Moderator Froggy the Great Posted July 2, 2004 Moderator Share Posted July 2, 2004 (edited) So I got a couple Armorcast buildings and painted them up, and that's all nice and nifty. Now I want to make other terrain bits that you'd find in a reasonably conservative fantasy or Medieval village. I've made a pillory already, complete with stepstool for those halfling rogues who scarper off with the party's loot. Does anyone know where I can find plans for pre-1600s gallows, outhouses, or what would later become the Guillotine? For the gallows, I'm specifically trying to figure out if the trap door is a recent thing, or was it used "in period"? For the Guillotine, I am specifically NOT looking for French Revolution models, but earlier designs. Google and Google Images have been helpful, but only up to a point. Any of you have any thoughts on the matter? Oh, if you are doing this, and need something stronger than balsa wood for your beams, take the flat tapered toothpics, glue them together like this: V/\ and /\V, then glue those two layers down on each other. These laminate beams are surprisingly strong. I was able to use beams made that way to make a working 10mm-scale mangonel that could lob a 3mm pewter skull a good 7 feet. Edited July 2, 2004 by Herr Oberfroschmeister Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzyIzmit Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 I dont know if this is exaclty what you have in mind, but a nice strong tree limb and a horse will do the trick if you dont want a trap door...like I said, just and idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Froggy the Great Posted July 2, 2004 Author Moderator Share Posted July 2, 2004 I understand, yeah. I'm specifically looking for semipermanent structures I can build, and a horse doesn't meet those criteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erion Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Well, I just did a quick run through google and didn't find anything with a trap-door before about 1850. You could always go the "Robin Hood: Price of Thieves" route and have a raised platform with log stumps in place below the gallows to kick out from under the prisoner when it was time for the deed to be done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orsino Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Does anyone know where I can find plans for pre-1600s gallows, outhouses, or what would later become the Guillotine? For the gallows, I'm specifically trying to figure out if the trap door is a recent thing, or was it used "in period"? For the Guillotine, I am specifically NOT looking for French Revolution models, but earlier designs. The guillotine evolved from similar machines such as the Scottish Maiden, a mid-1500s device. The image at that link looks as though it would be well-suited to your toothpick modeling. Could we get some pics of your toothpick-fu, by the way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Froggy the Great Posted July 2, 2004 Author Moderator Share Posted July 2, 2004 I shall certainly post pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Tam Posted July 2, 2004 Share Posted July 2, 2004 Was watching the Scarlet Letter last night. They didn't have a trap door, used a step up stool. LT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Froggy the Great Posted July 3, 2004 Author Moderator Share Posted July 3, 2004 I ended up making a stool, yeah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElvenFury Posted July 3, 2004 Share Posted July 3, 2004 Go to a place that sells minerals and crystals, find the bargin bin of quartz crystals (you can get a flawed quartz for about a dollar fifty). Mount it on a base (use two part epoxy putty to get it to fit well), paint it up! You have a giant crystal! I've made a forest worth of these things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRigger Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I don't think trap doors were used on gallows untill the 1800s (The log drop method) which was supposed to be more humane by snapping the condemned's neck right away and prevent slow strangulation - Sometimes it took over 10 minutes to die this way, plus the body would often spasm and jerk (among other things) so they wanted it to be quicker and more painless. I think in medieval times the idea was to cause as much suffering as possible before death (hence punishments like drawing and quartering) Pre 1600, people were either hoised up by animals, or placed on a chair or ladder which was kicked out from under them. It's fantasy so why not just make a really baroque looking gallows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Porsenna Posted July 15, 2004 Share Posted July 15, 2004 I think in medieval times the idea was to cause as much suffering as possible before death (hence punishments like drawing and quartering) During the Middle Ages, it was thought the punishment should fit the crime. Therefore, you had increasingly gruesome means of death. A common criminal might warrant just a hanging, but a traitor to the King would probably be drawn and quartered. Unless, of course, you didn't have the time; then you'd just off his head... Damon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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