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Weapon Details: Swords & Daggers


Something dawned on my recently.  When my players find a weapon, I'd like to be able to give them a better description than "you find a sword."

I think the sameness of rpg weapons has always bothered me a little, but my solution has primarily been to make them magical, giving them some mechanical benefit.  However, to create a blade that a player will really treasure (especially at lower levels when there really shouldn't be a whole slew of magical cutlery laying around), I think all you really need are a few interesting descriptors to make it come alive.  

While I was at it, I thought it would be interesting to add a monetary value to each detail.  It is loot after all; increasing its worth a bit also increases its perceived value for the player.

Below are a series of tables to randomly generate a description of a sword or dagger along with its worth.  Like most generators of this type, it's meant to be a tool to plant seeds in the imagination, so feel free to roll, re-roll, pick and choose, expand, or make your own.

Instructions

To randomly determine the characteristics of a sword or dagger, first roll on the Type table below, which will establish the weapon's Base Worth.  Then roll on each of the subsequent tables to flesh out the full description.  At each step, make a note of the Worth Adjust and add it to the tally.

  1. Roll on Type table
  2. Roll on Blade: Shape table
  3. Roll on Blade: Cross-Section table
  4. Roll on Blade: Material table (and Decoration sub-tables if required)
  5. Roll on Grip: Material table (and Decoration sub-table if required)
  6. Roll on Cross Guard: Shape table (and Fanciful Shape sub-table if required)
  7. Roll on Pommel: Shape table (and Engraving/Shape sub-tables if required)
  8. Roll on Pommel: Inlay table
  9. Roll on Scabbard: Material table (and Decoration sub-table if required)

Type

d12TypeBase Worth (gp)
1-4Dagger3
5-9Short Sword7
10-11Longsword10
12Two-handed sword15

Blade

Blade: Shape


d12DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
1-10Straight0
11-12Curved6

Blade: Cross-Section


d20DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
1-10Lenticular shape0
11Lenticular shape with narrow fuller2
12Lenticular shape with double fuller5
13Lenticular shape with broad fuller6
14Hexagonal shape7
15Hexagonal shape with narrow fuller8
16Hexagonal shape with broad fuller10
17Diamond shape20
18Diamond shape with narrow fuller25
19Diamond shape with broad fuller35
20Hollow ground shape100

Blade: Material


d100DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-80Steel (iron)0
81-87Steel (iron) decorated near the cross guard (roll on Blade: Decoration Sub-Table)10 + decoration
88Steel (iron) decorated on the lower half of the blade (roll on Blade: Decoration Sub-Table)20 + decoration
89Steel (iron) decorated on the full length of the blade (roll on Blade: Decoration Sub-Table)30 + decoration
90-97Mithril50
98Mithril decorated near the cross guard (roll on Blade: Decoration Sub-Table)75 + decoration
99Mithril decorated on the lower half of the blade (roll on Blade: Decoration Sub-Table)100 + decoration
00Mithril decorated on the full length of the blade (roll on Blade: Decoration Sub-Table)200 + decoration

Blade: Decoration Sub-Table


d100DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-64Etched criss-cross of lines2
65-70Etched diamond pattern20
71-75Etched circular pattern25
76-79Etched spiral pattern30
80-84Etched vine pattern35
85Etched sunburst theme50
86Etched crashing waves60
87Etched seafaring theme75
88Etched night sky theme80
89Etched gnarled tree80
90Etched intertwined snakes80
91Etched cityscape of randomly-determined city80
92Etched flame pattern100
93Etched eyeball pattern120
94Etched intertwined dragons150
95Etched hellscape200
96Etched intertwined tentacles250
97Etched names of the sword's former owners275
98Etched indecipherable ancient curse400
99Etched holy symbol of a randomly-determined deity450
00Roll again on Blade: Gilded Decoration Sub-Table-

Blade: Gilded Decoration Sub-Table


d20DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
1-3Gilded spiral pattern750
4-6Gilded vine patern900
7-9Gilded sunburst theme1000
10-11Gilded crashing waves1200
12-13Gilded intertwined snakes1500
14Gilded flame pattern2000
15Gilded pentacle pattern2500
16Gilded intertwined dragons3000
17Gilded hellscape3500
18Gilded portraits of each of the sword's former owners4000
19Gilded portraits of all enemies slain with the sword4500
20Gilded holy symbol of a randomly-determined deity5000

Grip

Grip: Material


d100DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-15Wood-1
16-20Wood wrapped with weather-beaten leather-1
21-25Wood wrapped with basic fabric and binding cord0
26-30Wood wrapped with leather0
31-35Wod wrapped with fine fabric and wire5
36-40Natural Bone7
41-45Bone wrapped with weather-beaten leather8
46-50Black-Stained Bone10
51-55Red-Stained Bone12
56-60Bone wrapped with fine leather15
61-65Natural Horn17
66-70Horn wrapped with weather-beaten leather17
71-75Black-Stained Horn21
76-80Red-Stained Horn24
81-85Horn wrapped with fine leather30
86-90Decorated wood (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)30 + decoration
91-92Decorated bone (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)35 + decoration
93-94Decorated horn (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)40 + decoration
95-96Decorated bronze (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)45 + decoration
97-98Decorated steel (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)50 + decoration
99Decorated steel gilded in silver (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)100 + decoration
00Decorated steel gilded in gold (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table)150 + decoration

Grip: Decoration Sub-Table


d100DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
0-10Lateral ribbing0
11-20Criss-cross of lines3
21-30Diamond pattern5
31-40Circular pattern7
41-50Spiral pattern10
51-55Feather pattern13
56-60Fish scales15
61-65Snake scales20
66-70Dragon scales25
71-75Vine pattern27
76-80Braids of a maiden30
81-82Intertwined tree limbs35
83Intertwined sparrows50
84Holy symbol of a randomly-determined deity100
85The name of each of the sword's former owners150
86Intertwined eels175
87Intertwined snakes250
88Crashing waves260
89Sunburst theme270
90Seafaring theme300
91Night sky theme350
92Flames375
93Intertwined tentacles400
94Pentacle pattern450
95Pattern of eyeballs450
96Portraits of each of the sword's former owners450
97Portraits of all enemies slain with the sword500
98Diamond pattern with inlay (roll on Pommel: Inlay Sub-Table and apply to grip)100 + inlay
99Circular pattern with inlay (roll on Pommel: Inlay Sub-Table and apply to grip)150 + inlay
00Holy symbol pattern with inlay (roll on Pommel: Inlay Sub-Table and apply to grip)1000 + inlay

Cross Guard

Cross Guard: Shape


RollDescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-30Short, rectangular bar0
31-50Straight horizontal bar, cross-section tapers toward the ends1
51-70Straight horizontal bar, cross-section flares out toward the ends2
71-80Simple cross with terminals which bend toward the blade3
81-90"Bow tie" cross5
91-95Broad, flat cross which curves toward the blade12
96-00Forged into fanciful shapes (roll on Cross Guard: Fanciful Shape Sub-Table)30 + shape

Cross Guard: Fanciful Shape Sub-Table


d100DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-25Curvileanear scroll form5
26-30Zig-zag form10
31-35Twisting curvileanear scroll form20
35-40Twisting curvileanear scroll forms which include a hand guard22
41-45Wolf heads24
46-50Mermaids25
51-55Salamanders27
56-60Small swords30
61-65Curved vines33
66-70Thorny roses45
71-75Outstretched arms48
76-80Jumping fish50
81-85Crashing waves55
86-89Dragon claws75
90Dragons200
91Straight oxen horns300
92Bull horns which curve toward the blade400
93Curved and twisted ram horns500
94Holy symbols of a random-determined deity600
95Twisting tentacles700
96Multiple tentacles twisted together to form a hand guard750
97Large set of stag horns750
98Heads of a randomly-determined deity or patron800
99Screaming faces950
00Large demon horns which curve toward the blade1000

Pommel

Pommel: Shape


d100DescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-10Spherical0
11-20"Brazil nut"0
21-30"Cocked hat"2
31-40Disc, plain2
41-50Crescent5
51-60Shield10
61-70Floral12
71-80Beveled Cube15
81-90"Scent-stopper"18
91-96Spherical, engraved (roll on Pommel: Engraving sub-table)20 + engraving
97-98Disc, engraved (roll on Pommel: Engraving sub-table)25 + engraving
99-00Forged into a fanciful shape (roll on Pommel: Fanciful Shape Sub-Table)50 + shape

Pommel: Engraving Sub-Table


RollDescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-20Simple circle0
21-40Diamond pattern2
41-60Circular pattern3
61-65Spiral pattern4
66-70Sunburst6
71-73Night sky theme9
74-76Tree10
77-79Beehive12
80-82Windmill13
83-85A famous ship14
86-88Mountain range15
89-91Pentacle23
92-94Setogram25
95-97Standing Stones30
98-00Holy symbol of a randomly-determined deity50

Pommel: Fanciful Shape Sub-Table


RollDescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-10Fish tail0
11-20Pineapple5
21-30Crown10
31-40Randomly-determined fort, castle, or keep15
41-45Sparrow20
46-50Rabbit head25
51-55Bear head30
56-60Wolf head35
61-65Fish head40
66-70Cat head45
71-75Boar head50
76-80Dog head55
81-85Tiger head60
86Lion head100
87Elephant head200
88Famous ship225
89Head of the former owner250
90Parrot head300
91Snake head350
92Eagle head400
93Tentacle450
94A tableau of a famous hero's deeds475
95Head of the current monarch of the realm500
96Head of an ancient monarch of the realm675
97Head of a monarch of a far-off realm700
98Dragon head1000
99Head of a randomly-determined deity or patron1200
00Demon head1500

Pommel: Inlay

The pommel inlay will adapt to the pommel shape.  For example, for a disc shape a precious stone will be inlaid in the center.  For an animal head, however, the stone will be set into the eyes or mouth.


RollDescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-50None0
51-70Ordinary coin1
71-75Rock crystal2
76-80Coin from a distant land5
81-85Miniature portrait of the current monarch of the realm12
86Miniature portrait of an ancient monarch of the realm20
87Mother of pearl24
88Garnet25
89Bezoar stone35
90Saphire40
91Lapis Lazuli150
92Pearl275
93Coral300
94Topaz500
95Turquoise600
96Emerald1100
97Ruby1300
98Significant religious artifact1500
99Crystal container, banded with steel and filled with the ashes of a fallen hero1750
00Diamond2000

Scabbard

Scabbard: Material


RollDescriptionWorth Adjust (gp)
01-20None-2
21-40Wood0
41-60Leather1
61-65Wood with bronze trim2
66-70Leather with bronze trim3
71-75Bronze3
76-80Wood with steel trim4
81-85Leather with steel trim5
86-90Steel (iron)6
91Decorative wood (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)10 + decoration
92Decorative leather (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)10 + decoration
93Wood with decorative bronze trim (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)10 + decoration
94Leather with decorative bronze trim (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)10 + decoration
95Wood with decorative steel trim (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)10 + decoration
96Leather with decorative steel trim (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)10 + decoration
97Decorated bronze (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)20 + decoration
98Decorated steel (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)50 + decoration
99Decorated steel gilded in silver (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)150 + decoration
00Decorated steel gilded in gold (roll on Grip: Decoration Sub-Table and apply to scabbard)200 + decoration

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