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Peter Lyon
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 12:53 am Post subject: Which mythical sword would you want to own? |
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One to get you thinking a bit. We all have our favourite historical swords, but what about mythical and legendary swords?
An obvious example is Excalibur, "the greatest sword there never was", but then how would you interpret it? As a 5th-6th century Spatha/Saxon hybrid, a high medieval sword from Malory, a high fantasy piece, or something else?
What other famous swords of myth and legend would you want to own, and why? And not just European myth and legend, there are lots of other cultures to draw from.
Still hammering away
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Hochmann Cyril
Location: Paris, FRANCE Joined: 02 Jan 2009
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 1:08 am Post subject: |
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Now I think a lot of people here know my answer 
"What doesnt Kill you makes you stronger"
Friedrich Nietzsche
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Michael B.
Industry Professional
Location: Seattle, WA Joined: 18 Oct 2007
Posts: 367
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 1:18 am Post subject: |
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"The Answerer" gifted by the god Lugh
"Colanda" the two handed sword of El Cid
Or Goliath's sword mentioned in the Bible as being used by David to take his head off, then later retrieved by him and used in war.
www.facebook.com/bearmountainforge2
Michael Bergstrom
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Gabriele A. Pini
Location: Olgiate Comasco, Como Joined: 02 Sep 2008
Posts: 239
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 2:06 am Post subject: |
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If you have to dream, dream the biggest...
For mithology:
Gram (Balmung), the mythical sword of Sigfrid.
For modern mithology:
La "Sguaraspada" of Toni Tropp Koold, by Davide van Desfroos
For fantasy:
"Wisacrif", the sword of Lonolf di Sigweir, that can store the wisdom of all the books that touch her and then guide the hand of her master (my original idea)
For sci-fi:
One of the chainswords of the Space Marines (better if the version for normal persons).
I'm a one-handed swords person.
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Taylor Ellis
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 3:37 am Post subject: |
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| Gabriele A. Pini wrote: | | If you have to dream, dream the biggest... |
... and nothing is bigger than the Sword of St Michael from John Milton's Paradise Lost;
...But the sword
Of Michael from the armoury of God,
Was giv'n him termper'd so, that neither keen
Nor solid might resist that edge. It met
The sword of Satan with steep force to smite
Descending, and in half cut sheer; no stay'd
But with swift wheel reverse, deep ent'ring shared
All his right side: then Satan first knew pain...
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Bjorn Hagstrom
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 4:33 am Post subject: |
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My vote for "Tyrfing", the sword from the Hervara saga that by fate had to taste blood everytime it was unsheathed. Valuable enough for the Shield-maiden Hervor to claim it from the ghost of her ancestors. I.e tomb-raiding it 
There is nothing quite as sad as a one man conga-line...
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Ben P.
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 7:21 am Post subject: |
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Myth/History The sword of Roland
Fantasy: Narsil, A Katana that can cut a tank in a half just by looking at it while in the scabbard . Charons Claw (Can create a wall of ash in the air, or take the flesh of your enemy's skull and will do the same to anyone who tries to steal it from you  )
Sci-Fi: The Wailing Doom, Blade of the avatar of Khaine that eternally drips Blood and will only be silenced when it drinks blood
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Dan P
Location: Massachusetts, USA Joined: 28 Jun 2007
Posts: 208
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 7:26 am Post subject: |
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I think the only reasonable answer to this question is a lightsaber.
Perfect for brush clearing, chopping open bank vaults, or making toast at the same time as slicing bread.
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Ed Toton
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Adam S.
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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The Black Sword is the Champion's sword.
The Word of the Sword is the Champion's Law.
The Blade of the Sword is the Blood of the Sun.
The Hilt of the Sword and the Hand are One.
The Runes on the Sword are the Worms that are Wise.
The Name of the Sword is the same as the Scythe...
The Cold Sword of Ulric von Beck. Oh, to be the Eternal Champion...
That or the Sword of Omens, 'cause it gives you sigh-beyond-sight.
or Link's master sword, 'cause Zelda RULES!!!
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Peter Johnsson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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T`was brillig, and the slithy toves
did gire and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And he mome raths outgrabe.
...
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
long time the manxome foe he sought–
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
and stood awhile in thought.
...
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker - snack!
He left it dead, and with it´s head
He went galumphing back.
....
...The Vorpal sword is my candidate.
No one can tell what it really is or what it looks like, yet it is an icon of utter and absolute swordishness. A blade to cut asunder the darkness beyond understanding, and help bring home reason to a disturbed world.
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Dan Dickinson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 2:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Peter Johnsson wrote: |
...The Vorpal sword is my candidate.
No one can tell what it really is or what it looks like, yet it is an icon of utter and absolute swordishness. A blade to cut asunder the darkness beyond understanding, and help bring home reason to a disturbed world. |
Isn't it theorized that Jaberwocky is based on the tale of the Conyers dragon slaying? If so, then perhaps the vorpal sword should look like the Conyers falchion, which while it is certainly not the sword used by the original Conyers, is the one associated with the tale and perhaps thus the one pictured by Carroll?
Just a thought,
Dan
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JE Sarge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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The Flaming Sword used by the angel to guard the Tree of Life in the Book of Genesis after Adam and Eve were thrown out of the Garden of Eden.
J.E. Sarge
Crusader Monk Sword Scabbards and Customizations
www.crusadermonk.com
"But lack of documentation, especially for such early times, is not to be considered as evidence of non-existance." - Ewart Oakeshott
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Josh MacNeil
Location: Massachusetts, USA Joined: 23 Jul 2008
Posts: 197
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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Soul Edge. Sure, if you wield it, it consumes your soul and the souls of those you slay until you become a soul hunting monster and completely lose your humanity... but who can honestly say they have never thought about giving their soul in exchange for a new sword (like a shiny new Albion for example) ? ? ? The other seller for me is that Soul Edge has the ability to morph into any weapon shape from a katana to a large axe depending on who wields it. Hard to go wrong with that kind of versatility. Wow... I need a life...
 [/img]
Last edited by Josh MacNeil on Wed 28 Jan, 2009 3:29 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Eric W. Norenberg
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 3:11 pm Post subject: |
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No better subject on which to geek out!
"I got this feeling, that my luck is none too good...
This sword here at my side don't act the way it should.."
I cold-blued my first sword, a Del-Tin XIIA, in honor of Stormbringer. Doubt that Stormbringer's welded tang would have failed while dispatching a badly-injured possum, 'tho...
Tolkien's Anglachel/Gurthang is right up there, too: "There is malice in this sword..." Alan Lee's cover painting to Children of Hurin depicts Gurthang as a type XI, all sinister black. I'm not sure I would have imagined a Middle Earth sword fitting that typology so neatly, but it does look cool.
But, if I were to design a historically plausible replica of a specific mythical sword, I'm in Mr. Hagstrom's camp, for sure. A migration-era spath, maybe 5- 10 % oversized, intricate carvings but probably not much in the way of precious stones. Imagine how cool "TYRFING" would look as an inlay, on a pattern-welded blade (means "war-fang" for extra whale-road cred.) I'd probably go so far as to age the thing, for that "fresh from the dig" look, too. Geez, I gotta make more money.
Cheers, all!
Eric W. Norenberg
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Paul Watson
Location: Upper Hutt, New Zealand Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 395
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Dan Dickinson wrote: | | Peter Johnsson wrote: |
...The Vorpal sword is my candidate.
No one can tell what it really is or what it looks like, yet it is an icon of utter and absolute swordishness. A blade to cut asunder the darkness beyond understanding, and help bring home reason to a disturbed world. |
Isn't it theorized that Jaberwocky is based on the tale of the Conyers dragon slaying? If so, then perhaps the vorpal sword should look like the Conyers falchion, which while it is certainly not the sword used by the original Conyers, is the one associated with the tale and perhaps thus the one pictured by Carroll?
Just a thought,
Dan |
I thought Peter's vorpal blade for the Masters of Fire exhibition was pretty damn good. So does anyone else who's seen it.
My personal sword of choice is hands down Anduril.
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, but that which it protects. (Faramir, The Two Towers)
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Justin H. Núñez
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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I like Ringil, Sword of Fingolfin, High King of the Noldor.
of course a lightsaber would be ok too
"Nothing in fencing is really difficult, it just takes work." - Aldo Nadi
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Nat Lamb
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 4:54 pm Post subject: |
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I must join with others here and consign myself to the Moorcock camp. If I had to take up a fantasy sword , it would be one of the inferations of the Blacksword.
Failing that, Excalibur jnr from the "Grailquest" choose your own adventure books. Like a talking excalibur, only a smartarse
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Gordon Clark
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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Gram, the sword of Sigurd, cut an anvil in half. That is pretty good...
I have always been partial to swords from the Silmarillion though, Ringil, Narsil, Gurthang.
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Gary Teuscher
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| Posted: Wed 28 Jan, 2009 6:52 pm Post subject: |
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I was beat to the punch on Elric of Melnibone's sword, Strombringer.
I guess I'd take whatever sword Conan uses though - he seems to be able to cut men in mail or plate from the shoulder to the breastbone.
I'm patial to the Silmarillion sowrds as well, though it seems tough to really compare how effective they are. Gurthang seems pretty good, cut right through Glaurang's armour, though the sword has a nasty personality that bothers me a bit.
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