Faroe stamp by Anker Eli Petersen depicting the magical sword Gram

The term magic sword refers to any kind of mythological or fictional sword imbued with magical power to increase its strength or grant it other supernatural qualities. The archetype originated in myth and legend, and occurs countless times over in modern fantasy fiction. Image File history File links Faroe_stamp_391_gram_and_grani. ... Image File history File links Faroe_stamp_391_gram_and_grani. ... The legend of Gram and Grani, 2001 stamp Anker Eli Petersen (born 7 June 1959 in Tvøroyri, Faroe Islands) is a faroese writer and artist. ... Illustration by Alan Lee In Norse mythology, Gram was the name of the sword that Sigurd (Siegfried) used to kill the dragon Fafnir. ... For other uses, see Mythology (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Fiction (disambiguation). ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... For other uses, see Archetype (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mythology (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Legend (disambiguation). ... For other definitions of fantasy see fantasy (psychology). ...

Renowned swords appear in the folklore of every nation that used swords. Sometimes the sword is ascribed no powers of its own, but is famous because it is the hero's sword, or because of its origin, as when a god gives it to the hero. Other swords keep their wielders safe, or destroy their enemies.^[1] For other uses, see Hero (disambiguation). ...

A more localized motif is the sword that has been broken and must be reforged, commonly found in Northern Europe. Such a sword symbolizes the defeat of its wielder, and the restoration of honor by reforging it, either at the wielder's hand, or that of his heir.^[2]

Mythological

The trope of weapons imbued with supernatural power has been around since at least the early Bronze Age, a time when all metal was thought to be "magical" in nature.^{[citation needed]} In literature, a trope is a familiar and repeated symbol, meme, theme, motif, style, character or thing that permeates a particular type of literature. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ...

In Norse mythology, the god Frey "possessed a magic sword that struck out at Jotuns of its own accord."^[3] Many other swords appear in Norse legend, in the hands of heroes. Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of the Scandinavian peoples, including those who settled on Iceland, where most of the written sources for Norse mythology were assembled. ... Freyr is a very important god in Old Norse religion. ... In Norse mythology, Jotuns, Jötunn or Jotnar of Utgard, Jötunnheim were the race of Gods called giants (thurs), separated into categories such as frost giants (rime giants, hrimthurs), fire giants, sea giants and storm giants. ...

"Sigurd kills Fafnir", by Arthur Rackham.

Tyrfing appears in the Hervarar Saga. Svafrlami was the King of Gardariki, and a grandson of the god Odin. He caught the dwarves, Dvalin and Durin, and forced them to forge a sword with a golden hilt that would never miss a stroke, would never rust and would cut through stone and iron as easily as through clothes. The dwarves made the sword, and it shone and gleamed like fire. However, in revenge they cursed it so that it would kill a man every time it was used and that it would be the cause of three great evils. They finally cursed it so that it would also kill Svafrlami himself. It would cost the life of not only Svafrlami, but also the life of the Swedish hero Hjalmar. Image File history File links 404px-Sigurd_kills_Fafnir_by_Rackham. ... Image File history File links 404px-Sigurd_kills_Fafnir_by_Rackham. ... For other uses see Tyrfing (disambiguation) Tyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword which figures in a poem from the Elder Edda called The Waking of Angantýr, and in Hervarar saga. ... Hervarar saga ok Heidhreks is a fornaldarsaga from the 13th century using material from an older saga. ... Svafrlami (in the H and U version of the Hervarar saga. ... Gardariki (compare Icl. ... For other meanings of Odin,Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... This page is about a mythological race. ... In Norse mythology, Dvalin was a ruler of the dwarves and one of the most powerful dwarves, known primarily for having invented runes. ... Durin is a character in J. R. R. Tolkiens universe, Middle-earth. ... See also: Hilt (band) and Peter Hilt Hilt of Szczerbiec The hilt of a sword is its handle, consisting of a guard, grip and pommel. ... For other uses, see Rust (disambiguation). ... Hjalmar proposes to Ingeborg Hjalmar was a Swedish hero who figures in the Hervarar saga and in Orvar-Odds saga. ...

A similar sword to Tyrfing is Dainsleif, a sword from the legend of the eternal battle Hjaðningavíg, made by the dwarf Dain. Like Tyrfing, Dainsleif gave wounds that never healed and could not be unsheathed without killing a man. Dáinsleif (Dáinns legacy) is king Högnis sword, according to Snorri Sturlusons account of the battle known as the Hjaðningavíg. ... A detail from the Stora Hammar stone, an image stone on Gotland Hjaðningavíg (the battle of the Heodenings[1]), the legend of Heðinn and Högni or the Saga of Hild is a Scandinavian legend from Norse mythology about a never-ending battle which is documented in... In Norse mythology, the dwarves (Old Norse: dvergar, sing. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

The sword Gram appears in the Völsunga saga. It was stuck by Odin into the tree that held up a hall in which a wedding feast was held. Only Sigmund could pull it out. This caused considerably envy and conflict. Eventually, Sigmund fought Odin disguised as an old man, and Odin shattered the sword. Sigmund left it for his son Sigurd, who reforged it to kill Fafnir. Illustration by Alan Lee In Norse mythology, Gram was the name of the sword that Sigurd (Siegfried) used to kill the dragon Fafnir. ... The Ramsund carving depicting the Saga of the Völsungs The Volsunga saga is a late 13th century Icelandic prose rendition of the story of Sigurd and Brynhild, and the destruction of the Burgundians. ... For other meanings of Odin,Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sigurd sculpture in Bremen Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr, German: Siegfried) was a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. ... Fáfnir guards the gold hoard in this illustration by Arthur Rackham to Richard Wagners Siegfried. ...

There is also Mistilteinn, a sword from the Hrómundar saga Gripssonar, which could never go blunt and which Hrómund won from the undead witch-king Þrainn. Like Tyrfing, it was taken from a barrow-wight. Mistilteinn (Mistletoe) is Hrómundr Gripssons sword in Hrómundar saga Gripssonar. ... Hrómundar saga Gripssonar or the The Saga of Hromund Gripsson is a legendary saga from Iceland. ... Hrómundar saga Gripssonar or the The Saga of Hromund Gripsson is a legendary saga from Iceland. ... Undead is a collective name for mythological beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive. ... Barrow-wights are wraith-like creatures in J. R. R. Tolkiens world of Middle-earth. ...

The legendary smith Wayland Smith forged the magic sword Mimung, which appears both in the Anglo-Saxon poem Waldere and in the German/Scandinavian Þiðrekssaga. Weyland (also spelled Wayland, Weland and Watlende) is the mythical smith-god of the Saxon immigrants into Britain. ... Waldere is the conventional title of two Old English fragments from a lost epic poem, discovered in 1860 by E. C. Werlauff, Librarian of the Danish Royal Library at Copenhagen, and still preserved in that library. ... Þiðrekssaga (also Thidreksaga, Thidrekssaga, Niflungasaga or Vilkina saga) is a saga of the adventures of the hero Dietrich von Bern, believed to be based on the historical Theodoric the Great, and written down about 1250. ...

Ancient Chinese mythology relates the tale of Lü Dongbin, who "slew dragons with a magic sword",^[4] and also performed "freak feats" with it.^[5] Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written form. ... LÇš DòngbÄ«n (呂洞賓) (sometimes seen spelled Lu Tong-Pin) is a Chinese deity revered by Daoists. ... Chinese dragon, color engraving on wood, Chinese school, 19th Century The dragon is a mythical creature typically depicted as a large and powerful serpent or other reptile with magical or spiritual qualities. ...

"Adam and Eve Driven out of Eden" by Gustave Doré: Archangel Michael with his sword.

In Japanese mythology, there is a magical sword called Kusanagi, as well as a repeated tradition that the katanas of Masamune and Muramasa were of such high quality as to be near-magical. These three swords have been used extensively in popular culture since then, almost exclusively in the realm of videogame RPG's (see below). Download high resolution version (961x1210, 1373 KB) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Download high resolution version (961x1210, 1373 KB) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Japanese mythology is a very complex system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based folk religion. ... For other uses, see Kusanagi (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation). ... Masamune Portrait This article is about the swordsmith. ... The Muramasa school of sword-making at Ise province was famous for the extraordinary sharpness of their blades. ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ...

In Greek mythology, Theseus was given a magic sword with which to kill the Minotaur by Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos. The bust of Zeus found at Otricoli (Sala Rotonda, Museo Pio-Clementino, Vatican) Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the Ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. ... Theseus (Greek ) was a legendary king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, with whom Aethra lay in one night (By some accounts, this was presented as a rape). ... This article is about the mythological monster. ... Drinking scene with Dionysus and Ariadne on his lap. ... In Greek mythology, Minos was a semi-legendary king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. ...

"Excalibur the Sword" Illustration of Arthur receiving it from the Lady of the Lake, by Howard Pyle for The Story of King Arthur and his Knights.

The Bible of Abrahamic faiths relates in the Book of Genesis how God, seeking to deter Adam and Eve from returning to the Garden of Eden "placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way." By some accounts, the Cherubim are replaced with the Archangel Michael, who wields a similar weapon. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 410 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (483 × 706 pixel, file size: 83 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Excalibur Magic sword User:Cuchullain/images... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 410 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (483 × 706 pixel, file size: 83 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Excalibur Magic sword User:Cuchullain/images... Howard Pyle (March 5, 1853-November 9, 1911) was an American illustrator and writer, primarily of books for young audiences. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... An Abrahamic religion (also referred to as desert monotheism) is any religion derived from an ancient Semitic tradition attributed to Abraham, a great patriarch described in the Torah, the Bible and the Quran. ... Genesis (Greek: Γένεσις, having the meanings of birth, creation, cause, beginning, source and origin) is the first book of the Torah (five books of Moses) and hence the first book of the Tanakh, part of the Hebrew Bible; it is also the first book of the Christian Old Testament. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... For other uses, see Garden of Eden (disambiguation). ... A cherub (Hebrew כרוב; plural cherubim, כרובים) is an angelic creature mentioned several times in the Tanakh, or Old Testament, and in the Book of Revelation. ... Guido Renis archangel Michael (in the Capuchin church of Sta. ...

In the legend of King Arthur, the king himself is related to two magical swords, in most variants. The first is "The Sword In the Stone"; only Arthur could draw it out, thereby proving that he is the rightful king. In some tales, this is his only sword, but in most variants, this sword was then broken, and he receives from The Lady of the Lake a new sword: Excalibur, arguably the most famous of magic swords. It is not clear from the various accounts of the Arthur legend whether Excalibur itself was possessed of magical powers or merely had a magical origin, though its scabbard protected its bearer from physical harm. Many interpretations of the legend appear to endow the sword with a cutting strength and durability beyond that of ordinary weapons, making it unbreakable by anything but wrongful acts of its user. Excalibur's primary power was apparently spiritual, as it served to identify the chosen king and instill loyalty to him. For other uses, see King Arthur (disambiguation). ... Wikibooks [[wikibooks:|]] has more about this subject: The Sword in the Stone This article is about the novel. ... In an Arthurian legend, the Lady of the Lake gave King Arthur the sword known as Excalibur. ... For other uses, see Excalibur (disambiguation). ... A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword or other large blade. ...

In the Matter of France, Roland possessed an indestructible sword, Durendal, which he could not destroy but threw into a poisoned stream to prevent its capture. In the same legends, Charlemagne owned a notable sword, Joyeuse, while Bishop Turpin wielded Almace. The Matter of France, also known as the Carolingian cycle is a body of legendary history that springs from the Old French medieval literature of the chansons de geste. ... This article is about the legendary figure. ... Alleged fragment of Durendal in Rocamadour As told in the Matter of France, Durendal or Durandal (Italian: Durlindana) is the sword of Charlemagnes paladin Roland (Orlando in Italian). ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... The St-Denis Joyeuse Joyeuse was the name of Charlemagnes personal sword. ... Turpin (d. ... In the legendary Song of Roland, Almace, Almice or Almacia is the sword of Turpin, Archbishop of Reims, one of the last three Franks to die at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass , along with Roland (Orlando in Italian) and Gualter de Hum. ...

Literature

Illustration by Arthur Rackham to Richard Wagner's Die Walküre: the magic sword Nothung.

In Der Ring des Nibelungen, Richard Wagner drew on the legends of Grim for the sword Nothung, belonging by the hero Siegmund and later reforged by his son Siegfried and used by him to kill Fafner. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 439 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 820 pixel, file size: 88 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Taking his sister Sieglinde as his wife, Siegmund holds up his newfound sword Nothung. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 439 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (600 × 820 pixel, file size: 88 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Taking his sister Sieglinde as his wife, Siegmund holds up his newfound sword Nothung. ... An illustration from Alices Adventures in Wonderland Arthur Rackham (September 19, 1867 – September 6, 1939) was a prolific English book illustrator. ... Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second of the four operas that comprise Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), by Richard Wagner. ... Der Ring des Nibelungen, (The Ring of the Nibelung), is a cycle of four epic music dramas by the German composer Richard Wagner. ... Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 – 13 February 1883) was a German composer, conductor, music theorist, and essayist, primarily known for his operas (or music dramas as they were later called). ... Illustration by Alan Lee In Norse mythology, Gram was the name of the sword that Sigurd (Siegfried) used to kill the dragon Fafnir. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sigurd sculpture in Bremen Sigurd (Old Norse: Sigurðr, German: Siegfried) was a legendary hero of Norse mythology, as well as the central character in the Völsunga saga. ... Factoring via Network-Enabled Recursion (FAFNER) was a 1995 project trying to solve the RSA-130 factoring problem. ...

Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene features a golden sword called Chrysaor, the personal weapon of Sir Artegal, the Knight of Justice. The sword was given to him by Astræa, who had been holding it since the days when Zeus had used it to battle the Titans. Because it was "Tempred [ sic ] with Adamant", it was described as being able to cleave and cut through anything. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Una and the Lion by Briton Rivière The Faerie Queene is an English epic poem by Edmund Spenser, published first in three books in 1590, and later in six books in 1596. ... Greek mythology In Greek mythology, Chrysaor (Greek Χρυσάωρ, golden falchion, from χρυσός, gold, and ἄορ, sword, falchion) was a giant, the son of Poseidon and Medusa. ... This article is about the concept of justice. ... For other uses, see Astraea (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Zeus (disambiguation). ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion, because: it is patent nonsense. ... For other uses, see SIC. Sic is a Latin word, originally sicut [1] meaning thus, so, or just as that. In writing, it is placed within square brackets and usually italicized — [sic] — to indicate that an incorrect or unusual spelling, phrase, punctuation, and/or other preceding quoted material has been... For other uses of adamant, adamantium, and similar terms, see Adamant (disambiguation). ...

The hero of Lewis Carroll's poem "Jabberwocky" slays the Jabberwock with a vorpal sword. Although the poem does not define the word "vorpal" (and contains many nonsensical words with no meaning), the term has been adopted in role playing games to describe a sword which possesses a magical ability to decapitate those against whom it is wielded. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (IPA: ) (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll (), was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ... For other uses, see Jabberwocky (disambiguation). ... For other uses of the name Jabberwocky, see Jabberwocky (disambiguation). ... Beheading. ...

Illustration of the poem "Jabberwocky" featuring the vorpal sword.

In the works of J. R. R. Tolkien such as The Lord of the Rings, many magical swords, usually with powers for good, are wielded by important characters. Gandalf uses his sword Glamdring in his battle with the Balrog, who wields its own sword of flame. Its sister blade, Orcrist, is buried with Thorin Oakenshield under the Lonely Mountain in The Hobbit. Bilbo, Frodo and Samwise carry the sword Sting. It and Glamdring both glow blue when orcs are near. Aragorn bears the sword Andúril, a potent weapon against the evil of Mordor and a symbol of his right to rule. Jabberwocky, public domain, was in the original printing of Jabberwock This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years or less. ... Jabberwocky, public domain, was in the original printing of Jabberwock This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years or less. ... Tolkien redirects here. ... This article is about the novel. ... For other uses, see Gandalf (disambiguation). ... An artists impression of Glamdring, the sword of Gandalf Glamdring is a sword in J. R. R. Tolkiens fantasy universe of Middle-earth. ... A Balrog fighting Gandalf, as depicted by Ted Nasmith. ... Orcrist is a noted sword mentioned in the fiction of J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle-earth. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium, Thorin Oakenshield was a Dwarf, the son of Thráin II and the grandson of King Thrór. ... This article is about the book. ... Bilbo Baggins (2890 Third Age - ? Fourth Age) is an important character in J. R. R. Tolkiens legendarium. ... Frodo redirects here. ... Samwise Gamgee, later known as Samwise Gardner[2] or Samwise the Brave and commonly known as Sam, is a fictional character in J.R.R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium. ... An artifact from J. R. R. Tolkiens fantasy universe of Middle-earth, Sting was an Elvish knife or dagger made in Gondolin in the First Age. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens fantasy writings, Orcs or Orks are a race of creatures who are used as soldiers and henchmen by both the greater and lesser villains of The Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings — Morgoth, Sauron and Saruman. ... Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium. ... The shards of Narsil in Peter Jacksons The Fellowship of the Ring. ... Mount Doom and Barad-dûr in Mordor, as depicted in the Peter Jackson film. ...

Michael Moorcock created a sinister magic sword in Stormbringer, wielded by Elric of Melniboné. This black sword has the power to suck out the souls of its victims and transfer their energy to its holder. It also appears to have a mind of its own, sometimes striking against its "master's" will. Mercedes Lackey's creation, the sword Need is similarly independent although along less sinister lines. Michael John Moorcock (born December 18, 1939, in London, England) is a prolific English writer primarily of science fiction and fantasy who has also published a number of literary novels. ... Stormbringer (Lancer, 1967) Stormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. ... Elric as depicted in Weird of the White Wolf (Berkeley Books, 1983) Elric of Melniboné (pronounced mel-NIH-boh-nay) is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock. ... Mercedes Lackey (born June 24, 1950) (also known as Misty Lackey) is a prolific American author of fantasy novels. ...

The Twelve Swords of Power are the primary plot device in Fred Saberhagen's Books of the Swords. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Books of the Swords. ... A plot device is a person or an object introduced to a story to affect or advance the plot. ... Fred Thomas Saberhagen (May 18, 1930–June 29, 2007[1][2]) was a Chicago-born American science fiction and fantasy fiction author most famous for his Berserker series of science fiction stories. ... The Books of the Swords is collectively a sci-fi/fantasy novel series written by Fred Saberhagen. ...

Lawrence Watt-Evans's The Misenchanted Sword (1985) revolves the difficulties of dealing with the sword of the title; the protagonist must kill a man when he draws it, can only kill one, will die if he ever kills a hundred men with it – and will not die without killing them, but will ceaselessly age. Lawrence Watt-Evans (born 1954) is the pseudonym of American fantasy author Lawrence Watt Evans. ... A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ...

The Blue Sword contains a blue sword, known as Gonturan, that is both a symbol of power (as it can only be one by a damalur-sol, a woman hero), an amplifier of magic, a simply very sharp sword, and a sword with a mind of its own. The Blue Sword is a fantasy novel written by Robin MCkinley and published by the Berkley Publishing Group in 1982. ...

Similar to Excalibur, as mentioned above, is the sword Callandor in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time. Protected within the only fortress created by man that has never fallen to an army, the taking of Callandor is said to be one of the most important signs marking the return of the Dragon, the greatest hero of the Ages. Taken by protagonist Rand al'Thor in The Dragon Reborn, it is revealed to be one of the most powerful magical objects ever created. After using it to bind a nation to his cause, Rand later uses it to drive an army of invaders into the ocean, but at the price of killing many of his own men. Afterwards it is revealed that Callandor is incomplete; lacking the buffers that prevent the user from wielding too much of the One Power. Callandor is an item of interest in the series of novels titled The Wheel of Time Spoiler warning: Callandor is The Sword That is Not a Sword, and the item that only the Dragon Reborn can take from the Stone of Tear, according to the Dragon Prophecies. ... For other persons named Robert Jordan, see Robert Jordan (disambiguation). ... This article is about a fantasy series. ... Rand alThor is the protagonist and main character of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan. ... The Dragon Reborn (abbreviated as tDR by fans) is the third book of American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ...

Terry Goodkind's opus series is named for its magical weapon, the Sword of Truth. This blade, with the word "Truth" inlaid into the handle, factors into many of the moral decisions made by Richard Rahl, the series' protagonist. The blade, like most magic in the series, is focused on need. The sword's master is referred to as the Seeker of Truth. Many false Seekers have carried the sword, but a true Seeker can only be named by the First Wizard (Rahl is named by his grandfather, Zeddicus Zorander). A true Seeker has the ability to turn the blade white, when he kills in compassion and forgiveness. Richard has done this only once, killing the Mord-Sith which captured him in Wizard's First Rule. Terry Goodkind (born 1948) is a contemporary American writer and author of the best-selling epic fantasy series, The Sword of Truth, which according to his publisher TOR in an August, 2006 press release[1] has more than 10 million copies in print and has been translated into 20 different... On the cover of Stone of Tears, Richard is seen holding, presumably, the Sword of Truth. ... Richard Rahl (aka Richard Cypher) is the protagonist in the Sword of Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind. ... The Mord-Sith are a fictional class of people in The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. ... Wizard’s First Rule is written by Terry Goodkind and is the first book in the epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth. ...

Movies and Television

In the Star Wars saga, which employs many themes of classical mythology, the lightsaber can be seen as a science fiction or science fantasy analogue of the magic swords of myth – the device itself appears to defy the laws of physics, bringing to mind Arthur C. Clarke's third law of prediction, the observation that a technology that is sufficiently advanced would be indistinguishable from magic. This article is about the series. ... This article is about the weapon in Star Wars. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... Science fantasy is a mixed genre of story which contains some science fiction and some fantasy elements. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (born 16 December 1917) is a British science-fiction author and inventor, most famous for his novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, and for collaborating with director Stanley Kubrick on the film of the same... Arthur C. Clarke formulated the following three laws of prediction: When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. ...

Within the Star Wars universe, lightsabers are personally-made weapons built as part of the training of a Jedi knight, as he or she learns and grows in his or her use of The Force. This can be seen as a reflection of similar practices found in the bushido-codes of Feudal Japan. Jedi Knights and Jedi Knight redirect here. ... The Force can refer to: The Force (Star Wars), mystical energy in the Star Wars universe. ... Japanese samurai in armor, 1860s. ... History of Japan Paleolithic Jomon Yayoi Yamato period ---Kofun period ---Asuka period Nara period Heian period Kamakura period Muromachi period Azuchi-Momoyama period ---Nanban period Edo period Meiji period Taisho period Showa period ---Japanese expansionism ---Occupied Japan ---Post-Occupation Japan Heisei Pre-History/The Origin of History Jomon Period Main...

The He-Man cartoon series more directly mixes magic and technology, with the titular hero deriving his power from a magic sword (simply called the Sword of Power), but living in a world where the traditional gadgetry of science fiction is as commonly employed as the magical arts. To activate the sword, He-Man must use the famous and much-beloved war cry "By the Power of Grayskull!" He Man redirects here. ... He Man redirects here. ... A slogan is a memorable phrase used in political or commercial context as a repetitive expression of an idea or purpose. ...

The Sword of Omens in the Thundercats animated series possesses magical powers and the Eye of Thundera in the hilt. ThunderCats was an American animated television series developed and produced by Rankin/Bass Productions, debuting in 1985 based on the characters created by Tobin Ted Wolf. ...

In the Samurai Jack animated series, the protagonist Jack's father was given a magic sword (katana), from the Gods to defeat the evil Aku. Ordinary katanas had no effect: only the magic katana could harm Aku, although it could not kill him completely. This particular magic sword would obey only its rightful owner, thus making it impossible to hurt Jack when his enemy wields it (as Aku actually did, to subsequently no effect) -- it could never be used to harm Jack himself. Samurai Jack is an American animated television series created by animator Genndy Tartakovsky that aired on Cartoon Network from 2001 until 2004. ... An animated series or cartoon series is a television series produced by means of animation. ... Look up Jack, jack in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation). ... Aku can mean: An ethnic group in Gambia, descendants of former slaves The romaji spelling of the Japanese word for evil, written あく in hiragana or, more commonly, 悪 in kanji The antagonist of Samurai Jack The skipjack tuna An archaic work for the Yoruba people The abbreviation AKU can stand for...

The manga and subsequent anime Bleach features several magical swords, called zanpakutō ("soul-cutting swords"). These katana-like weapons are assigned to specific Shinigami (called "Soul Reapers" in the English translation) within the Bleach universe as their own personal property, an extension of themselves -- very similar to the concept of a lightsaber as mentioned above. Carrying the comparison further, a zanpakutō can grow in strength and power in tandem with its user. In addition, these swords are often personified in humanoid form throughout the series, and are activated for a Soul Reaper's first use by calling out their true name (see below). This article is about the comics published in East Asian countries. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... Bleach , romanized as BLEACH in Japan) is a manga and anime series by Tite Kubo, mangaka of Zombie Powder. ... Shikai redirects here. ... Shinigami , literally death god) is the Japanese name for personifications of death, in particular the Grim Reaper, which was imported to Japan from Europe during the Meiji period. ... The term humanoid refers to any being whose body structure resembles that of a human. ...

As well as varying greatly from person to person, in terms of given shape, size, power, and usage, all zanpakutō have unique and often poetic Japanese names -- for instance, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki's zanpakutō is called Zangetsu, which means Moon-Cutter. Ichigo Kurosaki ) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Bleach created by Tite Kubo and the main protagonist of the series. ...

In another manga and the anime after it, One Piece, there are swords that, while not exactly magic swords, are designated as Fine-Grade, Excellent-Grade, and Supreme-Grade swords, which are much more powerful than a regular sword that they could be called magic swords. Examples of swords and their feats include Kitetsu III, which is a cursed sword, slicing right through stone, and Yubashiri("Running Snow" in Japanese) cutting a whole table in half. Both are katana and are Fine-Grade swords. Examples of Excellent-Grade swords are the Wado Ichimonji("The Straight Road of Peace" in Japanese) and Suushi, meaning "Autumn Rain". Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump Shonen Jump Original run August 4, 1997 – (ongoing) Volumes 47 volumes with 478 chapters TV anime Director Konosuke Uda Munehisa Sakai Studio Toei Animation Network Fuji TV GMA 7 Original run October 20, 1999 – (ongoing) Episodes Japanese: 330 of 334 (current) English: 110 of 113... For other uses, see Katana (disambiguation). ...

Video and role-playing games

Computer and video games, and fantasy role-playing games feature a great variety of magical armaments, most commonly represented by swords and similar archetypal weapons. Unlike most of their legendary and literary forebears, these swords are rarely unique, and in many role-playing settings or scenarios, magical weapons are so ubiquitous that the player characters are expected to come into possession of them as a matter of course. This article is about the British magazine covering computer and video games. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... This article is about games in which one plays the role of a character. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Some examples (from a great and diverse wealth of those available):

In the Soul series, the entire plot focuses on two magic weapons: an evil, soul-devouring sword named Soul Edge, and its holy counterpart, Soulcalibur. Official logo of the original Soulcalibur Namcos Soul series is a weapon based fighting game series of arcade games. ... These are descriptions of the various mystical weapons in the Soul series of video games. ... These are descriptions of the various mystical weapons in the Soul series of video games. ...

The Legend of Zelda features the Master Sword, a sword with properties that enable it to shoot beams, repel evil, and travel through time. In addition, in the original Legend of Zelda, there is a weapon called the Magical Sword. Also there is a weapon known as the Picori Blade, which later gains power and transforms into the Four Sword, which gives the protagonist the power to split into four versions of himself. This article is about the first game in the series. ... The Master Sword in its pedestal, as seen in A Link to the Past. ...

The 'Blades of Chaos' are a pair of divine blades forged in the fire of hades in God of War. They are enchanted with the ability to harm the undead and enchanted with flame. The Series also contains the Blade or Artemis, and the Blade of Olympus, Both are divine weapons used to defeat the titans in the Titanomachy. This article is for the PlayStation 2 game. ... In Greek mythology, the Titanomachy, or War of the Titans (Greek: Τιτανομαχία), was the eleven-year series of battles fought between the two races of deities long before the existence of mankind: the Titans, fighting from Mount Othrys, and the Olympians, who would come to reign on Mount Olympus. ...

Dungeons and Dragons has swords such as a "+1 sword" which gives a simple attack bonus, flaming swords which can set enemies alight or inflict extra damage against cold-based creatures, and swords based on other swords from myth and fiction, such as Blackrazor (a Stormbringer analogue – see above) and the Vorpal Blade from the Lewis Carroll poem, Jabberwocky (again, see above). Some, such as the Holy Avenger, are used for good, but there are also evil, sentient swords, such as the Sword of Kas. The original Dungeons & Dragons set Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) published by Gary Gygax and David Arneson in January 1974. ... Stormbringer (Lancer, 1967) Stormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock. ... For the plasma physics software, see VORPAL. Jabberwocky illustration by John Tenniel. ... Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (IPA: ) (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll (), was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer. ... For other uses, see Jabberwocky (disambiguation). ... In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Kas the Bloody-Handed was the most trusted lieutenant of the despotic arch-lich Vecna, who wielded the Sword of Kas in his masters name. ...

The Shining Force series has two notable magic swords: in the first game, there is the Chaosbreaker, the perfect synthesis of dark and holy powers, which is used by the hero-protagonist, Max, to battle Dark Dragon. In the sequel, the sword used by Max's descendant, Bowie, is a glowing blade simply called the Force Sword. A special weapon can be made exclusively for Bowie's use, a sword made of burning flames called the Levanter, forged from mythril by a dwarven blacksmith during the course of the game. Shining is a series of fantasy console games developed by Sega. ... Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention, more commonly referred to as Shining Force, is a 1992 turn-based strategy role-playing video game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console. ... Shining Force II is a 1994 tactical role-playing game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console, and a sequel to the original Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention game. ... Shining Force II: Ancient Sealing is a tactical role-playing game for the Mega Drive/Genesis console developed by Sonic! Software Planning in 1994, and is a sequel to the original Shining Force game. ... Mithril is a fictional material from J. R. R. Tolkiens universe, Middle-earth. ... For other uses, see Blacksmith (disambiguation). ...

In Warcraft III, the sword Frostmourne steals the soul of Arthas Menethil, and drives him insane. Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2002, is a real-time strategy computer game // Overview An in-game screenshot of humans (blue) fighting orcs (red). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Another Sega Genesis game, Phantasy Star IV, features the sword Elsydeon, usable only by Chaz. It is given to him by the spirit of the heroine of the first Phantasy Star, Alis, (who is subsequently the first "Protector" of the Algol solar system). Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium is a traditional-style console role-playing game released in 1994 for the Mega Drive/Genesis. ... Phantasy Star game. ... The Algol planetary system. ...

Chaz, the hero of Phantasy Star IV, holding the Elsydeon, a legendary sword which plays a key role in the storyline of the game.

The sword, which chooses its user through the help of its guardian-spirit, Alis (somewhat like the The Lady of the Lake as mentioned above) is used as part of a variety of weapons (amongst which is Rika's Silver Tusk, given to her by an aged Myau, another hero of the first Phantasy Star game) to defeat the collective entity of all evil, the Profound Darkness. In the death-throes of the latter, Elsydeon shatters into a cloud of crystals, protecting the party from the collapsing time warp that the Profound Darkness has opened. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... In an Arthurian legend, the Lady of the Lake gave King Arthur the sword known as Excalibur. ... Riqa is a calligraphic variety of Arabic script. ... For other uses, see Evil (disambiguation). ... Crystal (disambiguation) Insulin crystals A crystal is a solid in which the constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are packed in a regularly ordered, repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. ... The Time Warp is a dance featured in the rock musical The Rocky Horror Show and the cult film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, performed during the chorus of the song of the same name. ...

Many of the Final Fantasy games possess magical swords. For example, a sword called the Ice Brand, a sword "as clear as ice" (quoting from Final Fantasy Tactics) that is an ice-elemental weapon – effective against fire-type enemies, amongst others. Cloud Strife's iconic pose with his oversized Buster Sword behind is a still more famous example of the employment of magic swords in the Final Fantasy series. This article is about the Final Fantasy franchise. ... Final Fantasy Tactics ) is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Sony PlayStation video game console. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Cloud Strife ) is the protagonist of Squares (now known as Square Enix) role-playing game Final Fantasy VII and several of its sequels and spin-offs. ... An illustration of a buster sword. ... This article is about the Final Fantasy franchise. ...

The Masamune, as mentioned above, is found in countless games, many of which are, again, from the Final Fantasy series. One of the most notable appearances the sword has made was in the widely-praised Super Nintendo game Chrono Trigger. In the game, the sword, which could only be wielded by the unlikely hero Frog has been split into two pieces, each guarded by two spirits, Masa and Mune, and must be forged back together using a rare substance that must be found in the very distant past (the game's plot revolves around the concept of time travel). This article is about the Final Fantasy franchise. ... The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, also known as Super Nintendo, Super NES or SNES, is a 16-bit video game console released by Nintendo in North America, Brazil, Europe, and Australia. ... Chrono Trigger ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. ... Distribution of frogs (in black) Suborders Archaeobatrachia Mesobatrachia Neobatrachia - List of Anuran families The frogness babe is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning tail-less from Greek an-, without + oura, tail), formerly referred to as Salientia (Latin saltare, to jump). ... Time travel is a concept that has long fascinated humanity—whether it is Merlin experiencing time backwards, or religious traditions like Mohammeds trip to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven, returning before a glass knocked over had spilt its contents. ...

The groundbreaking Sega Genesis title Landstalker features several magical swords, notable amongst them the Sword of Gaia, which when used would cause a powerful earthquake that would affect all enemies on the screen. The Mega Drive/Genesis was a 16-bit video game console released by Sega in Japan (1988), Europe (1990) and most of the rest of the world as the Mega Drive. ... Landstalker: The Treasures of King Nole is a Sega Mega Drive game somewhat similar to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past game that was available on the competing SNES at the time. ... This article is about the natural seismic phenomenon. ...

In Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the hero Alucard makes use of literally dozens of magical swords, among which a fire-elemental type sword reputed to have been owned by Oberon, and a lightning-elemental sword with a similar association with Indra. The game itself is rife with Tolkien references, not the least of which is present in another magic sword, said to be the hereditary sword of the House of Hador, as well as actual swords from mythology, such as the Tyrfing and Gram as mentioned above. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (SOTN) is a Japanese action-adventure game developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo and published by Konami for the Sony PlayStation video game console. ... This article or section on a video game-related subject may need to be cleaned up and rewritten because it describes a work of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. ... Oberon, also Auberon, King of Shadows and Fairies, is best known as a character in William Shakespeares play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, written in the mid-1590s. ... For other uses, see Indra (disambiguation). ... J. R. R. Tolkien in 1916, wearing his British Army uniform in a photograph from the middle years of WW1. ... In J. R. R. Tolkiens fictional universe of Middle-earth, the House of Marach or House of Hador was the Third House of the Edain. ... For other uses see Tyrfing (disambiguation) Tyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword which figures in a poem from the Elder Edda called The Waking of Angantýr, and in Hervarar saga. ... BIC pen cap, about 1 gram. ...

In the Prince of Persia trilogy, there is a blade called the Dagger of Time, which gives its wielder many time-based powers, and in the third game, The Two Thrones, the Dark Prince uses a bladed whip called the Daggertail. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Dagger of Time is a special magical weapon in the video game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. ... It has been suggested that Mask of the Wraith be merged into this article or section. ...

In Final Fantasy VI, the character Celes can use the ability "Runic" to absorb most incoming magic attacks when wielding a sword. There are also several magic daggers which the character Locke may use. Final Fantasy VI ) is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 1994 as a part of the Final Fantasy series. ...

In Drakan: Order of the Flame and Drakan: The Ancients' Gates there are several different magical swords and other weapons. In the former game, there is the mystical Rune Blade, made by the ancient Order of the Flame to combat the Dark Union, as well as the demonic Mourn Blade that when used, makes the tormented moans and cries of the condemned be heard. In the second game there are several magical weapons, including the Four Elemental Blades of the Order: the Earth, Lightning, Ice and Fire Blades, that enable the user to summon powers based on the element of the sword, as well as the Mournbringer, the most powerful of the swords in the game.

In Battalion Wars, a magic sword is used in a ressurection ritual. It is brought to the Iron Legion Cenotaph, and placed in a holder. Then a (rather unimpressive, ten word) spell is recited, allowing the troops to return to life. Their souls fuse into a demon and possess the spellcaster. Battalion Wars ), originally to be titled Advance Wars: Under Fire,[2] part of the Nintendo Wars series, is a real-time tactics game for the Nintendo GameCube. ...

In Riviera: The Promised Land, Ein, the lead character, wields a sword called the Einherjar, in exchange of losing his wings. The sword is called by other in-game characters as a Diviner, or a weapon owned by Grim Angels, capable of vanquishing demons.

Such examples from video games and role-playing games can, without exaggeration, be given indefinitely.

See Also

• magic item
• List of magical weapons

The term, magic item can be used to refer to several historical and fictional topics: // Historical In a historical context, magic items are those artifacts which have been reputed to contain magical properties such as the Holy Grail. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

References