The Twelve Swords Of Power

Each of The Twelve Swords Of Power is physically identical in design. Each Sword has
a straight, double-edged blade 39" long, that is 25/64" at its thickest, and has a simple
black hilt with straight crossbar. The steel of the blade is mottled, with a subtle
translucent pattern that seems to extend to impossible depths. The hilt is an unknown
black material, hard but also comfortable. The Swords are all surgically sharp and
resistant to all forms of damage. They never rust, dull, tarnish, or soil. Only the Swords
Shieldbreaker and Woundhealer can damage or destroy another Sword. Each Sword
seems to have a niche within which it is supreme. Outside of this niche, each Sword
acts as a bastard sword +2, with the exception of Woundhealer, which can do no
damage to any living being. Any of the Twelve can be used against any being, even
those affected only by silver or magical weapons, and some have even been used
effectively against the gods themselves.
A Sword can only be distinguished from its companions by a unique white symbol
etched into one side of its hilt. In addition to each Sword's magical properties, most also
serve as peerless conventional blades, due to their perfect balance, extreme sharpness,
and indestructible nature.
There are four exceptions to these general rules. Woundhealer is incapable of causing
injury, though its blade will cut anything but living flesh as well as any other Sword.
Soulcutter lacks a distinguishing hilt symbol, and its blade has no luster. Obversely, the
Mindsword has been described as being impossibly bright and shiny. Shieldbreaker is a
peerless combat weapon, except when used against an unarmed opponent, in which
case it is incapable of causing harm and even weakens its wielder.
There is speculation about the effects of holding two Swords at once. At least one
person is known to have been knocked unconscious simply from holding two, without
drawing on their powers. On the other hand, a number of characters wielded two at
once with little adverse effect. Wizards who have studied the Swords theorize that
certain more "sensitive" personalities seem less able to resist the effects of wielding two
Swords, and that some Swords seem to tolerate each other better than others. While
dual-wielding, the wielder is described variously as feeling euphoric, or as if he/she
were having an out-of-body experience.
Coinspinner, also called the Sword of Chance, and less frequently, the Sword of
Fortune. It has a pair of dice engraved in white on its hilt. It emits no sound.
Coinspinner's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Who holds Coinspinner knows good odds
Whichever move he make.
But the Sword of Chance, to please the gods
Slips from him like a snake.
Coinspinner gives its holder good luck, and brings misfortune on anyone trying to harm
or hinder its current possessor. However, the Sword of Chance is the most

unpredictable of all the Swords, having the habit of leaving its owner when they need it
most.
Coinspinner seems to be endowed with a limited form of intelligence. Should one take
one's eyes off of it, Coinspinner can teleport to a new destination and a new owner. The
Sword is capable of generating distractions to achieve this purpose.
While a person holds Coinspinner, even if it remains sheathed in a scabbard, they are
blessed with supernatural good luck. They cannot fail a saving throw. In games of
chance, they will always win. If they walk a tightrope, they won't fall, and if they do, the
fall will somehow not harm them.
A secondary use of the Sword is that it can function similar to Wayfinder, by pointing the
user in the general direction of something for which they are searching. It apparently
does not home as strongly as Wayfinder, nor does it lead its possessor to interim goals
required for successfully reaching the object of their desire. However, with the luck of
Coinspinner, it is likely the user would be able to deal with any difficulty they meet with
while en route.
The DM should determine when Coinspinner leaves its owner, and when it does, often
there will be a rebound effect of bad luck. It is not uncommon for Coinspinner to leave
its master for his arch rival, with disastrous results. Therefore, Coinspinner serves as a
wild card, making total control of the Swords of Power an impossible proposition.
Doomgiver, also called the Sword of Justice. It has a hollow circle engraved in white
upon its hilt. It emits no sound.
Doomgiver's verse in The Song of Swords hints at its powers, and is as follows:
The Sword of Justice balances the pans
Of right and wrong, and foul and fair.
Eye for an eye, Doomgiver scans
The fate of all folk everywhere.
Doomgiver is one of the least understood of all the Swords because of the ambiguity of
its verse, and because Doomgiver, according to lore, has rarely been seen or used. It
turns any attack directed toward it back on the source. If an arrow is fired at the wielder
of the Sword of Justice, the arrow will turn around in mid-flight and strike the archer. It
also generally redirects other forms of maliciousness such as spells or magical affects
back on the source.
For example, it is written that the goddess Aphrodite attempted to seize a Sword from a
common mortal by seducing him. Doomgiver's sheath fell off, and the goddess fell in
love with the mortal, who equally, suddenly was released from his own attraction to her.
Her long history of callously toying with mortals' emotions was abruptly balanced by a
sudden and permanent love for this human, as well as concern for the well-being of
humanity in general. Although the Sword was quickly sheathed, the effects lasted for
the remainder of the man's life.

The Dark King Vilkata similarly hesitated to confront the Sword when it was defending a
city, fearing that all the evil he or his followers had ever wielded against anyone in the
city would be suddenly returned against him.
Doomgiver has, according to lore, had monsters attack eachother rather than its owner,
had a demon folded painfully into its own gut, and even prevailed over Soulcutter once,
turning its despair back at Soulcutter's wielder. It is also hinted at in some tomes that
Doomgiver's power would prove superior to the other Swords, including being able to
turn Farslayer back at the one who threw it, that Sightblinder's holder would see a
terrible apparition while remaining vulnerable, that the Mindsword holder should worship
Doomgiver's holder, and Coinspinner's master would suffer excruciating bad luck.
Likewise, in these same writings, if someone tried to take Doomgiver away from the
man who held it, Doomgiver would exact its retaliation and take any Sword away from
them. Only Shieldbreaker's holder is immune to Doomgiver's powers.
Dragonslicer is also called the Sword of Heroes. It has a stylized dragon engraved in
white on its hilt. Its sound is a low humming.
Dragonslicer's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Dragonslicer, Dragonslicer, how d'you slay?
Reaching for the heart in behind the scales.
Dragonslicer, Dragonslicer, where d'you stay?
In the belly of the giant that my blade impales.
Dragonslicer is one of the few Swords that is wholly benevolent in nature. Dragonslicer
guides its user into the right place to deliver a fatal blow to any dragon, and can cut
through dragon scale (and limbs, and tails, etc.) as easily as soft butter. When
employed against any dragon, it is +5 to hit and acts as a Sword of Sharpness. Damage
is dealt as a bastard sword +8. Care must still be taken, for Dragonslicer does not
protect its wielder against a dragon's various means of attack.
When employed against dragon kin, it is +3 to hit and +5 damage. When used versus
any other creature, it is a bastard sword +2, well balanced, and well crafted. Thus, it is
one of the least feared of the Swordsat least by humanity.
Farslayer is also called the Sword of Vengeance. It has a series of concentric circles in
the form of a target engraved upon its hilt. Its sound is a maddened howling.
Farslayer's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Farslayer howls across the world
For thy heart, for thy heart, who hast wronged me!
Vengeance is his who casts the blade
Yet he will in the end no triumph see.
Farslayer is relatively straightforward in operation. The possessor must simply swing the
blade around and think of the person whom they wish to kill, then release the sword. It
is customary for the wielder to chant the second line of the Swords verse, "For thy heart,

for thy heart, who has wronged me.", as above, while they are spinning the Blade. This
appears to be unnecessary for the proper function of Farslayer.
After launching, the Sword flies from the hand of its master, creating a shrieking
rainbow-colored streak through the sky, terminating in the heart of the intended target.
Nothing can be done to hide from Farslayer. The sword is intelligent enough to know
exactly how to kill its target, for example: pitted against a demon whose life is stored in
an amulet far away, Farslayer will seek the amulet and find it, rather than the demon's
projected form. Even the gods are not immune. Legend holds that Baron Doon killed a
greater god with it. Farslayer will pass through any substance that is placed between it
and its target whether in a house, a fortified castle, even in a cave hundreds of feet
underground. Distance from the target is also no obstacle. Only Shieldbreaker offers
sure defense from the Sword of Vengeance, destroying the incoming blade as it attacks,
and possibly Doomgiver, some sages theorize that the Sword of Justice would send the
Sword of Vengeance back upon whomever threw it. Woundhealer does not prevent
Farslayer from impaling its target, but it could ensure that the victim survives and that
the wound heals as long as it is employed before the moment of impact. Otherwise,
death is instantaneous, no to hit roll required, no saving throw allowed.
Once Farslayer reaches its target, it remains there. This may be a big drawback if, for
example, the deceased is surrounded by friends who might have thoughts of
vengeance, for they are then the new owners of Farslayer. This makes employing
Farslayer a risky proposition. In cases where the last target was alone, the Sword will
be found by its next owner still protruding from the body of its last victim.
When employed in melee combat, Farslayer behaves as a bastard sword +2.
Mindsword is also known as the Sword of Glory, by the pejorative Skulltwister, or the
Sword of Madness. It has a flying banner engraved in white on its hilt. Its sound is the
faint roar of a cheering mob.
Mindsword's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Mindsword spun in the dawn's gray light
And men and demons knelt down before.
The Mindsword flashed in the midday bright
Gods joined the dance, and the march to war.
It spun in the twilight dim as well
And gods and men marched off to hell.
Mindsword is one of the more overtly evil of the Swords, as it is difficult to imagine a
good cause Skulltwister would be associated with. When drawn, it compels absolute
and fanatical devotion to the person holding it in any and all beings within sight or sound
of it. It flashes brightly as if catching the sun. All who are in visual or auditory range are
affected. Not even the gods are immune to its power.
The strength of the devotion is such that one under Mindsword's power would even
throw their life away if so ordered. There is no possibility of resisting or recovery, except
for the passage of time. When removed from Mindsword's presence, a person will

gradually begin to lose the unnatural loyalty they felt toward the Sword's bearer and
show signs of skepticism and then increasing rebelliousness before finally regaining
their own mind. It takes d6+1 days to fully recover, depending on the relationship
between the target and the wielder (+1 day if they were formerly allies, -1 day if they
were formerly enemies,) the wielder's own Charisma (+1 day per point above 15), and
the Wisdom of the target (-1 day per point above 12.)
The Blade seems to have another, lesser property as wellwounds made from its edge
fester (d6 damage per day until healed), resisting healing (-3 points per die) and
possibly leading to fever and delirium. Only by fully healing the damage and casting
Blessing can the wound be cured.
Other Swords provide some protection from the mind-control effect of Mindsword, by
virtue of their hold on the user's mind. Sightblinder offers some resistance, although it
still takes a great deal of willpower (save vs Spells) from the affected wielder and allows
them only enough presence of mind to escape. Wayfinder also provides some
protection. While it does not protect its wielder from the fanatical devotion, it allows
them to maintain their sense of reason. For example, Wayfinder's wielder would not
follow orders from Mindsword's wielder if those orders were blatantly suicidal or foolish.
Soulcutter will trump the Mindsword's power, but in this case the cure can be worse
than the disease. Shieldbreaker offers absolute immunity when employed. Doomgiver
might also provide protection against the Mindsword. Woundhealer can successfully
heal a wound from the Sword of Glory.
Mindsword is one of the few Swords that is always "on" whether or not it is held by
someone. At one time, the Sword was left unsheathed on an icy mountain. Locals
began to worship the mountain itself as a god, apparently under the effect of the Sword.
Sheathing the Sword (or otherwise concealing its blade) will prevent the blade from
functioning, though mind control, once established, will remain in effect as long as those
effected remain in the presence of the Sword's owner.
The Sword of Glory is one of the most sought after of all the Twelve. Tyrants want it to
dominate others. Heroes want it locked up where it can do no harm, or destroyed if
possible.
Shieldbreaker is also called the Sword of Force. It has a hammer engraved in white on
its hilt. Its sound is a slow thudding before battle, a rapid pounding once battle begins.
Shieldbreaker's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
I shatter Swords and splinter spears;
None stands to Shieldbreaker.
My point's the fount of orphans' tears
My edge the widowmaker.
Shieldbreaker provides protection from all armed attacks. Whether melee, ranged or
magical, no attack will have any effect on its weilder. Any weapon, even another Sword,
that is brought to bear against somebody using Shieldbreaker is utterly destroyed.
Armor and shield offer no protection against its attacks. Like Townsaver, Shieldbreaker

takes over the sword arm of the person using it, and cannot be put down once battle is
joined until the battle is over. Unlike Townsaver, though, Shieldbreaker will deflect
incoming blows.
The Sword's one weakness is its inability to be used against an unarmed foe. The
wielder, joined in battle by an unarmed opponent, cannot put Shieldbreaker down or
sheath it, can do no damage to his unarmed foe with the Sword, and is weakened by
using Shieldbreaker in this way at a rate of 1 Strength point per round until a minimum
of Strength 9, and so can be defeated quite easily.
Shieldbreaker is unique among the Swords, in that it can easily destroy any of the
others in melee combat with the exception of Woundhealer. In addition, any abilities
possessed by the other Swords are negated by Shieldbreaker. .
Sightblinder is also called the Sword of Stealth, and less commonly, the Sword of
Deception. It bears a stylized human eye engraved in white upon its hilt. It mimics the
sounds of other Swords perfectly and at random.
Sightblinder's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Sword of Stealth is given to
One lowly and despised.
Sightblinder's gifts: his eyes are keen
His nature is disguised.
Sightblinder's powers are twofold. First, it alters the appearance of its possessor. This is
not via a traditional cloaking device or illusory spell, but it alters how outside agents
perceive the person carrying the Sword of Stealth. When a person looks at someone
holding Sightblinder, they believe they are looking at either someone they love and trust
implicitly, or someone they fear.
The illusion is complete, regardless of how perceptive or skilled in magic the target may
be. One may see Sightblinder's owner as a parent, sibling, lover, god, or leader. There
is no saving throw. Even if they come to know the truth and are thus offered a chance to
save versus Spells, the effect is so convincing that the target has trouble doubting the
identity of the person they are looking at and must make the saving throw once per turn.
If a save fails, they will forget the person is not who they appear to be and receive no
saving throw again. Sightblinder will disguise its bearer's voice as well as face, size, and
build. Sightblinder disguises itself as well, appearing as a cane, a scepter, another
Sword, or even as nothing at all, depending on what would enhance the illusion.
The consistency of the illusion varies. In some situations involving multiple targets,
every person will see something different. At other times, all present see the same
thing. The illusion may switch from a person one fears to a person one loves and back
again over the space of a single encounter, or it may remain the same over a long
period of time. The DM should decide this on a case-by-case basis.
In practice, the effect is similar to the Mindsword in that the target will obey the wielder.
Unlike the Mindsword, the subject will not totally disregard their base inhibitions and are

unlikely to throw their life away for the illusion, unless that is what they are naturally
inclined to do.
A drawback to use of the Sword is that it makes sneaking around impossible. When one
appears as a fearsome god, demon, or an intimate relation, they do not easily escape
notice. Indeed, the Sword is best used boldly.
A secondary effect of Sightblinder is that it enhances the perceptions of the person
carrying it. Their eyesight and hearing are supernaturally keen granting a +2 to
detection abilities such as finding traps or secret doors. It also allows its bearer to see
through other illusionary magic and effects, no matter what the origin or strength.
Illusions will have no effect on the wielder of Sightblinder. It also offers some protection
from the Mindsword by allowing its user to see the true nature of the other Sword's
possessor. Sightblinder's bearer intuitively can tell when a person is being honest or
deceitful.
As powerful as Sightblinder's illusions are, it cannot fool the one who carries
Shieldbreaker. Farslayer is not fooled by the illusion. Some suggests that Doomgiver
would be able to reverse the effects of Sightblinder onto its own wielder, but this is not
known for certain.
Soulcutter is also called the Sword of Despair, or the Tyrant's Blade. It is unique in that
it bears no symbol or other marking on its black hilt. It emits no sound.
Soulcutter's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Tyrant's Blade no blood hath spilled
But doth the spirit carve
Soulcutter hath no body killed
But many left to starve.
Unlike the other Twelve Swords, the Soulcutter's blade is a dull color, lacking all luster,
and actually seems to draw light into itself, creating a pocket of localized gloom when
drawn.
When drawn, the Tyrant's Blade projects a field of total apathy 60' in radius that spreads
30' per turn until it covers a circle 150' across. Any creature caught within Soulcutter's
sphere of influence immediately loses all interest in life and slumps to the ground in a
state of profound depression. They are incapable of movement and take no notice of
hunger, thirst, or exposure to elements. They will eventually die of deprivation if the
Sword of Despair is not sheathed or otherwise counteracted.
The critical drawback is that not even Soulcutter's wielder is spared this effect. In fact,
once they draw the weapon, they cannot find the motivation to sheathe the Sword,
making their choice to use the Sword of Despair the last decision they make. If by some
extreme intervention, like a person bearing Shieldbreaker entering the scene and
covering the cursed Blade, Soulcutter's possessor will have aged at an extremely
advanced rate (5d6 years per day), and still suffer severe long-term depression.

Woundhealer can dispel most of the lingering mental effects, and some (but not all) of
the physical deterioration.
Because of the horrific effects of the Sword, and the personal cost to the one employing
it, Soulcutter has rarely been drawn. Instead, it has been used as a threat, where the
mere knowledge that one possesses the Tyrant's Blade deters attack. Most actual uses
have been out of extreme desperation or as an act of last defense. Soulcutter has also
been drawn to counteract the Mindsword's influence, and it should be noted that
Soulcutter "prevailed" in the sense that while the fanaticism of the Mindsword's wielder
and his followers were somewhat shielded from the worst of Soulcutter's effects,
eventually even they were defeated by despair.
Though rarely seen or sought, Soulcutter is thought to be hidden away in an extremely
remote location by a god-like being who refuses to permit Soulcutter to become active
again, citing its extreme danger to all involved.
Shieldbreaker and Soulcutter together would render a person for all intents and
purposes invincible. Indeed, this very scenario almost played out once in the early days
of the Swords, and was defeated only by the ability of Woundhealer to "heal"
Soulcutter's damage immediately.
Stonecutter is also called the Sword of Siege. It has a wedge driving into a block
engraved in white on its hilt. Its sound is of a hammer striking stone.
Stonecutter's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Sword of Siege struck a hammer's blow
With a crash, and a smash, and a tumbled wall.
Stonecutter laid a castle low
With a groan, and a roar, and a tower's fall.
Stonecutter's use, like Dragonslicer, is highly specialized. It carves any stone of
whatever thickness or density as easily as soft butter. When it is being used to this end,
it emits a distinct hammering sound (like the sound of a chisel chipping away stone),
which is louder or softer depending on the scale of its use.
As its verse suggests, Stonecutter can be used to topple castle walls, but it can and has
been used by artists to sculpt fine art (or even to cut fine gemstones). Like all of its
fellow Swords, the Sword of Siege makes an excellent conventional blade in addition to
its magical properties. It also appears to be the only sword besides Dragonslicer that
does not have a major drawback or any known weaknesses.
Townsaver is also called the Sword of Fury. It has a sword raised above a stylized
segment of castle wall engraved in white on its hilt. Its sound is of a piercing scream or
whistle.
Townsaver's verse in The Song of Swords hints at its power and peril, and is as follows:
Long roads the Sword of Fury makes

Hard walls it builds around the soft

The fighter who Townsaver takes
Can bid farewell to home and croft
Townsaver's power is defending unarmed people in a fixed position. When its wielder
draws it for this purpose, the blade welds itself to his or her hand and takes control of
him, moving his arm with superhuman speed and power to defeat any attackers. It is not
an overstatement to say that Townsaver can singlehandedly defeat an entire army.
Unfortunately, unlike many of its fellow Swords, such as Shieldbreaker, it does nothing
to protect the actual wielder. In fact, it will use the wielder's body to deflect and absorb
ranged attacks and other blows if it is practical to do so, and if the action will result in
the protection of the people it is trying to defend. Townsaver will keep its wielder alive
until the battle is over even if his HP drops below zero. Afterward, if the user's HP has
dropped below zero, death is instantaneous.
In addition, Townsaver will not allow its user to drop or relinquish its power once the
battle has been engaged. The user is totally committed once Townsaver is drawn. It will
take no action to defend the user if he stands alone.
Of course, countermeasures can be developed to offset Townsaver's weaknesses
somewhat. Wearing good armor is one tactic that might be used with success. Since it
is not the user's speed and power driving the weapon, it is possible to burden the
wielder with heavy armor that would ordinarily be a fatal encumbrance.
Wayfinder is also called the Sword of Wisdom. It has an arrow engraved in white on its
hilt. It emits no sound.
Wayfinder's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Who holds Wayfinder finds good roads
Its master's step is brisk.
The Sword of Wisdom lightens loads
But adds unto their risk.
Wayfinder's chief power is guiding its bearer to whatever it is they seek. Not only will it
lead one to their ultimate goal, it will also intelligently guide them to things that are
required to successfully accomplish its mission. Wayfinder seems to do better and be
more kind to its user when the request is broad and general, and less so the more
specific the user is. Its main drawback is that while it picks routes that will eventually
lead its master to success, it never picks the safest route, if one exists. It is the opinion
of many of the past owners of the Sword that it actually picks the worst, most dangerous
path for its user to follow. Thus the Sword does indeed "add unto their risk."
Wayfinder's other weakness is that it only will lead someone to one thing at a time.
Many times, the wielder will change his mind or have confused priorities that cloud the
usefulness of the weapon.

For example, if one were to seek great wealth, Wayfinder might lead one to a bank
vault. But before doing so, it would lead one to the world's best thief, and then the
equipment he would need to break into the vault. If the thief would need some sort of
special compensation to cooperate, it would help one find that as well. Also, because of
Wayfinder's tendency to seek risky paths, it would most likely lead one to a heavily
guarded and protected vault. When it is operating in this type of "seeker" mode, it
quivers when it is being pointed in the right general direction, also subtly steering its
possessor's arms as a kind of divining rod.
In addition, Wayfinder can also act as the ultimate Magic 8-ball, answering questions
such as, "Which of these plates of food is poisoned?" or "Which of these men is lying to
me?" It is unnecessary to vocalize these questions; a mental query is sufficient. Just like
when it is in seeker mode, it indicates the correct answer by quivering when its blade is
pointing in the correct direction. This is the chief reason Wayfinder is also dubbed the
"Sword of Wisdom".
Woundhealer is also called the Sword of Mercy, less frequently, the Sword of Love,
and even more infrequently, the Sword of Healing. Its symbol is an open human hand
engraved in white on its hilt. Its sound is of soft breathing.
Woundhealer's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Whose flesh the Sword of Mercy hurts has drawn no breath,
Whose soul it heals has wandered in the night,
Has paid the summing of all debts in death
Has turned to see returning light.
Woundhealer is the only Sword incapable of killing, though it can cut and hack
inanimate matter as well as any of the other Swords. Instead, when living flesh is
pierced with the Blade, it has a powerful healing effect. The Sword can knit broken
bones, heal disease, fix genetic disorders, regenerate lost limbs, and repair mental or
psychological problems (including the effects of Soulcutter). Properly employed, it can
enable its user to sustain extensive damage without dying. Its healing effect can prevent
amputation of entire limbs if the Sword is in active use; the blade heals the wound
before the attack can complete its path across the limb, and before the wound can start
to bleed.
The sensation of Woundhealer cutting or piercing an individual is described as a sort of
exquisite pain. Woundhealer works on any living thing, human or animal. It cannot
restore the dead to life.
In most cases, the blade must come into contact and break the skin of the person being
healed. Woundhealer can be self-administered. The time of effect depends on the
severity of injury or sickness, and proximity of the Blade to the problem area. While
Woundhealer can eventually repair a broken leg by being stuck into the patient's chest,
the healing is instantaneous when it is thrust into the affected limb. A character could,
for example, plunge the Blade into his chest, ride his horse off a high cliff, survive the
fall, use the Sword to heal both himself and his horse, and ride away. In the case of old

amputations it takes several weeks, but Woundhealer will completely regenerate a lost
limb with but a single application. Woundhealer does project an aura of good health.
That is, while it does no actual healing unless actively employed, long-term proximity to
the blade will make a person healthier than otherwise, and will grant a +2 on all saves
versus disease, poison, etc., even if the Sword is sheathed.
Woundhealer is the only Sword that can survive an encounter with Shieldbreaker, and
can even destroy the Sword of Force if Woundhealer is plunged into its wielder's heart
when Shieldbreaker strikes.
It also is called the Sword of Love. Legend has it that once the Sword was thrust
through the heart of two people. While the two remained in love for the rest of their lives,
it is unknown whether or not the Sword was responsible.