Five Spears of Doom for RPG Blog Carnival
This month's RPG Blog Carnival topic is Wondrous Weapons and Damning Dweomers from Attonarchs Atteneum https://attronarch.com/rpg-blog-carnival-wondrous-weapons-and-damning-dweomers
When it comes to weapons in fantasy we usually focus on swords because they are a staple and you can make elaborate sword fighting sequences in movies and cartoons. But by any measure weapon that was mostly used for combat is simpler - something sharp on a stick. Spears were inexpensive and due to reach very practical in hitting targets from safe distance. Some you can even throw.
Here are five magical spears to use in fantasy. Inspired by Katanagatari's swords.
Titanic Tooth
It is a long spear with tip and handle made of one material. The metal of which it is made is dark, somewhat between grey, blue and black, matt. The handle is corrugated on whole length, the blade is simple rhombus.
The blade never dulls. Material seems to be very resistant to temperature changes - it never gets colder or hotter, always being around 22 degrees (Celsius, 71°F). It can bend a little but no force was seen to bend it significantly, nothing also scratched it.
As a weapon it doesn't have any specific qualities. It cannot be sundered or dulled. May be used as a shield against attacks or extreme temperatures if you spin it fast enough.
Whenever someone has the spear they are compelled to keep it. Even though it is not sentient you can use the rules for such in order to adjucate how hard it is for a person to leave it - it should be difficult.
- seemingly indestructible
- always sharp
- immune to heat and cold
- can be used as a shield
- strong ego
Air Splitter
It looks like a war scythe with red feathers next to a blade and weighted end. The blade is a masterpiece with clear and sharp lines of hardening. When it cuts air it gives this thunderous sound as if storm was far away.
Wood of the handle is very elastic. The weight of the other end is not part of the design and is added for safety. The blade cuts everything. It can cut metal, stone or even magical seals but it is not invincible - if there is something it won't cut it may shatter.
When the weight is lifted it can be thrown but it is considered last resort. Once thrown it very slowly loses speed so the range of it is extreme but the act of throwing requires one to check if they're willing to lose it.
Cuts through everything, no one can parry or block it, each hit destroys equipment. It cuts through body like air so always deals maximum damage and easily cuts off limbs. A swing is an area attack.
Keeper of this weapon has a very difficult job if they want to abandon it, throw it or gift it to someone. Rarely anyone is strong enough to let it go before dying.
- cuts through equipment AND magic
- deals maximum damage
- cannot be blocked or parried, only dodged
- area attack
- extreme range if thrown
- very strong ego
World Hammer
It looks like a very crude spear, thick rough wooden handle with a large blade made of poorly smelted dark metal. Both the handle and the blade are absurdally heavy.
This spear can be wield only by the strongest warriors. It doesn't allow for fast strikes so can be easily predicted where it will go but on the other hand it is seemingly unstoppable.
It deals both cutting as well as blunt damage. It destroys stiff armour and ignores elastic ones. Easily breaks a bone or crushes neck. Can be used as a sledgehammer. It deals damage even if it just drops on someone.
Out of spears listed here it has the weakest ego and can be abandoned quite easily - at least for some people. Weak willed people and monsters sometimes start to defend it and to live around it even if they cannot move it and use it.
- can be used only with maximum human strength
- deals maximum damage, counts as both sharp and blunt
- sunders stiff armour, ignores elastic
- cannot be blocked or parried, only dodged
- moderate ego
Boiling Bloodbath
When it comes to the aesthetics of it is black with bright green and red elements. Rather slender for a spear, has some spikes and ribbons on it.
It doesn't have any special material qualities, it is rather unwieldy and flashy. But it is sentient in a bad way. The wielder of it is overcome by a very strong and very angry personality.
Each time it looks the same. Person who starts to use it becomes a wicked murderous beast for a week. If they survive that time the personality of the sword calm a little and they can be talked to and negotiated.
There is some goal in the mind of the sword. After murderous period it becomes this cold blooded person, still willing to kill but not without purpose. Then it calms more and starts looking for some obscure knowledge. Then it usually disappears and is found in the wilds after last wielder passed trying to accomplish the quest.
- sentient, overcomes the wielder
- extreme ego
Dragon Throat
It is a wide wooden handle with metal dragon head on top of it. What it interesting is that it doesn't work as a melee weapon. People just usually don't expect it to be a real weapon anyway.
When you open the dragon's mouth you can pour something flammable to the back of it - it can be sulphur, oil or something similar. Then you put metal ball between it's jaws and close the mouth.
After it is closed it will atomize the fuel inside and burn it. Explosion deafens creatures around and propels the metal ball with huge power. It crushes armours, cuts off limbs and destroys structures.
It is very slowly reloaded, rather sensitive to weather and unwieldy. It also ignores armour and shields, can pierce through creatures and wood and causes damage to buildings of stone. Fire and noise can hurt unprepared enemies close to it.
- deals area damage of heat and sound after explosion
- slow loading, four to six regular attacks
- deals damage similar to four regular attacks, pierces through enemies in line
- sunders armour
- strong ego
Each of them is hard to let go off but only one is sentient. It is a magical effect which can be suppressed but it cannot be despelled permanently without destroying the spear. Given here are weapons in the prine condition but the don't have to be. Maybe the handle of World Hammer broke long ago and it is a whole quest to find something suitable so Fighter with 18 Strength can mow down enemies with it. Maybe someone shattered Air Splitter's blade and it can be used only after being masterfully joined together. Maybe Titanic Tooth's metal is actually adamantiun and maybe spells used to shape it are not broken yet, so a wizard can utilise it in another way. Maybe Dragon Throat was lost because it is used for fireworks among other fire lances in world forsaken village in the middle of nowhere. And only someone versed in weapon knowledge can recognise it. Spin it to your likeness and get inspired.