Re: Slayer Swords

From: Peter Larsen <plarsen_at_...>
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 09:00:00 -0500


At 09:54 AM 6/11/01 -0000, you wrote:
>As a side idea to the problem of slayer swords would it not be
>reasonable to simply give them a reduced difficulty for augmentation
>rolls against the named foe.

        I don't particulary like this, but it might work for Theist magic items. Sorcery produces very specific effects -- the spell "Protect Rye from Ergot" has no effect on any other grain or mold. (Not, mind you, that most spells are this specific, but "Kill Dagon" would just kill dragons.) Animism would give a spirit, used x times per day that could produce an effect, perhaps "Kill Dragon" (although Spirits have shown no great facility with Dragon-slaying in any myths I know of...).

        The problem is: HW abilities can be improvided to work on narrower but not (that I know of) broader targets. So Maniria Geography can be used (with a heafty modifier) for Tula Geography, but not the other way around. A sword designed to kill dragons would kill dragons (and probably related creatures). I wouldn't think it would have any effect on Uz (except, perhaps, some Dragon Worshipping Uz from the EWF...).

        Now, if you want the sword to be a more broadly useful item, you could say that it has a hefty edge bonus (+3 for being a sword, +2 for iron, +5 for enchantments...), plus a feat of two (Kill Dragon obviously, but Shrug Off Dragon Attack or Avoid Burning to Ash might be useful as well). After all, there's nothing to say that an item can't have more than 1 ability.

        On the other hand (the other other hand?), I'm not sure this sort of magic sword is all that appropriate to HW Glorantha. Certainly the Irish and Norse legends have "special" weapons and items, but the weapons sound mostly like really good weapons -- Beowulf kicks butt because he has a high Kick Butt ability, not because of his magical equipment. Items with ability-like powers seem to be non-combat (Invisibility, Raising the Dead, Feeding Hundreds, etc). Of course, RQ has its own history which does include such things, and that whole "solidified blood of the gods" image makes magic items containing feats pretty sensible. So, I guess the answer is do whatever makes you and your players happy.

Peter Larsen

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