Valyrian steel

From A Wiki of Ice and Fire

Valyrian steel is a magical alloy invented in Valyria and used to make weapons of unparalleled quality. It is the spells and magic that make the steel special.^[1] Valyrian steel blades are lighter, stronger, and sharper than even the best castle-forged steel, and feature distinctive rippled patterns similar to Damascus steel. Most Valyrian steel blades in Westeros are treasured heirlooms of noble houses, each with its own name and storied history. It is likely that most of the Valyrian steel swords were brought to westros by the Targaryens, after the Doom of Valyria.

Only the greatest weaponsmiths can reforge swords from existing Valyrian steel, but the secret of creating such an alloy was apparently lost with Valyria, making those remaining weapons highly treasured and extremely rare. The blacksmiths of Qohor claim to know how to reforge Valyrian steel, and Tobho Mott did reforge Ice at the request of the Lannisters, in King's Landing.

List of known Valyrian steel blades

Known to still exist:

• Widow's Wail, One of two Valyrian blades reforged by Tobho Mott from Ice. The blade was made for King Joffrey Baratheon as a wedding gift by his father Tywin. Where it was given its name from the shouted suggestion of an unnamed guest. Following Joffrey's death, ownership of Widow's Wail has presumably passed to King Tommen.

• Oathkeeper, One of two Valyrian blades reforged by Tobho Mott from Ice. The blade was made for Ser Jaime Lannister, but he has given it to Brienne of Tarth for use in her quest to locate Sansa Stark. The blade was given its name, Oathkeeper, at that time.

• Heartsbane, the ancestral two handed greatsword of House Tarly, currently in the possession of Randyll Tarly.
• Longclaw, the ancestral Valyrian steel bastard sword of House Mormont. Currently in the possession of Jon Snow.
• Lady Forlorn, the ancestral sword of House Corbray, it is currently in the possession of Lyn Corbray.
• Red Rain, the ancestral sword of House Drumm.
• Nightfall, the ancestral blade of House Harlaw and currently wielded by Harras Harlaw.

Known fate:

• Ice, the ancestral two handed greatsword of House Stark. Following Eddard Stark's execution in King's Landing, it was melted down and reforged into two longswords(those being Widow's Wail and Oathkeeper).

Unknown fate:

• Blackfyre, the sword of Aegon I Targaryen. Carried by all Targaryen kings till Aegon IV who gave it to his bastard Daemon Blackfyre who rose in rebellion against the Targaryens, taking the sword's name for his house. Its whereabouts are currently unknown.
• Brightroar, the ancestral sword of House Lannister, lost when King Tommen II Lannister of the Rock sailed to Valyria and never returned.
• Dark Sister, the sword wielded by Visenya Targaryen. The last known owner was Bloodraven.

References and Sources