Kryžiaus kalavijas (the Order’s sword)¶
Description¶
A heavy straight German sword with a cross-shaped hilt, consecrated at Marienburg; it smells of cold steel and “a new religion” (Book I ch. 19, 24).
Kryžiaus kalavijas (the Order’s sword)
Kryžiaus kalavijas (the Order’s sword) · artifact¶
Type |
artifact |
Years |
made 1383 |
Note |
Kryžiaus kalavijas: consecrated broadsword of the Teutonic Knights bearing the cruciform cross. |
Power¶
It dampens Kalba around it (Power systems §5). While Vytautas carries it, his pebble cannot answer, his blood feels strange and his Five-Voice is closed to him. It also marks him publicly as the Order’s vassal.
Rule & cost¶
Consecrated metal smothers amber and fire. It can be removed only by a free act: Vytautas must put it in fire himself (Book I ch. 24). As the replacement of Kęstutis’s sword it bears no history, only a debt.
Origin¶
[Historical record] Konrad Zöllner von Rotenstein was Grand Master 5 Oct 1382-20 Aug 1390; Vytautas was baptised “Wigand” at Tapiau on 21 Oct 1383 and swore vassalage by the Treaty of Königsberg, 30 Jan 1384. [The saga’s invention] The sword is presented to him at the baptism by Zöllner (Book I ch. 19), made by the Order for its protégé.
Arc across the books¶
Vytautas, Oct 1383-Jul 1384. It knocks his thigh on the Order’s march into Lithuania (Book I ch. 20). He fights his first battle against his own people with it (ch. 21).
July 1384. He unbuckles it at Marienwerder (Naujapilis) and throws it into the burning tower, whereupon the pebble lights and the silence lifts (I ch. 23-24; Marienwerder).
After. No other holder. Later Order swords at Grunwald (III ch. 18, the “two swords” of the record) are a separate matter.
Relations
Counters: Senovės Kalba (1383–1384)
Created by: Teutonic Order
Held by: Vytautas (1383–1384)
Bearing A free act is needed to be rid of it: Vytautas must put it in fire himself. While he carries it, he is the Order's vassal and his pebble cannot answer
Holders Vytautas Oct 1383 (from Zöllner at his baptism) to July 1384. No other holder
Power Consecrated metal. It dampens Kalba around it: the pebble cannot answer, his blood feels strange and his Five-Voice is closed to him
Rule & cost Smothers amber and fire. As the replacement of Kęstutis's sword it bears no history, only a debt
Appearance. A heavy straight German sword with a cross-shaped hilt, consecrated at Marienburg, smelling of cold steel and a new religion.
Origin. Presented by Zöllner at Vytautas's baptism as Wigand at Tapiau (Tepliava), 21 Oct 1383, made by the Order for its protégé.
The weight. It knocks his thigh on the Order's march into Lithuania. With it he fights his first battle against his own people (Book I ch. 20, 21).
Burned. July 1384: at Marienwerder (Naujapilis) he unbuckles it and throws it into the burning tower. The pebble lights and the silence lifts (Book I ch. 23-24).
Connections¶
graph LR
kalba["Senovės Kalba"]
order_sword["Kryžiaus kalavijas (the Order's sword)"]
teutonic_order["Teutonic Order"]
vytautas["Vytautas"]
order_sword -->|Counters| kalba
order_sword -->|Created by| teutonic_order
vytautas -->|Holds| order_sword
style order_sword stroke-width:3px