Blades of Legend is part one of Storied Armaments , itself a part of the Player's Guide that I'm doing for my group. Enjoy. I'll be filling in details for my group, you are, of course, free to fill in backstories for these weapons as well. And yes, one of them isn't a blade. I know.

Angevin’s Blade
The blade of Golgenna Angevin has been missing for more than a thousand years. An Inquisitorial Expedition has been launched to find the weapon, but in 800 years of searching, only rumors and hints of rumors have ever been uncovered. The weapon is a Best Quality Chainsword. As such it is decorated with holy symbols, purity seals and aquilae. Such is its power that the user may reroll any misses with the weapon. The wielder keeps the better of the two rolls.

As Pernatio
As Pernatio was wielded by Lord Inquisitor Geryon Falx against the Tellurian Combine. The blade was used to strike the final blow against the Daemon Agryxis the Light Bringer during the final days of the more public phase of the purge of the Combine. It is a Fast, Holy Power Sword.

Clementia
The so-called “Sword of Humanity” reduces all critical effects against the wielder by 4 points. The weapon is a Best Quality Power Sword, engraved with the rumored last words of Saint Drusus, “Never Surrender.”

Fate and Destiny
These paired power-knives are said to have been forged by the outlawed Tech Priests of Gehenna. They count as Tearing.

Shard of Amun’an Morrus
This weapon is of obvious Xenos Manufacture. It contains the spirit of a long-dead mechano-human horror. What secrets it may unfold to a trusted wielder can only be guessed at. The blade counts as either Powered or Mono, but not both at once. The wielder gains Forbidden Lore (Amun’an Morrus) as a skill.

Sinophia’s Fury
This light fencing foil can parry weapons many times its own weight without fear of breakage. The weapon’s half-real blade ignores AP.

The Blade of the Holy Martyrs
Soaked in the blood of seventeen martyred Sororitas, this weapon weeps for the fallen. Its weilder can regain one Fate Point used for healing. A successful Hard (-10) Willpower test returns the recently spent Fate Point. Enemies of the Ecclesiarchy react to the wielder as if he possessed the Fear (1) Trait.

The Chainsword of the Dawn
Weilded by Lornacar of the Hammers of Retribution during the Ryax Campaign, this blade seems to hold something of that great hero’s spirit. In combat against Orks, the weilder’s Strength Bonus is doubled and he may also roll to recover Fate Points as if he were a Void Born. If the wielder is already a Void Born, the Fate Point recovers on any result greater than a six.

The Machinko Brand
This single-edged Power Sword almost always breaks weapons that attempt to parry it. The breakage chance is increased to 96%.

The Swords of Mandragora
Recently recovered by Jercus of Ambulon, the renowned archeo-technologist, and lost again on the deathworld of Woe, the fabled Swords of the Mandragora can be wielded as two weapons without penalty. Effectively, they grant the Two Weapon Wielder talent to the user.

The Sybelline Blade
The Sybelline Blade is said to double its Strength Bonus against the Hrud and their dark technology.

The Hammer of Varn
This wieghty mallet is a Power Weapon, in the hands of a Squat, it doubles the wielder’s Strength Bonus against Tyranids.

I see this as a cool idea, but some effects have a very heavy d&d touch. Effects that rely on religious or supernatural powers should be either corrupting or holy, i can even accept the forbidden knowledge gained through a spirit.

How do you explain suddenly gaining two weapon fighting and the fact that a weapon works better in the hand of a squat against tyranids ? Thats very specific und i would have a hard time explaining the why.

The idea came from the Dawn of War II game where a Chainsword was somehow better against Orks.

I noticed the D&D style of the effects myself, but wanted to avoid a list of all Holy weapons (though maybe that's all that's needed?).

Certainly, we can discuss the slighty psychic nature of some weapons (like Luminous Reproach ) and see what effects we think are proper within the context of Dark Heresy. I'm open to retooling the whole idea, really.

Some of the game mechanics could stand further scrutiny, but I love the flavor text. Pretty darned cool idea.

One fun idea comes to mind: We all know that both Adeptus Mechanics and Ecclesiarchy members routinely bless weapons, sometimes with far from routine results... We also know that soldiers develop an intimate bond with their rifle, getting to know all of it's trivial quirks, carefully maintainiing the weapon, bonding on a very basic level; Far more so for a soldier in the 41st millenium. So what if some lowly Cadian Shocktrooper was even more faithful than usual, carefully saying prayers over his lasgun, lovingly cleaning it with sacred machine oil, reciting litanies constantly as he pulls the trigger in battle? Now let us assume that this guardsman managed to survive every battle that he fought in with not so much as a scratch, despite massive casualties on a shockingly regular basis. Rumors begin to circulate that he is blessed by the Emperor. After his mandatory term of service ends he decides to become a priest and always requests to be attached to Imperial Guard units by his superiors. Naturally he takes his trusty lasgun along. Eventually he is declared a saint by the Ecclesiarchy. So what we are left with are a legend, several new prayers in the local sector, enough reliquary bones to make an entire platoon of holy soldiers.... And his HOLY LASGUN!

Come on, if anyone in the galaxy is going to have a holy lasgun, you KNOW it would be a Cadian!

I like the idea of making special items that both have an interesting story and that gives meaningful choices to the players. I'll spout some ideas I have.

Quill of the Emperors grace.
There is a perfectly white quill and a pot of red ink standing on a lonely lectern in the east wing of the main library of Bastion Serpentis. Every Exterminatus order that has been carried out in the Calixis sector has been signed by use of this quill, and it is used for no other purpose. Some of the orders have been signed long after the desperate deed done, but the slowly growing folder kept in the lectern tells of the quills continous use. Not a single inquisitor, scolar or adept have ever worded the though "mightier than the sword". The Quill have been carried into battle twice, according to official records, both times by individuals who have the authority to sign an order of Exterminatus. It's prime effect is to make daemons of Khorne bow and back away in shame of their own inadequacy in comparision with this righteous tool of the holy Emperor. A daemon of Khorne that have not caused at least 1/8th of the numbers of deaths this quill has signed for must test for daemonic instability every round spent within sight of the quill.

Rahvake's Pokers.
A pair of best quality breachers that needs a SB of 5 or more to be useable. Rahvake was a localy famous pitfighter in the underhive of Sibellus who won widespread fame and praise after breaking free of her captors bonds and then leading her fellow warrior-slaves in a ferocious attack against a greater daemon of Slaneesh that was summoned by Sleiban the Lost and his acolytes during the Sleiban uprising of 319.M41. Rahvake was mortally wounded in the combat and rewarded with a full mechanical rebodification so that she could continue to serve the Emperor as a combat servitor. She was finally destroyed on Belacane in 455.M41. Her beloved "pokers" were displayed on a tour of over 7000 Sibellus chapels as an inspiration to all that labor under the gaze of the emperor. Currently the Pokers are mounted on the combat servitor FIKKL-32, a part of inq Rykehuss combat entourage. If both breachers hit as part of the same attack action they will both cause an automatic Fury of the Emperor.

Jocastas lash of Suffering.
A neural whip whose grip is studded with long and sharp spikes and decorated with the simple halfwritten sentence "the Blood of Martyrs" in high gothic. Jocasta was during her lifetime a very enthusiastic Mistress of several squads of Sisters Repentia. Her whip was used both to chastise her sisters, herself and most of all her enemies. When gripped the sharp spikes will puncture the palms of the user, allowing small amounts of blood to flow and empowering the weapon with the wish to sacrifice for the Emperor, thus striking His enemies into a stunned stupor. A user with the Pure Faith talent may as a free action channel his/her faith and willingness to suffer into the weapon by sacrificing one wound (not reduceable or avoidable in any way) thus empowering the strikes for the rest of the player round. While it is empowered all hits from the whip will force the target to test for the Shock effect, regardless of actual damage done. Armor does not give bonuses against this effect.

Scope of Mievin.
It is unclear if this is actually a holy item per se, or if it is only a very good craftmanship scope. It is named after the legend of Mievin, supposedly a Vindicare assassin, renowned for his ability to wait for the perfect opportunity to shoot two or sometimes even three of his targets with one bullet. Most scholars claim he is entirely fabricated. It has the appearance of a pretty large scope, finely crafted in polished brass and dark wood. A multitude of cogs and levers, most of them marked with numbers, decorate the outside. This scope grants the use of the minor psychic power Unnatrual Aim with any weapon it is mounted on. No power dice needs to be rolled, the power will automatically manifest, and there is no risk for warp phenomena. The scope will not work at all if in a situation where psychic powers do not work, such as nearby a null-rod or a Pariah. It can be mounted on weapons as if it was a Telescopic Sight.

Mievins Needler.
This is once again claimed to be part of the equipment of the probably mythological Mievin. It is in all simplicity a very precisely built single shot bolt action sniper rifle that uses a modified solid core version of the autocannon round for ammunition. There is a theory that it is called "Needler" as some sort of joke. This author will not speculate further on that matter. It's stats are: Exotic Basic (Mievins needler), R: 300m, S/-/-, Dam: 4D10+5 I, Pen 4, Clip 1, Reload: 2Full, Accurate. If fired benefitting from the Aim action every two degrees of Success will cause one additional hit that must be allocated to a different target within 2 meters of the original one. Only the original target will suffer extra D10s of damage from the Accurate ability. Sights can be mounted on Mievins Needler as if it was a Basic(solid projectile) weapon. The ammunition are not generally sold but can be made from regular autocannon shots using a small mechanical workshop and passing an Ordinary (+10) Trade (Armorer) check.

I think that is quite enough creativity for tonight. Great idea this thread.

Skarla Koth D'un (Blades of the Dragon's Cradle)

Koth D'un is rumored to be a planet of ever-colliding tectonic plates, extreme volcanic activity, and the plante-side grave of the pilgrim vessel Smaragdus Casside . Truthfully, the planet exists more in rumor than in fact, as many a hopeful Rogue Trader has searched far and wide for it without success, its singular descriptor being "…where the Lords Dragon and Valkyrii battle…". The unique blade qualities of Skarla Koth D'un are attributed to the molecular alterations of metalic minerals caused by toxic seepage left in the wake of a void vessel's crash, though none have been able to reproduce the effect particular to Skarla, causing many who have tried to refer to them as "Rosetta Blades".

The Skarla Koth D'un are some of the finest blades ever crafted, though none know the maker's hand and the crafting technique has yet to be duplicated. Distinctive of Koth D'un blades is a keenness of edge to rival the exotic blades of the Lathes. Finely balanced, supremely sharp, the Skarla Koth D'un can fetch handsome sums on both the open and black markets, each blade being a truly unique example of artifice. Their blades are universally the color of polished cast iron.

Skarla Koth D'un- Melee, Best Quality, d10+2 R (includes Quality), Pen 3, Fast, Razor Sharp, Toxic*
*The Toxic Trait of Skarla Koth D'un has yet to be clinically defined, though some will remark it is akin to radiation poisoning. Individuals taking at least 1 Wound (after TB/Armour reduction) must make a Difficult (-10) Toughness Test, with failure causing 3 points of Toughness damage, +1 point of Toughness damage per degree of failure. The wielder of Skarla Koth D'un typically notices a blackened discoloration of the hand coupled with an extreme sensitivity to pressure (bestowing Unnatural Senses: Touch) after prolonged use (6 months). After 1 year of prolonged use the wielder him/herself begins to suffer from the Toxic effects, taking 1 point of Toughness damage after each melee encounter in which they use the blade due to excessive handling, and there is no known preventative padding or shielding. In all cases, this damage to Toughness is permanent. Due to this rather bizarre weapon Trait, many in possession of Skarla Koth D'un prefer to use them quite rarely, solely for dueling, taking them in hand as much to visually impress their opponent as to wound/cripple them.

Skarla Koth D'un may be positively identified with either a Very Hard (-30) Trade: Smith Test, or a Difficult (-10) Forbidden Lore: Archaeotech Test.

The latest example of Skarla Koth D'un to make a public appearance is a long spear with a heavy haft masterfully scrimshawed with woodland hunting scenes, it's blade quite wide and adorned with long quillon. It was reportedly seized in an estate foreclosure, and it was auctioned in Hive Sibellus for 8,000 Gelt Throne. (The spear version is a two-handed weapon that may be used to strike opponents up to 2 meters away, but requires quite a bit of space to wield, so if its user is engaged by more than two opponents the weapon becomes cumbersome and useless. It is far too heavy to be thrown.)

ZillaPrime said:

I like where you're going with this, but you can also have those "blessings" take the form of weapon upgrades when the AdMech does it. I had an RT with an archeotech pistol that we described as highly unusual and ancient, and for fun I had the first Magos they run into take an extreme interest in it. I worked it into the story and had the guy to an exploded-diagram style field stripping, taking the whole thing apart, catalog and record the construction, and put it all back together with some minor improvements. He also pressed a purity seal onto it and gave the pistol a name. I think it was something pretty corny like "The Fury of Mars"… For game mechanics, all I did was give it the rapid reload upgrade but from then on, the players all looked at it very differently and the player used it in preference to a plasma pistol pretty often. I think that the idea of a bond between a soldier and their weapon is one that should be revisited as often as possible. For what it's worth, I like the idea of those weapons fluff-wise. I don't think they need to be crazy powerful or anything, but perhaps as a GM you can ham up the damage they do as you describe them, or give them other characteristics that make them seem special to the players. A legendary blade lends itself to all sorts of roleplaying coolness. Before a battle, perhaps praying over the blade or giving an inspiring speech and raising the blade can focus the parties' resolve. The DH book talks about charms as a piece of kit that's totally up to the GM to determine the effects, and I see these blades in much the same way.