Here is my most recent project, a Gondorian spear. I had collected the components over the years. The pennant banner here, a spearhead there...but I could never bring myself to spend the money on a shaft. I could only find what I was looking for online. The shipping alone was murder. All I could find at home depot was pine or poplar curtain rods in 6 foot length. Then one day at work I found an 8 foot ash pole sticking out of the dumpster. Destiny or something.
The spear assembled very quickly and to my dismay I wasn't happy at all with it. It looked so clean and new. It didn't look real to me, no soul or story. So I gave it one. In the LOTR movies Peter Jackson motivates the artists at Weta to get into the mindset that they were recreating true events. He wanted the crew believe Tolkien's world was a real history and these fantastic people and creature did at one time tread the earth. That notion set me into motion.
So in a way, I didn't make the spear. I simply climbed into my inter-dimensional time machine I keep in my driveway (to the common eye it's an old Toyota Corolla) and shot off to Gondor. I found the spear laying in the grass plains just outside of Osgiliath. Dead men, orcs and horses were strewn over the plain and black smoke rose from the river city but no battle commenced. It appears it had recently ended. I quickly snatched up the spear and got the hell out of there...not before a short struggle getting it into my compact time machine.
Once home I gave the piece an in depth study. It appears the spear belonged to a standard-bearer of a Gondorian cavalry. I assume in desperation he resorted to using the banner as a lance or spear leaving the whole thing smeared and splattered with orc blood. The pennant itself appeared aged and worn from a long campaign. It seemed to be stained with mud, ash, oil and salt. The shaft was notched and cracked from all sorts of trama. At the same time the shaft did have rudimentary adornments of the white tree and the seven stars. I assume this is the work of the missing standard-bearer. Perhaps the product of boredom during the campaign nights. Who knows.
Anyway, I'm thrilled to have a piece of Gondorian history in my possession. It hangs beautifully in my "geek haven" second bedroom.
I am considering returning to middle earth for other relics. The "red arrow" would be a nice addition to my collection...
