Ghaele's greatsword = swag?

[Menexenus]

SPOILER ALERT: DO NOT READ THIS THREAD IF YOU ARE A PLAYER IN AN AGE OF WORMS CAMPAIGN!


I'm DMing the Age of Worms. Right now my players are running throught the Champion's Belt module. Because they missed out on some XP, they are currently behind where the module says they should be in level. So, to help prevent a TPK, I sent Celeste (a ghaele eladrin) along with them to provide back-up for the end of the module (where the party must face several high level challenges at once).

Anyway, here's what I'm wondering. The Monster Manual description for a ghaele eladrin says that they wield "incandescent" +4 greatswords. So if Celeste should happen to die in this fight, can the party pick up her +4 greatsword and keep it as swag? Alternatively, if a bad guy is successful in disarming the eladrin, can the bad guy pick it up and wield it? Based on the picture of the weapon, I'd say no. The picture makes it look like the weapon is a manifestation of pure energy created by the eladrin and unusable by others. But I couldn't find anything in the rules that specified this.

I'm concerned about this, because I think the party's most powerful weapon at the moment is +2. So, if Celeste dies, picking up her weapon would be a significant permanent power up for the party, and it would be achieved, not by defeating an adversary, but by allowing an ally to die (i.e. through failure). In addition, it just doesn't seem right that an evil cleric might be able to disarm the ghaele, pick up her weapon, and use it against her.

Clearly, being the DM, I have the power to house rule that the ghaele's greatsword is a manifestation of her pure soul, and that it goes pop when she dies (or when she is disarmed). But I'm just curious about the actual rules (if there are any) for this weapon. Is it swag that anyone can grab (even an evil character), or is it a manifestation of the eladrin herself?

Thanks.

 

[Darklone]

Grab swag.

 

[Christian]

Grab swag.

By RAW, definitely. I'd address concerns about balance by remembering that this greatsword belongs to the Higher Powers That Be, not to whomever picks it up. If a character's running around with an item looted from a ghaele, someone will be stopping by presently to retrieve it. If the borrower was an ally who picked it up to use on the enemies that slew the eladrin, and returns it voluntarily on request, he may get a favor or some lesser swag as a 'finder's fee'. If the guy slew the eladrin & took it, well, let's just say that I hope his will is up-to-date ... Solars are not noted for their sense of humor about things like this.

 

[kaomera]

I agree with Christian. I'd add, further, that if you don't want the NPCs getting the sword, then don't have them grab it. If Celeste dies during the fight due to bad luck or just because it's a hard fight, then I'd certainly have the sword stick around until the PCs have a chance to "return" it. If she dies because of the PCs actions, then I think it would be perfectly reasonable to have the sword whisked away on the spot. I would also make the PCs figure out that they should "return" the sword (take it to an appropriate temple, or whatever) and decide to do so before I gave out bonuses, otherwise just have it evaporate back up to the higher planes (possibly at an inopportune time...).

 

[Space_Pirate_Arrr]

I'm just curious about the actual rules (if there are any) for this weapon.

Not as far as I know.

 

[Iku Rex]

...the actual rules (if there are any) for this weapon.

It's in the 3.0 Arms and Equipment Guide.
("Incandescent Sword" specific weapon. +4 holy greatsword, glows 30' radius if held by CG character.)

 

[borc killer]

I ran into this in a way when the party did the Spire of Long Shadows. The Fallen Ghaele dropped his unholy +4 great sword.
The issue was the party was/is a level or so under what they should be and they are a bit under powered in loot so they did not want to destroy the very expensive item but could not sell it ether and did not want to spend the EXP to purify it. I ended up letting them ‘return’ the sword by giving it up as part of the cost of a very open-ended Planar Ally spell. By doing that I was able to get the party up to the right power level and let them do a good thing. Has worked out well. I would recommend doing the same.