Stormbringer
Encyclopedia
Stormbringer is the name of the infamous black sword
featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock
. Created by the forces of Chaos
, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade. It is wielded by the doomed albino emperor Elric of Melniboné
.
and will
of its own, and that it feeds upon the souls of those it kills. Elric
loathes the sword but is almost helpless without the strength
and vitality it confers on him.
Stormbringer’s hunger for souls is such that it frequently betrays Elric by creating a bloodlust in his mind, turning in his hands and killing friends and lovers. The cursed nature of the sword adds to Elric’s guilt and self-loathing even as he feels pleasure when the stolen lifeforce enters his body.
Stormbringer has a "sister" sword named Mournblade, which was at one time wielded by Elric’s cousin and enemy Yyrkoon. It is identical to Stormbringer in most regards. Later stories reveal that there are thousands of identical demons, all taking the form of swords. Three such sibling blades appear in The Revenge of the Rose and many more "brother blades" are seen in the novel Stormbringer, but only Mournblade and Stormbringer are named.
In Elric of Melniboné, Elric and cousin Yyrkoon find the runeblades in a realm of Limbo
and commence battle. Elric and Stormbringer disarm Yyrkoon, and Mournblade disappears. Yyrkoon is defeated, and Elric and his cousin return to Imrryr.
In The Weird of the White Wolf, Elric returns to Imrryr after a long journey and confronts Yyrkoon, who usurped the throne in his absence. Yyrkoon has regained Mournblade through unknown means and uses it to attack. Elric and Stormbringer kill Yyrkoon, and no further mention is made of Mournblade until it is later disclosed that it was recovered by the Seers of Nihrain, to be wielded by Elric's cousin, Dyvim Slorm. Imrryr is sacked, though the pillagers' fate is not much better, being pursued by the golden battle barges and the few dragons who were awakened, led by Dyvim Tvar. Only Elric's ship escapes, propelled by the aid of his sorcery.
In Stormbringer, Elric learns that the representatives of Fate, which serve neither Chaos or Law, recovered Mournblade from the netherworld. They present it to Elric and explain that the runeblades were designed to be wielded by those with Melnibonéan royal blood as a check against the might of the Dead Gods of Chaos. Elric gives Mournblade to his kinsman, Dyvim Slorm, and the two men become embroiled in a confrontation between the gods. Elric summons others of Stormbringer’s demonic race (also in the form of swords) to fight against a number of Dukes of Hell, brought to the Young Kingdoms by Jagreen Lern, theocrat of Pan Tang.
Ultimately, Elric's reliance on Stormbringer proves his undoing: after the utter destruction of the Young Kingdoms in the battle of Law and Chaos, just as it seems that the cosmic Balance has been restored, Stormbringer kills Elric, transforms into a humanoid demon, and leaps laughing into the sky, to corrupt the newly-remade world once more. The sword-spirit says to the dying Elric "I was a thousand times more evil than thou."
In the book The Quest for Tanelorn
, a man claims that the demon in the sword is named Shaitan - a variant of 'Satan
'. In the same book it is revealed that the demon can inhabit either the black sword or the black jewel, the jewel which was once embedded in the skull of Dorian Hawkmoon. Hawkmoon was an avatar, like Elric, of the Eternal Champion
.
#31 and #32, "The Black Blade of the Barbary Coast" parts 1 & 2, feature albino pirate Captain Zodiac seeking the "Black Blade", a black cutlass marked with red runes. This appears to be a recurrence
(a favored Moorcock trope) of Elric and Stormbringer's tale.
Print
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
featured in a number of fantasy stories by the author Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
. Created by the forces of Chaos
Chaos (cosmogony)
Chaos refers to the formless or void state preceding the creation of the universe or cosmos in the Greek creation myths, more specifically the initial "gap" created by the original separation of heaven and earth....
, it is described as a huge, black sword covered with strange runes carved deep into its blade. It is wielded by the doomed albino emperor Elric of Melniboné
Elric of Melniboné
Elric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of sword and sorcery stories centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
.
Description
This powerful enchanted black blade is a member of a demon race that takes on the form of a sword, and as such is a force of Chaos. Stormbringer's edge is capable of cutting through virtually any material not protected by potent sorcery, and it can drink the soul from (and thereby kill) an unprotected human upon delivering any wound, even a scratch. Its most distinctive features are that it has a mindMind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
and will
Will
Will may refer to:* Shall and will, the word will as a modal verb* Will , instructions for the disposition of one's property after death...
of its own, and that it feeds upon the souls of those it kills. Elric
Elric of Melniboné
Elric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of sword and sorcery stories centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
loathes the sword but is almost helpless without the strength
Physical strength
Physical strength is the ability of a person or animal to exert force on physical objects using muscles. Increasing physical strength is the goal of strength training.-Overview:...
and vitality it confers on him.
Stormbringer’s hunger for souls is such that it frequently betrays Elric by creating a bloodlust in his mind, turning in his hands and killing friends and lovers. The cursed nature of the sword adds to Elric’s guilt and self-loathing even as he feels pleasure when the stolen lifeforce enters his body.
Stormbringer has a "sister" sword named Mournblade, which was at one time wielded by Elric’s cousin and enemy Yyrkoon. It is identical to Stormbringer in most regards. Later stories reveal that there are thousands of identical demons, all taking the form of swords. Three such sibling blades appear in The Revenge of the Rose and many more "brother blades" are seen in the novel Stormbringer, but only Mournblade and Stormbringer are named.
In Elric of Melniboné, Elric and cousin Yyrkoon find the runeblades in a realm of Limbo
Limbo
In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other...
and commence battle. Elric and Stormbringer disarm Yyrkoon, and Mournblade disappears. Yyrkoon is defeated, and Elric and his cousin return to Imrryr.
In The Weird of the White Wolf, Elric returns to Imrryr after a long journey and confronts Yyrkoon, who usurped the throne in his absence. Yyrkoon has regained Mournblade through unknown means and uses it to attack. Elric and Stormbringer kill Yyrkoon, and no further mention is made of Mournblade until it is later disclosed that it was recovered by the Seers of Nihrain, to be wielded by Elric's cousin, Dyvim Slorm. Imrryr is sacked, though the pillagers' fate is not much better, being pursued by the golden battle barges and the few dragons who were awakened, led by Dyvim Tvar. Only Elric's ship escapes, propelled by the aid of his sorcery.
In Stormbringer, Elric learns that the representatives of Fate, which serve neither Chaos or Law, recovered Mournblade from the netherworld. They present it to Elric and explain that the runeblades were designed to be wielded by those with Melnibonéan royal blood as a check against the might of the Dead Gods of Chaos. Elric gives Mournblade to his kinsman, Dyvim Slorm, and the two men become embroiled in a confrontation between the gods. Elric summons others of Stormbringer’s demonic race (also in the form of swords) to fight against a number of Dukes of Hell, brought to the Young Kingdoms by Jagreen Lern, theocrat of Pan Tang.
Ultimately, Elric's reliance on Stormbringer proves his undoing: after the utter destruction of the Young Kingdoms in the battle of Law and Chaos, just as it seems that the cosmic Balance has been restored, Stormbringer kills Elric, transforms into a humanoid demon, and leaps laughing into the sky, to corrupt the newly-remade world once more. The sword-spirit says to the dying Elric "I was a thousand times more evil than thou."
In the book The Quest for Tanelorn
Tanelorn
Tanelorn is a fictional city set in the Multiverse of Michael Moorcock's fantasy novels.Tanelorn shares some properties with the author's key character, the Eternal Champion, namely its existence in all dimensions, albeit not at the same time...
, a man claims that the demon in the sword is named Shaitan - a variant of 'Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
'. In the same book it is revealed that the demon can inhabit either the black sword or the black jewel, the jewel which was once embedded in the skull of Dorian Hawkmoon. Hawkmoon was an avatar, like Elric, of the Eternal Champion
Eternal Champion
The Eternal Champion is a fictional creation of the author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his novels.-About the Eternal Champion:...
.
Books by Moorcock featuring Stormbringer
- The Stealer of Souls (1963)
- Stormbringer (1965)
- The Singing Citadel (1970)
- The Vanishing Tower (1970)
- Elric of Melniboné (1972)
- The Sailor on the Seas of Fate (1976)
- The Weird of the White Wolf (1977)
- The Bane of the Black Sword (1977)
- Elric at the End of Time (1984)
- The Fortress of the Pearl (1989)
- The Revenge of the Rose (1991)
- The Dreamthief's Daughter (2001)
Other media by Moorcock featuring Stormbringer
Tom StrongTom Strong
Tom Strong is a comic book created by writer Alan Moore and artist Chris Sprouse initially published bi-monthly by America's Best Comics, an imprint of DC Comics' Wildstorm division.-Background:Tom Strong, the title character, is a "science hero"...
#31 and #32, "The Black Blade of the Barbary Coast" parts 1 & 2, feature albino pirate Captain Zodiac seeking the "Black Blade", a black cutlass marked with red runes. This appears to be a recurrence
Eternal return
Eternal return is a concept which posits that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a self-similar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space. The concept initially inherent in Indian philosophy was later found in ancient Egypt, and was subsequently...
(a favored Moorcock trope) of Elric and Stormbringer's tale.
In popular culture
Games
- The role-playing gameRole-playing gameA role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s StormbringerStormbringer (role-playing game)The Stormbringer fantasy role-playing game published by Chaosium puts the players in the world of the Young Kingdoms, based on the Elric of Melniboné books by Michael Moorcock. The game takes its name from Elric’s sword, Stormbringer...
(1981) and Elric! (1993) are both set in Moorcock's "multiverseMultiverseThe multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
". - The Black Sword is a fictional sword first featured in Ultima VII: The Black Gate, specifically the expansion disk Forge of Virtue. It is also less frequently known as the Shade Blade. The Black Sword is the most powerful magical weapon in the game. When the sword is activated in the game by double-clicking it, the Avatar is able to converse with the demon Arcadion, who is able to either instantly and noiselessly kill a creature, or create a fire field.
- The sword also appears in both Ultima Underworld I & II.
- The video game ZAngband features the sword 'Stormbringer' with similar vampiric effects and conferring increased strength and constitution upon the user.
- Stormbringer makes an unofficial appearance in the computer role-playing game NetHackNetHackNetHack is a single-player roguelike video game originally released in 1987. It is a descendant of an earlier game called Hack , which is a descendant of Rogue...
, with many of the same attributes that it possesses in Moorcock's works such as a tendency to attack targets (including allies) by itself and sucking the force of the living beings that it hits. - In the computer game Drakan: Order of the FlameDrakan: Order of the FlameDrakan: Order of the Flame is an action-adventure computer game developed by Surreal Software and published by Psygnosis in 1999. The game follows Rynn, a young woman with extraordinary martial skills, and an ancient dragon Arokh on their quest to free Rynn's younger brother from the evil sorcerer...
there is a sword that the player can collect known as the Mournblade. In its sequel, Drakan: The Ancients' GatesDrakan: The Ancients' GatesDrakan: The Ancients' Gates is an action-adventure PlayStation 2 game with RPG elements by Surreal Software. It is the sequel to the 1999 PC game Drakan: Order of the Flame....
, there is a similar weapon called the "Mournbringer." - In the WarcraftWarcraft UniverseWarcraft is a franchise of video games, novels, and other media originally created by Blizzard Entertainment. The series is made up of Four core games: Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, and World of Warcraft...
mythos, Arthas (a prince who betrays his country and becomes undead, ending up looking rather like Elric) wields a soul-stealing runeblade named Frostmourne . Also, the minor character, Highlord Mograine, carries the Ashbringer. (The 'corrupted' version of this blade, which behaves more like the Stormbringer right down to the blade speaking to its wielder, was one of the strongest blades available to player characters of World of WarcraftWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth released game set in the fantasy Warcraft universe, which was first introduced by Warcraft: Orcs & Humans in 1994...
for a significant length of time.) - Mournblade (as Mourneblade) is featured in KonamiKonamiis a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
's video game Castlevania: Symphony of the NightCastlevania: Symphony of the NightCastlevania: Symphony of the Night, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami in 1997. It is the 14th installment of the Castlevania series, the first installment released for the PlayStation, and a direct sequel to Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.Symphony of the...
and possesses the ability to heal the player character whenever he strikes something with it (much like how Mournblade and Stormbringer grant their wielder health and vitality when used to slay a foe, though the game weapon can grant health even when striking non-living objects, such as candles). Mourneblade is widely regarded as one of the best weapons in the game, and is considered a "rare" weapon. - A sightly modified version of the Stormbringer appears in MapleStoryMapleStoryMapleStory is a free-to-play, 2D, side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by the South Korean company Wizet. Several versions of the game are available for specific countries or regions, and each is published by various companies such as Nexon...
as the Doombringer. - Lost SoulsLost Souls (online game)Lost Souls is a MUD, a text-based online role-playing game set in a medieval fantasy world. It has an extensive history of technical innovation in its field and has received critical praise....
includes Stormbringer and Mournblade as unique instances of a class of black runeswords called lzrelekoi. - The AD&D module White Plume MountainWhite Plume MountainWhite Plume Mountain is an adventure module for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, written by Lawrence Schick and published by TSR in 1979...
includes a sword named Blackrazor with similar properties.
- In Dave SimDave SimDavid Victor Sim is an award-winning Canadian comic book writer and artist.A pioneer of self-published comics and creators' rights, Sim is best known as the creator of Cerebus the Aardvark, a comic book published from 1977 to 2004, which chronicles its main character in a 6,000-page self-contained...
’s graphic novelGraphic novelA graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
Cerebus, the Elric parody character Elrod of Melvinbone wields a sword called “Seersucker”, which leads Cerebus to remark to himself, “Tarim! Who would believe a sword could get rusty enough to turn black?” - The bunny girl in GainaxGainaxis a Japanese anime studio famous for productions such as Gunbuster, The Wings of Honneamise, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion, FLCL and Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann which have gone on to critical acclaim and commercial success, as well as for their association with...
's legendary Daicon IVDAICON III and IV Opening AnimationsThe DAICON III and IV Opening Animations are two short, anime, 8 mm films that were produced for the 1981 DAICON III and 1983 DAICON IV Nihon SF Taikai conventions. They were produced by a group of amateur animators known as DAICON Film, who would later go on to form the animation studio Gainax...
short for the opening of the 22nd Annual Japan Science Fiction Convention in 1983 flies riding on top of Stormbringer.
Music
- Mournblade was a British NWOBHM band who made two albums in the 1980s: Time's Running Out and Live Fast Die Young. Several of their songs feature references to Michael Moorcock's work.
- The band HawkwindHawkwindHawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, who have had a long association with Moorcock, released an entire album about the story of Elric and Stormbringer, The Chronicle of the Black Sword. They have also released both a single and double live album expanding upon this work, Live ChroniclesLive ChroniclesLive Chronicles is a 1986 album by Hawkwind recorded of a live performance of their The Chronicle of the Black Sword concept album based on the Michael Moorcock character Elric of Melniboné.-Overview:...
. The double live album package includes an Elric short story. The album itself contains various narrations and poems read by Moorcock. - The 1980 Blue Öyster CultBlue Öyster CultBlue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...
song "Black BladeBlack Blade (song)"Black Blade" is the title of a song by rock band Blue Öyster Cult. The lyrics were written by Eric Bloom and British science fiction writer Michael Moorcock from the viewpoint of Elric, Moorcock's most famous character. Elric wields a sentient, soul-sucking sword named Stormbringer...
" on the Cultosaurus ErectusCultösaurus ErectusCultösaurus Erectus is the seventh Blue Öyster Cult album released in 1980. Following the experiment with Mirrors, it was an attempt to return to the band's earlier hard-rock sound...
album was created as a collaboration between Eric BloomEric BloomEric Bloom is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He is best known as the main vocalist, and "stunt guitar" for the long-running band Blue Öyster Cult, with work on over 20 albums...
and Michael Moorcock. - UK hard rock band MagnumMagnum (band)Magnum are a British progressive rock band from Birmingham, England. Formed as a four piece by Tony Clarkin , Bob Catley , Kex Gorin and Bob Doyle in order to appear as the resident band at The Rum Runner night club Birmingham...
has a song named Stormbringer, about Elric and his sword, on the reissue of their Kingdom of Madness album. It was one of the very first songs they recorded, and was not commercially available until this reissue, apart from on "Archive", a 1993 Jet Records collection of previously unreleased demo and outtake material recorded between 1976 and 1983. - The German metal band Blind GuardianBlind GuardianBlind Guardian is a German power metal band formed in the mid-1980s in Krefeld, West Germany. They are often credited as one of the seminal and most influential bands in the power metal and speed metal subgenres...
’s song Fast to Madness is based on Elric and references Stormbringer several times. It is found on their Follow the Blind album. The song "Damned For All Time", also on "Follow the Blind", is a reference to the struggle of the Eternal Champion. - The Italian metal band DomineDomineDomine is an Italian heavy metal band formed in 1983. The power metal band from Florence, who began releasing demo tapes in 1986, got some attention with their first album, Champion Eternal, released in 1997. Domine went on to release four more albums, touring Europe and playing at many festivals...
has a number of songs based on the Elric saga and referencing Stormbringer and Mourneblade. Additionally, Elric and Stormbringer are featured on the cover art for all four albums. Michael MoorcockMichael MoorcockMichael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
himself is specifically thanked and noted as an influence in the liner notes for each of their albums.- The Chronicles of the Black Sword
- Last of the Dragonlords (Lord Elric’s Imperial March)
- Dragonlord (The Grand Master of the Mightiest Beasts)
- Horn of Fate
- The Bearer of the Black Sword
- For Evermore
- Dawn of a New Age (A Celtic Requiem)
- The Song of the Swords
- The song Bane of the Black Sword by American metal band Apollo Ra on their Ra Pariah album deals with the adventures of Elric and Stormbringer.
- The American metal band Cirith UngolCirith Ungol (band)Cirith Ungol was a Californian heavy metal band who formed in 1972 and split up in May 1992. They drew influences from other metal groups such as Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy, as well as Iggy and the Stooges...
’s song Nadsokor from their One Foot In Hell album references ElricElric of MelnibonéElric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of sword and sorcery stories centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
, Stormbringer and the city of beggars found in the Elric saga. Michael WhelanMichael WhelanMichael Whelan is an American artist of imaginative realism. For more than 30 years he worked as an illustrator specializing in science fiction and fantasy cover art...
’s paintings of Elric and Stormbringer are also featured on the cover art of all four Cirith Ungol albums. - The Spanish metal band Dark MoorDark MoorDark Moor is a Spanish power metal band from Madrid. Formed in 1993, they produced three full-length albums before undergoing a line-up change in which three members left the band to form their own project, Dreamaker...
features an ElricElric of MelnibonéElric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of sword and sorcery stories centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
and Stormbringer related song titled The Fall of Melnibone as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of their album Hall of the Olden Dreams. The song was later made available to the American and European markets on the album Between Light and Darkness. - The song "Borrowed Time" by the NWOBHM band Diamond HeadDiamond Head (band)Diamond Head are an English heavy metal band formed in 1976 in Stourbridge, England. The band is recognised as one of the leading members of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal and is acknowledged by later bands like Metallica and Megadeth as an important early influence.-Early history:Formed by...
on their Borrowed Time album deals with ElricElric of MelnibonéElric of Melniboné is a fictional character created by Michael Moorcock, and the antihero of a series of sword and sorcery stories centering in an alternate Earth. The proper name and title of the character is Elric VIII, 428th Emperor of Melniboné...
and is told from his point of view. In this song, he refers to himself as “a slave to this black blade”. Elric and Stormbringer are also featured on the album’s cover artwork. - The song Sword's Lament by American metal band Cauldron BornCauldron BornCauldron Born was an American heavy metal band formed by guitarist Howie Bentley. They released three albums between 1997 and 2002, one of which was God of Metal, a compilation of the original Cauldron Born demo and a demo of a project Bentley worked on pre-dating Cauldron Born.- Beginnings and...
references both Stormbringer and Mournblade, along with a host of other fantasy swords. - Italian epic metal band Assedium has the Elric and Stormbringer based song "The Messenger of Chaos" on their debut album Rise of the Warlords.
- The song "Legacy of Kings" by Hammerfall contains the line "Stormbringer lead us into the unknown."
- Hailing from tiny Whitley Bay in the Northeast of England, the Tygers of Pan TangTygers Of Pan TangTygers of Pan Tang are a heavy metal band, formed in 1978 and originating from Whitley Bay, England. They are a notable band of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement...
name originated from Michael Moorcock's Elric saga, where Pan Tang is described as a realm of Chaos-worshipping Mabden sorcerers. - Deep PurpleDeep PurpleDeep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
released a song about the blade entitled "Stormbringer".
See also
- AnglachelAnglachelAnglachel is a fictional weapon from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. According to The Silmarillion, it was one of two swords forged by Eöl the Dark Elf out of a black iron meteorite. The sword was carried by Túrin, who had it reforged as Gurthang...
/Gurthang, the black sword of BelegBelegIn the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Beleg is a major character who appears in numerous books, tales and poems about the First Age of Middle-earth such as The Silmarillion, The Lays of Beleriand and the Children of Húrin.-Name:...
and later Túrin TurambarTúrin TurambarTúrin Turambar is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. "Turambar and the Foalókë", begun in 1917, is the first appearance of Túrin in the legendarium. J.R.R...
; and its twin AnguirelWeapons of Middle-earthWeapons and armour of Middle-earth are found in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings, such as The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion. Wars and battles are featured in much of Tolkien's writings, and weapons and armour are often given special attention.Tolkien modelled...
, from The SilmarillionThe SilmarillionThe Silmarillion is a collection of J. R. R. Tolkien's mythopoeic works, edited and published posthumously by his son Christopher Tolkien in 1977, with assistance from Guy Gavriel Kay, who later became a noted fantasy writer. The Silmarillion, along with J. R. R...
by J.R.R. Tolkien. - Dragnipur, a black, soul-devouring sword in the Malazan Book of the FallenMalazan Book of the FallenThe Malazan Book of the Fallen is an epic fantasy series written by Canadian author Steven Erikson, published in ten volumes beginning with the novel Gardens of the Moon, published in 1999. The series was completed with the publication of The Crippled God in February 2011...
by Steven EriksonSteven EriksonSteven Erikson is the pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin, a Canadian novelist, who was educated and trained as both an archaeologist and anthropologist....
. - TyrfingTyrfingTyrfing or Tirfing was a magic sword in Norse mythology, which figures in a poem from the Poetic Edda called Hervararkviða, and in Hervarar saga...
, a cursed sword in the NorseNorse mythologyNorse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
Hervarar sagaHervarar sagaHervarar saga ok Heiðreks is a legendary saga from the 13th century combining matter from several older sagas. It is a valuable saga for several different reasons beside its literary qualities. It contains traditions of wars between Goths and Huns, from the 4th century, and the last part is used as...
. - ClarentClarentKing Arthur's sword of peace, used mainly in knighting or coronation ceremonies rather than battles. It appears in the Alliterative Morte Arthure, where it is stolen by Mordred and used to deliver a fatal blow to Arthur. It was the sword pulled from the stone, whereas Excalibur was granted to...
, a supposed legendary sword given to Josh Newman in the book The Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas FlamelThe Magician: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas FlamelThe Magician is the second installment in the six-book series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, and is the sequel to The Alchemyst. It was released on 5 June 2008 in the United Kingdom, and on the 24 June 2008 in the United States...
it is described as a black sword and supposedly gives the wielder the ability to absorb the memories of the one being slain by it. It has an imfamous "hunger" to slaughter and is the "brother sword" of the legendary ExcaliburExcaliburExcalibur is the legendary sword of King Arthur, sometimes attributed with magical powers or associated with the rightful sovereignty of Great Britain. Sometimes Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone are said to be the same weapon, but in most versions they are considered separate. The sword was...
.
External links
- Stormbringer.net — An overview of the Elric saga