The Swords Fashioned In Gondolin

Image from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, Thorin’s Orcrist sword

The Dwarfs and company came upon the Trolls cave and found that it was full of plunder including several swords that had been fashioned in Gondolin and used in the last goblin wars. These swords were ancient and were made skillfully. Thorin, Gandalf, and Bilbo had each acquired one of these swords. They glow blue when anywhere near a goblin.

Two of three swords were given names, once by the maker and again by the goblins. Thorin’s sword was named Orcrist or Goblin cleaver which the goblins called Biter. They hated this sword and anyone who carried it.

Gandolf’s was named Glamdring the Foe-hammer. This sword was adeptly named Beater by the goblins. If it were possible, the goblins hatred for Beater was worse than for that of Biter.

What Is So Hard About Creating a Panel Door?

Nothing, really. I have used this technique using thin polystyrene and card stock. I suppose you could use the same technique using wood as long as you have the correct scale lumber on hand. Assembly is quite simple. For my shack door I measured the inside dimensions and added six scale feet to the left, right and top so that I had a surface to place glue and a surface to adhere to the inner side of the door way.

I then used the same measurements minus the six scale inches for my panel insert. I then measured three inches, but you could have gone up to six. I did this for all four sides. For the middle I measured down three and half feet (my door stands seven scale feet tall). From this mark I measured up three inches on the top and the same on the bottom.

Having created an upper and lower rectangles I used a sharp #10 X-acto blade and a small metal rule to carefully cut these away. I then used the knife here, is that magic word again, to carefully cleaned-up my cuts. I followed this with a small square file. Once I was satisfied I carefully glued the “panels” to the front of my door, making sure that it was plumb and square with inside of the door.

Daniel Agdag’s Whimsical Sculptures

Here is another inspirational page that features whimsical structures and airships that were created only from cardboard. These sculptures are simply wonderful and inspiring. Just imagine what can be created from simple and readily available materials.

The Goblins Song

Clap! Snap! The black crack!
Grip, grab! Pinch, nab!
And down, down to Goblin town-
You go my lad!
Clash, crash! Crush, smash!
Hammer and tongs! Knocker and gongs!
Pound, pound, for underground!
Ho, ho! My lad!

Swish, smack! Whip crack!
Batter and beat! Yammer and bleat!
Work, work! Nor dare to shirk!
While Goblins quaff, and Goblins laugh,
Round and round far underground
Below my lad!

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As it were Thorin and company unknowingly made camp on the “front porch”, of Goblin town and were taken hostage and herded to the Great Goblin.

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Images from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, Text from The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien-The goblins song

The Misty Mountains

“Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns old
We must away, ere the break of day,
To find our long-forgotten gold,”

Having traveled far they still travel further.

“Far over the misty mountains cold
To dungeons deep and caverns dim
We must away, ere the break of day,
To win our harps and gold from him!,”

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Images from The Hobbit an Unexpected Journey, Text from The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien-The Dwarfs song

Micro-Scale Modeling:

How to Construct Tiny, Intricate Worlds From Ordinary Materials

I may have posted something similar to this already and if I did I apologize. However, the amount of detail that the author has added to his creation is astounding and I believe it deserves another look. And to think he uses ordinary materials. See for yourself.

China Miéville's Top 10 Weird Fiction Books

China Miéville is the author of several novels that can be categorized under the heading of weird fiction so it does seem to so odd that he would create a list of his favorite weird fiction books. A couple I have read and one I have heard of, but the majority I haven’t read or even heard of. Since this is such a great time to catch up on my reading, I need to investigate some of these titles.

Reading & Northern Railroad Steam Engine

Reading & Northern Railroad Steam Engine

The Reading & Northern Railroad is local short-line railway that runs a specials over the holiday. This is one of the two steam engines they own. It made three trips back and forth from up north.

The Dilemmas of Roverandom

“Unawares, the two dogs had wandered too near to the shadows edge of the dark side, where all sorts of half-forgotten things linger, and paths and memories get confused.”

Roverandom, J. R. R. Tolkien

Further Adventures of Roveramdom

“… On the white side of the moon, the insects are very large and fierce, and often so pale and so transparent and so silent that you hardly hear or see them coming. The moonbeams only shine and flutter, and Roveramdom was not frightened of them, the big white dragon-moths with fiery eyes were much more alarming; and there were sword-flies and glass beetles with jaws like steel-traps and pale unicornets with stingers like spears, and fifty-seven varieties of spiders ready to eat anything they could catch…"

Roverandom, J.R.R. Tolkien

The Great White Dragon of Roverandom

“All white dragons originally come from the moon, as you probably know, but this one had been to the world and back, so he had learned a thing or two. He fought the Red Dragon in Caerdragon in Merlin’s time as you find in all the more up-to-date history books.”

Roverandom, J. R. R, Tolkien

A Bag of Metal HO Scale Details

I just received my order from eBay; a bag of random metal HO scale detail parts. I have no idea if they were hand-casted, but they do have the look as being retrograde detail parts.

There are to my count, thirteen figures, both male and female, fourteen platform seats, a few architectural pieces, a shovel, barrel, cast-iron stove, ETC. There are a few parts that have perked my curiosity. They seem to be parts for a small flatcar of some sort.

Breathing a lie Through Silver

“Dis graced he may be, yet is not de-throne, and keep the rags of lordship once he owned. Man, Sub-creator, the refracted Light through whom is splintered from a single White to many hues, and endlessly confined in living shapes that move from mind to mind.”

Myths are "lies breathed through silver."

On Fairy Stories, J. R. R. Tolkien

Tolkien on Magic

“Magic produces, or pretends to produce an alteration in the Primary World; it is not an art but a technique; its desire is power in this world and domination of things and wills.”

J. R. R. Tolkien, On Fairy Stories