maasversemayhem

[maasversemayhem]

Swords in the Maasverse

Throughout SJM's series we learn about a number of different swords, many with intricate lore and powers. Let's deep dive the different weapons we learn about and draw comparisons.

FLAMING SWORDS

GOLDRYN

SERIES: Throne of Glass

CURRENT WIELDER: Aelin

ORIGINAL WIELDER: Athril

DESCRIPTION: Large, golden-hilted sword with a ruby the size of a chicken egg set into the hilt. It has spectral flames flickering around it.

HISTORY: Brannon took Goldryn and Athril's ring and hid them in a cave by a lake where Athril once used Goldryn to carve out The Lake Creature's eye after Athril’s death.

POWERS: Able to be imbued with Aelin’s fire magic. Able to kill Valg.

NOTABLE KILLS: Maeve

ATARAXIA

SERIES: A Court of Thorns and Roses

NAME ORIGIN: In ACOTAR Ataraxia means “inner peace” in the old fae language. In Ancient Greek Philosophy it means a lucid state of robust equanimity characterized by ongoing freedom from distress and worry...so inner peace.

CURRENT WIELDER & CREATOR: Nesta

DESCRIPTION: Simple and made of steel that crackled with pure magic and glowed like moonlight. Nesta can channel her magic into the sword causing it to glow and blaze with her silver flames. Lanthys calls it a “Death Sword.”

POWERS: Able to be imbued with Nesta's silver flames. Able to kill the unkillable.

NOTABLE KILLS: Lanthys (Death God)*, Vesperus (Daglan/Asteri)

*Technically Lanthys was killed by Cassian's blade and Ataraxia bound Lanthys to a physical form

TRUTH SWORDS

DAMARIS (AKA “Sword of Truth”)

NAME ORIGIN: Damaris means "calf" in ancient greek. It is the name of a woman mentioned in a single verse in Acts of the Apostles as one of those present when Paul of Tarsus preached in Athens.

SERIES: Throne of Glass

CURRENT WIELDER: Dorian

ORIGINAL WIELDER: Gavin

DESCRIPTION: Ancient, its hilt is silvery gold, and its pommel is in the shape of an eye. Its scabbard is decorated with Wyrdmarks. After killing Erawan, the blade is described as black as onyx.

HISTORY: Placed in Elena’s tomb after Gavin’s death. Used to solve the Wyrdkey riddle in Elena’s tomb.

POWERS: The sword can detect truth. Able to kill Valg. Able to be imbued with magic. Is used to summon Gavin and Kaltain.

NOTABLE KILLS: Erawan

TRUTH TELLER

SERIES: A Court of Thornes and Roses & Crescent City

CURRENT WIELDER: Azriel

ORIGINAL WIELDER: Enalius

DESCRIPTION: Obsidian-hilted hunting knife with a dark scabbard embossed with the name in silver Illyrian runes. Truth-Teller is the twin to Gwydion, both forged from the iridium mined from the same meteorite. When the knife is near its twin Gwydion, it glows with dark light in response to Gwydion's white light.

HISTORY: Cauldron made or dipped (histories differ), Passed from Enalius to Fionn to Theia (taken to Midgard) to Seline (taken back to Prythian). Bryce "borrows" it from Prythian to defeat the Asteri in Midgard and then returns it to Prythian (HOFAS).

POWERS: Said to be able to help its bearer discern truth from lies. When combined with Gwydion the blades can create a black hole.

NOTABLE KILLS: King of Hybern

STAR SWORDS

GWYDION (AKA "THE STARSWORD")

SERIES: A Court of Thornes and Roses & Crescent City

NAME ORIGIN: In Welsh mythology, Gwydion is a God of magic, and astrologer, and storyteller.

CURRENT WIELDER: Nesta

ORIGINAL WIELDER: Fionn

DESCRIPTION: Dark and beautiful as the night itself. Gwydion's power is described as holy, savior's light. The sword has a dark blade with a black hilt, and is made of iridium mined from a meteorite.It's the twin of Truth-Teller, the sword glowing with white light, starlight, while Truth-Teller glows with dark light.

HISTORY: Cauldron made or dipped (histories differ), Passed from Fionn to Theia (taken to Midgard) to Pelias. Ruhn claims the sword in the Cave of Princes. The sword becomes Bryce's, and is later taken back to Prythian by Bryce and given to Nesta.

POWERS: Only someone with Starlight powers can trigger its powers, the blade being keyed to Theia's powers. When combined with Truth Teller the blades can create a black hole. It is said that Gwydion can kill the unkillable.

ASTERION SHORT SWORD (UNAMED)

SERIES: Throne of Glass

NAME ORIGIN: Asterion in ancient greek means "starry." Asterion in greek mythology was a river-god of Argos. In greek mythology, the Minotaur's given name is Asterion.

CURRENT WIELDER: Nesryn

DESCRIPTION: Short sword made of shining dark metal inlaid with swirls of gold, the cross-guard curving slightly at its ends. Nesryn describes it as, "metal shining as if imbued with starlight, interrupted only by the carvings down the fuller."

HISTORY: Nesryn discovers the blade in the dungeons of the abandoned Watchtower of Eidolon on the Southern Continent, Sartaq believes the blade was, “Likely forged by the Fae smiths in Asterion, to the east of Doranelle—perhaps even before the first of the demon wars.”

POWERS: When Nesryn draws the sword against the kharankui they shy away. It is believed these blades work against the Valg but I can't find any confirmation of this in the text.

OTHER: Sartaq picks up an Asterion knife from this cache of weapons.

OTHER SWORDS

WIND CLEAVER

SERIES: Throne of Glass

CURRENT WIELDER: Manon

DESCRIPTION: Made in the style of a witch's sword – unadorned.

SWORD OF ORYNTH

SERIES: Throne of Glass

CURRENT WIELDER: Aedion

DESCRIPTION: The Sword of Orynth is a simple sword with a dull hilt which is covered in scratches. The pommel consists of horn.

HISTORY: The Sword of Orynth, originally a traditional possession of the protector of Terrasen, historically designated the leader of Terrasen's army, typically a member of House Galathynius. Following Adarlan's invasion of Terrasen, the sword fell into the hands of Dorian Havilliard I. The sword was given to Aedion Ashryver, who feigned allegiance to Adarlan.

POWERS: Symbolic

NOTHUNG

SERIES: Throne of Glass

WIELDER: Late King of Adarlan (Dorian, Father of Dorian)

DESCRIPTION: Nothung is a broad sword, whose hilt is decorated with a screaming Wyvern.

NARBEN

SERIES: A Court of Thorns and Roses

STATUS: Lost, potentially thrown into the sea by Amarantha

DESCRIPTION: Older than Gwydion (Starasword). Narben’s powers had not been the holy, savior’s light of Gwydion, but ones far darker. Lanthys notes “That is not Narben.” when Nesta strikes him with Ataraxia.

FENDYR SWORD

SERIES: Crescent City

STATUS: Destroyed

DESCRIPTION: It was light but perfectly balanced. Simple, yet impeccably made. The sword is recognisable but we do not know why.

HISTORY: Fendyr/Wolf-Shifter heirloom. We know little about the history but it is very important to the Wolf-Shifters. Danika is given it by the Prime (her grandfather). Bryce has it for a time, then Sabine possesses it, but the sword is later destroyed by Ithan.

THEORIES

Truth Teller & Gwydion (Starsword) are potentially the Asterion blades Sartaq and Nesryn took from the Watchtower of Eidolon. They end up in ACOTAR and are dipped in the Cauldron to superpower them to defeat the Daglan - giving them the power of the Void.

Narben might be Demaris. Its powers are said to be "far darker." The God of Truth was a very dark god - known as the sin eater, let's not forget the Temple of Truth. The blade is described as black as onyx after it kills Erawan.

FURTHER Qs

We learn a lot of swords names in TOG. In ACOTAR only Azriel and Nesta have named blades. In CC we only see two important blades, and only one is named...why is this?

Comment your thoughts on the Swords of the Maasverse. Did I miss any swords or any connections?

[maasversemayhem]

Throne of Glass (Mix CD)

🗡️ The Assassins Blade 🗡️

1. Eye of the Untold Her Lindsey Sterling - Welcome to the world of training and trauma

🏰 THRONE OF GLASS 🏰

2. Codex Joel Sunny - The real story begins

👑 Crown of Midnight Part 1: The King’s Champion 👑

3. Encore Florian Christi - The world is opening, the lore and mystery is developing with a rising crescendo taking us to the breaking

🏹 Crown of Midnight Part 2: The Queen’s Arrow 🏹

4. Exit Music (for a film) Ramin Djawadi - Nehemia’s death and aftermath

5. Shadows Lindsey Sterling - We are on our assassin shit running around Rifthold

🚬 Heir of Fire Part 1: Heir of Ash 🚬

6. Drown Bring Me the Horizon - Drunk on a rooftop and Rowan punching Caleana in the face

7. Little Girl Gone Chinchilla - Starting to fight back

🔥 Heir of Fire Part 2: Heir of Fire 🔥

8. Phoenix League of Legends, Caalin Russo & Chrissy Costanza - Aelin coming into and accepting her power and the weight of her responsibilities

👤 Queen of Shadows Part 1: Lady of Shadows 👤

9. Darkside Lindsey Sterling - Back in Rifthold scheming and causing chaos

💣 Queen of Shadows Part 2: Queen of Light 💣

10. Throne Bring Me the Horizon - THIS SONG IS THE SERIES. 🎶 Every wound will shape me, every scar will build my throne 🎶 The clock tower, boom. The glass castle, shattered. Morath, shadowfired. The high at the end of this book...

🌊 Empire of Storms Part 1: The Fire-Bringer 🌊

11. Heavy is the Crown Linkin Park - We have accepted all the responsibilities that come with the crown but we aren’t getting any of the privileges…Aelin denied Terrasen, Adarlan taken from Dorian, Grandma Ironteeth gutting Manon.

12. Follow You Bring Me the Horizon - Rowan to Aelin, always walking into her flames...To whatever end

❤️‍🔥 Empire of Storms Part 2: Fireheart ❤️‍🔥

13. Iron Woodkid - Shit is getting serious

14. No Time to Die Billie Eilish - Aelin is in a box, cliffhanger of the century

🛕 Tower of Dawn Part One: The God-City 🛕

15. Needle Ramin Djawadi - New world, new discoveries. More problems, more trauma.

🦅 Tower of Dawn Part Two: Mountains and Seas 🦅

16. Til the Light Goes Out Lindsey Sterling - Things are coming to a head on the southern continent

⚰️ Kingdom of Ash Part One: Armies & Allies ⚰️

17. Breath of Life Florence + the Machine - We are struggling to breathe, everyone is angry and nothing is going right

18. Untamed Lindsey Sterling - Aelin is back - she did not yield and she flambes a wave

🗝️ Kingdom of Ash Part One: Gods & Gates 🗝️

19. Fallout Masked Wolf - In the trenches, everything is going wrong, the 12 sacrifice themselves, the gods are assholes

20. Warriors 2WEI & Edda Hayes - Final battles, rising up and coming together

🌏 Kingdom of Ash: A Better World 🌏

21. Lose You Now Lindsey Sterling & Mako - Bittersweet as the ending of any great series is

Extended playlist with extra songs that didn't make the final CD cut:

[maasversemayhem]

A Court of Thorns and Roses (Mix CD)

🌹 A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES 🌹

1. Hunter Paris Paloma - In the mortal lands

2. Primavera Ludovico Einaudi - The Spring Court...because primavera is Spanish for spring

3. The Scarlet Queen Lindsey Sterling - Amarantha obviously

4. The Arena Lindsey Sterling - 3 challenges UTM™

🐗 A COURT OF MIST AND FURY PART 1: THE HOUSE OF BEASTS 🐗

5. The Emptiness Machine Linkin Park - Feyre literally died to save Pythian and somehow it is all about protecting Tamlin’s fragile masculinity...fucking hold her hair while she vomits you insufferable cockwomble

🌀 A COURT OF MIST AND FURY PART 2: THE HOUSE OF WIND 🌀

6. Runaway Aurora - Goodbye Spring Court, hello Velaris…we are depressed but we are healing

7. War of Hearts Ruelle - Conflicted about falling for Rhys…probably because he fed all his exes to the Weaver

💧 A COURT OF MIST AND FURY PART 3: The House of Mist 💧

8. Into the Woods Joel Sunny - The cabin

9. Casualty Linkin Park - Attack of Velaris, Amren annihilating the Hybern soldiers

10. Experience (Starkey Remix) Ludovico Einaudi - Off to Hybern for Tamlin to fuck everyone over, Nesta and Elain go into the cauldron

☠️ A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN PART 1: Princess of Carrion ☠️

11. Burning Down Alex Warren - Destroying the Spring Court from within.

12. Cut the Bridge Linkin Park - Killing twins, running through the Autumn Court, Bat Boys landing on the ice

💔 A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN PART 2: CURSEBREAKER 💔

13. Fallout Arcane - High Lords Meeting and building tensions

🖤 A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN PART 3: The high lady 🖤

14. Until We Go Down Ruelle - War with Hybern

❄️ A COURT OF FROST AND STARLIGHT ❄️

15. Icarus Tony Ann - This was no Assassin’s Blade

🍺 A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES PART 1: NOVICE 🍺

16. Overflow Linkin Park - Nesta heading for rock bottom

🗡️ A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES PART 2: BLADE 🗡️

17. The Phoenix Lindsey Sterling - Nesta is starting to become a badass but still stumbling

18. First Sight Joel Sunny - Court of Nightmares Winter Solstice ball

🔥 A COURT OF SILVER FLAMES PART 3: VALKYRIE 🔥

19. Rise League of Legends - Blood Rite and accepting yourself, flaws and all

20. Serenity Found Lindsey Sterling - We are happy for the moment…but let us remember we are at QOS point in this story 🫣

Extended playlist with extra songs that didn't make the final CD cut:

[maasversemayhem]

HEL (CC) & THE LIBRARY (ACOTAR)

7 LEVELS

CC introduces the realm of Hel.

Hel is comprised of 7 levels:

Hollow

Trench

Canyon

Ravine - Ruled by Thanatos

Chasm - Ruled by Aidas

Abyss

Pit - Ruled by Apollion

In the ACOTAR world, the Library beneath the House of Wind also has 7 levels.

The seventh level of the library was unnerving. -ACOSF

LEVELS 1-4

Aidas makes a distinction between Levels 1-4 and Levels 5-8.

The lesser princes do that–levels one through four. Those of us in the true dark have no need or interest in the sunlight. -HOEAB

When the darkness from Level 7 scares Nesta, Gwyn leads her back up, away from the darkness. The presence doesn't ease until Level 4.

They made another loop upward, and just as they reached the fourth level, that presence—that sensation of something at their backs—eased. -ACOSF

Level 5 is shown to be the start of the darkness.

Nesta peered over the railing beside Clotho’s desk, silently counting. Five was … very far down. Not within the first ring of true darkness, but hovering in the dimness above it. -ACOSF

Emerie and Nesta aimed for Level Five, where Nesta had left her cart...Let’s go up a level, where the darkness doesn’t whisper so loudly. -ACOSF

THE PIT

In CC the Pit is the 7th level of Hel. It is ruled over by the Prince of the Pit – Apollion. The Pit is the deepest and darkest of the 7 levels of Hel.

In ACOTAR, the bottom of the Library is referred to as a pit.

From ACOWAR:

...leaving a pit descending into the dark heart of the world.

...that black pit on my right seeming to grow thicker the deeper we went.

Down into the eternal blackness of the pit at the heart of the library.

From ACOSF:

She peered over the edge of the landing’s stone railing, straight into the black pit far below.

Like it was an entry into some dark pit of hell.

TRUE DARKNESS

Both the Pit of Hel and the pit at the bottom of the library are described as "true darkness."

Apollion in HOFAS says: I am darkness itself…True darkness. The kind that exists in the bowels of a black hole.

From ACOSF:

I saw darkness...Pure darkness...The likes of which she had not seen since she’d been inside the Cauldron.

There was night, and there was the darkness of extinguishing a candle, and then there was this. Not only the true absence of light, but … a womb. The womb from which all life had come and would return, neither good nor evil, only dark, dark, dark.

NIGHTMARES

Aidas claims in HOFAS: We might command nightmares, but we are not monsters.

Bryaxis is a creature of nightmares that resides in the pit at the botton of the House of Wind Library until the end of ACOWAR.

"Bryaxis remained withing the darkness roiling around it, the living tapestry it would use to reveal the nightmares of its victims." -ACOWAR

Clotho shares with Nesta in ACOSF:

Bryaxis never harmed any of us....I think Bryaxis took pity on us. We saw our nightmares come true before we came here.

OBSIDIAN

In CC obsidian black salt is used to summon demons.

A salt that went beyond black, a salt like the obsidian...It could summon something big. -HOEAB

It is also prevalent in the Avallen caves.

The black salt, in such high quantity, keeps them away. They never realized that its presence drew us as much as it repelled them. –HOFAS

In ACOTAR, the doors linking the House of Wind and the Library are made of obsidian.

...revealing a wide passageway of carved red stone and a sealed set of obsidian doors...Like some great beast was kept behind them. -ACOWAR

CATS

Aidas - Prince of the Ravine – often takes the shape of a white cat with unnaturally blue eyes.

In ACOSF, we see the essence of the Library described by both Nesta and Gwyn as a cat.

Nesta: A soft, warm breeze brushed past her legs, like a cat wending between them in warm greeting and farewell.

Gwyn: I can feel something. Like a cat. Small and clever and curious. It’s watching.

THEORIES

Is the Pit in the library a door or portal to Hel?

Was Bryaxis a demon from Hel put there by the Princes as a guard?

Will we get a Hel crossover in a future ACOTAR book?

Could the Valkyries with their tie to the House of Wind/Library take a trip to Hel in a search for information on defeating a future big bad?

[maasversemayhem]

THRONE OF GLASS IN DEPTH TIMELINE

In Chapter 72 of Kingdom of Ash we get the quote, "Chaol refrained from mentioning that he himself had killed one of their kind almost a year ago."

This led me down a giant rabbit hole trying to work out if this "year" timeline works. The answer? It's complicated.

I took all the research I compiled and have created in depth timelines for each book, excluding Tower of Dawn. (No hate to Tower of Dawn but I chose to "simplify" the timeline by only focussing on Celeana/Aelin's journey.)

Please enjoy this extremely unhinged passion project. I love these books but the timeline has cracks.