Kharne Encyclopedia

Book of War

Basic Weapons

Basic Armour

I0I - CLUB A club is a cheap and easy to use bashing weapon. Anyone with any skill at wielding a mace will be able to use a club effectively. Clubs vary from truncheon-like batons to crudely shaped tree branches. They do less damage than other mace like weapons and are not very effective against heavily armoured opponents. They are commonly used by the many primitive tribes of humanoids occupying Kharne, including kobolds, orcs and gnolls. Wielding a club is more a matter of brute force than any kind of skill so elves will be less effective with this weapon than other character races.

© pathfinderogc

I02 - DAGGER Daggers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. In general they are bladed weapons of between nine and eighteen inches in length. They do less damage than most weapons but they are inexpensive and easy to use. Their lightness can be a big advantage in close quarters combat allowing rapid attacks. They can also be used as a general purpose tool, for cutting rope or cloth, carving wood, forcing locks, etc. Daggers are often the favoured weapons of thieves and halfbloods. Larger weapons will hinder any attempts to break into buildings, move quietly, but mainly allow them to use their superior dexterity to greater effect.

© Kaitrosebd-Stock

I03 - SHORT SWORD The short sword is the smallest and fastest of the sword type weapons requiring close proximity to the intended target. They measure up to two feet in length. Although they do less damage than other sword types they can be useful in confined spaces, eg underground tunnels and dense foliage. Temple guards and town militia are often equipped with short swords and most townsfolk are able to use them should the need arise. Short swords are most effective against unprotected or lightly armoured foes, but a fast thief can make short work of a heavily armoured foe.

© mSkull001

I04 - LONG SWORD Most long swords are about three feet in length with straight, double edged blades. They do considerably more damage than a short sword but require greater space to use to full effect. The long sword is a useful general purpose weapon but is not very effective against heavy armour. Elves seem to have a natural skill with the long sword. Its slender grace suits their combination of swift reflexes and natural co-ordination perfectly. Dwarves on the other hand generally consider all swords as ephemeral and rarely demean themselves to wield one.

© sgainbrachta

I05 - GREAT SWORD This fearsome weapon measures up to six feet in length and requires two hands to wield effectively. They do enormous amounts of damage but require considerable space to use properly. Because of its size and weight the great sword is a clumsy weapon and worse than useless in confined spaces, eg in a dungeon or jungle. They are also slow requiring great strength to wield faster effectively. Against slow moving or heavily armoured opponents they are ideal. Dwarves are unable to wield great swords and elves seldom have the strength to gain any benefit from them. High toughness is important for any character with this weapon.

© Raverunner

I06 - SHORT SWORD + I07 - LONG SWORD + I08 - GREAT SWORD +

Item numbers 106-108 stand for enhanced swords +1, +2 or +3 that are sometimes offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Swords in our Enhanced Weapons section.

I09 - WAR FLAIL A flail consists of a wooden handle to which several lengths of heavy chain are attached. The chains are often studded with lumps of metal or spikes. This though only covers the general profile and all manner of flails can be found depending on the local culture. When used in combat the swinging chains are extremely hard to parry and even a shield can not block them effectively, but require two hands to control the motion for fear of maiming oneself. War flails inflict more damage than virtually all other weapons but they are not very useful in confined spaces needing lots of space to effectively swing them. The chains and spikes are remarkably good at finding the small joins of even the best armour, wounding the occupant within. Only humans tend to favour this weapon type. Other races can use them but are more likely to benefit from another weapon type. They are moderately difficult to use and a good toughness is needed.

© Bottega medievale

II0 - MACE The mace is one of the most effective weapons against heavily armoured opponents. Although it does less damage than some of the heavy weapon types it can be used anywhere and armour does little to protect an opponent from its crushing blows. A mace is especially potent in the hands of a skilled character with a high toughness. The mace is not particularly effective against fast moving or agile opponents and other weapon types are usually more effective against unarmoured foes.

© moviegunguy

III - SHORT BOW Short bows are easier to use than other bows and can be used in many places where a long bow is useless. They can be used from horseback or in confined spaces but like other missile weapons they are of little use in a melee. This said, within the hands of a skilled fighter, they can rain many arrows down on opponents while they are still seeking to close the gap with the archer. Arrows are easy to make and a character with a bow is always assumed to keep plenty in reserve. Characters with high awareness will find that this aids them greatly when using a bow and as a result elves and halfbloods are often skilled with this weapon.

© finalfantasy.wikia

II2 - LONG BOW The long bow is one of the most deadly missile weapons available. It has considerable range and power and is much faster to use than a crossbow. It requires more skill to use effectively than does a short bow and it is almost useless in confined spaces, for example dense jungle or dungeons. Arrows are easy to make and characters with a bow are always assumed to keep plenty in reserve. The long bow is too large for a dwarf to use properly although they usually shun all bows anyway, preferring crossbows. Elves have perfected this weapon and rare elven fighters of renown are said to fire it faster than some dwarves can swing an axe. This is rarely said aloud.

© ak0.pinimg

II3 - LIGHT CROSSBOW This weapon is easy to use, compact and very accurate but more expensive than an ordinary bow and takes longer to load. The quarrels used with this weapon are easy to make and all characters with a light crossbow are assumed to carry plenty of spares. The quarrels are short but strong, able to puncture armour more effectively than arrows. The light crossbow is faster to load than the heavier version, which can be an advantage if fast and deadly combats. Strong characters generally take less time to span the crossbow making this a favourite of dwarves. Few self respecting elves on the other hand will consider this ugly weapon as more than firewood.

© dreamstime.com

II4 - HEAVY CROSSBOW The heavy crossbow is the most powerful of all the missile weapons. Bolts from this weapon will pass through most armour as though it were paper. The weapon is not as easy to use as other crossbows and takes a long time to load although strong characters will be faster. It can not be used from horseback and is very heavy. The bolts are easy to make and all characters with this weapon will carry plenty of spares. Dwarves often favour this weapon as it allows their superior strength to be put to use when spanning the device. It is also favoured by groups moving through dungeons or jungle terrain where a long bow is difficult to use.

© ak0.pinimg

II5 - SHORT BOW + II6 - LONG BOW +

Item numbers 115-116 stand for enhanced bows +1, +2 or +3 that are sometimes offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Bows in our Enhanced Weapons section.

117 - WARHAMMER The warhammer is constructed from a long wooden shaft with a metal head. Generally the shaft is wrapped in metal such as bronze strips for both protection and strength. The result is a weapon that punishes enemies in armour such as chain, driving rivets into the flesh. Padded armours such as cloth go some way to soften the blow. This is the favoured weapon of dwarves. Long years at the forge and anvil means that many dwarves wield these as extensions of their arms.

© finalfantasy.wikia

II8 - SLING Easy to use and very cheap, the sling is probably one of the oldest forms of missile weapon. It is less effective than most other missile weapons, especially against armoured opponents and also has a very short range. Unlike other missile weapons it can be used with a shield and shorter versions can be used effectively in cramped spaces. Ordinary stones can be used for missiles so characters with this weapon will never run out of ammunition. The sling is obviously very light and often favoured by weak characters. This is one of the few weapons which followers of Phyloqure can carry without losing favour.

© fotolibra.com

II9 - AXE This short shafted weapon can also be used as a general purpose tool. It can be used to chop wood, break locks, etc. They do less damage than most weapons but they are cheap, fairly light, but require the character to be close to the target during a fight. Dwarves often favour this weapon but other characters will probably find a dagger better in most situations. Villagers all over Kharne will use axes in their daily toils and therefore have some skill with their use as weapons.

© darksword-armory

I20 - BATTLE AXE Battle axes measure about three feet in length with a sturdy wooden handle and a weighty metal blade. Strength and endurance are more important than accuracy with this weapon making it a natural choice for characters with good strength but poor awareness. Unfortunately it is not very effective against well armoured characters. It is slower than an axe, something that can be offset by strong characters, while its longer haft means that it can be used at greater ranges. Dwarves often favour this weapon as do followers of Sundonak. The weapon is similar in some respects to a woodcutter's axe and woodcutters or foresters will be skilled with the weapon. Alternative uses for this weapon are smashing doors or breaking into chests.

© darksword-armory

I2I - GREAT AXE This is a deadly weapon requiring two hands, considerable strength, and quite a bit of skill to use effectively. It is heavier than a great sword but usually much shorter which does mean that dwarves are able to use it. It does enormous amounts of damage when in the hands of a skilled character and cuts through most armour with ease. It needs a lot of space to use and is not recommended for confined spaces or horseback. Dwarves and champions of Sundonak are the most likely to be found with this weapon.

© polycount.com

I22 - AXE + I23 - BATTLE AXE + I24 - GREAT AXE +

Item numbers 122-124 stand for enhanced axes +1, +2 or +3 that are sometimes for offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Axes in our Enhanced Weapons section.

I25 - SHORT SPEAR This weapon is cheap and easy to use by lett effective against well armoured opponents. It consists of a short pole with a sharp fire hardened tip or occasionally a metal blade. Because it isso easy to make it is often favoured by the primitive tribes which inhabit the wilderness. Although inexperienced or poor adventurers will sometimes use this weapon, other weapon types will almost always be more effective.

© gatergrotto.com

I26 - SPEAR Spears are commonly used weapons by town militia. They consist of a wooden pole, about six feet in length, tipped with a metal blade. It is a very versatile weapon and by using the shaft or butt end the militia can strike heavy blows without risking any bloodshed. The sharp end is generally only used in emergencies. The weapon's length is also useful in keeping dangerous foes at bay. This is put to great effect down dungeons allowing the wielder to cause terrible damage to the foe long before they close for melee. The spear inflicts average damage in melee. It is cheaper than most other melee weapons but a little bit unwieldy and is often poorly made.

© chivalry.wikia

I27 - DAGGER + I28-129 - LANCE I30 - WAR FLAIL +

Item numbers 127 and 130 stand for enhanced weapons +1, +2 or +3 that are sometimes offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Daggers and Enhanced Flails in our Enhanced Weapons section. Attempts to buy item 128 or 129 both yield LANCE. Most likely,the item is not implemented.

I3I - MORNING STAR This is a handy weapon comprising of a short length of wood ending with a ball and chain. There are many different types available, some with rope replacing the chain or others with steel spikes attached to the ball for that extra bit of damage. The weapon is particularly effective against shields, able to swing over the top striking the opponent behind it.

© publicmedievalist.com

I32 - MORNING STAR + I33 - CLUB + I34 - MACE + I35 - WARHAMMER + I36 - LIGHT CROSSBOW + I37 - HEAVY CROSSBOW +

Item numbers 132-137 stand for enhanced weapons +1, +2 or +3 that are sometimes offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Maces, Enhanced Polearms and Enhanced Crossbows in our Enhanced Weapons section.

I38 - QUARTER STAFF Cut from a tree in any wood, these are common to all rural areas. They vary in length depending on the stature of the wielder. The do relatively little damage to armoured opponents, but the two handed grip and method used in fighting means that even in dense woods it is only slightly restricted. The art is to block the opponents attack with the wood on the staff away from where it is being held.

© aqwwiki

This weapon is favoured by villagers due to the ease with which it can be made. An angry mob armed with these can be quite a threat to even a well armed party.

I39 - SLING +

Item number 139 stands for enhanced slings +1, +2 or +3 that is sometimes offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Slings in our Enhanced Weapons section.

I40 - HALBERD Comprising of a staff generally made of wood with a metal head attached at one end. The head is usually a spike with side blades, but many versions exist depending on the local custom or weapon smith. Metal strips can be used to strengthen and protect the staffs of these weapons, but often this incurs an unwanted added expense. City and town militia are often armed with these weapons as the extra reach can be enough to calm a crowd before they consider rushing the guards. The extra reach is also effective for initial combat strikes, but after the opponent closes the gap the halberd can prove a hindrance.

© turbosquid.com

I4I - HALBERD + I42 - SHORT SPEAR + I43 - SPEAR + I44 - QUARTER STAFF +

Item numbers 131-144 stand for enhanced weapons +1, +2 or +3 that are sometimes offered in weapon stores. For details, see the Enhanced Polearms in our Enhanced Weapons section. Item numbers 145-149 are not in use.

Enhanced Items

Basic Armour

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