If you want to make sure that the sword they find is special, make some or all of the HP award for that scenario directed so that it has to be spent on raising the rating of upgrading the sword. That way, the hero gets a sword at a higher rating than 12. Maybe not much higher, but it is different.
And, of course, boasting about a sword that you got in full view of all your friends and fellow adventurers is much more satisfying than boasting about one you got "off camera".
>
> Narrator veto is a must. If you feel that proliferation is not in
> keeping then the fact that the rules allow it or not is irrelevant.
> If you do not feel that you are in at least some control of your
> games style and direction then you won't enjoy it and neither will
> your players (eventually).
Every game is a compromise between the players and the narrator who are all (hopefully) trying to make the game fun for each other and to not strain the atmosphere. Both as a narrator and as a player, I'm very much against people simply having a dull generic magic Mcguffin. At the least, come up with an interesting name. And at best, as Ian suggests, come up with a little story to explain where your hero got it from. If nothing else, it gives your Orlanthi characters something to boast about when they meet strangers.
One thing nobody seems to have mentioned, of course, is that just because a sword (or any other item) has been named, it doesn't mean it *has* to be magical. Sure, if it's rating gets high I'd want a player to have a really good explanation. But there's no reason why a Stout Stick 13 shouldn't just be a stout stick.
Regards,
Bruce
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