| Image (cc) Blazbaros on DeviantArt |
I'm always toying with ways to tie the PCs, the world, and the story together. These are weapons that can be found and used by starting characters but are in some way destined for the end game, and requiring the completion of a mid-tier quest arc. Roll a set of polyhedrals (or use the button at the bottom of the post) to discover your destined weapon!
The d20 - Crafted long ago by...
- Dwarves, from rare minerals and alloys
- Gnomes, from fine silver woven with spells
- Elves, from a branch of the oldest tree
- Drow, from darkness made tangible
- Angels, from a fragment of a star
- Elementals, from distilled elemental energy
- Fey, sung into shape from some organic matter
- Merfolk, from the horn of a narwhal
- Slaadi, from the remains of a dead Modron
- Mind flayers, from psychically infused iron
- Devils, and was forged in the fires of the Hells
- Demons, from solidified corruption
- Centaurs, from finest polished bronze
- Yuan-Ti, from the bones of a Naga
- A vampire, and was forged and cooled in blood
- A lich, by corrupting a hero's weapon
- A banshee, and lost by her in death
- Lizardfolk, from the bones of a gargantuan beast
- A sphinx, from a treasure of the gods
- Orcs, by melting down the weapons of their foes
- Undead
- Monstrosities
- Fiends
- Dragons
- Celestials
- Aberrations
- Spear
- Mace
- Quarterstaff
- Handaxe
- Longsword
- Warhammer
- Battleaxe
- Halberd
- Greataxe
- Greatsword
- Hums or throbs when held, but this lessens when attuned to the wielder
- Hung with tiny bells, charms, or similar small items
- Inlaid with veins that pulse, glow, or reflect light in an odd way
- Covered in writing, runes, or glyphs in a known or unknown language
- Looks different out of the corner of your eye somehow
- Engraved all over with scenes of battle and heroism (or slaughter)
- Causes a ringing in the wielder's ears, which lessens when attuned
- Crafted in the image of an animal or mythical creature
- The wielder can (only) speak in the creator's language until attuned
- The hilt is wrapped with the skin of a rare, magical, or extinct creature
- It's vicious, whether wickedly sharp, toxic, or something else, adding +1 to damage
- It's well balanced, or somehow blessed or guided, adding +1 to attack rolls
- It's unusual; it gains or loses Finesse, Heavy, Versatile or a similar property
- It glows, thrums, or sings, gently or fiercely, in the presence of its intended enemy
- It must be bathed in a certain spring, lava flow, mana field, or similar
- The wielder must slay (a number of) its intended enemies
- It must be re-forged by the descendant of its original creator
- The wielder must avenge the death of the last hero who fell using it
- It must be joined with lost part, and made whole again
- A ceremony, only known by a dwindling few, must be performed over it
- It must be infused with the power of ancestral spirits at a secret location
- It must be used to slay the previous wielder, corrupted before its destiny could be fulfilled
- The wielder must free the soul of its creator from torment
- The wielder must resolve an ancient grudge among the creator's people
- The wielder must free the creator's descendants from tyranny
- It must be used to sunder a specific icon of the intended enemy
- Only it can seal, banish, or deliver the killing blow to a specific intended enemy
- It counts as a +3 weapon against its intended enemy
- On a failed DC15 save creatures of the enemy type that see it are blinded, fearful, or similar
- It deals d6 additional damage of a flavourful type, and makes an intended enemy hit by it vulnerable to this type of damage
- Once per day the wielder can Charm, Command, or use a similar effect on an intended enemy
- It deals an additional 3d6 damage to the intended enemies
- The wielder is protected from some specific power of the intended enemy; Dragons' breath weapons, Beholder and Basilisk gazes, charms, curses, etc.
- When it strikes an intended enemy it pushes them back and/or inflicts a status such as blinded, stunned etc.
Now all it needs is a name and some history, a place to lie awaiting discovery, enemies to slay and a bold party of adventurers ready to fulfil its destiny! I would love to hear your thoughts below in the comments, and the legends you create.
