Different Descriptions of Common Items for Variety

One of the issues I ran into pretty frequently as a beginning DM was that I was thinking of most of the parts of the world as interchangeable. By this, I meant that a longsword was simply a longsword to me--any longsword was essentially the same. This is in part because the game rules dictate that essentially all longswords are the same according to combat rules. But of course, no two longswords are going to be exactly the same. So this is a guide to common items with a variety of descriptions to keep your game fresh. 

The most common item you'll want to describe with variety is weaponry. Every character has one, and there's an opportunity here to allow for personalization. 

Daggers:

• A short, wide steel blade on an obsidian handle. It is lightweight and has spikes on the end of the hilt for extra striking power. There is a giant's eye engraved on each side of the blade. 
• A long, thin iron blade on a strong iron handle. The blade is curved and is sharpest on its tip. The handle is fitted with buckskin. 
• A stout nickel-steel alloy blade on a matching handle. The blade is hollow, and the handle is grooved with spaces for fingers. The moon is etched into the blade. 

Longswords:

• A long and thin blade with a slight curve at the tip. It it constructed entirely of lightweight steel and is comfortable in the hand. There is an image of a buck engraved into the hilt. 
• A thick and heavy blade with a portion missing in the middle. The blade is steel, and the handle is ivory. The blade is etched to show a tall and broad tree. 
• A balanced blade with a spearpoint at the end. The blade is blackened steel, and the hilt is ebony. There is the symbol of the abyss arcing up and down the blade. 

Axes:

• A broad and heavy axehead on a stout handle. It is built of steel and hardwood with a secondary handle near the blade for close-quarters combat. The axehead is shaped like the holy symbol of Moradin. 
• A long haft with a round axehead on a short handle. It is forged of burnished steel and connected to a pliable wood handle. The axehead has the impression of a lion's head etched in. 
• A thick axehead with a spearpoint at the tip. The axehead is stainless steel with a matching steel handle. The handle has a spiraling design up its length. 

Bows:

• A yew longbow with a plant fiber string. It it naturally curved and has a steadying notch. The notch is fashioned after the eye of Boccob. 
• An ash longbow with a sinew string. It has a squared shape to help smaller archers get tension more easily. A snake is carved into the bow's wood. 
• A composite steel longbow with an animal hide string. It has pulleys and a nocking post. The longbow is etched with the phrase "may my arrows strike true." 

Armor is something that most characters will need to worry about as well. Let's look at some examples of armor descriptions: 

Light Amor: 

• A lightweight steel armor which covers the torso and limbs. It is polished and shiny, and it is oiled to prevent noise. An image of Corellon Larethian's holy symbol is etched into the chestplate. 
• A full suit of chainmail with a matched curtained helmet. It is a dull metal with a selection of green-colored rings in an X pattern. The helmet is shaped like a dragon's head. 
• Fine leather armor which covers the torso, arms, and head. The leather is cured and is a dark brown color. The back of the armor features a depiction of two crossed swords. 

Heavy Armor:

• A full suit of heavy steel armor which covers the whole body. It is a dull brownish metal after a treatment, and it has a system of interlocking plates that allow for movement. The helmet looks like a hawk's head. 
• A suit of ring mail with thick leather armor and dense steel rings. The armor has been stained dark blue, and the rings are a dark blue steel. There are small metal trinkets linked into the rings, creating a slight jingling sound when the wearer moves. 
• A suit of splint mail with thin strips of steel splints over leather armor. The splints have been treated to display a rainbow of colors in progression. The armor's arms and legs use smaller splints, which look like feathers. 

Shields:

• A round buckler made of hardwood with a steel rim. The shield is light for its construction, and it has a flat surface. Painted onto the front of the shield is the city crest of Vestry. 
• A squared steel shield with an oversized handle. This heavy shield has been reinforced for heavy blows, and it flares back slightly at the corners. The front displays a willow leaf. 
• A kite shield with oak backing and a steel face. This medium-weight shield has a set of spikes that encircle the shield for easier disarming. The face of the shield shows a bear's outline.

This covers most of the items that your players will almost certainly shop for at one point or another. But there are also trade goods which they might encounter. 

Manacles:

• Solid steel manacles with a wide chain length. The manacles are designed for quick release and quick deployment with a special trigger on the outside. A sigil of St. Cuthbert is etched into the manacles. 
• Carbon steel manacles with a short chain length. These manacles are designed to keep prisoners from being able to resist. The chain lengths are circular and have stripes forged along the links. 
• Tool-grade steel manacles with an adjustable length chain and wrist size. These manacles are intended for use with any target. The manacles are imprinted with an image of a tortoise.

Three-Dragon Ante Set:

• A colorful deck of cards depicting dragons. This deck is a traditional deck which portrays dragons are powerful beings of great importance. The most notable feature is the color-coding of the cards for easier play. 
• A black-and-white deck of cards depicting the dragons as gods. This deck includes the holy symbols of the various deities as they are presented in the public. The most notable feature of this deck is the stark contrast in each illustration. 
• A non-traditional deck of cards showing the dragons as archetypes of people in society (the green dragon as a hunter, the gold dragon as a priest, and so on). The deck features realistic depictions of people up close. The most notable feature of this deck is the added rule of paying a fee if you draw a card matching your own profession. 

Disguise Kit: 

• The common disguise kit allows people to pose in everyday situations. This kit allows people to disguise themselves as commoners, criers, marketplace vendors, and travelers. Most notable feature is the inclusion of false facial hair. 
• The upper class disguise kit allows people to pose in elevated situations. This kit allows people to disguise themselves as nobles, priests, public servants, and diplomats. Most notable is the inclusion of fine jewelry. 
• The special case disguise kit allows people to pose in non-standard situations. This kit allows people to disguise themselves as adventurers, guards, celebrities, and other specialists. Most notable is the inclusion of false armor. 

This covers a variety of items along the lines that many players will need them. I want to take a moment to point out that other items that players are bound to feel more emotionally attached to--things like their clothing and their pets/familiars--shouldn't be a selection of possibilities, but rather whatever the player wants (within reason--they should be able to have a purple cat if they want since magic is real, but keeping a magical speaking lion is another thing you'll have to consider). When I play the game, I expect to be able to say, "This is the dress my character wears" without much argument since it doesn't affect gameplay. But the items above all generally come with mechanical restrictions, so having a variety of descriptions of mechanically identical items can be very helpful. 

That's all for now. Coming soon: a guide to the craftspersonship of each culture in my homebrew setting, a one-shot based on the movie Face/Off, and which factors to consider about crime and policing in your world. Until next time, happy gaming!

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