Showing posts with label Swords. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swords. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Mythical:Mystletainn bane of Baldr

Mystletainn: Underneath the mistletoe


The Mystletainn is the spear which killed Baldr.  When Baldr dreamed of how his own death, his mother Frigg sought of way to protect her son and made every object vow upon this earth that they would not harm Baldr.

The Mystletainn, taken from the Ragnarok MMORPG


However she overlooked the lowly mistletoe believing it to be harmless, she didn’t opt the mistletoe to swear. When Loki learned of this he had the mistletoe fashioned into a spear, in some versions an arrow. He then gave the Mystletainn to Höðr the blind god, the brother of Baldr. Which led to the events of the death of Baldr.

It is rather odd how the Mystletainn is often portrayed as a sword than the spear or arrow it was mentioned to be in the lore. The reason for this might be from the Icelandic saga of Hrómundr Gripsson.
Mystletainn belong a man named Þráinn, having slain four hundred and twenty men with the sword.



Thursday, November 28, 2013

Mythical:Ascalon the dragon killer




Ascalon,  the sword used by Saint George to kill a dragon terrorizing a city demanding sacrifices. The sword takes its name from the city of Ashkelon, Israel. 

According to the legend in a place called Silene(Selinus in other versions) in Libya, there was a large body of water(pond or lake), which a plague bearing dragon inhabited and terrorize nearby towns. People were forced to appeased to it with sacrifices of animals, but it came to a point that it was not enough and the townsfolk were forced to offer children in steed of the animals. The children to be sacrificed were chosen by drawing lots. It came to pass that the kings daughter was to be sacrificed to the beast, the king pleaded to the townsfolk that he shall give them all of his riches and half his kingdom just to spare his daughter.

The kings pleas fell on deaf ears as the towns people took his daughter and prepared her for the inevitable. As the girl waited by the lake for her impending fate, Saint George came riding by and the girl tried her best to send him away, but it was all for naught for the dragon had risen while they were conversing. Saint George fortified with the sign of the cross and raised his weapon to subdue the beast.


Sunday, November 17, 2013

Mythical:Claimh Solais the sword of light

Claíomh Solais or Claidheamh Soluis is an irish term meaning "sword of light" or "Shining word"




In Irish mythology the Claiomh Solais was a sword that came from Findias and wielded by Nuada of the Silver Hand(Nuada Airgeadlámh) who was leader of the Tuatha Dé Danann(peoples of the goddess Danu) and the King of Ireland. In legend, the mythical sword glowed with an ominous bright light, hence its name the "Sword of Light". It was impeccable in battle and had the power to cleave enemies in half. It is one of the Four Treasures of Ireland (the others being the Spear of Lugh, The Dagda’s Cauldron and the Stone of Fal).