Sabre or saber
Esperacchius, the Sword of Hope, is one of the Swords of the Cross. It's first seen in Death Masks.
Description
Though it has been reworked since its creation,[1] Esperacchius currently looks like a cavalry saber, and has the hieroglyph[Footnote 1] for the Sun on the pommel.[2] Its weakness is to be wielded in despair, and will be destroyed by such an action.(reference needed)
The spirit of Sir Stuart Winchester confirmed that Esperacchius is the legendary Frankish sword Durendal,[Footnote 2][3] Its current wielder is Sanya.[2]
History
Durendal's first wielder was Roland the Frank[Footnote 3], the chief paladin of Charlemagne[Footnote 4] and a symbol of hope for France against the Spanish Saracens.[Footnote 5](reference needed)
At a later time, it was wielded by a man known as "the Egyptian", briefly mentioned in Death Masks, and killed by Ursiel.[2]
Afterwards, it was wielded by Sanya, who was given the sword by the Archangel Michael after giving up his Denarian coin.[4]
In the series
As of Skin Game, Esperacchius remained in the care of Sanya. Between the time of Michael Carpenter being injured on Demonreach(reference needed) and Waldo Butters picking up Fidelacchius,(reference needed) it was the only sword being wielded by a Knight of the Cross; Sanya has stated that he did not know how long he could stem the tide of darkness alone.(reference needed)
Proven Guilty
- Main article: Proven Guilty
In Proven Guilty,
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Death Masks
- Main article: Death Masks
In Death Masks,
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Small Favor
- Main article: Small Favor
In Small Favor,
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Ghost Story
- Main article: Ghost Story
In Ghost Story,
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Skin Game
- Main article: Skin Game
In Skin Game, it is wielded against Denarians Magog and Shaggy Feathers in Iran, to prevent it to be used against Nicodemus Archleone's party in the break-in in Hades' Vault.[5]
Word of Butcher
Jim Butcher stated the following about the inscriptions on Esperacchius:
"Sanya's sword actually has an Egyptian hieroglyph for the Sun on the pommel, and he could use it as a letter-seal if he was of a mind to do it. The Egyptian, who had the sword before Sanya, often did. Sanya isn't really the wax-seal-letter-writing kind."[6]
Notes
References
- ↑ Proven Guilty, ch. 47
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Death Masks, ch. 06
- ↑ Ghost Story, ch. 9
- ↑ Small Favor, ch. 1
- ↑ Skin Game, ch. 24
- ↑ Jim Butcher forum post