like a cestus-wielding gladiator. Roman influence, iron claws, punching dudes, it all comes together.

Oh, and her father is a giant, so I drew a little Arthur to scale at the bottom to show she's inherited some of that too. I wanna draw her more and refine this, make her spookier (one Triad presents her as being three people? Or Arthur just had three wives with the same name? It might just be a pun? Unclear???) But for now, here's one final page of assorted stuff, presented a couple ways up for clarity:

So there's another Bedwyr; below him, the Cath Palug, the giant cat Cai fights in the poem Pa Gur, which I do intend to do a big funky monster design for, but much like Trwyth in the first post, I had fun doing a human one too. What, am I not gonna draw a catgirl when I can draw a catgirl?

From the other angle, there's Melwas, foe of Cai and Gwen mentioned above. He describes himself as young, and Gwen calls him a "lad of black and yellow", so I made him a twink with dyed hair, but I'll do a more full design later. Probably not before doing Cai's fight with the Cath Palug though.

Caledfwlch, the pre-Excalibur, I drew before, but I did a more ostentatious version here based on its description in Rhonabwy's Dream, where drawing it is like flames leaping forth from the jaws of the serpents whose designs were on it, so blinding no-one could look at it. I like to imagine it having the more humble look until the critical moment when it reveals its true form.

Aaaaand then there's Arthur on a motorbike. (You may have noticed there's one of these way further up in this post in one of the Cai pages) This is just me continuing to think about that idea from the last post about him popping back up in the modern day. Mostly what I orbit around is that he'd defeat whatever evil wizard he was summoned to deal with and then people would be like "so your job is done?" and he'd be like "what? no, the world is clearly in grave peril" and start running around destroying fossil fuel infrastructure. In fact I have a real hankering to make that a comic, but I'd need to be like, an actual artist for that.

So anyway the idea is he gets the spirit of his horse (Llamrei) to inhabit the bike, enabling it to do sick physics-defying stunts. Here's another for the road in fact:

(Wow, Cat, do you like Kamen Rider or something?)

[ultimateaclrecovery]

Trying to start my new year off right by doing all the things but really I just put all the things on my to do list and now I already feel behind. But! I did still do lots of things this weekend

-grocery shopped and meal prepped

-laundry (did not fold but that’s a next Sunday task)

- cleaned out and deep cleaned the freezer and fixed the pullout drawer so the freezer can close all the way again

- cleaned the microwave

- replaced the broken bulb in my basement

- worked on organizing photos. Both for social media posts/documenting and for general storage with my new 1tb external memory bank thing from my dad (and like three google photo accounts 😂)

- picked out and ordered a new smartwatch because after getting a new Fitbit band it has stopped charging. I got the Garmin instinct 2 because it had most of the things I wanted and came it purple. I’m actually really excited that it’s button operated and not touchscreen because I often use it while riding and wearing gloves

-ordered socks and underwear. One of New Years goal is to stop wearing socks and underwear with holes

-ordered a bunch cruppers and crupper accessories to support mission keep pony saddle from slipping forward so she’s not ouchy and doesn’t buck me off. Once I figure out what size she needs and if it works for her, I can custom order a purple gemstone crupper to match her bridle.

-wrote thank you card

-cleared out my to-do papers (mostly sorting into folders or recycling or depositing checks (thank god for mobile deposit)

And now it’s Monday and I have to work and I still should clean out and organize my fridge and pantry, and nail polishes, and shirt drawer, and probably whole closet. I need to get a new air filter for my furnace, still need to actually figure out budget stuff now that mint died, and various crafting tasks. Including cutting out more t-shirt napkins and finally donating my old clothes box that’s been sitting for over a year.

[prettypurpleponies]

Had a lesson and tried out a crupper on the pony!

She was mostly good and didn’t seem to mind the crupper and it def seemed help her saddle not slip forward to much. She did have one moment where she took off bucking/crow hopping for a hot second but I’m not actually sure that was crupper related. And she was a little,funky after the last jump, but I think was mostly sorting out her leads and I think I got her just a touch in mouth on the landing 😬

But otherwise she felt good and seemed unbothered so we will continue riding in it!

And now to return the four other crupper options I got in an attempt to get the correct size. (So many don’t list their size at all or don’t say what it is they are measuring to from 🙄 and I also wanted free shipping sooo) and then after a couple more rides to confirm that it is working I will get her a custom purple with purple gemstone one to match her bridle. She has to be the prettiest pony after all

[knight-of--the-kitchen]

vocabulary learned

from my reading of the story of king arthur and his knights by howard pyle:

roundelay - a short simple song with a refrain, or a circle dance. etymology: rondel: circular object, virelay: type of poem

sward - an expanse of short grass

cudgel - a short thick stick used as a weapon, like a bludgeon

to foin - to thrust a pointed weapon

to wot - to know, etymology: witan, same root word as wit

pied - having two or more colours

benumbed - deprived of feeling. etymology: be: removal, niman: take

certes - assuredly/I assure you, expressing certainty. etymology: certus: settled or sure

betimes - before the expected time

frieze - coarse woolen blanket

lusty - healthy and strong

demoiselle - a young unmarried woman, or a lady's maid

messire - term of address like "my lord"

to gage - to wager

crupper - a strap looped behind the horse's tail to stop the saddle slipping

to wist - to know

to quaff - to drink

palfrey - a docile horse used for riding, especially by women

dotard - old, doddering person losing their mental capabilities with age

a-Maying - celebrating may day

hitherward - towards this place

bascinet - medival european open faced combat helmet

misericordia - thin blades daggers used to deal a death wound in the middle ages. sometimes used to mean mercy.

pleached - interwoven or braided

contes - short fictional tales, usually very exaggerated

cousin-german - first cousin

raiment - clothing

troth - pledge of loyalty, usually a betrothal

plighted - pledged, promised. usually used in the expression "to plight one's troth"

beldame - ugly old woman

[yourhoeshorses]

more stuff I’d like to see in SSO because i am once again bored

~tack edition~

extra slots for tack PLEASE. extra slots for what tack you may be asking yourself. ACCESORIES AND THE OTHER STUFF IN THE LIST

oh my god for the love of horse PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE put a saddle bag on the LEFT SIDE to put stuff in. I get if you cant put another running pet in it, but it would be fun to put our other saddle bag stuff in there to balance it out. also, perhaps the little strap piece that runs in between a set of actual saddle bags to keep them on the horse.

for the english saddles - saddle pads to put over the saddle blankets (one of the uses for extra slots)

another use for extra slots - breast straps, cruppers and britchens! this would be something where I think there would have to be different types to be compatible between english and western saddles in game. Like, the typical western breast strap couldnt go on an english type saddle, and vise versa. Same with cruppers and britchens, britchens could only be worn while using a western saddle and a crupper could go on english saddles (or the Iberian saddle)

I know I said this at the top, but i want to put more accessories on my horses. it would be cool if one slot would be to put bows and flowers where they have always gone, and another one to have bows or flowers be styles all across the mane/tail. just to add a little bit more personalization

[gasolineweirdo]

two-word pair in book I'm reading: 'dun crupper'

[theweirdandthejorvikwild]

Hi3 gave us two new breeds, a random super button, regular and ornate endurance tack sets, breastcollars and cruppers, AND entirely new updated gait animations across the board yesterday. i am LIVING for it, made my first endurance tack set after four and a half years of never making tack ever.

also having a blast with the random super button. between mustangs and the western festival this summer with SSO, this update for Hi3, and horses dropping for sims 4 i'm having so much horse game fun this summer XD