The Sword of Fire and Ice
Magic: The Gathering
For MagicCon 2023, Wizards of the Coast wanted to elevate their cosplay contest in both the size of the competition as well as the trophy awarded to the grand prize champion. Instead of a cup, medal, or other sculpture, they wanted an iconic element from the world of Magic brought to life. The Sword of Fire and Ice was chosen, and with it came some very complex fabrication requests.
Wizards wanted an accurate representation to their card art that would have significant stage presence when awarded to the cosplay contest winner. They also requested something prestigious, made from premium materials, that would feel significant and robust when held. Where the artwork showed glowing elements, our sword would need to glow in the same manner.
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Our replica features a brass-plated hilt and handle wrapped in orange leather. The 5 Mana colors are featured across the handguard, with smaller Fire and Ice gems set into the crossguard. A hidden switch sits behind one of the crossguard gems, turning on the LED strips behind both fire and ice blades and glowing brilliantly. Illumination is powered by a removable battery pack which sits inside the hollow grip and is accessible by removing the pommel. In order for the winner to showcase their achievement, we also fabricated a bespoke display stand complete with engraved plaques.
As the sword would not always be illuminated, great care was taken to make the blades artfully presented when displayed in the off position. Dry brush and semitransparent paint give the ice and fire segments depth and texture without impeding the glowing effects of the LEDs.
