Improve descriptions on eveningstar, double+triple sword


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Temple Termagant

Posts: 11

Joined: Friday, 19th May 2017, 20:54

Post Tuesday, 10th August 2021, 11:45

Improve descriptions on eveningstar, double+triple sword

I have some flavor suggestions which are entirely pedantic, but they've bugged me long enough that I feel like bringing them up:

Eveningstar
The "eveningstar" in Crawl is meant to be a joke, a play on "morningstar" (a real weapon). The joke is fine - I actually think eveningstar is a really cool name, something unique to Crawl, and puts me in mind of some dark metal weapon that's basically a souped-up morningstar.

However, the description doesn't really tell you anything about it:

The opposite of a morningstar.


I'd honestly like to know, for flavor purposes, what the weapon I'm holding actually looks like. (Also, "opposite" is misleading; does it do negative damage? Is it light, rather than heavy? Do you hold it the other way?)

Double and triple swords
A magical weapon with two razor-sharp blades.

A magical weapon with three great razor-sharp blades.


The argument about the real-world effectiveness of double and triple swords has been had before so I won't reiterate it here; again, my issue is with the description. Why is this weapon magical? Is it because magic is the only way to make such a weapon practical? What does the magic do? Is it affected by antimagic? How are the multiple blades oriented with respect to each other? Is the double-sword double-ended, like Thanos' sword? Are the blades arranged in parallel, or do they all lie in the same plane?

Suggested alternatives
My suggestions could be improved, but I think they capture the look of the weapon while retaining the original intent.

Eveningstar
The opposite of a morningstar. A balanced mace with a long shaft and a metal head covered in lethal spikes.


Double sword
A fearsome weapon with a forked, razor-sharp blade.


Triple sword
A formidable weapon created by a master craftsman. The blade of the sword forks into three great razor-sharp edges.

For this message the author hawthornbunny has received thanks: 2
andrew, petercordia

Shoals Surfer

Posts: 305

Joined: Friday, 13th December 2019, 01:33

Post Tuesday, 10th August 2021, 15:54

Re: Improve descriptions on eveningstar, double+triple sword

And "magical" could be an actual non-flavor problem for newbies, since magic has an in-game meaning having nothing to do with double/triple swords.

Crypt Cleanser

Posts: 689

Joined: Saturday, 12th December 2015, 23:54

Post Thursday, 12th August 2021, 01:48

Re: Improve descriptions on eveningstar, double+triple sword

implemented

For this message the author Hellmonk has received thanks: 2
andrew, hawthornbunny

Ziggurat Zagger

Posts: 6454

Joined: Tuesday, 30th October 2012, 19:06

Post Sunday, 15th August 2021, 18:23

Re: Improve descriptions on eveningstar, double+triple sword

I think an eveningstar should have a short haft, and a long head covered in metal spikes :)
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andrew

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