Barbarian Sword

“Thorwalers laugh at us because they think our swords are primitive. I don’t know what primitive means, but that sounds like an insult to me. If they laugh at us again, we’ll fight, and then we shall see whose swords drink the most blood.” -Druan bren Anargh, Gjalsk totem warrior, modern

The barbarian sword is a surprisingly impressive weapon crafted and wielded primarily by Fjarnings, Gjalsks, and Troll Peakers. It is not a plain, long bladed weapon. Instead, it has lethallooking jags, protrusions, and curved forms that instill fear in the beholder. All who have seen a barbarian horde raise their swords and charge into battle understand why it is sometimes better to flee than to fight.

The barbarian sword is slow and heavy, making it tiresome to wield, but it is highly effective at smashing armor and shields.

“Even though barbarians don’t often make good smiths, the barbarian sword is a useful weapon. It’s too heavy for my liking, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.”

— Arbosh son of Angrax, forge dwarf master smith

Technique	Damage	P+T	AT/PA	Reach	Weight	Length	Cost	Complexity
Swords	d6+5	AGI/STR 15	-1/-1	medium	1.5 stn 3 lbs	90 hf/cm 36 inches	140 S	simple

Weapon Advantage: When using the special ability Threatening Gestures (see Aventuria Compendium, page 105), gain a +1 bonus on the Intimidation (Threats) check.

Weapon Disadvantage: Whenever two opponents have the same INI, the one wielding the barbarian sword always strikes last. If both are wielding barbarian swords, use the normal order of action rules (see Core Rules, page 227).