Family heirloom equipment for player characters

In pre-industrial societies and in many fiction stories, family heirloom equipment, such as an expensive sword, is passed down from generation to generation.  A sword or similar weapon or tool, should be a connection to the player character’s family history.  These weapons or tools should not be treated the same as when you or I purchased a department store cast iron skillet pan.

For example, in the “Ladyhawke” film there is a scene with two characters:

Etienne of Navarre who is the former Captain of the Guard of Aquila.

Phillipe Gaston who is a young thief known as "The Mouse"

Etienne tells Phillipe that Etienne’s sword has been in his family for five generations, “never knowing defeat”.  Each time one of the men of his family achieved a remarkable deed, such as creating with his family an alliance with the Holy Church in Rome, or fighting the Saracens in Jerusalem, a large jewel is embedded in the sword hilt to remember that achievement.

Etienne’s great deed is to kill a corrupt bishop that had cursed him and his wife.  Each of these deeds would make an entertaining adventure for your entire party.

In my Dungeons & Dragons campaign, each starting player character owns one minor magical weapon or tool as their family heirloom equipment.  Their family heirloom equipment reminds my players that their characters have their families to support them when they are in dealing with tough times.

Also, each and every player character has a moral obligation to pass down the family’s heirloom equipment to their sons and daughters, so it can be used by future generations of the family.  This gives some continuity when player characters retire from adventuring, to pass down their family heirloom equipment to the next generation.