A magic sword example

From: Michael Schwartz <mschwartz_at_...>
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2001 13:20:44 -0400

Here is the 25-word description one of my players wrote for his hero's magic sword:

  In the presence of Imperial minions, whose blood   stains its rune-carved blade, Mooncleaver rumbles   softly like distant thunder. Its breath is potent   and almost tangible.

Based on this and the 25-word description of the hero's late father (who bequeathed the hero Mooncleaver), I assigned it the following abilities:

• Sense Imperial Minions (reflects the hero's ability to "hear" the rumblings of Mooncleaver.)
• Tempestuous History (reflects the hero's familiarity with Mooncleaver's stormy past)
• Potent, Tangible Breath (reflects the hero's ability to invoke the innate magic of Mooncleaver, and the ease with which Mooncleaver's magic can itself be detected.)

I consider these to be fairly reasonable, as abilities go...

--
Michael Richard Schwartz | Language is my playground,
mschwartz_at_... | and words, its slides and
Ann Arbor, Michigan  USA | swingsets. -- yours truly