Hand-axe or Hatchet

“You humans still have much to learn. Provisions, torches, and rope are useful, I admit, but an axe is essential. What other tool would let you cut through vines on the trail, put a goblin bandit in his place, and split a roast chicken in two? You can rely on an axe.”
-Hardas son of Kurolas, dwarven warrior, modern

Experience teaches adventurers that hatchets are useful tools. They can make kindling and serve as improvised weapons when no other weapon is within reach. However, they are almost useless against enemies wearing chainmail or plate armor. Hatchets are effective against wood, but metal armor turns their blades with ease. Their primary benefit is as a tool.

Hatchets come in different forms and sizes, but most are a bit shorter than a foot and a half, so they fit easily in backpacks.

Hatchet blades are made to hack instead of cut, so they aren’t very sharp, but they chop down thin trees with ease. When larger axes aren’t handy, they also can chop logs.

Hatchets and axes must be sharpened regularly, which is why their heads are designed to be easily replaced. When blunted, their blades can still cut wood and inflict bad bruises on enemies, but precise work is no longer possible.

Axes and hatchets differ mainly in the shape of their blades. Axes have somewhat broader and slightly curved blades, while hatchets have smaller, straighter blades. Even so, the differences between the two are often so small that most Aventurians cannot tell the two forms apart.

“A good hatchet is a must. It serves both as a weapon and a makeshift hammer, and it can chop firewood. I think an axe is more useful than a knife…”

— Geron Bladebreaker, mercenary

“Every party should own at least one. Adventurers don’t always get into fights, after all. And even a small axe can make your chores easier.”

— Brother Hilbert of Auen, Blessed One of Peraine

“Bronnjars rarely allow serfs to own hatchets in the Bornland for fear that they might one day use these small tools against their rulers.”

— Rowena of the Transweal, Bornish cat witch

“A tool, yes, but not a weapon. You humans would never call a butter knife a weapon, right?”

— Arbosh son of Angrax, forge dwarf master smith

“Daggers are the better choice for city living. Axes are unwieldy and cannot be easily concealed, and every guard you meet will want to know why you are carrying one. Do you like getting arrested for no good reason?”

— Carolan Calavanti, Vinsaltan vagabond