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Lingering Glance
🕑 Added 2023-08-28 22:12:56 +0000 UTCOne of my weaknesses as a writer is my lack of imagination (and overall references) when it comes to clothing styles and jewelry. Imagining how armor fits a body, how a gown flows from behind a woman, or the perfect color scheme to the large rings adorning a nobleman's fingers is... hard for me to do.
What is also hard for me is to imagine weapons. Not the basic structure, of course, but how one might adorn it. Smithing is a craft, after all, and while I purposely gave Romanus humble weapons to begin with, you'll have chances to buy or take better weapons as the game goes on.
Right now, with Mist, you have such an opportunity. If you show the underworld an item he's interested in, you can bargain a new weapon for it. Because I lack imagination when it comes to styles, however, I've been searching for references online and came across a few good ones.
I loved this French spearhead made of copper, silver, and gold. I might use it as a template for what I imagine the new spear to look like.
This sword isn't the flashier — it is an executioner sword, after all, but I really like the image and the words inscribed on the metal: ET VERBVM CARO FACTVM EST (And the Word became Flesh). Badass. I'll probably use that for the new sword as well.
I still haven't found a good great axe or a good longbow to take inspiration from but! I have a lot of daggers and knives that I adore saved in my inspiration folder. And that's where you all lovely people come into play. Which of them do you like most? Which would your Romanus trade an ancient gauntlet or a precious coin for?
1. Ornate dagger with gold engravings and blued blade.
2. Small Knife with Sheath from the Ottoman Empire made of steel, silver, bone, horn, mother-of-pearl, and enamel.
3. Agate hilted dagger.
4. A khanjar with a rock crystal hilt also from the Ottoman Empire.
Thank you for your help! If you know of any Longbows or Greataxes or any other weapons, really, that you really like, let me know in the comments!! ♡
Comments
Nessy Lovegood
So I gotta go with option 1. For a couple of reasons. 1.because that shade of blue is my absolute favorite colors ( it was a royal blue and a maroon red that were my wedding colors. Hehe.) And. 2. I am (was,. I go in waves.) I play WoW (World of Warcraft) from time to time. I am a Night elf (nelf) druid and I have been playing her as my main since like 2013 I wanna say. But she's on the Alliance side. And those colors remind of Alliance colors. For the Alliance! Ok I'm done. 🤭
Warpotato
In the realm of great axes (my personal fav) a havamal axe or other Viking/Nordic axes would be a cool idea. That’s what I’ve always had in mind for an axe. Or maybe you could change it up? If you have a long sword, maybe have the option to take up a shield as well.
emelsi
Ooh, I practice HEMA so this is right in my area of interest. While I'm inclined towards a Fiore longsword because that is what I train with, the beauty of those is that they are very simple and practical - no frills, just a piece of metal designed for killing humans. Something I would go nuts for would be a beautiful Greek kopis or Iberian falcata, ideally 20-30" long, Both were still in vogue starting in the late Bronze Age and continuing well into the Iron Age but the weight of a bronze one would give momentum to its swing that would play right into its strengths as a slashing weapon. It was Xenophon's preferred sword from horseback, and Alexander preferred it as well, second only to the spear. Nice adornments would be less the material of the hilt and more along the line of decorations on it, like an animal's face on the curve, or some silk/velvet braided cord enclosing the guard. Clean bronze is lovely, but I do like the deep green verdigris patina of age; you can mitigate any effects on the blade's sharpness with a little TLC. Failing that, I think I would go with option 3, primarily due to its having the most narrow blade of the bunch. I'd want something as close to a rondel dagger as possible to help punch through an opponent's mail. A nice rondel could have lovely scrollwork or other such engravings on the guard and hilt; the main thing there being a narrow blade to punch through rings, and ideally a pommel that you can comfortably push on hard with your palm, to help drive the blade through armor.
Rue
1 and 3 are my personal favorites, but combat wise, 1 looks more useful in a fight. 3's handle is so smooth I'd be worried about it slipping in my hand and throwing off my grip. My merchant Origin Romanus would for sure take interest in the Ottoman weapons though and would go for 4 if he used daggers instead of a spear.
Lauriane
Options 1 and 2 are the prettiest to me (slight preference for the first one) but I feel like 3 and 4 fit better with the overall aesthetics (at least in my head haha). Ended up picking option 3 because it seems like agathe is a very versatile stone when it comes to symbolism, and I am not immune to this kind of thing 😌
Dakota
How did I forget it's Monday?!? 4 is my favorite but my Romulus is a understated character and he likes to stay that way so I feel as if he'd pick 2!
Anathema
Very true!!! I like that a lot...
Anathema
Yes, I'll have to make changes regardless of what weapon wins. They're all a bit too ornate - Mist's weapons are supposed to be incredibly well-made, combat wise
Mark-Christopher Hanna
3 and 4 are the best mixture of fancy enough to raise eyebrows but passing as plain and would only draw the eyes of those who would be on the lookout for weapons or riches, like thieves and soldiers night notice them but not John on the street. 2 is flashy as hell, very pretty... But too flashy for how my Romulus runs around. I can see others loving how loud it is though! For me 1 is best - looks plain enough, the only ones who see it's true beauty are those who I'd pull a knife on, kind of poetic.
starpendle
I really love 3 the best. But these are all so beautiful! Impressive how you found them. Good inspiration for my own weapon ideas.
Niamh
I went with 2 but 1 was also a great option for me it was a toss up. I'd be worried the others were too decorative and not functional though I have no real idea about these things at all!
