Enchanting Weapons Options

Hey everyone. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with enchanting physical weapons, like swords or arrows and such. Making them stronger or more reliable, or giving them certain abilities like striking fear into an enemy or affecting one's lifeforce. One method I considered was runic symbols, like the Icelandic warrior galdor-staves or even basic runic combinations. As far as speculation goes the sky's really the limit here, so I'd be curious to know what everyone thinks.

right up my sword collection, so to speak

first of all, a sword with magical intent should be named (or given the chance to name itself, like spinning it with letters around it), and its personality determined via experimentation, like which way it falls when balanced on the tip, and how it cuts things, and whether it breaks bones or cuts skin (they used to use a live pig for this, ugh!)

second, it must be determined what type of magic the sword has:

1) blood gift - a sword, when unsheathed, must always taste blood (even if its yours) - this goes for cleaning and every time the sword is unsheathed, regardless - if the sword only ever tasted your blood, then it will turn on you eventually to get more

2) ritual devices - like runes or cloth or whatever, adorn the sword with magic, backed by intent - death magic

3) magical forge - magical intent placed within the sword during its forging,, via the forge itself being magical, magical tempering and even inclusion of magical objects in the blade or grip

4) spell sword - a non-weapon, used for magical purposes only - sometimes held by the blade instead of the hilt - unsheathing usually cranks the spell and sheathing stops it

5) bone breaker - a sword that breaks bones and leaves the skin intact, nomatter how sharp the sword is

6) shadow sword - a second, invisible sword that follows the solid one, doing more damage than the real sword

7) otherworldly sword - a sword that is not based in this dimension, i.e., it comes and goes, and can be a pain to the owner - more personality than sword

8) possessed sword - duh, its possessed - another one with more personality than sword, and another one that is a pain for the owner and can turn on the hand that holds it

9) legendary sword - one that is usually acquired as a gift, but may come unknowingly - lots of personality, but an excellent trainee's sword as these usually teach

10) sword tongue - a sword with witty or bitchy personality - usually rings or sometimes even speaks - can make the bearer speak for it

that should get you started, lol

and tell me its not a llarp thing, oh please not a llarp thing

the first thing to ask yourself is 'why bother' unless you are a contestant in sword matches, and they are very, very few and far between these days - mind you, in 1855, japan was in the heyday of the samauri and the warrior elites (think paris hilton type status, but for killing for a living - the warrior elite) - the warrior elite was killed off in the realignment of japan with the western world, the swordsmiths were turned to making clever sculptures and the warrior elite way of life was lost, and so was their code of bushido, or honor - frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery of body and mind, and honor unto death.were the main thrusts, and face was everything, even moreso than today, and the idea of ritual suicide because of lost 'face' began with the warrior elite - every sword came with a shorter one, purely for suicide - and so i ask again, 'why bother'?

es

Wow, I had no idea there was a magickal sword science. Very interesting, but as esoterica says why bother. I have found so much that falls in the class of why bother. I just thought "hmmmm here is knowledge and wisdom." Checked out her web site now there is some stuff that has peaked my interest. Worth giveing it a look.

http://www.esotericha.com/

I haven't looked at too much on there but I'm guessing there isn't much on weapons, what is there is worth a look though.


Krell

CERTAINLY not a larp thing (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif). It's just something that crossed my mind while I was looking at some of my weapons. As to the why bother... mostly it's just a knowledge thing, but it may come in handy some day. Such a spell might be useful if you ever needed to fight otherworldy things that usually aren't too affected by physical weapons, you could adjust them to affect things on the spiritual level or something.
Do you have any sites or books you could recommend where all this 'magical sword science' came from? I'd like to read more about it.

Nada? Come on, this thread is more interesting than this! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/13.gif)

I myself am not an expert but i have a few friends who have some experience in this so i'll can tell you some things i've picked up.

I know that oftentimes we enchant our weapons through constant use, merely by the attention we place on them in practice and the contact with our aura and energy. Also its important to attune your weapon to your energy when you get it, especially if it was purchased and not made for you. Other than that i'm pretty sure that there are various consecration rituals that go well with this type of thing, many centering around the elements or on various Gods and Goddesses.

For example, i have a friend who has a sword and a hammer that are enchanted by the Godform "Thor" which are both apparently very useful for spellcasting, especially of the offensive kind.

*bows*

Light and Darkness,

Velarius the White

Depending on what form of magick you practise you may find spirits who are inclined to help you bring ritual items such as daggers, knives, talismans etc. enchanment, which I think of as consecration or a kind of "charge" to serve a specific purpose. I've heard of people using planetary intelligences to do such things or evoking Goetics with pleasing offerings and asking that they give objects a certain property; I have experience myself with comparable rituals and feel they work rather well. Some entities may reward creativity more than others... it really depends on what you're using the item for, I guess. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) A sword blessed by Thor is a badass idea and I'd probably do it if I was into that kind of thing.

I've mainly done this type of ritual for talismans though; while my skrying mirror was given an octane boost the limits of that effect are only useful during a Calling. But now I'm starting to wonder what sort of benefits there may be to having more ordinary objects consecrated. Hm... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/hmm.gif)

Edit -- I do not endorse the author whose book was somehow automatically linked in my post and find such advertising methods distasteful. if I wanted a link to a book in my post I would put it there myself. It's off-topic and a distraction from useful communication.

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via FoxyTunes

This post has been edited by Matthew Kelly: Jul 10 2008, 09:50 AM

Well this all seems very interesting, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/Gigakach_02.gif) I've done minor enchantments on small knives but I do like the list presented above; the shadow sword being my favorite

according to you i am in posesion of a staff that has the traits of #10, #8, #7, #6, #3.

I forged it from a certain tree, And i inscribed it with many powerful wards, hexes, and curses.

It also has a shadow that follows behind it which i found out is attached to another plain (which would be # 7

and it also is linked directly to a stone of mine that has many entities ranging from 5 year old children to 1000 year old murders.

And lastly #10 it channels voices of entitys around me and those already in my possesion. It also one time told me the thoughts of someone around me and she was very much alive. I am positive that the voice is actually of the staff and not of the entities linked to it.

I once saw an antique rifle etched with runes for the explicit purpose of killing witches.

A man known to me had a sword consecrated to a particular goddess. He was quite proud of it, and I believe his dedication of the sword and of himself to that goddess was sincere. When this goddess was invoked against the guy's roommate (not by me! and unknown to him), he took up the sword and gave the guy a terrible wound. He was rushed to the hospital and given about 50 stitches, and there wasn't much animosity about the incident later. The person who invoked the goddess recalled to me later that the intent to kill was revoked, at the last minute, after seeing the blood and regretting the act.

I am inclined to be wary of enchantments and consecrations like this, since it is obvious that they can be turned against one through rites of invocation. Of course I wouldn't suggest letting that stop you but have a care.

There is a famous saying "Hell has no fury like a womans scorn" while i'm not a woman, i think that i have a "right" to invoke whatever I please against whoever i please
because i ultimately decide for my self what is "right" and "wrong". Or better yet, who am I to judge what is right or wrong? I heed your warning but rest knowing that i am fully aware of the consequences of my staff. Which would be why i have multiples of those type of items. i have a staff of banishing, condemning, summoning, & controlling and also multiples of the staffs only in wand type.

i think that i have a "right" to invoke whatever I please against whoever i please

I mention the sword incident for several reasons, foremost among them being the fact that the guy's enchantment was turned against him. The same rule probably applies to anything done in the name of gods, spirits, etc... whereof you are not the exclusive agent.

I might also add that the sword is a weapon with a deadly function, and one ought to expect an enchanted sword to eventually get a chance at killing something. These things are no good if they don't get used, so aside from enchantment of military arms and hunting gear, we can guess that people who enchant weapons intend to kill people some day.

I would love to hear about any of the things you have done with your collection of magic sticks.

As would I, this is an extraordinarily fascinating topic! I've wanted to enchant a few things myself, but never really knew where to start (swords, knives, etc. most assuredly being on that list).