100 Weapon Histories with DnDSpeak
Watch: 3/14/20 7pm East on Twitch/Youtube/Facebook Live
Thanks to our partnership with DMsguild.com, you can use coupon code CRITGUILD to save 20%.
When playing Dungeons and Dragons some players can spend hours upon hours developing their characters backstory. For some, this may just be how long it takes to decide on a concept that can be explained in a few sentences, while others will write out pages and pages of content. In either case, very rarely does the player include lore and history of their equipment. This simple and minute detail is a huge lost opportunity, not only for the player, but for the DM as well. Today we cover "100 Weapon Histories" by DnDSpeak is a list of 100 interesting weapon stories is great for adding fantastic stories to mundane or magical weapons. A player can take their roleplay to the next level but using these histories in their characters background, or adventuring career. These also make for a great DM plot hook. A weapon used to murder a queen? I bet it's famous enough to be recognized by servants of the slain queen.
Segment: Crit Nation Feedback: Let’s talk about Blank! (Answer questions!)
Since the announcement of Baldur's Gate III the war between the Illithid and the Githyanki has been on everyone's mind (see what I did there? lol). But, did you know that the Githyanki name was borrowed from creatures in a book by George R.R. Martin? We sure didn't! Check out this awesome article with more details from Comicbook.com.
Dungeons and Dragons Borrowed the Name of One of its Most Iconic Monsters from George R.R. Martin!
Give Away: Loresmyth: Modular Dungeon Tiles - Arcania
Modular dungeon tiles are an easy way to create your own beautiful digital maps. The Arcania lets you make dark, shadowy dungeon map, rich with the fumes of arcane secrets.
Winner: danielmitchem
Didn’t win? Np, head to www.critacademy.com/loresmyth a free set of digital terrain and much more.
Segment: Main Topic:
100 Weapon Histories - DnD Speak - Casey Willis Toss a Coin to Your Writer!
You can visit Chris at www.dndspeak.com to find all his awesome content!
Casey, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Sure! I am a web developer from Asheville, North Carolina. I have been DMing for about 5 years now, and I am obsessed with tabletop games. We started out with 3.5e and moved on to 5e. I also really enjoy the Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying Game, and Lamentations of the Flame Princess.
What is your most memorable D&D moment?
We’ve had SO many, but the one my players and I talk about the most is the final confrontation with Strahd in Curse of Strahd. The players were all incredibly badly injured, and they knew there wasn’t alot of time left to defeat him. On the turn before Strahd was going to attack, surely resulting in a few killed players, our Druid landed a nat 20 on his attack, and completely saved the day by doing enough damage to kill Strahd. We all verbally cheered and STILL to this day talk about that moment.
Do you have any moment where you failed as a DM/Player?
My favorite type of DMing is relying on d100 tables. For those that don’t know, a d100 table is a list of 100 different options for a topic. You roll a 1d100 on the table, and you get your result. Well, sometimes playing with such randomness has been known to backfire HEAVILY.
One of my d100 tables is titled 100 Teleportation Mishaps. When a player uses a teleportation spell, and they don’t quite know the location they’re going, there is a chance that the teleportation spell can go wrong. Well, sure enough, my players used a teleportation spell and it failed. So I pulled out my trust d100 Teleportation Mishaps table and rolled. Wouldn’t you know it, the players end up in the domain of dread! I would call this a fail, because I completely derailed myself after preparing MONTHS and MONTHS on the story the players were originally going to go on! It all worked out, of course, but it took so much extra planning on my part. That is the nature of the game though, anything can happen with a dice roll!
Can you tell us about DnD Speak?
Sure! DNDSPEAK is a website and brand that I started to give DMs and GMs a multitude of resources that they can use in their games. We have d100 lists, random generators, fantasy music that I have composed, a new video library that goes in depth on some of the lists we create, and hopefully more soon! Dndspeak’s most used and what it is initially known for is our d100 lists. Dndspeak is home to over 200 different lists, and this grows every week.
How did it come to be?
It all started when I was looking up inspiration for my first ever DND campaign. Somewhere, I found my very first d100 list and I absolutely loved the idea of them. One hundred different options?? That is amazing! The first one I ever found was a table for 100 different NPC voices. When you rolled on it, you would get a different accent or voice inflection that you could use on an NPC that would make them unique. It was amazing and helped make my game come to life!
The problem was, there REALLY was not a lot of d100 lists out there. So, I started making my own.
Can you walk us through your creation process?
The lists of Dndspeak are a group effort. In the beginning, I would create them all myself, which is a pretty intimidating task! Coming up with 100 different topics on your own is a huge ordeal, especially when you are trying not to repeat yourself. I created the d100 subreddit on Reddit and started asking people for their help to finish up some of my lists, and it just took off. We have over 82,000 members right now. The idea is that someone posts a topic that they are wanting a d100 list for, and everyone on the sub comes together and comments their suggestions for the list. About 5 or 6 different d100 lists get completed a week!
We each pick three of our favorite weapon histories for discussion. How can we get the most out of it from a roleplay or hook perspective.
Justin
This weapon was forged by the High Artificer of an ancient kingdom for the coronation ceremony of Prince Darek Half-Elven the Zerule. The prince’s treacherous brother used it to slay Darek as he was being crowned and then fled the land with the weapon. A Royal Assassin tracked down the brother and used the weapon to kill him, thus giving it its nickname, the “Prince Slayer”.
The hilt has a notch for each kill made with the weapon. Although it was wielded by a great hero for many years, it only has one notch.
This weapon is the physical key to a ship now haunted. Once belonging to a great pirate to hide his founded wealth it is now the only way to restore the ship to its former glory (the treasure being the ship itself). While the weapon is inserted into the keyhole a silent ghost crew works about the ship managing its sails. Without the weapon inserted it creates an illusion that it is haunted once again, great for anti-theft!
Ian
The wood in this weapon was provided willingly for the original owner, by a powerful forest god. Each following bearer has either sought out the God’s blessing, or warred with nature itself.
A wizard failed his experiment and transformed into this weapon.
The weapon is named after a powerful weapon once wielded by a great hero of legend. Everyone seems to have different versions of who it was wielded by and what that individual used it for, though.
Austin
This weapon was found in the body of an ancient monster that even the gods feared.
A weapon that bleeds. It is said that it was originally made to draw blood from one’s foes weakening them further even as it made a wound. Later it came into possession of a cult that was very fond of sacrificing creatures to their dark god.The weapon was used to kill the victims of the cult and after the deed was done,it would be left to lie in a pool of blood.After a century of being used by the cult the weapon was done. It was overfilled with blood. So now it bleeds blood.
This weapon has been a favorite for all who have ever wielded it. It radiated with bright light in the hands of all who have held it, but in yours, it emanates only shadow.
Casey, do you have a favorite weapon history?
Any secret projects you’re working on that you can share with Crit Nation?
You can visit Casey at www.dndspeak.com or follow him on social media @dndspeak.
Make sure to visit the d100 Reddit too!
Give Away: Jeff Stevens: Encounters on the Savage Seas II!
Revolutionize your game with this collection 16 mini-adventures and includes NPCs, locations, new creatures, and magic items to add to your nautical adventures.
Winner: harrisdu81
Didn’t win? Np, head to www.critacademy.com/jeffstevens to get Encounters on the Savage Seas III Free
Unearthed Tips and Tricks: New and reusable D&D content for you to bring with you on your next adventure.
Character Concept:
Forged by the gods!
The gods decided a contest among themselves to have a contest of creation not of objects or worlds but a single individual. Each person is instilled with the qualities and values of the deity that has created them and were each placed into the world as a small child who does not know from where they have come. As they grow each person seems to have a certain amount of luck about them or see themselves as clearly above normal men as the deities compare the qualities and deeds of their creation. The gods themselves cannot directly interact with their creations but that does not mean they don’t find subtle ways to support their creation, or hinder their rivals.
Monster Variant:
Storm of Sickles
Origin: Swarm of Poisonous Snakes
Changes:
Change to construct
Remove Bite.
Condition Immumminities blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Antimagic Susceptibility. The sickle storm is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the sickles storm must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster’s spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
False Appearance. While the sickle storm remains motionless and isn’t flying, it is indistinguishable from a pile of sickles.
New Features:
Sickle Storm. At the start of each of the sickle storm’s turns, each creature that starts its turn or enters the area within 5 feet of the sickle storm or shares a space with it takes 3 (1d6) slashing damage. A creature that touches the sickle or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of it takes 3 (1d6) slashing damage.
Sickle. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 0 ft ., one creature in the swarm's space. Hit: 11 (3d6) piercing damage, or 7 (2d6) slashing damage if the swarm has half of its hit points or fewer.
Encounter:
Windy Willow Blight - Patron K3pler13
A monster hunter guild is currently taking in new members. The aspiring members need to fulfill a contract, hunting a particular monster native to the Windy Willow woods, just north of the town. Only thing is, unbeknownst to everyone, a pair of hobgoblins has slaughtered every creature, wanting to spend their honeymoon undisturbed in the woods. Their evil deed has awoken blights, and they are currently on the move, to the horror of a lone druid calling the woods her home.
Magic Item:
Brightwood Warrior’s Blade - Source: Bonus_Action on Instagram
Scimitar, Rare (requires attunement)
Forest Forged. You receive a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls with this weapon.
Slice of Sunlight. As an action you can slash the scimitar in an arc in front of you. A wave of sunlight bursts outward from you in a 20 ft. cone. All creatures in the area have to make a Constitution saving throw (DC 10+ your proficiency modifier). A creature with sunlight sensitivity has disadvantage on the save. On a failed save the creature takes 2d6+2 radiant damage. If a creature critically fails their saving throw they are also blinded until the end of their next turn. On a successful save a creature takes half damage. And isn’t blinded. This feature can only be used once per long rest.
Dungeon Master Tip:
Players love a familiar face or place
Reuse previous settings, revisit an old tavern that took place in a much earlier adventure. This creates a significant sense of nostalgia, the “remember when” moments. The NPCs they encounter are a part of those characters' histories and create a new layer of emotion for them down the road. Remembering that npc they rescued now is a successful merchant, or a family man, or even a mayor or some other person of note. Careful to not over do it though, you don’t want to make the world seem too small, by constantly having the PCs return or run into a familiar face. Like seasoning on your steak, you want to find just the right amount.
Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick! You can avoid dickitude by..
Giving your mundane equipment a history!
Your characters aren’t the only way to tell a great story. Items themselves can have just as interesting lore and story as your character. Tying them in together, makes it all the better. This is very common in some of the most memorable stories ever told. A great example is King Arthur and the sword in the stone. The sword itself is only significant because of the story behind it, which ties directly into Arthur becoming King. In this example both stories are tied together by a rather mundane item.
If you have any feedback, unearthed tips and tricks or topics you would like us to discuss, please send them to us. You can email them to us at critacademy@gmail.com or find us on twitter and facebook @critacademy.
We hope you’ve enjoyed your experience here at Crit Academy. If you did, you can help others find the show by leaving a hopefully 5 star review on itunes. Or just send us a message telling us how much you enjoy the show
Also be sure to give us a like and a share!
Make sure to subscribe to our show at www.critacademy.com, follow us on Twitch and Youtube so we can help you on your future adventures as well as a chance to win cool prizes each and every week. Make sure to check out our fellowship members as well.
Keep your blades sharp and spells prepared heroes!