1631 Runt Learns Of Catianus Wisdom
on November 13, 2010
Chapter: Wormhunter
Characters: Adwen the Cruel, Astrid Wormhunter last of the Dragon Slayers, Eddy the Mage, Runtherd "Runt", Sir Catianus, Tom the Guard
Location: Castle Elegrost
No one takes a guy in a jester’s motley seriously.
Fair point. One supposes that pattern is supposed to be the livery of his house (such as it is) but to do the entire outfit from neck to toes in asymmetrical alternating colours… yeah, that’s a jester’s outfit, just missing the hat… which I believe was originally intended as a mockery of a crown anyway, so there we go…
Not really a fair point. Particolored clothing was common throughout the medieval period. At which point a Jester's costume would far more likely be patchwork. A tradition that was largely absorbed into Commedia d'ell Arte in the form of Arlechinno.
The modern picture of a Jester in Particolor is probably entirely owed to Golden Age Hollywood, because it's a lot quicker to sew particolor of clashing prints than it is to actually make patchwork.
It's likely inspired by Henry V's outfit quartering the arms of England and France when he was trying to seize the throne.