Ye Olde Inn

So Mortimer has turned the comic book story "United We Stand?" into a - great, I love it and hope to play it soon! - quest - "The Sword of Zalmir"!

Has anyone out there tried to create the artefact(-card) "Sword of Zalmir"?
What would that artefact be like?
From story & quest we know it works especially well against undead creatures (Death Reapers),
so is it yet another Spirit Blade, I wonder?

I'd like to see the quest too. I've seen the notes and they look good, but no map . The author has a really massive bestiary and some inventive but simplistic rules, which I have to incorporate.

Ethica wrote:I'd like to see the quest too. I've seen the notes and they look good, but no map .

You can find it on the Single Quests page at HeroQuest by Phoenix.
http://heroquestbyphoenix.yeoldeinn.com/fanquest1.php

SirDionysDobermann wrote:Has anyone out there tried to create the artefact(-card) "Sword of Zalmir"?

Not that I'm aware of.

An interesting & potentially deadly quest! Well worth considering if we complete my Sir Ragnar quests. I created a sword artifact by looking up "swords" on the web, selecting an appropriate picture, saving it, resizing the pictute with "paint" and inserting it into a basic box I have created using "table"-columns & rows. Simple but effective for a complete computor dunce like me!

There was a portugese version of the artifact apparently, but I never saw it, or the translation.

I would be happy to make the artifact card if it doesn't already exist.

Ethica wrote:There was a portugese version of the artifact apparently, but I never saw it, or the translation.

Oh? A Portuguese artefact card for Mortimer's Quest? Interesting!

Ethica wrote:I would be happy to make the artifact card if it doesn't already exist.

So would I - unless there is one already, let's discuss what the Sword of Zalmir should be capable of !

Spirit Blade gives its (her? his?) wielder 3 combat dice / 4 dice against (regular) undead creatures.
In the first (at least English & German) edition the Wizard was able to use Spirit Blade (that's how we handle it still).

So, first of all, I am not sure whether this was mentioned anywhere, but just for the records and for background story: is Zalmir a person, a place name, or what else?

Should the Sword of Zalmir work well against specialist undead creatures? -- For example render 4 combat dice or reduce the creatures's defense capacity?
Can the Sword of Zalmir be used by the Wizard (probably yes - in the comic story he was hurt badly by an explosion, otherwise he would have planned to use the sword himself; on the other hand, he remarks he is "too weak for spells", so maybe he could not have used the sword anyway)?
Should the Sword of Zalmir possess additional magic? In the story it seems to glow (at least sometimes) when confronting -- danger? undead enemies? monsters of any kind?

By the way, in the story itself there are no usable pictures of the Sword of Zalmir for use on an artefact card, but it is depicted many times, so anyone gifted enough could create an image for that purpose.

I understand it causes 2 body points of damage for every undefended skull to ethereal creatures, but you only roll 2 combat dice in attack. This makes it pretty mediocre in all other situations.

Apparently the wizard cannot weild Zalmir.

The spirit blade it a much more powerful weapon which I'd wager is good against ethereal creatures as well.

Suggested Text-
"The Sword of Zalmir allows you to roll two combat dice in attack. For each skull you roll which an ethereal creature cannot defend they will lose two body points. May not be used by the Wizard."

Though I realise there may be a better way of writing it.

Ethica wrote:I understand it causes 2 body points of damage for every undefended skull to ethereal creatures, but you only roll 2 combat dice in attack. This makes it pretty mediocre in all other situations.

Well, the "2 body points of damage" is written in the special rules for Death Reapers in Mortimer's quest, but where did you find the information about rolling only two combat dice? If this is the case, then you are right, the Sword of Zalmir would be rather mediocre.

Ethica wrote:Apparently the wizard cannot weild Zalmir.

Hm, why do you think so? It is a magical weapon after all.

Ethica wrote:The spirit blade it a much more powerful weapon which I'd wager is good against ethereal creatures as well.

I agree -- unless there are special rules in a quest against its effectiveness.

Ethica wrote:Suggested Text-
"The Sword of Zalmir allows you to roll two combat dice in attack. For each skull you roll which an ethereal creature cannot defend they will lose two body points. May not be used by the Wizard."

Though I realise there may be a better way of writing it.

No, no, no, I do not like this (its meaning). That would ruin my idea of making an artefact card for the Sword of Zalmir - what would be the use of having an artefact that is only effective against ethereal creatures, a minor Spirit Blade?

No, no, I would like to see the words of Mentor (well, actually Mortimer's words) come alive: "a great tool of good and order"

Please, think about some better statistics for SoZ - I shall do so, too !

It's all relative isn't it. You could make the sword as powerful as you want, against all breeds of monster, or just against one breed. One of my artifacts is the sword of Uhtred, a mercenary of King Arthur Pendragon, it is named "Serpent Breath", and has extra attack dice against Trolls.

SirDionysDobermann wrote:Well, the "2 body points of damage" is written in the special rules for Death Reapers in Mortimer's quest, but where did you find the information about rolling only two combat dice? If this is the case, then you are right, the Sword of Zalmir would be rather mediocre.

From Mortimers notes-
Note: The Sword of Zalmir is considered a normal short sword, however it has a special power described below (See Death Reapers).

SirDionysDobermann wrote:Hm, why do you think so? It is a magical weapon after all.

My mistake, that was someone elses idea. I agree the wizard should be able to use it.

SirDionysDobermann wrote: what would be the use of having an artefact that is only effective against ethereal creatures, a minor Spirit Blade?

You may not have a spirit blade handy at the time. And like Ken said, it's all relative.

I've made cards for weapons one step up from the equipment cards, Attack 5 axe or warhammer, spear with attack 3, staff that shoots fireballs and an attack 4 sword. There will always be excitement for a weapon with a special ability though.