I know Crysknives are Sacred to Fremen, and crafted from the Teeth of the Giant Sandworms. I’m just curious if perhaps, since they have all kinds of Melee weapons in the other parts of the Lore and the Imperium. Like Swords, Spears, Axes, Punch Knives, etc.
Question I have is, I know the Fremen make Crysknives and not much else because they don’t really need anything more than a Knife, both as a sacred weapon of Shai’hulud and part of their Spartan existence of Survival. But if an Imperial were able to find a means to either trade for, or MUCH more likely, gain a favor from a Naib… is the idea of a Cryssword out of the realm of possibility?
I mean, far as I can tell, Arrakis Sandworm Teeth are QUITE long when they’re alive, if they were able to harvest and Fix one of the teeth before it disintegrated, they could easily create a few hundred Crysknives, so why not a Sword or a Spear. Only Reason I ask is because I’m considering making a Swordmaster Character for a game I’m writing who was nearly lost in the deserts, but joined a Fremen Sietch and has been with them for 10 years and preferred a Sword instead of just Knives. So I’m wondering if it’d be too out of place for the system or the Lore to include such.
An argument could be made either way. Technically I can’t see any reason to not make a sword or spear from a tooth.
As for if they would… That is the tricky part.
You are right in that they view the crysknife as a spiritual aide as much as as a weapon. It is not supposed to be sheathed without having tasted blood (See the scene in the book between Shadout Mapes and Jessica).
I don’t think they would give them out easily, certainly not in trade or even as a favour. A character having lived amongst them for a decade and been accepted as part of the tribe however. I can see them having a crysknife.
At that point I think it is reasonable that such a character could tailor their weapon to suit themselves. A spear doesn’t quiet feel right for the individualistic Fremen, but a Sword is just a long knife really.
At that point it becomes part of the characters backstory. And a lot of things can be forgiven in service to a good backstory.
TL;DR
Yes, but it would be a unique character point. Only available as part of their backstory or after a long period of RP to develop it.
Its a solid idea.
I suspect the teeth fall apart so quickly that by the time you have got them to your crafting place you have only knife sized bits left.
But it may also be to do with the Fremen being always on the move and knives are the simplest and easiest weapon to carry.
Don’t Crysknives have to be kept close to the electrical field of a human body otherwise they start to crumble?
I’m fairly certain that the mechanics of keeping a spear like that make it very impractical, unless you keep a detachable spearhead close to the body and then re-attach it to a staff being carried about whenever you need to use it. But that would mean there’s a limit to how long it can be attached to the staff before it begins disintigration.
Swords would also be hard to carry, the longer the sword the more awkward it becomes. And again- how far does the necessary electical field extend from the wielding hand?
When these factors are considered a long knife may well be the only practical form a Crysknife can take.
I always thought the crysknife was the Fremen equivalent of the knife men who have completed the hadj traditionally carry.
As far as it being anything but a knife, I would imagine that thousands of years of tradition with unfixed blades requiring close bodily contact would keep them knife sized even into the fixed era.
They have Solution they can soak it in that fixes it and keeps it from needing an Electrical Field anymore. But I was just guestimating with a Spear. a Sword would only be a little longer than a Knife, and could be carried in an easy sheath across the back. However I believe the Fremen for the most part tended to stick with knives is not only were they quicker and easier to use and conceal… but their preferred combat style utilized Smaller blades. I just was asking if it was possible.