Plot device ideas needed

[zephyrkinetic]

I've got my players retrieving parts to a broken sword. Said sword is ancient, Elven, and when reforged, will be Intelligent. I'm trying to make a session out of the act of actually getting it reforged, and decided I'm going to have them choose between two blacksmiths: one who is clearly better at the metalwork, and one with a natural talent for spells. If they choose the Metal Master, they will have a quest to find some [magical components] to help retain the spell properties of the original sword. If they go with the Magic Master, they will have to get a chunk of [obscure metal] to replace the broken bits.

I'm taking any ideas, here. What are some good Plot items to have them fetch? Where would they get things used in the forging of a millenia-old Elven artifact?

Additional information of note:

They just did a heist, and I don't want to have them get too many of the same thing.
Finding the origin of this item is a later quest which I already have partially planned. There's a sea quest between them and it, so they can't go there yet. I have to find some other place.


Thanks in advance! :smallcool:

[Dawgmoah]

I've got my players retrieving parts to a broken sword. Said sword is ancient, Elven, and when reforged, will be Intelligent. I'm trying to make a session out of the act of actually getting it reforged, and decided I'm going to have them choose between two blacksmiths: one who is clearly better at the metalwork, and one with a natural talent for spells. If they choose the Metal Master, they will have a quest to find some [magical components] to help retain the spell properties of the original sword. If they go with the Magic Master, they will have to get a chunk of [obscure metal] to replace the broken bits.

I'm taking any ideas, here. What are some good Plot items to have them fetch? Where would they get things used in the forging of a millenia-old Elven artifact?

Additional information of note:

They just did a heist, and I don't want to have them get too many of the same thing.
Finding the origin of this item is a later quest which I already have partially planned. There's a sea quest between them and it, so they can't go there yet. I have to find some other place.


Thanks in advance! :smallcool:

You don't mention what level the party members are. Here's a few of the special materials found in the books:

Blood Rock Dungeonscape
Deadwood Dungeonscape
Elementum Dungeonscape
Mage Stone Dungeonscape
Eldritch Whorlwood Explorers Handbook
Bilestone Lords of Madness
Voidstone Manual of the Planes
Abyssal Bloodiron Planar Handbook
Leafweave Races of the Wild
Thistledown Races of the Wild
Wildwood Races of the Wild
Kheferu Sandstorm
Obdurium Stronghold Builders Guide
Astral Driftmetal A&E
Blended Quartz A&E
Bronzewood A&E
Chitin A&E
Darkleaf A&E
Elukian Clay A&E
Entropium A&E
Urdrukar A&E
Ysgardian Heartwire A&E
Deep Crystal Secrets of Sarlona
Sentira Secrets of Sarlona
Aurorum Book of Exalted Deeds
Frystalline Book of Exalted Deeds
Moonblood Book of Exalted Deeds
Serren Book of Exalted Deeds
Solarian Truesteel Book of Exalted Deeds
Storm Tears Book of Exalted Deeds
Ysgardian Heartwire Book of Exalted Deeds

If they are high enough level, with the right equipment, send them out into the planes to go find some of this stuff. A lot of it from other planes. If they are low or medium level have certain amounts of whatever metal or material you go with held by various monsters or NPCs. As an added twist through several alternatives for each one: several pounds are supposedly held in a medusas' hoard of loot while another is actually a cup held in a local LG temple that would give the right amount of the necessary material. Then they have the choice of trying to talk the LG clerics into giving them the cup or trying to steal it.

[zephyrkinetic]

You don't mention what level the party members are. Here's a few of the special materials found in the books:


You're right, I forgot. I think they'll be around 7-9 by the time they do this part of the story. Not worried about giving them an overpowered weapon yet, because they'll still have a ways to go befoe it's awakened.

And that's a hell of a list; I'll wade through it over the weekend. Thanks!

[Dawgmoah]

You're right, I forgot. I think they'll be around 7-9 by the time they do this part of the story. Not worried about giving them an overpowered weapon yet, because they'll still have a ways to go befoe it's awakened.

And that's a hell of a list; I'll wade through it over the weekend. Thanks!

Sorry, accidently hit the enter key when I was trying to format the list better.

At that level I would think doing without planar travel may work best. Unless you have an NPC send them through and retrieve them for a fee or service. Yet another plot hook.

[zephyrkinetic]

Sorry, accidently hit the enter key when I was trying to format the list better.

At that level I would think doing without planar travel may work best. Unless you have an NPC send them through and retrieve them for a fee or service. Yet another plot hook.

I hate DMing Planar travel anyway, so I usually avoid it. No worries about the formatting; I'm not picky. I only meant the list was extensive.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by zephyrkinetic
Where would they get things used in the forging of a millenia-old Elven artifact?

Borrowing an early page from real-world metallurgy, you could send them to gather iron-rich river sands, flowing down from mountainous highlands which were recently volcanic.

These sands would either be essential to providing the additional metal needed to reforge the fragments, or magically latent and better able to capture and retain enchantments, or both.

[Ydaer Ca Noit]

Maybe they could choose the weapon properties by choosing what material the blacksmith should use (and thus what material they should get). Hearts of monsters, hidden flowers, blood of a nightmare, a hard to find alcohol.

[zephyrkinetic]

Borrowing an early page from real-world metallurgy, you could send them to gather iron-rich river sands, flowing down from mountainous highlands which were recently volcanic.

These sands would either be essential to providing the additional metal needed to reforge the fragments, or magically latent and better able to capture and retain enchantments, or both.

This works beautifully, and actually saves me the issue of needing to build the multiple choice adventure. Either way, they end up having to fetch the same stuff.


Maybe they could choose the weapon properties by choosing what material the blacksmith should use (and thus what material they should get). Hearts of monsters, hidden flowers, blood of a nightmare, a hard to find alcohol.

I love this idea, but I had everything about this sword figured out, and then broke it. I was thinking that they'll probably do another quest to get everyone else some neat items, too (since only one character can get the sword), so I may use this idea later.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by zephyrkinetic
Either way, they end up having to fetch the same stuff.

That was the plan.

:smalltongue: