The module bears the code WGS1 and was published by TSR in 1991 for the second edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules.

The title of the module refers to the five Blades of Corusk, ancient magical swords which, according to the legends of Greyhawk's Suloise barbarians, can be brought together to be made even more powerful.

The module also contains information regarding Garel Enkdal, an underground city of orcs in the Griff Mountains of the northeastern Flanaess.

It was originally intended as the first of three modules in the "World of Greyhawk Swords" (WGS) trilogy.

Instead, the material originally intended for WGS3 was reworked and incorporated into the board game Greyhawk Wars.