Runeblade

“The runeblade is an extension of your being. A death knight cannot battle without a runeblade.”

Runeblades are blades inscribed with runes, symbols that hold magical power. They are particularly wielded by death knights, but they are not unique to the Scourge. Notably, demons and high elves are known to forge rune-etched blades as well, such as Felo'melorn, the sword of the Sunstrider dynasty. By the time of the Third War, runeblades were not unheard of, but they were considered extremely rare and terribly powerful weapons.^[2]

Necromantic runeblades

Origins

This section concerns content related to Shadowlands.

The Blade of the Primus.

The Primus is responsible for the creation of Maldraxxi rune magic, which serves to manipulate necromantic energy,^[3] and its more powerful counterpart, Domination, whose purpose is the suppression of another.^[4] All necrolords receive a portion of the Primus' power in order to carry out their duty of defending the Shadowlands from external forces.^[5] He devised a unique language of runes which individually represent a specific word tied to the foundations of Maldraxxus and the power of the five houses. Eons later, this same language would come to be used in the world of the living by Azerothian death knights to empower their runeblades with runeforging.^[3] Maldraxxi runeblades are empowered by anima from souls, whether willing^[6] or forcibly taken,^[7] and can have souls forged into the blades themselves.^[8]

Mourneblades

Frostmourne, the mourneblade of the Lich King.

Mourneblades are incredibly powerful runeblades of Domination magic.^[9] Associated with the Maw and the Jailer, they are capable of shattering souls into fragments when wielded with rage.^[10] A portion of the victim's soul is absorbed to empower the mourneblade, while the remaining portion continues to the Shadowlands as normal.^[11] The Jailer's mourneblades inevitably attempt to consume their own wielders' souls as well.^[12]

Several mourneblades were created by the Primus; the greatest of these was the dreaded Frostmourne, the weapon of the Lich King.^[13] It was capable of consuming souls (and presumably "essences of a similar nature"),^[14] of shattering any blade it met with in combat, and even displayed some form of intelligence.^[15] As the sword of Arthas Menethil it became the most famous of the runeblades, and probably the most unique.

In order to Dominate Anduin Wrynn, the Jailer reforged Anduin's sword Shalamayne into Kingsmourne, a mourneblade that was even greater than Frostmourne^[16] and infused with Arthas Menethil's soul.^[17] Similar to Frostmourne's ability to steal souls, the Dominated Anduin used Kingsmourne to steal the sigils of the Eternal Ones.

Distant past

[Apocalypse] and the [Maw of the Damned] were dangerous weapons forged by the Burning Legion in order to spread chaos and death. The former was created by the nathrezim after their exile from Revendreth.

Third War

The fallen knights of the Silver Hand were bestowed black, vampiric runeblades by the Lich King himself to serve as his mightiest death knight generals during the Third War.^[18]

Marduk Blackpool, a death knight of the Scourge who fought during the war, had his runeblade shattered and yet continued to operate, although he may have kept its hilt.

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Under the directions of Instructor Razuvious, the death knights of Acherus forged their own runeblades shortly after their creation by learning of [Runeforging]. The Instructor warns that no death knight may battle without a runeblade, for it is the vessel that stores runic power and the instrument by which a death knight commands the powers of frost, blood and unholy.^[1] Lady Blaumeux further highlights the crucial importance of the runeblade, noting that it is perhaps the most guarded treasure in a death knight's possession and that a death knight separated from their runeblade is weak and powerless.^[19]

Known runeblades

Felo'melorn as a legendary artifact.

Sanketsu, a blade of the Burning Blade clan.

Frostmourne, the mourneblade of Arthas Menethil, now reborn into the Blades of the Fallen Prince
Kingsmourne, the mourneblade of Anduin Wrynn
Byfrost, the sword of Koltira Deathweaver
[Apocalypse] and [Maw of the Damned], runed artifacts of the Ebon Blade
[Shadowmourne], built to rival Frostmourne by the Ashen Verdict
[Runeblade of Baron Rivendare], the sword of Baron Rivendare
[Runed Soulblade], given to initiates of Acherus
[Runed Soulsaber], given to initiates of Acherus
[Greatsword of the Ebon Blade], given to champions of Acherus
[Greataxe of the Ebon Blade], given to champions of Acherus
[The Hungering Cold] (presumed, due to its design and drop location)
[Slayer of the Lifeless] (presumed, due to its design and drop location)
[Gressil, Dawn of Ruin] (presumed, due to its design and drop location)
[Iblis, Blade of the Fallen Seraph] (presumed, due to its design and drop location)
[Dancing Rune Weapon]
Unholy Swords and Unholy Axes
Dancing Runeblade
[Runebladed Sword]
[Shattered Sword of Marduk]
[Frost-Etched Runeblade]
[Felo'melorn] ("Flamestrike")
[Maladath, Runed Blade of the Black Flight]
[Runeaxe of the Breaker]
[Runescribed Blade]
[Rune-Etched Nightblade]
[Runesword of the Red]
[Eternium Runed Blade]
[Runeblade of Demonstrable Power]
[Runic Darkblade]
[Rune Sword]
[Blades of the Anointed]
Great Royal Sword
Bloodhoof Runespear

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

The vampiric runeblades are empathic weapons given to new death knights by the Lich King Ner'zhul or one of his designates to turn them into death knights. Once the runeblade is used to turn a hero into a death knight, it becomes that knight's personal weapon and is slowly charged with the life energies of those injured and slain thereafter.^[20]

Death knights are now few and far between, but their legacy lives on. The runeblade is one example of their terrible power. It channels life force, which bestows a kind of life upon the blade itself. Though not very intelligent, the runeblade has a strong survival instinct.

When a death knight who owns a runeblade is destroyed, the sword dampens its powers, taking on the appearance of a nondescript magical weapon. It uses its empathic powers to manipulate its next owner — encouraging feelings of possession and anger, discouraging kindness and altruism. Once it gains enough control over its owner, it encourages him to seek out the secret places where death knights still dwell. Only then can the runeblade accomplish its goal of gaining a new master.^[21]