Non-Combat Magical Item - Potentially Sentient Sword

Master of Dungeons Blog just released a deck of cards based of our ongoing series of Non-Combat Magical Items. The deck is available here at DriveThruRPG. It is currently on sale for $5.99. If you want to support Master Of Dungeons, or just want a unique but cheap Christmas present, then I encourage you to check it out. The upcoming item is a more in-depth look at an item available in the deck.

Potentially Sentient Sword

Wondrous Item, Very Rare

Much has been written on sentient swords, their personalities, strengths, and faults. But where do these independently-minded weapons come from? While there are certainly multiple reasons why a weapon might become sentient, the recently discovered Potentially Sentient Sword is likely one of the more common ones.

When an adventurer attunes to a Potentially Sentient Sword, it doesn't yet contain a mind of its own. Over (hopefully) years of use, the sword will bond with the adventurer, copying the energies and patterns of the soul. As the hero grows in power, the sword too can become more powerful, fearing being replaced,  the sword might destroy a more powerful sword, gaining its strength.

The sword will change in appearance to match the personality and alignment of its owner the longer it is carried. A good person may have the sword change to radiant and angelic, while an evil person may have the sword become demonic in appearance. This is an oversimplification, as other aspects of a person's personality can be reflected as well. A greedy, fancy carrier may wake up to find their sword covered in gold and gems, a musician may find the sword has sprouted lute-like strings.

When the carrier dies, the final aspects of the person's soul are copied to the sword. The weapon becomes sentient, with the personality and mind of its former owner. Some may despair upon waking after death and finding themselves as an inanimate object, while others may rejoice at the chance to spend eternity in battle, or defending their descendants. 

The write-up of the Potentially Sentient is obviously far more in-depth than what can fit in the deck on the face of a playing card. If you pick up the Non-Combat Magical Items Deck from DriveThruRPG (and I would very much like you to). I recommend that you use the items as a jumping off point. For example, for this item you may want to think about whether a person can be raised from the dead after being transferred into the sword, whether they are trapped in there, or if it is a duplicate.