In the campaign I'm running, one of the NPCs is an older warrior. Not a man of incredible skill or mighty strength, or even great glory, but a stalwart, taciturn fellow who has seen many things and weathered them. The PCs haven't known him for too long and haven't seen him in action too much, but they like him. He also has a magical sword of indeterminate (but apparently modest) power he always fondly describes "his loyal friend, always at his side and always trustworthy".
Last session, this NPC was grievously wronged and wounded by the BBEG's minions, and was rendered crippled and incapable of fighting. The PCs are pretty furious and swearing revenge, and the old warrior, knowing they're going to need all the help they can get (not just for avenging him, but also to actually have a chance at victory as a whole), gave them his sword, hoping it'll do them at least some good.
The session ended pretty much there, and now the problem is that I'm not so sure what exactly the sword should do. It was pretty much a spur-of-the-moment idea that they should get the sword, and I hadn't really given it too much thought beforehand. So, what exactly should a modestly powered, "trustworthy" sword cherished by an old warrior do? I'm thinking of something more low-key, possibly passive or reactionary in nature, but something better than just the equivalent of +1 bonuses (because let's face it, there's nothing intresting about a sword whose only perk is a numeric bonus).
What kind of a weapon would an old, enduring warrior cherish and find always useful, even if it's not mighty or incredibly destructive in nature? What kind of a weapon would always feel reassuring him, even if just a bit, to carry at his side against danger?
>>44158782
The sword is always at the hands of its owner when they need it, literally. If they are disarmed and thrown into the dungeons, it will just be there, under some dirty blankets or a bench, or even their goddamn pantleg.
Their faithful ally, always at their side, and always trustworthy.
Have you considered something like an adaptive blade? Nothing particularly impressive. but something like it lengthens to give the fighter some distance when wounded, gets a couple of blood grooves after a couple of fights. It sharpens itself quietly while resting, it heats up on a cold night.
The blade is truly a companion, and wants to be helpful, loyally changing itself to help the fighter, no matter the odds.
>>44158836
Might be a bit abuse-prone if the sword literally appears anywhere. But I've always liked the idea of a special item that finds its way back to its owner, no matter what, possibly at the time of great danger.
Like, instead of just inexplicably being there in the darkest, grimiest, deepest prison hole, it will find its way into your hands when you stage a daring escape. Possibly carried by a guard who stumbles and falls, or just sitting on a table you run past, or otherwise within your grasp.
Maybe it'd be cool to have an item that's generally "lucky", in the sense that things always seem to go a bit more towards your way when you have it. Like, in game terms, the player can ask a number (whatever feels good) of scene-specific questions, like "Is one of the guards that attack me actually drunk off his ass" or somesuch opportunate, plausible things that could be true and could help the character.
In a campaign I played in, there was a blessed dagger that ensured that no wound caused on the character would fester or otherwise slay the person afterwards, only through direct, immediate damage. Like, no matter how badly you were bled and gutted, as long as you wouldn't outright perish from it, you would persist and get better. Bleeding and infection, mostly. I don't remember if diseases and the like were also included.
Of course, that's only useful if the game system actually has distinct wounds and complications thereof.
>>44158836
I love that idea
>>44158836
I like this a lot, but Its usefulness highly depends on how often the PCs get their asses kicked basically.
>>44158782
Make it a plain shortsword, with the only interesting feature about it being a name carved into the crossguard
Upon equipping the weapon, a PC should have to make an INT or WIS check, should they fail, nothing happens, should they succeed, the sword starts talking to them telepathically, never offering advice or tactical direction, but friendly enthusiasm and a generally positive outlook on the current situation
The sword, when balanced on it's wielder's arm or hand will adjust its position like a compass to lead them down the safest and surest path to a warm bed with cool drink and hot food.
>>44158782
Instead of overt magic, make it instead that it is recognizable. Every culture and civilization seems knows this old warrior and owes him a debt of some kind. When the party meets anyone there is a good chance of them recognizing the sword, either directly, or as described to them, and offering help.
At first it seems as if it's just a normal sword and the warrior was just a good person, but as time goes on it you realize that while the description of the sword never changes, some people have wildly differing descriptions of the warrior holding it. Sometimes accounts of his deeds don't match up, happening at the same time, or years before he was born.
The sword is a loyal friend and a trustworthy ally, because it will always, and has always, been in the hands of those who are loyal and trustworthy. Possessing the sword will make all people a little more likely to trust the party, because even if the wielder is a stranger, everyone recognizes the sword to be a loyal friend.
>>44158836
This idea is so good.
>>44158869
There are some excellent ideas in this post as well.
I would add that you give it that +1, and also a +1 moral bonus, however that fits to your system/setting, because the wielder, well, he never feels alone. He always feels as somebody, somewhere has his back, somehow.
>>44164465
This is actually a terrific idea
Stealing it as my own
