[HMtW] Making a Magic Sword

 

Or, rather, making a sword magic. Y'see, a sword ain't magical when it's forged. It's just a peice of steel hammered all to hell and sharpened to a razor's edge. Sure, it might be of a fine quality, but not magical. And yeah, a wizard might find a way to enchant it, but that ain't the sword being magical. That's just a spell living in a sword for a bit. You're gonna need to refuel it at some point. 

"But what about the Elves?" BuT wHaT aBoUt ThE eLvEs?The Elves got them vague rings of power bullshit, but 1) that's elves. Different technology. 2) That's rings. 3) That's bullshit. 

Look, all this is acedemic and extremely pedantic. 

The point is swords gain a form of natural magic through their usage in notable deeds. By a mythos having been built behind them. As magic is the focusing and harnessing of the Caster's will to imprint upon Reality, via spirits living in their skull, the sword - not having a will of it's own - must use a form of distributed processing. People believe it must be magical, so it is; a magical tulpa taking up residence within the sword. 

So how do you go about it? Well, first of all, I've been ranting about swords, but it works for any weapon really. Maces, hammers, halberds, pistols, knuckledusters, what-have-you. Secondly, you do it by taking meta resources from the guild: When you return to the City, if any Noteworthy Deed was performed specifically with that weapon ("an impossible shot", "the final killing blow to a dungeon lord", "killing 25 of a certain type of enemy") then, instead of listing it to the party's Guild Roster, the player makes a note of the deed on their own sheet. The roster is still affected by the number of deeds limit, and the erasing requirement. 

With each of these "stored" deeds comes a notable detail. Re-describe your weapon to the group, to remind them, using this new detail. It's always been there, just now it stands out more. Suitable details include runes (a classic), jewel encrusted hilt, a living eyeball for a pommel, a wicked serrated edge along the spine; anything really. Get weird with it. Enjoy yourself. You've earned it. 

After three of these deeds (which do not erase, unlike the guild's) give the weapon a name. You haven't given an unworthy weapon a name already, have you? That's incredibly unlucky. Anyway, also give it a power related to one of the deeds. 

• Slay the Avatar of Sha'neth, Mother of Ungoats? The weapon is now treated as "salt" when attacking Ungoats. 
• Slay a shit load of mimics? The weapon now glows when mimics are near.

Need inspiration? Just draw a card and look at the list. GM has final say over any result, obviously. 

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Having the player draw the card gets them active and excited in the weapon's creation. Also gets them to do some of the thinking labor.

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[Creature] refers to the type of creature involved in a related notable deed.

Card	Power
I	Animal Form - Wielder may spend a Resolve to take the form of one specific animal. Gear included, but not accessible.
II	Biter - On a successful attack against [creature], spend a Resolve to deal 2 wounds
III	Blinding - A successful attack against [creature] automatically Blinds them.
IV	Bully - A successful Roughhouse against [creature] also inflicts 1 wound.
V	Detection - Glows in the presence of [creature]
VI	Devastating - A successful attack against [creature] automatically Roots them.
VII	Ignite - Spend a resolve to cause the weapon to ignite into flames without being consumed. It's just fun.
VIII	Master - When at full health, the wielder may fire spectral versions of the weapon, attacking as one would with a wand.
IX	Panic - Holding the weapon aloft and making a Wands check forces [creatures] to leave the zone
X	Reminder - Ripostes against [creature] are made with Advantage.
Page	Revealing - Wielder can clearly see any Shrouded [creature] within the zone
Knight	Slayer - Acts as [creature] weakness, if any (salt, fire, etc)
Queen	Striker - Should [creature] be Intangible, wielder treats them as "No the fuck they ain't"
King	Untouchable - You may freely disengage against [creature]
Fool	Draw twice, baby!

Now, Noteworthy Deeds can be "good" but also "dastardly." IF the weapon was used in any especially bastardly deeds, the GM themself can force the deed to be accredited to the weapon. Three of these and, Buddy, you've got yourself a cursed weapon.

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