Sword of Amber (Legendary Sword of the Steel Realms)

Steel Realms

The Sword of Amber is what is referred to as one of the few “Weapons of the Realm”. It is a powerful elven made blade, meant to defend the elven lands of the Steel Realms and be wielded by a noble elven champion. Its current whereabouts are unknown.

Item Platform: ADnD 1
Value: ? silver crowns – Priceless

Weapon of the Realm: They are singularly and legendarily powerful. Legends, myths, and all manner of tales surround them. Most are watched over by the Bardic Tradition of Kings, The Guild of Solars, AND the sisterhood of the Sisterhood of Dohar Jaideen, and stored in the Hall of Heroes in Oerdney – seat of the High King. They are rarely used, for all have purpose and power far beyond normal. Only the truly special and powerful can wield them, because some are known to subvert the will of their wielder. Several times these weapons have survived the death of a wielder to make their way back, a few have been lost, and a few destroyed over the ages. These weapons are all named, and the chronicles of their battles mostly well documented. Many are tied to Great Spirits, or the spirit of an entity that died to Awaken the item. Their memories are like faint echoes when sentient creatures are about – the sadness, the anger, all the emotions their wielders and victims felt over the ages. The most famous of these is Stone-Cutter.

The blade is a slim sword crafted by elven smiths from meteorite which fell into Ynth. It was crafted in CY 5451, carried by several elven dignitaries and nobles, and eventually was brought to the Hall of Heroes. The last known hero to have carried this was Arafel Ferentio. When she retired, the blade vanished from history. The blade is known for its ability to make its wielder difficult to strike. Legends say the blade itself is sentient. The blade’s abilities will work with any wielder, but additional powers are gained for half-elves and even more for full elven blood.

Item Powers (common and Attuned) can be found under Common Knowledge tab.


Detailed Overview:

Chronicle of Sword of Amber

Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore

Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/accessibility. If nothing is indicated, assume it is Pervasive.

Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty

Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty

i20™ Sword of Amber Details

Item Purpose:

Lesser Attunement (1 Essence)

iCore iCore™ Sword of Amber Details

Requirements: Unknown – though it only works for those following a Good code of conduct.

Common Effects: 1 CP for trivial bond to gain: +1 Soak, +1 Evade. The Sword has its own Mana Pool of 10 mana it can give/add to the wielders.

Trivial Bond: 1 CP + 1 Essence bond – Half Elves and Full Elves only

  • The sword has Danger Sense (PER 8) and for 5 mana can alert the wielder.
  • +2 Soak and Evade
  • Mana pool available to wielder increases to 15; +1 Mana Sense
  • Death Avoidance: 1/session the sword will, for 10 mana, cause its wielder to grasp it and interpose it in such a way as to Shrug Off a death dealing blow (converting it to fatigue damage).

Minor Bond: [REQ] 1 CP + 2 Essence bond – Full Elves only.

  • +3 Soak and Evade
  • Amber-Glow: Blade is treated as if it were Ghostly.
  • Mana pool available to wielder increases to 20; +2 Mana Sense.
  • Aura of Peace: Unless the wielder attacks a target, attackers must make a SAN check to contemplate attacking the wielder.

Major Bond: [REQ] 1 CP + 4 Essence bond – Noble Full Elves only.

  • +4 Soak (and Total Insight/+1 RS) and Evade
  • Mana pool available to wielder increases to 25; +4 Mana Sense
  • Evade can be done as a Speed action with half the normal penalty (-2 instead of -4)
  • Amber-Ray: Stun and/or automatically knock down a target (RCT-4) up to 30m away; 1 AM, 3/day

Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty

Last to pick it up was Lorinothar, an elven protector from a different sphere. He is rumored to have died in Tallows Deep. His (and the sword’s) last resting place is likely to be the trophy hall in which the blade would be displayed, there.

The sword was recovered from his corpse and brought as booty to the Temple Gallowspear, deep in the Tolkisson range. The priest D’raek activated its sunlight power in trying to consign the blade to darkness and was burned to death in its rays. His remains and the sword were taken south, through the Black Fens and across the Bandit Kingdoms in an attempt to get it to the lich Phu’ollor for payment. The carriers were ambushed and the sword taken east by bandits. It made its way to many hands as a curio and pretty trinket. Eventually it ended up as a display piece for a plantation owner on the coast of Syned where it was lost.

Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty

The smiths of the Starfell Forge in Ynth crafted the blade over 50 years, bathing it in the life light of the soul tree and quenching it under the sacred stars. Buried within the roots for a full cycle, her soul moved into the blade under the light of the sun and stars. elven princess M’ynata directed the tree whisperers upon a certain star configuration to be given to a prince of Ynth who would be in dire need – eventually it became clear it was the elven warrior Kietryn, as he came seeking counsel of the elders to stop the hell-spawn general of Urqoath Black-Bleeder and his minions from Tallows Deep in CY 5774 – which coincided with the Rise in the Veil over the Greywoods. The princess had fought the minions of Urqoath before, when Ynth was being carved out of the southern reaches, and brought the Light of Life to defeat his horde. The light of the soul tree stopped the horde, but its wielder had to give his life to channel it. For ages it laid buried in the ground, covered in the black blood of the demon. It was unearthed later and taken to the Hall of Heroes. It was later given to Arafel to carry against the forces of Everdark.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty

The elven princess M’ynata gave her consciousness from the great Soul Tree of Ynth where her spirit lived forever. She foresaw the coming disaster of the encroaching darkness in her deathless dreams, calling out to make her voice heard amongst the myriad of those who had passed to the young tree whisperers.


Warning
Obscure/Hidden Knowledge is not generally available in known references; It is not necessarily Forbidden.
DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT unless a character has the capability to gain such knowledge [through association, organization, or relation] if they do not possess it themselves or the reader intends to participate in scenarios using this material as a PLAYER! GM Narration will typically provide relevant information by check or story.


Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic