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