Legacy

Today, I wanted to talk a little about the Legacy of the Wayward Inn as it pertains to the story surrounding my dolls, specifically my bjd collection. Despite the foray into other doll lines in recent years, I can say with conviction that bjds is and will always remain my first love. They have a special place in my heart as they were my first 'serious' collection. Their story has evolved over time and if truth be told, the story was inspired by the dolls rather than vice versa. And I've often had to work with what I have within my means. Had I been a great seamstress, I would have had a purely fantasy collection but I'm not so I had to adjust to what was readily available. Having an organic story allowed for this type of flexibility.

At the core of the story, there has always been Najara. She was once shelled by a Resinsoul Chun sculpt (who I still regret selling to this day. What was I thinking?) I wanted to pay homage to the character that started it all.

Inside the Wayward Inn is a framed portrait of Najara as seen below. (Hubby has mentioned she looks like Princess Leia in this shot!)

Credits: Frame by EveyD, Grunge Pattern by DivsM-stock, Victorian Wallpaper by the-night-bird, Photo by me, Model is RS Chun; (Face up Artist unknown)

Najara won the Inn (an old Manor house) in a game from a drunken landlord who wanted to rid himself of a Manor that was essentially falling apart. Najara restored the Manor to its former glory, called it Wayward Inn and opened it to the lost. Her very first resident was Deirdre Quinn. She mentored the young girl and groomed her to inherit the Inn. Once Deirdre was old enough, Najara handed her the reigns of the Inn and set off on her own mysterious journey. Najara has been gone for six years. Deirdre got letters from her old mentor for the first two years but there has been no letters since. Obviously the strange silence has worried Deirdre and as the new Matriarch of the Inn, she has sent out a few trackers to investigate. Of those that returned, there was no news, no trace of Najara.

I've been thinking of re-shelling this character. It's been something I've mentioned a few times on this blog but lately, I've been thinking about it a lot more seriously. It would take a while as I need to save up for her. I won't get the same sculpt as it just wouldn't be the same doll as the one I sold but I've come up with a theory for her change of appearance.

Stock photo by wintersmagicstock

For a look at the interior, I have done a quick google search for inspiration.

This is close to how I envision the Inn. There's a gatehouse that leads up to the Inn. There's an extensive garden area to the side leading straight out into the Whispering Woods (given the name by the locals as on particularly windy days, the trees make a rustling sound that sounds like whispering.)

The 'attic' rooms belong to Deirdre. There's a kitchen, dining room, sitting room (complete with an old vintage piano) and reading room as well as the guest rooms. Most of the bedrooms aren't huge and some are pretty small and cosy but most are average size, not too big, not too small.

That building half pictured in front and to the side is the gardening shed which has an attached cosy little room that acts as the gardeners private quarters. This is where Josef stays. It's bigger and longer than it looks! Everyone else stays in the main house although everyone uses the common rooms. Most residents aren't permanent residents. They stay for a time and then leave. Permanent residents' rooms are on the third floor. Temporary residents are on the second floor. Permanent residents are those that stay and help to maintain the property (so the cooking staff, the gardener, the house staff etc.) There are also hired staff that come and maintain the property but don't actually stay there.

Let's just say Najara had amassed a great deal of wealth which she also left to Deirdre.

The Whispering Woods are also said to house some rather interesting residents, the Fae, the playful Elemental Spirits and even a few ghosts haunting the area. It's also got the quickest path straight through to the local Village, if one is brave enough to take it. There are of course some unsavoury characters that frequent the woods, men and women with hard faces and cold hearts willing to rob any poor traveler blind and leave them to die so an armed escort is usually wise. They are usually to the east side of the woods though, the side closest to the barren lands. The Inn is more to the south of the woods. Strangely enough, those hard men and women never venture near the Inn. Deirdre believes it has something to do with the strange charms that Najara has placed around the property and some way into the Woods leading to the Inn. As long as people stay on the path, they are safe. Go beyond the path though ... you take your chances.

I'm working on some random short stories about some of the residents that pass through the Inn and what they find there as well as some stories around the residents. I'm calling it Tale Haven - a collection of short stories. I can't really categorise a specific genre as the dolls and their stories tend to be a mixed genre of fantasy and science fiction. The world they live in after all is a world where both magic and science exist side by side and not all of the ancient beings are completely gone. Some still walk among the people, albeit in different guises.

Happy Weekend!