Caeh-fish Rapier

Valan Nonesuch

Moderator

Gained Aura: 105
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.476

Like a pudding bag full of knives

Caeh-fish Rapier

« on: 13 September 2010, 00:51:35 »

The Caeh-fish Rapier is a Sanhorrhim weapon constructed from the tailspike bone of the Caeh-fish. While not practical for use as a weapon, the Caeh-Fish rapier is often a part of ceremonial garb or worn to signify station, and is usually decorated with rubites or silver.

Categorization: Weapons/Swords, One-handed

Description
The Caeh-fish Rapier is made from the tailspike of the Caeh-fish, a long swordlike protrusion of tough bone that is the first piece of the fish to be removed. The blade is roughly a ped long, and blunt along the edges, leaving only the point for stabbing. The handle is carved from the base of the tailspike, forming a wide, cup-shaped guard above. This is often wrapped with leather or wire to improve the grip, though some opt to remove the bone handle entirely, replacing it with a sturdier substitute. These replacement handles, often of oak or some other reasonably hard wood, are known to be prone to breaking however. If the Caeh-fish caught is especially young, the tail-spike may be shorter, in which case the base of the spike is tapered into a handle and a metal or wooden guard is installed above this.

The handles can become quite ornate, most often they are adorned with rubites. Traditionally, the Ronn of the Sanhorrhim is presented with a Caeh-fish Rapier upon their gaining this title. Such swords are quite spectacular, if impractical, often involving filigree woven around the blade, or elaborate carvings, marked out in silver leaf.

Usage
The Caeh-fish Rapier is one of the weapons made by the Sanhorrhim, often as a try-piece or journeyman craft by those craftsfolk who have almost achieved the skill required to leave their master's shop and begin to work on their own. The Caeh-fish Rapier is often carried or worn in a purely ceremonial capacity, by ship captains, well-to-do craftsmen and other dignitaries who wish to display their rank. Typically the more elaborate the decoration, the more deference should be displayed.

Fighting Style
The blade is rarely used but often worn ceremonially, the point is sharp enough to stab with in a pinch. However, if used with another weapon, the toughness of the bone makes it a good blocking aid to be used with a short spear or cutlass.

Origin/History
The Caeh-fish Rapier is believed to originally have been used as a harpoon by the Sanhorrhim before the War of the Blood. The Tan'nyemer Warriors, traditionally the military of the tribe and charged with defense of the Ronn, are said to have been resposible for the modifications to these weapons. The harpoon in question had a wooden haft and was used to spear larger fish floating close to the surface. During this period, the Tan'nyemer Warriors lacked steel for weapons, as their trading partners among the Thergerim had retreated below the ground. They fashioned short spears from some of these harpoons, slicing off some of the haft to make the weapons easier to carry. When the wooden hafts would break, some Tan'nyemer would modify the weapon. Rather than simply replace the short spear haft, they would add a short length of wood to fashion it into a sword.


« Last Edit: 11 February 2011, 21:56:03 by Artimidor Federkiel »	Logged

Beyond the horizon where the earth and the heavens meet
lies a certain point where they are not joined together and where, by stooping,
one might pass under the roof of the heavens.

Artimidor Federkiel

Administrator

Gained Aura: 451
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 22.097

Re: Caeh-fish Rapier

« Reply #1 on: 09 December 2010, 22:46:56 »

Hmmm... When was this one posted and/or completed, Valan? Looks like it was started in September, edited in November, and ready for comments for quite a while by now, but has remained entirely unnoticed... shocked

Anyway, checked it out, comments!

- Overview is a bit short, could have a sentence or two more.

- From what I've seen in the Caeh-fish entry the territory of the Sanhorrhim isn't mentioned as a possible area where Caeh-fish live. But I'd say that can be easily changed, so that these guys have the right fish for their disposal in Cyan Sola Bay.

- Elven Rónns don't "ascend to the throne" I assume, because they don't have thrones as humans do. Signs and demonstrations of power aren't part of the elven way of living. How exactly such an inauguration takes place is another matter, which isn't yet defined, but for now I'd say to just avoid that expression to be on the safe side.

- Maybe make the connection between the Sanhorrhim and this particular weapon even more dominant, saying that it is even some sort of tribal symbol, rarely wielded by people other than these elves. Together with the explicit mention of Cyan Sola Bay as main Caeh-fish territory the weapon would be pretty rare anyway then.

- You mention the "Tan'nyemer Warriors". These are mentioned and explained in the Sanhorrhim entry, but here you just assume everyone knows who they are. Better put in a brief explanation, so that the reader doesn't have to look it up.

Rest is pretty fine and also sufficient to cover that weapon I'd say - doesn't really need much more

And could even go up this weekend if you can get to these smaller adjustments within the next days.

Aura +1 for this one as well - next time shout that you need some comments, Valan, before it is overlooked!


	Logged

"Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a mediator, and this must be the heart." -- Maria (Metropolis)

Valan Nonesuch

Moderator

Gained Aura: 105
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.476

Like a pudding bag full of knives

Re: Caeh-fish Rapier

« Reply #2 on: 23 December 2010, 23:47:03 »

I'll admit, this one was daunting me a bit. I considered scrapping it before the comment you made Art.

I'm going to set this one off to the side for a bit in any case. Perhaps it will prod me when it's ready to be finished.


	Logged

Beyond the horizon where the earth and the heavens meet
lies a certain point where they are not joined together and where, by stooping,
one might pass under the roof of the heavens.

Valan Nonesuch

Moderator

Gained Aura: 105
Offline

Offline

Gender: Male

Posts: 1.476

Like a pudding bag full of knives

Re: Caeh-fish Rapier

« Reply #3 on: 09 February 2011, 23:44:14 »

Fixed and blarrowed.


	Logged

Beyond the horizon where the earth and the heavens meet
lies a certain point where they are not joined together and where, by stooping,
one might pass under the roof of the heavens.

Pages: [1]

Santharian Development

Forum

Santharian World Development

Miscellaneous (Moderators: Seeker, Valan Nonesuch)

Caeh-fish Rapier