Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
He'd probably be a bit confused.But wouldn't it be so embarrassing for Sauron to get killed with a sword that says "Nereb and Dungalef and warriors ten, / so we are called, and dark our den?"
Narsil
- Thread starter Rhiannon
- Start date
Rhiannon
Well-Known Member
ISILDUR
Die, Sauron!
SAURON
(reading sword)
"Nereb and Dungalef and warriors ten, / so we are called, and dark our den?" Nereb and Dungalef . . . who were those guys?
(holding up finger because he just realized)
Wait a minute! I bet they were -
Isildur cuts off Sauron's finger.
Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I'm not super-crazy about Telchar predicting the exact wording of Finrod's rap battle with Sauron. Also, the dwarvish script is hidden on the tang. Also-also... I don't have anything else, just wanted to say also-also.
Oh, no, I certainly wasn't suggesting the entire thing there - I more meant that that passage could serve as inspiration for us to write the inscription.
I imagine Telchar is thinking something along the lines of 'breaker-of-chains.' But since that is a title of Danerys Stormborn, the Unburnt, etc, we'd want to modify it slightly. So....'snapper of chains' Or simply "Freedom!"
Some idea that means 'anti-captivity'
I imagine Telchar is thinking something along the lines of 'breaker-of-chains.' But since that is a title of Danerys Stormborn, the Unburnt, etc, we'd want to modify it slightly. So....'snapper of chains'
Or simply "Freedom!"Some idea that means 'anti-captivity'
Octoburn
Active Member
I've read a bit of the discussion on this in another thread concerning design. I found this, and I think it's really fitting, if it was lengthened, and made into a hand-and-a-half sword, and a bit of embellishment, or course. Seems like a nice blend of elven and dwarven styles.
Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
Bear in mind that Narsil is probably designed to be used in tandem with a shield, but I do like the design.
Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
One of the things we established about Telchar early on was her ability to gauge the strengths of her "clients" and design weapons specifically around them. Watching the Sindar using their hunting bows inspired her to invent the war bow, specifically giving Beleg his "Strongbow".
Octoburn
Active Member
A hand-and-a-half sword can be used with a shield. They are designed to be used either one-handed or two-handed. Boromir's sword from the films is a good example of this.
Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
I'm just looking to clarify, since "hand and a half sword" is a fairly modern and somewhat vague term. I'd say that having it on the longish end for an arming sword would be appropriate. As you approach longsword length it would make it increasingly unwieldy in tandem use with a shield.
Ange1e4e5
Well-Known Member
There doesn't seem to be a proper, pre-19th century term for a sword whose hilt is between one-handed and two-handed; I presume that if one had a one-handed sword it was an arming sword and if two a longsword (I don't know why Capulet in Romeo and Juliet calls for a longsword if everyone is using rapiers).
Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
Longsword were still being used through the Renaissance, but also, rapiers are pretty darn long, and I don't imagine Shakespeare was a weapons expert. Think about how many people in Hollywood think that an AR-15 is an automatic weapon.
Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
Longswords seem to have become popular as plate armor made shields less necessary. As our characters are generally wearing less effective armor, shields would still be a major part of their kit. Swords are a side-arm and could certainly be worn outside of a military context, but at least at this stage would still be arming swords (or swords of similar length).
Rhiannon
Well-Known Member
This may have been discussed elsewhere, but how are we projecting armor technology to advance? Will armor get more effective before the end or the First Age?
Ange1e4e5
Well-Known Member
Tolkien’s rather reticent on whether or not armor makes advances.
Octoburn
Active Member
He's actually pretty clear that it does not advance much, if at all. Literally thousands of years after the first armor is made, Tolkien never mentions any plate armor at all, save for a reference to a metal vambrace Imrahil wears in LotR.
How about simply: Leithian? Release from bondage?
Is there a clear line of secession for the sword yet? I know it starts at Aegnor, but it got murky after that.
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Nicholas Palazzo
Well-Known Member
There are a few additional references, but it is fairly clear he envisioned every one in earlier armor types. My response to this is that Tolkien himself may have been under the Victorian impression that plate armor was so heavy that it's wearers were slow and awkward. This isn't a dig at him, a lot of people still believe this now.
I'd kinda prefer to see progressions in armor as we go, but I can live with just having everyone in mail.