#shield-and-saber

[skullinacowboyhat]

Half-body commission for @shield-and-saber ♡

[wearemercs]

ARTORiA DUX BBRITTANAE by Piratalame

[ibrokeeverything]

I will never get over Gintoki giving Lake Toya to Shinpachi in the Beam Saber arc 😭😭😭

[askvectorprime]

how did armada screamer get his glowing red sword?

Dear Divided Decepticon,

Shortly after becoming a Decepticon, Starscream raided many Mini-Con settlements—and on one occasion, captured a whole village of them. Megatron challenged Starscream's valor: where did his power truly come from? Just from gathering Mini-Cons? Or was he made of sterner stuff? Insulted, Starscream discarded the Mini-Cons and demanded Megatron show him respect. Megatron responded with further taunts, saying that one day he would possess the Requiem Blaster, Skyboom Shield, and even the Star Saber—so what chance did Starscream have?

In a display of anger, Starscream detached his wing and pointed it at Megatron. His spark flowed through the blade, giving it a reddish hue. But he almost immediately lost his resolve, regaining his composure with a grimace, before storming away… leaving Megatron to gather the scattered Mini-Cons, and wonder just what the young warrior might turn into.

[escapistsatellite]

this is saved in my computer as "JF Wild Zoids". presumably it's from an old Gameboy or DS game who know, just wanted to share some old clunky scifi animals.

[pathetic-gamer]

Okay I think I'm ready to fight the demon king :)

[cervenakoviny]

Polish hussar, 2/2 16th century

Text attached to the video...

10 kwietnia 1572 roku, Mołdawia. 400 polskich husarzy rozbiło 1000 deli junaków, czyli elitarną kawalerię turecką. Deli junacy, swój przydomek „szaleni” zawdzięczali wyjątkowej odwadze z jaką walczyli z przeciwnikami. Aby wejść w ich grono trzeba było stoczyć i przeżyć 10 pojedynków. 🧠Ciekawostka. Charakterystycznym elementem wyglądu husarzy, który wciąż wzbudza największe zainteresowanie, są skrzydła. Używano ich nie tylko na paradach, ale także i w bitwach, na co mamy dziś wystarczająco wiele dowodów. Skrzydeł używano tak dla okazałości, jak i dla postrachu nieprzyjaciela. Wykazano, że ich widok płoszy konie. Pamiętać jednak trzeba, że skrzydła miały różne formy i różnie je mocowano. Na przykład skrzydła na tarczach notowane są w Polsce już w połowie XVI wieku.

Translation

On 10th May in 1572, in Moldova, 400 polish hussars crushed 1000 deli warriors, elite cavalry of Turks. Deli warriors earned their nickname "mad" through their exceptional courage with which they fought against their enemies. To join their ranks one had to engage in and survive 10 duels.

🧠 Trivia

The most striking element of typical hussar appearance are the famous wings. They weren't merely put on display during parades, but worn also to the battles. There are multiple reasons for that. These wings were supposed to both communicate magnificence and struck fear in the opponents. Especially their horses. Let's not forget there were multiple forms of wings and mechanics of their attaching. For example the wings on shields are in Poland dated as far as mid 16th century.

[weixuldo]

Baby Fever

Anakin x f!reader

This is based off of number 2 of this list :)- I havent really delved into kink writing s sorry if this isnt the best haha- think of the reader as a padme- type figure

After seeing you interact with a lost child- Anakin thinks it’s time you had your own baby to look after…

warnings: P in V, smex, ani has a mean breeding kink, multiple orgasms, mentiond of pregnancy

________________

Floods of invigorating politicians and citizens exited the large Coruscant city center after a successful senate meeting. You had just finished pitching a plan that would excel the economy while also protecting labor’s rights. 

You smiled as you stood from your podium once the majority of the crowds had exited- the whole public eye thing was a bit new to you. 

For the longest time you worked behind the scenes helping other politicians with similar goals; it wasn’t until a few months ago that you, yourself, were appointed as your district’s senator. 

You fixed your dress as you exited your booth and headed for the dimly lit corridors of the massive building. Most of the clamor had moved outside into the city square so the halls were mostly empty. 

As you turned the corner a small smile found its way onto your face once you saw a familiar figure leaning against a marble pillar. Unmistakable robes and lightsaber clipped to the man’s belt. 

“I wasn’t aware Jedi had any interest in politics” you said with a smirk as the man snaked a gloved arm around you before you could pass. 

He pressed his face into your hair as he hugged you tighter to his chest, “We don’t, but you know all of my interest belongs to you”. 

You sighed as he pressed a passionate kiss to the column of your neck. 

“Ani- not here” you almost whimpered. 

He quickly twirled you around to face him before holding your face in his hands, “why not?” he asked with a charming smirk- “we should let them all know”. 

He glanced out the large windows down at the crowds of excited civilians- from up here they looked no larger than ants running for a sugar jar. 

“They all love you, so why can’t I?” Anakin asked with a pout. 

You sweetly smiled before placing a tender kiss to his pretty lips, “you can, and you do- you know the ramifications Anakin, you know we ca-“. 

Anakin cut you off with another deep kiss before releasing you and playfully slapping your ass. 

“Yeah yeah, I know” he huffed, “but they don’t know that”. 

You rolled your eyes at your lover’s childish desires before leading him out of the building. 

To avoid the spotlight and attention of the crowds, you dawned a hooded cloak before exiting the center.

Anakin followed closely behind; a hand already on his saber just in case. Thankfully being in public with Anakin seemed normal to some degree because you had become such a public figure- Jedi were often tasked with protecting political officials.

So Anakin looked no different than a routine bodyguard. 

The crowds were easier to navigate now that you had some practice under your belt. You had almost made it to your reserved speeder when you felt a small tug on the hem of your long dress. 

You smiled once you realized the tugging was coming from a small child, probably no older than four. 

She looked up at you with wonder as she mustered up the courage to speak to you. 

“Senator?” She finally asked. 

You nodded with a smile before turning to her. A wide grin settled onto her small face as she looked you up and down. 

“Pretty” she giggled. 

Anakin stood a few feet behind you, trying to see what was going on over the people standing in the way- he became anxious when you dipped from view.

The Jedi quickly weaved through the remaining people to see you crouched down speaking to a small child. His expression immediately softened as he watched you interact so sweetly with the girl; making exaggerated faces at the child’s comments, pointing out her cute accessories to make her giggle, picking her up to shield her from oncoming pedestrians-

Anakin never really thought about having kids- of course he wanted them someday; he wanted to create life with you and wanted to raise his children with a childhood he never got to have. But it never seemed like the right time.

The two of you had been careful when engaging in those activities to avoid an unexpected surprise when you still hadn’t quite figured out how to navigate your secret relationship. 

But each time Anakin fucked you he got closer and closer to giving up on the unspoken rule; he got closer and closer to cumming deep inside of you without any intention of pulling out. 

You knew Anakin was a passionate lover but you never considered that your sweet, respectful Jedi lover fantasized about locking you into a mating press while he fucked his children into your fertile womb. 

Anakin had no timeline of when he wanted them, but he knew you’d make a great mother no matter how long (or short) he waited.

Though seeing you interact in real time just made him want the fantasy to spring to reality. 

_________

“Hello sweetie, where are your parents?” You cooed at the small girl in your arms. 

She giggled and shrugged, making you frown. 

“Well that’s not good, they’re probably worried about you” you said, scanning the crowd for anyone who held any semblance to the tiny child in your arms. 

She, on the other hand, had no interest in finding her guardians- instead she was focused on the shiny tinsel that had been put into your hair prior to your speech. Innocently, she flipped your hood off and began to touch your face as she admired your beauty in childlike wonder. 

Before you could react, Anakin was by your side; he gently placed the cloak back over your head to protect you from interested onlookers. 

“Ani! You came out of nowhere” you giggled lightheartedly as he guided you off to the side of the still buzzing city square. 

“Who’s this?” He asked with a smile as the little girl in your arms hid her face in your shoulder. 

“It’s ok baby, he’s a Jedi- he’s very strong and he’s here to protect us” you whispered to the little girl in your arms. 

“Jedi?” her green eyes brightened as she became excited at the title. 

She continued asking you questions but all Anakin could focus on was how beautiful you looked interacting with such a young child. How natural you looked. 

Is this how you would interact with your own children? With his children?

He couldn't help but adjust his pants as he felt them becoming increasingly tighter. 

Soon the overexcited child had fallen asleep in your comforting arms; shortly, you began cautiously walking around in hopes to find her parents. The jedi beside you watched as you subconsciously brushed the girl's hair and gently bounced her on your hip. 

Before long you finally stumbled across two very worried adults calling for who you could only assume was fast asleep in your arms. 

“Oh Maker! There she is!” the woman gasped as she reached for her baby. 

The Man she was with breathed out a sigh of relief and quickly joined her as you handed her the sleeping child. 

“Thank you so mu- Senator!” the man’s eyes widened once he realized who it was. 

“We are so sorry to have troubled you- please forgive us for our carelessness” the woman bowed. 

“No, no! It was no trouble at all- you have a beautiful daughter” you smiled, brushing a stray strand of hair away from the girl’s face. 

“Thank you, thank you so much. We loved your speech- you are just what this city needs” the mother offered before turning to her husband. 

You bowed and met the silent figure watching from the sidelines; “Sorry Ani, we can go now”. 

Anakin just nodded silently and trailed you with an uncharacteristically dazed aura. 

Once you were in your speeder, Anakin hopped in the driver’s seat and jetted off towards your apartment; his strong jaw clenched as he imagined you full with a child.

He flinched as you placed a tender hand on his tensed thigh, “Ani- are you alright?”.

________________________

A cacophony of moans and groans ricocheted off of the walls of your penthouse bedroom as your lover continuously plunged his cock in and out of your abused hole. He had been at it for two hours already and had already cum once (while you came thrice). 

Once you entered your private apartment, all of his carefully crafted will-power snapped and he went feral; the natural urge to breed you, hit him like a bus.

He was all over you; your lips, neck, breasts, cunt- you were his and he was going to make damn sure it stayed that way. 

“A-Ani! S-slow down!” you cried as he jetted his thick cock in and out of you. 

“S-Sorry baby, C-can’t- I gotta- gotta fill you up” he winced as he fucked you through his own overstimulation. 

His heavy balls slapped against your ass and a ring of foam from your combined juices formed at the base of his cock. 

He already came inside of you once, what more could he want?

“Baby- t’s too much! You're-spilling all over”.

“N-no, not enough- gotta fuck a baby into you” he grunted against your bruised neck. 

His confession had your eyes snapping open, “What?!”. 

“Looked too damn good with that baby on your hip- I-I wanna see you with my child on your hip in-instead” he babbled as he pulled you flush against his chest and rutted his desperate hips into yours. 

So that's what this was all about. 

Admittedly you didn’t mind his desires, deep down you wanted the same thing… you wanted him to reach so deep that he fucked one into you on the spot. 

“Oh Fuck Ani- I wan- I want your kids” you admitted ad you raked your long nails down his toned back. 

“Shit babe- squeezing me so tight” he whined as he gripped onto your hips with a caging grasp (surely you would be bruised tomorrow). 

He slammed his hips flush against yours with intense force as he felt the coil in his stomach begin to snap- this was it, this was the orgasm that was going to give you a child. 

He just knew it. 

“Ahh c-cumming! Gonna give y-you a child- Shit! i-i ‘m going to fuck my baby into you” he babbled as he felt his hot, thick, warm seed shoot out of his oversensitive tip into your gushing cunt as your own orgasm washed over your like a crest-fallen wave. 

“Ani!” you cried as your legs began to shake from the overpowering climax mixed with your exhaustion. 

You clawed onto him so hard that you swore you drew blood. Anakin, on the other hand, dove down and captured you into a tight embrace; his mechanical hand making you gasp at the sudden coolness. 

His body shook with pleasure and overstimulation as he struggled to rut his hips into you to push the last bit of spend further into you with shaky breaths. 

Once you came down from your high, you were so tired that you couldn’t even bother to ask Anakin to clean you up; you half expected him to fall asleep inside of you based on how tired he also looked. 

“Gonna make you a mommy- you’ll look s-so good- so round with our child” Anakin mumbled into your neck before slowly turning over so that you were on top of him (his dick still inside). 

You hummed in contempt before drifting to sleep as he gently brushed your hair with hsi flesh hand. 

“The two of you should get some sleep now- I love you” Anakin whispered before drifting right after you. 

You would have giggled at Anakin’s addition of “two” when speaking to you and your hypothetical baby, but as usual your lover was right. 

The famed “Jedi perception” was affirmed 9 months later when you cradled not one, but two small bundles of joy. You sat on your couch as you fed your children and Anakin couldn't help but smirk at the scene before him, this is just what he wanted… he couldn’t wait till you could have another one. 

***

(a/n: ngl im not crazy big on kids but breeding is hot 🤭🤭 hope this lived up to the idea on the list :0)

[wearemercs]

Dux Bellorum, 6th century by teulu dewr

[pursued-by-the-squid]

A FELLOW SOL AND GI-HUN ENHJOYER, OP YOU ARE MY SOULMATE

Lee Jung Jae's short hair in the acolyte looks so boyish, making him look younger. Imagine Gi-Hun having the same hairstyle. The bangs >>> 😩 Messy hair Gi-Hun and young master Sol. I love it so much and it's driving me insane.

Ya’ll need to watch the show for real. He carried it ngl. Master Sol my love 🥺.

Not them having similar qualities to one another like…

Spoiler gifs for the acolyte!! (I tried so hard to find the ones that aren’t spoilers but… 😭

[gifti3]

Put the demon bros in boyfriend dungeon

[naraven]

hsr fate au,,,

saber!phainon who shines like an ethereal full moon. he wields his wide greatsword with ease, acting as both your sword and shield. he fills silence easily with light banter as the holy grail war ramps up more and more as servants and master alike fall over dead. he encourages you to be more confident, slowly falling harder and harder for you as the holy frail war progresses as he gets to witness you shine and become a wonderful master. he watches over your magecraft training and bemoans how he wasn't fit to teach it to you himself. his greatest regret would be to leave you after this war with nothing but memories of his horrifying form... but honestly, the idea of leaving you in general has his heart painfully throbbing.

"master, you should know my true name and noble phantasm before we encounter another master and servant! what? you already know? my sword makes it obvious? well, that's no fun... then, let's test your knowledge on history! specifically, how much you know about me. and if you fail my pop quiz, let's read some old myths! let's get to know each other better, master."

archer!mydei who... is way more close combat focused than you'd initially thought. he's all fists and lunges, grabs and kicks to take down foes. he throws you around the battlefield with the same force he does food into your mouth after you skipped a meal without a care for your mental and physical wellbeing. while you beg him to stop, he does step in when you struggle and need a hand getting back up, and your combat skills are (un)fortunately getting better. by the end of the holy grail war, he's proud to call you a master that he can proudly stand beside as equals. your ringing laughter after another victory is more beautiful than anything he's ever seen in the modern world, and he can't bring himself to look at your questioning gaze.

"there is no word for 'mercy' in the kremnoan lamguage, master. you can only learn the fundamentals of survival in battle through experience. ...but don't worry. you have no need to worry for your life. i will make sure you survive until the very end. after all, i am your servant. surely, if you know what i am capable of, you have no need to fear anything."

berserker!anaxa who is a force to be reckoned with, terrifying other servants and masters alike. his madness enhancement impedes a lot of his base human traits, but that doesn't stop his curiosity about anything and everything. he likes when you read aloud books about alchemy and rests his manic ridden mind against your shoulder or lap. his deceptively thin body and wirey limbs do much to aide you in both combat and everyday life, and he starts to fall into you routine easily. waking up and going to bed with his presence does, embarrassingly, make you feel a lot less lonely. and for as much as he's dirtied himself with the blood of fellow servants and other masters, he seems to prefer the more dull and mundanity of everyday life.

"i like... master. and the library. and experiments with modern day alchemy. i like learning with master, living with master, and fighting with master. please, don't leave..."

[exhausted-archivist]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Free Promo DLC

If you have steam you might want to go check out the Dragon Age: The Veilguard page and snatch up the free promo dlc that lasts until the 9th!

As of right now this is just for pc users, but this dlc was previous also a promo item for the xbox. It features cosmetic items that may trigger trypophobia for some people, so little heads up!

I've put images of the items below the cut.

Mage

Watchful Poniard

The small blade sees obstacles and drinks deep to remove them.

Watchful Staff

A trusted tool that facilitates observation and will never reveal secrets.

Rogue

Watchful Bow

The arms tremble as if hungry for the arrow's target.

Watchful Saber

The long blade sees goals and opens the path to desired outcomes.

Warrior

Watchful Blade

Observes and obeys with perfect precision, as a good tool should.

Watchful Maul

It sees. It crushes. It waits. The chains are ornamental now.

Watchful Shield

Protection, warning, and when merited, shelter from the storm.

[hearts4hughes]

LOOSE END | ANAKIN SKYWALKER X READER

warnings: mentions of killing ; angst angst angst ; read at your own risk

anakin skywalker is the love of your life. you don’t remember when it started, only that it grew, slowly at first, like the glow of a distance star. late-night missions where he’d pull you from the wreckage, breathless and grinning. the way he’d linger just a second too long when he caught your arm, eyes flicking to your lips like a promise. the stolen moments in the temple gardens, fingers brushing, whispers in the dark, his breath warm against your ear as he vowed to protect you.

he loved you recklessly, with the fire of a thousand suns. you loved him back just as fiercely, always meeting him halfway. you were his rock, his will to live, his weakness.

and he’s about to kill you.

his shift to the dark side was just as you fell in love—swift, reckless, and all consuming. he came over less and less, his words got shorter, colder. it all led up to now.

he stood in front of you, his body tensed like a bowstring pulled taunt, moments from snapping. his mind swirled like a vicious storm. in the storm he could barely think, he could barely breathe. all he saw was you, and he couldn’t reach you in time.

“anakin, put your saber down,” your voice shakes. your hands are held in front of you like a shield. “you’re just stressed-”

“don’t tell me what i am!” he growls, eyes absent of its usual sparkle. he doesn’t sound like himself. he’s merely a puppet, and senator palpatine has no problem pulling his strings.

you shook your head. tears well in your eyes, blurring your vision. “this isn’t you, anakin. what happened to the boy who saved me on malachor?” he shakes his head, squeezing his eyes shut to keep up his walls. he steps closer, his heavy footstep making you subconsciously move back. “what happened to the boy who promised he’d always protect me?”

“i’ve changed!” he snarls, raw and dripping, like a predators roar. “that anakin was weak. he was foolish. he thought love could save him.”

you cry, body shaking with utter heartbreak. your throat constricts around your words, and when you finally whisper them, you sound like prey. “love did save you.”

“love distracted me. it held me back.” he bellows, stepping closer with each word. the wall is cold against your bare back. you had worn this dress to surprise him, to reintroduce the spark into your relationship, but whatever was left of the spark died out along with your anakin.

with your shoulders against the cold stone, a chill seeps into your skin. you turn your head, mouth dry, keeping your gaze fixed anywhere but on him, as if distance can be forced by sheer will alone. his presence, burning and unrelenting, presses closer, filling the space you tried to claim for yourself.

his breath fans against your skin, but you don’t get goosebumps, you don’t get butterflies. instead, your stomach drops like a weight. your heart squeezes, shattering with each heavy breath of his.

“i love you, anakin skywalker.” you breathe out. your voice is weak, ridden with a terrified whine.

“you are my greatest weakness.” he says, his lightsaber hissing as he ignites it. blue fills your senses, contrasting with the fire in his eyes. “and darth vader doesn’t have any weaknesses.”

with the thrust of his hand, your body goes numb. you don’t even feel the burn in your stomach, only the breaking of your heart. the fire in anakin’s eyes flickers, shadows pooling in their depths, like he can’t stand the weight of what he’s done.

as your body falls, he falls with you. fear is etched into his face like a scar. fear of what he’s done; fear of who he’s become; fear that he has killed the person he loved most in the entire galaxy.

his hands cling to you, trembling as he cries out. the same hands that wrote your ruin, that shattered the very thing they swore to protect.

[hayatheauthor]

Have u done a post on anatomy of swordfight? Or like weapons in general. I have a lot of different weapons planned out: bow, different types of swords, daggers, shields, spears, etc. I can't find a single proper guide explaining how to write fight scenes for these that make sense.

The Anatomy of Writing a Sword Fight

Thank you for the ask! I really love your ideas/reqs and will be making at least 2 more blogs as a reply to this ask (that will cover bows etc). For now I've gone with swordfights.

This guide dives into the technical aspects of sword fighting—from the types of swords and injuries to the medical realities of treating these wounds.

My long-form posts are usually filled with long detailed paras but this time I wanted to focus more on the 'facts' and had a lot of things to cover so I stuck to concise pointers for each area. That being said, feel free to ask follow-up questions if needed!

Understanding the Blades

Firstly, here's a quick breakdown on the types of swords and their impact on injuries

Longswords Longswords are double-edged, straight blades often used with two hands. They cause deep slashes capable of severing muscles and tendons, and thrusts that can puncture organs or arteries. Heavy blows can also break bones.

Rapiers Rapiers are thin, pointed blades designed for thrusting. They cause precise punctures targeting vital organs or arteries. Less effective for slashing but deadly in skilled hands.

Katanas Katanas are curved, single-edged blades optimized for slicing. Their shape allows for those gory slashes that can amputate limbs or expose bones. Thrusts can also be fatal.

Sabers A saber is a curved blade with one sharp edge, typically used on horseback. These blades are designed for slashing, often causing wide, shallow wounds.

Short Swords and Daggers Smaller blades that are used for close combat can sometimes fall under the sword umbrella based on their shape and length. A Jambiya for example is categorised as a 'short sword'. These work for deep puncture wounds in tight quarters. Can sever arteries or puncture the heart or lungs.

In short, the design influences the wounds. Remember: 

Straight blades are versatile, causing both slashes and thrusts.

Curved blades focus on slicing, leaving gaping wounds.

Thin blades like rapiers target precision strikes to critical areas.

Types of Sword Injuries

As mentioned above I'm trying to cut to the chase with this blog so for each injury type, I've covered what I think are the key points. These are the appearance, severity, blood loss caused by this type of wound, and pain levels. I think these four basically cover everything a writer needs to know when picking their poison. 

Slash Wounds

Appearance: Long, open cuts with jagged or clean edges depending on the blade.

Severity: Superficial slashes may damage only the skin and fat layers, but deeper cuts sever muscles, tendons, and even arteries.

Blood Loss: Significant, especially if major arteries like the femoral (thigh) or brachial (arm) are cut.

Pain: Immediate burning or stinging, with sharp increases if nerves are involved.

Thrust Wounds

Appearance: Small entry wounds but potentially deep and catastrophic internal damage.

Severity: Can puncture vital organs such as the heart, lungs, liver, or intestines.

Blood Loss: Often internal, leading to hidden dangers like haemorrhaging or collapsed lungs.

Pain: Stabbing pains that radiate outward, especially if organs are pierced.

Blunt Force Injuries

Appearance: Bruising, swelling, or fractures from strikes with the flat side or hilt.

Severity: Can lead to broken bones, ruptured vessels, or concussions.

Blood Loss: Minimal unless skin is broken.

Pain: Deep aches or sharp, localized pain from fractures.

Assessing the Severity of Wounds

When assessing the severity of a wound, there are a few important things to keep in mind. To make it easier, I've put together a quick checklist to help you out.

Location: Wounds to the head, neck, or chest are often life-threatening. Injuries to limbs are less fatal but can lead to significant blood loss.

Depth: Shallow cuts are often cosmetic but painful. Deep wounds risk severing arteries, damaging organs, or causing fractures.

Angle: Oblique cuts may glance off bones or armor. Direct thrusts to unprotected areas are far more dangerous.

What Happens When Each Area is Wounded

It's kind of a given that each area of the body is different and would thus cause different reactions when pierced. While many writers stick to the 'blood dripping from the mouth, hand desperately clutching the wound' look, I think it's a good idea to consider the medicinal side of your injuries.

Are there arteries in this area? Vital organs? Muscle and tissue? Here's a quick breakdown of those questions (no I haven’t mentioned every area or organ of the body):  

Limbs

Forearms and Upper Arms: Severing the brachial artery results in rapid blood loss. Cuts to tendons disable grip strength or arm movement.

Thighs: The femoral artery is a critical target. Damage here leads to exsanguination within minutes if untreated.

Calves and Feet: While less life-threatening, injuries here severely limit mobility and can cause nerve damage leading to paralysis.

Abdomen

Liver: Heavy bleeding due to its vascularity. Potentially fatal without intervention.

Stomach: Leakage of acidic contents causes severe internal infections.

Intestines: Punctures lead to sepsis from spilled waste material.

Kidneys: Severe back pain and rapid blood loss from renal artery damage.

Chest

Lungs: Punctures cause pneumothorax (collapsed lung), leading to difficulty breathing and chest pain.

Heart: Even small cuts are often fatal due to rapid blood loss and cardiac tamponade (fluid pressure around the heart).

Ribs: Fractures can puncture lungs or other organs.

Neck

Jugular Vein or Carotid Artery: Severing either leads to death in under two minutes from blood loss.

Trachea: Obstruction causes immediate respiratory distress.

Spinal Cord: Severance leads to paralysis or death.

Back

Spinal Cord: Injuries vary from numbness to total paralysis depending on the location.

Kidneys: Vulnerable to back stabs; severe bleeding and pain radiating to the abdomen.

Face/Head

Cheeks: Slashes leave disfiguring scars but are rarely fatal.

Eyes: Punctures result in blindness and intense pain.

Skull: Blunt force may cause concussions or fractures; penetrating wounds can be fatal if they reach the brain.

Treating Sword Fight Injuries

In the chaos of a sword fight, providing immediate care can mean the difference between life and death. The first priority is to stop the bleeding. For deep cuts or arterial wounds, use a clean cloth or pressure bandage to compress the injury. If the bleeding doesn’t subside, especially in limb injuries, apply a tourniquet above the wound, ensuring it’s tight enough to restrict blood flow without causing further damage. 

Once bleeding is controlled, stabilize the victim. Immobilize fractures with makeshift splints, and in cases of suspected spinal injuries, avoid moving the victim unnecessarily to prevent exacerbating the damage. Finally, cleaning the wound is critical to minimize infection risks. Remove debris carefully and irrigate the wound with clean water if possible. Though battlefield medicine is rudimentary, these steps provide a fighting chance for survival.

Also, one thing people forget to go over is temperature. Keeping the victim warm is essential, as blood loss can lead to hypovolemic shock, which compromises the body’s ability to circulate oxygen. 

Historical vs. Modern Treatment

The approach to sword fight injuries varies dramatically between historical and modern contexts. While I can’t completely break down the differences, here’s (what I hope) is a quick overview that will aid in your research. 

Historically, treating wounds was rudimentary at best. Herbal poultices were applied to reduce inflammation, and cauterization—burning the wound to seal it—was a common but agonizing method to prevent bleeding and infection. Stitching techniques were crude, and the lack of sterilization meant infections like sepsis or gangrene were often fatal. 

Fret not, modern medicine offers a more hopeful prognosis. Sterile wound care, antibiotics, and surgical interventions allow for precise repairs to severed arteries, muscles, or organs. Advanced imaging technology can assess internal injuries, while blood transfusions and IV fluids combat shock effectively. 

This just underscores how important it is for writers to consider what timeline their story is set in. Sorry but your medieval prince won’t just have a full recovery after suffering a brutal gash, especially not if his only source of medicine was love interest’s xyz solution. Infections are a very real issue. In fact, most deaths during that time were due to infection. Do your research.

The Psychological Aftermath

The aftermath of surviving a sword fight extends far beyond physical wounds, leaving lasting emotional and psychological scars. Many survivors experience trauma or PTSD, manifesting as flashbacks to the battle, vivid nightmares, or an overwhelming sense of anxiety, especially in situations that trigger memories of the fight. I would absolutely love to see people incorporate this in their writing! If your modern OCs can get flashbacks and nightmares after a single gun altercation what makes you think the medieval ones won’t experience something similar? 

Survivor’s guilt is another common burden, particularly if the character witnessed comrades die or was forced to make life-and-death decisions during combat. These emotional struggles can deeply shape their personality, making them more cautious, resentful, or even vengeful. Villain arc here we come! 

One thing to remember; physical limitations compound the psychological toll. Permanent injuries like chronic pain, reduced mobility, or disfigurement can remind a character daily of their ordeal, influencing how they interact with others and navigate the world.

As a writer it’s important to take recovery into account. Exploring these aspects adds depth to the character’s recovery arc, making their journey more relatable and human. 

Remember folks; a sword fight isn’t just a moment of action—it’s a fight as brutal and dangerous as any knife or gun altercation you can think of (if not worse). 

Crafting the Fight Scene

To end this blog, here are my (and various Google articles’) two cents on what you should be focusing on/keeping in mind during a swordfight. 

Writing a compelling sword fight requires balancing technical accuracy with emotional resonance. Pacing is key: alternate between rapid exchanges of blows and brief pauses to allow tension to build. These pauses provide an opportunity to describe a character’s thoughts, pain, or strategic planning. 

Sensory details bring the scene to life—capture the sharp clash of steel, the metallic tang of blood in the air, the searing pain of a wound, and the slickness of a sweat-soaked grip on a sword hilt.

Focus on the characters themselves to make the scene more engaging. Highlight their emotions, such as fear, determination, or desperation, alongside the physical toll of the fight. Show how fatigue sets in, how their breathing becomes labored, and how every swing of the blade drains their strength. 

Injuries should be portrayed realistically; instead of dismissing wounds as minor setbacks, use them to heighten tension. A cut to the leg might slow a character’s movements, while a stab to the shoulder could make wielding their weapon excruciating. 

Balancing these elements ensures your fight scenes are not only thrilling but also grounded in a visceral reality.

Resources for Writers

Books:

"The Book of the Sword" by Richard Francis Burton

"Medieval Swordsmanship" by John Clements

Videos:

YouTube channels like "Skallagrim" and "Scholagladiatoria" for sword reviews and techniques.They’re very helpful for all sorts of weapons actually so OP I think you should consider stalking their channels you’d find a TON of info (I get most of mine from them lol). 

Articles:

I don’t have any precise ones but to boost your research consider medical journals on trauma and wound care. Oh and historical accounts of duels and battles.

[cerastes]

I still think it's really cool how Amuro starts as the shittiest pilot alive (because he's a 15-year old) that only gets carried because he's in the biggest, fattest stat stick in-universe at the time (a few retroactive additions made in the future notwithstanding), enough that even its crappy vulcan guns are tearing Zaku IIs apart, and when he starts getting a bit too cocky, Char and Ramba Ral show up in objectively inferior pieces of junk and absolutely deliver his pizza, they just drag his face across every available surface in Planet Earth like he's a Yakuza mook, all because they are simply that much better at piloting, and the thing is, Amuro takes that very seriously.

He goes from shitass kid in an unfortunate situation that doesn't want to get in the robot to the most unwell child soldier in the war, which is really saying something, but most importantly, becomes so good at piloting the Gundam that the Gundam physically cannot handle Amuro's piloting. They need to apply "Magnetic Coating" to its joints so they don't fucking snap away from the main frame because Amuro, one, moves too damn well but also in too extreme a way for the frame to handle it, two, despite being equipped with two sabers, a shield, a beam rifle and vulcan guns, Amuro is a stern believer in introducing most everyone in thagomizer range to his Rated Z for Zeon hands, the single most official pair of hands in the business, tax free. He KEEP going Ip Man on these dudes, he does NOT need to do a Jamestown on these mother fuckers but he INSISTS. Somehow even the Gundam Hammer, which is a giant Hannah Barbera cartoon flail-- Ok, look at this thing, words do not do it justice

Even this god damn Tom and Jerry prop is less savage that whatever Amuro decides to do the moment he's done throwing his shield to get a free kill on someone and it officially becomes bed time forever for the unfortunate sap at the business end of his ten-finger weapons of mass destruction.

The RX-78-2, "Gundam" for its friends and family, even has a top of the line cutting edge Learning Computer that 'learns' alongside the pilot and their habits. This data extracted from it was so absolutely fucked up that it completely revolutionized Mobile Suit combat afterwards, which is a wholesome thing to think about when The Best Combat Data Ever came from a really angry, really stressed 15 year old that doesn't even like piloting. He was 15! He made Haro with his own hands! Amuro literally just wanted to make funny cute spherical robofriends! Amuro was out there trying to make Kirby real, but fate had other plans for him. His cloned brain put in a pilot seat is one of the setting's strongest 'pilots'.

They made fucking Shadow the Hedgehog with his brain, god damn.

By the end, Zeon is rolling out Gelgoogs out of its mass production lines. These things are in the Gundam's ballpark in terms of overall specs (or "power level"). Amuro is bodying them as if they were episode 1 Zaku IIs.

AND THEN HE GETS FUCKING PSYCHIC SPACE POWERS. Not that he needed them, he bodied a couple Space Psychics without any of those powers before awakening to them. But heaven's most violent child was not done evolving, whether he liked it or not.

Char bodied him in a souped up Zaku II at the start, a machine objectively inferior to the Gundam. Amuro more or less one-sidedly beats the shit out of Char when he's in a custom Commander-type Gelgoog that you could consider to be equal spec-wise to the Gundam. Amuro is the embodiment of Finding Out. He is Consequences. You tell him he better make it hurt, better make it count, better kill you in one shot, buddy, he needs half a fucking shot. The complete transformation. One could consider the central 75% of the show as long drawn out training montage turning a kid into the Geese Howard of giant robots.