Three Horrible Poisons: Amaranthus Forsaken

"Really it was a fairly minor wound, but he bleed like a stuck pig.  Even after we wrapped it, after the battle, he kept bleeding.  His blood just kept oozing out.  We replaced the bandage over and over...  Allianora tried her healing magics, but by the time we got him out of there... We lost him." 


The Magus nodded as he looked upon the body of his former pupil.  "Thank you for returning him to me." 


"Is there anything you can do" Nimble asked.


"Perhaps."  The Magus' face was dark.  "Leave me.  I will send word."

When they had gone, the Magus took a large crystal from a nearby shelf, and held it over the lifeless body of Feris.  The stone glowed, and then flashed before falling dark.  Feris gasped and his eyes shot open. 

"You never did pay enough attention during herbalism." There was a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe now you'll have a little more incentive.  I want a scroll on Love-Lies-Bleeding, and 2 vials of antidote before I release you to your field studies." 

 Amaranthus Forsaken

This poison must be introduced to the victim's blood, and is most often applied to a weapon.  A failed save causes the victim to be highly susceptible to bleeding.   If the victim is already wounded, those wounds will begin to bleed for 1 point of damage per turn.  Any injury sustained after they have fallen victim to this poison will cause an additional 1d3 points of damage, and if they aren't already bleeding the 1 point/turn they will start.  The bleeding will only stop once the victim has bled out or they are completely healed.  If they are completely healed the poison remain in effect for all future wounds until neutralized or 48 hours have passed.

Racial Weapon Styles: Kobolds

Kobolds are small.  Strong, tenacious, but small.  Almost everyone they encounter is bigger than them.  Rather than feeling that everyone picks on them or looks down on them, they make use of every advantage that their dragon ancestors gave them.  They're smart, fast, and sneaky.  Though they rarely use swords (as it involves getting closer than they are comfortable with) the blades they forge for themselves tent to be straight and thin.  Punch blades, kama's and tonfa style short swords (like Kroenen's from Hellboy) are the most common.  

Their steel tends to be of better quality than that of the goblinkin, though inferior to that of elves or dwarves.  As the ultimate opportunists kobolds are more likely than nearly any other race found using the weapons of those they've looted.  Dragonkin weapons are especially prized, though they tend to be too large to actually be used effectively.

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Racial Weapon Styles: Dragonborn

In 4e the Dragonborn are very much like the Klingons of Star Trek TNG and DS9.  They are a noble warrior race of a proud empire.  No reason to mess with a good background.  Dragonborn blades tend toward curves, points, and extra blades and are designed for fluid slashing attacks. The steel of a Dragonborn blade is of the highest quality, and often more exotic metals are forged into the steel. 

In many ways they resemble highly refined goblinoid blades.  Goblins will tell you that the dragonborn realized how effective their weapons are and modeled their own after goblin designs.  The truth is more likely the reverse. 

 

2 handed sword

Dragonborn long/broad/bastard sword - blade and grip length vary.

Dragonborn short sword

Racial Weapon Styles: Goblinoids

Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Bugbears all share a common ancestry, and are often found in cohabitation.  This results in a fairly homogeneous style between the various goblinoid races.  The style could best be described as "viscous cleaver" rather than sword.  Each weapon is unique, but they all tend to share common features - hooks, barbs, spikes, and a lack of any hand protection. 

They also tend to be made of inferior iron and steel.  For this reason it is rare to find anyone who would be willing to take them for sale or trade.  The quality of the metal doesn't seem to have much impact on their lethality however!  In fact the filth on the blades tends to make surviving a goblin wound chancy, even if the blow doesn't kill you.

Racial Weapon Styles: Humans, Dwarves, Elves

Visually, I like each race to have distinctive styles.  There isn't really any mechanical effect, though it can have a role playing effect.  A human carrying an orc sword sends a very different message then one carrying an elven blade.  At the end of the day, it still does 1d8 points of damage, but it's how it says it that can often times be important.

The most distinctive and expressive weapons tend to be blades, from spears to daggers to two handed swords, a blade can say a lot about a society.

Human blades tend to be leaf shaped, flaring out from a narrower base.  The length of the blade tends to impact the width of the widest point.  Longer blades tend to have a more subtle shape than shorter blades.  Specific decorations, materials, and styles will vary be region, and even by smithy, but they generally follow the same basic pattern.

Dwarven smiths tend to make fewer swords larger than a short sword, mostly owing to the traditional preference towards axes and hammers.  Yet Dwarven sword smithing is still a highly refined art.  Their blades tend to be straight, and while the short sword is the most common, examples of both long and 2 handed can be found.

Elven blades are light and elegant.  Single edged curved blades with a slightly re-curved grip are the norm.

**Pictures stolen shamelessly from all over the internet.