The Curse of the Golden Sword

This is a legend more than an adventure. It is written in the HarnPlayer's Guide style of common lore. The story is well-known to most legionnaires and folk in legionnaire-towns.

Common_Lore | GM_Lore

Common Lore

Step lightly young soldier
For on a grave you do tread
From stepping on woodlands
Your hearts all should fill with dread
A patrol was lost here
Not so very long ago
And its primi died here
A forgoten young hero

A bandit captain led
His men through the trees and night
Into this very forest
That fills us all with such fright
He snuck from darkness here
Took all that they had at hand
Leaving them all in fear
The families of this very land

The forest was cursed
None dared track the bandits back
but linari patrol
They took quickly to the track
They followed bandit trails
All through a day and a night
Through shadowy trees and wails
Until they caught the sight

The bandit captain found
A golden sword at his feet
With this he declared
Any taker he could beat
Beat me called the soldier
As he stepped into the light
None could be more bolder
Than that primi that dark night

The bandit captain feared
And ordered his men to strike
But the legionnaires
Were brave and backed with a pike
The fight lasted the night
And well into the next day
When the captain looked round
There was only him to slay

He charged the primi quick
His gold sword cleaved him in two
The soldiers attacked him
And killed the last bandit too
But their primi was dead
and they still very far from home
There was much yet to be done
And still very far yet to roam.

They burried their primi
But found they could not remove
The bandit captain's gold sword
Yet the gods would approve
Primi died defending
His men that acursed night
The sword burried with him
Praying for no more fright

The soldiers then set out
To track the bandits anew
But never again did
We see them again, if you
See bones beneath your feet
Step lightly my dear soldier
Fear those you might next meet
Weilding a golden sword
Will cause your defeat

Common_Lore | GM_Lore

GM Lore

The golden sword was once burried somewhere in the woods with the body of the heroic primi mentioned in the common lore, but such powerful magical items can never stay burried for long. The sword appears to be made of solid gold, and glows warm and powerfully when held by anyone with skill (ML must be greater than Base). It is unbreakable, and its edge never tarnishes nor dulls. It will either get stuck in an object or cleave directly through it.

If the bones of the primi are found, the head and rib cage are cut cleanly in two. Unfortunately this sword has one bad effect. It smells of rotting corpses and blood boiling in the sun. It attracks up to 2d20 insects within moments of its first use against any living, or non-living target (cleaving in the air will not cause the effect - but cleaving a tree or rock or person will) and an additional 1d20 insects per round. The flies will be attracted to the sword and the wielder. The insects are normal. They will crawl/fly around the sword primarily, but a few will take interest in the wielder as well. They will do no damage (i.e. Stinging) to the wielder when he is holding the sword. But they will crawl on the wielder (usually getting under the armour if possible), buzz in his ears, crawl on his face and hands, ect. This reduces all dodge, awareness and other concentration skills by half (WILx3 to test, CS Half, MS Three-Quarters, MF - Impossible - wielder throws the sword away) and may cause a new Psyche problem (entophobia?) to form. If the sword is disgarded, the insects will immediately follow the sword, leaving the wielder in relative peace. After laying dormant for one hour, the insects will disperse.

The sword is a large bastard sword that only fits comfortably in huge hands.

Common_Lore | GM_Lore

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