Middle Swords

Interesting Weapons- Non-Magic

Full Item Description
Middle Swords are often called elongated short swords or narrow broadswords. They are one handed weapons, often used with a shield. They use a single cross bar hand guard. Traditionally the cross bars were simple flat affairs, slightly curled at the ends (flattened U). The grips were normally leather wrapped or wooden handles. Only late period replicas OR magic weapons have decorations on their cross bars or hand wraps.

The blade runs approximately 33" (82 cms) and is sharpened on both sides. The blades taper ever so slightly from the 2.2 inch (6cm) width, but come to a pronounced point within the last two" (5 cms) of the blade. The weapons is used to slash, chop, and stab.

Most of them are made of "early steel", thus will either be inhumanly strong (the lost techniques of the Elder) or weak (The brittle first steels).

Mechanically they should count as broadswords that do a point less damage (or one half step or step down of damage 2d6-1 or 1d6+1 from a 1d8). Their mass is one lb (.5 kgs) lighter than a broadsword (4 to 4.5 lbs or 1.8 to 2.2 Kgs).

History
Middle Swords were a common weapon in a previous era (Insert historical era in your world's history). They were based off earlier bronze blades of a great warrior empire, but adapted to the needs of the times and materials. This is much like the Roman Spathica was adapted to later European sword design).

Magic/Cursed Properties
None. This is a "common weapon", a class of swords, from age gone by. This weapon's game purpose is to show "age".
A GM would use a "Middle Sword" to show a weapon of great age, to show a warrior bound to a near obsolete tradition, or to date a treasure.