Magical Item: Sword Of Laban

Another magic item drawn from Mormon mythology: The Sword Of Laban. This 2500-year old sword has a hilt of gold and inlaid gems, with a blade of enchanted steel, that never rusts. Upon the blade, in ancient script, is the following saying "this sword shall never be sheathed until all the kingdoms of this world are united under the true king's rule."

The Sword of Laban is similar to Excalibur: it is a symbol of true kingship, and among those who know the sword's history, the possessor is alternately viewed as the true king, or a vile pretender to the high throne. Thus, anyone, not already a king, who presents this sword in a civilized area, where the sword would be recognized, has all of their reaction rolls adjusted upwards or downwards by at least two digits, by the DM, depending on who the sword is presented before.

When presented before commoners, make the 2d6 reaction roll, and any rolls of 7, or below, are adjusted downwards by two; any rolls of 8 or more are adjusted upwards by two.

If the Sword of Laban is presented before anyone in authority (town guards, clergy, guild masters, nobility, princes, etc.) adjust the 2d6 reaction roll down by two; a reaction roll of 10 becomes an 8, and so on.

The wielder can use her Charisma bonus to adjust the initial reaction roll.

Because the Sword is the symbol of true kingship, natural and modified reaction rolls of 12 or more cause the person so encountered to rally to the cause of the wielder, so long as the wielder takes efforts to care for and protect his new follower. Conversely, those persons for whom a natural or modified 2 or lower is rolled will believe the possessor is a vile pretender to the high throne, become violently opposed to the wielder, and will join with others who feel likewise.

The Sword of Laban is a reputed to be a vorpal blade, as well as having additional Demon and Giant slayer properties. It is not known to be an intelligent sword, and the DM is free to assign whatever attack and damage bonuses seem appropriate to the sword in the campaign.

Inspirational Art: Arnold Friberg

My earliest Dungeons and Dragons experiences were heavily informed by Mormon mythology. My brother had several friends who ran a D&D campaign, set in a Book of Mormon milieu. All of the characters had names like Archaeantus, Coriantumr, Irreantum, Lachoneus, Paanchi, and Rameumptom. We found an underground passage beneath one of the city's temples, and hunted down the Gadianton Robbers.

I am familiar with, and fond of the art in the Book of Mormon. The illustrated panels meant little to me, at such a tender age, so I was free to give them meaning independent of the actual scene being portrayed. This particular plate was imagined to be some youthful sorcerer, testing his mettle against an enemy city.

On July 2, 2010, David J. West, the author of the blog Nephite Blood, Spartan Heart, posted a memorial to commemorate the passing of Arnold Friberg, the illustrator responsible for most of that Book of Mormon art. The endless dragon and pumped-up warrior and sorceress art that is splashed across countless Dragon Magazine covers hold less appeal to me that these mysterious illustrations by Arnold Friberg.