Items · Melee Weapons · Non-Magical
Mercurial Chain Sword
A longsword that lashes out in the hands of a graceful warrior.
This heavy-hilted, segmented longsword has a slightly oversized blade and a trigger on the hilt. Each segment of the blade interlocks with the previous segment and is held tightly together by internal, telescoping, spring-retracted lengths of hollow tubing. Springs inside the hardened steel tubing hold the segments in an interlocked, tongue-in-groove position that is as durable as any sword. However, the wielder can pull a trigger that opens a container in the hilt that releases 10 pounds of mercury into the internal hollow tubing. By simply swinging the sword, the mercury travels to the top segment of the blade, and the extra weight pulls the segments apart. The whip-like blade extends to double length and can easily ensnare weapons, arms, and legs. Simply by ceasing to swing the sword, the segments retract into each other. The wielder need only point the retracted sword upwards and pull the trigger to dump the mercury back into the container within the hilt.
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It is possible for the chain sword to be extended without releasing the mercury, but the wielder have to swing very fast, and the sword certainly wouldn't retain the whip-like action.
Update: I fixed the mercury quantity. 1 pound of mercury is 1.13 fluid ounces.
Interesting and if the attacker somehow breaks the sword it poisons them.
Cool thought! I chose mercury because it weighs a ton and because Mercurial is such an awesome word, but you could easily fill the container with poison to lace the blade, an acid, or even a flesh-eating bacteria. Kudos
Interesting, it has a certain gnomish quality to it. I did expect it to be a speed based sword, since mercurial also means fast, as in quicksilver
Good point. I talk about 'hands of a graceful warrior' and then say that it's a heavier than normal sword. The sword is actually heavy only while in sword form. In whip form, it should be much easier to fling about.
Forgot to vote
Reminds me of an anime weapon I've seen -- Renji's sword from Bleach. It's cool to see the concept realized in a semi-realistic manner, rather than just "by magic." Kudos.
It seems unwieldly and complex, then again there is a weapon for everyone. Does the extra weight deal extra damage? Is this weapon culturally significant to some people? Was it created for a special purpose?
I couldn't work out how to make it a light and graceful weapon in longsword form. I imagine that it's a little clunky until unleashed. In whip form, it could be very quick and deadly. I do agree that it would take an exotic proficiency to adequately wield, and it probably would be much more painful to be struck by a 10 pound sword tip being whipped at you.
Great useable item, concisely written with a clear explaination. Reminds of the villian's sword in "The Brotherhood the Wovles"
I'm sure such blades would be rare- and correspondingly hard to defend against without proper knowledge.