Pattern Sword Names

[charis]

I know pattern swords have been discussed numerous times throughout the forums, but a new campaign for me is coming up and I thought it'd be nice to get a list of names for Pattern swords to draw upon.

The only names we know for sure are Greyswandir and Werewindle. Bleys sword is also likely a pattern sword.

I am pondering using Sindlflare (Sihn dehl flair) for Bleys sword.

What would you name Bleys pattern sword or any other pattern sword for that matter?

[daniel_ream]

I'd suggest "Arianrhod", but that's about four levels of cryptic punnery and inside jokes.

[Panjumanju]

I suggest that if you're going to steal, steal from the best. Some of the best quasi-mystical names I ever heard came from the cartoon of "Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light". Just the wizards alone:

Bogavus (Bow-gaw-vis)
Falcama (Fall-ka-ma)
Gleering (Gleer-ing)
Hescador (Hess-ka-door)
Orzan (Ore-zhan)
Marna (Marr-nah)
Abraxus (Ah-braks-us)

...would make great pattern sword names.

//Panjumanju

[RPGPundit]

In my games, Bleys' sword was literally called "the Golden Sword".

Gerard's was also literally called "Big Sword".

RPGPundit

[jibbajibba]

Loving how Pundit really captures the spirit and feel of the game with those great names.

Generally we have 9 pattern swords, one for each pattern ....

Names have included

Shallowkiss
Solace
Succour

I guess I have a thing for Sssss es

So this is from an old campaign when a PC with advanced Pattern asked about Pattern Swords .....

It would have been hundreds of years ago now the details of dates do not matter overmuch in any case. Sequence and order, stress and balance they are most important in this matter. Time to an Amberite is a relative phenomena more so than even dear old Albert could have guessed. Dworkin, mentor and patient teacher. Prone to ravings and mood swings? Yes, that was the Barimen way, but in contrast the outpourings of wisdom from Dworkin’s lips could be likened to drops of golden nectar from blossoming summer flowers.
For it was he who had shown you secrets not available to the rest of your kin. You remembered when he was less elusive than he has been of late, just after the creation of the Sanctum; you were in his company much then.
“Young Cornelius, what a question, it was very difficult back then in the beginning I had so many enemies, so many. How did I triumph? I created swords… precocious master, swords, swords of the Pattern. The ‘pattern swords’, you can call them that if you wish. Yes… they still exist. I created them during my initial wanderings, when I explored the fresh shadows of my design, for the pattern was static, defensive and primal. But I needed a vessel with which to carry the fight to the enemy, I needed to offend chaos, I needed the Pattern swords, my venom, my teeth. The fringes of shadow, the edges of oblivion needed championing too. There were eight swords, one for each of the primary pattern shadows. Yes of course you knew that the Pattern in Amber is just one of the images created by the Primal Pattern as it etches it’s uniformity upon the echoing realms of Chaos. First of these is the Pattern known to all Amberites. You refer to it as The Pattern, but in truth it is the Pattern of Knowledge. It is the truest reflection of my clarity of purpose when I carved order from the bottomless void. Of the other seven shadows two are well known. The Patterns of Remba and Tir-na nog’th were impossible to conceal. They are the Patterns of Sorrow and the Pattern of Dreams. You must remember that I could not know the full extent of my actions when I drew out the Primal Pattern I never knew that my own personality would be refracted in the shadows that spilled from it.
“So then I see you are eager to learn of the other patterns and indeed you should for I see that you will be the guardian of the Pattern in time to come and into your trust will Order and Creation be placed. I will name them then; the Pattern of Stone; the Pattern of Truth; the Pattern of Fire; the Pattern of Destiny and the Pattern of Balance. Each exists a shadow’s breath from the Primal Pattern but only a master can manipulate shadow this close to the Source. It is a skill you will learn in time.
 “As I say the pattern was a defensive force static and unmoving and I needed to silence my critics who would smite my work asunder before it had even begun. I forged eight swords and sought to create eight Champions to bear them. The latter I fear was a feat that still eludes me and that I trusted to your father Oberon. The first, from the Pattern of Knowledge was Solace and this is born by Oberon himself. Then came Shallowkiss the Sword of Sorrow born by Arden, then Werewindle the Sword of Fire born by Serge and lost to shadow as he was. Then came Arkmight the Sword of Stone born by Ernaux, then Chrysaor the sword of truth, that is also called Axiom, given to Lysander. The remaining three swords were too valuable to risk and when Serge disappeared into shadow I hid them or disguised their true purpose. Greyswandir the blade of Dreams, Jerubal the Blade of Destiny and Pelagrim the Ash blade the Sword of Balance. One of the purposes of the Sanctum was to identify the eight wardens that would emerge as Champions of Order, but the time has not yet come.’ And he could not be drawn any more. As he turned away, you could not help but ask the question that formed unbidden in your mind... “A ninth sword you say, the Primal Blade…” answered Dworkin, and he just smiled.
Dworkin had lit a bright fire in your belly, you dedicated yourself to the study of the Pattern, and your skill increased measure by measure with your dedication. There was a primal Pattern you knew that now; the source of Amber and order.. Of the other Patterns, the Rebman Pattern, the Pattern of Sorrow, was often closed. Rebma was a ‘sea’ of political intrigue and best avoided, or at least so went the instructions of Oberon. There was the Pattern of Dreams, but Tir Na Nog’th was vague and intranssient. You soon despaired of its contrariness and confined your study to The Great Pattern, located in the dungeons of Amber. And you learnt much.
But the way was not easy, so often when it seemed you were on the verge of a breakthrough, Oberon would summon you for some task or other. But there was one other occasion of revelation still to come; a time when you managed to corner Dworkin again. It occurred soon after the self imposed exile of Prospero, who had tended to monopolise Dworkin’s time with his paintings and sculptures.
You talked once more of swords and their making,
“He who would forge Pattern swords, must find a Pattern susceptible to his level of power, the primal pattern is beyond even I but to each according to his ability”, Dworkin hinted. You were about to press him further but he was following a train of thought and from experience you knew it was best not to interrupt such moments of plain lucidity. “The swords are forged in the centre of the power, the centre of Order, cut from the pattern with the instrument of their design and tempered with the blood of the chosen. The process is arduous and draining, but in matters to thwart the Serpent, this is often the way of the world…” and with that he would speak no more on the matter.

[daniel_ream]

In my games, Bleys' sword was literally called "the Golden Sword".

Gerard's was also literally called "Big Sword".

Well, Greyswandir just means "Grey Sword" and Werewindle "Man's Wand" (possibly "a man's bushel of wheat", but it's hard to find the mythical resonance in that.  Zelazny could be obscure, but he tended not to be cryptic).

[RPGPundit]

Don't get me wrong; there were plenty of other weapons I gave names to (or my players did) in the campaign that were evocative or elaborate.  I just felt that in those two cases, it was kind of fitting to the characters in question that the names be very straightforward.

RPGPundit

[charis]

Well, Greyswandir just means "Grey Sword" and Werewindle "Man's Wand" (possibly "a man's bushel of wheat", but it's hard to find the mythical resonance in that.  Zelazny could be obscure, but he tended not to be cryptic).

I wasn't aware of that. What language is Zelazny using for those? Or is that from other source material?

Thanks for your insights guys, always nice to get new ideas from other peoples minds instead of always relying on my own for good ideas.

[daniel_ream]

Old English, mostly, with some hefty Celtic influence.  The Chronicles of Amber are stuffed full to bursting with references to medieval literature and Celtic myth (that most people don't get because they don't spend years of their lives studying medieval French poetry).

For instance, you spotted that the loss and replacement of Benedict's arm was a reference to Nuada of the Silver Hand, right?

[RPGPundit]

For instance, you spotted that the loss and replacement of Benedict's arm was a reference to Nuada of the Silver Hand, right?

Most directly, yes. But also referential to a number of other mythological ideas; Zelazny does some surprisingly good work at touching on the whole notion of jungian archetypes or monomyths in how he represents the Amberites; they're clearly not any Earth Pantheon of gods, but you look at them and you can imagine how just about every pantheon from our earth could have emerged from very twisted-up versions of stories or racial memories of the Amberites.

RPGPundit

[Tarion'sCousin]

I created three more Pattern blades for a game encompassing the beginning of the Universe and how Amber came to be separate from the Courts of Chaos.

Ombrielle. Midnight's Kiss – the dark blade, given away by Benedict. Black with purple and blue.
Oriandra – the Shadow blade. Shades of gray.
Mornfleur - the Dawn blade. Rosy red, orange, and pink.

[RPGPundit]

And out of curiosity, who had each blade?

RPGPundit

[Arref]

I think if you check Zelazny's original material, you will find that Corwin's blade is also called the Nightblade and Brand's sword was Dayblade.

[tease]
And they had names long before they were swords.

[daniel_ream]

I think if you check Zelazny's original material, you will find that Corwin's blade is also called the Nightblade and Brand's sword was Dayblade.

That's certainly well within what "Greyswandir" and "Werewindle" could be stretched to mean.

[Tarion'sCousin]

And out of curiosity, who had each blade?

Ombrielle and Oriandra were given to Osric and Finndo, respectively, immediately before they set out to make war upon a House of Chaos. Benedict's brothers were suspicious of Oberon; he gave them the two Pattern blades to reassure them.

These two blades were destroyed when Osric and Finndo threw them into the Logrus, cutting that Power loose from its anchors and making it the unstable beast it is today.


Mornfleur - the Dawn blade. This is Bleys's sword. Clarissa gained two of the Pattern swords from Dworkin (through nefarious means, of course) and gave them to her sons.