Moonblades and reincarnate

[Eldragon]

Moonblades are a powerful artifact that relies heavly on DM interpritation (in this case, ME), but the following has just occured in the game I am running and I am unsure of the proper interpritation of the rules:

A PC has a moonblade, that PC recently died and her loving party got her reincarnated. Now she is a Centaur.

Does the Moonblade still work for the PC being that she is no longer Elven? Initially I would say no, however...

Does that mean the blade goes dormant, and should she return to elven form in some way (i.e. wish) she would need to reclaim the blade (taking the 5000 exp hit again).

I think the core of the problem is: Does a moonblade reconize that its owner is still present, just in another body, or does the moonblade require that the owner remain elven?

 

[Magus_Jerel]

It is an artifact - and therefore you have to write your own rules for it. Sorry -

Maybe you could get a better reaction to this over in house rules.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I'd say it recognizes the elven spirit and so it recognized him even in the form of a centaur. But then again elves are sometimes portrayed as borderline Nazis, and in that case an elven artifact might recognize the spirit but refuse to function for hm while his body is in an unpure form. Not knowing how elves are portrayed in your game I can't say. I personally think the standard FR campaign portrays them as incredibly racist, borderline nazi, good people

 

[Eldragon]

Basically I portray them in my FR campaign as borderline nazi good people. which is another reason why it might reject her.

I realize that its an artifact and I have to create my own rules. but I was hoping someone more creative than myself has a more elegant solution.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

Consider the PC to have the "elven-blood" trait?
Like half elves do?

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Basically I portray them in my FR campaign as borderline nazi good people. which is another reason why it might reject her.

I realize that its an artifact and I have to create my own rules. but I was hoping someone more creative than myself has a more elegant solution.

Well for the baorderline nazi good style of elves I'd not let it work for them because they are in an unpure form. But I'd consider letting an atonement spell work to let the sword see past the centaurs form. I don't think I'd let poly self cure the problem though since your type does not change.

 

[bret]

Do Moonblades work for half-elves? In other words, is it sufficient that the character have elven blood?

Do Moonblades work for any sylvan creatures? If elves are akin to fey and it works for fey, then the answer could be yes.


I think the answer is no. She should either give the blade up to an elf she approves of (one who would put it to good use), or get turned back into an elf.

 

[oddjob]

In the Song and Swords series of books by Elaine Cunningham the main character was a bearer of a monnblade (Arilyn Moonblade) who was Half-elven.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

The elves may be racist, but the blade is not. Some of Arilyn's ancestors who had wielded the blade couldn't stand her (they actually came back in one of the books), but the blade had no such problems.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I wouldn't allow the blade to work for a centaur, regardless of what she may have been in a previous incarnation. The blade recognizes blood, so half-elves (who have the Elven-Blood trait,) and elves are in, centaurs who used to be elves are out.

However, requiring an XP cost to reactivate the blade seems a bit cruel to me. So long as no other elf had awakened the blade in the interim period, I'd allow the blade to recognize its master once again upon the elf regaining her true form. Basically, the blade would continue to see the elf as its master until a different elf paid the XP cost, but wouldn't recognize the centaur as the same person.

On a different note, this solution appeals to me for an entirely unrelated reason. As a centaur, the PC is gaining several powerful bonuses (speed, strength, etc.) By de-activating the moonblade, it gives the PC a choice. Either return to elf form and continue to bear the moonblade, or sacrifice the moonblade for the enhanced abilities of a centaur.