What about Mournblade?

[Starscream]

Ever wonder how Mournblade was? Was 'he' just like Stormbringer . . worse . . or less?

Ive always perceived Mournblade as the more sinister of the two for some reason. More sinister but in a more underhanded way, quieter, more laid back, yet more scary (if thats possible). And you have to wonder with a name like 'mourn- blade' just what his song was. I wonder if the name could have reflected part of something about that blade that was different then Stormbringer? . . . I am /familiar/ with Mournblade from an RPG and handled by a DM that has an awesome understanding on the Elric series. But his take on that sword (and what *I* subsequently went through because of it) is the only 'opinion' I know of it. Hes not more powerful then Stormbringer but is every bit its equal (as expected) but in a differnt way . . . I know the blade wasnt in the books much but Im curious as to others opinions of that sword.

[Omaru]

This is an interesting question. I'd like to know more about this too. There really isn't any lore on the subject, I'm curious whether Mr. Moorcock has a clear idea in mind as to Mournblade's 'personality'. We should ask him when he gets back.

[Starscream]

I can tell you the gist of the personality my DM (with a little input from me) gave him.

Mournblade was the 'quiet' one. Mournblade was the one that seemed to 'mourn' when he took a soul, the one that seemed almost reluctant (but not quite) to take a soul and one with a song (so sorrowful) it would make you run in terror. And though you knew each of the twin hell blades were as deadly as the other, Mournblades silence and 'complacency' would fool you. And just when you needed that ‘cooperation’ the most, thats when you realized you had been played in the worst way . . .

[DeeCrowSeer]

The impression I got was that Mournblade had a nasty habit of disappearing at inconvenient moments. Whereas Stormbringer is always present (if not literally, then there's always an echo of it in the reactions of people who encounter its owner), I see Mournblade as being more flakey. If you did try to carry it, you'd probably end up being really frustrated by the occasional "crying jag" where it refuses to help at all, or somehow it would keep engineering situations where you lose the blade and have to go on a series of irritating quests to find it again.

In my humble opinion.

D...

[Starscream]

'crying jag' . . . ahh yes I can remember a crying jag or two it pulled with my character (yes he was Melnibonean and had blood right to the sword) . . . that was the most annoying blade . . .

[PsychicWarVeteran]

I always saw Mournblade as the more melancholy, hateful one and Stormbringer as the one who was all too ecstatic to suck your soul out. In other words, Stormbringer relished it and but Mournblade lamented it.

Regarding gaming: I have NEVER played with a DM that would allow a player to possess a weapon like Mournblade. Acquiring something like that usually meant you were about to have your hair deftly parted to the navel, perhaps by your own new blade. This was before second edition existed and DMs were perhaps a bit more brutal. Getting a character -- especially a Magic User -- past 6th level was tough to accomplish.

[L'Etranger]

Whenever I look over the thread titles in a hurry I think I'm reading
"What about Marmalade?" instead of Mournblade...
gotta get myself new spectacles, I guess.


Best from L'Etranger, in a queer mood currently
no, not that kind of queer! Hell, why isn't English what it used to be?

[Starscream]

I always saw Mournblade as the more melancholy, hateful one and Stormbringer as the one who was all too ecstatic to suck your soul out. In other words, Stormbringer relished it and but Mournblade lamented it.

You have touched on some of the aspects that were in the Mournblade that I 'know'. I may not have made that clear enough in my previous posts but I can definately agree with that you say here.

Regarding gaming: I have NEVER played with a DM that would allow a player to possess a weapon like Mournblade.

Well you dont know my DM.

He started playing AD&D when it just D&D and in the pamphlets. Knew Gary briefly and learned from him. Hes run games in conventions with groups of 12+ players, and is one of the most levelheaded yet viscous and cunning DMs Ive ever seen. He is one of the most deep and convoluted schemers Ive ever seen behind the DMs guide (OMG to watch him as Arioch is chilling). He is a big Elric saga fan (and other MM writing) and chose to integrate it in his world because of a new character I rolled up once (and its what got me into the EC series too). If you can play at the same caliber that he runs you told a story that effected a character on every level instead of just play a 'game'. He never 'gives' anything like this to a player for no reason (and actually never gave a player these weapons but me). And would never give anything like that to just /any/ character. And dont let the fact that I had a character who had that blade make you think I was nuts with them . . . oh no no no no. I could lose them as fast as I got them if I was stupid . . . Not just /anyone/ could wield the runeblades in my DMs world for starters. You gotta know the history of both my character, his world and what we created ;)

Acquiring something like that usually meant you were about to have your hair deftly parted to the navel, perhaps by your own new blade. This was before second edition existed and DMs were perhaps a bit more brutal. Getting a character -- especially a Magic User -- past 6th level was tough to accomplish.

I fear you may have gotten a predisposed opinion of some of my RP. I fear it is not all accurate . . .

LEtranger

Whenever I look over the thread titles in a hurry I think I'm reading
"What about Marmalade?" instead of Mournblade...
gotta get myself new spectacles, I guess.

ROFLMAO :lol: :lol: :lol:

I thought I was the only who did stuff like that!!! Ive got good eyes (20/15 (anything below 20 is more acute)) and am literate, but man.... I will get some of the darndest things from misreading stuff skimming a site or forum ROFL

Marmalade :P I can see how that could have happened.

[Starscream]

**oops**

Double post

[DeeCrowSeer]

Regarding gaming: I have NEVER played with a DM that would allow a player to possess a weapon like Mournblade. Acquiring something like that usually meant you were about to have your hair deftly parted to the navel, perhaps by your own new blade. This was before second edition existed and DMs were perhaps a bit more brutal. Getting a character -- especially a Magic User -- past 6th level was tough to accomplish.

I know a couple of DMs who can still be pretty brutal, and exceedingly pedantic when it comes to water supplies and the angles of a punch (don't even get them started on magical items!), but some of us are much looser with the rules. I don't mean to shatter any illusions, but the word "game" isn't just there for decoration. Personally I've always had a hard time taking Role Playing too seriously, because it's impossible to imagine a balding civil servant as a 7ft Amazon in knee-length leather boots. I only have a tenuous grip on reality, but even I know where to draw the line, and I drew it when the game stopped being fun. I seem to recall our characters waltzing up the levels. Also, every GM knew I could be trusted with highly powerful magicks because: a) I rarely remembered I had them until after I was dead, and b) I only ever bothered with really easy things like fireballs or teleporting gold back to my cart.

D...

[Theocrat]

Regarding gaming: I have NEVER played with a DM that would allow a player to possess a weapon like Mournblade. Acquiring something like that usually meant you were about to have your hair deftly parted to the navel, perhaps by your own new blade. This was before second edition existed and DMs were perhaps a bit more brutal. Getting a character -- especially a Magic User -- past 6th level was tough to accomplish.

I know a couple of DMs who can still be pretty brutal, and exceedingly pedantic when it comes to water supplies and the angles of a punch (don't even get them started on magical items!), but some of us are much looser with the rules. I don't mean to shatter any illusions, but the word "game" isn't just there for decoration. Personally I've always had a hard time taking Role Playing too seriously, because it's impossible to imagine a balding civil servant as a 7ft Amazon in knee-length leather boots. I only have a tenuous grip on reality, but even I know where to draw the line, and I drew it when the game stopped being fun. I seem to recall our characters waltzing up the levels. Also, every GM knew I could be trusted with highly powerful magicks because: a) I rarely remembered I had them until after I was dead, and b) I only ever bothered with really easy things like fireballs or teleporting gold back to my cart.

D...

It's not fun when it's taken all too seriously i think..
Games are supposed to be fun! Not 'down to the point realistic escapism'.

[Starscream]

Ive played several different RPGs and several differnt characters in these RP systems. Ive had goofy characters in silly world games and serious characters in serious game settings. The 'game' ones were just that and fun in themselves for that reason. The serious ones offered an entertainment in its seriousness . . . does that meke me some escapism person or something? O_o I have a firm grip on reality but sometimes in my entertainment and fun, I chose to be serious . . . I get the impression that, that is wrong???

[Yisselda]

8) I thought Mournblade WAS A FEMALE

[Starscream]

8) I thought Mournblade WAS A FEMALE

Thats the first Ive ever heard of that. I never considered Stormbringer and Mournblade as anything other then male. Stormbringer was male so it just stood to reason that so was Mournblade.

I figured since the Dragon Sword was broken and it was hinted that two blades would be made from the pieces, The piece with the hilt remaining became Mournblade and the piece missing the hilt became Stormbringer (since if was mentioned on at least one occasion that Stormbringer did not have his original hilt). But I suppose my outlook on it has no relevence……

[Yisselda]

I saw it somewhere that stormbringer and mournblade were brother and sister. and mournblade was less ruthlesss.