diff --git a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.spec.ts b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.spec.ts
index c24015f..df32221 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { DataSource } from 'typeorm';
 import { Character } from '../../characters/entities/character.entity';
+import { CharacterEquipment } from '../../equipment/entities/character-equipment.entity';
+import { CharacterItem } from '../../items/entities/character-item.entity';
 import { ItemDefinition } from '../../items/entities/item-definition.entity';
 import { LootTableEntry } from '../../loot/entities/loot-table-entry.entity';
 import { LootTable } from '../../loot/entities/loot-table.entity';
@@ -7,6 +9,7 @@ import { LocationMonster } from '../../monsters/entities/location-monster.entity
 import { MonsterDefinition } from '../../monsters/entities/monster-definition.entity';
 import { LocationConnection } from '../../world/entities/location-connection.entity';
 import { LocationDefinition } from '../../world/entities/location-definition.entity';
+import { DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID } from '../../demo/demo-character.constants';
 import { ASH_RAT_LOOT_TABLE_ID, ITEM_IDS, ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID } from './item.constants';
 import { seedVisibleVerticalSlice } from './vertical-slice.seed';
 
@@ -74,6 +77,8 @@ function createDataSource(
   itemRepository: InMemoryRepository = new InMemoryRepository(),
   lootTableRepository: InMemoryRepository = new InMemoryRepository(),
   lootEntryRepository: InMemoryRepository = new InMemoryRepository(),
+  characterItemRepository: InMemoryRepository = new InMemoryRepository(),
+  characterEquipmentRepository: InMemoryRepository = new InMemoryRepository(),
 ): DataSource {
   return {
     getRepository: jest.fn((entity: unknown) => {
@@ -85,6 +90,8 @@ function createDataSource(
       if (entity === ItemDefinition) return itemRepository;
       if (entity === LootTable) return lootTableRepository;
       if (entity === LootTableEntry) return lootEntryRepository;
+      if (entity === CharacterItem) return characterItemRepository;
+      if (entity === CharacterEquipment) return characterEquipmentRepository;
 
       throw new Error('Unexpected repository');
     }),
@@ -336,4 +343,80 @@ describe('seedVisibleVerticalSlice', () => {
       ]),
     );
   });
+
+  it('seeds the starting sword as a real, equipped CharacterItem idempotently', async () => {
+    const locationRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const connectionRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const characterRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const monsterRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const locationMonsterRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const characterItemRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const characterEquipmentRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const dataSource = createDataSource(
+      locationRepository,
+      connectionRepository,
+      characterRepository,
+      monsterRepository,
+      locationMonsterRepository,
+      new InMemoryRepository(),
+      new InMemoryRepository(),
+      new InMemoryRepository(),
+      characterItemRepository,
+      characterEquipmentRepository,
+    );
+
+    await seedVisibleVerticalSlice(dataSource);
+    await seedVisibleVerticalSlice(dataSource);
+
+    expect(characterItemRepository.rows).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(characterItemRepository.rows[0]).toEqual(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        characterId: DEMO_CHARACTER_ID,
+        itemDefinitionId: ITEM_IDS['worn-short-sword'],
+        quantity: 1,
+      }),
+    );
+    expect(characterEquipmentRepository.rows).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(characterEquipmentRepository.rows[0]).toEqual(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        characterId: DEMO_CHARACTER_ID,
+        slot: 'WEAPON',
+        characterItemId: DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID,
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('never re-equips the starting sword once the player has equipped different gear', async () => {
+    const locationRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const connectionRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const characterRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const monsterRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const locationMonsterRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const characterItemRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const characterEquipmentRepository = new InMemoryRepository();
+    const dataSource = createDataSource(
+      locationRepository,
+      connectionRepository,
+      characterRepository,
+      monsterRepository,
+      locationMonsterRepository,
+      new InMemoryRepository(),
+      new InMemoryRepository(),
+      new InMemoryRepository(),
+      characterItemRepository,
+      characterEquipmentRepository,
+    );
+
+    await seedVisibleVerticalSlice(dataSource);
+    // Simulate the player having equipped earned loot instead.
+    characterEquipmentRepository.rows[0]['characterItemId'] = 'earned-bandit-blade-item-id';
+
+    await seedVisibleVerticalSlice(dataSource);
+
+    expect(characterEquipmentRepository.rows).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(characterEquipmentRepository.rows[0]['characterItemId']).toBe(
+      'earned-bandit-blade-item-id',
+    );
+    expect(characterItemRepository.rows).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.ts b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.ts
index 92add28..8af98bc 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/database/seeds/vertical-slice.seed.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 import { DataSource } from 'typeorm';
-import { DEMO_CHARACTER_ID } from '../../demo/demo-character.constants';
+import {
+  DEMO_CHARACTER_ID,
+  DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_EQUIPMENT_ID,
+  DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID,
+} from '../../demo/demo-character.constants';
 import { Character } from '../../characters/entities/character.entity';
+import { CharacterEquipment } from '../../equipment/entities/character-equipment.entity';
+import { CharacterItem } from '../../items/entities/character-item.entity';
+import { EquipmentSlot } from '../../items/equipment-slot.enum';
 import { ItemDefinition } from '../../items/entities/item-definition.entity';
 import { LootTableEntry } from '../../loot/entities/loot-table-entry.entity';
 import { LootTable } from '../../loot/entities/loot-table.entity';
@@ -11,6 +18,7 @@ import { LocationConnection } from '../../world/entities/location-connection.ent
 import { LocationDefinition } from '../../world/entities/location-definition.entity';
 import {
   ASH_RAT_LOOT_TABLE_ID,
+  ITEM_IDS,
   ROAD_BANDIT_LOOT_TABLE_ID,
 } from './item.constants';
 import { ITEM_DEFINITIONS, LOOT_TABLES, LOOT_TABLE_ENTRIES } from './item-content';
@@ -205,4 +213,32 @@ export async function seedVisibleVerticalSlice(
       currentLocationId: southGateId,
     });
   }
+
+  const characterItemRepository = dataSource.getRepository(CharacterItem);
+  const characterEquipmentRepository = dataSource.getRepository(CharacterEquipment);
+
+  const existingStartingSword = await characterItemRepository.findOneBy({
+    id: DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID,
+  });
+  if (!existingStartingSword) {
+    await characterItemRepository.insert({
+      id: DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID,
+      characterId: DEMO_CHARACTER_ID,
+      itemDefinitionId: ITEM_IDS['worn-short-sword'],
+      quantity: 1,
+    });
+  }
+
+  const existingWeaponEquipment = await characterEquipmentRepository.findOneBy({
+    characterId: DEMO_CHARACTER_ID,
+    slot: EquipmentSlot.WEAPON,
+  });
+  if (!existingWeaponEquipment) {
+    await characterEquipmentRepository.insert({
+      id: DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_EQUIPMENT_ID,
+      characterId: DEMO_CHARACTER_ID,
+      slot: EquipmentSlot.WEAPON,
+      characterItemId: DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID,
+    });
+  }
 }
diff --git a/apps/api/src/demo/demo-character.constants.ts b/apps/api/src/demo/demo-character.constants.ts
index e79635b..f09bf6e 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/demo/demo-character.constants.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/demo/demo-character.constants.ts
@@ -1 +1,5 @@
 export const DEMO_CHARACTER_ID = '10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001';
+export const DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_ITEM_ID =
+  '10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000002';
+export const DEMO_CHARACTER_STARTING_WEAPON_EQUIPMENT_ID =
+  '10000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000003';