Role-playing the Sword of Kas - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Role-playing the Sword of Kas

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
May 11, 2005 16:26:07 I plan to have the Sword of Kas arrive on my campaigns scene shortly, and I thought I would ask if you at the Grayhawk board had any tips on how to play the sword (voice, what it 'talks' about, etc).

The catch it that the Sword will be claiming to be another weapon, so as not to arouse the suspicians of the characters. The sword it is pretending to be is a complete fabrication, so it can be like anything the Sword of Kas wants, but I would like to know how good the Sword is at acting and so forth. How subtle could it be about its goals?
#2
Mortepierre
May 12, 2005 2:45:49 Devious and ruthless.

It was created by Vecna and yet actively influenced Kas to kill the lich. Given Kas had Vecna's trust (as much as he could bring himself to trust anyone), the sword must have been whispering things in Kas' ear with great conviction but with enough subtlety not to arouse the warrior's suspicion (in the beginning anyway).

Then again, I have always ruled that when a spellcaster creates an intelligent item, it's by investing a small part of himself in it. So, if the sword holds even 1% of Vecna's ego, what happened is perfectly understandable...
#3
zombiegleemax
May 16, 2005 11:08:30 I always imagined it having a voice similar to Darth Vader's - deep, resonant, but totally cold and emotionless. It probably doesn't have that reverb effect like Vader, though, and of course it doesn't breathe. If you have ever seen the film "Heavy Metal", I think the voice of the green orb would make an excellent voice for the Sword of Kas.

It could claim to be anything it likes, and if the PC's ego is less than the Sword's, he will probably believe it, too. The Sword is a deadly manipulator, and it will no doubt drive the PC into confrontations that he could not win without it, to increase his dependence on it. Never forget what it ultimately wants, either. Eventually it will drive the PC to confront the minions of Vecna. It may also want to go "home" to Kas, who's around somewhere if Venca is, I'm sure.
#4
zombiegleemax
May 19, 2005 12:46:25 Thank you both.Don't worry Cravveson, the sword will definatly keep the end in mind...
#5
zombiegleemax
May 27, 2005 19:09:50
Devious and ruthless.

It was created by Vecna and yet actively influenced Kas to kill the lich. Given Kas had Vecna's trust (as much as he could bring himself to trust anyone), the sword must have been whispering things in Kas' ear with great conviction but with enough subtlety not to arouse the warrior's suspicion (in the beginning anyway).

Then again, I have always ruled that when a spellcaster creates an intelligent item, it's by investing a small part of himself in it. So, if the sword holds even 1% of Vecna's ego, what happened is perfectly understandable...

A very reasonable take and one I have suspected myself for some time. Intelligent evil swords are the ultimate Iago's of the D&D world. Anything less than flat-out devious feel wrong.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax May 11, 2005 16:26:07	I plan to have the Sword of Kas arrive on my campaigns scene shortly, and I thought I would ask if you at the Grayhawk board had any tips on how to play the sword (voice, what it 'talks' about, etc). The catch it that the Sword will be claiming to be another weapon, so as not to arouse the suspicians of the characters. The sword it is pretending to be is a complete fabrication, so it can be like anything the Sword of Kas wants, but I would like to know how good the Sword is at acting and so forth. How subtle could it be about its goals?
#2 Mortepierre May 12, 2005 2:45:49	Devious and ruthless. It was created by Vecna and yet actively influenced Kas to kill the lich. Given Kas had Vecna's trust (as much as he could bring himself to trust anyone), the sword must have been whispering things in Kas' ear with great conviction but with enough subtlety not to arouse the warrior's suspicion (in the beginning anyway). Then again, I have always ruled that when a spellcaster creates an intelligent item, it's by investing a small part of himself in it. So, if the sword holds even 1% of Vecna's ego, what happened is perfectly understandable...
#3 zombiegleemax May 16, 2005 11:08:30	I always imagined it having a voice similar to Darth Vader's - deep, resonant, but totally cold and emotionless. It probably doesn't have that reverb effect like Vader, though, and of course it doesn't breathe. If you have ever seen the film "Heavy Metal", I think the voice of the green orb would make an excellent voice for the Sword of Kas. It could claim to be anything it likes, and if the PC's ego is less than the Sword's, he will probably believe it, too. The Sword is a deadly manipulator, and it will no doubt drive the PC into confrontations that he could not win without it, to increase his dependence on it. Never forget what it ultimately wants, either. Eventually it will drive the PC to confront the minions of Vecna. It may also want to go "home" to Kas, who's around somewhere if Venca is, I'm sure.
#4 zombiegleemax May 19, 2005 12:46:25	Thank you both.Don't worry Cravveson, the sword will definatly keep the end in mind...
#5 zombiegleemax May 27, 2005 19:09:50	Devious and ruthless. It was created by Vecna and yet actively influenced Kas to kill the lich. Given Kas had Vecna's trust (as much as he could bring himself to trust anyone), the sword must have been whispering things in Kas' ear with great conviction but with enough subtlety not to arouse the warrior's suspicion (in the beginning anyway). Then again, I have always ruled that when a spellcaster creates an intelligent item, it's by investing a small part of himself in it. So, if the sword holds even 1% of Vecna's ego, what happened is perfectly understandable... A very reasonable take and one I have suspected myself for some time. Intelligent evil swords are the ultimate Iago's of the D&D world. Anything less than flat-out devious feel wrong.