WEAPONS

RESTRICTIONS

MELEE WEAPONS

Knife
A knife is a small, sharp-bladed cutting tool. Size 1.

Dagger
A dagger is a small, sharp-bladed weapon with a maximum length of 12 inches. A blade longer than 12 inches is considered a sword. Size 1.

Dwarf Sword
A Dwarf sword has a curved, single-edged blade about 2 feet long that is wider than the blade of a typical short sword. Dwarf merchants prefer this weapon above most others. Size 2.

Whip
A whip is a bundle of braided leather strips, thick at the handle end and tapering at the tip. The whip handle is usually made of wood or bone. Theran slave traders favor this weapon. Size 3.

Short Sword
A short sword is a bladed weapon between 2 and 3 feet long. Usually used as a one-handed weapon, some short swords feature hilts designed to allow windlings to wield them with two hands. A short sword’s blade can be curved or straight, with single or double edges. Size 2.

Broadsword
A broadsword has a blade more than 3 feet long. Typically used as a one-handed weapon, a Weaponsmith can modify the hilt of any broadsword to make it a two-handed weapon. The blade can be curved or straight, with single or double edges. Size 3.

Troll Sword
Created specifically for trolls, the troll sword has a blade more than 4 feet long and is balanced for one-handed use by those with exceptional strength. Obsidimen occasionally carry troll swords, and other races sometimes adapt the hilt design to make the sword a two-handed weapon. The blade can be curved or straight, with single or double edges. Size 4.

Two-handed Sword
The largest bladed weapon available in Barsaive, a two-handed sword is just over 4 feet long and balanced specifically for two-handed use. The double-edged blade can be curved, but is most often straight. Size 5.

Hand-axe
Small and easy to use, this basic chopping instrument consists of a 1- to 2-foot handle with a single, flat, square- or bell-shaped blade at one end. Size 2.

Battle-axe
The traditional weapon of the Throal armies, the battle-axe consists of a 2- to 4-foot handle that holds a single or double bell-shaped blade. The battle-axe can be used as a two-handed weapon. Size 4.

Pole-axe
The pole-axe is one of the deadliest weapons available in Barsaive. The handle, usually at least 5 feet long, holds a large single or double bell-shaped or rectangular blade. This huge, heavy weapon takes two hands to use. Size 6.

Pole Arms
This catch-all term applies to any weapon with a handle more than 4 feet long. Theran slave traders use a simple, deadly 4-foot pole with a sharp metal tip on the end. Guards at the Elven Court wield pole arms tipped with various blades, hooks and points. All types of pole arms do the same amount of damage, and take two hands to wield. The price for pole arms varies according to the blade configuration; the more elaborate the blade, the more silver the weapon costs. Size 6.

Lance
A specialized weapon for fighting on horseback, the lance consists of a cone-shaped shaft of wood, between 10 and 15 feet long, which is fitted with a wooden or metal handle. A brace at the end of the handle attaches the lance to the user’s armor. Lance weights and lengths vary widely, so make sure your character’s mount can handle the combined weight of both the rider and the lance. Because lances tend to break, the gamemaster may use the following optional rule to determine how a lance might break in combat. After the attacking character has made a successful Attack Test, the gamemaster makes a Damage Test using the Damage step of the attacker against a Difficulty Number of 25. If the test is successful, the lance shatters. Size 6.

Spear
Most often used as a missile weapon, the spear may also serve as a short pole arm in close combat. The 4-foot long weapon requires two hands to wield, and the user can use it to stab or club an opponent. For a more detailed description of a spear, see Throwing Weapons. Size 4.

Trispear
This specialized weapon evolved from a pole arm. Tridents range from 4 to 6 feet long, the 6-foot version used almost exclusively by t’skrang fishermen. Unlike a conventional pole arm, the trident ends in three points instead of the typical single point. The configuration of the points varies; sometimes they form triangles, others are flat. The length and thickness of the points also vary. As with pole arms, the trident takes two hands to wield. Size3.

Club
Any short piece of hard wood or stone, usually thinner at the handle end and thicker at the business end, qualifies as a club. In some cases clubs are merely rough-hewn tree limbs. Most, however, are a bit more finished and feature leather-wrapped handles. Obsidimen, trolls, and some dwarfs prefer clubs carved out of rock. Wooden and stone clubs inflict the same amount of damage. Size 2.

Sap
A sap is a leather pouch filled with stones or metal pellets. A character can improvise a sap by filling a leather glove with pebbles. Size 1.

Quarterstaff
Any weapon shaped like a pole and made from hardened wood qualifies as a quarterstaff. Anywhere from 3 to 7 feet long, most quarterstaffs are plainly finished. Characters with an appropriate Artisan Skill (see Skills) sometimes decorate them with elaborate carvings, and sometimes attach gems and precious metals. Size 5.

Mace
A mace is a club reinforced with a shaped-metal head. Size 3.

Flail
A flail consists of a wooden, leather-covered handle between 2 and 4 feet long, with a hinge or a chain connected to one end. The other end of the chain connects to either a spiked metal ball, a metal-spiked wooden rod, or a plain metal rod. Size 3.

Spiked Mace
The spiked mace is a large club with a spiked metal head. Size 4.

Warhammer
The warhammer has an oblong, metal head with a long spike protruding from it. Any character using this weapon should keep in mind that changing the direction of the swing once he has begun is nearly impossible. Size 5.

MISSILE WEAPONS

Blowgun
A blowgun is a hollow tube of wood or metal, 1 to 3 feet long, used to fire 2-inch needles. The needles are usually made of metal, though wood, stone, and precious gem needles also exist. The needles sometimes include fletching, and can be tipped with poison. Size 1–2.

Sling
This catch-all term describes any weapon that flings small objects at speeds and distances greater than the unaided arm can manage. Most slings consist of a strap of leather connected to a pouch that holds the projectile. Most sling users use rocks for ammunition, though a sling can throw any small object. Some merchants sell metal balls to use with a sling, but most customers find them a waste of good silver. Size 2.

Short Bow
The term short bow applies to all bows less than 4 feet long. A single piece of flexible wood forms the bow, which is fitted with a bowstring that is connected to each end and pulled taught. Short bow arrows are 2 feet long, made of wood and fletched with feathers. Both stone and metal arrowheads are used in Barsaive, but the province’s finest shots use metal-tipped arrows almost exclusively. Size 3.

Longbow
A variation of the short bow, the longbow ranges from 4 to 8 feet long. Longbow arrows are similar to short bow arrows, but are 2 to 4 feet long. Size 5.

Light Crossbow
This weapon consists of a bow mounted horizontally on a shaft of wood or metal. A hook-and-trigger device built into the shaft holds the bowstring taut and releases it. The shaft is 1 foot long, making the weapon small enough to conceal in a heavy cloak or coat. The arrow, called a bolt, is shorter and thicker than a regular arrow. Usually made from wood with a stone or metal tip, bolts range from 6 to 8 inches in length and have feather fletching. Size 4.

Medium Crossbow
The medium crossbow is a larger version of the light crossbow, with a 2-foot long shaft and 12-inch bolts. Size 5.

Troll Sling
The troll sling is a large sling attached to the end of a staff. Trolls and obsidimen can use a troll sling one-handed, all other races must use two hands. Size 4.

Elven Warbow
The elven warbow is similar to a longbow, but is made with three different woods. The differing tensile strength of each type of wood gives the warbow more power than a conventional longbow. Warbow arrows are between 2 and 4 feet long and fletched with feathers, and are thicker and heavier than conventional longbow arrows. Size 5.

Quiver
A quiver holds arrows or bolts. Most quivers are hard leather cylinders or rectangles strapped over the bowman’s back like a backpack. Individuals from the taller races of Barsaive often prefer to hook their quivers to their belts. Some quivers come equipped with a cover to discourage others from stealing arrows.

THROWING WEAPONS

Net
Nets are used to entangle an opponent, and can be as simple as a large piece of cloth or as complex as a series of ropes tied together in elaborate patterns. A net can be square or circular, and its size depends on what your character wants to capture. A net designed to catch windlings can fit in a pocket, while the nets used by Theran slave traders can hold ten human-sized people.

To use a net in combat, the attacking character must make an Attack Test against the target’s Physical Defense. A successful result entangles the target. To free himself, the target must make a successful Strength Test against the result of his captor’s Attack Test. Size 2–6.

Darts
Darts are any small, balanced throwing weapons less than 6 inches long. Some are simply pointed metal rods, others are elaborate constructions of wood, stone, and precious gems tipped with needle-sharp metal that can be dipped in poison. Many darts also have feathered fletching. Size 1.

Dagger
Though technically a melee weapon, a dagger can also function as a throwing weapon. For a complete description of a conventional dagger, see Melee Weapons. Size 1.

Throwing Dagger
The throwing dagger is a flatter, thinner version of a conventional dagger, specially balanced for throwing. Size 1.

Bola
A bola is a leather strap fitted with two metal or stone weights on either end. Some bolas have multiple straps, each tipped with weights and tied together in the center. The straps range from 1 to 3 feet in length. The weights can be of any shape, and many artisans carve them to look like animals. A bola can both entangle and damage the target. To entangle the target, the attacking character must make a successful Attack Test. To free himself, the target must make a successful Strength Test against a Difficulty Number of 9. Size 2.

Throwing Axe
A throwing axe is the same size as a hand axe, but is specifically designed for throwing. It may have either a single or double blade, which is usually smaller than the blade of a hand axe. Size 3.

Flight Dagger
The blade of the flight dagger is alloyed with a tiny amount of elemental air, which gives the dagger lift and greater range than a throwing dagger. Size 1.

Spear
Generally used as a throwing weapon, a spear is 3 feet long and tipped with stone or metal. A spear can be thrown with one hand. Size 4.

Hawk Hatchet
The hawk hatchet is a Z-shaped weapon. Blades shaped like hawk’s wings form the top and bottom of the “Z,” and a wooden handle forms the diagonal. The wielder throws the hatchet with an overhand snap to send it whirling toward its target, its “wings” providing lift for the flight. Size 3.

Burning Oil
Oil can be fashioned into a homemade bomb and used as a throwing weapon. To make such a weapon, a character must pour oil into a flask, stuff the flask’s open end with cloth, set the cloth afire and throw the flask at the target. The container will shatter on striking the target or the ground nearby, spreading flames all around unless the attacking character rolls all ones (1s) in his Attack Test. (For a detailed explanation of the Rule of One, see Game Concepts.) See Throwing Objects in Combat, for specific Physical Defense and scatter rules when using oil as a throwing weapon. Unless stamped out, the oil will burn for 3 Combat Rounds. In each round that the oil burns, any characters spattered by it take Step 5 damage.

WINDLING WEAPONS

Windling Bow This specialized bow was created especially for windlings, who lack the strength to use standard bows effectively. A windling bow is 18 inches long and fires foot-long arrows. Size 2.

Windling Spear
The windling spear is a windling-sized version of its larger counterpart. The 2-foot long spear is balanced to enable a windling to throw it even while flying. Windling spears are usually tipped with metal, because stone spearheads often throw off the delicate balance of these weapons. Size 2.