Weapons of Vengeance
"It must require a brute to lift this," said Nortur, in dismay. He almost laughed at the irony: they were probably sitting on one of the most complete armorials in all of Ansalon, but they didn't know how to use it. He turned to Anton and Dewin, looking for something that could help them in their upcoming battle. "It seems that we'll have to do without a weapon." Anton turned to Nortur with a questioning face, "What do you mean by 'without a weapon'? This is the Arena of the Minotaurs! If we enter there, we are dead!"
Minotaurs are proud warriors, and the art of war is as important as the mastery of the seas for their race. They developed powerful weapons unlike any others in Ansalon, and they use them to prove their race's superiority over the other peoples in Krynn. Here you will find a listing of special weapons found in the minotaur lands of Mithas and Kothas. Minotaur heroes and characters may employ them in your campaign.
These weapons are rare and extremely heavy: for a non-minotaur hero to use it, he or she must have an appropriate Strength code and at least Strength 8 to use them properly. Any others with less than 8 in Strength suffer a -2 penalty on any attacks using the weapons, despite the hero's code. The weapons presented in this article are mainly used in the Arena of the Minotaurs.
The descriptions for the weapons were extracted from the book "World Book of Ansalon", Tales of the Lance boxed set. This boxed set also brings the statistics of use for these weapons in AD&D.
| Weapon name: | Damage: | Weight: | Descriptions: |
| Forpann | +8 | VH | This 8', two-handed trident has a rope attached to its base from which trails a 10' wide, weighted throwing net. The warrior uses the net to tangle his foe's weapon or feet, as well as to pin him. A specialist can also catch a foe's weapon with the trident and attempt to disarm him. |
| Kausin | +7 | H | This 6' long "whipping rod" is a chain of 6 iron bars linked together and attached to a guarded handle. It functions like a flail but can wrap around a foe's shield or back to strike a crushing blow. The kausin causes full damage to buildings. |
| Mandoll | +2 | VL | The mandoll is a minotaur cestus: an iron gauntlet with spikes on the knuckles and a dagger blade along the back of the thumb. This champion's weapon requires close fighting and relies on the warrior's Strength. A Mandoll can inflict bruising, slashing, and piercing damage. It is deadly when used with a katar, the so-called "punch sword." |
| Lajang | +9 | VH | This 7' polearm holds a recurved crescent blade at each end of its shaft. The shaft may parry attacks or bludgeon foes. The blades can slash on a forward or a backward stroke, catch and turn weapons, pin or trip foes, and impale targets on double prongs. In the hands of a minotaur with Str 8 or more, it can even be hurled as a spear. |
| Sanguine | +6 | H | This 7' long gladiator weapon has a serrated spearhead at both ends, and a small buckler with a razor-edged crescent at its middle. In the hands of a master the sanguine can be used one-or two-handed to parry attacks, trip foes, fight multiple foes, or slash, bludgeon, or pierce foes. It cannot be thrown. |
| Shatang | +6 | H | Shatang are 5' long, barbed, throwing spears. Shatang are basically heavy javelins. A master can fight with one in each hand without penalty. Arena combatants often wear a rack of four shatangs strapped to their backs. |
| Clabbard Sword | +7 | H | This 6' broadsword is sized to a minotaur's needs. Its cutting edge is backed by a serrated saw edge. A blood channel runs the length of the blade, making it easier to withdraw from an impaled foe. The saw edge can cut through leather and hide armors with ease (+2 attack bonus) and, in the hands of a master, can catch and break a foe's weapon. |
| Tessto | +8 | VH | The tessto is a 6'-long studded club with a loop of rope at its hilt. Using this weapon offensively requires great Strength. A cunning master can use the tessto defensively by spinning it around its center like a baton, and using its loop to snag feet, hands, and heads. |
| Katar Sword | +2 | VL | This weapon is more a dagger than a sword. The blade is 6" long on an H-shaped hilt. The warrior grasps the hilt at the crossbar and two side-hilts guard the hand and wrist. The blade may be used to punch or slash a foe, or catch and turn a foe's weapon. |
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