Ghyll:Horreld blade
Ask your average Ghyllian the meaning of the words "horreld blade", and they will invariably consider them synonymous with the saga of Busco. This legendary Avazian heroine wielded a sword named the Horreld Blade. It was reputedly immune to the magnetic effects of the Justice Device, but as with many fabled Avazian artifacts its construction is never described. Artwork featuring Busco depicts the blade variously as a crudely worked tree branch (in Alarius' “Defender”), a glowing yellow weapon (generally in pieces from the Dreamy period), or as a long, curved, metal sword typical of Harandraffian times.
In fact, the archetypal swords of the Harandraffian period were also known as horreld blades. This became the principle meaning of the term in the lexicon of the time, and the original significance was all but forgotten.
The single-edged Harandraffian swords were of triangular cross-section. They were very long (between 6.3 and 7.5 nanits including the hilt), and curved with a radius of approximately 3 nanits. Horreld blades were designed to be wielded in two hands, and used primarily to make slashing attacks. They were popularized by Eixis Anos and her authoritative publication Quarters of Horreld Fencing. This Encyclopedant recommends Anos' works as a further reference to the interested reader. They form a comprehensive guide to duelling technique, replete with excellent, if rather graphic, diagrams.
(.. use of the horreld blade in war)
With the increasing prevalence of metal armour around -200 EC, the horreld blade's effectiveness on the battlefield diminished. Ghyllian swords morphed into shorter, double-edged, straight weapons, more suitable for thrusting attacks. These weapons are known as brevidges. Those used by Swordwielders in the Tarkherk Corps are a definitive example.*
(.. discussion of horreld fencing as a sport..)
The noble art of horreld fencing was dropped from the tri-annual Dagger games in -66 EC, to make room for more easily digested, spurious “sports” like hoopkah and Bindlett Ball. The horreld blade drifted quickly from the public consciousness. (.... something about how the sport may be revivied)
* On the topic of the Corps, after Commandant Elder's embarrassing incident at the Battle of Umbo Moor, he went on record to say that his “White Lady” had carried "a great big ol' [sic] shiny golden sword”, rather reminiscent of the Dreamy portrayal of the original Horreld Blade. This prompted widespread speculation, encouraged in no small way by the tabloid press, that Elder's vision was of Busco herself.
--Larj Zyquon 12:39, 4 Jul 2005 (EDT)
Citations: Tarkherk Corps, White Lady, Dreamy period
