| Star Dragon Sword {{{jpname}}}, {{{roname}}} | |
| Gender | Sword |
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| Appears in | |
The Star Dragon Sword (星辰剣, Seishin Ken, Constellation Sword), also called the Sword of Night (夜の剣, Yoru no Ken) by Zerase, is a supporting character in Suikoden, Suikoden II, and Suikoden III. The Star Dragon Sword is an incarnation of the Night Rune and is known for slaying vampires.
History
Cave of the Past
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The Star Dragon Sword is an incarnation of the Night Rune that resided in the Cave of the Past at Qlon Temple. It had a face carved into its hilt which allowed it to talk and held a will and personality all of its own. It is one of the few weapons that can kill supposedly immortal demons, such as vampires. The sword was very prideful and prone to nagging and it was also large, making it difficult to handle by an ordinary warrior.
When Viktor and the leader of the Toran Liberation Army traveled to the Cave of the Past on Fukien's advice, they came upon the sealed Star Dragon Sword. After first throwing the group into the distant past upon awakening, when the sword learned that Viktor aimed to kill Neclord, the Star Dragon Sword decided to join them. Wielding the Star Dragon Sword, Viktor was able to defeat and ostensibly destroy Neclord, as the Star Dragon Sword was an incarnation of the Night Rune and Neclord was merely a servant of the darkness.
For the rest of the Gate Rune War, the Star Dragon Sword remained with Viktor. Following the end of the war, the Star Dragon Sword was presumed missing, alongside Viktor.
Dunan and Beyond
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Following the Gate Rune War, Viktor had brought the sword to Jowston before abandoning it in the Cave of the Wind, finally tiring of its bickering.
Once Neclord reappeared, however, Viktor reluctantly returned to the Cave of the Wind with Kahn Marley and the leader of the New State Army to retrieve it. Enraged at having been abandoned, the Star Dragon Sword attacked the group but was subdued and agreed to be used again after Viktor groveled for its aid. Later, it helped in slaying Neclord once and for all together with Sierra Mikain. It also inspired the blacksmith Tessai to join the New State Army.
Following the Dunan Unification War, Viktor continued to travel with the sword for a time before eventually tiring of its sassiness once more and "gifting" the Star Dragon Sword to Edge, after Edge managed to use the sword to vanquish a vampire.
Edge would use the sword to earn a living, wagering it in duels against passing travelers, much to the sword's consternation. Once Edge was defeated by the Fire Bringer, both he and the Star Dragon Sword would be pressed into service. Following the War of the Champions, the Star Dragon Sword would encourage Edge to travel south in order to find and defeat a new foe.
Gameplay
- Main article: S.D. Sword
The Star Dragon Sword is fought as a boss enemy in Suikoden II. It has some ranged magic but is otherwise not a particularly challenging enemy for a party to defeat.
Gallery
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Suikoden artwork by Kawano Junko
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Suikoden III artwork by Ishikawa Fumi
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Trivia
- The Star Dragon Sword's name would be more properly translated as the Constellation Sword. The Star Dragon Sword gained its name through Konami's translation of Suikoden, when they translated the kanji making up the name of the Star Dragon Sword/Constellation Sword individually - thus 星辰剣 became Star (星) Dragon (辰) and Sword(剣), rather than Star Sword. The name Zodiac Sword is popular in the fan community.
- In the original, the Star Dragon Sword's name changes when upgraded at a blacksmith from Star Dragon Sword to Black Dragon Sword and King Dragon Sword. It is also the weapon which gives the highest attack boost when upgraded to Level 16 (185). In Suikoden II and Suikoden III, the weapon name does not change when upgraded.
- While the weapon has its own weapon class in the first two Suikoden titles and thus upgrades like no other weapon, its weapon growth in Suikoden III is the same as hammers and halberds.
References
- Genso Suikoden Encyclopaedia (ISBN 4-575-16297-3), page 151
- Genso Suikoden Kiwami Encyclopedia, pages 65, 318
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