Just a greeting and a question from a new member

[Vherin'Kir]

Greeting from a humble student of the sword, to all those devoted to Eilistraee our Dark maiden .

I have just joined this site today and I wanted to learn what our Dark Maiden's favored sword is so I can train myself with it.

I have had training with a "bokken" (wooden katana) before and have sparred with a friend alot of times and I have also had training in the martial art of "Arnis" or known more by the term "Eskrima", using khali sticks for safety instead of a "bolo" (short sword from the Philippines which I am from.)

And now i'm just searching for more information about our Dark Maiden's favored sword so as I said awhile ago may be able to train with it and increase my skill in swordsmanship.

any reply given will be much appreciated.

[Shir'le E. Illios]

Hi Vherin'Kir and welcome to our forums.

Eilistraee's favored weapon is said to be the bastard sword, or "half-and-a-half" sword. A sword with a hilt long enough to wield in either one or two hands, meaning you've got the choice of wielding it either one-handed or two-handed (unlike a broadsword, which one always wields two-handed, or a longsword, which generally is wielded only one-handed).

Of course, the names for these swords and how to use them stems from D&D and while I'm certain there's some historical reference in it I also think that they've taken a fair bit of liberties to fit things in the game. But the general description of a sword one can wield with either one or two hands (which often is called a bastard sword) is an accurate one.

Strange though that this would be her weapon of choice, since she's also a deity of dancing, combining this with her swordwork. Her specialist priestesses are called Sword Dancers and it seems to me that a bastard sword would be much harder to dance with than, say, a longsword.

But then, what do I know of sword fighting and sword dancing.

I hope that helps, and welcome again. May you find a home of sorts here.


Love -x-x-x-

Shir'le

[Vherin'Kir]

Well now thats gonna be hard to train with, I had some time practicing with a wooden one and they are really heavy but thanks for the reply hehe looks like im gonna get one very painful work-out from all this but to practice my swordsmanship is a task i must fulfill

-My thanks High Priestess, Vherin'Kir

[Tyrmer]

Looks like we have a candidate for Master/Mistress of Swords...

[Jhaelystra]

Hello Vherin'Kir ^^ Welcome to the forums. I'm glad to meet you ^^

[Vherin'Kir]

Hello to you as well Jhaelystra and I'm glad to meet you as well, hope we can get to know each other a lot better in the future (^_^)

[Argoth]

Umm... I think Jhaelystra is already married, so no you know what... and welcome, of course.

[Vherin'Kir]

What? Argoth I'm only 14 alright I'm just a kid, and all I meant was by getting to know her more was I just wanted to be friends. Thats all I meant. and thanks for the welcome as well

[Merinid Tlin'orzza]

Salutations, and welcome.

[Unen_Stealthfoot]

[color=darkred:26sry22f]According to Complete Warrior, Katanas (for the samurai class) are also considered bastard swords. Of course, D&D rules don't apply to RL.[/color:26sry22f]

[Argoth]

Gee, good thing you said that D&D doesn't apply to RL. Never would have made that up myself. And a katana is like the bastard sword, as D&D throws it all in one bag called "exotic weapons", along with a double bladed sword/axe (something that was never recorded in RL history, someone's been watching "The Phantom Menace" too often) and lots more. The Katana is considered the best sword in the world, tested by cutting slaves' heads. The more, the better. A slightly different version would the DAITO (AND NEVER DAI KATANA!!!!!!). Just imagine a katana sword whose hilt ends above your head when placed besides you. This sword was supposed to cut a rider along with his horse in one blow !!!! Now that's something. Something something something dark side...

[Merinid Tlin'orzza]

Shinobigatana technique is my preference (using ninja-to found in the OA rulebook) for dex use, and utility.

Although it is highly controversal on the historical existance of the ninja-to (more likely a hollywood invention); but as others state, this is D&D.

[Rooky]

To hell with this...

You take an axe, and no matter where you swing it, you always chop something, and when you do, it bleeds, and it bleeds GOOD.

But still, to the matter;
Katanas are painful precise and lithe weapons. A relative of mine paid a hefty price for one, and she allowed me a swing. I've wielded an axe and a sword before, both western made, and I wasn't expecting such lightness in a sword like that.

Most things I swang at didn't require a second attempt.
I still prefer punch daggers and katars. (two different weapons, yes.)

[Nedylene]

Well we have a bastard sword and a katana and I really find the bastard sword to be bloody darned heavy and much more unwieldy than the katana , but hey im not a sword person Im more like rooky ..just beat it with something until it bleeds enough to leave you alone.

[Bhaern Quel]

Hmm a katana is a two handed sword based on what I have seen of it.

The one handed sword is one that the hilt can only be weilded with one hand.
The two handed sword was one that required twi hands to use the blade at all the hilt desidned for two hands. The overall sword could be two meters in lenght.

The hand and a half or bastrad sword tended to be a blade that could be light enough to be used with one hand, but had the hilt that two hands could be used for a devisive blow. The blade about the same lenght as a one handed, just the hilt long enough that two hands could hold it.

As then and now weight was always a factor in what rools of war were issed.

As to the original question in 3rd Edition the Dark Maiden favors "The Moonsword" (bastard sword)" in 2nd Edition she favored twin blades.