Longsword

Game Stats

• Range: melee
• Base damage: 1d10 (slashing/impaling)
• Secondary: +5 melee Avoidance
• Concealable:  no
• Civilian Carry:  no

Description

The term "longsword" may be used to refer to any sword wielded with two hands.  However, it also refers to a sword of Sevillan origin longer than a bastard sword and lacking that sword's distinctive "waisted" grip. 

Use and Characteristics 

Sevillan longswords are principally defined by their length: blades range from 36 to 40 inches, with hilts of 10 to 18 inches.  Unlike the bastard sword and arming sword, true longswords are characterized by a willingness to add more metal to a blade to achieve the desired handling characteristics.  Some longswords use long, thin blades with long fullers to produce a stiff but relatively light weapon that may weigh only two and a half to three pounds.  Others may weigh as much as four pounds, quite heavy for a sword.

Even a four-pound sword is within most men's ability to heft with one hand, and the history of longsword teachers is filled with bravo students who attempt to do just that.  However, despite its weight, the longsword's principal characteristics in a fight are its reach and its speed.  A man with the height and strength to wield a longsword with one hand may be able to use its weight for great cleaving strokes, but its length and balance (as well as the lack of a waisted grip) will reduce it to little more than a poorly thought-out cleaver.

By contrast, a longsword can be wielded with two hands by a fit man with great dexterity and speed.  A swordsman skilled in the use of the longsword can attack and defend with no other weapon, using his weapon's reach and the leverage of two arms to achieve a lively and aggressive effect at a speed unmatched by all but the lightest one-handed swords.  A longsword has the blade geometry and balance to deliver devastating cleaving strokes at long range, and has the thrusting range to out-reach most other swords.  A longsword can even match the range of a battle lance depending on the lancer's grip.

The longsword is one of the few swords that can be used effectively against a man in full plate armor.  This is not because the weapon is capable of shearing through armor plate (attempting to do so will surely fail and likely damage the sword's cutting edge as well) but because of a system of longsword fencing referred to most often as simply "armored longsword."  Originally a Sevillan art (as was the weapon itself), armored longsword is also taught in select Harkanian fencing schools.  It emphasizes a variety of techniques (including using the pommel and cross-guard as a kind of improvised mace) with an emphasis on thrusting into the gaps between plates.  As this is often difficult in the heat of battle (as the target is both small and moving), armored longsword practitioners often use a technique called "half-swording," gripping the blade halfway down its length with an armored gauntlet to be able to thrust with greater precision and strength at the expense of range.  Half-swording can be used in a variety of other contexts as well to effectively shorten the sword.  This makes it impossible to "get inside" the reach of a fully trained and equipped longswordsman.

Advantages

The longsword's primary advantages are its great reach, speed, and extraordinary versatility.  It can out-range and out-time most swords, yet unlike a rapier it can cut or thrust with equal ease.

Disadvantages

The longsword's greatest disadvantage is its size.  It is a weapon not easily carried, and a short man (or the rare swordswoman) may find it too long for the length of his arms.  Such swordsmen often use a bastard sword (or simply a longsword of bastard sword length) rather than struggling with a weapon designed for a larger frame.  This has contributed to the popular myth that longswords can only be wielded by large, burly men.  In fact, any fit person can develop the muscle necessary for longsword combat, but short swordsmen may find that the geometry of their arms makes it difficult to wield such a long blade without constantly striking the ground.

Variants

Like most blades in Harkania and Sevilla, longswords are produced in high-quality steel (referred to as "steel" colloquially) and low-quality steel (referred to as "iron" colloquially).  Many have crystal edges, particularly those that belong to wealthy or expert serjeants.  Longswords are too long to be produced in bronze.  A surprisingly large number of Dolotai steel longswords have been unearthed, suggesting that this form of sword was known to the Dolotai.

Party Associations

None

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