In my experience, runeweapons are too often
poorly run by the DM, and give an unfair power boost to one character without
any drawbacks. As I said in an earlier post, “Basically, if a player is happy
to get a rune weapon, you’re running it wrong.” Since Elric’s Stormbringer is
the model for rune weapons, they should be equally treacherous and perilous to the
wielder. What follows is some tables to determine your runeweapon’s secret
agenda, the overt power it can use on behalf of its wielder, and the covert
power it holds in reserve to advance its own schemes.
The tables are descriptive and system-free
so as to allow easy use in any system.
RUNEWEAPON SECRET AGENDA. Roll 1d12.
1) Revenge! The weapon seeks to destroy the
foe of its last wielder. This foe is at least twice as powerful as the current wielder
and has minions or allies equal in strength to the player characters. It cares
not whether its wielder wins or loses, just that the battle continue.
2) Return! The weapon seeks to return to
its last wielder. To determine former wielder’s location, roll 1d6 = 1
Wandering amnesiac somewhere in the world 2 Trapped in hell 3 Lost on another
plane 4 At the deepest level of a dungeon 5 Imprisoned by the ruler of the land
6 In plague-infested City of Beggars.
3) Immolaton! The weapon seeks its own
destruction, and doesn’t really care if the wielder is taken along for the
ride. Roll 1d6 to see the only way it can be destroyed = 1 Thrown into the lava
of Mount Badoom 2 Frozen and cracked by the Witch of the Wastes 3 Reforged by
the King of the Deep Dwarves 4 Sucked dry of dweomer by an Enchanteater 5
Thrust into a Nullstone in the Faerie Realm 6 Skewering the Lord of the Undead.
4) Armageddon! The weapon seeks to bring
about the End of the World! If the PCs are trying to stop this, the weapon will
thwart them and aid their foes, or else set the chain of actions for Ragnarok
in motion.
5) War! The weapon thrills at battle and
will always seek to drag its wielder into any altercation it can, the larger
the better. It will seek to persuade or kill a cowardly wielder.
6) Deicide! The weapon seeks to kill all
gods and demigods. It will actively seek out the nearest target and commence
hostilities regardless of the wielder’s intent or abilities.
7) Freedom! The weapon is a bound demon,
and seeks escape from its current shape. Roll 1d6 to see how it can escape = 1 Exorcism
by Great Leader of the largest Church in the land 2 Trading places with another
soul using a Spirit Gem obtained from the Lichking Lair 3 Being destroyed (see
Immolation above) 4 Undergoing purification in the hidden shrine of the
Scarlett Swordmaidens who slay all men and enslave all women on sight 5 Striking
the Great Golden Gong jealously guarded by the Fighting Tiger Monks of the
Hidden Temple of Song Ho 6 Bathed in the acid blood of a freshly slain 7-headed
Hydragon.
8) Allegiance! Will try to bind the wielder
to the same force it serves. Roll 1d6 – 1 Law 2 Chaos 3 The Balance 4 Hell 5 Heaven
6 Itself!
9) Home! The weapon seeks to return to its
home, and will desert the wielder should it get there. Roll 1d6 = 1 Armory of
The Entropy Lords at the End of Time 2 In the hand of the Eight Armed Death Goddess
Khali 3 With the Deep Dwarves who dwell below Mount Badoom 4 In the Tomb of the
Hero Beneath the Hill from whence it was stolen 5 In the hidden shrine of the
Scarlett Swordmaidens who slay all men and enslave all women on sight 6 In the
Plane of Things were people don’t exist and all objects are sentient.
10) Nemesis! The weapon has an identical opposite
wielded by another hero somewhere. The weapon can feel where its nemesis is and
nudges its wielder towards a confrontation with it. It cares not whether its
wielder wins or loses, just that the battle continue.
11) Blood & Souls! The weapon feeds on
the flesh and spirit of those slain with it, and must feed upon a dozen souls
every fortnight or turn on its wielder.
12) Roll twice and apply both. If the same
agenda is rolled again, substitute with the next down the list.
RUNEWEAPON BASE ABILITIES &
RESTRICTIONS
All runic weapons share certain basic
abilities.
1.
They can either do maximum
damage or roll double the amount of dice for damage.
2.
They cannot be thrown away or
destroyed, and will magically appear back in the wielder’s sheath.
3.
They cannot be surprised, and
will automatically attack first against surprise attackers.
4.
They will kill all opponents,
and will refuse to do stunning damage, instead always going for lethal hits.
5.
On a fumble, they automatically
attack the closest ally of the wielder, some say out of jealousy.
6.
In addition, they have one
Overt Power which they usually let the wielder know about and use, and one
Covert Power which they normally keep to themselves and employ when it furthers
their aim. Weapons can withhold or use either type of Powers at any time so
long as it furthers their aims.
7.
Runeweapons can talk, but only
do so the moment they slay their wielder.
OVERT POWERS Can be used once per session. Roll
1d12.
1) Blind – The weapon creates a dazzling
sparkle that temporarily blinds 1-4 foes instead of an attack.
2) Elemental Attack – The weapon can cause
an attack. Roll 1d6 = 1 Flame Burst (damage and item destruction) 2 Wind Blast (damage,
blindness & knock back) 3 Water Punch (damage & drowning) 4 Rock
Barrage (damage & concussion) 5 Lightning Bolt (damage & blindness) 6 Ice
Dagger (damage & immobility).
3) Celerity – The weapon doubles the
wielder’s speed and attacks.
4) Vorpality – The weapon breaks through
mundane weapons, armor and shields. It can also negate the effects of magic
armor.
5) Berserker – The weapon makes the wielder
immune to all pain, fear, and sleep effects, and can fight until literally
hacked to pieces.
6) Summon Allies – The weapon summons the
undead corpses of the last creatures it slew to fight at its side.
7) Elemental Shield – The weapon can make a
shield of one type of element that nullifies its opposite. Roll 1d6 = 1 Flame Buckler
(vs plants or flesh) 2 Wind Target (vs arrows) 3 Water Wall (vs fire or insects)
4 Rock Wall (vs charging creatures) 5 Energy Field (vs firearms) 6 Ice Blockade
(vs reptiles).
8) Duplication – The weapon can make 1d6 duplicates
of the wielder appear to confuse its enemies.
9) Vampire – The weapon steals vitality
from foes it kills to heal the wielder.
10) Levitate – The weapon can slowly lift the
wielder, or slow their fall.
11) Recall – The weapon can be thrown or
launch itself to attack an enemy in sight then return to the wielder’s hand.
12) Roll twice and apply both. If the same
power is rolled again, substitute with the next down the list.
COVERT POWERS Can be used once per session.
Roll 1d12.
1) Intangibility – The weapon can pass
through solid objects, dropping through floors, hiding in pillars, etcetera.
2) Invisibility – The weapon can pass from
sight, although it stays in the same place.
3) Charm Person – The weapon takes control
of an NPC and has them do its bidding for a day.
4) Teleport Self – The weapon instantly
disappears in one spot and reappears in another in the same building, dungeon or
forest.
5) Polymorph Self – The weapon takes on the
appearance of another object. Roll 1d6 = 1 Old rusty shield 2 A pair of boots 3
A dead rabbit 4 A head of lettuce 5 A spinning wheel 6 A bear trap.
6) Insect Swarm – The weapon summons 1d10x100
insects who attack anyone it chooses.
7) Wall of Blades – The weapon is
surrounded by a whirling wall of magical blades who slice anyone attempting to
pass through them.
8) Illusion – The weapon creates an
illusion in the mind of all onlookers. Either reroll on this table and use the
result as the illusion or make up a suitable one yourself.
9) Animate Objects = All objects in the
room come to life and do the weapon’s bidding for one day. Curtains can
strangle, chairs kick, and tables ram foes.
10) Fire Body – The weapon sprouts a pair
of legs, arms, and head made of flame that can carry it around, pick up
inflammable objects, and attack foes.
11) Demon Servant – The weapon summons a
demon servant who will do one task for it. Roll 1d6 for demon type = 1 Imp,
weak but can fly 2 Satyr, equal to men but can Mesmerize with its pipe playing
3 Hellhound, larger than men with flame breath 4 Firedrake, great
fire-breathing flame serpent with wings 5 Balrog, strong, winged and flamewhip
wielding 6 Flame princess, kind yet can steal the heart of any man who then
immolates himself in her arms.
12) Roll twice and apply both. If the same
power is rolled again, substitute with the next down the list.