Smatchett

Full Item Description

The Smatchett is a medium-heavy, machete-like soldier's tool. It has a 18-inch leaf-shaped, double-edged blade with a sharp point. The spine of the blade is exceptionally thick, giving the weapon great resistance to lateral torque. One of the edges is narrowly ground, with a razor-sharp, but brittle bite, while the other is shallowly ground, giving it an edge much like an axe's, not so sharp but durable. The contrasting edges gives the blade potential both as a woodcutting tool and a melee weapon - an useful trait for a soldier in the field.

The guard is a simple rectangle of heavy steel, and the pommel is a flattened cylinder of solid metal, suitable for bludgeoning, or to withstand hammerstrokes, if the user would want to drive the Smatchett into frozen ground or wood. The handle is wooden, tooled into a relief pattern to improve grip, and it is not uncommon to see a wrist-loop attached to secure the weapon in combat

Soldiers in training are encouraged to wear their Smatchett on the belt, although veterans seems to prefer to carry them on their pack, horizontally at the small of the back or strapped upside-down between their shoulder blades.

The weapon can also be used as a trench-digging tool, a tent-pick or even (due to the excessive width of its blade) as an impromptu frying pan. It is the Swiss army knife of the Locastrian footsoldiers.

Magic/Cursed Properties

None, although some soldiers, if they have the money, have their Smatchett engraved with lucky charms amd Power Glyphs of varying quality.

Roleplaying Notes

This is my take on the ever-present fantasy sword, which I didn't really think would fit semi-industralized-era warfare. A soldier of a modern battlefield (cannons, muskets etc.) needs an entrenching tool much more than a long, glittery sword. The Smatchett is a real invention by Lt. Col. William Fairbairn (google him if you want some inspiration from real life), although I've expanded the idea beyond a name. The frying-pan idea comes from my own military experience (although brief) - we once had to eat pea soup out of our helmets....