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In Adventurers League Season 6 (for Tales from the Yawning Portal), there were two adventures that mentioned the gloomblade:

  • DDAL06-02 The Redemption of Kelvan
  • DDEP06-02 Return to White Plume Mountain

These two adventures included or mentioned the gloomblade, a magic item was was essentially an evil corrupted version of a moonblade, infused with the Shadowfell or something.

I've been looking for information on this, and I cannot find anything in 5e published material. Online, all I can find are references to what I believe is a class in Pathfinder, or a load of random homebrew (which means any "lore" attached to it is likely just be made up by random people).

Is there any official lore from any edition of D&D on what a gloomblade is (not the class from Pathfinder, but the corrupted moonblade)?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ If you are specifically looking for D&D material, I didn't find anything except a 4e gloomblade lurker, and the module mentions that you already have noted. \$\endgroup\$
    – JohnP
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 14:59
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    \$\begingroup\$ FWIW, I also can't find any prior mentions of the Gloomblade. There was a Gloomblade prestige class in Dragon #298 which is a sort of scout and infiltrator against the drow of the Underdark, and the 4e Monster Manual has the shadar-kai gloomblade, but no mentions of an item by that name. \$\endgroup\$
    – Quadratic Wizard
    Commented Jul 30, 2023 at 21:28

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If it turns out that there is no lore on gloomblades whatsoever outside of the AL adventures I've already referenced in the question, then it seems as though the lore presented in DDAL06-02 The Redemption of Kelvan is the only official source that contains any lore (since DDEP06-02 Return to White Plume Mountain just references the events of the other module, containing no additional lore).

The module states that a gloomblades are

perverted mirrors of the elven moonblades. Longswords made from a piece of frozen darkness brought from the Shadowfell [...] The sword is likely tainted by evil — reflective of Shar’s mission to unmake the world.

-- DDAL06-02 The Redemption of Kelvan, pg. 5

It also states that

the magical gloomblade, [is] a sword blessed by Shar with powers over shadow and time

-- DDAL06-02 The Redemption of Kelvan, pg. 3

And on handling the blade:

Any character picking up the sword feels a deep sense of despair and emptiness, as if all hope has drained from them. It is horrible to carry and no living soul would be able to bear it for more than a few days. The sword has no magical abilities that the characters can access at this time.

-- DDAL06-02 The Redemption of Kelvan, pg. 12

So, in summary,

gloomblades are longswords made from pieces of frozen darkness from the Shadowfell, likely tainted by evil because of the fact that they are "blessed" by Shar, although that it says "likely" implies that they might not be, though the implication is that they probably are evil. They resemble moonblades, but given that they are made from darkness from the Shadowfell, likely are not actually corrupted moonblades, but are rather created to resemble one. Gloomblades are horrible to carry, unbearable for more than a few days, since they make you feel a deep sense of despair and emptiness, as if all hope has drained from you.

At least, that's my take on the information presented in DDAL06-02 The Redemption of Kelvan.

Also, interestingly, since it seems that they aren't actual moonblades (since they were made from frozen darkness, etc), they might not actually be sentient like moonblades are, since the module doesn't explicitly say that they are, but now we're into speculation, so I'll stop here.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Hmmm... what is the context in which Gloomblades are mentioned in Return to White Plume Mountain? The description of Blackrazor (one of the three weapons that are the objectives in the original S2 White Plume Mountain adventure) doesn't match in all respects but has some similarities that may have inspired what you are describing. \$\endgroup\$
    – KerrAvon2055
    Commented Jun 28, 2019 at 12:55
  • \$\begingroup\$ @KerrAvon2055 It literally just mentions that in a previous adventure (i.e. The Redemption of Kelvan), "Realizing that they had erred, the adventurers notified their factions of what happened with the gloomblade and Kelvan/Keraptis." And of Keraptis' plans, "Having received the gloomblade from a group of adventurers, he entered White Plume Mountain." It doesn't in any way imply that it relates to Blackrazor. \$\endgroup\$
    – NathanS
    Commented Jun 28, 2019 at 13:01
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Yes (sort of)

From Pathfinder Ultimate Equipment:

Gloom Blade

Aura strong evocation; CL 13th; Weight 2 lbs.; Price 8,810 gp

DESCRIPTION

As black as coal, this short sword grows more potent the farther it is kept from light. It acts as a +1 short sword when in dim light. In darkness, it acts as +2 short sword. When surrounded by supernatural darkness, such as in an area of deeper darkness, it acts a +2 short sword and bestows the benefit of the Blind-Fight feat on its wielder. In daylight or bright illumination, the sword temporarily loses all its magical enhancement bonuses and acts as a masterwork weapon, though it resumes its magical functions once it is no longer in the bright light.

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Magic Arms and Armor; Spells deeper darkness; Cost 4,560 gp

Note: As discussed in this question on Pathfinder, it is not strictly D&D, although it is a direct derivative under the OGL.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I'm not sure this qualifies as lore for the sword. This seems more like a description of the weapon. You should also include a note on the pathfinder being related, but officially distinct from D&D. \$\endgroup\$
    – Someone_Evil ♦
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 15:09
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Someone_Evil - I added a link to a great question/answer to that effect, the actual book doesn't have any lore attached to it, just the description. \$\endgroup\$
    – JohnP
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 15:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yeah, to echo @Someone_Evil, I was more after actual lore on what the weapon is in-universe rather than a stat block or anything else gameplay related, I'm afraid. \$\endgroup\$
    – NathanS
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 16:27
  • \$\begingroup\$ @NathanS - There isn't anything other than what you've already found, in any system that I can find, unfortunately. \$\endgroup\$
    – JohnP
    Commented Jun 27, 2019 at 16:29
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Coming in late, I agree with your conclusions about the Gloomblade, NathanS.

In case you're interested, here is an actually corrupted moonblade.

Darkmoon, originally claimed by the Starym clan. The moonblade was corrupted by Illitran Starym with the assistance of Moander, god of corruption and decay. The blade is also known as Bladeshee for it's mythal ghost's ability to cast the spell Wail of the Banshee.[10]

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Moonblade#Notable_moonblades

The reference in the description is to this novel: Elaine Cunningham (1998). Evermeet: Island of Elves. (TSR, Inc), p. 380. ISBN 978-0786907137.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Hi Urshuraak, you may want to take the tour. \$\endgroup\$
    – Raj
    Commented Jan 23, 2021 at 14:53

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