Skysaber
2013-07-21, 05:34 PM
This (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=264580) thread converting Saberhagen's Twelve Swords into 3.5 format has inspired a former DM of our group to come back and start a D&D campaign centered around those 12 Swords of Power.
We expect the campaign world to get absolutely thrashed by the power struggles this must inevitably trigger off. In fact, in order to be true to the books the introduction of the Swords pretty much must make mincemeat out of the established power structures, and so for 'grist for the mill' we have to use a well-established campaign world for there to be enough kingdoms and powers to fight over the Swords.
DM has picked the Warhammer Fantasy world for our playground. In fact, he is going with one where evil is even more dominant than in the original.
Anyway, in setup discussions for the campaign, our soon-to-be-DM pointed out that in the books uncertainty played a big factor about the Swords. It was not until they'd been in use for a long time that people knew generally what they did, and even then a lot of uncertainly over 'would this sword beat that one' existed that just isn't there for players who've read the books.
So he has decided to throw us a curve ball or two.
What our DM wants from us is false swords. Rumors and misinformation, misrepresenting the powers of actual Swords, as well as presenting whole new Swords that never existed in the books.
The trick is, he will then go through and decide which, if any, of these 'false facts' he desires to make true.
And they could be anything.
Say Townsaver is supposed to be able to defeat Shieldbreaker if Townsaver is activated at the time. We know it didn't happen that way in the series, but it makes for an excellent supposition/rumor.
Or the new Sword Peachslicer, and maybe Grasscutter, that is supreme against plant creatures the same way that Dragonslicer is against dragons.
Or perhaps it is not Dragonslicer this time around. Perhaps it is DragonTAMER, and functions like Mindsword, but only against dragons.
Any rumor at all, and the more out there the better.
So say the rumor is out there that Shieldbreaker's weak spot is not just against unarmed persons, but any natural weapons at all - that it is supreme only against manufactured weapons (including magic and spells) but lions and tigers and bears? They tear it's wielder to shreds. Oh my!
Or maybe that Shieldbreaker has a draconic theme for its name and emblem this time, and could be Sundered by Dragonslicer, one of the very mildest of Swords.
Woundhealer thrust into a creature of Chaos reverts it to the mortal man or woman or animal it was before chaos got a hold of it?
Maybe Farslayer is supposed to be blind to anyone carrying Garlic? Actually, this could be dozens of rumors, each concerning a different substance, and one of them might even be true. Who knew that carrying a voodoo Barbie doll could get that Sword to strike it instead of you, huh?
Justice is supposed to be blind, so what about the Sword of Justice being unable to reflect the attacks of a blind person?
Necrosword, the Sword of Undead, raises EVERY dead body within its radius as your own personal army (but put it down, even for an instant, and they devour you). I could see people looking at Vampires and Tomb Kings and thinking such a Sword existed, even if it didn't.
Maybe Mindsword is unable to affect anyone wearing the color yellow?
Anything at all that would make a good rumor, or better still if it could throw the players for a loop if it might be true, could be useful.
Anyone interested in throwing ideas out?
We expect the campaign world to get absolutely thrashed by the power struggles this must inevitably trigger off. In fact, in order to be true to the books the introduction of the Swords pretty much must make mincemeat out of the established power structures, and so for 'grist for the mill' we have to use a well-established campaign world for there to be enough kingdoms and powers to fight over the Swords.
DM has picked the Warhammer Fantasy world for our playground. In fact, he is going with one where evil is even more dominant than in the original.
Anyway, in setup discussions for the campaign, our soon-to-be-DM pointed out that in the books uncertainty played a big factor about the Swords. It was not until they'd been in use for a long time that people knew generally what they did, and even then a lot of uncertainly over 'would this sword beat that one' existed that just isn't there for players who've read the books.
So he has decided to throw us a curve ball or two.
What our DM wants from us is false swords. Rumors and misinformation, misrepresenting the powers of actual Swords, as well as presenting whole new Swords that never existed in the books.
The trick is, he will then go through and decide which, if any, of these 'false facts' he desires to make true.
And they could be anything.
Say Townsaver is supposed to be able to defeat Shieldbreaker if Townsaver is activated at the time. We know it didn't happen that way in the series, but it makes for an excellent supposition/rumor.
Or the new Sword Peachslicer, and maybe Grasscutter, that is supreme against plant creatures the same way that Dragonslicer is against dragons.
Or perhaps it is not Dragonslicer this time around. Perhaps it is DragonTAMER, and functions like Mindsword, but only against dragons.
Any rumor at all, and the more out there the better.
So say the rumor is out there that Shieldbreaker's weak spot is not just against unarmed persons, but any natural weapons at all - that it is supreme only against manufactured weapons (including magic and spells) but lions and tigers and bears? They tear it's wielder to shreds. Oh my!
Or maybe that Shieldbreaker has a draconic theme for its name and emblem this time, and could be Sundered by Dragonslicer, one of the very mildest of Swords.
Woundhealer thrust into a creature of Chaos reverts it to the mortal man or woman or animal it was before chaos got a hold of it?
Maybe Farslayer is supposed to be blind to anyone carrying Garlic? Actually, this could be dozens of rumors, each concerning a different substance, and one of them might even be true. Who knew that carrying a voodoo Barbie doll could get that Sword to strike it instead of you, huh?
Justice is supposed to be blind, so what about the Sword of Justice being unable to reflect the attacks of a blind person?
Necrosword, the Sword of Undead, raises EVERY dead body within its radius as your own personal army (but put it down, even for an instant, and they devour you). I could see people looking at Vampires and Tomb Kings and thinking such a Sword existed, even if it didn't.
Maybe Mindsword is unable to affect anyone wearing the color yellow?
Anything at all that would make a good rumor, or better still if it could throw the players for a loop if it might be true, could be useful.
Anyone interested in throwing ideas out?