Durandal


 * Blazing Sword redirects here, you may be looking for Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken.

Durandal（デュランダル Dyurandaru), also known as the Blazing Sword, is the legendary weapon wielded by the Champion Roland during the Scouring. As with the other legendary weapons, Durandal is effective in slaying Dragons and their distant cousins, Wyverns.

The Scouring
Durandal's origins are mysterious, but what is known is that the sword was used by Roland, one of the Eight Heroes that fought the dragons during The Scouring. Although used to defend humanity against the dragons, it was suggested that Durandal and the other legendary weapons, due to their extreme power, actually caused the elemental imbalance that was blamed on the dragons. It was that calamity that eventually led to The Ending Winter. The war eventually ended when the Demon Dragon Idenn was sealed away by Hartmut. Durandal then was sealed away in a cave north of Ostia, along with a portion of Roland's spirit/some of Roland's soldiers to guard the sword.

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken
The seal was eventually disturbed by Eliwood and his companions, seeking the legendary blade in order to vanquish the Dark Druid Nergal. At first, Roland and his guardians were hostile, but, after Eliwood defeated the spirit in combat, Roland realized that Eliwood, as well as his friends Lyn and Hector, were descendants of the paladin for having a Lycian heritage. Eliwood claimed the blade, but accidentally triggered its unique powers and slew an ice dragon that had confronted him, who turned out to be Ninian in her true form. Eliwood later used the blade to avenge her death by killing Nergal, his morph army, and the Fire Dragon summoned as a result of his actions. It was later sealed away in Ostia.

Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi
With aid from Hector's daughter, Lilina, Roy, and the Lycian Army quickly hastened to Roland's tomb, slaying the group of bandits that had settled within the cave, and unearthed the blade to use against the Manaketes in Bern's forces. The weapon proved to be an asset along with the other legendary weapons as they, together, revealed the location of the fabled Dragon Temple, where Idenn, Brunya, and Jahn resided.

It is unknown what the blade's fate is after Idenn falls, though it is speculated that it is sealed once more.

Fire Emblem: Fūin no Tsurugi
| |Durandal |S |20 |17 |90 |1 |0 |12 |? |N/A |Strength +5; Effective against Wyvern Riders, Wyvern Lords, and Manaketes

Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken
| |Durandal |Prf* |20 |17 |90 |1 |0 |16 |? |N/A |Strength +5; Effective against Wyvern Riders, Wyvern Lords, and Fire Dragon.

* Preference = Eliwood

Trivia

 * Durandal is displayed in front of Armads on the title screen in Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken.
 * When equipped by Eliwood, Durandal displays unique attack and critical attack animations which reflect on its sheer size; a unique song, called Blessing of the Eight Generals, also plays.
 * Durandal has a strange resemblance to the Wyrmslayer: this may be because both of them are effective against dragons.
 * In the beta for Fire Emblem: Rekka No Ken, the sprite for Durandal was shown to be much shorter in length. In addition, Lyn was able to wield Durandal, and was given a unique attack animation while using it.
 * Also, Eliwood (unpromoted) does not have any special animation with Durandal, he wields it like a normal sword. However, Eliwood (unpromoted) with Durandal causes Blessing of the Eight Generals to play.
 * In reality, a sword as large and long as Durandal would be too heavy and would not be usable in actual combat, even though it may be enchanted to weigh the same as a regular sword.

Etymology
In French medieval tradition, Durandal (or Durindana) is the name of the iconic sword of the French Paladin Roland, mightiest of the Twelve Peers of Charlemagne. According to "La Chanson de Roland" (The Song of Roland), the most famous French medieval poem, the sword was once Hector of Troy's, and contains in its hilt several Christian relics: the tooth of Saint Peter, blood of Saint Basil, hair of Saint Denis (patron saint of France), and a piece of the raiment of the Virgin Mary.

At the end of "La Chanson de Roland," as Roland lies dying in Roncesvalles Pass, he tries to destroy Durandal so it will not fall into pagan hands. He smashes it against the canyon wall, but the sword proves indestructible; instead, he gouges an enormous crack in the wall known today as "La Breche de Roland."