Deceptive Straw Dummies

Crude human-shaped effigies fashioned from bundled straw and old clothing, their hollow forms stuffed with rags to approximate body weight. Positions shifted hourly by Sir Edward and castle staff as Irongron's forces approach, creating the illusion of castle defenders maintaining vigilance despite the true shortage of able bodies. Their frayed garments—linen tunics and cloaks—bear the stains of recent wear, while their faces are mere suggestions of features carved from dried gourds and painted with soot.

1 appearances

Purpose

Create the appearance of fortified defenses through visual misdirection, dissuading assault by projecting an image of greater resistance than actually exists.

Significance

A makeshift stratagem born of desperation, these dummies embody the castle's final gambit against annihilation. Their fragile construction mirrors the fragility of Sir Edward’s alliance, hanging together only as long as the deception holds—which history suggests is unlikely.

Appearances in the Narrative

When this object appears and how it's used

1 moments

S11E3 · The Time Warrior Part 3

Doctor confesses his Time Lord origins to Sarah

Deceptive straw dummies, assembled under Sir Edward’s artistry, are strategically positioned to simulate castle defenders. These crude effigies, dressed in frayed linen and cloak remnants, serve as visual decoys to mask shortages and mislead Irongron’s scouts. Their hollow forms hide straw and rags, their painted faces carved from gourds.

Before: Dummies are partially completed and in final assembly stages, awaiting facial details and positioning.

After: Dummies are morphed into completed decoys as Sir Edward and castle staff apply final details, now central to tactical deception.

View full event