Tough Traveling – Named Weapons

Nathan over at Fantasy Review Barn is the mastermind of Tough Traveling. What’s Tough Traveling? Pretty much, it’s a weekly feature on Thursdays where we dig around to come up with examples of common tropes in fantasy, using Diana Wynne Jones’ The Tough Guide to Fantasyland as our inspiration and guide. Nathan has invited one and all to join in the fun, so feel free to come up with your own lists and add the link on Nathan’s weekly post, which will also contain (unleash) the next weeks theme. So let the fun begin …

This weeks theme? NAMED WEAPONS

I love this week’s theme, courtesy of Mogsy. And while this week can be seen as a departure from The Guide, it could also be seen as an amalgam of several entries. The guide talks about NAMES, SWORDS, MAGIC ITEMS, and quite a few different weapons. It even mentions under NAMES that while there is often power in NAMES, and there is just cause in keeping them secret, the exception is SWORDS which wear their name with pride like a badge of honor. So, here it, my compilation of NAMED WEAPONS! There are just so many options, I decided to do another ASoIaF special edition. Why? Because I can. And it’s fun. At least for me. 🙂 But I did include one honorable mention, that is not form ASoIaF just because it’s my favorite of name weapons.

I kind of wish I had more time, because everything I came up with (except my Honorable Mention) is swords. I’d love to try and do one where I have a different type of weapon for every entry. Maybe next time 🙂

Word of warning, there could be some spoilers in here, read at your own risk 🙂

Ice – Who can forget the fearsome two handed Valyrian steel sword that enforces that law in the North? It is huge and has ripples of black through the steel.  The Starks believe they should enforce any judgements made and carry out the punishment. So, when a deserter from the Night’s Watch is sentenced to death, it is Ice that takes their life. Ice changed hands in one way or another through the series, so it has a journey of its own.

Lion’s Tooth – The most ridiculous sword name for the most obnoxious character. Quite fitting! But I can’t help but love it because of how Arya took care of it and put it where it belonged. At the bottom of the river. Right after put a certain pompous someone in his place. We’ll just ignore what he managed to accomplish as retribution 🙁 Jerk. He also went on to name Widow’s Wail, a replacement sword that he’s not worthy of.

Longclaw – The great Mormont Valaryian steal sword. While it has always been within the Mormont family, it was passed on to Jon Snow from the Lord Commander. The sword survived the fire that destroyed the Lord Commander’s tower, but, the steel survived and the pommel was updated with dire wolf before it was gifted to Jon. This sword was also carried by Jorah Mormont before the series started.

Lightbringer – A near legendary sword of Azor Ahai, a sword that burns with flame. Stannis tries to pass his sword of as the real thing, but do any of us believe it??

Needle – NEEDLE! This sword was made especially for Arya as a gift from her half brother, Jon. She named it after her much loved activity, needlework. Have to confess, playing with a sword sounds much preferable to me than the traditional needlework. She didn’t have much time for lessons before taking it with her to Kings Landing, but Jon covered the most import part: Stick them with the pointy end!  (I actually have a replica of Needle hanging on my wall…  it makes me happy!)

There are so many more, but, time constraints, I am sticking to 5.

HONORABLE MENTION: Wicked Sisters from the Gentleman Bastard series by Scott Lynch. A pair of deadly hatchets wielded by Jean Tannen. I don’t need to say more. They are the Wicked Sisters.