IC Exclusive: The Book of Nine Swords (Patreon)

In the most recent questions thread, a patron asks "What did you think of the final books of third edition, like The Book of Nine Swords?" This puzzled me, because I knew I'd WRITTEN an article about incorporating the Book of Nine Swords into Eberron. Investigating further, what I've found is that I DID write a Nine Swords conversion for the Eberron Expanded series... But that the series was cancelled before this ninth article was published! 

This is such a deep cut that I don't want to publish it on my website. However, I think there's some fun ideas here even if you've never actually read the book, so I'm sharing it with you as a Patreon exclusive. Thanks for your support!

With that in mind: I am posting this exactly as I wrote it, and keep in mind that this was back in third edition! Especially given the obscure nature of the material, I don't have time to review and rewrite it for any possible contradictions with current canon. So enjoy it for what it is, and thanks for your support! 

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The Tome of Battle presents three core classes and a new style of combat, the Sublime Way. The martial adepts who master the Sublime Way learn maneuvers and stances which enable them to perform astonishing feats of arms – although, like spells, there are limits to the number of times a particular maneuver can be used in combat. Given that the majority of NPCs possess levels in NPC classes, use of the Tome of Battle is one way to make player characters truly shine; when set against a group of 1st-level warriors, a high level warblade will stand out as a dramatic and colorful combatant.

It is up to the DM to decide how common martial adepts are in the setting. This article assumes that the Sublime Way has a presence in Khorvaire, but that it is a difficult path few can master. Most of the soldiers of the Five Nations are warriors or fighters, and the Sublime Way is not part of standard combat training; those who have never met a martial adept may scoff at the stories they hear. However, teachers can be found by those with skill and drive. People will be impressed by the skills of a warblade – but they have heard tales of martial adepts and won't be completely baffled.

Disciplines of the Sublime Way

The Tome of Battle opens with the tale of Reshar, a martial adept who masters the disciplines of many different cultures. In Eberron, the foundation of this story remains intact. Reshar was born sixteen hundred years ago on the continent of Sarlona. First he explored Sarlona, and then traveled across the seas, following in the wake of Lhazaar. When Reshar returned, he was accompanied by warriors of many races, including hobgoblins, shifters, and elves. Reshar had ventured into the caverns of the Dhakaani clans and rode across the Tairnadal steppes, learning the styles of every culture he encountered and drawing an apprentice from each nation. Returning to his homeland of Nulakesh, he established the Temple of Nine Swords; here Reshar and his nine students honed and perfected the divergent disciplines gathered from across Eberron.

The rest of the tale is told in The Tome of Battle. Reshar departed to wander the world once more. In his absence the nine masters turned on each other, and at the same time the nations of Sarlona entered a period of war now known as the Sundering. When the conflict was over, the Temple of the Nine Swords was no more.

The Tome of Battle describes nine distinct disciplines, each of which provides access to a unique set of maneuvers and stances. While each discipline can be traced to a particular culture, the Sublime Path brings all the disciplines together, and the Path was brought to Khorvaire when Sarlona fell to the Inspired. As a result, a student of any discipline could ultimately trace his knowledge back to the Temple of Nine Swords. However, the following ideas can be used to provide distinctive flavor to the martial adepts of a particular culture, looking back to the roots of the Sublime Way.

SHADOWS SEIZE THE SUN

Before the rise of Riedra and the Inspired, Sarlona was home to many different nations. One of the most infamous among these was the kingdom of Ohr Kaluun, a realm known for its sinister magic and worship of the Dark Six. The swordsages of Ohr Kaluun specialized in a technique knows as Shadows Seize the Sun – a style merging the disciplines of Setting Sun and Shadow Hand. Many objected to Reshar's decision to bring a Kaluunite master into the Temple of Nine Swords, and these fears proved justified when the Shadow Master betrayed the temple.

Ohr Kaluun was devastated in the wars that formed Riedra. But there are many ways for adventurers to encounter Shadows Seize the Sun. The gnomes of Zilargo have a thirst for knowledge and could easily have plundered Sarlonan ruins, and this style is ideally suited to the agents of the Trust. This could be an interesting path for a gnome PC to follow, or an unpleasant surprise for the adventurer who thinks the gnomes are merely rogues or bards. House Thuranni may be working to uncover the secrets of Shadows Seize the Sun, to give its agents an edge against House Phiarlan. And it's entirely possible that heirs of Ohr Kaluun survived the destruction of their homeland and fled to Khorvaire; anywhere people are dedicated to the Shadow or the Mockery, you might find practitioners of Shadows Seize the Sun.

It's said that the Shadow Sun ninjas emerged from the Temple of Nine Swords. When the Shadow Master betrayed the temple, the Sun Master took it upon herself to redeem the honor of the path, training the first Shadow Sun ninjas. While the order vanished when Sarlona collapsed, the Shadow Sun may still be in hiding, combining light and darkness into a force for good.

DEVOTED SPIRIT

Devoted Spirit first took root in Sarlona, and when Lhazaar came to Khorvaire she was accompanied by crusaders and missionaries who brought Devoted Spirit and the faith of the Sovereign Host to the new land. When the Church of the Silver Flame drew followers of Dol Arrah to its newborn faith, Devoted Spirit crusaders came alongside paladins, clerics, and warriors.

Crusaders can be found across Khorvaire. While Thrane is known for its militant religious zeal, crusaders may follow Dol Arrah, the Blood of Vol, Kalok Shash, or any of the other religions of Eberron. However, few people can muster the pure devotion and martial skill required of a crusader, and those who can will be heroes of their faith. Even in Thrane, a crusader should be an inspiring sight on the battlefield… not something to take for granted.

WHITE RAVEN

Reshar was born in the Sarlonan nation of Nulakhesh. The soldiers of Nulakhesh were devoted to the principles of the White Raven, placing teamwork, courage, and martial skill above all else. Nulakhesh was one of the greatest nations of Old Sarlona, and as the people of Sarlona explored and settled Khorvaire, they brought these traditions with them. Karrn the Conqueror might have been a White Raven warblade! This influence can still be felt today; even if true warblades are rare, White Raven techniques may be taught to fighters and warriors at the military academies of the Five Nations. Different nations may have developed supplemental techniques – such as the popularity of Devoted Spirit within Thrane – but only a century ago the nations were united under Galifar, and White Raven is the martial tradition of Galifar.

HESH SHARAAT'A'KUUL

The goblinoid Empire of Dhakaan was built on war, and the Dhakaani had much in common with the humans of Nulakhesh. But the empire was far older than Nulakhesh, and over the course of centuries the hobgoblins had developed additional techniques. The Dhakaani masters call this path hesh sharaat'a'kuul, "the way of blade and chain." This art combines the disciplines of White Raven and Iron Heart, placing equal value on teamwork, discipline, and personal skill.

For the moment, the Dhakaani goblinoids are hidden from the public eye. However, adventurers who encounter the Dhakaani may have to deal with warblades trained in hesh sharaat'a'kuul; the war leaders of the Kech Sharaat and Kech Volaar may be warblades instead of fighters. Furthermore, while the Dhakaani have gone to great lengths to preserve these techniques, the Ghaal'dar are equally proud of their imperial heritage. It may be harder to find full warblades among the Ghaal'dar, but traditional fighters – such as the Lhesh Haruuc – may still possess maneuvers or stances in these disciplines due to feats.

The Dhakaani disciplines use different weapons than the standard paths. The weapons associated with Dhakaani White Raven are longsword, spiked chain, greatsword, flail, and dire flail. The weapons associated with Dhakaani Iron Heart are bastard sword, longsword, dire flail, and spiked chain.

ANCIENT BLADES

The island of Aerenal is home to two elf cultures, the introspective Aereni and the militant Tairnadal (best known as the conquerors of Valenar). While the Tairnadal are more aggressive than the Aereni, both cultures revere their warrior ancestors and have worked to perfect the martial skills of these legendary heroes.

The discipline of Diamond Mind lies at the heart of the elf techniques, and almost every elf that becomes a martial adept begins with this discipline. From this foundation, the elves may explore Desert Wind (a favorite among the Tairnadal) or Setting Sun.

While an Aereni elf can choose his path in life, the Tairnadal follow in the footsteps of an ancestor chosen at birth. As such, ranger remains the primary martial tradition of the Tairnadal elves. Swordsages and warblades are held in high regard, but a character can only become a martial adept if his ancestor also followed that path. This also means that Tairnadal are unlikely to study martial disciplines aside from the three mentioned here. A player character can certainly choose to turn from the path of his ancestor and explore new disciplines, but he may be shunned by other members of his clan for betraying the memory of his patron ancestor.

The elf disciplines use different weapons than the standard paths. The weapons associated with Aerenal (and Valenar) Diamond Mind are scimitar, shortspear, Valenar double scimitar, and trident. The weapons associated with Aerenal Desert Wind are scimitar, light mace, falchion, spear, and Valenar double scimitar. And the weapons associated with Aerenal Setting Sun are scimitar, quarterstaff, sai, and unarmed strike.

At the DM's discretion, the Vadallia line may be one associated with martial adepts. If so, Shaeras Vadalia – the high king of Valenar – might be one of the few Eternal Blades in Eberron, guided in his actions by the spirit of his fallen ancestor.

THE LEGEND OF NOLDRUN

The dwarves of the Mror Holds don't like to speak about Clan Noldrun, or the empty lands of Noldrunhold. The Noldrun dwarves were always few in number, but they were fierce warriors who held their territory against forces that should have swept them from the face of Khorvaire. It was said that the Noldrun dwarves practiced a warrior art that gave them the strength of the mountain itself, making them indomitable guardians of hold and hearth.

And then, four hundred years ago, they disappeared.

The fate of the Noldrun dwarves remains one of the unsolved mysteries of Eberron. Some say they were called to Shavarath to fight in the eternal battle. Others believe that they ventured down into Khyber, to defeat a horror that threatened all of the Mror Holds. A few think the truth is darker, that the Noldrun dwarves were lured into the darkness by the Dragon Below, and may some day emerge in a twisted form to threaten the world.

Whatever the truth, the Noldrun dwarves were the greatest masters of the Stone Dragon discipline, and likewise produced the Deepstone Sentinels. As Reshar brought a Noldrun dwarf to Sarlona to serve as Stone Master, the techniques of the Stone Dragon haven't been completely lost to the world. But if an adept wants to learn the greatest mysteries of the discipline, he may need to travel to Noldrunhold… either to glean forgotten secrets from the ruins, or to venture into the depths and discover the fate of the ancient masters.

WARRIORS OF THE WILDS

The Tiger's Claw discipline is a paradox. It draws on wild, bestial impulses… but at the same time, the paths of swordsage and warblade require a level of discipline and sophistication rarely seen in truly savage cultures. When Reshar returned to Sarlona, he was accompanied by a grim shifter, a warrior of the Eldeen Reaches. Some say that Reshar himself trained the Tiger Master, helping the shifter hone his innate skills. But others believe that there is a tribe hidden in the Eldeen Reaches, secret masters of the Tiger's Claw. Shifter warblades of this discipline occasionally appear among the Ashbound; they claim to be vessels for the fury of nature, driven by pure instinct as opposed to the careful training of most martial adepts.

These shifters aren't the only wild warriors of Eberron. The folklore of the Talenta Plains tells of great hunters who fight with blazing spears and strike with the fury of their dinosaur mounts; halflings following this path might take the Desert Wind or Tiger's Claw disciplines, replacing the falchion (Desert Wind) and greataxe (Tiger's Claw) with the Talenta tangat in the list of associated weapons. Beyond Khorvaire, there rumors of shifters pressed into service by the Inspired; if the stories are true, these bloodclaw masters could be fearsome foes. And then there are the drow of Xen'drik. The Children of Vulkoor have long called on the spirits of the wild to gain strength in battle; adventurers might encounter a remarkably sophisticated tribe employing the Tiger's Claw and Diamond Mind techniques.

Legendary Skill

A Dungeon Master may like the ideas presented in Tome of Battle, but balk at integrating it fully into the world. If the adventurers have been fighting Valenar and Dhakaani for years, isn't it odd that they only just start running into warblades? Is the paladin frustrated by the sudden presence of crusaders in his church?

In this case, a Dungeon Master could choose to have martial adepts in the world, but to say that the disciplines of the Tome of Battle are something few people have ever seen, and a level of skill that would take great effort to acquire. You can't simply learn the secrets of White Raven at Rekkenmark; instead you have to find the Sharaat'lhesh, the Dhakaani Sword of Kings, which holds the spirit of the last master of the White Raven discipline. There is considerable precedent for this in the folklore and mythology of many cultures. The Irish hero Cuchulainn – a warblade if ever there was one – travels to "the Isle of Shadows" to learn the arts of battle from the warrior-woman Scathach. She even teaches him one maneuver that no-one else in the world knows… an excellent way of adding color to a particular PC or villain.

A DM who takes this approach could still allow a PC to begin play as a martial adept; the character could have remarkable potential, but need to find a suitable teach in order to advance in level. Likewise, this doesn't mean that the teachers need to be epic-level superheroes. Cuchulainn was the greatest hero of his age; he just needed Scathach to set him on his path.

So, if a DM wants to say that there is only one master of each discipline, here are a few ideas:

• Sora Maenya (of the Daughters of Sora Kell) is a warblade and master of the Tiger's Claw; it is this skill that has allowed her to wrestle with dragons and fight armies with her bare hands. But what could convince the mighty annis to share her knowledge, and how will people react to Maenya's protégé?
• The secrets of the Stone Dragon were lost with the Noldrun dwarves. What lurks beneath the ruined hold? Was a survivor of the fallen clan trapped in stasis in the depths? Or is there something far worse… a dark force that has perverted the Stone Dragon, which must be overcome before it rises?
• Lord Jael Vadallia was the last master of the Diamond Mind, and he died four thousand years ago. But Lord Jael can still be found in the City of the Dead, as an undying champion of the Aerenal elves. A truly promising elf of his line might be summoned to the city and ordered to carry on his legacy; alternately, someone with enough skill to penetrate the defenses of the city and reach Jael might earn his respect and patronage.
• A crusader who follows the path of Devoted Spirit could receive her guidance through divine inspiration. To advance in level, she must carry out quests in the name of her faith; like Joan of Arc or Tira Miron, these tasks may change the shape of the world.
• The secrets of Shadows Seize the Sun are hidden in the ruined war mazes of Ohr Kaluun, labyrinths nearly as deadly now as they were two thousand years ago. An ancient skulk holds the knowledge of these two disciplines, and he sits in darkness waiting his final student. But what price does he require?

If the DM takes this approach, people will be amazed by the skills and abilities of the martial adept. A warblade might be viewed with awe or fear. People won't have Martial Lore, and won't be prepared to counter the abilities of the martial adept, but this may spawn jealousy or suspicion!