Weapons of Legacy in the Age of Worms

[MerricB]

*Finally* I have WoL, and I'm making plans to integrate it into my ongoing campaigns. As one of those campaigns is Age of Worms, I thought it'd be worth posting my plans here.

First, I have a aasimar fighter (moving towards paladin). To him, I'll be giving the Legacy Holy Avenger, with a backstory that it belonged to his grandfather and his family before him who were Knights of the Holy Shielding before falling on bad times... which explains why the character is in Diamond Lake. One can't fall much more on hard times! This will be presented as a heirloom in the near future.

That's fairly easy to integrate.

Second, I have a elf sorceress. To her I'm giving a Item of Legacy of my own creation, the Staff of Dragon Tears. (You can find my working description of the Staff's powers here: Staff powers)

I think the best way of introducing this staff is to have it in the Vecna temple of "Three Faces". Backstory on this staff involves a elf sorceress, a gold dragon, heroic deeds, and eventually the sorceress's death and the dragon going off to serve Bahamut.

There may be a third Item of Legacy to come. I'll have a look at what the group might like.

Is anyone else using WoL in the AoW game?

Any comments?

[Malkari Durant]

I'll be using WoL as well, but right now, I only have one legacy item planned in. I decided to make the sword that is on Zosiel's sarcophagus a masterwork long sword that sizes down to the first good character to touch it. However, for neutral characters it remains a greatsword (a Large longsword), and for evil characters it gives a nasty surprise. It will have an omen at this point, but it doesn't even start to show any signs of true power until the overgod is defeated with the sword making at least one hit.

-Malkari

[Robert Trifts]

Aye. The Talisman of the Sphere in my WC is a legacy item.

[Cardinal_Malik]

I have a player who has founded a legacy item, though I have (through the god Zodal) created all the legacy rituals invovled. So far it has been rewarding as the player continues to unlock his item's power.

[Modera]

I've been using WoL in AoW, and since it's my first time using the book, I've decided to only use pre-made ones, and told my players they can't see the book (ruins the surprise, but that's my opinion).

So what I'm doing is replacing some items already in the treasure hoards with some legacy items.

Anyway, so far They have found, and (With the help of Allustan) discovered the legacy of the Rod of Trimeg and Caladbolg.

The best part is that Caladbolg is being used by a whisper gnome pychic warrior who uses it in both hands.

[MerricB]

Hmm. My PCs haven't found the staff yet. (They explored another set of tunnels first). :)

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

[Phil. L]

my only trouble with the way that weapons of legacy are being introduced by some people, is that if you introduce too many legacy items they cease to become special, and simply become magic items that are a bit harder to activate than most. Weapons of legacy are called what they are for a reason!

My other problem that is to do weapons of legacy justice you should involve their discovery and the rituals involved with awakening them an important part of the AOW. If people throw weapons of legacy all over the place this becomes difficult to accomplish (particuarly since people don't know what sort of adventures are coming up).

I think there is a bit of the old kid in a toy shop mentality with books like Weapons of Legacy. Some DMs just have to shove this sort of stuff down their PCs throats as soon as they get their hands on it. Im not pointing fingers, but you should take a look at why you're introducing the weapon before you do so. How will it help the PCs? Are you just introducing the weapon because YOU LIKE IT?

Finally, both Heroes of Horror, and Incarnum are coming out soon (Incarnum might already be released in the states) and if you like Weapons of Legacy, both these books will blow your socks off with their options, not to mention being ideally suited to the AOW!

[Big Jake]

Hey there Merric... where've you been?

I was curious about your campaign. Are you running it per Living Greyhawk rules? The thought popped into my head when I saw some of your posts at wizards.com.

[MerricB]

G'day!

I'm running Age of Worms as a sanctioned RPGA Home Game, but not as Living Greyhawk (that's something quite different).

I run Living Greyhawk games on Friday afternoons, and the Age of Worms game every second Friday evening. My other Greyhawk/Necropolis game runs on Sunday afternoons. (Another RPGA home game).

Cheers,
Merric

[MerricB]

As to what I've been doing...

Keeping my DDM news site updated, being the admin of maxminis, and posting on various boards (Wizards, Maxminis, ENworld, here).

Occasionally I do some paying work as well. :-)

Cheers,
Merric

[TPK Jay]

Before we started playing (before I’d decided to use the Age of Worms even) one of my players and I had discussed having the sword his character inherited become a magical weapon over time, and a few short weeks later the Weapons of Legacy book was released. It was great timing!

I kicked around creating a weapon that was tied to the campaign, but when the Overload came out and I got a better idea where things were going, I went with something more tailored to the character. I worked into the history that the first ritual required risking one’s life to rescue someone, which should fit perfectly into Blackwall Keep.

[Patman]

The girl playing the Cleric/Paladin of Heironeous in my game was gifted a sword by the temple, for her valorous acts in 3FoE. I really want to make this a legacy item, revealing itself as such, after she vanquishes the Spawn of Kyuss in Blackwall Keep. You see, the party split up, with her staying behind to care for the wounded soldiers, and assume command of the Keep, until reinforcement arrive. I would really like the rituals and history to be tied to the AOW and Greyhawk. Can anyone ( hint..Eric, James ) help me a little with ideas? I am going to study the Overload with the campaign overview. I plan on the weapon being called Valor's Grace and it being a Holy Avenger. But, since I do not know a whole lot about the future of the campaign, what are some good spots to include rituals, and knowledge about a Weapon of Heironeous in the game?

Thanks y'all
Pat

[Jarrod]

I need to stat up a weapon of legacy...

One of my players is playing a character who grew up in Diamond Lake. In fact, his family has always lived in Diamond Lake. He's playing a Hexblade, which gives me plenty to play around with -- "he has the Touch" and all that.

So his story is that he's actually a descendant of the Wind Dukes. Not enough to make a big difference, but enough to make him strange. He's been hearing voices whenever he's in the Whispering Cairn, and the air elemental creatures from the end tried talking to him. The player is convinced the character is going nuts...

Anyway. They found a sword (great scimitar) that is too big for anyone else to use, but works for him just fine. It's one of the original Wind Duke weapons, and since he's got a touch of the "old blood" it works for him. I'm looking to build it as a chaos/law blade. The character is chaotic, which just makes things that much more fun.

Note to self: he needs to meet a hag that starts babbling about the "old blood". Gold.

[Modera]

Phil. L wrote:

my only trouble with the way that weapons of legacy are being introduced by some people, is that if you introduce too many legacy items they cease to become special, and simply become magic items that are a bit harder to activate than most. Weapons of legacy are called what they are for a reason!

My other problem that is to do weapons of legacy justice you should involve their discovery and the rituals involved with awakening them an important part of the AOW. If people throw weapons of legacy all over the place this becomes difficult to accomplish (particuarly since people don't know what sort of adventures are coming up).

I think there is a bit of the old kid in a toy shop mentality with books like Weapons of Legacy. Some DMs just have to shove this sort of stuff down their PCs throats as soon as they get their hands on it. Im not pointing fingers, but you should take a look at why you're introducing the weapon before you do so. How will it help the PCs? Are you just introducing the weapon because YOU LIKE IT?

Finally, both Heroes of Horror, and Incarnum are coming out soon (Incarnum might already be released in the states) and if you like Weapons of Legacy, both these books will blow your socks off with their options, not to mention being ideally suited to the AOW!

See, upon reading through Weapons of Legacy, I had a completly different feeling than you. Don't take this as me trying to flame you: You bring up really good points, and it's sad that you have been ignored.

While yes, I will agree that introducing too many legacy items is problematic, and lowers there special properties, I'll also argue that not introducing enough is playing favorites. See, if one chooses to perhaps introduce a longsword and a staff, leaving it at that, it's inherent that two characters are getting amazing options based solely on you wishing to keep it special.

I will agree, as well, that the weapons should parallel with the adventure. The Caladbolg was used by Ulavant for me (nearly lost the party in the fight), and the Rod of Trimeg has the seven notches built directly into it.

While this doesn't heavily relate to the adventure on the whole (though it will change things if they run into the seekers OR any chaotic creatures), the rituals I find are interesting side quests. I'm a fan of side quests. If you aren't, then yes: All the Legacy rituals, as well as discovering their abilities, better parallel the AoW.

As for an idea of introducing the weapons based on what the players will definetly use, that's a concept that I have trouble with.

See, I don't keep characters alive just because they happen to love their character. If someone rolls bad or does something dumb and dies, they're dead. And not everyone gets a raise dead.

What does this have to do with WoL? Well, if player C is playing a barbarian who goes down in a fight, then follows that by playing a wizard, then it's not really that special to have the Bloodcrier's Hammer around, now is it?

I'd almost say introducing specific WoL because you like them is perhaps not the worst idea. While introducing something like Mau-Jehe in a game without psionics isn't a good idea, why not introduce the odd WoL you enjoy, that MAY be used by the characters. The book states that there's always a chance that no one ever figures out they are WoL. But yet again, I feel that the WoL don't have to follow the AoW, and you have stated that they should. The point, thus, is moot.

It comes down to tailor making treasure for your characters, and how you feel about that. Some DM's feel that giving the characters items they haven't shown interest in is a waste: Others see it as a fact of life, as well as a random factor. Thus, the point based on belief and DM style, so arguing is also moot.

To finish, I will be using Heroes of Horror, and I'll even perhaps read incarnum at my local Chapters rather than passing it by now.