The Gryphonheart blade is an artifact that appears in the Heroes of Might and Magic IV campaign The True Blade.
Gameplay[]
Increases the hero's Melee Attack and Melee Defense by 8.OffBck
The false Gryphonheart blade. Wielded by Sir Worton in their duel.
Increases the hero's Melee Attack and Melee Defense by 8. It also increases the Attack of all friendly creatures by 40%. Only a Gryphonheart can use it in battle.OffBck
The true Gryphonheart blade. Wielded by Lord Lysander in their duel.
Background[]
The ruler of Palaedra, Lord Lysander, has refused to call himself king, since as far as he knows, there is no royal blood in his veins. Sir Worton, one of the knights of the land, steps forward to claim he is the illegitimate child of King Gryphonheart, the last king of Erathia. To prove his claim, he draws the Gryphonheart blade from its jeweled scabbard - a feat that is impossible to non-Gryphonhearts, due to the enchantment in the blade.
Lysander travels from Palaedra to seek the truth, and finds that Sir Worton is actually the son of the former swordbearer, Sir Kentaine, and his wife Desette, and also locates the real Gryphonheart blade. As he saw the weapon often growing up, it was easy for Worton to make a copy of the weapon, and it was the false blade he drew.
When Lysander returns with Worton's parents, to prove Worton lied, Worton has claimed Palaedra by force, locking away or killing most loyal soldiers of the land. Lysander overcomes his forces, but Worton hides in the wilderness, causing Lysander to go looking for him to bring him back for a trial.
During their final duel, Worton wields the false Gryphonheart blade, while Lysander draws the real Gryphonheart blade from its scabbard - even though he had previously been unaware that he could do so. The true blade shatters the false, and Worton is wounded and brought back to stand trial.