I saw and reblogged this one a while back, but it’s always worth repeating, and this time I’m adding a bit of background info comparing common fantasy sword features to the Real Thing (with pictures, of course.)
Leaf-bladed swords are a very popular fantasy style and were real, though unlike modern hand-and-a-half longsword versions, the real things were mostly if not always shortswords.
Here are Celtic bronze swords…
…Ancient Greek Xiphoi…
… and a Roman “Mainz-pattern” gladius…
Saw or downright jagged edges, either full-length or as small sections (often where they serve no discernible purpose) are a frequent part of fantasy blades, especially at the more, er, imaginatively unrestrained end of the market.
Real swords also had saw edges, such as these two 19th century shortswords, but not to make them cool or interesting. They’re weapons if necessary…
…but since they were carried by Pioneer Corps who needed them for cutting branches and other construction-type tasks, their principal use was as brush cutters and saws.
This dussack (cutlass) in the Wallace Collection is also a fighting weapon, like the one beside it…
…but may also have had the secondary function of being a saw.
A couple of internet captions say it’s for “cutting ropes” which makes sense - heavy ropes and hawsers on board a ship were so soaked with tar that they were often more like lengths of wood, and a Hollywood-style slice from the Hero’s rapier (!!) wouldn’t be anything like enough to sever them. However swords like this are extremely rare, which suggests they didn’t work as well as intended for any purpose.
I photographed these in Basel, Switzerland, about 20 years ago. Look at the one on the bottom (I prefer the basket-hilt schiavona in the middle).
A lot of “flamberge” (wavy-edge) swords actually started out with conventional blades which then had the edges ground to shape - the dussack, that Basel broadsword and this Zweihander were all made that way.
The giveaway is the centreline: if it’s straight, the entire blade probably started out straight.
Increased use of water power for bellows, hammers and of course grinders made shaping blades easier than when it had to be done by hand. This flamberge Zweihander, however, was forged that way.
Again, the clue is the centre-line.
Incidentally those Parierhaken (parrying hooks - a secondary crossguard) are among the only real-life examples of another common fantasy feature - hooks and spikes sticking out from the blade.
Here are some rapiers and a couple of daggers showing the same difference between forged to shape and ground to shape. The top and bottom rapiers in the first picture started as straights, and only the middle rapier came from the forge with a flamberge blade.
There’s no doubt about this one either.
The reason - though that was a part of it - wasn’t just to look cool and show off what the owner could afford (any and all extra or unusual work added to the price) but may actually have had a function: a parry would have been juddery and unsettling for someone not used to it, and any advantage is worth having.
However, like the saw-edged dussack, flamberge blades are unusual - which suggests the advantage wasn’t that much of an advantage after all.
Here’s a Circassian kindjal, forged wiggly…
…and an Italian parrying dagger forged straight then ground wiggly…
There were also parrying daggers with another fantasy-blade feature, deep notches and serrations which in fantasy versions often resemble fangs or thorns.
These more practical historical versions are usually called “sword-breakers” but I prefer “sword-catcher”, since a steel blade isn’t that easy to break. Taking the opponent’s blade out of play for just long enough to nail him works fine.
NB - the curvature on the top one in this next image is AFAIK because of the book-page it was copied from, not the blade itself.
The missing tooth on that second dagger, and the crack halfway down this next one’s blade, shows what happens when design features cause weak spots.
So there you go: a quick overview of fantasy sword features in real life.
Here’s a real-life weapon that looks like it belongs in a fantasy story or film - and this doesn’t even have an odd-shaped blade…
Just a very flexible one…
If you want more odd blades, Moghul India is a good place to start…
HOTD | For Duty's Sake | Part of @lucerysevents cupid exchange
On Aemond’s 18th nameday, King Viserys betrothed Lord Lucerys Velaryon to his young son Aemond to unite the family.
Omegaverse | Age Reversal
Text below for easier reading:
NARRATOR: On Aemond’s 18th nameday, King Viserys betrothed the Omega Lord Lucerys to his Alpha son Aemond to unite the family. Queen Alicent and Princess Rhaenyra were both aghast, arguing about the age difference and their past history, but the King’s will was resolute.
AEMOND: Ridiculous. In addition to not paying the price for taking my eye, the Bastard is now betrothed to me. This is a travesty. I hate Lucerys. I hate everything about him.
AEMOND: I hate his brown eyes, his wavy hair, his beautiful scent, his tall, lithe, body, his luscious lips… wait…
AEMOND: BY THE SEVEN AM I IN LOVE WITH LUCERYS?!
AEMOND: I suppose it won’t be too hard a sacrifice to marry an older, beautiful Omega like Lucerys. I will do my duty. For the good of our family.
OTTO: Aemond, good news, we talked with the Princess Rhaenyra and Lord Lucerys. They agreed to work with us to dissolve this ridiculous betrothal.
OTTO: Even though you becoming Consort of the Tides would have been good for our family, I shall not make you wed Lucerys. I will no longer force my family into unhappy marriages. I have turned over a new leaf! No need to thank me.
OTTO: Even when I do the kind thing for my family, I am still hated. *tremble tremble tremble*
ALICENT: oh Aemond.
AEGON: Hello there, my MILF hunter of a brother. I heard the news. Mother might be shocked, but I always knew the truth. Under that Sept loving piety you were always a freak (affectionate).
AEMOND: Stay away from me Aegon.
AEGON: Oh don’t be like that. The Septas didn’t train you for this, but your darling brother would!
AEGON: If you want to make sure Lucerys is yours, you need to steal his heart. Bounce your ideas off me, how do you plan to woo Lucerys?
AEMOND: I have paid of the maids and guards to gain access to Lucerys’ chambers.
I am going to sneak into his rooms, leave evidence of our nightly fucking on his beds for the maids to find, along with letters detailing our premarital affair on his table. His name will be sullied by this, and he would have no choice but to marry me.
AEGON: What the fuck are the Septas teaching children these days.
AEMOND: I am finally free of stupid Aegon and can start my plan.
AEGON: Stay away from me, you evil bastard.
AEMOND: I will leave salacious love letters on his desk—
NARRATOR: Salacious love letters from Lords trying to woo Lucerys.
AEMOND: I will leave evidence of our trysts on his bed -
NARRATOR: Sex toys.
AEMOND: I— I am beginning to feel the age gap. My omega is just too worldly and experienced.
AEMOND: Shit Lucerys is returning to the rooms I must hide!
Ohhhh~ Ahhhh~
AEMOND: … Wait, is he using his toys?! Maybe I can just take a peek.
LUCERYS: Your scent was all over my room Qybor.
AEMOND: I am sorry.
AEMOND: Grandsire said that you want to dissolve our betrothal.
AEMOND: Why? Am I that undesirable?! Are you in love with another?!
LUCERYS: … you want this match?!
LUCERYS: Oh! I hadn’t realised that Aemond wanted this match. I thought Otto and the maester’s teachings forced him to accept it out of duty!
He’s now hurt… he’s taking the rejection too personally and don’t realise it’s for his own good.
LUCERYS: Aemond, it is for the best. You deserve a younger Omega than me.
AEMOND: Well I don’t want a young Omega. I want you. I want to you to bear my children. I want to BLEEP your BLEEP. I want to kneel on the floor and BLEEP your BLEEP whilst I BLEEP my BLEEP!
LUCERYS: What the fuck are the Maesters teaching children these days.
LUCERYS: Aemond. I will not lie to you. I am fond of you. If circumstances were different I would gladly accept this marriage, but … I am barren. I had been betrothed to others before, but no heir has ever come.
LUCERYS: You do not need to be saddled with an old omega like me. You deserve better. *kiss*
LUCERYS: Let’s just forget about this, okay, dear Aemond?
AEMOND: … You are going to steal my first kiss and NOT take responsibility?
AEMOND: YOU ARE MINE LUCERYS!
LUCERYS: AEMOND WAIT—
RHAENYRA: Sweetling, are you alright?
LUCERYS: Just some sword training problems hehehe.
LUCERYS: By the Seven. Aemond was like a fucking tiger last night.
RHAENYRA: I am sorry that the King refused to budge on the betrothal. I cannot fathom why the Greens didn’t help! Otto looked like he WANTED to intervene, but he held his tongue!
RHAENYRA: I promise that when I ascend to the throne I will dismiss the betrothal. It will be the best for all of us.
LUCERYS: Indeed.
LUCERYS: … I will miss him. Dearest Aemond.
1 Month Later
MAESTER: My Lord, you are pregnant. With twins.
LUCERYS: you don’t need to be that pleased with yourself Qybor.
HOTD | Meet the Parent | for @nashiriel as a part of @lucerysevents cupid exchange
Please Kepa can we have your permission…?
Text here for easier reading
LUCERYS: Kepa, Aemond and I had a long discussion. This… is probably the only way we can resolve our feud.
LUCERYS: Please can we have your permission…?
DAEMON: The dragonglass dagger?
DAEMON: Heh. Little Luke finally grew a pair and agreed to a duel? It would be fun, but I need to make sure Lucerys isn’t hurt.
DAEMON: … Sure. As long as Lucerys is the one who wields the dagger. Aemond, you are not allowed a weapon. It’s only fair, considering your mother wielded a dagger against the unarmed Rhaenyra.
AEMOND: Very well.
DAEMON: Huh. Didn’t expect Aemond to agree to the unfair terms.
DAEMON: Hehe with any luck Aemond would end up seriously wounded. Surely even Lucerys would be able to handle a knife fight against an unarmed man…
DAEMON: Strange that one eye agreed to the unfair terms so quickly though…
A few weeks ago I became interested in ASOIAF universe and Lucerys Velaryon became my favorite character 😭💞💞 my sweet boy
I'm reading TIDES (Ao3) and I'll take it as canon; 🗣 no Lucerys died in Storm's End. (Btw i love Tides !!! Such a masterpiece, It's my bedtime reading).
Aemond curses the day he ever let his nephew find out he actually desires kisses from his nephewife. All his years of training his body and hardening his heart, crumbling the minute Lucerys snuggles in close.
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