megamanx06
Caswallan
Maybe it's a bastard sword: the longer handle become useful when the champion must leave his shield behind('cause its broken,...)
This creation is wonderful, but I think that a Gladius ( Roman Empire Shortsword ) fits better with the military background of the Bannors.
Bastard swords don't have that long of handles, do they? From what I've read, for the situation SeZ described (being able to use both hands because of a lost shield), the hilt should be about 1 1/2 hand lengths, or a litttle longer, so that it isn't cumbersome, but if you have to fight with two hands you can.