Moonblades [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Moonblades [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Arcanis44
06-24-03, 12:06 AM Does anyone know the stats/abilities of the moonblades that the moon elves pass down through out their family's generations. All I know so far is that the blade has to accept the new owner? I gleaned this info from p. 182 of the forgotten realms source book under the description of Elaith "The Serpent" Caulnober.

If anyone has any other stats for this sword, I would greatly appreciate hearing about them!!!

Arcanis
Kuje31
06-24-03, 12:15 AM Each one is different. Elves of Evermeet is the sourcebook for the 2e info on it. And Magic of Faerun, is the sourcebook for 3e on it.

Me I always liked the using the charts from the 2e compendiums that came in the four book series of magical items.
Arcanis44
06-24-03, 12:17 AM Thanks for the info. I have MoFR, I'll check it out.
Kuje31
06-24-03, 12:33 AM Originally posted by Arcanis44
Thanks for the info. I have MoFR, I'll check it out.

Cool. Page 170 and 171 in case you need the #'s :)
kiwidoc
06-24-03, 07:21 AM If you want to really understand what the Moonblades are, how and why they were created, and what their history is as well as just the stats go to Cormanthyr ~ Moonblades (http://myth-drannor.net/DlabraddathNet/z-Cormanthyr/Moonblades.htm#top)

This article is a summary of the material in all the source books that mention moonblades and as far as I know it is the only synthesis of all the material and is the most thorough summary out there (modest aren't I!) I tried to make it not just a dry and clinical listing of stats. It should be interesting and enjoyable to read .... well I can but hope ;) Also we have some glorious art work of magical swords.

The source books used are
*Cormanthyr, Empire of the Elves – Stephen Scherd and Kevin Melka
*The Elves of Evermeet - Anthony Prior
*Heroes Lorebook – Dale Donovan and Paul Culotta
*Magic of Faerun – Reynolds, Maxwell and McCoy
*The novels of Elaine Cunningham – “Evermeet, Island of the Elves”, the “Swords and Sorcery” series
*2nd ed and 3rd ed Core Rules Books
Alisttair
06-24-03, 12:45 PM On a side note, there is a LN Elf named Xan who posseses a pretty weak Moonblade from the Baldur's Gate game :) And remember, they did admit that these games ARE cannon. :D
Reefy
06-24-03, 05:05 PM Nice article, kiwidoc, very useful as one of my players has just inherited a moonblade. Of course he doesn't know what it is yet, nor is he likely to for some time. ;)
greymarch
06-24-03, 05:27 PM I know that most moonblades are longswords, but are there any examples of moonblades that are greatswords?
NiTessine
06-24-03, 11:33 PM Originally posted by Alisttair
On a side note, there is a LN Elf named Xan who posseses a pretty weak Moonblade from the Baldur's Gate game :) And remember, they did admit that these games ARE cannon. :D

Though the canon version of events is in the novels, and there, it was specifically noted at one point that Xan did not even have a sword... :sad:
Alisttair
06-25-03, 06:51 PM Bah sometimes wizards are just stupid.
SirUrza
06-25-03, 11:34 PM Originally posted by greymarch
I know that most moonblades are longswords, but are there any examples of moonblades that are greatswords?

Moonblades aren't templates to just apply to any sword like so many other classic D&D swords have become. Elves prefer longsword, thus they used longswords to originally make them.

But it's your campaign, do what you want. :)
Rapiersman
06-26-03, 02:41 PM Elves also favor The Great And Supercool Weapon Named Rapier :D So wouldn't it be logical that some of the moonblades are rapiers?
Alisttair
06-26-03, 04:22 PM I would enjoy seeing Rapier Moonblades. Since Moonblades were made mostly for Moon elves, should there one day be Sunblades for Sun elves and maybe Woodblades for Wood elves and so on so forth? :P hehe just tryin to put some :D on people here :angel:
Josh Davids
06-28-03, 02:57 AM http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/b/i/bitterashes2/moonblade.jpg.html

this is the version i came up with. just the image i had in mind of what one would appear like. it came out better then i could hope, might one day redo it to see if i can get a better image of what.
Ilbreth Shadowblade
06-28-03, 06:39 AM Originally posted by Josh Davids
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/b/i/bitterashes2/moonblade.jpg.html

this is the version i came up with. just the image i had in mind of what one would appear like. it came out better then i could hope, might one day redo it to see if i can get a better image of what.

Now that looks like - at least - a bastard sword, if not a great sword. But it is a great drawing!:)
kiwidoc
06-29-03, 01:41 PM Originally posted by Alisttair
I would enjoy seeing Rapier Moonblades. Since Moonblades were made mostly for Moon elves, should there one day be Sunblades for Sun elves and maybe Woodblades for Wood elves and so on so forth? :P hehe just tryin to put some :D on people here :angel:

Sorry but no. The moonblades were all made at the same time and for a specific purpose - to choose the Royal Family for the surface elves. I happen to know a lot of sun elves have wished this wasn't the case, and would have LOVED to have some sunblades to choose a sun elven family to be their rulers, but that's not part of Corellon's plan.

Not all moonblades have the same style and "personality" for want of a better word. They were made by a large number of different artisans, and in different places all of which have different traditions in metal work. Some of them haven't been primarily weapons, but have been more magical tools to be used by generations of wizards. The abilities they have gathered over the generations have been tailored for this rather than for combat. I would think these blades are perhaps both smaller and lighter.
Maskanodel
06-29-03, 04:52 PM The Moonblades were best suited to be used by Moon Elves. But at the time when they were handed out, a few noble Sun Elf families also took, but didn't claim, the Moonblades, saying they would hold the blades until the right member of their family came along. Did any Sun Elves eventually claim the Moonblades?
Mirtek
06-29-03, 06:20 PM Did any Sun Elves eventually claim the Moonblades?

Interesting question.

It was never said that it would be impossible that a Sun Elf can claim a Moonblade, only that it's very, very, [....] unlikely.
kiwidoc
06-29-03, 06:28 PM Maskanodel the moonblades were not deliberately made to be more suitable for moon elves. However Ethlando did warn the sun elven families that they would be unlikely to suceed in claiming a moonblade, and none did. This comment referred to the original[/i] claiming of the blades by representitives of individual families, not the subsequent attempts to claim a blade by its previous owner's heir. I don't know if any individual sun elves ended up being the succesful heir of a blade passed down from one of the succesful first claimants.

Nothing tells us for sure why none of the moonblades were claimed by elves from any other race besides moon elves. We can guess that the Seldarine realised that the culture and attitudes of the moon elves would be best suited to the role of royal family ... but this [b]is only a guess. In that original claiming, the moonblades did not use the same criteria to judge for a succesful claimant as they use to judge an heir. Many elves who were noble (I mean in character not in bloodline), good hearted, brave people who would have been thoroughly acceptable as an heir to a moonblade died when they tried to lay the first ever claim to a blade.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Arcanis44 06-24-03, 12:06 AM	Does anyone know the stats/abilities of the moonblades that the moon elves pass down through out their family's generations. All I know so far is that the blade has to accept the new owner? I gleaned this info from p. 182 of the forgotten realms source book under the description of Elaith "The Serpent" Caulnober. If anyone has any other stats for this sword, I would greatly appreciate hearing about them!!! Arcanis
Kuje31 06-24-03, 12:15 AM	Each one is different. Elves of Evermeet is the sourcebook for the 2e info on it. And Magic of Faerun, is the sourcebook for 3e on it. Me I always liked the using the charts from the 2e compendiums that came in the four book series of magical items.
Arcanis44 06-24-03, 12:17 AM	Thanks for the info. I have MoFR, I'll check it out.
Kuje31 06-24-03, 12:33 AM	Originally posted by Arcanis44 Thanks for the info. I have MoFR, I'll check it out. Cool. Page 170 and 171 in case you need the #'s :)
kiwidoc 06-24-03, 07:21 AM	If you want to really understand what the Moonblades are, how and why they were created, and what their history is as well as just the stats go to Cormanthyr ~ Moonblades (http://myth-drannor.net/DlabraddathNet/z-Cormanthyr/Moonblades.htm#top) This article is a summary of the material in all the source books that mention moonblades and as far as I know it is the only synthesis of all the material and is the most thorough summary out there (modest aren't I!) I tried to make it not just a dry and clinical listing of stats. It should be interesting and enjoyable to read .... well I can but hope ;) Also we have some glorious art work of magical swords. The source books used are Cormanthyr, Empire of the Elves – Stephen Scherd and Kevin Melka The Elves of Evermeet - Anthony Prior Heroes Lorebook – Dale Donovan and Paul Culotta Magic of Faerun – Reynolds, Maxwell and McCoy The novels of Elaine Cunningham – “Evermeet, Island of the Elves”, the “Swords and Sorcery” series 2nd ed and 3rd ed Core Rules Books
Alisttair 06-24-03, 12:45 PM	On a side note, there is a LN Elf named Xan who posseses a pretty weak Moonblade from the Baldur's Gate game :) And remember, they did admit that these games ARE cannon. :D
Reefy 06-24-03, 05:05 PM	Nice article, kiwidoc, very useful as one of my players has just inherited a moonblade. Of course he doesn't know what it is yet, nor is he likely to for some time. ;)
greymarch 06-24-03, 05:27 PM	I know that most moonblades are longswords, but are there any examples of moonblades that are greatswords?
NiTessine 06-24-03, 11:33 PM	Originally posted by Alisttair On a side note, there is a LN Elf named Xan who posseses a pretty weak Moonblade from the Baldur's Gate game :) And remember, they did admit that these games ARE cannon. :D Though the canon version of events is in the novels, and there, it was specifically noted at one point that Xan did not even have a sword... :sad:
Alisttair 06-25-03, 06:51 PM	Bah sometimes wizards are just stupid.
SirUrza 06-25-03, 11:34 PM	Originally posted by greymarch I know that most moonblades are longswords, but are there any examples of moonblades that are greatswords? Moonblades aren't templates to just apply to any sword like so many other classic D&D swords have become. Elves prefer longsword, thus they used longswords to originally make them. But it's your campaign, do what you want. :)
Rapiersman 06-26-03, 02:41 PM	Elves also favor The Great And Supercool Weapon Named Rapier :D So wouldn't it be logical that some of the moonblades are rapiers?
Alisttair 06-26-03, 04:22 PM	I would enjoy seeing Rapier Moonblades. Since Moonblades were made mostly for Moon elves, should there one day be Sunblades for Sun elves and maybe Woodblades for Wood elves and so on so forth? :P hehe just tryin to put some :D on people here :angel:
Josh Davids 06-28-03, 02:57 AM	http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/b/i/bitterashes2/moonblade.jpg.html this is the version i came up with. just the image i had in mind of what one would appear like. it came out better then i could hope, might one day redo it to see if i can get a better image of what.
Ilbreth Shadowblade 06-28-03, 06:39 AM	Originally posted by Josh Davids http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/b/i/bitterashes2/moonblade.jpg.html this is the version i came up with. just the image i had in mind of what one would appear like. it came out better then i could hope, might one day redo it to see if i can get a better image of what. Now that looks like - at least - a bastard sword, if not a great sword. But it is a great drawing!:)
kiwidoc 06-29-03, 01:41 PM	Originally posted by Alisttair I would enjoy seeing Rapier Moonblades. Since Moonblades were made mostly for Moon elves, should there one day be Sunblades for Sun elves and maybe Woodblades for Wood elves and so on so forth? :P hehe just tryin to put some :D on people here :angel: Sorry but no. The moonblades were all made at the same time and for a specific purpose - to choose the Royal Family for the surface elves. I happen to know a lot of sun elves have wished this wasn't the case, and would have LOVED to have some sunblades to choose a sun elven family to be their rulers, but that's not part of Corellon's plan. Not all moonblades have the same style and "personality" for want of a better word. They were made by a large number of different artisans, and in different places all of which have different traditions in metal work. Some of them haven't been primarily weapons, but have been more magical tools to be used by generations of wizards. The abilities they have gathered over the generations have been tailored for this rather than for combat. I would think these blades are perhaps both smaller and lighter.
Maskanodel 06-29-03, 04:52 PM	The Moonblades were best suited to be used by Moon Elves. But at the time when they were handed out, a few noble Sun Elf families also took, but didn't claim, the Moonblades, saying they would hold the blades until the right member of their family came along. Did any Sun Elves eventually claim the Moonblades?
Mirtek 06-29-03, 06:20 PM	Did any Sun Elves eventually claim the Moonblades? Interesting question. It was never said that it would be impossible that a Sun Elf can claim a Moonblade, only that it's very, very, [....] unlikely.
kiwidoc 06-29-03, 06:28 PM	Maskanodel the moonblades were not deliberately made to be more suitable for moon elves. However Ethlando did warn the sun elven families that they would be unlikely to suceed in claiming a moonblade, and none did. This comment referred to the original[/i] claiming of the blades by representitives of individual families, not the subsequent attempts to claim a blade by its previous owner's heir. I don't know if any individual sun elves ended up being the succesful heir of a blade passed down from one of the succesful first claimants. Nothing tells us for sure why none of the moonblades were claimed by elves from any other race besides moon elves. We can guess that the Seldarine realised that the culture and attitudes of the moon elves would be best suited to the role of royal family ... but this [b]is only a guess. In that original claiming, the moonblades did not use the same criteria to judge for a succesful claimant as they use to judge an heir. Many elves who were noble (I mean in character not in bloodline), good hearted, brave people who would have been thoroughly acceptable as an heir to a moonblade died when they tried to lay the first ever claim to a blade.