 Fantasy: April 12, 2006 Issue [#978] |
  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: John~Ashen  
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Fantasy! It comes in all flavors and subgenres. In the realm of the imagination, boundaries become meaningless. I'll be pointing out different styles and offering advice on key elements of fantasy writing. Enjoy  --John~Ashen |
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Weaponry : Swords
Swords are the staple weapon of most fantasy worlds. This is because they are simple, durable, and multi-purpose. Let's look at three basic sword strategies and configurations.
Strategies - what type of fighter are you?
A two-hand sword is what you see barbarians using in the movies. Fighters use an extremely long and heavy blade for offense. For defense, they must rely on dodging. This strategy offers the most damage but is very vulnerable to counter-attack.
(dodging: the blow completely misses, as in you jump aside or duck)
A sword & shield is the most common strategy. Fighters use a small or medium-sized sword in one hand for offense, plus an optional shield on the other arm. This strategy offers the best defense, since the shield can completely block most forms of attack if the fighter doesn't want to parry with the blade.
(block: to completely stop the blow, as in by catching it on the shield)
(parry: to deflect the blow, as in your weapon turns the attack away from your body)
Double swords are used very rarely. Fighters use two half-swords, or one long blade and a short knife, for quick offensive combinations. To defend, the short blade or off-hand weapon will parry a strike followed by a riposte from the main weapon. Defense against heavy weapons is somewhat poor.
(parry: to deflect the blow, as in your weapon turns the attack away from your body)
(riposte: to counter-attack after parrying, as in following up with a swing of your own)
Configurations - what is your weapon of choice?
Thrust blades depend on driving the point into the enemy. Foils, epees, daggers, and rapiers are all too thin to cause damage unless you hit with the weight aimed forward through the tip of the blade. "Thrust" and "stick" popular action verbs for this type of weapon, as are "skewer" and "impale."
Two very real dangers exist due to the thinness of the blade: the tips might snap off if you miss your attack, and on defense you cannot parry a heavier blade. For these reasons, it is said that rapiers are used only by masters and fools.
Cut blades like katanas and scimitars depend on hitting the opponent with the sharp side ("edge") of the blade. The other side (the "flat") of the blade is thicker; it carries more weight and would only cause a bruise if you hit with it. "Swing" and "hack" are popular action verbs for this type of sword, not to mention "chop" and "amputate"! Their drawback is that the edge gets nicked every time it hits something hard like an opponent's sword. Users of cut-style blades usually carry whetstones to keep the blade sharp.
(To whet one's appetite means to sharpen it.)
Slash blades depend on causing wounds that make an enemy bleed to death. They could also cut off smaller appendages such as ears or fingers. These sword strikes are quick and fluid; multiple hits may be required. Sabers and longswords are good examples.
"Swing" and "slash" are popular action verbs for them as well as "slice." You could thrust with these blades, but less effectively. They can parry similar blades but are too slow to riposte against a lighter blade. There is a danger of the blade breaking if parrying against a heavier, cut-style sword. Thus do slash weapons combine well with blocking shields, giving their users the edge in a drawn-out duel.
Who has what?
Equip world characters based on their situations. Naturally you might expect savages, barbarians, and bullies to carry larger, impressive two-handers. Soldiers and mounted fighters would likely have shields and slash or cut blades. Thieves and duelists would lean towards single thrust weapons.
Adventurers find themselves in a variety of situations, thus having multiple weapons on their persons is not rare. Experiment with different combinations, but make sure they deal with the proper drawbacks! This will enhance the experience for the reader, as the fantastic seems more realistic.
Next week, I will either discuss "flow of combat" or deal with the "non-blade weapons" such as bashers and ranged weapons. Other ideas welcome 
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Some sharp stuff I found this week:
Note: this sword's hilt guard is angled forward so that if a parried blade rides down to it, a quick flick of the wrist will wrench the enemy blade from his hands!
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Midnight Cobra  wonders: How you would create a race of creatures? In my story I have avariels which are winged elves and well they aren't necessarily made up by me is how I would give certain characteristics to a certain race...
Answer: One way is to think of evolutionary reasons for characteristics. Let's see:
 What type of terrain must your race navigate? Aquatic mammals need blubber. Burrowing creatures need tough skins. Avariels probably have wings because they need to fly sometimes, perhaps tree-to-tree like flying squirrels?
What type of climate must your race survive? This may determine where they live. Avariels need not worry about floods and earthquakes, but high winds and forest fires could be problematic.
What dietary needs does your race have? If they feed on bugs and worms, they probably have beaks or snouts, like birds or anteaters. Carnivores require sharper teeth. Giraffes need longer necks. Human mouths are for broad diets.
What predators must your race avoid? Avariels can probably fly to avoid ground-based creatures. Chameleons change color. Turtles have shells. Gila monsters bluff with big ears and screechy voices.
What social customs does your race have? Antlers and horns are used for wrestling. Colored plumage and spot patterns help attract mates. Any extra appendage your race has can serve an interesting cultural purpose. Perhaps avariels unfold their wings when scared or angered?
scribbler comments: I try to write a serious fantasy but my characters keep finding themselves in silly situations!
Response: Go with it! You might have found your niche, if your characters keep speaking so strongly as to steer the story towards comedy. Terry Brooks might be your kind of fantasy author.
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