Weapons of the Hunters of the Stag

The Hunters of the Stag--having to deal with a great many creatures that normal hunters do not--have a wider variety of weapons and tools that they use to bring down their prey. Some of their innovations are strange to outsiders and have no practical hunting applications on standard prey.

Unique Weapons

Lashknife Image:Lashknife2.jpg

Lashknife

The lashknife is a six-inch curved blade on the end of a six-foot (or longer) rope. In the hands of a master, it can be used for restraining as well as lethal purposes. Some wielders also choose to throw it.

It is a difficult weapon to both learn and use, but it is terribly dangerous in the hands of a knowledgeable wielder.

Currently, there are no Hunters who are specifically specialized in the lashknife, though a few prominent Firsts in the past have specialized in this weapon.

Bladed Bola

Less accurate but more damaging than a standard bola, this relative of the lashknife is usually reserved for martial purposes or big game.

Backblade

Held blade down and spike up, these weapons are mainly designed for stabbing purposes. They are frequently used as secondary, parrying weapons in a state of war.

Axdiruax

Working off of principles close to both axes and large swords, this weapon, attached to the forearm of the wielder, extends their reach considerably while also providing a large parrying surface. Variations of this weapon that have left the island attach a rifle to the unit.

Polearms

Polearms--in particular pikes, halberds, and lucerne hammers--have come into general use by the Hunters, specifically for the purposes of hunting larger and more dangerous game.

Pikes

Pikes, or at least those adapted by the Hunters of the Stag, range between 15 and 25 feet. Shorter lengths are spears (for melee) or javelins (for missile). These weapons are useful for most Hunters that prefer dangerous game that lives either in the Nervena Plains or the Auleauk Desert, since more constrained areas limit the usefulness of the weapon.

Several different heads have been developed for the pike as well, the most common being the following:

• The arrowhead style is the traditional style used for Hunter pikes, and is shaped to find narrow chinks in armor. The barbs on the reverse of the head tear when being removed, inflicting more damage and potentially damaging armor.
• The trident is usually reserved for shorter pikes. Its three-pronged design makes catching appendages and parrying easier, though actual physical damage is decreased due the lack of barbs and the increase need for leverage of the design.
• The fork is very similar to the arrowhead type, except a second (and sometimes third) prong is added on about a foot down the shaft. This design combines some of the better aspects of both the arrowhead and trident styles, though the simple arrowhead is still more popular.

Halberds

Where pikes are more designed for thrusting attacks, halberds are made for slashing or chopping attacks. As such, they tend to be shorter, averaging 7 to 10 feet. However, they are more "natural" to wield than pikes, as their use involves a more natural motion. Still, because of their size, these weapons are rarely used in the Hordius Ten Jungle.

• The bardiche is the most common version, being a large axe-head on the end of a ten-foot pole. The uses and applications of this style are obvious.
• The noginata is less common. It consists of a curved sword-blade, usually near three feet in length, attached to a seven- or nine-foot pole. Though this weapon is more difficult to use than a bardiche, it is also considerably more dangerous in the hands of an experienced wielder.
• The scythe has found popularity among a particular kind of Hunter. Though originally intended for farm use, its unique shape makes it a difficult weapon to defend against.

Lucerne Hammers

A lucerne hammer is a very specific kind of polearm, crossing a warhammer with a pike. By placing a heavy hammerhead on the end of a ten-foot shaft, more leverage and momentum can be obtained than with a standard warhammer, thus providing better offensive capabilities against heavily-armored subjects, like the bullete.

Swords

Swords of all kinds have been adapted to the Hunter's favor in many instances; the more notable adaptations are detailed below.

Two-Handed Swords

Two-handed swords are designed for power, and the Hunters make good use of them in that regard, choosing to take down large, dangerous game with them. Most Hunters have trained with a claymore at one point or another, as it is both a good strength-building exercise and an excellent way to train new Hunters how to control their weaponry. There are those who pick up the claymore in training and choose to stay with that weapon for the rest of there lives; in fact, they are more common than one would think.

The nodachi is another large two-handed sword; however, this one was originally designed for horse-mounted samurai. With training and great strength, the weapon can be used on foot, and to great effect. The weapon itself is--in essence--a katana nearly five feet long. The weapon's curved blade makes its use much different from that of the claymore; where a claymore is very heavy straight strokes, a nodachi uses lighter curving strokes.

One-Handed Swords

One-handed swords are designed for finesse, and so their use among the Hunters is a specialized few at best. While a sabre or short sword may be useful against man-sized or smaller prey, most larger targets have a variety of forms of defense against which the greater power of a two-handed weapon is necessary. Regardless, one-handed swords still have their niche within Hunter's weapon use.

The second weapon a Hunter in training uses, after the claymore, is the sabre. This weapon requires a great deal of dexterity and finesse to use well, and its practices of use are related to most other one-handed swords. The learning curve for this weapon is quite sharp, as there are a variety of formalized (and informal) practices used by fencers around the world, and in order to completely understand how to use the weapon, one must first learn how others already use the weapon. Image:Falcata.jpg Similar to the sabre in style only is the falcata. Where the blade of a sabre is relatively straight, the blade of a falcata curves forwards. It is a smaller sword, and its blade is mostly used in scything movements. Image:Sappara.png