I don't remember where and when I first heard or read it, but I distinctly remember someone once telling me that talking magical weapons in a D&D setting were pretty much always bad news. This memory keeps coming back to me every time I encounter one, but Neverwinter seems to be set on defying my expectations.
First there was the Sunsword in Ravenloft, whose pride and OP-ness made for - in its own words - "a superlative experience".
Now, in Undermountain you find another talking sword in a green dragon's lair. After you beat the dragon, it urges you to use its blade for the finishing blow. So you stick it into the dragon's head... and the creature rises again, with the magical sword now effectively controlling the dragon's mind and body.
Then you spend the rest of the zone with a dragon buddy helping you fight the baddies.
Not what I expected.
(Also, obligatory Bloglovin link so I can add the blog to my list there!)
Well, so-called intelligent swords in D&D parlance can be bad news for a variety of different reasons. They don't have to talk to have intelligence; they can provide an empathic connection of "this is good" or "this is not" to a wielder, for example. However what the sword thinks is good is not necessarily what you may think is good. Intelligent swords (and other weapons with an awareness) have an alignment that is likely based on what their forger's and/or original wielder's alignment was. And the farther away your alignment is from the weapon's alignment, the greater the potential conflict.
ReplyDeleteThese intelligent swords not only have an awareness, but they also have an ego. If your intelligence and wisdom isn't enough to keep the weapon's ego in check, they can "take over" your life and force you to do things you don't agree with.
And that crap can come at the worst possible effing time. "Why are we chasing that dragon? I WANT to slay orcs!" and the next thing you know, you're abandoning the party to go kill some orcs 25-50 miles away.
Or think of the One Ring, how it gradually corrupted Frodo. Same thing, but with a sword, and you get the idea.
Yeah, that makes sense. Pretty sure both the Sunsword and Tearulai are lawful good based on their obvious enjoyment of rightful smiting. :P
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