Magic sentient sword + sentient scabbard.

[1Forge]

So I've been making the bad habit of improvising all my games recently, and because of that our fighter got a magic sentient sword and her husband the sentient scabbard (I was in the moment...) I've told them the sword&scabbard have locked together and can only be separated by magic or the swords consent. The girl sword is called Kurobara (a japaneese sword oil) The male scabbard is called Ricasso (the dull part of a sword above the hilt but below the sharp part)

I was thinking the scabbard would have an ability to become an iron golem or something (but only 3 uses then he is no longer sentient) but i cannot think of a good ability for kurobara i was thinking something permanent but i dont know what any ideas?

Edit: I also need one more ability for ricasso, something permanent.

Wall of roses (pretty much exactly wall of thorns but it lasts for 1 minute per day)

Enlightening edge (any attack made in direct sunlight has a +1 and forces the any non-evil enemy to make a dc 10 will save on a fail they see all the wrong they've done and become frightened no effect on success)

Wrought Sentinel: 3 uses polymorph into iron golem, remains active for 1 hour. After all 3 uses ricasso only remains alive for 1 minuit longer.

Rose's guardian: 1 use Ricasso can banish anything that poses a significant threat to kurobara for 3 turns, doing so will render him useless for 3 weeks.

Rabu's summoning: Kurobara flies through the air either to or away from Ricasso. Any enemy caught in the path of Kurobara takes 2d8 piercing damage (this damage is considered magical)

The sword kurobara was made origonally as any other sword, she was at first non-sentient and was weilded by a dragonborn paladin. This paladin walked to his homeland hearing rumors it was in trouble, but arrived to late his home was overrun with the dead. (the undead outbreak was caused by a rougue druid in my world) The paladin fought long and hard to clear his home, for not long into his work a druid came by and crushed him inside a coffin of thorny vines. It was unknown how long kurobara sat there bathing in the blood of her weilder, but we do that she was removed. The great dragons bordered the now overrun dragonborn homelands, and so when undead began to wander into their sacred grounds dragons quickly woke from their sleep to eradicate all they could. So paladins working with the great dragons flooded the cursed lands. The town previously mentioned was shortly doused in the flames of dragons, then as quickly quenched by the dragconian cold in these conditions Kurobara began to change, but it wasnt an hour before she was found. After the dragons left clerics and paladins filled the town hallowing everything and soaking anything corrupted in holy water. One of the clerics found kurobara and took her with him, for years her magic slowly evolved untill she could think, and several owners later till she could speak. Eventually she fell into the hands of a young human, during the fey wars (land eves, sea elves, and drow fought) The young man fought in defense of the land elves, and soon discovered kurobaras abilities. After a while they formed a friendship. in a fight with a drow he got cursed and turned into a scabbard. after that Ricasso and Kurobara became inseperable (figuratively)

[ZenBear]

It moans as it gets sheathed.

[NNescio]

Stab Kurobara into the ground (or surface), and she'll turn into a Wall of Thorns as though you have cast the spell (but the wall has to intersect Kurobara). Unlike normal Walls of Thorns, this one is covered with black roses.

Limited uses like the scabbard. Can't think of a good number.

[1Forge]

Stab Kurobara into the ground (or surface), and she'll turn into a Wall of Thorns as though you have cast the spell (but the wall has to intersect Kurobara). Unlike normal Walls of Thorns, this one is covered with black roses.

Limited uses like the scabbard. Can't think of a good number.

I like the wall of roses idea, but I would give it infinite uses (also I'd say it shrivels after 1 minute, and can only be used after she see's the dawn of a new day) I think that would go well with another ability I think she should have.(it'll be posted in the original post)

[Strill]

It moans as it gets sheathed.

It "moans" when it gets "sheathed"? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[Sigreid]

If you aren't set on limited uses, it would be really cool to have a sword and sheathe combo where you draw the sword and the sheathe transforms automatically from a sheathe on their belt to a readied shield on their arm. But only when the sword and shield are going to be used together. i.e. No using the shield with a spear.

Edit: Extra points if their names mean "Fortress" and "Wrath" or something of that nature, respectively.

[Fri]

Have the sword and scabbard bickers like a married couple, but actually care about each others, and have them do something cool when paired together... dunno what.

[1Forge]

If you aren't set on limited uses, it would be really cool to have a sword and sheathe combo where you draw the sword and the sheathe transforms automatically from a sheathe on their belt to a readied shield on their arm. But only when the sword and shield are going to be used together. i.e. No using the shield with a spear.

the shield thing is interesting but i'm not sure... Also they dont like the fighter that found them and dont like to be used.

[NNescio]

Oh, and just to clarify why I thought of the Wall of Thorns ability, Kurobara literally means "Black Rose" in Japanese.

[Sigreid]

the shield thing is interesting but i'm not sure... Also they dont like the fighter that found them and dont like to be used.

That sounds like a great role playing opportunity for the fighter as he tries to win them over and maybe eventually be viewed as the son they can never have.

Anyway, this is all just thinking with a keyboard to help you think where you want to go.

[1Forge]

Oh, and just to clarify why I thought of the Wall of Thorns ability, Kurobara literally means "Black Rose" in Japanese.

;-; That is a glorious ability name, now that is cannon in my homebrew world forevermore.

[NNescio]

;-; That is a glorious ability name, now that is cannon in my homebrew world forevermore.

If you want, you can give the ability a command word to activate:

"Kurobara, sakimidare."

「黒薔薇、咲き乱れ」

(Kurobara, bloom in glory.)

[georgie_leech]

If you want, you can give the ability a command word to activate:

"Kurobara, sakimidare."

「黒薔薇、咲き乱れ」

(Kurobara, bloom in glory.)

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100417154223/bleach/en/images/1/13/Kenryuu.png

[NNescio]

http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100417154223/bleach/en/images/1/13/Kenryuu.png

Uh, I'm sorry, but I don't really watch Bleach, and I wouldn't have known who the character is if I haven't seen the image url.

It's just a common phrase in Japanese poetry.

[georgie_leech]

Uh, I'm sorry, but I don't really watch Bleach, and I wouldn't have known who the character is if I haven't seen the image url.

It's just a common phrase in Japanese poetry.

Character from a filler arc. Sorry, thought you were making a reference because "Swordname, relevent phrase" is how they activate most of their stuff. That particular guy uses that phrase, and has a flower motif to go with it.

[Coidzor]

the shield thing is interesting but i'm not sure... Also they dont like the fighter that found them and dont like to be used.

So their only incentive not to kill the sheath and make it so that the sword can no longer refuse to be drawn is the "what-if we need an iron golem more at some other point in time?" scenario? :smallconfused:

[ZenBear]

That sounds like a great role playing opportunity for the fighter as he tries to win them over and maybe eventually be viewed as the son they can never have.

Anyway, this is all just thinking with a keyboard to help you think where you want to go.

That's a great character arc! Don't make it so simple as making Charisma checks to win them over, give the weapons values they believe in and perhaps some martial savvy that they slowly start teaching the fighter as he goes, at first grudgingly when he asks/pesters them and eventually insistently as they come to care for and be concerned about him.

[1Forge]

So their only incentive not to kill the sheath and make it so that the sword can no longer refuse to be drawn is the "what-if we need an iron golem more at some other point in time?" scenario? :smallconfused:

It's more complicated than that, they cant destroy the sheath and even if they did then the sword wouldnt exactly be willing to help (no activation of abilities) and she would probobly lash out psychically at them when ever they tried to use her...Man this is sounding odd.

+Zen: dont worry theres no way i'm giving them this with a successfull diplomacy check, they might occasionally use some after the talking to see how effective they are but they're going to have to work hard to win over kurobara & Ricasso

Also my players dont know of these weapons abilities (only the school of magic the magic is in), I was thinking of the iron golem ability so ricasso could use kurobara in a fight (though i'm not sure why they'd be fighting in the first place) but I think I will give him another ability to make him less useless.

[Coidzor]

It's more complicated than that, they cant destroy the sheath and even if they did then the sword wouldnt exactly be willing to help (no activation of abilities) and she would probobly lash out psychically at them when ever they tried to use her...Man this is sounding odd.

If using the scabbard's abiliities depowers it and makes it non-sentient, that's killing the scabbard. And if they start out as and stay as ****s, the party has no incentive not to make use of that final iron golem.

[1Forge]

If using the scabbard's abiliities depowers it and makes it non-sentient, that's killing the scabbard. And if they start out as and stay as ****s, the party has no incentive not to make use of that final iron golem.

But they have no idea of its powers, and if they could even make the scabbard use his limited ability they would lose the secondary bonus it gives (im not sure what yet) and the cooperation of the sword herself (meaning they have a potential 1d8 psychic damage per turn heading there way)

[Coidzor]

But they have no idea of its powers, and if they could even make the scabbard use his limited ability they would lose the secondary bonus it gives (im not sure what yet) and the cooperation of the sword herself (meaning they have a potential 1d8 psychic damage per turn heading there way)

So what you're saying is that you should rethink what you've designed here.

[Rhaegar14]

Since they're linked, it might be neat if you could use one to summon the other. Mostly fluff, but there are a few situations where that could be useful; it's much easier to get the sheath into the Duke's ballroom where no weapons are allowed than the sword, for example.

You could also look to Excalibur for inspiration; Excalibur itself was a razor-sharp sword that never dulled, while the scabbard prevented its owner's wounds from bleeding. Arthur only fell in battle after the scabbard was stolen from him; with it, he was invincible. When he first obtained Excalibur, Merlin even commented that the scabbard was more powerful than the sword itself. Ricasso's property could be damage reduction or regeneration of some kind (if you go with regeneration, however, I would make sure that they can't just pass it around to benefit from it and fully heal between fights).

Maybe the iron golem does more damage if Kurobara is sheathed when Ricasso transforms, and uses a giant version of the katana?

Edit: Read the lore. Kurobara was christened in the blood of a slain paladin, while Ricasso USED TO BE a paladin. Anything inspired by a paladin class mechanic (bonus to saves, for example) would be appropriate.

[1Forge]

Ricasso has been given two more abilities. Please comment and tell me if they seem balanced enough. the first is Rose's guardian the second is Rabu's summoning (you can find them in the original post.)

[1Forge]

So what you're saying is that you should rethink what you've designed here.

No I'm trying to make my players have to work for their bonuses, they are starting a new game (from level 1 or level 3) and they found these magic items. This is going to play a large part in the campaign because of the lore. I want to make my games more 3 dimensional rather than traditional. Also this is a great balancing factor i can use, if an encounter is too powerfull and a party wipe is close I can just say kurobara uses wall of roses (giving a small rest) or i could say Ricasso tries to banish a large monster that is too powerfull; It just gives me as a DM more options, while contributing to the game and still rewarding my players.

P.s. I forgot to say but my players found this after surviving a werewolf encounter I hadn't expected for them to survive.

(6 werewolves trying to kill them in a forest 1 wizard, 1 fighter, no magic weapons. both level 4)

They handled it so well they got magic items as a reward for their creativity (they burnt down a house on the first then convinced the rest they could multiply their game by 8 by casting enlarge on it, while the beasts feasted they ran away then hid in a rope trick with the rope pulled into the portal till dawn)