Secrets of Empire introduces new mechanics for weapon forging through the addition of qualities.

The "Signature" quality has no clear mechanical effect.

First of all one must establish what a signature is.

All blades should be signed with a stamp on the tang but my guess is that we are speaking here of a stamp put in a visible position or (more probably) a very distinguishing style.

Given this....what's the mechanical effect?

I remember an old thread in the AEG forum on this but the only suggested hypothesis that I remember was a bonus to glory.

Do you think it is feasible?

At first I was tempted to give +0.1 Glory per skill rank and glory of the smith. Nevertheless this is maybe too much.

Core rules say that a crafter get +0.1 glory per raise so maybe my solution for the weapon wielder was too generous.

I came to this solution:

+0.1 glory per 3 ranks in crafting skill of the crafter (at the time of the forging)

+0.1 glory per 3 Glory ranks of the smith (at the present time when the weapon is seen).

This means that a juvenile work of a master smith can maybe give more glory after his death when he is legendary that when he was a young smith.

Comments?

An alternative approach could be to give bonus on social skill roll in certain contexts but maybe this is trickier to consider.

I have maybe a crazy idea.

In a society which is crazy for swords.....can swords have their own Glory ranks?

Maybe the signature quality could be used in this way.

Think about Old Japan and its famous swords.

Everyone knows the legendary honjo masamune sword but no one remembers the names of those who wielded it!

I need time to properly consider this in terms of mechanics...