# Naming Your Weapons



## Greybeard (May 25, 2011)

Do you prefer to name important weapons, such as special swords and daggers?  How do you approach choosing names for them?


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## Amanita (May 25, 2011)

Well, if it's some sort of magical weapon and/or has a long background story a name might be suitable. I don't know how others feel about this, but for me, there's a rather great danger to slid away into the ridiculous if this is overdone. Very special weapons yes, but the hero's relatively ordinary, well-made sword? No.
I haven't had anything like this in any of my own stories yet, but if I did, I'd either try to link the name to something to do with the weapon's backstory something like "Elric's Bane" (only a quick example ) or I'd look for a term in the language of the people who've created the weapon.


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## Ophiucha (May 26, 2011)

Very few of my stories have much fighting in them, and the ones that do tend to be magical fights anyway, but I've read stories with named weapons, and my opinion is about that of Amanita's. A unique sword (one made by a legendary blacksmith, one that is cursed, one that once belonged to a great fighter) could logically deserve a unique name. Your hero choosing to name his sword out of... ego, perhaps? Or that same sense that makes men name their cars? That just comes off as silly, or else kind of egotistical.


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## The Realm Wanderer (May 26, 2011)

I actually love named weapons. No idea why, I just do. That being said, not every weapon deserves a name, just ones important to the character's background, his emotions or a plot point. But yeah they're awesome, like Thor's Mjolnir 
I'm naming my main character's weapon, which is also a hammer very much like Mjolnir (can't help it, I just think the beast is awesome). My character's weapon deserves a name because the person in question forges it himself from a metal not of his realm.


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## Derin (May 26, 2011)

I don't think I've ever named a weapon, unless the character develops a pet name for it. Unless it's a unique magical item of huge significance, I see no point. Even if it belonged to a legendary fighter or something, it seems more logical to call it "Galaneth's sword" than "Lightning". How many real-life weapons do you know that actually have names? (Battle vehicles, maybe.)


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## The Realm Wanderer (May 26, 2011)

It would be useful during a fight scene, if you were to go into detail. Like, rather than saying "Their swords clashed in a flurry or sparks", you could say "He brought 'Lightning' down and a flurry of sparks erupted from it as it met with the enemy's blade".
To quote a line from the new Game of Thrones series "All the best swords have names you know."


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## Poppa Weelee (May 26, 2011)

Three words: Bianca the Crossbow. If you can't name your weapon who has killed millions (by Varric's estimate anyway) of baddies, you don't deserve a name yourself!


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## Derin (May 26, 2011)

The Realm Wanderer said:


> It would be useful during a fight scene, if you were to go into detail. Like, rather than saying "Their swords clashed in a flurry or sparks", you could say "He brought 'Lightning' down and a flurry of sparks erupted from it as it met with the enemy's blade".
> To quote a line from the new Game of Thrones series "All the best swords have names you know."


 
I don't know, it's too easy to fall into the "check out how awesome this scene is because of my AWESOME LANGUAGE!" trap if you name everything. I prefer your nameless example above, because with a little editing it'd look interesting and fit nicely into a paragraph. A page of sentences like your second example would probably make me put the book down. But maybe that's just me. I don't see the point unless the weapon is truly remarkable, as in demon-possessed or a legendary prophesied artefact. Or if the character just likes to name their weapons in an "I call her Vera" sort of way.


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## Donny Bruso (May 26, 2011)

Personally, I tend to agree with Derin. Unless the weapon is a direct gift from the gods, forged out of something incredible, or has lineage and history dripping off the pommel, it doesn't need a name. However, Derin does raise an interesting point with his Firefly reference. Just because you as an author believe this, does not mean your characters do. Jayne Cobb is a fantastic example of your stereotypical male adventure companion. If you can't eat it, fight it, spend it, use it as a weapon, or couple with it, he doesn't care. Only exception being his god-awful hat. But such a man would totally name his weapons, regardless of their worthiness to carry a name.


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## Telcontar (May 26, 2011)

It's wonderful fantasy theme, and as said above I think it should be reserved for only the finest of weapons - either magical or at least masterful works in their own right. 

Naming a weapon elevates it nearly to the position of being a real character in the book. Your description of the weapon, and its impact on the story, should respect that.


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## balthore (May 26, 2011)

Long ago I wrote a story that revolved around seven weapons that were forged in the "who knows how long distant past".  Encased within each was the "warrior soul" of a God.  The God who's soul was put into each weapon got to name the weapon.  An apt time to have a named weapon.

The Dwarven God had his soul put into a giant Warhammer he used to carry.  He named it Thud because...and I quote... "...cause dats da sound it made when it hit someone..."  

Have to love the simple logic of a Dwarf with a hammer.


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## Derin (May 26, 2011)

balthore said:


> Long ago I wrote a story that revolved around seven weapons that were forged in the "who knows how long distant past".  Encased within each was the "warrior soul" of a God.  The God who's soul was put into each weapon got to name the weapon.  An apt time to have a named weapon.
> 
> The Dwarven God had his soul put into a giant Warhammer he used to carry.  He named it Thud because...and I quote... "...cause dats da sound it made when it hit someone..."
> 
> Have to love the simple logic of a Dwarf with a hammer.


 
Now they're weapons with justifiable names. (Your dwarf god sounds adotable.)


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## Kriegskanzler (May 27, 2011)

I usually name my weapons after a certain value, like "Valor." I did a short story once when the protagonist had dual swords. The two swords were "Faithful and True."

Turning these words into another language seems cool, too. I once named a mobile suit (yes, those big robot things) RDBK-01 Hornisse. The story was an end-times story and Germany was producing these robots. "Hornisse" means Hornet.


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## Hans (May 27, 2011)

If your world is any similar to medieval Europe most swords are mass produced. They are not primary weapons but side weapons. Used when everything else fails. No need to name these types of weapons.
On the other hand many nobles had individually produced duel swords. I can easily see a duel master naming his weapon. Be it sword or gun or anything else.

The situation was slightly different in Asia. They had less good quality iron which first lead to less iron armor. And in consequence of this a different sword style. Also less mass produced iron or steel weapons and relatively more individually produced swords. Which meant the average Asian sword was better than the average European sword. Which could possibly mean more named swords in relation to the sword total.
But that quality difference fades away when you only look at high class swords. On the contrary, one should think European sword smiths had more experience in sword making. Just European swords where not that highly optimized for cutting. Ever tried to cut through chainmail?

So a named individual sword? Yes.
A named soldiers sword? The soldier might do it. But officially no.


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## Derin (May 27, 2011)

Kriegskanzler said:


> I usually name my weapons after a certain value, like "Valor." I did a short story once when the protagonist had dual swords. The two swords were "Faithful and True."
> 
> Turning these words into another language seems cool, too. I once named a mobile suit (yes, those big robot things) RDBK-01 Hornisse. The story was an end-times story and Germany was producing these robots. "Hornisse" means Hornet.


 
Negotiation and compromise would be awesome swords. "Let us resolve this with negotiation and compromise!"


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## sashamerideth (May 27, 2011)

I think if I give a weapon a name, it will have a personality and a life and voice of its own, seems only fair.


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## Amanita (May 27, 2011)

> I think if I give a weapon a name, it will have a personality and a life and voice of its own, seems only fair.


The following doesn't only apply to you but also to others who've posted similar things. Why would you want to give a weapon a personality? It's a tool for killing and nothing more. (If it doesn't have some interesting and important backstory.) 
I don't know but in my (not really fully fleshed out) battle scenes, the characters don't care about their guns' "personalities" or anything of the sort but only about them working properly. And if they do, every type they're trained to use and is effective in the situation, is fine to them.


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## sashamerideth (May 27, 2011)

Amanita said:
			
		

> The following doesn't only apply to you but also to others who've posted similar things. Why would you want to give a weapon a personality? It's a tool for killing and nothing more. (If it doesn't have some interesting and important backstory.)
> I don't know but in my (not really fully fleshed out) battle scenes, the characters don't care about their guns' "personalities" or anything of the sort but only about them working properly. And if they do, every type they're trained to use and is effective in the situation, is fine to them.



Kinda my point.   A bit over the top, and maybe a bit too sarcastic as I have a habit of. I have atypical weapons invented for my world that have names like a sword or scimitar but none called Glamdring or Hellblade. Nouns instead of names I guess.


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## Poppa Weelee (May 27, 2011)

Or Jessie, Zaeed's former assault rifle in Mass Effect. Also, weapons having personalities are all well and good until they get to be like Robot Santa Claus from Futurama and judge everybody naughty so the hack, slash, shoot, perforate, immolate, or other wise ruin the day/month/year/eternity of their wielders.

And that's 2 sci-fi references in a fantasy forum. Cuz that's how I roll.


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## Telcontar (May 27, 2011)

Amanita said:


> The following doesn't only apply to you but also to others who've posted similar things. Why would you want to give a weapon a personality? It's a tool for killing and nothing more. (If it doesn't have some interesting and important backstory.)
> I don't know but in my (not really fully fleshed out) battle scenes, the characters don't care about their guns' "personalities" or anything of the sort but only about them working properly. And if they do, every type they're trained to use and is effective in the situation, is fine to them.



Personality for a weapon can be both real or imagined. There have been fantasy weapons which were thinking entities in themselves, and thus have a personality. Or they can be simple inert objects that take on some effects of personality to their wielders (think Perrin's axe in Wheel of Time).

Either way, it can serve the story well. As for a weapon being 'a tool for killing' - sure. And a ship is just a thing that floats on water - we still name _them._ The bare function of a thing is rarely spectacular - but its history, its effect on the psyche of characters, and its symbolism often are.


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## Hans (May 28, 2011)

On a lower level one could argue different weapons have different properties. A different size, different weighting and so on. That's especially true for weapons that are individually crafted for one customer.
The average swordsman wouldn't notice this. For him a sword isn't the primary weapon anyways, as I wrote above. But a master fighter will. He fights better with his own weapon that the smith matched especially for him, than with any other sword. Maybe that's what the duelists talk about when they talk about the personality or character of a sword.

And then, depending on the world, it could be that things that are used with dedication over a period of time awaken in some sort. I think the Japanese have a believe system where old items get some awareness over time. There it needs centuries, but you could shorten that in your world.


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## balthore (May 28, 2011)

Another situation I thought of when naming a weapon would be needed is in the case of an animated weapon.  If you have a weapon with a true personality, you can't just call it "hey you"...might hurt it's feelings.

Waaaaay back we had a Warhammer RP session, and the GM had a animated Battleaxe running around named Glave.  Was a lot of fun to have a giant floating axe following you around to fight with you, except in a forest.  In a forest the dice favored the axe attacking trees instead of enemies.  Good for firewood, bad for protection.


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## Imperialis (May 29, 2011)

The use of naming weapons as a plot device has always been a point of some contention with me and my friends. You can go back to El Cid and Tizona or Musashi's Okinaro "Big Oar" (look up Musashi vs. Kojiro), but this desire to add artificial meaning to a weapon by naming it is a cheat out. Look at Drizzt and Icingdeath, besides showcasing R.A. Salvatore's inability to name things well (Leonard of Quirm is to engineering what Salvatore is to writing, brilliant but terrible with names), or the abominably named Twinkle. They just show up, and Drizzt calls them that in a bout half chapter and ever onward. You don't just get a sword and then name it a week later, but at least he names Icingdeath after the dragon he took it from, that's okay, if a little lame. But it's the implied "history" ones I can't stand. Another Salvatore piece, Taulmaril the Heartseeker, is never even given any backstory, just a bow some hero had. This goes back nearly to Tolkien, but at least he went back with the Silmarilian and gave some serious backstory to Glamdring and Orcrist. If a weapon has a name, it had better be able to talk, have a backstory that the reader can learn about, or get named over the course of years in the story, not before it, not in between stories. As for everyday weapons, I think the general consensus is that you wouldn't name a weapon you just got, or is meaningless, or is a basic iron sword made by the same blacksmith as everyone elses'.


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## M.A.N. (May 29, 2011)

I'm working on a story where my protagonist uses a cane or walking stick. He has to because of a bad knee.
The cane is of course a terrific weapon and maybe I'll call it ... I dunno ... "Bob"? Or "Butler"? Yeah, that's it.


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## Poppa Weelee (May 29, 2011)

How about Smackey?


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## M.A.N. (May 29, 2011)

Smackey? I like it!


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## TWErvin2 (May 29, 2011)

I suspect it would strongly depend on the character and the world as to whether weapons are named. A family, for example, may pass down a sword from generation to generation and it may have picked up a name..or maybe not.  I recall in *The Broken Sword*, by Poul Anderson, one of the first fantasy novels I recall reading, the antagonist named his battle axe Kin Slayer, simply because that is what he'd done with it--not necessarily on purpose with every such killing.

I've only ever named one weapon in my writings...it's simply called the Blood Sword. It's an ancient manevolent weapon controlled and wielded by the Royal Family of Keesee. There is a history behind the weapon and an apt reason it is called the Blood Sword A(or at least I thought so).  But all of the mercenaries and warriors I've written, none have never taken to naming their weapon.


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## BeigePalladin (May 31, 2011)

The Realm Wanderer said:


> To quote a line from the new Game of Thrones series "All the best swords have names you know."



not exaclty a new series, but close enough since the renamings new 

I think named weapons depends on the context of the setting. In a song of fire and ice (the series game of thrones is from), most people name their weapons, so it's quite common and believable. in a setting where no other weapon is name, it comes of at egotistical. I generally'll accept it in those circumstances for _unique_ weapons, or if every weapon from the same range/forging is named the same.

It can be a powerful emphatic technique if used in the right context, with the right words and not stupid names. As mentioned above. this is mostly useful in worlds with little magic/magic is less important as 'he swung Ice at the mage, who blew him away with a fireball' sounds crap... unless I phrase it like this I suppose:

'Heroticus, with a chilling roar, thrust Ice towards the mage. His onslaught was melted by a mere gesture from the robed woman, as a wave of fire washed over him - stilling his enthusiasm'

also, undertones are good 

I also like names when they're relevant to the namers personlity and use of the item, or for the plot hook maguffin if it's important.


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## The Realm Wanderer (Jun 1, 2011)

I meant the tv series, not the actual book. I'm more than aware the book series is not new.


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## arbiter117 (Mar 9, 2012)

Naming a weapon should be the same as naming a character. Mentioning a bartender is different than naming the bartender Bill. If he is simply mentioned, he is part of the scenery and not important, but if he has a name he has some importance, maybe a lot of importance before the character met him (he was a great fighter back in the Great War) or maybe he will have some future importance (he gives the main character sage words that sends the character on his quest to sell the finest brandy in all the land!)

Naming the sword draws attention to the sword and its story. Where has it been? What will it be used for next? Take Bilbo's sword Sting or Gandalf's Glamdring. Those swords have history as old as Middle Earth! Their blades turn blue when orcs are close! Both swords will be used throughout the Hobbit and LOTR story lines and are rather important in their own right.


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## Sheilawisz (Mar 9, 2012)

In my stories I give special and curious names to the magical weapons that my Mages throw (it's not fireballs or lightning, it's other stuff) names are always very important, and giving the perfect name to every thing in your worlds is very good to make your story better =) However, I have never given special names to the magical swords, at least, not a name for every sword!!


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## TWErvin2 (Mar 10, 2012)

In my fantasy novels, only one sword has a name, the Blood Sword. It's a malevolent  weapon with a history. The only other weapon named is the Shard Staff.

Some of the soldiers and mercenaries certainly name their swords, just like folks today sometimes name their cars or trucks. But the POV character doesn't use a sword very often (he's not well-trained) and carries a boar spear--which he's more proficient in using. Over the course of the two novels, he's lost/dropped, had broken in combat or otherwise had to replace his spear.


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## Leif GS Notae (Mar 10, 2012)

It isn't an ego thing, it is blessing your weapon with power by taking a piece of you (devotion, love, bloodlust, whatever) and granting it to the blade. Some societies demand that level of connection with your weapon while others have no care for it.

Even enemies can name their opponent's blade, right? I've read many a book and heard many a scenario when frightened soldiers speak in hushed whispers about the righteous hero and his hammer/blade/axe/whatever, giving it a name to fear.

This is about power. The power you give to the piece is the power you take out of it. However, it isn't for everyone, right?


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## Benjamin Clayborne (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm looking forward to writing something where I get to name swords. My current NIP's main story thread is the introduction of magic to the world, so it's not like there's a huge history of famous magical swords


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## Ravana (Mar 11, 2012)

I have to admit that I rarely give names to weapons–and when I do, it's almost always some dreadful pun or other. Of course, since most of the puns tend to involve more than one language, no one gets them. But that's okay. I do.


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## Anders Ã„mting (Mar 11, 2012)

Naming swords and other weapons is certainly a historial reality - it was very common in the iron age and there are a ton named swords in Celtic legends, Norse myth, the Song of Roland, etc. One should remember that back then, the sword held a high personal value for the owner. It was the symbol of a free man, and if a warrior found himself in posession of a nice blade, it wasn't unusual for him to give it a name. Excavated viking swords often have names engrave upon them.

I don't really agree with the approach of _only_ naming magical and/or extremely important swords. If people are naming swords at all, it's probably going to be a cultural thing.


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## ScipioSmith (Mar 11, 2012)

Kriegskanzler said:


> I usually name my weapons after a certain value, like "Valor." I did a short story once when the protagonist had dual swords. The two swords were "Faithful and True."



I'm doing that as well! My mentor figure has two swords named Duty and Piety, which are the two cardinal virtues he possesses and is fond of pontificating on. Also it means that when he dies and his swords pass to his adopted son he has handed on his duty (to protect the Empire) and his piety (devotion to the God-Empress) in a literal as well as metaphorical sense. 

I'm also of the opinion that named weapons make it easier to write fight scenes, since proper names feel less repetitive than descriptive names. For that reason I was going to have the hero name his swords Gabriel and Simon, but eventually decided that was a bit too cute. 

I'm trying to find a name for the Naiad girl-next-door's greatsword, something pidgin Latinish with an oceanic flavour, but I can't come up with anything that sounds good.


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## Devor (Mar 11, 2012)

I like to name things that have distinction.  I know that historically people would've named their swords - they would've named their houses, too - but I think it quickly becomes overkill for the readers.

Mostly I don't name a lot of my weapons, but in one setting there's a tradition of naming their swords after their first kill with the blade.  Still, the readers don't really get to see those names very often.


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## Queshire (Mar 11, 2012)

Ha~~~ I'm thinking of having the main character in the story I'm writing name his sword "Sword," simple, no nonsense, just his style. (and yes, he's the type of guy to name his dog "Dog")


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## Corvus (Mar 18, 2012)

In my world I have powerful (or not so much) artifacts. Various mystical objects whit magical powers more often then not made by the gods that all have names. If for no other reason so that people can refer to them. Often these names also reflect what kind of power the weapon has. For instance my MC-'s sister has a saber coaled The Soul Stealer, it's an ancient weapon that can absorb the souls of the dead to make itself stronger.
Normal weapons only have names if they have important history. 

Normal weapons don't need names, there's no need for it.


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## Saigonnus (Mar 18, 2012)

Generally in my experiences I only named sentient weapons, ones with their own lifeforce. That way they ARE characters instead of just a shiny bauble with cool powers.


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## Phin Scardaw (Mar 19, 2012)

Personally, I love the idea of weapons that have names in fantasy stories, ever since I first read _The Hobbit_: Gandalf found Glamdring; Thorin found Ocrist; Bilbo found and named Sting. I remember thinking things like: Who named them? Who forged them? How were they lost? How old are they? How did the trolls find them? These are the kinds of questions that stir the imagination and get a reader interested. 

I've used the device myself with brilliant success. In my novel _The Sylvan Song_ I have twin elf-blades that are the legendary weapons of two famous Elf-Knights. This is created as part of the history, but one of the swords, Oromnos, comes into play near the end of the story. 

The thing to remember is that every character and special item introduced in the story should have its place. There's no point in naming a weapon that is only written of a single time and has no special function. Your readers will take notice of a named weapon and will expect it to mean something special: don't disappoint! That is why not every weapon should be named, because not every weapon can fulfil this criterion. As for the name itself - if it can, let it reflect the history of its making, as this will add texture to the story; but as with any character name, it should come of its own mysterious accord and feel right.


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## Saigonnus (Mar 19, 2012)

I have done it myself while role-playing and with some good success as well, but it isn't something I generally do. One of the characters; a Paladin came across a sword named Diasimus and the story goes that it once belonged to a powerful paladin that had become a fallen knight when he was influenced by a demon over the course of many years. In the depths of his sin, had he realized what happened and as a way of amending his ways beseeched unto his god for the power to vanquish the creature and ended up trapping it inside the sword (which was a holy avenger). He was buried with the sword and it laid dormant, the evil corrupting that holy blade and resurfaced a couple hundred years later when tomb raiders accidently stumbled into the ruined temple of the forgotten god. It affected them, pretending at first to be nice, but eventually it just leads to their corruption and death. 

The demon still lives in the sword and when the paladin finds it, he is slowly corrupted and the rest of the party have to try and kill him before he can release the demon.


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## Rullenzar (Mar 26, 2012)

There is nothing wrong with naming weapons just make sure the actual weapon has some kind of backstory to it (forged in the depths of the shadow realm) or something. 

I'm creating a story based on the principle that the higher beings can only kill each other using a weapon forged from their own body(will not explain this lol). Each weapon having been named after their creator etc... in this case i believe naming is alright. However giving names to random swords picked up or stolen off the backs of enemies is just plain silly.


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## Muqtada (Mar 27, 2012)

In my initial forays into fantasy I thought naming weapons was great. As I read more fantasy I thought naming weapons was okay in the right circumstances, and now...

The last fantasy book series I read, only one weapon was named in the whole thing--not the staff given to one of the adventurer's which had belonged to the same all-powerful mage for three thousand years, not the rapier used by the Prince and Heir to the throne to beat back an invading army multiple times, but a dwarven hammer. They never spoke of the back story, the author never went into what magic it was imbued with, and it only made an appearance three times later in the book, and not even in critical battles. It's name was X's hammer, where X was the name of the first dwarven king. That's it.

That's the kind of named weapons I like in fantasy. It was named as a point of cultural reference to emphasize the dwarven love for their monarchs although they had overthrown monarchy long ago, and was neither critical to the story nor necessary to remember. It goes back to the whole think about how a character like Jayne can name a weapon like Vera even though it may not be that special--if you have the right character, it can work and describe culture. Otherwise it's "LOOK AT MY MAGICAL WEAPON IT'S AWESOOOOOOOME!!!" and I hate reading that


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## Telcontar (Mar 27, 2012)

Muqtada said:


> It goes back to the whole think about how a character like Jayne can name a weapon like Vera even though it may not be that special--if you have the right character, it can work and describe culture.



Change 'culture' to 'the character' and I entirely agree. In fact, it's a good point. Naming a weapon _says_ something about the person naming it. If a named weapon is otherwise mundane then it speaks more about the people who have carried it and how people continue to hold it in high regard.


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## Mindfire (Mar 30, 2012)

When I first started out, pretty much ALL my weapons were named. xD But now, generally I only name things like weapons if they are absolutely essential or important to the plot. Otherwise you're just cluttering the reader's mind with something they don't need to remember IMO. And when I do name them, I try to make it something that's easy to remember. IMO for things like swords, bows, etc. descriptive names can often work better than made-up proper names. Just make sure the result isn't to RPG-ish. 

E.g. "The Mage's Icebound Sword of Quickness" is terrible. But "Wind Reaver" is interesting.


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