'I know a side quest when I see one': Mysterious ‘free’ sword goes viral as nerds flock online to share fandom-fueled speculations of the replica's origin story

Lore is what drives the plot. In life, our lore is far more disappointing than that of our favorite fandoms, but perhaps it's because we're not looking closely enough. Perhaps there aren't enough mysteries to be solved or side quests to be chased… Until now. 

Recently, a photo went viral on the Internet of a mystic longsword left out by the dumpster of an unremarkable neighborhood. Leaning casually up against the edges of the trashcans, the medieval sword beckoned passersby like the sword of King Arthur. It begged and yearned for a new wielder and as Internet dwellers can attest, there's certainly something special going on with this free flamberge. 

In the boringness of the real world, sometimes we nerds got to step up, create our own lore, and claim lost weaponry on the street. Because without a little mystery and mischief, there's no fun in life. Keep scrolling if you're a DnD fan, LOTR lover, or even just a sword-play gamer looking to weigh in and speculate on the origins of this strangely misplaced object. It might just take you on a little quest…