Subject: Well, you know the old saying:
Author:
Posted on: 2017-12-03 16:14:00 UTC
"If you didn't want to be mistaken for a Middle Eastern country, you shouldn't have placed a sickle moon on the head of your war-staff."
Or... something. :D
hS
So, who wants some flags for the Barons of Plort? That's right, you do! Regardless of what you initially said. Here ya go then, gang! Any and all feedback is of course hugely appreciated, and I am taking requests. Do be warned that I won't be able to do too much specific stuff - Flag Maker Jr 1.2 is not the most complex of programs - but I'll definitely give it my best shot. =]
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Barony Eshakhar
Barony Huinesoron
Barony Iximaz
Barony Juliette
Barony Kaitlyn
Barony Neshomeh
Barony PC
Barony Phobos
Barony VixenMage
Yeah, I know he's not around much; he still gets a Plortrait. I'm six images deep into a list of nine, I can't stop now!
Fun fact #1: At first I was really worried about this one, because I don't have a clue what PC looks like. Then it stuck me - he owns the mines, so I can put him in full plate armour and cover his face! Great... except his Cyclopaedia article describes how he cast aside his armour. Oh. :( ... in favour of face-covering black robes. Yay!
Fun fact #2: This the first time I have deliberately altered one of Scape's flags (other than leaving room for a ninth star in Eshakhar's). I figured the swords on the flag were the only ones available, so replaced them with the Sword of Jay for the picture.
Fun fact #3: Baron PC has way too many weapons! I've given him the twin daggers Xericka (left) and Gremlyn (right), because I haven't done daggers yet, as well as the maul Racalendaris, because giant hammers are fun.
Fun fact #4: I'm pretty sure the flag and maul are just floating along behind him, rather than being strapped in place. Baron PC likes to use subtle telekinesis, according to his history.
Two to go, and I know exactly what I'm doing...
hS
(Very quickly; I have about five minutes.)
Fun fact #1: I have no idea what Delta Juliette looks like.
Fun fact #2: 'Is sometimes a cat' has never been explicitly redacted.
Fun fact #3: The internet is stuffed full of cat pictures.
Fun fact #4: #AWizardDidIt.
Fun fact #1: I also have no clear idea what VixenMage looks like.
Fun fact #2: Just look at the name; clearly VixenMage is a shapeshifter.
Fun fact #3: OMIGOSH FOXES ARE ADONKABLE.
Fun fact #4: ESPECIALLY WHEN SLEEPING.
So that's the Baronial Council, in all their quirky glory. Next time, we get to see one of the other powers in Konti-Nyuum... assuming I can figure out how to draw her!
hS
(PS: Ha! Got it done in three. ^_^)
I am entirely okay with Fun Fact Two being canonized! In fact, it's a plot point in last year's NaNo project. (Which I really need to shape up and get into beta- writing the history of the Ypur Wars, in Plortish form.) (Speaking of which, why, dear Bast, did you give me a teleporting castle? Keeping that thing from being ridiculously overpowered was a chore.)
As far as Fun Fact One goes, well...
Yours truly!
-Juliette
[Checks] I didn't specify, did I? My assumption was that it flew, or at least floated; hence how it could get caught up in the woods at Kar'eer and stuck in place. But teleporting is also fine. ;)
Thank you for the picture! Assuming I don't wear myself out, I will in all likelihood do another Baron Juliette image once I've worked through the others I can actually draw.
hS
The exact method of travel is only so important, as far as military histories are concerned- being able to drop a castle wherever is strategically necessary is still a bit of a game changer. Baroness Juliette abuses it whenever she can, much to the distress of her chatelaine.
There is still no Plort Wiki page for the Confederation of Diskord, and thus no image of the Diskord’s flag on the Wiki (the Proceedings of the 2017 Council of Plort still link to the PPC Board discussion).
Also, the page for the Union of Plort still ignores the fifth nation and the new flag (again, the Proceedings of the 2017 Council of Plort still link to the PPC Board discussion). But since there is already a second image of the old flag, labeled "The first flag of the Union", rectifying this may be a work in progress.
Also also, the new flags and their carriers are awesome. Thank you for that, Scape and hS.
HG
And has now been addressed. The Diskord and the Union both now have up-to-date pages, and their flags are properly in place.
None of Scape's flags have yet been put on the Wiki; I'm pondering where to put them. (Ditto the Plortraits.)
hS
Which would work for uploading them to the List of Baronies page. =]
Also it relies on a certain Scapegrace providing new flags if/when we get a new Baron, or an old one back...
Oh, by the way: when I get round to it, I am going to both enjoy and absolutely detest drawing Ye High Priestess Scape-Grace with her flag. Just so you know.
hS
I cannot parse the Plortish names and terms into the normal names and terms. The Plort wiki has a page of terms, but the definitions read like this:
Marizu warlords are skilled in the dark arts of Pla'tool, which they use to attack the Scholars' Empire.
Then click on pl'tool and it says:
Pla'tool is the foul magic used by the Marizu to attack the Scholars' Empire.
I did finally get this one with some help in the chat, but I was wondering if it might be possible for standard English to go in parenthesis next to Plortish words? I know its a big request, but maybe it could go on someone's back list?
But as you say, it's a big task.
What you'll find is that:
-The glossary lists all the concepts in English, with links to their Plortish equivalents.
-The pages I've gotten around to updating have a 'Reference' line in their infobox, which gives the English equivalent. For instance, Marizu... and, in fact, both 'Marizu League' and 'Pla'tool' have this already in place. Are you operating on a device which doesn't show infoboxes?
hS
Are infoboxes the things on the side, like on the agent pages where it has sort of statistics in a box on the side?
My phone does not show those (which is what I am using at the moment). My computer does, but I didn't notice the box on those pages. My failing. I'm used to filtering out boxes on the sides as ads, so they didn't even register.
They also contain most of the maps and coats of arms, so you're missing out on a lot of the best stuff if you can't see them on the Cyclopaedia.
hS
Some wikis use these to explain obscure terms, with dotted underlines to show where they are, and I like them. There's a how-to here.
~Neshomeh might add the H:title template to PPC Wiki, too, just in case.
... we have those, too. ^^ <a href="http://plort.wikia.com/wiki/Scholars%27Empire">Scholars' Empire has mouseovers for the places with no links. Unfortunately, they're done as title text, rather than through template; I shall switch over to get the dotted lines in place.
hS
Better a bit late than too late!
These are awesome :D I like that you did it, and I like my flag (though it is a little complex...eh, whatever, I like me a bit of complexity. The fictional people sewing the flag can put up with it). The one thing I would like changed: there are eight stars on the flag, but nine in the original coat of arms. I'd like to keep the meaning from there and have the ninth star added to the flag. Other than that...I like the rays for dawn and that you kept the olive branches and just yeah. Good job condensing the arms into a workable flag.
Also, oh man, I would love to have a Baron With Flag portrait. That would just increase the awesomeness so much. (Also, at some point I need a baronial coat of arms; they were never updated. Then again, I also have a Plort interlude to finish, and I think I meant to update her wiki page a while back and--yeah, there are things to be done. But now there's a flag! So thank you very much for that).
~Z
Or... something like that.
Fun fact #1: Eshakhar is the second baron (out of six) to be wearing actual armour; that's not a tartan dress, but a long coat of lamellar armour, as worn... pretty much anywhere east of Germany, looks like.
Fun fact #2: Eshakhar is indeed carrying both of her famous swords, which are of what some people would call Elvish design; she has one in her right hand, and the other tucked into her sash.
Fun fact #3: As seen in her stories, she has a cloak (for keeping the rain off) and a short braid (for... having a short braid, I'unno).
Fun fact #4: I neatly avoided both the 'how many stars' question and the 'updated coat of arms' one by using the non-rank-indicating arms, and hiding half the flag behind her head. Muahaha.
(So, that's six out of nine. I actually have Plans for drawing the remaining three barons, so that'll get done. As to the knights... I only know what two of them look like! We'll see.)
hS
How lovely. Thank you so much! :)
Re: #1, I like that she's in armor. Can't say that's at all the armor I was picturing, partly because my primary armor ideas come from Tamora Pierce and King Arthur (though not exclusively--it's just what I reach for automatically). However, looking at the list of places that type of armor was worn? Perfect. It includes the RL equivalent of the area where she trained. I don't know if that was on purpose or not, but if it wasn't, I like the coincidence.
#3...well, she has a short braid because at the point when I wrote that description I had a short braid. I also wanted to separate her from Dawn a little. Of course, if she's reflecting my current look her hair should be about earlobe length in the back and an inch or so longer in the front, but that's a development of only a few months ago. The braid works.
#4: Muaha. Good going :P
And miscellaneous: I really like the lettering. Of all things to focus on, I know, but...it's very nice.
All in all, thanks for doing this!
~Z
But I'm not here about the portrait, or about Priestess Scapegrace's Fun With Flags. I'm here on Armorial College business! Now, about those arms of yours...
I'm guessing it's the Alvish shield you're looking at updating. So... what would you like? The classic upgrade would be to put some kind of point where you have the birds now (moving them, presumably), though there's nothing actually ruling out a lopsided device (with the points to one side of the birds). You could also do something that comes out on either side of the birds but joins outside them.
Previous baronnings have, weirdly, tended to introduce plants: we have brambles, olive branches (though I think they were morningstars once), and lotuses. Come to think of it, my secondary points are mallorn leaves... Nesh's are kudzu leaves... okay, I guess what I'm saying is that you don't have to use plant life for your extra points, but every single Baron of Plort in history with an Alvish shield has done so.
So what'll it be? ^_^
hS
When I beg you to do banners for us too, Scape. And hS, I'm using the occasion for begging for portraits from you too.
Baron Huinesoron stood in front of the line of flagpoles, looking up at the banners flapping in the wind. "They're... alarmingly good," he admitted.
Ye Scape-Grace gave him something that can only be described as a leer, but her tone reflected none of it. "Surely this is because the great Spelin Tam-Ara hath guided mine hand," she declared. "Praise be to the Well-Written Word of Spelin."
"Er, yes." Huinesoron glanced at the Temple Warden's great hook-headed staff. "Praise be. Um..."
"Thou seemest uncertain, o faithful Son of the Temple," Ye Scape-Grace said pleasantly. "Tell me what ails thee, and by mine art I shall strive to aid thee."
"Don't push it," the Baron muttered. "But... two questions. Why is Baron Phobos' flag on a spear?"
"Ha!" Phobos strode in from the westward road. "Just the sort of question I would expect from you. I have a spear because I am a warrior!" The bearded Baron grabbed hold of the flagpole and yanked it from the earth, waving it overhead.
Baron Neshomeh came scurrying up behind him. "Put it down, dear," she chided, "you're going to hit someone."
"Quite the picture they make," Huinesoron murmured as Phobos planted the spear back in the ground. "I guess that answers that."
"Strange are the workings of Spelin," Ye Scape-Grace agreed. "Open thy heart and mind to me, and She will answer all that you might ask."
"Right." Huinesoron pursed his lips. "So... why do we need these flags? We've already got coats of arms."
"And fair indeed they are, if a trifle overwrought." Ye Scape-Grace lowered her hood and gazed up at the flags. "But they serve only to identify the knights who bear them, while these can serve as standards for an entire army - or to symbolise a Barony in the halls of Otik."
"I'm... not entirely convinced," Huinesoron admitted. "But they are very good."
"Indeed they are!" Sir Hardric, bearing his own shield of the eagle, sword, quill, and die, pushed through the crowd to the front. "And as a faithful convert to the worship of Spelin, I demand more!"
"More?" Ye Scape-Grace blinked. "Tha says what?"
"Oui, more!" Sir Hardric turned, arms outspread. "Let every Knight of Plort have a banner to call their own, that they may wave above the battlefields of the League and strike terror into the hearts of the Marizu! And-" He seemed lost for a moment, before rounding on Baron Huinesoron. "And let each and everyone one of us be commemorated in portraiture!" he cried. "For all know the work of Baron Huinesoron, how he has decked the castle formerly known as Retben in artwork of his own making; let him share the skills of his art with all, and not stop until every knighted soul of this isle is remembered."
Baron Huinesoron and Ye Scape-Grace shared a look which was, for once, in perfect accord. Huinesoron took a deep breath. "That's... an interesting idea, Sir Hardric..."
~
I'd actually forgotten Ye Scape-Grace had been proclaimed by a certain over-impulsive baron to be the Temple Warden of Spelin - because of her flag-making abilities. This all fitted together amazingly neatly when I remembered that.
As for portraits: I don't know what you look like. ;) I can't even do all the barons - I don't know what VixenMage or Juliette look like, either. (Technically I have a very old picture of Delta Juliette somewhere - you remember it, Juliette, it's the one with the rose - but I somehow doubt it's still accurate all these years later.)
But you'll probably get at least a few more before I get bored and wander off to something else.
hS
I had an idea for a Plort meme (yay, more googly eyed PPC memes!) and it requires a short cameo from Baron Huinesoron and his legendary frying pan.
-Twistey
(For the Imgurly-deprived, here is the full Plortrait Gallery.)
Fun fact #1: Baron Huinesoron has gotten rather more discreet since the old days. His first battle depicts him as a literal knight in shining armour; he's much stealthier now.
Fun fact #2: His outfit is based, of all things, on Kevin Costner (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves). It showed up on my googling, and I stuck with it.
Fun fact #3: On a related note, trying to find images of people with their bows slung over their shoulders is apparently impossible.
Fun fact #4: Baron Huinesoron is carrying a token from his wife, along with his famous bow the Shadow of the Eagle, and his inherited black dagger Selin.
(At some point I need to go back and fix the mistakes in these - I think only Kaitlyn's doesn't have at least one thing obviously wrong with it. Probably best to wait until after I finish the set, though.)
hS
On second thought, I have decided not to create the meme I wanted to create originally, as it would likely get me hit with a frying pan (and yes, hS wielding a frying pan and/or doing something with pancakes is going to be a running joke whenever I feel like inserting a reference to the PPC in a creative work I do. Or it could be some other reference. But you get it.) Nevertheless, I have a feeling it can be useful, and as such I have bookmarked the page.
As a return favor, below my signature is a list of the names of medieval-ish songs that can be found on the royalty-free music website incompetech.com. You never know when Plort needs a soundtrack. (Also, if you go into the "Soundtrack" genre on the site's search tool, you'll probably find something fit for fantasy that I missed.)
-Twistey
---
List of Medieval Incompetech Music:
"Heavy Interlude"
"Lord of the Land"
"Master of the Feast"
"Celtic Impulse"
"Angevin"/"Angevin B"
"Thatched Villagers"
"Mischief Maker"
And one that's less medieval but still medieval-ish and very cool: "Crunk Knight"
Knight Eatpraylove
Knight Filius Caeli (sonofheaven)
Knight Hardric
Knight Hieronymus
Knight Mattman
Knight Storme of Hauk (Nova Storme)
And finally... some weirdo whose name escapes me. Wobblestheclown or some such thing. =]
As a reward for your labours, you get a full-colour image (with preemptive apologies for being too colour-blind to actually know your hair colour for sure, and thus having to estimate).
Fun fact #1: The costume here is drawn directly from Ye Scape-Grace's clerical robes. It's not going to be a perfect match (I still don't fully understand what you were aiming for at the collar), but it's close.
Fun fact #2: The apparel on her left cuff shows the early history of Plort, by way of the sigils of the Protectors and Triumvirs. It's the best I could do at this scale for the elaborate embroidery she should have.
Fun fact #3: If anyone else asks for filigree'd anything, I will not be responsible for my actions. :( I'm worn out on that now.
Fun fact #4: As a non-baron, Ye Scape-Grace gets a tiny little flag. This has nothing to do with the fact that the photo I was working from had the hand at such an angle that I couldn't fit a big flagpole in. Pfffft, as if.
hS
That's amazing!!! =oD
I'm sort of flailing around because yes, she would have a smaller flag, just as a proof-of-concept/artisan's-mark thingy. You know, to prove that she can do it and so forth. Plus, given her connection to Spelin Tam-Ara and how she got the job as Warden in the first place, it's make sense for that to form a large part of her attire. Almost a secondary symbol of the faith - I feel like the Temple of Spelin now has quite a few weavers of broadcloth and silks in it now, the better to capitalize on the Warden's unique skillset (and also, y'know, give alms of blankets and good winter clothing to the poor and needy of the Union).
I also love the very traditional crosier that she has - it actually looks quite a lot like the one from the Shepherd Neame logo, which is super fitting for the real ale nerd. It looks like it could do some serious damage to any Marizu fool enough to come charging in at her... which is all of them, so that's handy. I get the feeling that the actual crosier-y bit at the top is just a huge lump of carbon steel bent into shape and then brazed, giving it an approximate weight (after some quick and dirty calcs) of about 18.5kg. That's a hair under 41lb, for anyone watching in black and white or from the US.
That's the thing about Ye Scape-Grace - her weapon of choice is hiding in plain sight. =]
My most gracious thanks to Ye Scape-Grace for these banners. I'll make good use of these colors.
((Thinking about adding a photo to my wiki member profile...))
I like mine, pizza connotations and all. The only problem is the lack of daggers. I guess I'll just have to fly it from a spear to compensate.
~Pizza-Baron Phobos
You gave me an irresistable image to work with.
Fun fact #1: Only the heraldic colours are filled in, because I couldn't be bothered to find a decent colour scheme for the armour.
Fun fact #2: Baron Phobos of course carries a token from his fair lady.
Fun fact #3: The circular devices on his shoulder armour weren't meant to come out looking like pizzas, but I'll take it!
Fun fact #4: Baron Phobos is sketched from a pole dancer, because that's what comes up when you Google 'man holding spear'. I'm... not sure what that says, but there it is.
hS
Because Baron Phobos needs his lady (to keep him under control... ^~)
Fun fact #1: Baron Neshomeh's outfit is loosely based on Eowyn's, with a leather jerkin over a long dress. I'm picturing it in black and white, but that could vary.
Fun fact #2: Neshomeh is not based on a pole dancer (^~), but on a photograph of a native Mexican woman from 1928.
Fun fact #3: 'woman with flag' as a Google search introduces you to the fact that an alarming number of people think flags are designed to look sexy with. For... some reason.
Fun fact #4 (I'm going to regret making this a tradition...): Of course she has a token from Phobos in return!
hS
In her guise as battlefield medic.
Fun fact #1: Based on this lovely Shutterstock image. It took a surprisingly long time to figure out the lie of her shoulders under that headscarf.
Fun fact #2: Baron Kaitlyn is of course in medically-appropriate garb, including the flag slung practically across her back, arms bare below the elbow, and a helpful bag (which she tells me is mostly used for carrying pens).
Fun fact #3: Unlike NeshBosh (sorry ^_~), Kaitlyn doesn't carry a token from Huinesoron - it would be an infection risk.
Fun fact #4: Would you believe 'woman with crossbow' also resulted in lots of photos by people who think that's sexy? Oooof course you would, it's the Internet.
hS
One could be forgiven for thinking Wechi is a Middle Eastern country.
Or, given the color scheme, a certain popular coffee chain.
I've been meaning to say how awesome this all is, but I lack more words than that. So, just: thank you, Scapegrace, and thank you, hS, for being awesome. ^_^
~Neshomeh
"If you didn't want to be mistaken for a Middle Eastern country, you shouldn't have placed a sickle moon on the head of your war-staff."
Or... something. :D
hS
But point four, especially.
Working down the list... the gallery has been updated with this, plus the named version of Nesh.
Fun fact #1: Baron Iximaz wields the famed sword Zeb and bow Arin; the beasts Charlotte and Saibhir are nowhere to be seen.
Fun fact #2: Baron Iximaz's look is not based on the image on the Cyclopaedia page, because that looks far too much like Baron Huinesoron's outfit! So you get a different cape design.
Fun fact #3: The theory was that the smaller flag was for practical reasons, since Baron Iximaz is the baron who spends the most time at war. But it could also symbolise the status of Barony Iximaz as the smallest barony.
Fun fact #4: That hair was a nightmare! For some reason, I just couldn't get it to look like actual hair - not for ages. Hopefully it came fairly close eventually.
hS
Aaaaaa
Aaaaaaaa
Aaaaaaaaaaaa
I love it!
....And now I'm going to have to make that cape one of these days. Sweet. :D
In regards to point four...I happen to have a degree in Dance. Just sayin'.
-Phobos
Take my +1, you beautiful person.
(Will Baron Phobos be treating us to an interpretive dance routine at the next council meeting?)
I have totally fallen in love with mine and Kaitlyn's. O.O That's going directly onto Baron Me's overstuffed flagpole. (It can replace the flag of Ozerbord, which he now keeps in a box next to the pole. A black box. Of mourning.)
I'm preeeeeeeetty sure Barony Phobos is now the heart of a pizza-selling empire. Which is... alarmingly appropriate. Hrm. So you did that on purpose?
And Barony Eshakhar is just a vision of joyfulness. ^_^
hS
I love the one for Juliette- the cog and flower are lovely and abstract and pretty and aaaaaa.
When it comes to a lot of these flags, I tried to take motifs and colour combinations from the relevant baron's heraldry that worked together. In the case of Barony Phobos, that was the two field colours, the bend, and the dice reading six; that it came out resembling a Famous Pizza Corporation's logo was merely a happy accident. Zing's, meanwhile, came from combining the eight-pointed stars from the top of the field and the central charge of an olive branch with the purple field, while the rays were there to represent dawn. =]
Yours was actually super hard, bc Flag Maker Jr doesn't have quills or alembics or leaves and the scaling only goes up to 20x, which meant I couldn't put a lot of filigree in. I'm really glad you liked it. =]
A flag shouldn't be as complicated as a coat of arms; they serve a very different purpose (especially in Plort, where people don't seem to be using shields for identification on the battlefield anyway...). I also love the fact that mine is the most complicated, because yes, that is absolutely what Baron Me would do.
I am also perpetually amazed that people are still playing around with this Plort idea at all. ^_^
hS