Sacred 2:Book 2 - Swords

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From Lore of Weaponry
Book 2

Swords

"The day I'm losing respect for my swords is the day I die."''

--- Nuagin Thedoilin, Elven Swordmaster

In many ways, the sword can be considered the king of weapons. A sword in the hands of a skilled master at arms is absolutely deadly. No armor can withstand a well placed strike. If two swords meet, only the better fighter will win. There is no room for a lucky strike. Sword fighting requires three different skills: speed, strength and precision. A good swordfighter doesn't need to be equally good at all three aspects. Any two of the three combined makes a good fighter. The choice of the type of sword highly relies on the style of the fighter. If a warrior is strong and precise, he can use a long and heavy sword. The fast and precise fighter will prefer a shorter and lighter blade. There are many different kinds of swords.

Shortsword

The shortsword is a small, compact weapon, tha'ts able to inflict devastating damage to a target, simply by the force of the impace. Shortswords are usually not sharp, but pointy. Due to their reduced length, they're the perfect weapons for very close combat, like fighting indoors during a siege for example. Shortswords are the weapon of choice for a speed-precision fighter.

Broadsword

Broadswords are bigger versions of shortswords. Like their smaller pendants they are not overly sharp, but thanks to the mass of the blade they are able to crush through any kind of armor. Wielding a broadsword requires a lot of strength and stamina, and controlling the blade takes a lot of practice and clever use of the swing momentum. Broadswords are suitable for strength-precision fighters.

Longsword

The longsword is the longest version of all one-handed blade weapons. Unlike the short sword and the broadsword, the long sword has a very sharp blade and can deliver both, slash and crush wounds. The extra length of the longsword renders it a perfect dual weapon. However wielding a longsword requires the expertise of a true master of swords. Strength-speed fighters will usually choose the longsword.

Bastardsword

This weapon is also known as the 1 1/2-handed sword. It is too large for a one handed weapon and too small to be called a two -handed sword. Very strong fighters can wield a bastardsword with just one hand. However, fighting with a bastardsword is usually a very special and unique mixture between two-handed and single-handed fighting techniques. The ability to wield it with one hand highly increase the variety of possible swings. While the impact of a bastardsword cannot be compared to the damage of a two-handed sword, it is still much more severe than the strike of a one-handed sword.

Forging the Sword

Decades of research, experience and learning are essential if one intends to create a good sword. The steel must be perfect - flexible but strong. The balance point needs to be exactly in the right spot. If it leans a smidgen to either side it will turn a sword into a useless chunk of metal. The best swords in Ancaria stem from northern Artamark, which has a long tradition of weaponsmiths, all following the heritage of Tunathin, the legendary swordmaster and smith, who lived 580 years ago. Very few swords made by him survived throughout the centuries and each one of them is invaluable.

Rumors claim that Tunathin wrote a book containing all his secrets and experiences about swordmaking, and that this book is kept in the vault of the weaponsmith guildhalls in Artamark's Gate. Others say that this book never existed, that all his knowledge was transferred by word-of-mouth. Either way, it is a fact that the swords from Artamark are of extraordinary quality, and whoever is able to afford one calls one of the most powerful weapons in Ancaria his own.