EVELYN:
Name:
1)
Items description states that it is "... Lovingly named after a woman and graced with an intricate design, Evelyns were adored by Cainhurst knights."
2)
Miyazaki had the following to say about naming in his games: "I do occasionally get hints and suggestions from everyone on the team, as well as Frognation, the company that's handled the English versions of our games since Demon's Souls. But in the end, I choose all the names. That's always been the case for the titles I've directed. Names are an incredibly important part of any world you want to depict, of course, but even more than that, I just love coming up with them. I'm a bit of a naming nerd, I guess. It's always fun for me. I consider things like word origins, how it sounds in expressions, regional considerations, the whole thing. The single exception here is the titles of my games. I'm really terrible at that, and really, I never had a good experience with it."
3)
Origins of the name Evelyn point to the norman french "Aveline" (also Avelina), which itself is the diminutive of Ava.
4)
Is sometimes believed in the souls community to be an incarnation of the Avelyn—which itself is a variant spelling of Aveline and phonetically very close to Evelyn—much like how the moonlight greatsword is a recurring weapon.
5)
Ernst Förstermann's interpretation of the words origins and meaning is that its roots are germanic:
1. proto-indo-european *h₂ékʷeh₂ (likely "water";originated latin "acqua") -->
2. proto-germanic *agwjō (likely "island, river meadow") -->
3. prot-west-germanic *auwju (likely "island, river island") -->
4. old high german ouwa ("floodplain, meadow, island") -->
5. middle high german ouwe ("terrain, landscape by water, in water; island") -->
6. modern german "Aue" meaning
a) a floodplain, riverbank(vegetation), wetland or
b) riparian woodland, alluvial(flood) meadow or
c) river island or
d) female sheep (ewe) likely from the related PIE *h₂ówis
... and as such, its meaning can be interpreted as being "little island", "little stream", "little meadow" or "lamb" if taken literally, or more figuratively to mean "born of the river" or "born of the river meadow".
6)
Other theories on its origins posit that it is derived from:
1. A combination of the names Eve (life, life-giver from the hebrew "Chawwah", biblical) and Lynn (lake in welsh)
2. The Latin avis (bird), related to the name Avice
3. A similar ancient germanic word for elf, alf.
4. The germanic root word *h₂éwis, later *awis, later avis (latin) all meaning bird.
Is thought to impart the meaning of “desired” or “wished for” but lacks any concrete etymological backing.
Possibly due to confusion with another PIE root word like wenh₁-: which is the root of words like "wish". Alternatively derived from the latin "aveo", related to english avarice.
Might be a case of modern post-facto reinterpretation, possibly biblical.
... and as such, its meaning may be expanded to include "little lake", "little wish", "little bird", "little hazelnut (modern french)" or "small child" if taken literally, or more figuratively to mean "desired child", "pond", "creek", "brook", "finch", "cannary" or "petty(greed)".
7)
Eibhlín is the irish form of the norman french Aveline, later anglicized into Eileen, relating the item to Eileen the Crow.
8)
Its appearance suggests a length of around 60-70cm, the same length as the reiterpallasch when held, rather unusual for a flintlock pistol and distinctly longer than any other pistol in the game and approaching the length of a short rifle. It takes after french cavalry horse pistols circa mid 1700s or some french & indian war pistols, seen towards the late 1700s. The "long" dragoon, ironically enough, isn't as long as the Evelyn.
9)
It's components are:
1. An iron or iron-carbon alloy barrel, with two ridges girdling it showing. Has faint scrolling inlaid into it depicting similar motifs as seen on the thumb piece (see 2-c). This is one of the only non copper-colored parts of the gun, aside from the gems.
2. A copper alloy or other deeply copper colored outer parts, likely die cast, large decorative plates, heavily featuring scrolling depicting a) flourishes and swirls resembling foliage in a consistent, repeating pattern around the plate covering the underside of the barrel and b) mirrored matching plate covering a third of the front of the barrel, occasionally interrupted by rivets and c) floral designs on the thumb piece, interspaced between the rivets holding the plate to the stock and d) a striated grooved spiral pattern on the grip featuring a row of connected spiral-eights, with a dot in the middle and e) ridged designs on a vaguely top-shaped angular, bulbous, wide pommel featuring a V beveled ridge design on the "top-side" of the top shape and various swirls on the outer rim of the "bottom-side" with a slightly elevated center button-segment. Pommels often featured grotesque masks or faces, reminiscent of gorgoneions and other apotropaic designs, possibly reflected in this pommel's rim's snake-like scrolling but lacking the central face.
3. A false ramrod, likely a solid piece of iron or steel held under the barrel by a ridged piece attached to the decorative plate under the barrel. dimensions of the ramrod more seem intended to facilitate heavier use, markedly different from finer, decorative ramrods. Although it is possible that it is actually a functional ramrod, given the gun's likely inspiration and lack of detailed official 3d model, it is likely false. (see ) Of simple design, lacking the usual brass, bronze or wood cap seen on traditional ramrods.
4. The actual lock mechanism. A very traditional looking though unauthentic recreation of the so-called "true" flintlock mechanism, consisting of:
a) the lock plate, the same in most regards as the side plate (see 5.), but with additional rivets noted below. Noticeably flat for a lock plate. The part where the plate attaches to the decorative plate is not hollowed out to make space for the main spring, very tight fit.
b) an ornate gem-studded cock of a pronounced S-curve and general swan shape, also sporting:
#1) a very pointed and vertically striated beak (missing the flint!) and
#2) an unusual, vaguely butterfly-bolt-like, horned, rectangular screw-head and
#3) an overly large gripping aid attached to the bottom beak, poking out slightly higher than the screw. Unusually elongated for a pistol.
#4) Rectangular cut gem, cabochon not faceted, deep red hue, inlaid into a small circular plate set into the bottom body of the cock. The type of gem may be garnet, red coral, carnelian, or another opaque, monocolor deep-red gem.
c) a flat frizzen.
d) a short, open ended flash pan. Very likely prone to spilling.
e) a regular U-shaped frizzen spring, notably iron colored. attached to the lock plate by two small screws placed close to each other at the mouth of the U.
5. A very long sideplate covering almost half the length of the barrel, screwed into the grip above the trigger guard on one end and held by two rivets. Visually indistinct from the decorative plating.
6. A decorative plate thumb piece, (detailed in 2.)
7. A trigger guard, visually distinct from the rest of the gun. Has a distinct tarnished gold coloration, possibly bronze or possibly gold-leaf. It is P-shaped, with scale-like ridges cast or chiseled into the rounded part; largely flat "leg" of the P, three ridges featuring encrusted or inlaid red gems, the same type seen on the lock (see 4-a-#4).
8. An ornate grip with a top-or-bulb shaped pommel.
10)
It is clearly inspired by the ottoman style "kubur" (holster) flintlocks of the Balkan region, likely modelled after the "ledenica" (icicly, icy) and "zlatka" (gold, golden) balkan models seen between the 17th-19th century, naturally refitted to be ornamented with copper details to fit Cainhurt's red theme. The red gem inlay is reminiscent of algerian use of red coral as decorative embellishments in some historic gun models especially as seen in diplomatic gifts around the 19th century.
