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Originally posted by Ocule

Why are longswords elven weapons? Its weird that they cannot be used with dexterity or that its iconic to elves considering they aren't actually that good at using them.

I'd like to know how the longsword is tied into their culture which i can't really find a real reason for.

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Throughout their existence, Elves have been masters of making and using weapons and arms. Their skill at forging weapons and armour surpasses the race of Man, but of the race of Dwarves, Tolkien writes: "In the tempering of steel alone of all crafts the Dwarves were never outmatched even by the Noldor, and in the making of mail [...] their work had no rival."

Even more renowned is the Elven skill at using their fine weapons, be it bow or blade.

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Gemsword: These very rare, ancient long swords were devised by the earliest spacefaring elves. Over the ages, the secrets of making and repairing them have been lost. Only the Arcane and certain archmages know how to recharge them.
Gemswords are +4 weapons of electric-blue metal (a very fine sort of steel). Slim and bejeweled, with ornate twisted and curlicued hilts, they are beautiful to behold, and prized by all spacefarers.
Gemswords constantly gather light energy from nearby sources, and once per day (a 144-turn period) can be commanded to make a power strike.
A power strike requires a to-hit roll (if failed, the blade flashes with light, loosing its stored energy harmlessly). Upon hitting, it deals 1 hull point of damage to a ship, or 3d4 damage to an individual. A being must also save against Breath Weapon or be confused (as the fourth-level wizard spell) for 12 rounds.
Each such sword has several show gems (i.e., gemstones that are only decorative, although they may be very valuable), but it may have one, two, or three power stones. These blue-green gems, of unknown origin, are able to hold magical energies within them. Identifiable by their cut, they can hold the following spells:
Cabochon: regenerate when grasped and ordered, as the seventh-level priest spell, but affecting only one creature touching the blade (up to 7 charges);
Crown-cut: lightning bolt from the tip of the blade, as the third-level wizard spell, with a range of 222‘ and dealing 7d6 damage (up to 3 charges);
Square-cut: teleport without error when grasped and ordered (affecting the sword-wielder and up to two other beings of medium size or less, or one large size being plus the wielder, who also touch the blade at the time) from some place to another solid object of known location within a sphere, but not from one sphere to another (up to four charges).
Each charge equals one spell, called forth by mental command of the wielder, who is always aware of what the sword can do, in rough physical terms, and how many charges it has (magical ability not needed).
Recharging such swords is known to involve the casting of the spells they hold, but the process (and associated spells) remain secret. PCs will have to research their own (DMs may also wish to devise other gemcut/spell combinations).
XP Value: Unknown (method of making not discernible to PCs)

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Originally posted by Barastir

These gemswords are always +4 and don't lose this enchantment when they run out of charges, right? The power strike is also independent of charges and kept after the charges are spent?

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert

So it appears -- from the description, the charges are specifically for the spells stored in the gemstones.

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Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
(...) WotC did its best to ignore Spelljammer (even making the bizarre maneuver of introducing groundling neogi and saying "these guys are usually in flying ships, but even though flying ships are far more interesting, we're ignoring that to make them regular sea-faring pirate-types").

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