# Legendary swords



## dasgregorian (Dec 8, 2005)

I know of quite a few 'legendary swords' legends... but I want to put together a compilation SsssSooOoO... anyone want to contribute to story time:

(I'm not energetic enough to type out the whole story, but a couple of the ones I have written out so far are the stories of [FONT=&quot]Caladbolg, Excalibur, Ragnarok, and the whole Masamune/Murasame story.)

In case anyone interested doesn't know 'em:

Caladbolg was an irish blade which was said to be able to 'devour everything.'  I'm not sure what style sword it was supposed to be (I've heard it was a giant claymore), but it's most notible feat was when [/FONT]Fergus mac Roich (the sword's owner) was about to kill Conchobar mac Nessa... some dude convinced him not to, so MacRoich moved the sword upward before the killing blow hit and cut off the tops of three hills.

Everyone should know about excalibur... Arthur Drew a sword from a rock, claiming divine right to kingship... it broke in battle and 'the lady of the lake' gave him the 'real' version of the sword, along with all sorts of magical powers...  They never really defined what powers it had... basically anything arthur wants.

Ragnarok is actually nordic legend for when the gods would make their final battle and the world is destroyed, the sword Odin would use is named after the event... aka, ragnarok.

Masamune and Murasame are both actual japanese swordsmiths from the around the 1300-1600's I believe, the swords were of similar styles, and both superior quality... Legend has it that Masamune (the smith) understood the final lesson of bushido, that the greatest goal for a swordsmen would be to use their sword to protect life, therefore his masterwork (the sword named after him) was 'good.' Contrastly Murasame (some say a student of masamune's, but his swords were made about 100 years after Masamune's) only knew how to make weapons... they were very sharp and strong, and everything a weapon should be... but he only knew how to kill, not protect, therefore his swords were said to be cursed and 'evil.'   Legend says both the Masamune and Murasame were put in a stream... The leaves seemed to all be pushed out of the way of the Masamune since it would not harm the innocent leaves... the Murasame, however, drew the leaves into it, cutting them to shreds.
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SooOoO anyone know any sword legends not mentioned here? Or care to expand on the breif ones I made.


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## Navarre (Dec 8, 2005)

In Beowulf's final battle against a terrible dragon, Beowulf was betrayed by his own sword, Naegling. I believe, due to the power of Beowulf's strike, Naegling broke. 

Beowulf henchman, Wiglaf, then strikes the dragon with his own sword. This is followed by a knife attack from Beowulf.  The dragon dies but not before biting Beowulf on the neck. Beowulf dies from the poison of the bite. 

This is the first recorded evidence that knife arts are superior to sword arts but nothing beats wearing a titanium turtleneck.


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## Cryozombie (Dec 8, 2005)

Nothung, the blade Siegfried uses to slay the Dragon Fafner...

Also the Goth legend of Tyrfing, the Golden sword supposedly forged for Odins son...


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## Swordlady (Dec 9, 2005)

> Everyone should know about excalibur... Arthur Drew a sword from a rock, claiming divine right to kingship... it broke in battle and 'the lady of the lake' gave him the 'real' version of the sword, along with all sorts of magical powers... They never really defined what powers it had... basically anything arthur wants.


 
Actually, Excalibur's scabbard made Arthur invincible.  No harm could befall him if he kept the sword and sheath together.


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## Gemini (Dec 9, 2005)

Swordlady said:
			
		

> Actually, Excalibur's scabbard made Arthur invincible. No harm could befall him if he kept the sword and sheath together.


 
Actually, that version is new to me. I thought that was Aragorn's claim to fame, who's sword was Narsil.


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## Navarre (Dec 9, 2005)

No, swordlady is right. I've read that in at least one version of the legend.


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## Gemini (Dec 9, 2005)

Navarre said:
			
		

> No, swordlady is right. I've read that in at least one version of the legend.


 
Oh, I'm not saying I doubt it, I just said I hadn't heard it. There are so many versions, I'm sure anything is possible.


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## dasgregorian (Dec 10, 2005)

different legends have excalibur as having all sorts of power... the sheath (as long as he had the sword made him invincable, the sheath (with or without the sword could heal any wound, I've seen stories claiming that his sword could cast lightning out of it or even give him psudo telekenisis powers...  Anyone have a list of all the stuff it can do?  That's one reason I'm not all too interested in that one, because they didn't put thought into the legend... just "this is teh le3t sword... it roxxorz and can do NEthInG!"

Anyone want to add any other legendary swords (not just named sword that a guy used... but a sword with a specific story by itself.


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## Solidman82 (Dec 10, 2005)

> I thought that was Aragorn's claim to fame, who's sword was Narsil.


 
Should Narsil be in this thread as well? A sword that shows his birthright as the king and claims control of the undead warriors owing a debt to his family.


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## Tgace (Dec 10, 2005)

Except in the book it was the standard made by Arwen and not the sword that gave him that power....


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## emrys (Dec 17, 2005)

i always thought excalibur was an anglisation of caliburn,itself a version of the caladcholg(rainbow sword).there is also durandil,the sword of roland,one of charlemagne's knights.blue tooth,owned by harald hardrada.


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