Tell me about your Magic Items!

[Butterfingers]

Sure, Corvo. I completely agree with you on the role of the great enemies. I justed wanted ask about 'undead' because I wasn't sure about it, and if that possibility occurs to me, you can be sure the players would ask about it at some point, if they ever get their hands on such weapons.

Of course, that raises the question which enemies are 'undead' exactly? Barrow-wights? Bogmen?

[Corvo]

Sure, Corvo. I completely agree with you on the role of the great enemies. I justed wanted ask about 'undead' because I wasn't sure about it, and if that possibility occurs to me, you can be sure the players would ask about it at some point, if they ever get their hands on such weapons.

Of course, that raises the question which enemies are 'undead' exactly? Barrow-wights? Bogmen?

I get your point: the whole Undead thing was unclear to me too.
The Nazguls are accorded a special status, rule wise, as stated in Rivendell, page 76.

I rationalize it this way: the Nazguls weren't allowed to die because of their rings. This is a special way of becoming Undead, and they cannot be returned to the grave (so to speak) till their Rings (or the One) are destroyed.
By the way, in my campaign the continued existence of the Werewolf is tied to one of the Seven

[Otaku-sempai]

Werewolves (including the Werewolf of Mirkwood) should not be counted as Undead. They are spirits inhabiting living (not dead) bodies.

[Butterfingers]

Ok, so last night we played TOR and the companions were exploring the Refuge after a long and perilous trek, and after finding a hidden treasure chamber (no, Mellon was NOT the word), they get to roll for treasure. I had prepared a magical treasure index and everything. So the players get to rolling that feat die finally. Two of the three players roll Gandalf rune, and even the third rolls EoS. Things are looking interesting...

Then they all decide to use 6 experience points, and manage to roll 2 Tengwars in total between then. One rolls none, and two both roll one each. I almost threw the GM screen at them.

So now I got to wonder when's the next chance to use the index. Oh well, at least they didn't come out completely empty handed, eh?

[Butterfingers]

If I may continue my prodding: how do you handle legendary weapon/armor qualities?

As I understand it, the companion only gets to know the first quality when he/she acquires the item, and the next qualities require either raising valour with EXP and then choosing to activate a quality instead or reward, or returning an item to the treasure of their people in exchange for activating equa number of qualities in said legendary item... right so far? then what if anything do you tell about an item if second or third quality happens to be mithril or luminescence, ie. something that might be pretty obvious?

I am inclided NOT to say the item glows in the precence of orcs or is very light and shimmering piece of armour, until the companion actually activates the quality? And until such time it seems like any other similar item in that regard? Or if the second quality would be ancient cunning make, the armor wouldn't be lighter until that quality was activated? So maybe it was worn incorrectly, or had some ill-fitting additions etc?

And with consulting a loremaster, a companion is able to find out banes and the next quality, but doesn't get to activate it until they actually do one of the above options (valour or treasure thing)? Who's considered a loremaster by the way, besides Elrond that is? Saruman maybe, what about Thranduil/Gandalf/Radagast? And could you study ancient lore to find out the qualities on your own, say in the library of Rivendell?

I am not sure about the fellowship phase action go see a loremaster, if they're few and far between, it seems this should be played as an adventurous journey instead of 'mere' fellowship action? I mean Rivendell, it's way out there, right?

Oh yeah, one more: do you actually NEED to see a loremaster? What I mean is, can you unlock the qualities (as per above) even if you don't know what they are?

[Kullervo]

Rageclaw
A greatspear forged from the tooth of a certain dragon by a dwarven smith of Erebor, Lofar, for the one who succeeded his spot in the Fellowship.
Type: Greatspear
Curse: Dragon-Sickness: In order for it to be lifted, the wielder must refuse his share of spoils of a dragon-hoard.
Craftmanship: Dwarven (Erebor)
Qualities: 1) Gleam of Terror
2) Giant-Slaying
3) Grievous

Unknown Mithril Coat
Found in the lair of the Werewolf. Cursed to add Wisdom as Temporary Shadow to the wearer. In order to be removed, a riddle must be solved.
Type: Coat of Mail
Craftmanship: Dwarven (Elven: Beleriand)
Qualities: 1) Mithril
2) Ancient Cunning Make
3) Warding Spells(Spiders)

[Majestic]

If I may continue my prodding: how do you handle legendary weapon/armor qualities?

As I understand it, the companion only gets to know the first quality when he/she acquires the item, and the next qualities require either raising valour with EXP and then choosing to activate a quality instead or reward, or returning an item to the treasure of their people in exchange for activating equa number of qualities in said legendary item... right so far? then what if anything do you tell about an item if second or third quality happens to be mithril or luminescence, ie. something that might be pretty obvious?

I am inclided NOT to say the item glows in the precence of orcs or is very light and shimmering piece of armour, until the companion actually activates the quality? And until such time it seems like any other similar item in that regard? Or if the second quality would be ancient cunning make, the armor wouldn't be lighter until that quality was activated? So maybe it was worn incorrectly, or had some ill-fitting additions etc?

And with consulting a loremaster, a companion is able to find out banes and the next quality, but doesn't get to activate it until they actually do one of the above options (valour or treasure thing)? Who's considered a loremaster by the way, besides Elrond that is? Saruman maybe, what about Thranduil/Gandalf/Radagast? And could you study ancient lore to find out the qualities on your own, say in the library of Rivendell?

I am not sure about the fellowship phase action go see a loremaster, if they're few and far between, it seems this should be played as an adventurous journey instead of 'mere' fellowship action? I mean Rivendell, it's way out there, right?

Oh yeah, one more: do you actually NEED to see a loremaster? What I mean is, can you unlock the qualities (as per above) even if you don't know what they are?

What I've done is choose the Qualities like Luminescence to be first, as they're quite obvious from the get-go. For later Qualities (2nd or 3rd ones), if they're something that has something somewhat obvious, I keep things generally vague ("it seems light to you"). It's only when they 'unlock' those Qualities that I spell out the details ("it only weighs 1/4 of what it should, and in addition it does the following..."). That to me makes more sense than something like Luminescence somehow suddenly activating when it never did earlier.

One of my PCs is now a Loremaster himself of some renown (he's a very old High Elf with a lot of experience), but before that I had my PCs find a LM themselves in major settlements. There could be a wise old Elf in Dale, for instance. The point is to make them travel somewhere and have them seek out someone, rather than just getting to know the information instantly.

[Red Haired Thor]

Heh, I see Kullervo has already posted some of his from my Darkening of Mirkwood campaign. I'm the LM for that game and I have scoured this thread for ideas many many times. You know what they say, good LMs borrow. Great ones steal.

Still, I thought it was only fair I throw some of my own in to pay it back and forward, right? This weapon is actually from a separate campaign I run, for a different group, so I don't have to worry about my players being spoiled by this.

Lord Edric’s Sword (Unidentified)/Drauvorn (“The Black Wolf”)/Angurvadal (Cursed)

History:
The Black Wolf, named not by the heirs of the Sea-Kings who forged its steel, nor by the tribe of Middle Men who received it as a gift over one thousand years ago, for the aid they provided Arveleg, son of Agreleb, the eighth king of Arthedain in the war against Angmar. The name of these people has been lost, their villages destroyed by the servants of the Witch-King, the survivors joining their blood with the remnants of other groups. What name they gave this sword, what legends and deeds were achieved with this blade, only it remembers.

Angurvadal the sword was called by the Eotheod, who came to call the Vales of Gundabad home in the wake of Angmar’s defeat. The sword had never dulled, its steel spilling the blood of orcs and goblins two at a time. Daegal of the Dark-river carried Angurvadal, or so the runestones covered by dust and moss tell. Daegal, tamer of Aldenrōf, slayer of the Wraith of the Witchwoods, carried many names and titles that spoke of his deeds, passed on through word of mouth among the Eotheod Horse-lords.

Yet Angurvadal is not a happy name in the tongue of the Eotheod: Stream of Anguish it is called. The deeds of Daegal were great, and the sword forged by the greatest smiths of Arnor. Awe bred envy and envy begot shadow. Daegal was slain not by orcish work but by the hands of a jealous man, who took Daegal’s sword, his home, and his wife as his own. Thus began a pattern of men killing one another for the honor of carrying the Sword of Daegal, each hoping to give the sword next its name. And in that way they did.

When the Eotheod moved south to the Fields of Celebrant, they did not carry Angurvadal with them. Instead, it was given to their successors, a vassal house to the Royal House of Hurin, though their name has been lost to history. Yet that was not where Angurvadal, now Drauvorn’s story ends.

In the Grey Narrows, the sword was seen again as the symbol of the march-wardens of one of the kingdoms of the Northmen that once watched the narrows, before Thror returned to the Mountain. Drauvorn the elves called it, “Black Wolf” was its name in the tongues of men, for the years and blood had stripped it of its luster, but not its edge. The march-warden of the kingdom used it to protect the roads from bandits and the dangers that still came down from the mountains near Angmar.

Drauvorn is old, far older than any of the men who would carry such a blade today. Much evil has been wrought with it. It was forged to bring men closer together, but a sword is still a tool for death. Drauvorn rages in a mad fury at the deeds it has been forced to commit, its thoughts, its emotions, overwhelming its wielder’s will at times. The blade remembers every life it has taken...It has forgotten its purpose.

Location Found: Lord Edric's Tomb/Burial Hall of the Blackbraids, a house of Durin's Folk. The blade had been in possession of a Barrow-Wight possessing the body of Lord Edric of Edric's Town, sent by the mysterious Koldún to cause trouble for the people of Edric's Town among the Frost-Touched Dead. The Wight in Lord Edric's body was defeated by the Barding, Domarr, in a duel between the two. When he sought to return the sword to Lord Edric's widow, Lady Sara bequeathed it onto him, as a thank you for all that he had done for her and the town.
Type: Sword
Craftsmanship: Numenorean
Banes: Evil Men and Undead
Qualities: 1. Foe-slaying 2. Cleaving 3. Raging
Encumbrance: 2
Curse: Curse of Weakness - Murderous (Curse of Vengeance)
Way to Cure the Curse: Drauvorn was meant to bring the tribe of hill-men into friendship with Arthedain to fight against Angmar. It has forgotten what it was made to do. If its bearer can, through the use of the sword (Either literally or symbolically) , bring different factions or people together against the Shadow, Drauvorn may remember its way...