Warlords Implement : Mark of Authority / Family Crest.

[Garthanos]

Warlords have been known to use their personal and family symbols a in a totemic fashion with fierce beasts as reminders to enemies an allies of their power and determination.

Many are disinclined to hide their identity because it part of their power particularly when intimidating and manipulating enemies with their own fears or over confidence, although being called 'nobody' may be useful at times.

These marks of authority are often engraved into rings and emblazoned on tabards and banners or even carved on badges, or amulets.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Banners and standards and the like are also used for signaling, so there's that, if you want 'implement powers.'

One down-side is that implement vs weapon is a major keyword differentiating powers, both in how they work, and, by implication, what they represent. It might almost be better to have a kind of weapon or weapon augment or something that worked like an implement, mechanically, but kept the weapon keyword or at least didn't use the implement keyword. You could have both non-magical and magical versions, the former using the enhancement bonus of a weapon they're attached to, the latter granting their enhancement bonus to a normal weapon they're attached to.

A 'pennant,' IIRC, is a banner placed on a weapon, like a lance, yes?

 

[Garthanos]

A Pennon looks to be the exact word for that...

 

[Garthanos]

Personally I think many Warlord powers could be ummm really lazy and not require an implement .... but then I use inherent bonuses.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

I don't see any reason why Warlords couldn't have implement powers, but it would complicate their equipment load out.

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

A Pennon looks to be the exact word for that...

Technically a pennon, or pennant, is a flag which is larger at the base (hoist) than at the end (fly). Where it is flown doesn't actually enter into the definition, even if its on a flag pole its still a pennon.

However, during the Middle Ages, and then going on to naval traditions there are numerous more specific regulatory definitions. A pennon was carried by a knight bachelor on a lance into battle. A pennoncelle was carried by an esquire. Both carried a device or motto, but not the arms of lord. Navies have numerous specific rules about and uses for pennons, which generally fly from a mast. All of these have in common that they taper or fork at the fly end.

A banner is square and carries the arms of a lord, just as they would appear on a shield. This would always be carried by a designated person, or erected.

A standard is like a large pennon, but subject to different specific rules of composition. It was intended to display specific badges of honor.

 

[Tony Vargas]

A standard is like a large pennon, but subject to different specific rules of composition. It was intended to display specific badges of honor.

Is that the Roman legionary standard, as well, or something distinct?

 

[AbdulAlhazred]

Is that the Roman legionary standard, as well, or something distinct?

According to medieval heraldic practice (but of course even that probably encompasses MANY variation).

Roman legion standards were the eagle standards, they are usually depicted as square and medium sized, carried on a pole with a cross pole with the eagle on top. Whether or not this is actually historical I'm not sure. It may also have varied from time to time (even a strict definition of 'Roman Empire' still covers almost 5 centuries).

 

[Garthanos]

It definitely occurs to me I missed an important and primary one Heirloom Weapon

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I don't think using an "implement" makes sense, rather, a fairly large wondrous item that you could "plant" as a standard action and get a bonus, or a crest on your armor or shield that must be clearly visible to give benefits.

But it does it really make sense to be connected to authority or family? PCs don't respect each other's authority (well, not usually) and are usually not related. It almost sounds like an NPC phenomenon.