Weapon Descriptions

Dagger
The sign of a free man in many cultures, the dagger is a must-have for country living. Taking it away from somebody is a sign of deep distrust. It is used both as a tool and a weapon.

Short Sword
An infantryman's sword, the short blade makes it truly effective in close formations. It has two edges, but is mainly designed for thrusting. The most common sword, if not as heroic as the scimitar and broadsword.

Broadsword
This is what most people think of when they say sword. Also known as a Ken and often misapplied as a Longsword. A long, straight, double-edged blade. Primarily designed for cutting, it can also thrust with good effect. It has been used in many cultures, such as knightly Europe, India and China as well as early Japan befoe the Katana was developed.

Name	Hands		Conceal	Damage	Tech		Maneuvers
Broad Sword	1 hand		Trenchcoat	+4	Blacksmith		Charge, Impale, Great Blow

Scimitar
A heavy, wedge-shaped Chinese sword, though similar weapons have appeared in the west under names such as Tulwar and Falchion. It can also be the Scimitar, the cutting blade of the raider or cavalryman, most effective in ride-by skirmishing.

Great Sword
Largely a ceremonial weapon, the great sword must be used in two hands. It looks terribly powerful, so it is popular with guards and executioners. It is not of much use in formation and cannot be used mounted.

Smallsword
The gentleman's sword from the baroque and onwards, the Smallsword is a short fencing sword with a light blade primarily designed for thrusting. It is the ultimate fencing sword.

Longsword
The western fencing sword from renaissance times and on. Also known as the Epee or Rapier.

Saber
A slightly curved, single-edged fencing sword designed for slashing and cutting. A straight sabre known as a pallasch. A developement of the Scimitar.

Zweihander
A development of the Great Sword, designed for fencing and for cutting off enemy pikes. It can be used in close formation.

Katana
The Japanese longsword, slightly curved and with a very fine edge.

Wakisashi
The Japanese shortsword, almost straight and with a very fine edge. The Ninjato is functionally a Wakisashi.

No-Dachi
The late Japanese great sword, it looks like an oversize Katana but is used in great overhead swings.

Off-Hand Weapons

Small Shield
This is a buckler or fencing shield. It is primarily intended as a parrying weapon, but can be used to attack and confuse the enemy.

Large Shield
A large board of wood, leather or reed, sometimes reinforced with metal. Used in a shield rush or to block attacks.

Off-Hand Club
A basic singlestick used in the off-hand.

Off-Hand Ax
A normal Hand Ax used in cojunction with another melee weapon.

Off-Hand Dirk
A long dirk used in the off-hand. If you wish to use a pair, treat the main hand weapon as a Dirk. You must master both weapons separately.

Off-Hand Sword

Swordbreaker
A dagger or Main-Gauche especially designed to trap and break and opponent's weapon. The Japanese Jitte and Okiwanese Sai are essentially the same. If you wish to use a pair, treat the main hand weapon as a Dirk. You must master both weapons separately.

Pole Arms

Quarterstaff
A two-meter wooden stick, sometimes reinforced with iron if it is to be used a lot. Priests and hermits favor this weapon, as does herdsmen and wanderers of all kinds. The simple reason; it does not look like a weapon. It's reach makes it a good weapon to stunt with, and it takes less room to use than might be supposed.
  Bo is the Japanese name, while the iron-filled staff Tetsubo is either a maul or a staff for the truly strong.

Javelin

A light spear primarily designed to be thrown.

Great Spear
A long spear, two meters or more, used in formation or in hunting great beasts. Often fitted with a cross-bar to prevent impaled animals from sliding down the shaft to attack the wielder.

Spear
A one and a half meter pole with a pointy end. Heavier and mor elaborate than the Javelin, but still a milita weapon. A rifle fitted with a bayonet counts as a spear.

Trident
A three-pronged spear, made famous by roman gladiators.

Pike
A very long spear, used solely in formation to outreach spears and other long weapons.

Lance
A stout pole used by cavalrymen to impale targets. You often let go of it after impaling an opponent.

Man Catcher
A pole with hooks or springs at the end, designed to entangle and capture foes. A police weapon.

Halberd
A long sophisticated poleax, with a complex drill.

Naginata
A bladed spear, that can both slash and thrust. Also known as a glaive.

Ax/Mace

Club
A one-meter symmetrical stick of wood. Quite agile.

Mace
A metal-shod club. Clumsy, no longer cheap, but powerful. Good for smashing locks and statues. A heavy baseball bat qualifies eminently.

Maul
A heavy sledgehammer designed to smash heads and doors.

Hand Ax
A carpenter's or woodcutters tool, or the weapon of a northern barbarian.

Battle Ax
A long, military ax like the Viking Bearded Ax or the Norman Franchesca. Can be used in one or two hands.

Great Ax
An overly large ax that takes two hands to wield. It is very clumsy and hard to stunt with, but excellent for chopping off heads and trees. It can actually be thrown, with a vertical, overhead throw.

Flexible Weapons

Lariat
Also known as a lasso, this is a rope with an open loop for catching animals and people.

String
A weighted string, used in the off-hand. Often attached to a throwing weapon that is used in the other hand.

Nunchaka
Two pieces of wood attached to each other with a chain link, you spin the nunchaka to gather force and then strike devastating blows. A deadly weapon in skilled hands.

Grappling hook
A metal hook attacked to a cable, swung over the head. It can tear out gouts of flesh and hook onto people so as to entangle.

Whip
A leather throng, elaborately braided and with a weighted tip. Very useful for both combat and non-combat stunts, but not overly powerful as a weapon.

Chain
A heavy chain, often attached to the main-hand weapon. It is used by swinging it in great defensive circles. More famous in Japan under the name Manrikigusari.

Flail
A weight suspended by chain from a stick. Dangerous for it's low price, to both user and adversary.

Special Weapons

Garrote
A thin cord used to strangle opponents. A metal cord can actually sever both heads and hands. Best used in ambush.

Net
A fishing net is only good for one use. A combat net is reinforced and equipped with weights and hooks. Either takes a lot of room to use.

Tiger Claws
Strapped to the lower arm, and can be worn while the hands are otherwise used. The wounds closely resemble claw marks from a great cat or tiger.

Gauntlet
The mailed glove of an armored warrior, or a boxing glove. Some rogues wear gloves with sewn-in weights.

Rock
The simplest of all weapons, a rock can be picked up for free. If the terrain is suitable, it is a 3-shot action to find and pick up a rock in combat.

Sap
A leather or cloth bag filled with gravel or lead shot. It is a favorite of muggers and press gangs.

Cestus
A metal reinforcement for the fist, usually of bronze and attached to a leather glove tied onto the arm. Variants include all manner of knuckle-dusters. Popular for arena fights. If fitted with a spike or blade, it is considered a Punch Dagger.

Punch Dagger
This is a broad-bladed punch dagger, usually strapped onto the fist. It is impossible to use another weapon in the same hand. It is terrifyingly stylish. Most common in India, where it is known as a Katar.

Throwing Weapons

Throwing Weapons cannot be used in normal melee combat, they can only be thrown.

Bola
A bola is a set of three weights connected by strings. The goal is to entangle the target's legs and make him trip.

Dart
A 30 cm weighted dart, often barbed.

Shuriken
A straight throwing blade that is very easy to conceal.

Sha-Ken
A throwing star or small ring or discus. It flies in an arch towards it's target, and is thus hard to anticipate.

Shakram
A large and heavy throwing ring.

Boomerang
A War Boomerang is quite heavy and can slice hands and small trees before returning to the thrower.

Mongwanga
The king of throwing weapons, the great Mongwanga is a barbed disc that can chop up people like barbecue.