Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aliquid 12-20-05, 05:00 PM	Many of the posts on this board are related to the mechanics of the game. This one is dedicated to flavour. Think of your favourite weapon for your character, or the weapon you wish you had. Now describe what it looks like. You can briefly describe what magical abilities it has, but focus on how you imagine it would look. If you have a flaming battle-axe, are the flames on all the time? Just when you swing it? Does it look like the blade is made of flame, or can you see the metal? What colour is the metal? What about the haft, what is it made of? Ornate, simple…. etc. For me, I always like rapiers. It’s nice to imagine a gold handle, and fancy details for a magic weapon’s handle, and script written on the blade…. But my characters typically prefer a magic weapon that looks completely mundane. Boring and simple, so it doesn’t attract attention…. But then my characters also like to be inconspicuous. How about you?
20goingon1232 12-20-05, 05:15 PM	Favourite weapon of all time is a one-handed version of the Black Sword from Ultima 7. Nice design, cool colouration. Just all round fun. That blade drawn by Clyde Caldwell is pretty nice too. He uses it all the time in his book covers, one of them being "Tanis, the Shadow Years". Another nice weapon is the Bloodsword in Margeret Weis' Star of the Guardian trilogy. Smooth basket hilt of some silvery metal (mithril?) with a brilliant energy blade.
Black Kitten 12-20-05, 05:25 PM	My favourite blade a character ever carried was a Bane's Blade. This Masterwork Bastardsword was made of andamantine and painted black with very solid paint that won't come loose. Ingraved in the blade are many runes which hold a strong prayer to Bane that those wielding the sword may be overcome with fear and submit to it's wielder. Not that it does anything beyond that, since in the hands of a lvl 10 character, it's often a good slaughtering tool for the mass-slaughter.
DragonDeadite 12-20-05, 06:16 PM	There's two weapons that I'm going to describe. Neither of which have any real game rules on them, they're just story line tools. Killfire Blade: (Lame name, leave me alone I was young!) This greatsword has black grooves that run along the blade to the very tip giving the blade the look of a flowing shadow, base of the blade coming out of the mouth of a dragon that starts the handle itself. Two claws create the pomel, each holding a gem, one white one black with the pomel holding a deep blue stone that pulses with it's own life. (Stone of Aldur from the Belgariad for those curious) (Basicaly the powers of this sword are unlisted and is only usable in the hands of one person and for story line purposes both sword and person have been destroyed completely) Kawl's Revenge: Even beyond the size of a conventional greatsword Kawl's Revenge was created for the hands of one man, Ralkin, Kawl's only son. The sword is kept in three seperate pieces for travel and is assembled for a battle, usualy duals or for seiges. The first part of the blade is the pomel, handle and guard, the pomel being the coat of arms of the Githereal family (long story) the guard is three arms each a spiral of different metal, iron, adamantine and the last of mithril each ending in a diamond orb (black diamond on the adamantine arm). The handle is wrapped in black leather cord, the remnants of Kawl's belt. This first piece also has the first foot of the blade etched in dwarven and elven runes, each different meanings of the word "Revenge." The second part of the blade locks onto the handle section by two slots that press onto two notches at the edge of the first part of the blade. This section is fairly simple save for a single line of black down the center of one side and a line of gold on the other side. The third section completes the blade and is perhaps the most ornate section of it. Easily the size of a short sword in itself it makes the point of Kawl's Revenge with lines of script in an ancient language (Japanese) that is now undecipherable. The center of this blade is a thin line of metal that was the end of the Rapier that Kawl wielded in his final days, still holding the original enchantment of the rapier and bestowing it's power on the new blade. (Basicaly it's a Holy/Flaming/Desicating/Vorpal sword of friggin doom and destruction. Never really did stats on this sword but anyone hit with it goes down fast. If anyone recognises the name of Ralkin Githereal probably knows of this sword as well as the Githereal Blade and the Freelancer both of which wont be listed for personal reasons. )
feartheinvinceblehamster 12-20-05, 06:31 PM	My favorite weapon I ever used was the Hammer of Dudukain and the Bow Of Explosions both were extremely powerful weapons in the hands of my epic level barbarian/scout/beastmaster dudukain. The Hammer of dudukain is a massive two-handed hammer, and is used effortlessly in one hand by dudukain while a ogre would have to hold it in two hands. It's head weighs nearly 300 pounds, and it is forged of an unknown metal, is inscribed with golden runes, and bears numerous notches from striking enemies and is touched by the blood of the titan false gods he slew. In game terms, the hammer of dudukain is a +10 fiery power large goliath great hammer The Bow of Explosions was gifted to dudukain to kill a evil entity. It is a finely carved white ash longbow inscribed with holy symbols. Later he added explosive magicks to it to help destroy more powerful beings. In game terms, it is a +6 holy longbow that does an additional 4d6 points of explosive damage upon impact.
Far_Traveler 12-20-05, 08:28 PM	I've always liked the rapier-wielding bard, doing a fighting style akin to a dance with its lunges and parries, singing a poem about things like why he's killng him, how sloppy/clumsy his opponent is, etc. The rapier would have a simple hilt designed to guard the fingers with a basic enchantment on a ring protecting the wrist and forearm, making it very hard to disarm, it would have a blade that vanished whenever the word "Enguarde!" is uttured, giving it a bonus on disarm offence, sunder avoidence, and a bonus on fients, that also focused one's senses, giving the wielder improved uncanny dodge and uncanny dodge and a bonus of spot and listen, as well as blindfight, making it very easy to lunge at a weak spot when the opponent was caught off guard.
nastynate 12-20-05, 08:40 PM	My favorite weapon was a psionic dagger that I got in 2E playing through the thoughts of darkness module. It was made of bone, but had none of the drawbacks that a non-metal blade would have. I'm pretty sure it was +4 and it could change size, from a dagger all the way up to a great sword. It also had this nifty psionic power called all-around-vision active whenever it was held. The power functioned similar to uncanny dodge, in that you couldn't be surprised [caught flat-footed now], but you could see 360 degrees in every direction as well. It came in so handy time after time, as we contined to play our characters. I used to center an anti-magic field around myself, which didn't effect the dagger) and kick the snot out of other spellcasters.
Fraser1986 12-21-05, 08:35 AM	I always liked two handed swords but im not sure they exist in 3.5 I'm not talking about greatswords, which the book says are six feet long or something... The sword i mean is probably the length of a long sword but you wield it in two hands and it uses dexterity almost as much as strength. The blade is specially designed so that while its sharp, it won't cut you if you hold it, only if the blade moves, so you can also hold it by the blade and use the hilt like a hammer.
Aliquid 12-21-05, 12:41 PM	It was made of bone, but had none of the drawbacks that a non-metal blade would have.That got me thinking about using non-standard materials for the weapons. It would be interesting to have a magic sword made out of wood, so it just looks like a practice training sword, but it works like a regular magical sword. Somehow I would find that to be amusing.
Ichor Spellka 12-21-05, 01:44 PM	The weapon I most like the flavour of was the githyanki silver sword. I had an epic level githyanki psion illithid slayer wielding one of those. One of my favourite images was of him, fully armored in plate, wading through the middle of armies in combat, swinging his sword, the silver blade flowing, snaking around other weapons and shields, never quite following the path that the blade should follow, and sinking into flesh, all while he set off energy balls around him. The bright silver blade constantly flowing like quicksilver, moving of its own volition always leads to such cool imagery. And having these bright, shining blades being used by such evil beings rather than the stereotypical knight in shining armor always added just a touch of flavour that I loved to picture.
SilverFoxKnows 12-21-05, 05:25 PM	Cool, I've never been quoted in anybody's sig before. I'm glad you got a kick out of that. I was beginning to think I was just amusing myself. Oh, to answer the orinigal question I like nondescript weapons that could pass for tools. A "dagger" that resembles a large hunting, or butcher, knife. A battle axe that could pass for a woodchopper. A machete instead of a short sword (for a backup weapon the crit's not much of an issue). I tend to shy away from weapons that scream "Look at me, I'm worth stealing".
Feor 12-21-05, 06:50 PM	Mace for me, always with the mace. (I tend toward divine characters, clerics, fighter/clerics, and Pallys, and a Cleric just ain't a cleric without a mace) I've never actually gotten my hands on one (My 2E DMs were all stingy with anything not straight out of the books, and I haven't been playing 3.x very long) but I have it all ready right here: http://heat_4.tripod.com/images/mace.jpg (dunno if these boards auto-parse links, you'l get a hotlinking thing if you try to open the link, just cut & paste to your address bar) Enchanted with a minor paralysing poison (good clerics disable, not kill), and can manifest a minor illusion on command making the wielder's arm(s) appear to turn into a serpent as he swings it.
Morbid 12-22-05, 02:15 AM	I love to sound like the geek when I say I'd either wat Cloud Strife's Buster sword, or Sephiroths long as hell sword. I forgot the name... But I would have a bluish haze when it hit the sun correctly.
JungeonJeff 12-22-05, 08:58 AM	Mine was the weapons that my first 3.5 char had. My group had been keeping to 3.0 because of the gm, but he finally cracked, and so, as we wanted to try out the overwhelming amount of PrC's there now is for 3.5, we started at 12th lvl. If always been keen on the melee branches of chars, so I picked up Complete Warrior and Complete Divine, and created June, Bloodmaiden of Hextor. (For those interested in such things she was a Human 3rd Paladin of Tyranny/ 4th Fighter/ 1st Pios Templar/ 4th Thayan Knight (modified)... yeah, even though I don’t see myself as a munchkin/powergamer, I do like to optimize my char's...) She carried Death's Sweet Release, a longsword with a slender grey'ish blade, which, when drawn, emanated a fine vapour (the one you see around a cold object). The guard looked vicious, almost like a pair of pincers, black, and from the hilt hangs a blood-red scarf, blowing softly in the wind. (Again for those interested, it was a +1 Ghost Touch Longsword) Her other weapon was a spiked chain, which was inspired by Hextors two relics in the back of Complete Divine. It's was called Batch of the Slavemaster, and was a spiked chain, slender and yet black, with one-inch long spikes down the sides, that, when grabbed gave the impression that blood was dripping from the hand or gauntlets of the wielder. The small stream of blood would drip down the links of the chain, only to be sucked up by the spikes, revealing tine writings of hatred, inscribed on each of the spikes, and making them light up with a low, dark-red glow. (And once again, this was a +2 Vicious Spiked Chain) That was actually the first game were we, as a group, decided to go very detailed into the description of not only our char's, but also our equipment. It was great fun, and once this, now 10 month long scenario is done, I'm sure we will continue to do so. :)
Cuaglar 12-22-05, 09:48 AM	I'm not much of an artist (heck, I'm no artist at all!) but I've doodled the specific weapons in the DM guide. I think one of my favourites was the Nine Lives Stealer. I pictured it having a black iron hilt, with black and gold leather wrapped around the handle, and a long, thin, deadly blade. ALong the blade I pictured nine glowing red gems, that fade and die every time the sword uses its special power. I also pictured the Slaying Arrow as a pitch black arrow, like Bard's Black Arrow in the Hobbit.
Phrennzy 12-22-05, 10:47 AM	One of my (few) characters was a gnome - it's been so long that I can't remember the class... Anyway, he had a crossbow - it was pump action, like a shotgun. That's how he would load it - the DM let me design it to load by using the pump action, a sort of "Click-CLACK". It had no effect on combat or anything - I just liked it. I loved it. It felt like, "This means business." Later, we ran into so crazy enlightened dwarves, and they were able to make it a double barrel pump action crossbow. I've always thought that was so cool.
HammerHeart81 12-22-05, 04:47 PM	I played a Paladin who had a masterwork greatsword comissioned and latter enchanted. The hilt was shaped like angel wings. The pommel has the symbol for his homebrewed deity and in the middle was the symbol for the saint patron of the order. Inscribed on the blade is celestrial for "Only strong as the hands that weild me." My Paladin ended up falling in battle so the sword fell to the hands of his brother.(yeah, played long lost brother of an NPC, lame but kinda cool at the same time)
Prince Indirian 12-22-05, 06:30 PM	I always liked two handed swords but im not sure they exist in 3.5 I'm not talking about greatswords, which the book says are six feet long or something... The sword i mean is probably the length of a long sword but you wield it in two hands and it uses dexterity almost as much as strength. The blade is specially designed so that while its sharp, it won't cut you if you hold it, only if the blade moves, so you can also hold it by the blade and use the hilt like a hammer. You like real life long swords... I have somthing for ya.... http://www.reliks.com/merchant.ihtml?pid=2169&step=4 I like that sword alot I also like curved, yataghan like swords... And they don't have to fancy or so. Okay, maybe a little runic (or something written in languages with cool alphabets, like arabic, real runes, chinese etc) inscriptions along the blade might not hurt though
Ashok_Lal 12-22-05, 07:06 PM	My wannabe cavalier (low level ) heavy lance (non magical yet) with a large Anamantite fist on the end rather then a point(bludgining). The fist has a Signet ring on it so when I score a crit it leaves a clear imprint on my hapless foe.
Braekor Dragonfang 12-22-05, 09:39 PM	A war rhinoceros decked out in mirror-shiny full plate barding would be my weapon of choice, a katzbalger being a close second
ChimericPhase 12-23-05, 04:36 AM	My favorite weapon will always be one I made for my homebrew campaign. The Fearbringer was an intelligent mithril longspear covered with cuniform runes. It made it's weilder immune to fear effects and could also cast numerous fear and fear-type spells on the weilder's enemies. It's goal was to find a worthy weilder that it could make into a great leader - good or evil, it didn't care. A close second would probably be my ranger's weapon: A double-scimitar called Frost Reaver. I imagine the handle being made from bone wrapped with leather, and the two curving blue-tinged blades with rough celtic looking runes running along the blade's edges.
Tuah 12-23-05, 02:48 PM	Oh Boccob! This is the kind of thread I've been longing to see! (I can never word things right xp) My character would have 2 weapons, each used separately. One of them would be a (maybe) [+4 Defending Ghost-Touch Coldfire Broadblade Longsword.] It works as the Broadblade Shortsword from Complete Adventurer, but is a longsword. At strike, I can choose to add 1d6 fire and/or 1d6 cold damage. It can also add a defending bonus which stacks, I believe with the broadblade bonus, and can strike ghosts. This weapon is a finely made sword. About the average length for a longsword, it does well as a main weapon. It has a blade about twice as wide as an average sword, except where it meets the hilt, at which it is about 1.5 centimeters thinner. Its color is a black blade with a dark cyan stripe in the middle, down the length of the blade. Although it has this strange coloring, the cyan part is very reflective. This weapon also has odd visual effects which reflect the user's emotion and will. Such as, if Tuah were to hold it and feel the need to intimidate someone, it would emit a light, black, shadowy flame-like radiance from the blade. If Tuah were to require a defence against elements, it might become much more reflective with a slight blue glow.
Anthus_Longblade 12-23-05, 11:56 PM	My current character's greatsword is about two inches wide at the base and tapers to an inch before it clips off. The crossbar is a more or less generic gold-plated V-shape, and where the blade meets it is a small sheild design divided into four quarters (Two gold and two black). The pommel stone is a smaller copy of this sheild. In the future, I'm planning for a greatsword of brilliant energy. Glows white, fading to blue and then to violet at the edges. It'll have an intricate hilt, almost rapierlike, with a stone that glows the same as the blade in the pommel.
NeoRaven01 12-24-05, 12:55 AM	I just have this thing for glaives, I don't quite understand it but the thought of basicly a butcher knife on a pole was just awesome to me. Anyways, a glaive with a golden wood pole with golden feathers where the blade meets the wood. The blade is black and has a hook on the not bladed side,sorta like a can opener thing. The blade has pulsing silver ruins on the none-sharpened side of the main blade. Actually the BBEG I have for a game I'm running is a king and above his throne is that weapon on a plaque. I'm just waiting for them to walk into the throne room and they confront him and he just hits the glaive off the wall into his hands and lauches a fireball at them. He's a gestalt fighter/sorceror :evillaugh . Slaughter for all! Glaives are just awesome in my opinion.
Chipper173 12-24-05, 01:03 PM	Favorite weapon my character ever had? A +3 Chaotic Falchion. It was given to us through a guy we work for; apparantly, that guy was the DM's old character and the falchion had some history behind it. I wondered how good it'd be. One fight with a Large elemental later, and I knew this thing was, excuse my French, the shizzle. Best weapon anyone else had would be a shortsword that was "given" to us by a magicshop proprietier. It gave him a -10 to hit and always-always-came back to his hand. He could sheath it, he could drop it, he could throw it...it always came back. Hilarity ensued.
DerHauptman 12-24-05, 11:49 PM	Pepper Mill (the big ones the 8-12" kinds chefs use and they have in fancy places) DMG 1d4 Bludgeoning (can be used for non lethal damage - it's all in the wrist) This weapon is used primarily by chefs and cooks, also occasionally housewives and barmaids. It is a simple weapon and anyone proficient in a club can use it. Price 5sp - 10gp (depending on the material used) Usually simpley made of haedwoods, they are occasionally made of copper or other metals as well as ornately crafted from wood. Even encrusted with gems or semi-precious stones for the kitchens and tables of nobility. It is the ultimate flavor weapon - one can spice up thier prey with a simple twist of the wrist! Sorry, had to be said. (Actually I have to have an NPC use one on a player now!)
Veritas_Vates 12-25-05, 02:09 AM	Ok. This is a description of a longsword that I actually drew. A multi-faceted butt made of steel. A hand wrapped leather grip. Gold handle. In the center of the handle is an amulet representing the deity that I have chosen to worship. The blade begins thing, grows wider, then tapers down once more to a point. In the center of the blade itself is and incised diamond shape. This is a masterwork longsword with +1 against sundering .... __ ... /\/\ ... \/\/ .... I/I .... I/I .... I/I d==*==b .... i..i ... i...i .. i.....i . i...i...i . i...iii...i . i..iiiiiii..i . i..iiiiiii..i . i...iii...i . i...i...i .. i.....i ... i...i .... i.i ..... i
Vahenir 12-26-05, 12:51 AM	Being a student of history (and a fan of it, to boot) my weapons are always realistic looking without a lot of the typical fantasy tropes like golden hilts or jewel-encrusted guards. My 'pet' sword, the one that shows up in many of my characters, including my current, is the blade of an Oakeshott Type XVI (http://www.myarmoury.com/images/reviews/alb_princesquire_i.jpg) mounted with a Type 9 guard (http://www.christianfletcher.com/Catalog/Swords/Guards/Type9Guard.jpg) and a Cocked Hat pommel (http://www.albion-swords.com/images/moat/cocked-hat-pommel-) (variant with smoother edges and an overall rounder appearance). Since I like real weapons and there are plenty around, I almost never fail to have a picture handy of them. This (http://www.christianfletcher.com/Catalog/Swords/Atrim/at1561/at1561_2.JPG) was the sword carried by my quasi-Landesknecht, a human greatswordsman. And this (http://www.christianfletcher.com/Catalog/Swords/Albion/Sovereign/steelsovereignfull.jpg) sword was carried by my Elven sword-and-buckler specialist (in my case the 'buckler' was actually a small shield, however, not the D&Dized "buckler"). Edit: Forgot to add the game information. The first sword is Shieldbreaker by name, and carries Elvish inscriptions inside the fullers on both sides that state as much. Low magic game with lots of houserules... the weapon is an Elvencraft* Longsword. *Basically, a bonus to defeat armour and shields, more durability in the form of extra HP and Hardness, and very expensive. The second sword (just a greatsword) is being used in a very low magic game and has no enhancements. The third sword is in a mid-level magic game and is currently a masterwork longsword.
BobtheBiotitan 12-26-05, 01:07 PM	My Gnome fighter carries around a masterwork bastard sword which he calls Thimble. The blade has a butt of steel with a leather wrapped grip. The pommel is silver. The blade itself is long and thin with a deep blood channel. The most odd thing about the blade is that it is stained with blood, even the pommel has spots of blood on it. A constant reminder of the evil my character once wrought.
celtredleg 12-26-05, 01:50 PM	Vehiner it is always good to find somebody else who knows who Oakeshott is. Do you have trouble with players who simly cant beklieve how small and light real wepons are compared to D&D ones?? I imagine you also have it, but if not, A glossary to the constuction, design and use of weapon is very good for those non-sword pictures. I used to use it all the time before I just gave up on some people.
Vahenir 12-26-05, 09:38 PM	The blade has a butt of steel with a leather wrapped grip. Swords don't have "butts." Butts can only be found on hafted weapons. Swords have pommels (which are at the top of the sword, the point being the bottom of the sword). a deep blood channel Fuller. There's no such thing as a "blood channel" or "blood groove." It's called a fuller. Just sayin'. Vehiner it is always good to find somebody else who knows who Oakeshott is. Vahenir. ;) Do you have trouble with players who simly cant beklieve how small and light real wepons are compared to D&D ones?? Not regularly. Virtually all of my players are history buffs like I am. There's only been a few times in all my years that I've had to deal with the kind of weapon-ignorance common on the boards (no offense to anyone). I imagine you also have it, but if not, A glossary to the constuction, design and use of weapon is very good for those non-sword pictures. I used to use it all the time before I just gave up on some people. I do. But actually, I like to use the colour plates from Osprey books to show off different weapons. Mostly because they're full colour and 'whole' (whereas a lot of -real- items in books are corroded, in black-and-white, etc). Osprey plates are invaluable resources for envisioning medieval and ancient combatants even in a fantasy game.. in my opinion.
red_scare87 12-26-05, 09:56 PM	I would have to say my favorite weapon of all time was one that was used by my 2nd Edition Psionicist Character. His primary discipline was Psychokinesis and he favored a power called "Ballistic Attack". This power basically allowed the psionicist to move small objects under one pound in weight at incredible speeds allowing them to do some real damage. The power specifically gives rocks as an example but anything under one pound works. So, my character had a custom made "crossbow", which was really nothing more than two pieces of wood in a cross with a handle. There was a groove on the top of the weapon which allowed my character to place crossbow bolts and fire them at high rates of speed with good accuracy. I thought this was very cool, flavor wise. I mean, picture a character placing bolts on a piece of wood and having it fire like a crossbow without the string/trigger/stuff like that(I don't know technical terms for things). I just thought that it made the character that much cooler. Oh, and he also carried around a bag of marbles which he would use with the Ballistic Attack power, though it wasn't terribly effective it was very cool.
Snicker 12-29-05, 03:54 PM	I've got a character concept of a halfling knife fighter I want to use, and I've already got her main dagger thought out. Silver dagger, part of her backstory. Being a rogue, it was one of the first things she had ever stolen. Note that one of the character's more readily apparent character traits is an infatuation with daggers (undoubtedly due to a similar love in myself). She collects them. I want to get every dagger in the books. DMG - Dagger of Venom, Assassin's Dagger. Complete Adventurer - Defending Dagger. Yeah, you see where I'm going. She'd have Monkey Grip (or maybe I'd hash something out with the DM) so that she could use medium weapons. Not for damage purposes, but because you see more medium characters than small characters and so I'll have a larger pool of daggers she can pick up and use. But for now, I'll talk of her main weapon, the aforementioned silver dagger. Normal (non-masterwork) version would be a quite simple design. Straight piece of metal, tapering to a point. The picture in the PHB, basically, although perhaps a little longer. The sheath and the hilt would both be coloured red, and the hilt grooved for a better grip. The shealth would be rather battered, due to the amount of time the character has been dragging the damn knife around, though the hilt would be in slightly better condition. They both sit on her belt, but at her back. At some point, when I went up in levels and finances, I'd get the dagger upgraded to masterwork. I'd get it broken, or something, and have it reforged better. Yes, yes, I know it's not strictly in the rules, but I'd pay the full 322 gold. There'd be no mechanical effect, so I don't think the DM would compain. In any case, the blade would look much more impressive; like a modern day combat knife. Maybe a little more curved and wicked looking, but still basically designed like a modern combat knife. The hilt would be basically unchanged (probably wouldn't have a reason to touch it during the reforging anyway), but there'd be a little metal loop that the index finger could slip into. The idea behind the design would be that the user could slip their finger into the loop to prevent disarming, but in practice it would result in broken fingers and possibly lessened control so it isn't used. This would exist for two reasons - one, there's a sort of charm to design flaws, that I like, and two, it would allow me to spin the knife on my finger. Stylish. Whether mundane, masterwork or magical, the character would be polishing and sharpening (with a whetstone) the dagger daily. I'd buy polish and everything. You could use it as a mirror. I've got ideas for other weapons too, but I'm sure everyone is quite bored, so I'll stop now.
NinjaE 12-29-05, 05:46 PM	Well... One of the neatest weapons I'm currently thinking up for my campaign is the scythe that the fallen deva proxy of the main evil god uses. (yes, I know, fallen angel+scythe is clicheed, but since the god preaches that the entire point of bloody well anything is to kill stuff, a farm implement turned weapon seemed to fit.) First of all, the blade: It's twisted towards the end of the scythe, to give it a larger cutting area, and it's covered in runes that spell things like "loyalty", "righteous wrath" (that's one word in celestial), "protection" and other such stuff, except when the light hits them just so, in which case they start spelling things like "betrayal", "hatred" and "destruction". Except for one rune, right next to the start of the blade, that spells "freedom" in both versions. The runes are raised silver(good)/gold(evil), surrounded by brass. The cutting edge itself is pure steel. The handle is tightly wrapped in strips of pure white cloth, with names of what sounds like angels running down the length. The strips are fastened near the ends of the handle, with two plain iron nails in each end. The strips continue on for a good while past the fastenings, however, and they sometimes seem to flutter in the wind where there shouldn't be any. The butt has a golden chain hanging off it, with a huge (think fist-sized) diamond at the end. What it does? No idea, thus far. Another weapon is sword "Thunderhawk", that one of the party's nemesises (nemesii?), an ice elven brass half-golem will be using. Basically, imagine a longsword-length ninja-to, then sharpen the other edge down to about two inches from the hilt. Upon this dulled space the word "lightning" is written in ice elven. The guard is straight apart from the "front" part shooting out a spike that protects the fingers somewhat, with one of those sword-catching rings just behind the dulled part of the edge, and the hilt is wrapped in white cloth. The pommel is octangular (is that the word? eight sides, anyway). The entirety of what can be seen of the hilt, guard and pommel is made from some icy blue metal, with a temperature to match. Basically, this sword allows you to make insane jumps (+20 to jump checks) and grants you the speed of lightning (+4 initiative, +20 feet of movement per round.).
Prince Indirian 12-29-05, 09:46 PM	I do. But actually, I like to use the colour plates from Osprey books to show off different weapons. Mostly because they're full colour and 'whole' (whereas a lot of -real- items in books are corroded, in black-and-white, etc). Osprey plates are invaluable resources for envisioning medieval and ancient combatants even in a fantasy game.. in my opinion. In the "German Medieval Armies" (or something like that) there are some plates of German warriors with their equipment "chained" to their surcoats. I am probably sounding like a fanboy know, but it looked really awesome. I had heard about "chaining" you helmets to your "armour". But these dudes had their swords, daggers and even shields chained to their armour (the surcoats to be honest) ! Apparently this was german "style" (among many others probably), got to hand it to the medieval germans though, they surely knew how to dress :D The reason they "chained" their equipement was to secure them from loss in battle (you don't want to lose your +5 longsword) , but none the less it must have looked quite impressive...
DerHauptman 12-30-05, 02:28 AM	In the "German Medieval Armies" (or something like that) there are some plates of German warriors with their equipment "chained" to their surcoats. I am probably sounding like a fanboy know, but it looked really awesome. I had heard about "chaining" you helmets to your "armour". But these dudes had their swords, daggers and even shields chained to their armour (the surcoats to be honest) ! Apparently this was german "style" (among many others probably), got to hand it to the medieval germans though, they surely knew how to dress :D The reason they "chained" their equipement was to secure them from loss in battle (you don't want to lose your +5 longsword) , but none the less it must have looked quite impressive... LOL - We do this in the army today we call it a dummy cord. Somehow doesn't sound as cool huh. Anyways, the the Ranger Regiment we called them Ranger assist cords casue somehow everything said had to have ranger in it. In SF they are just dummy cords. Casue when you get out there on no sleep for 72 hours you feel like a dummy when you set something down and loose it. Anyways, the chaining thing is a great idea I will use it in game. Maybe when you are disarmed or drop the weapon it'll make it a free action to retrieve or something. Dunno, seems too much there gotta think about it.
Vahenir 12-30-05, 03:04 AM	In the "German Medieval Armies" (or something like that) there are some plates of German warriors with their equipment "chained" to their surcoats. I am probably sounding like a fanboy know, but it looked really awesome. I had heard about "chaining" you helmets to your "armour". But these dudes had their swords, daggers and even shields chained to their armour (the surcoats to be honest) ! Apparently this was german "style" (among many others probably), got to hand it to the medieval germans though, they surely knew how to dress Not chained to the surcoats. The weapons were chained to a toughened plate (the historical community still debates exactly what the plate was made of) beneath the surcoat (or over the surcoat, etc). The surcoat is just fabric, though -- it wouldn't hold a chain. Whether the style started in Germany is debatable. We can't be certain. The reason they "chained" their equipement was to secure them from loss in battle (you don't want to lose your +5 longsword) , but none the less it must have looked quite impressive... Mhmm.. it's a lot easier to find your sword when it's dangling from 4 feet of chain connected to your chest. As for the impressive thing... I doubt it. It may look impressive to you, today (in my opinion, it looks stupid and ugly), but in its own time it would have just 'been there' - ya know? It would have neither looked stupid, nor impressive anymore than wearing sneakers or quarter-length coats is impressive in our own time.
Draco Strang 12-30-05, 03:44 AM	Vahenir, I've missed you so. Get on AIM. Im always there. P.S.-Way to hold it down. Narnia hurt my insides...we'll debate later.
Prince Indirian 12-30-05, 05:44 AM	Not chained to the surcoats. The weapons were chained to a toughened plate (the historical community still debates exactly what the plate was made of) beneath the surcoat (or over the surcoat, etc). The surcoat is just fabric, though -- it wouldn't hold a chain. Whether the style started in Germany is debatable. We can't be certain. The scholars in question attributed it to Germany. Also your right it is chained to the plate(s) beneath the surcoat. I have read at least two books which claimed it was more or less German. But you are right, we cannot know for sure. But it was more common there then elsewhere. Or... Mhmm.. it's a lot easier to find your sword when it's dangling from 4 feet of chain connected to your chest. I am in no way disputing this, merely noting it for those that didn't know. Although there might be some issues with Chaining you weapons. As for the impressive thing... I doubt it. It may look impressive to you, today (in my opinion, it looks stupid and ugly), but in its own time it would have just 'been there' - ya know? It would have neither looked stupid, nor impressive anymore than wearing sneakers or quarter-length coats is impressive in our own time. Off course it looked impressive to me, I was the one that made statment (maybe I should apply IMHO to my posts in). Everything is relative Vahenir...or at least we are told so :P . You might find elves impressive, I certainly don't. Doesn't make you more right than me. Also depending on where you go some might actually find sneakers quite impressesive (especially those over the top ones, that costs a fortune, not that I would find that impressive) Oh an by the way, you don't like sneakers do you (I am just teasing you, no intenion of starting an arguement) ?
Vahenir 12-30-05, 05:58 AM	The scholars in question attributed it to Germany. Also your right it is chained to the plate(s) beneath the surcoat. I have read at least two books which claimed it was more or less German. But you are right, we cannot know for sure. But it was more common there then elsewhere. Or... Most scholars do seem to attribute it to Germany. But convincing arguments have been made that place such devices first in Italy or Sweden. Personally, I'm leaning towards saying it was a German convention, myself. It's just worth noting that we don't really know for sure. I am in no way disputing this, merely noting it for those that didn't know. Although there might be some issues with Chaining you weapons. I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was agreeing -- it IS easier to keep your weapon if it's chained to your body. Off course it looked impressive to me, I was the one that made statment (maybe I should apply IMHO to my posts in). Everything is relative Vahenir...or at least we are told so I think you misunderstood me. Your exact statement was: "but none the less it must have looked quite impressive..." The use of "it must have" rather than "it does" suggests you were attributing the thought to people -of the time- rather than to yourself. That's what I was responding to -- that in its time such devices were almost certainly not impressive. Oh an by the way, you don't like sneakers do you (I am just teasing you, no intenion of starting an arguement) ? Heheh. In truth, I actually hate sneakers. I'm a boots kind of guy. But that is neither here nor there.
Prince Indirian 12-30-05, 09:43 AM	LOL - We do this in the army today we call it a dummy cord. Somehow doesn't sound as cool huh. Anyways, the the Ranger Regiment we called them Ranger assist cords casue somehow everything said had to have ranger in it. In SF they are just dummy cords. Casue when you get out there on no sleep for 72 hours you feel like a dummy when you set something down and loose it. Anyways, the chaining thing is a great idea I will use it in game. Maybe when you are disarmed or drop the weapon it'll make it a free action to retrieve or something. Dunno, seems too much there gotta think about it. Are you a ranger ? Juist wondering though, have heard a lot about them/you. Oh and the dummy cords don't tend be black do they ? I think I may have read about them. You are supposed to have alot cords , because they have various uses. Yeah it could be cool to implement them. I am not sure how though, yet your suggestion doesn't sound bad. Maybe it could be a part of the Quick draw feat. I mean it could scaling. So at BAB 7 or so (if you have the Quick Draw feat), you could use it they way you suggested. I know it doesn't make sense, but what the heck there are quite a few things in DnD that don't make sense.
Prince Indirian 12-30-05, 10:03 AM	Most scholars do seem to attribute it to Germany. But convincing arguments have been made that place such devices first in Italy or Sweden. Personally, I'm leaning towards saying it was a German convention, myself. It's just worth noting that we don't really know for sure. True, sounds reasonable. I wasn't disagreeing with you. I was agreeing -- it IS easier to keep your weapon if it's chained to your body. Okay , sorry about that. Either way do you think there advantages of chaining the weapons outweigh the disadvantages ? I am sure there are situations where you might not want to have you weapons chained to your armor. I am asking you this because you are more less considered an authority on these matters and your answers might be useful. Or interesting. Maybe even both. I think you misunderstood me. Your exact statement was: "but none the less it must have looked quite impressive..." The use of "it must have" rather than "it does" suggests you were attributing the thought to people -of the time- rather than to yourself. That's what I was responding to -- that in its time such devices were almost certainly not impressive. My bad. I am not an native speaker so I might have implied some things. Heheh. In truth, I actually hate sneakers. I'm a boots kind of guy. But that is neither here nor there. To be honest , I have tendency to envision myself in boots and a Cowboy hat. Must be my affinity for certain parts of american culture. ;)