Weapons

The Dark Ages version of the equipment list is very similar to the standard one, with some omissions (notably, crossbows). Bows are not as widespread as they will become, but they’re certainly around in commmon use. Axes are fearsome weapons to intimidate your foes, while spears are the most common weapon you’ll encounter, used by everyone from ceorls to kings and even Gods. Spears are a weapon to respect - even the great God Woden favours a spear.

The most common bladed weapon is the seax, a single-edged sword or knife. Ownership of a seax indicates the freedom of the owner. A seax can be an efficient killing tool, having sufficient mass to give weight to a blow (particularly if used in a two-handed grip) and an impressive agility. The langseax provides a reasonable alternative to a proper sweord at reduced cost, needing a lower quality of metal and only one edge to craft and hone.

Sweords

That said, a true sweord commands respect. A two-edged pattern-welded blade with a finely decorated hilt and pommel, it displays the skills of a master smith. A good sweord is made greater by the deeds of its bearers. Sweords are very valuable and are often handed down from generation to generation, or are received as gifts from great warriors and kings. Only characters with a backstory explaining the blade may begin play with a true sweord. Your sweord should have a name.

Prestigious

A sweord is not merely a death-dealing weapon, but a potent symbol of leadership, social status and ancestral leadership. A character who carries a sweord commands basic respect from any freefolk, granting advantage on Charisma (Persuasion) and Charisma (Intimidation) checks at the GM’s discretion.

Fine Weapons

A fine weapon gains a +1 bonus to all damage rolls and adds an additional point of Splendour to the bearer. A fine weapon is typically worth its usual price, plus an additional 240 pence. Exceptionally fine weapons may be worth even more and grant even more Splendour. However, fine weapons are rare as only a master smith can make one.

Simple Melee Weapons

Name	Cost	Damage	Properties	Str/Dex	Weight
Smith’s Hammer	2 d	1d4	Finesse, light, thrown (20/60)	5	1 lb.
Shortseax / Kurzsax	5 d	1d4 /	Close, concealed, finesse, light, thrown (20/60)	5	½ lb.
Club	0.1 d	1d6	Non-lethal	7	3 lb.
Light Mace	5 d	1d6	Finesse, light	7	2 lb.
Sickle	1 d	1d6	Finesse, hooked, light	7	2 lb.
Hand Axe	10 d	1d6	Finesse, light, thrown (20/60)	7	1 lb.
Throwing Spear	0.5 d	1d6	Sharp 1, thrown (30/120)	7	2 lb.
Hunter’s Spear	15 d	1d6	Brace, brutal 1, finesse, mounted, sharp 1, thrown (20/60), versatile	9	3 lb.
Heavy Mace	12 d	1d8	—	9	4 lb.
Greatclub	0.2 d	1d10	Non-lethal, two-handed, unwieldy	11	8 lb.
Quarterstaff	0.2 d	1d6	Double, finesse, non-lethal	7	4 lb.

Martial Weapons

Name	Cost	Damage	Properties	Str/Dex	Weight
Seax / Sax	20 d	1d6 /	Finesse, light, parry	7	2 lb.
Narrowseax / Schmalsax	15 d	1d8 /	Finesse, parry	9	2 lb.
Sweord	240 d	2d4 /	Finesse, parry, prestigious, splendour 1	9	2 lb.
Axe	15 sp	1d8	Brutal 1, disarm, hooked, versatile	11	2 lb.
Longseax / Langsax	15 d	1d8 /	Parry, versatile	11	3 lb.
Warrior’s Spear	15 d	1d10	Brace, brutal 1, mounted, reach, sharp 1, shield, two-handed	11	5 lb.
Broadaxe	30 d	1d12	Brutal 1, disarm, hooked, trip, two-handed	13	3 lb.
Broadseax / Breitsax	50 d	2d6 /	Parry, two-handed	13	6 lb.

Simple Ranged Weapons

Name	Cost	Damage	Properties	Weight
Darts (20)	1 d	1d4	Light, non-lethal, thrown (20/60)	¼ lb.
Sling	0.1 d	1d4 /	Non-lethal, pellets	—
Hunter’s Bow	25 d	1d6	Ammunition (80/320), two-handed	2 lb.

Martial Ranged Weapons

Name	Cost	Damage	Properties	Str/Dex	Weight
Blowgun	10 d	1	Ammunition (range 25/100), load, non-lethal	—	1 lb.
Warrior’s Bow	50 d	1d8	Ammunition (range 150/600), brutal 1, two-handed	9	2 lb.