In these legends, the sword was said to have the ability to keep a person still and force them only to speak the truth if the blade was held at their throat.Ī very interesting mechanic that could easily be adapted into Dungeons and Dragons 5E with the use of a once-per-day hold person and zone of truth ability added on to the material as presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, posted below. In the second battle of Mag Tuired, Nuada chose Lugh Lefanan to hold the sword as a type of warlord or provisional king.Įven though Lugh preferred the use of his legendary sling and spear, he did accept the sword and take it to the battle, though there is no record of him actually wielding it against King Balor. In Irish Mythology, Fragarach translates roughly to “Whisperer,” “Retaliator,” or “Answerer.” It was the sword of Nuada, King of theTuatha De Danann, until he lost an arm. These nine swords are what we now call The Swords of Answering, and though their mechanics have changed throughout the various editions of Dungeons and Dragons, their signature ability to respond to an attack with another attack has remained the same. These swords were then dispersed into the world and either lost or safely kept under guard in various treasuries and temples throughout the world. Kelanen then gave Fragarach to his followers and was eventually lost in The Temple of Elemental Evil with Prince Thommel IV, never to be seen again (until the PC’s brave the temple, of course).įragarach was a sentient, Chaotic Good sword that would violently refuse any creature of a different alignment who tried to wield it.Īfter Fragarach was lost, nine other swords were made with the same abilities as Fragarach but corresponding to the nine alignment types. Legend has it he won the sword in battle against an unknown god. This blade was originally brought to Greyhawk by Kelanan, a deity of swords and swordsmanship. However, they were created as imitations of an original blade called Fragarach, which means “Answerer” in Oeridian, a language native to Greyhawk. The nine Swords of Answering are called so because they grant the wielder the ability to make an attack as a reaction, thus answering an offensive maneuver with more offense. Using the Sword of Answering in Your Campaign.