E A S T E R L I N G S

Viewing 20 posts - 41 through 60 (of 68 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #19614
    ddaines
    Participant

      Ah, the miniatures that Mithril could release if they took inspiration from these photos ;)

      #19616
      Milo
      Participant

        pfiou…can’t we have any ?

        #19631
        Gavin
        Participant

          It just occurred to me that the Battle of Mirkwood era Woodmen M figures have heads rather similar to the Varyag heads.

          Interesting…very interesting. I foresee potential.

          #19636
          Gildor
          MMP Elder

            but variags are from the south… they are not easterlings…

            #19659
            Arthadan
            Participant

              They’re from Khand, in the Southeast.

              #19662
              Gavin
              Participant

                Yep, South-Easterlings!

                :p

                The MERP background also links them to a wider cultural grouping (Talathrim, I think it is) whose homelands are the plains east of Mordor. So a Mithril visualisation with a lot of “Easterling” elements makes sense.

                Now, me, I’m convinced the Variags are actually Northmen, a Middle-earth version of the Rus. The real world Varyags were vikings living in what’s now Western Russia and the Ukraine. (They were called the Rus and they gave their name to Russia) They rather rapidly intermarried with the locals Slavic population, but retained Vikingish ways. In later years, they formed the Emperor of Byzantium’s personal guard, the Varangian Guard. They may have been hairy barbarians, but they were nowhere near as treacherous as the local Byzantine politicos. (Later, later their numbers were replaced by English huscarls and so forth, but the name sort of stuck). In one scene in the book, we see Faramir talking of Easterlings, “bearded with great axes.” The later Varangians were blokes with beards and great axes. Hence…very tenuously, Variags.

                I also add to this by saying they are called the Varyags OF Khand, which either means they are the Varyags from Khand, but it also means the varyags who are in Khand, that there might be Varyags of Rhun and Varyags of the Northern Horse plains or the Varyags of the Shire.* Khand itself merely means “great kingdom” or empire. So its possible that the Varyags are just an important and notable ethnic group in a bigger, more multi-cultural empire.

                #19681
                Turambar
                Participant

                  So the Easterling captain´s horse belongs now to the archer.
                  So the captain needs a new horse. It took me quiet a very long time, but with a little help from a very dear friend
                  the solution was there:

                  [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_east_001.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_east_001.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_east_002.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_east_002.jpg[/imgz]

                  So there was a bit work concerning the saddle ( there is none . . .) and I come to the conclusion, that the orcish shield of the M308 b
                  is the perfect shield for Easterlings . . . don´t you think?! In the ent I am unsure . . .

                  #19683
                  Thingol
                  Participant

                    All true… great short history lesson Master Gavin… did you know that Variags (Russian and Ukrainian vikings) were also in my area. With their small and narrow fast 12 +1 man crew ships they came downstream through Oder, Danube, Vistula, Drava & Sava till Croatia and Bosnia in 10th century. It is also possible to find tombstones with runes today in Bosnia.

                    Also it is interesting that part of the genetic code is the same as the Scandinavians and this is I*+I1a+I1b*+I1c and it is possible to find it in Croatia (hinterland) 37,0% in Bosnia ( today muslim majority ) 53,65% and in Croatian part of the Hercegovina 70,91%….

                    Croatian prince Zvonimir made a war alliance with the Vikings / Normans against the Byzantine Empire and against Venice (with Norman duke Robert Guiscard in 1082 ) and they fought together almost 3 years.

                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Guiscard

                    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demetrius_Zvonimir_of_Croatia

                    Those vikings / eastern Variags were great adventurers, travelers, conquerors, traders and warriors…. :)

                    I like history…. and Master Turambar’s Variags / Easterlings ;)

                    #19684
                    Thingol
                    Participant

                      What a beautiful new figure dear friend… I will open my e-mail soon and I expect… you know what ! :) :) :)

                      #19710
                      shadyt
                      Participant

                        Wow! Wonderful Easterling Captain! I love the color of the horse and the look of the armor.

                        #19723
                        Milo
                        Participant

                          This easterling set becomes a jewellery ! 😎

                          #19726
                          jdbrown55
                          Participant

                            Excellent job, Master Archer!:D

                            #19749
                            Turambar
                            Participant

                              Thank you Jason, and thank you to all the other kindful felows . . .
                              Well, I have to hurry up a bit. I promised somebody to finished this EASTERLING diorama in the next days.
                              So- this is the last miniature: the variag archer, with modified boots and quiver. I always thought of that those boots must have a little top.
                              So, all figures are finished, time to finish the diorama itself . . .

                              [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_variag004.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_variag004.jpg[/imgz] [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_variag008.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_variag008.jpg[/imgz]

                              #19751
                              Thingol
                              Participant

                                ….. even, better & better…. ! ;)

                                #19752
                                ddaines
                                Participant

                                  Muchly nice :D

                                  #20106
                                  Turambar
                                  Participant

                                    So, after nearly a year of designing and converting and waiting and painting the diorama is finished.
                                    This is the final result and I hope you like it. (making photographs in a rainy country is not easy)

                                    [imgz url=http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/32_east_0194c.jpg]http://mmp.faerylands.eu/uploads/thumbs/32_east_0194c.jpg[/imgz]

                                    #20107
                                    jdbrown55
                                    Participant

                                      Wow! Master Archer! You have outdone yourself this time! Excellent work!:)

                                      #20109
                                      Milo
                                      Participant

                                        OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

                                        no more to add 😎:D:D:D:P:P:P

                                        #20111
                                        ddaines
                                        Participant
                                          Milo wrote:
                                          OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

                                          no more to add 😎:D:D:D:P:P:P

                                          OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

                                          I’ve added another row 😆

                                          Once again a masterpiece, no more to add :D

                                          David

                                          #20112
                                          Milo
                                          Participant

                                            Let me add a word:

                                            UNIQUE ! 😆

                                          Viewing 20 posts - 41 through 60 (of 68 total)
                                          • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.