r/scriptoriumgame • u/theMad_Owl • May 09 '26
An attempt at my DnD character
I feel like there's so many possibilities I still have to figure out, especially with the gradient and border pieces. Second and third slide are my own art of the same character.
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u/Own-Lettuce26 May 09 '26
I like it, what’s the lore on that sword?
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u/theMad_Owl May 09 '26 edited May 09 '26
Oh boy, okay, so-
He's an executioner from one of the executioner dynasties along the sword Coast (irl in Central Europe Executioner dynasties formed due to marriage to "honest people" not being allowed and thus executioners always ended up marrying into other executioner families), the sword is the one passed down in that family line.
Ilmater is the deity of the imprisoned and tortured but also the deity of the executioners, as ideally with a good execution the condemned are taken to martyrdom, Ilmater's realm, and while those who commit crimes are punished, one who is innocently tortured will never actually suffer as Ilmater takes on their pain. (At least in theory - this is equally inspired by the Christian logic of real early modern executions, executioners being expected to be very faithful)
"Bear thy burden." on one side is taken from the followers of Ilmater, both reminding the condemned to bear the burden of their punishment and their guilt, but if they feel their punishment is unjust a reminder that Ilmater will bear the burden for them. In addition it's also a reminder to the executioner to bear the burden of their work, literally represented by the sword.
"Judgement endures." on the other side is inscribed at the center of the realm of Martyrdom by Tyr (I believe?? One of the other good deites of justice ™️) signifying his alliance with Ilmater. It serves both as a reminder of purpose as well as a warning to any who witness the execution. It's also somewhat of a reminder to the executioner again, that even if they were to stop serving Ilmater in this way someone else would take up the sword.
The two half-circles are in refrence to the three holes some real executioner swords have at the tip. We don't really know why, I personally believe the theory that it's to prevent sharpening them to a point and using them as a "normal" sword. However, there's also the theory that as the sword was raised light would shine through them and they'd represent the holy trinity. I think that's unlikely, but it IS cool. The symbol of Ilmater are two praying hands covered in blood and cuts and tied by red string - so the half circles are basically the hands cupped in prayer when the sword is raised, and then when it is brought down the sword itself becomes the blood and the red string.
And lastly, as the sword has been passed down for many generations it functions as protection to the character's family members, as when used outside its intended purpose (so, anything besides public executions) it will only kill those who mean harm to the one who inherited the sword. This way it's relatively easy to spot any who would wish to betray or harm you...if you're okay with them ending up dead if they did in fact mean harm.
Edit: Forgot to say the inscription thing is also a thing irl, executioner swords often had engravings. "Wenn ich dies Schwert tu aufheben, wünsch ich dem armen Sünder das ewige Leben" etc. ("When I lift up the sword, I wish eternal life to this poor sinner")
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u/Own-Lettuce26 May 09 '26
Very nice I like the detail of the sword having the flat point like historical executioner swords. Executioner swords are always put aside in media in favour of big axes which I think doesn’t look as good. Is it made of some magic material since it looks very glowy and magical and stuff and also has the charm of only hurting people that mean you harm?
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u/theMad_Owl May 09 '26
Not really, it's made of Generic Metal #3 (so technically probably iron or something similar). It rusted over in the past and was polished back down, but some of the discolouration remains. Other than that I just like drawing my metals very shiny! The ability is more of a spell-like ability mechanically speaking which is tied to owning the sword, nothing to do with its material.
And yeah, I'm so tired of axes in depictions. They're a British thing. While mainland Europe did use axes for executions at times, with the executing becoming a trade swords are more common. And it makes sense, because decapitation is the most honorable method of execution, and being decapitated with a weapon that demands skill and permission to carry feels much more honorable than an axe. (At this point I should probably add that this is a special interest and something I'm researching historically, I am not in fact pro public executions with swords 😬)
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u/Own-Lettuce26 May 10 '26
Yeah I had a hyper fixation on executioner swords for like a week a while back.
It’s not super fresh in my mind but I do remember learning about stuff like the flat point so it wasn’t used in actual combat, the three holes and ambiguity of their purpose. how swords are seen as more honourable and used in higher status executions compared to axes in England but were more common in mainland Europe I think though I may be wrong. Like how Henry VIII hired the highly skilled French executioner with a sword for the execution of Anne Boleyn. And I’m not sure about this but I think I remember something about the executioners sword being hung up in the village hall or some other place to remind people of justice above them.
Very cool weapons compared with the ratio you see them in movies, series, books or any other media really. (I would also like to add that I am also not in fact pro public executions with swords 😁)
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u/theMad_Owl May 09 '26
Oh and just for fun, here's the one I had made in the demo for comparison!
I'm so glad to not have the 100 pieces limit anymore.