The horselords’ weapon of choice had to be one of the most versatile, capable of slicing and blocking, especially when being wielded on horseback. “They’re all nomadic and very acrobatic, so that was the feel [we wanted], that everything was swinging rather than being hooked,” Dunne explains. “You had to have the best of both worlds.” And in keeping with the Dothraki’s braided look, Dunne added “a little bit of swirling” around the handle.