Saturday, February 13, 2021

d12 Elvish Blades

Elf finds an Elvish blade

Here are my twelve attempts to make some Elvish blades with cooler powers than the classic orc detectors.


Assume the names are translated from Elvish, so for their real names feel free to make up something with as many accent marks and apostrophes as you like.


1. Spell Eater. A jagged two-handed sword inscribed with flowing runes. When you are targeted with a spell you can make a save to parry it. The sword absorbs the spell and now you can cast it through the sword, delivering its effect with a touch from the blade. The sword can only hold one spell at a time.
The reflection on the blade reveals the spell within. A charm spell might show as dreamy pink clouds, while a fireball would appear as a raging inferno.

2. Snowfall. An icy white dagger forged from the first frosts of winter. The remains of anyone killed by this blade turn to snow and quickly melt away.

3. Mercy. A perfect silvery longsword with a hilt shaped like twining golden snakes. The blade can be touched to a character to cure wounds once a day, becoming more notched and dim as it takes on the damage itself. The sword has 25 hp.

4. Birdsong. A falchion with a guard shaped like an eagle in flight. The blade is extremely thin and light, and its strikes are so fast that the wind around it whistles. A swing of the sword can generate gusts of wind strong enough to snuff a torch.

5. Decay. A rapier with a basket hilt shaped like twisted thorny roses, created by a bitter elven prince who was banished from the realm of Faerie. It causes no physical damage, but destroys beauty. A cut from this blade can disfigure flesh, corrode jewelry, and make fine sculptures crumble to dust. 

6. Radiance. A broadsword forged from clear, razor-sharp crystal. When charged, the blade has a lurid white glow and deals fire damage on hit. The wielder can shoot a concentrated beam of sunlight from the blade, but doing so depletes the sword’s energy. To recharge it, the sword must bask in sunlight for a day.

7. Night’s Talon. A crescent dagger that is shadowy and near-translucent during the day, but becomes glittering silver at night. Damage caused by this blade does not take effect until the target is touched by moonlight.

8. Nymph Bane. A regal, opalescent longsword once used by the Pale Knight of the Winter Court to slay 999 water nymphs. Water fears this blade. Whoever openly wears it will find that water will not touch them. Raindrops will not fall on them even in a storm, and rivers and streams part to avoid their path.

9. Ghost. A scimitar made from sharpened obsidian with a subtle purple glow around its edge. The blade seamlessly passes through inorganic material, only damaging living things.

10. Autumn Leaves. A longsword with a hilt of white-barked branches that sprout golden leaves. Anyone struck by this blade must save or instantly age until they are old and gray. This effect also works on non-living things.

11. Sanguine. A red sabre decorated with golden flower engravings. An attack from this sword leaves wounds that bleed blood-red rose petals. The wounded character takes 1 damage per round until they staunch the flow.

12. Dryad's Embrace. A longsword of green metal with a hilt made from mossy wood. Whoever wields this sword is encased in a suit of armor made from living wood. The armor is as strong as steel plate but the wearer takes double damage from fire.

2 comments:

  1. I like these. Simple, but with solid flavor. Sanguine is definitely my favorite; the image of getting cut open by a sword and having rose petals spill out really threads the needle between whimsical and macabre.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Whimsical and macabre is exactly how I like my elves.

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