Odd/Exotic/Unique Weapons

[ChasingSuns]

Hello again everyone! So I am looking for some inspiration for new weapons for people from a particular kingdom in my story. I want something that will be very memorable, like a Dothraki arakh. I've been doing a little bit of research, and have had some success finding interesting weapons, such as the khopesh and the Maori mere. Are they any other weapons that I could be looking into? I'm definitely open to all suggestions

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Hi! This thread looks like fun! First of all, I'd like to ask, what kind of magic (if any) does your world have? If there is magic that can be used by ordinary people, the variety of weapons that can be conceived is much larger.

 

[Steel Dragon]

Tridents have always been a favorite. I had a D&D character who had one with spring-launched spikes.

The Lochaber axe was a cool weapon. Giant axe blade with a hook on the back to pull mounted cavalry off their horses.

Chinese Hook Swords, the hooks were used to trap other weapons.

Madu, an African shield/spear combination.

Kusarigama, a sickle and chain weapon.

 

[DMThaane]

Off the top of my head there's the Indian urumi, a sort of steel whip-sword, the pata, a long blade extending straight out from a gauntlet, and katar, a type of really large push dagger. The Abyssinian shotel, which is kind of like a cross between a scimitar and a sickle. A number of forward-curved blades like the Iberian falcata, Dacian falx, or Turkish yatagan. The European bill is probably underrepresented in fantasy, though that may be true of a number of pole arms. For pure insanity there's the lantern shield, a buckler with a lantern and a bunch of spikes and blades.

If you're thinking personal defence or assassination the Indian Bagh Naka is a claw-like weapon and the Southeast Asian Karambit is sort of like a steel talon that opens up some interesting fighting techniques. There's also a small crossbow that shows up in Italy that I've seen referenced as a 'ballestrino' or also as a 'assassin's crossbow'. They were operated by a screw jack with a sliding trigger block and could pack a decent punch for their size, although you'd probably want to poison the bolt if you're an assassin.

For longer range there's the gastraphetes, or 'belly bow' which was a type of early Greek crossbow. A number of staff sling designs. Lead-weighted darts called plumbata or martiobarbuli that the Romans used.There's also a range of extremely interesting firearms that are almost never present even when the story has gunpowder. I'm still waiting to see an axe-hammer-dagger-gun outside of the historical example in one of my image folders.

Again these are just off the top of my head and my knowledge has a bit of a black hole around China and Japan. Africa would also have a few more examples beyond just the shotel.

 

[Russ]

I'm still waiting to see an axe-hammer-dagger-gun outside of the historical example in one of my image folders.

Okay, now I am intrigued. Any chance we could see this image?

 

[DMThaane]

Ask and ye shall receive! (images spoilered to avoid clogging thread)

Spoiler

A link to the page for more images and some technical details.
Combination Flintlock/Dagger/Gun /Axe, 1750  - HLEBOOKS.com

Combination weapons are a curiosity of mine so I've built up a decent image collection of examples. I've since learned that humans will stick a gun in anything. Gun-keys, gun-whips, gun-cutlery. Henry VIII had a spiked mace with three gun barrels built into it that he supposedly carried while walking around the city at night to check up on the constables.

 

[Russ]

Love'em.

I might have a couple of interesting pieces you might want to add to your collection. I will try to dig them up and add them here as they certainly fit the theme of the thread.

 

[ChasingSuns]

Thanks to everyone so far with this!

DragonOfTheAerie: Magic is pretty common, although to varying levels depending on which kingdom you are in. Some kingdoms even have small mage units in their militaries.

Steel Dragon: I haven't seen the Lochaber axe or the Madu before, both super interesting! I definitely share your love for the trident, and have plans to include that at some point. I'm also a huge fan of both the hook sword and the kusarigama.

DMThaane: Some interesting ideas to be had there for sure! I'm kinda liking the idea of claw weapons. Also, that gun/axe/dagger/hammer is crazy! There is black powder in the story, so I'm definitely open to firearms as well

This thread is helping a lot. In looking some of these up I've started to find others as well, like the Roman Scissor.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

Thanks to everyone so far with this!

DragonOfTheAerie: Magic is pretty common, although to varying levels depending on which kingdom you are in. Some kingdoms even have small mage units in their militaries.

Steel Dragon: I haven't seen the Lochaber axe or the Madu before, both super interesting! I definitely share your love for the trident, and have plans to include that at some point. I'm also a huge fan of both the hook sword and the kusarigama.

DMThaane: Some interesting ideas to be had there for sure! I'm kinda liking the idea of claw weapons. Also, that gun/axe/dagger/hammer is crazy! There is black powder in the story, so I'm definitely open to firearms as well

This thread is helping a lot. In looking some of these up I've started to find others as well, like the Roman Scissor.

The existence of magic definitely opens up your options for weapons. For example, if telekinesis was a thing, you wouldn't have to hold a weapon, you could just manipulate it with your mind.

 

[Sanctified]

This may sound childish to some, but hear me out: Have you looked to video games for inspiration?

For instance, as much as I despise World of Warcraft and its addictive hold it had on me for two years or so, some of the weapons in that game are truly spectacular. In particular I remember this gorgeous set of axes that my character, a shaman, was wielding for a while.

The axe blades were circular, and the main blade on each axe was sandwiched in between two smaller half-crescent axe blades.

Like this:

http://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/small/50690.jpg

There were also some great-looking broadswords with glowing runes set into them, like this:

http://www.wow-pro.com/files/dkstartblue.jpg

I have to say, I always loved the look of those weapons even though my character could not wield swords. I think the enduring popularity of lightsabers proves people love glowing weapons, and glowing runes along the length of the blade just look awesome.

Good luck

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

This may sound childish to some, but hear me out: Have you looked to video games for inspiration?

For instance, as much as I despise World of Warcraft and its addictive hold it had on me for two years or so, some of the weapons in that game are truly spectacular. In particular I remember this gorgeous set of axes that my character, a shaman, was wielding for a while.

The axe blades were circular, and the main blade on each axe was sandwiched in between two smaller half-crescent axe blades.

Like this:

http://wow.zamimg.com/uploads/screenshots/small/50690.jpg

There were also some great-looking broadswords with glowing runes set into them, like this:

http://www.wow-pro.com/files/dkstartblue.jpg

I have to say, I always loved the look of those weapons even though my character could not wield swords. I think the enduring popularity of lightsabers proves people love glowing weapons, and glowing runes along the length of the blade just look awesome.

Good luck

Just don't do that if you're really preoccupied with being realistic. Video game weapons tend to be impractical. If a weapon never really existed there's probably a reason. However, having magic and magical races vastly widens the possibilities, making my advice about realism void.

 

[ChasingSuns]

I do like the idea of a more circular blade. I was straying away from video games because of the lack of realism, but there probably is some inspiration to be found there.