Items · Melee Weapons · Magical
Hillbreaker
This enormous blade is capable of leveling more than just men.
Over the centuries, many legendary weapons have been forged by the Ironspirit clan. Hillbreaker is one of the earliest of these blades, and perhaps one of the better known.
Forged for a giant Northman, fully nine feet long and eighteen inches wide, Hillbreaker is impossible for a normal human to wield. All of this enormous blade shimmers and shines like oil in the sunlight, the Damascus of the sword a hundred seperate hues of iron and silver, like a liquid rainbow reduced to shades of grey. A plain, flat blade, in the traditional Northern style, with a hilt best described as serviceable, it is clearly a blade meant for use, rather than decoration, and it made for the hardest of uses.
Magical Properties:
Beyond being a Great Sword sized for a ten or twelve foot humanoid, Hillbreaker has earned its name. In ancient days, Erik the Bear, who commanded the forging of the weapon, brought a band of robbers to bay in the hills above the capitol. They hid within a small cave, knowing that Erik could not enter the crevasse from size, and even if he were to try, their poison arrows would bring him down. Knowing this, the great Bear circled to the rear of the hill the cave hid beneath, and raising his sword with a mighty cry, he clove the ground, splitting the hill down the center, and instantly slaying the bandits as the earth collapsed about them. The stories of this deed have spread, so much so that any man who knows the stories and believes them, might repeat them... if he is even capable of lifting Hillbreaker.
If the legend is known, and most importantly, believed, then the wielder of Hillbreaker may use it to great effect upon minor geological formations. Hills may be shattered, cliffs collapsed, and plateaus leveled. The ground can be ruptured open, and most walls are vulnerable. As the power comes from legend, rather than careful enchantment, the limitation of this ability tends to change from person to person and situation to situation, but it will always be dramatically appropriate - While razing a hill might clear a quarter acre, only one wall is likely to be actually smashed at once.
To wield Hillbreaker properly, a character must be at least nine feet tall, and must be stronger than the maximum a normal human can achieve. Hillbreaker conveys no magical bonuses to combat, however, it does count as a masterwork weapon.
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Aah, how irritated the ironspirit clan must be - to be in hold of such a magnificent weapon, capable of destroying all their foes, and yet none of them are strong enough to wield it! A sound item, with great power but a good halter on the power.
I'm imagining a rogue hill giant sneaking into the ironspirit encampment and stealing valuables - amongst these valuables is the weapon.
A few months later, outside the walls of the Thunderforge clan - reknowned for their skill in hunting and slaying giants - a single hill giant stands, wielding a large sword. Of course, from the parapets and walls the guards laugh - let it TRY to make its way in!
The hill giant swings the mighty sword, fueled with the hatred of the people who slaughtered his bretheren, and the walls come crashing down.
Chaos, ensues :)
4/5
Enjoyable.
Reminds me of the Caladbolg of Irish legend. It was also said to have chopped a hill in half.
4/5.
I imagine Clan Ironspirit are giant northmen, and as such, can go about hacking apart shrubbery lined terraces at whim.
I like it. Very colorful and balanced.
5/5
A few of my own thoughts: As I see it, it's most likely that the Ironspirit family does not have posession of Hillbreaker. In all probability, it's buried somewhere under half a ton of rubble after being used unwisely, or in the hands of someone who is probably going to use it most devestatingly against the PC's interests. In the event that the creators of the blade do have it, it's more likely than not that the master of the forge will have the physical strength to lift it and wield it, but will be at best clumsy with it. They're just not big enough.
A weapon made for a giant.A giant King might pay a lot to have this weapon.
I might pay alot to have it. Even if I'm only able to put it up on my wall.
Love it! simple concept, great execution with a nice story behind it. 'Wish I had thought of that' category.
'Man they grew 'em big in the old days..'
Very cool - I especially like the legendary powered nature of the weapon.