Great Sword

“I like great swords. If I could afford one, I would earn twice as much, as well.”
— Jorge Oakfield, Andergastan mercenary, 1036 FB

The great sword is the king of tournaments and battlefields. Like swords and lances, great swords are considered one of the classic weapons of knighthood. They inflict fearsome wounds but are not as useful for defense as their smaller cousins.

The great sword’s popularity has grown in recent years, especially among mercenaries. Nobles disapprove of this trend but nonetheless refrain from banning the practice. Mercenaries who carry great swords are called double mercenaries (from the old Middenrealmish term doppelsoldner, or double soldier) because employers pay them at least twice as much money as other soldiers earn.

“Like the war hammer, you should avoid using a great sword unless you are well armored. Trust me, I speak from experience. Parrying is difficult, and you can’t use a shield with it, either.”

— Geron Bladebreaker, mercenary

“I didn’t know you could wield a great sword, Geron.”

— Rowena of the Transweal, Bornish cat witch

“I used to, sure. I was a double mercenary, after all. Nowadays I prefer the bastard sword, but please don’t start referring to me as a bastard…”

— Geron Bladebreaker, mercenary