Additional, to fantasy map there are a few pages from Grand Chronicles of Old Land describing the random legends and events from history of the continent.
Fantasymap of Odand Aedohela -Old Land - with real buildings & fantasy elements. Map contains kingdoms with detailed roads and marked biggest cities, as well as mountain passes, rivers and forests. Heavily inspired by medieval illustrtaions and Marine map and description of the Northern lands from 1539 and others examples of old cartography.
Decorative Sunday Fashion: The Menagerie of the Middle Ages
The Middle Ages are often viewed as the Dark Ages for want of enlightenment and with the Black Death bookending its perilous time. Yet a closer look shows the most novice scholar that the one-thousand-year period from the 5th century to the 15th century is rich with new kingdoms and hybrid cultures.
The Eastern Mediterranean hosted the Roman Empire in its Byzantine lore, while the conquest of the Umayyad Caliphate marched into Northern Africa and Spain, and Western Europe saw the Vikings land on their shores. Civilizations were blended, skilled trades were shared, and manuscripts such as the Divine Comedyabounded.
The Late Middle Ages saw the quick rise and fall of Joan of Arc whose premonitions from the archangel Michael sent her to King Charles VII of France where she became a confidante, military strategist, and gravely feared by the oppressed English rulers. Burned at the stake for heresy and supernatural powers, it was largely a political move to eradicate her power as royal soothsayer.
The ecclesiastical court that judged Joan of Arc may well have been fashioned with mitres just as Roman Catholic leadership was in her modern-era beatification. Original papal tiaras had three tiers representing the authority of sacred orders; silk and linen versions are adorned today and the opulent gold jewels have been shunned and given as symbols to the poor people of the world.
Just as the papal headgear evolved to suit changing sensibilities of society, so too did robewear. The houppelande was worn by both regal men and women of the Middle Ages, and today it is best seen in black on the shoulders of our Supreme Court. The robes were collared in a variety of forms, standing up, V-neck, or perhaps in most recent memory, in the bejeweled style of the dissent collar.
My first fashion plate is titled “Joan of Arc Dress,” armor and flames in style. The remaining designs are similarly inspired; perhaps you can trace the muse through each iteration.
Here is a listing of sources from the UWM Special Collections which I have augmented with digital color and outline to emphasize particular details of my inspiration:
2). My interpretation and contemporary design of the JOAN OF ARC Dress based on the illustration of Christian dress in the Middle Ages in Adolf Rosenberg’s Geschichte des Kostums published by E. Weyhe in 1923.
3). My interpretation and contemporary design of the MITRE Dress based on common dress worn by Hebrew and Christian ecclesiastics, illustrated by Belle Northrup in A Short Description of Historic Fashion published by the Teachers College of Columbia University in 1925.
4, 6). My interpretation and contemporary design of the HOUPPELANDE Dress based on garments of the Middle Age illustrated by Paul Louis de Giafferri in The History of French Masculine Costume published by Foreign Publications in 1927.
9) German expressionist oil painting by Melanie Kent Steinhardt which evokes a common perception of life in the Middle Ages, in The Life and Art of Melanie Kent Steinhardt, published by Rabbit Hill Press in 2002.
Working with my pal @sztybor on the comics “Eschaton”. I’m pretty excited about this project, cause it’s going to be superb Will post more soon
My dear friend Artem posted the cover of the first issue of our comic book. Artem is an amazing artist, “Eschaton” is a super cool piece of art and more info soon!
Tide of darkness is rising Followed by birds of war Singing of death and destruction Corpses brought to our shore
We run and hide, gripping our lives tight To escape the riders of doom No one dares to resist,to fight Here comes an ancient evil from the sunken tomb
The kings and queens scream out in vain The races of men are gripped in fear and pain Warriors of evil, wielding power unreal Put every city and castle to the torch and steel
Dark skies and black rain all over our lands Will the terror never end? Who will come to our aid, my friend? We will die by the Dark Lord’s hands
The last knight rises From the ashes of time The knight realises He has one last battle to fight
The last knight mounts His iron-clad steed With sword and lance He is ready to lead
The flags of freedom Of reason and love Fly on the green fields That will soon turn red
The dark host approaches Vast in numbers Armoured in black steel Drums of war shake the soil As the battle begins
The last knight charges Into their midst Crushing and slashing At the shadows of the past
The last knight fights onwards Challenging the Daemon King In single combat The Daemon King feels the sting
The knight’s sword pierced his side Felling him to the ground The knight fights to the bitter end Proving his honor and might
The knights chase away And destroy the great heathen host The maidens fair sing today Of the great victory
The last knight finally rests In a tomb far underneath Forgotten by time and the people Of his heroic deed Of his great sacrifice
And when evil returns one day The last knight will rise again To meet evil once again
