Fighters and Magic Swords

The process of creating a magic sword involves a magic-user binding the soul of a being from realm of fae, the heavens, or the underworld with assistance from an extremely skilled blacksmith (almost always being a dwarf). The more significant the soul that is bound to the blade, the more powerful the sword.

The properties of mixing true iron with silver in a finely crafted sharp edge along with a magic-user's binding enchantment is what allows for the entrapment of beings within swords unlike any other magically enhanced weapons. Due to their intelligence all magic swords seek out worthy wielders to the best of their ability.

Understanding that only a fighter will ever be able to wield the sword with its greatest potential, magic swords refuse to provide their capabilities to any other classes.

Swords of the smallest enchantment (+1) contain the souls of beings with so little power they are often completely unable to communicate or affect their environments, only being able to withdraw their magical properties if wielded by someone they deem unworthy.

The strongest bound souls (+4 or more) are powerful beings able to communicate with not only their wielder, but also those around them. They're often able to affect their environment directly without assistance from outside forces and provide their wielders with great powers beyond combat prowess.

All magic swords will have an alignment, either Law, Chaos, or Neutrality. This alignment typically corresponding to the type of being that was bound to the sword: heavens, underworld, or fae, respectively. If a fighter attempts to wield a sword that they are not aligned with, the sword will lash out against them. Lesser swords take longer to punish those who misuse them, whereas more powerful swords are quick to enact retribution against the unworthy.

"When they brought me to their warlord, Hesolm, a strange feeling came over me. The blade that hung at his waist repulsed me without explanation - a demon to be sure resided within his blade. No doubt this blade granted him the unholy capabilities that made him a hero to his people. I called upon the Divine to dispel the wicked demon from my presence and the sword leapt from its scabbard and shattered to dust. A shrieking black soul appeared as smoke and ash as it flew from the tent returning to its home below." -- Excerpts from 'Encounters in Barbarian Altanis', in the Scripta Rota.

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