Longclaw

Longclaw is the ancestral Valyrian steel bastard sword of House Mormont.

Appearance

Longclaw is a bastard sword or hand and a half sword, which means it is a good half a foot longer than a standard long sword, tapered to thrust as well as slash. With three fullers incised into the blade to reduce weight. There are ripples in the dark steel indicating it is of Valyrian steel. It has a bear's head for the pommel.^[1]

History

The Mormonts have carried Longclaw for five hundred years. Lord Jeor Mormont gave the blade to his son, Jorah Mormont, when Jeor joined the Night's Watch,^[1] presumably prior to Robert's Rebellion.^{[N 1]} Jorah fought at the Battle of the Trident in 283 AC,^[2] where Lord Corbray wielded Lady Forlorn, the ancestral Valyrian steel longsword of his house,^[3] and also fought in Greyjoy's Rebellion in 289 AC,^[4] but it is unclear if Jorah wielded Longclaw during either of these fights.

When Lord Jorah fled Bear Island to escape Lord Eddard Stark's punishment for selling poachers into slavery, he had the grace to leave the sword behind. His aunt, Lady Maege Mormont, returned the sword to her brother Jeor, by then Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, who put it aside at Castle Black since the sight of it reminded him of his son's shame, stashing it under the floorboards of his chambers in the Lord Commander's Tower.^[1]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

While saving the life of Lord Commander Jeor Mormont from a wight attack at Castle Black, Jon Snow sets a fire in the Lord Commander's Tower.^[5] After finding the blade in the ashes of his bedchamber, Jeor realizes that Longclaw's hilt has been damaged, with its crossguard and grip having burned, and with silver melted on the bear's head pommel, so he brings the sword to Donal Noye and Rudge in the forge to repair it. Halder helps Spotted Pate of Maidenpool carve stone for the pommel, which becomes a snarling wolf's head of pale stone to reflect Jon's Stark heritage. Samwell Tarly purchases garnets in Mole's Town so chips can be used for the wolf's eyes. The pommel is also weighted with lead to give better balance.^[1] The sword has a soft leather grip.^[6]

Jeor gives the blade to Jon, who notes the appropriateness of a bastard wielding a bastard sword. Jon's friends celebrate after he receives the blade.^[1]

A Clash of Kings

Jon uses Longclaw in combat against wildlings^[7] in the Frostfangs and later against Qhorin Halfhand.^[8]

A Storm of Swords

Jon uses Longclaw when he escapes from Thenns at Queenscrown.^[9] He also wields the blade during the attack on Castle Black.^[10]

A Dance with Dragons

Jon, now Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, beheads Janos Slynt with the bastard sword for insubordination.^[11] In one of his nightmares, Jon wields Longclaw, which is red and burning, to cut down several people who have already lost their lives, such as Ygritte, Donal Noye, Deaf Dick Follard, and Qhorin Halfhand, before beheading his half-brother Robb Stark.^[12]

Known wielders

Lord Mormont, Jeor's grandfather.^[1]
Lord Mormont, Jeor's father.^[1]
Lord Jeor Mormont^[1]
Lord Jorah Mormont^[1]
Jon Snow^[1]

Quotes

Longclaw is an apt name. Wolves have claws, as much as bears.^[1]
—Jon Snow to Jeor Mormont

The bastard blade glittered in the pale sunlight, dark and deadly.^[1]
—thoughts of Jon Snow

The hilt had been fashioned new for him, adorned with a wolf's-head pommel in pale stone, but the blade itself was Valyrian steel, old and light and deadly sharp.^[13]
—thoughts of Jon Snow

Godry: A man who bears Valyrian steel should use it for more than scratching his arse.
Jon: I use Longclaw when I must, ser.^[14]
—Godry Farring and Jon Snow

Notes

↑ Jeor states that he has been in the Night's Watch longer than Alliser Thorne (A Game of Thrones, Tyrion III), who joined the Night's Watch at the conclusion of Robert's Rebellion, implying that Jeor had joined prior to the war's start. However, Jeor also states that he had been Lord Commander at the time Alliser joined, which is not true, according with more recent sources, both canon (A Storm of Swords, Jon I & Jon VIII) and semi-canon (George R.R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire), making at least the fact that he was Lord Commander at the time invalid. It is still likely, however, that Jeor had already joined the Night's Watch at the time.

References

↑ ^1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 60, Jon VIII.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 57, Daenerys V.
↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.
↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 52, Jon VII.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 15, Jon II.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 51, Jon VI.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 68, Jon VIII.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 41, Jon V.
↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.
↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 7, Jon II.
↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 58, Jon XII.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 13, Jon II.
↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 3, Jon I.

[2] Jeor states that he has been in the Night's Watch longer than Alliser Thorne (A Game of Thrones, Tyrion III), who joined the Night's Watch at the conclusion of Robert's Rebellion, implying that Jeor had joined prior to the war's start. However, Jeor also states that he had been Lord Commander at the time Alliser joined, which is not true, according with more recent sources, both canon (A Storm of Swords, Jon I & Jon VIII) and semi-canon (George R.R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire), making at least the fact that he was Lord Commander at the time invalid. It is still likely, however, that Jeor had already joined the Night's Watch at the time.

[Ragot60{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-1] 1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 60, Jon VIII.

[Rasos57{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-3] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 57, Daenerys V.

[Raffc23{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-4] A Feast for Crows, Chapter 23, Alayne I.

[Racok12{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-5] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 12, Daenerys I.

[Ragot52{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-6] A Game of Thrones, Chapter 52, Jon VII.

[Rasos15{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-7] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 15, Jon II.

[Racok51{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-8] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 51, Jon VI.

[Racok68{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-9] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 68, Jon VIII.

[Rasos41{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-10] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 41, Jon V.

[Rasos55{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-11] A Storm of Swords, Chapter 55, Jon VII.

[Radwd7{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-12] A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 7, Jon II.

[Radwd58{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-13] A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 58, Jon XII.

[Racok13{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-14] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 13, Jon II.

[Radwd3{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-15] A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 3, Jon I.

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