Arcane Blade

Arcane Blade is a fighter class that blends the craft of the arcane arts with the skill of a trained knight. Blades spend years learning both until the two disciplines become completely entwined. While they will never be masters like a pure mage or fighter, the unique way they combine their skills make them formidable foes.   Arcane Blades are unique to Vostoria. Because of this, the majority are keltori. However, any Vostorian resident is welcome to join, provided they have the necessary combination of skills.    

Arcane Blades in Ancient Times

During ancient times, the Arcane Blades were highly respected warriors who represented the Crown. Their fierce powers made them the region’s best defense against enemies both inside and outside their borders. While still incredibly rare, the Arcane Blades numbered in the hundreds. They had a full school with training ground and housing available for every Blade to use in times of need.   The discipline of the Arcane Blades was started by the tribe of the Black Gryphon. Their warriors had an unusual talent for combining martial and magical arts. Eventually, the other tribes began sending some of their own skilled warriors and mages to the Black Gryphon to train as Arcane Blades. These special warriors pledged themselves to the High Chieftain above all others, and thus belonged to and defended all tribes equally.   The Blades were such a formidable foes that when the shilean attacked the keltori with the intent to enslave them, they targeted the Blades wherever they could find them. The organization was nearly wiped out as the war continued. When the Chieftain’s fae allies realized what was happening, they intervened to quietly rescue as Arcane Blades many as they could by smuggling them into the fae realm. They also stole as much of the Blades’ library as they could so their training and history would not be lost.  

After the Risen War

After Kimbra Vostoria led the keltori people to freedom in the Risen War and was crowned queen, her fae allies reminded her of the history of the Arcane Blades and their critical role in the protection of the ancient keltori. Two candidates were chosen to receive special training from the fae. The first was the daughter of the Queen’s Blade and the Arcane Dragon, Lady and Lord Corbyn. With both fighter and mage in her bloodline, she was the perfect choice to blend the two. The second was one of the younger sons of the Utherdrake family, who showed an early talent for both martial and magical arts. Arzela and Tomas were taken to the fae realm for training. An unfortunate incident with a member of the Grey Court nearly ended the experiment before it could really get started when the children were almost killed. They were taken back to Vostoria, their memories were wiped, and they were sent back to their families for more traditional training.   A fae known to the keltori and Giobhniu (Giv-NOO) was unwilling to give up on resurrecting the Arcane Blades altogether. He traveled to the mortal realm, where he selected a few brave keltori to be trained in secret, coming forward to the queen when the first of his students was ready to take on the title of Arcane Blade. Queen Kimbra embraced the idea and sanctioned the reopening of the Talon’s Edge Forge. Eventually, those early Blades began training more, including young Tomas. Once Giobhniu found an Arcane Blade with the skill for blacksmithing, he left the Forge in the Vostorian’s hands and retired to watch over the Blades from a distance. Lady and Lord Corbyn tried everything they could to direct their daughter away from the Arcane Blades. Despite having no memory of her time in the fae realm, Arzela was drawn to the life of the Blades and left home to find someone willing to train her. Giobhniu took notice and eventually took her on as a student.    

The Talon’s Edge Forge

The ancient forge used by the Arcane Blades to make their signature weapons was thought to be lost after the keltori enslavement. When the fae, Giobhniu, reminded Queen Kimbra of the glory of the Blades of old, he revealed the location of the hidden forge. She was there when he reopened it and brought it back to life for the first time in 500 years. Since then, the location has been known only to Kimbra, Giobhniu, and the Arcane Blades themselves. Kimbra didn’t even impart that knowledge to her daughter and heir, Amelia. There are many rumors about the location. The only thing they can all agree on is that it is on a mountain somewhere. No one can even be sure that mountain is in Vostoria.   The Forge has a heart at its center. The exact nature of that heart is a mystery. Even the ancient texts don’t say what it is, and there have been as many rumors about the heart as there are about the location. Some believe it’s a heartstone. Others believe it’s the heart of the original Black Gryphon, still keeping watch on his followers. Still others think “heart” simply refers to the runes carved into the basin of the forge itself. Whatever it is, the heart allows the Arcane Blades to form a bond with their swords as they are made. The Blades infuse their weapons with a small amount of their own blood and magic, and the mystical properties of the Forge make the blades stronger and more durable that a normal sword.  

Training for the Arcane Blades

Many Blades start out training to be mages, but find their skills lacking compared to their fellow students. They often discover a talent for, and possibly a love for, the martial arts by sparing with friends or siblings, watching local soldiers, or finding themselves in situations where they a forced to defend themselves. Others begin their lives training to be knights, soldiers, or guards and discover an aptitude for magic as they age. No matter what led them to the Arcane Blades, learning to combine their martial and magical skills requires special training.   Arcane Blades specialize in elemental spells, utilizing all elements equally. They use these spells in conjunction with their physical attacks for devastating effects. For example, Elemental Strike allows the Arcane Blade to apply the element of their choosing to their weapon, adding the damage of the element to the strike. Elemental Charge surrounds the Blade with their chosen element. When they perform a charge attack, that elemental aura does additional damage to the enemy. Blades also utilize enhancement spells such as Quicken Step to move faster than normal, or Lighten Up, which creates a localized light spell on an object of their choosing.   Despite the class name, Arcane Blades receive training in every weapon known to the keltori, plus hand-to-hand combat. Many chose to specialize in one type of weapon over others, but they are proficient in anything that comes to hand. This is one of the traits that make them so deadly.  

Journey to Graduation

  When their training is complete, each Blade is instructed to go on a journey to locate a rare material from which to make a sword. Once they have this material, they travel to the secret location of the Talon’s Edge Forge, where they are required to make their own weapon. These blades are unique to the fighter, and can be made from a rare metal or alloy, the tooth, claw, or bone of a creature the warrior killed, or regular metals treated with a substance to give it unusual properties (see sidebar on Lady Arzela’s diamond-infused blade). The location of the Arcane Blades’ forge is known only to the Blades and their trainers. Once the prospective Blade has reached the forge, they create their signature blade with the help of the weaponsmith infusing it with a small amount of their own blood and magic. Completion of the blade is their graduation and signals their readiness to protect Queen and country.  

A New Generation

After the marriage of Arzela Corbyn and Tomas Utherdrake, training for the Blades became more standardized. It is still an incredibly rare discipline, but it’s on track to rival the status of the Blades of ancient times. There are now two official Arcane Blade schools. The first is located in Starlium and is run by Lord Tomas. The other is located outside Velmon in Stormglen and is run by the Archmage of the Velmon Mages Guild.   Traditionally, the primary weapon of the Arcane Blades has been the sword. But while their focus has always been on swordsmanship, they have also been trained in the use of other weapons. With the discipline gaining in popularity, some Blades are branching out and choosing other weapons as their primary focus. They have also started to figure out how to apply the Arcane Blades spells to other weapons, and even started developing new spells specific to weapons other than the sword. They all still carry their signature sword, which remains the only weapon they are allowed to create at the Forge. But as their numbers grow, the younger generation have started to encourage their leaders to change that, hoping that eventually, they will be able to create other weapons through the power of the Forge.    

Creating your character:

 

Talents:

You may also choose one of these to use as your D8 Discipline.   Fell My Blade- Allows the player to add D8 arcane or elemental damage to the physical damage caused by a successful sword attack (giving the player two damage dice instead of the normal one). Spend a plot point to make that extra damage conditional (meaning it has a lasting effect). Use the larger of two damage dice for the conditional damage. Hinder to D4 to earn a plot point.   Just a Little Bit of magic- Spend a plot point to create a D8 asset for the entire scene, rather than just during combat. Examples are a creating a glowing fist/object to see in the dark, using mysticism to repair the player’s arcane blade, or using Quicken Step to move up to two additional increments (up to 45 feet) per movement. Hinder to create an asset at a D4 and earn a plot point instead.   Attuned to the Blade- This talent represents the final journey and graduation of every Arcane Blade. Their blood, sweat, magic, and souls go into the creation of their signature blade. The level of the weapon is determined by the player and DM and influenced by the level of the campaign. Spend a plot point to add a D8 to your fight skill while using this sword. Hinder to add a D4 and earn a plot point.      

Limited magic:

  Arcance Blades have a limited number of spells they use in battle. The base mana cost is equal to the level of the spell. The spell's range or duration can be increased by increasing the amount of mana spent.            

Level of Magic	Name of Spell	Effect of Magic
1	Element Strike	Chose an element to apply to your weapon. Upon a successful attack, add the elemental effect equal to the effect die of the roll.
1	Lighten Up	Apply a light spell to your hand or a hand-held item. This can include your weapon. The spell can light an area up to 2 incremements (15-30 ft).
2	Element Coat	Create a layer of magical resistence against a chose element for 2 rounds in combat or 1 scene out of combat.
2	Quicken Step	Increase movement by 2 increments (for a total of 45 ft) for one full combat or one scene (outside combat).
3	Element Swing	Create a ranged attack of your chosen element that eminates from your weapon on a successful attack which affects any target within range, up to 2 increments away.
3	Element Aura	Surround yourself with an aura of your chosen element causing damage equal to your effect die to any target within melee combat range.
2	Arcane Lift	Telepathically left an object or objects with a total weight up to 20 lbs per die step (example d4= 20 lbs, d12= 120 lbs) and throw it (them) up to 2 increments. (Note- this is different from the Arcane Lift available to wizards.)
1	Element Shot	Apply your chosen element to an arrow tip. Upon a successful attack, add the element effect equal to the effect die of your roll.
4	Arcane Blast	Fire a blast of pure arcane or elemental energy from your hand at a target up to 2 increments away.
5	Phase arrow	Summon an arrow of pure arcane enery that can phase through inorganic obstacles to hit a target on the other side. All damage rolls are the same as a normal arrow attack.