A glass sword is a magical blade of nigh unsurpassed power, which is made out of specially prepared glass. While it may kill virtually any being it strikes dead with a single well placed hit, it will always shatter upon impact, making it a weapon to be used cautiously. Such swords appear in Ultima V, Ultima VI, Ultima VII, Ultima VII Part Two, and Ultima IX.
History[edit]
Age of Enlightenment[edit]
Glass swords first came into use during the time of Lord Blackthorn's reign. During this era, a number of them were manufactured by an unknown craftsman before being lost deep within the Serpent's Spine by an airship captain transporting them. By speaking to the glassblower, Sven, the Avatar could learn of this hidden cache of crystalline blades, and could potentially retrieve them to assist in toppling the oppressive regime of the age.
Over time, such swords became slightly more commonplace items, and could be found on occasion amidst caches of treasure. During the years of the Gargish conflict, the Avatar was tasked with retrieving a glass sword for the astronomer Ephemerides, who required one as a structural foundation in fulfilling the hero's request for a concave Codex lens. Minoxian glassworker Dale was able to craft such weapons on commission, but would require a number of peer gems in order to create these mystical blades.
Age of Armageddon[edit]
Although glass swords were still present in Britannia centuries later, the art of their manufacture appeared to have been lost to the weaponsmiths of the realm; on distant Serpent Isle, however, the denizens of Moonshade still appeared to be well versed in their construction, and would freely sell them for a hefty fee.
Effectiveness of the Weapon[edit]
- In Ultima V, glass swords have 5 weight and are rated as doing 99 points of damage.
- In Ultima VI, glass swords does 255 points of damage.
- In Ultima VII, glass swords are rated as having an effectiveness of 127.[1]
- In Ultima VII Part Two, they are listed as having a damage of 127 and a reach of 2.[2]
- In Ultima IX, glass swords do exactly 500 points of damage per hit.[3]
Locations[edit]
- Sub article: Locations
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It is known that blades of purest crystal may be found in the mountains of the Serpent's Spine. Such was the magic in their forging that they will not fail to strike any foe, and no mortal being will survive their wrath. Then will the Sword shatter into a thousand harmless shards, never to fight for its wielder again.
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I'm not sure whether glass swords are magic, but they always hit, and can destroy most creatures with a single blow. Of course, that's usually all you get, as they're not very durable.
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A historical legacy of death. These single-use swords will almost always kill any creature in a single blow, but they are seldom useful for a second opponent.
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Unfortunate is he who is struck with a glass sword, for contained within is a powerful magic that enters the body and mangles the innards. In the release, the sword is destroyed and cannot be repaired. Thus, a glass sword is a rare and fortunate find. Should you find one, save it for a foe who inspires a novel fear.
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- In Ultima V, the maximum amount of glass swords one can carry is seven. That is because glass swords will not appear to the player if one is in inventory, thus after equipping it, another one can be found, therefore seven (six equipped plus one in the inventory). The swords of course then can be put back into inventory. More can always be found after exhausting the swords in the inventory.
- In Ultima VI, glass swords can be used to destroy doors, although sometimes more than one strike (and therefore more than one sword) is required.
See Also[edit]
References[edit]
