Toroq commissioned a sage to research what he could find of the Swords of Power; the following is what he was given.
"The Swords were reputedly created by Hephaestus at the behest of the other gods, but this may be a story spread by the worshipers of these gods. Nobody knows for sure, as they have been around for many thousands of years.
"The gods intended to use the Swords to play a game, pitting nations of mortals against one another, to relieve their boredom. By making the Swords and scattering them throughout the land, the gods hoped to derive amusement as men and women sought them out and lorded power over each other.
Hephaestus conscripted mortal men from nearby villages as assistants. Starting with metoric iron and a powerful earth-fire, he completed each Sword by quenching it in human blood, sacrificing his unwilling assistants one by one. Only one man survived the forging process, the smith Jord, who lost one arm to the quenching process. Rather than giving the Sword to a mortal as a gift, as the others were, Vulcan gave Jord Townsaver as payment for his work, to someday pass to his own son.
However, Hephaestus forged too well; the Swords' powers even worked on the gods themselves. "
The Swords are all physically identical in design. Each Sword has a bright, double-edged blade about 40" long, that is a third of an inch at its thickest, and has a simple black hilt with straight crossbar. The steel of the blade is mottled, with a subtle translucent pattern that seems to extend to impossible depths. The hilt is an unknown black material, hard but also comfortable. The Swords are all surgically sharp and resistant to all forms of damage. They never rust, dull, tarnish, or soil. Only the Sword Shieldbreaker can damage or destroy a Sword.
The overall construction of the blade is described as simple and elegant, not ornate or flashy.
A Sword can only be distinguished from its companions by a unique white symbol etched into one side of its hilt. In addition to each Sword's magical properties, most also serve as peerless conventional blades, due to their perfect balance, extreme sharpness, and indestructible nature.
There are four exceptions to these general rules. Woundhealer is incapable of causing injury, though its blade will cut anything but living flesh as well as any other Sword. Soulcutter lacks a distinguishing hilt symbol. Soulcutter's blade has no luster and was never used as a weapon, though both of these effects are likely psychological side effects of the Sword's dark power. Similarly, the Mindsword is described as being impossibly bright and shiny, potentially another psychological effect. Shieldbreaker is a peerless combat weapon, except when used against an unarmed opponent, in which case it is incapable of causing harm and even weakens its wielder.
Characters at times speculate about the effects of holding two Swords at once. At least one person is reputed to have been knocked unconscious simply from holding two, without drawing on their powers. On the other hand, a number of characters reputedly wielded two at once with little adverse effect. Wizards who studied the Swords theorized that certain more "sensitive" personalities seem less able to resist the effects of wielding two Swords, and that some Swords seem to tolerate each other better than others. While dual-wielding, the wielder is described variously as feeling euphoric, or as if he/she were having an out-of-body experience.
Coinspinner gives its bearer good luck, and brings misfortune on anyone trying to harm or hinder its current possessor. However, the Sword of Chance is the most unpredictable of all the Swords, having the habit of leaving its owner when they need it most – most likely when its loss will cause them to suffer great misfortune. It also tends to disappear if its powers are not used often in risky situations.
Coinspinner seems to be endowed with a limited form of intelligence. Should one take one's eyes off of it, Coinspinner can teleport to a new destination and a new owner.
Doomgiver is also called the Sword of Justice. It has a hollow circle engraved in white upon its hilt.
Doomgiver is one of the least understood of all the Swords. Its verse in The Song of Swords hints at its powers, and is as follows: The Sword of Justice balances the pans Of right and wrong, and foul and fair.Eye for an eye, Doomgiver scans The fate of all folk everywhere.
Doomgiver is poorly understood because of the ambiguity of its verse, and because Doomgiver has been rarely used. It turns any attack directed toward it back to the source. If an arrow is fired at the wielder of the Sword of Justice, the arrow would turn around in mid-flight and fatally strike the archer. It also in general redirects maliciousness directed toward the one who holds it.
Dragonslicer is also called the Sword of Heroes. It has a stylized dragon engraved in white on its hilt.
Dragonslicer's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Dragonslicer, Dragonslicer, how d'you slay?
Reaching for the heart in behind the scales.
Dragonslicer, Dragonslicer, where d'you stay?
In the belly of the giant that my blade impales.
Farslayer is also called the Sword of Vengeance. It has a an arrowhead symbol on its hilt.
Farslayer's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Farslayer howls across the world
For thy heart, for thy heart, who hast wronged me!
Vengeance is his who casts the blade
Yet he will in the end no triumph see.
Mindsword is also known as the Sword of Glory, or by the pejorative Skulltwister, the Sword of Madness. It has a flying banner engraved in white on its hilt.
The Mindsword's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Mindsword spun in the dawn's gray light
And men and demons knelt down before.
The Mindsword flashed in the midday bright
Gods joined the dance, and the march to war.
It spun in the twilight dim as well
And gods and men marched off to hell.
The Mindsword is one of the more overtly evil of the Swords, as it is difficult to imagine a good cause Skulltwister would be associated with. The Mindsword, when drawn, compels absolute and fanatical devotion to the person holding it.
Shieldbreaker provides protection from all enemy attacks, whether melee, ranged or magical. Like Townsaver, Shieldbreaker takes over the sword arm of the person using it, and cannot be put down until the battle is over; however, Shieldbreaker will deflect incoming blows, while Townsaver will not. The Sword's one weakness is its inability to be used against an unarmed foe, meaning that the wielder (weakened by using Shieldbreaker) can be defeated quite easily in hand-to-hand combat.
Sightblinder is also called the Sword of Stealth, and less commonly, the Sword of Deception. It bears a stylized human eye engraved in white upon its hilt.
Sightblinder's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Sword of Stealth is given to
One lowly and despised.
Sightblinder's gifts: his eyes are keen
His nature is disguised.
Soulcutter is also called the Sword of Despair, or the Tyrant's Blade. Unlike the other Twelve Swords, the Soulcutter's blade is a dull color lacking all luster that actually seems to draw light into itself, creating a pocket of localized gloom when drawn. It is also unique in that it bears no symbol or other marking on its black hilt.
Soulcutter's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
The Tyrant's Blade no blood hath spilled
But doth the spirit carve
Soulcutter hath no body killed
But many left to starve.
Townsaver is also called the Sword of Fury. It has a sword raised above a stylized segment of castle wall engraved in white on its hilt.
Townsaver's power is defending unarmed people in a fixed position. When its wielder draws it for this purpose, the blade emits a screaming sound and takes over control from the user, moving his arms with superhuman speed and power to defeat any attackers. It is not an overstatement to say that Townsaver can singlehandedly defeat an entire army.
Townsaver's verse in The Song of Swords hints at its power and peril, and is as follows:
Long roads the Sword of Fury makes
Hard walls it builds around the soft
The fighter who Townsaver takes
Can bid farewell to home and croft
Wayfinder is also called the Sword of Wisdom. It has a compass engraved in white on its hilt.
Wayfinder's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Who holds Wayfinder finds good roads
Its master's step is brisk.
The Sword of Wisdom lightens loads
But adds unto their risk.
Woundhealer is also called the Sword of Mercy, and less frequently, the Sword of Love, and even more infrequently, the Sword of Healing. It bears an open human hand engraved in white on its hilt.
Woundhealer's verse in The Song of Swords describes its power as follows:
Whose flesh the Sword of Mercy hurts has drawn no breath,
Whose soul it heals has wandered in the night,
Has paid the summing of all debts in death
Has turned to see returning light.