Valyrian beheading

[Jaak]

A human neck is a tough thing. As pointed out by Sanson during French revolution, an average soldier, a physically and militarily trained healthy adult man, cannot reliably cut off a head with a steel sword in one stroke. Executions are often botched - a stroke misses, is stopped by a bone and more strokes are needed. You need a (more than average) physically strong executioner and specialized training.

In Germany, executioners used specialized executioners´ swords. With a blunt point, seeing as it was pointless. And also with a blade wide and thin compared to a fighting sword. Designed to be sharp rather than tough - in a fight, it would easily face bending forces and snap.

But even with option of the specialized steel swords, non-specialized executioners could not do a reliable job.

The major advantages of Valyrian steel include being light and sharp.

Meaning it can be thinner than ordinary steel, yet endure battle loads without damage. A property shared by Dawn.

So, is it easy to behead a person with a Valyrian sword? Easier to swing without needing excess force. Thus easier to aim. Once reaching target, the sharper edge penetrates bone better. Even if the wielder does miss, the result might be that the sword slashes through jaw or shoulders at a single stroke, which a steel sword could not do.

 

Rhaena, a 25 year old woman, decided to steal her husband´s Valyrian sword Blackfyre while he slept... and then sneaked away to her dragon Dreamfyre, but for some reason did not take her 5 year old twin daughters Aerea and Rhalla along.

Suppose Rhaena, having Blackfyre and sleeping Maegor, decides to chop off his head.

Considering that Blackfyre was a Valyrian sword, could Rhaena have beheaded Maegor at a single stroke?

Just how light and sharp is Blackfyre? Could the 5 year old Aerea or Rhalla physically have managed to wield Blackfyre (its weight and leverage...) so effectively as to chop off Maegor´s head in a single stroke?

 

[Curled Finger]

I got a great lesson from a poster during a VS discussion once.  Can't for the life of me remember which topic, but I will try to do him justice here.  Most medieval big swords (Great, Bastard) weighed no more than 15 pounds, depending on their length, width and adornment.  Blackfyre is a bastard sword meaning that it is smaller in length and width than a greatsword...but not by much.    Blackfyre is a single handed sword as well, meaning it was intended to be used while holding something else, maybe a shield, with the other.   We know that Ice was taller than Robb who was 14 or 15 at the time, making him at least 5'6" to 5"10".    Let's go with the shorter for this argument.   If Ice was say 5'7" long and the width of Ned's hand, maybe 5".    I'm about average size and weight.    I can lift 15 pounds with 1 arm.   I can drag a piece of drywall  longer than 5'7" long and I can hold a thing bigger than my hand in a single hand.    But I can't do all of them with the same thing at the same time I'm holding a 20 pound shield.    I expect Blackfyre (and Longclaw, for all that's worth) is 5' long 4" wide and weighs about 4 pounds.  I can lift all of that with no problem.   A clever and malicious woman could lop off a head with a light and durable weapon...but not a child of maybe 4' tall and 4' is generous for a 5 year-old.    Blackfyre is bigger than the little girl.    Despite it's weight, the length would never work for a child.  Just keep in mind that Valyrian Steel is fantasy steel; it can weigh far less than a normal real world sword.   I try to keep it all straight by understanding the configurations of the various types of swords in play.    Maybe one of the little girls could have done some damage with Dark Sister or Widows Wail, but not a normal long sword and certainly not a 5' long blade.   

[Javelin Catcher]

A great summary of the problem with a little girl and a big sword.  The question I have is why would you think s 5yo would be chopping anything with a sword?