Thanked Posts

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CNR Suggestions/Discussion / Throwing Axes

« on: December 14, 2009, 02:55:06 am »

I understand that in a fairly recent update, crafted arrows were increased from stacks of 20 to stacks of 99.

As throwing axe affectionados are already at a disadvantage, as our chosen ranged weapon requires a pound of carrying capacity per throw, it would be nice to see something similar for our projectiles.  Rather than increasing the stack size, however, perhaps reducing the recipe from

• Nine ingots of copper
• Two hickory staves
• Two small molds

to

• Four ingots of copper
• One hickory stave
• One small mold

... for a stack of twenty-five axes? (And similar reductions for more powerful axes, naturally.)

I mean, the alternative is for axe-throwing types to carry around darts, or a sling, or a bow... and really, carrying a bow is for sissy elves.  Dwarves throw axes!

(Also, it would be nice if the price for copper throwing axes at the merchants was cut by three-quarters or so.  As it stands, they average about four True per axe, while the bow-wielding types can have three hundred and ninety-six shots for every one of ours.)

I beseech the powers that be, in the name of dwarves everywhere - don't make us pick up a bow.  Let us stay true to our Voraxian heritage, and hit people with a full pound of metal at sixty yards!

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Development Journals and Discussion / The Shining Axe - Book One of the Story of Halrath Thundergust

« on: January 28, 2009, 04:19:21 am »

The stone whistled through the air and struck Halrath hard in the side, its impact the *thwap* of stone on flesh as it struck a band that the dwarf's plate did not cover.  The missile drew a grunted oath from the beleaguered dwarf, and a vicious backhand swing of his axe at the kobold harrying him with its dagger.  The glinting edge caught the lizard-creature's blade, batting it aside and bloodying the creature's sword-arm in the process.  The first kobold - the one with the bloody sling! - wound up to take another shot, and Halrath saw his opportunity.   As the gods-forsaken creature threw its arm back to twirl the cloth, he stepped in and swung hard.  The blade, with the force of forge-hardened dwarven muscle behind it, tore through the kobold with enough force to lift it off the ground. Even as the keening scream of the creature rang out, the dwarf pivoted on his inside heel and buried the axe in the head of his blade-wielding opponent, who fell to the ground, twitched once, and lay still.

Panting, the dwarf suveyed the fallen bodies - these two and their comrade, whom he had taken with two quick, efficient swings of the axe in his initial charge.   It was as his first teacher in the ways of battle, Brother Ironfist, had said: "If ye be lucky enough t' get th' drop on a foe, 'alrath, lad, make th' most o' it, d'ye ken?  For 'is friends willnae be surprised, an' like as not, they'll be angry."

Having caught his breath, Halrath lifted his axe, steadied his shield, and strode deeper into the kobold camp.  The thought came unbidden to his head, Who would have thought cutting wood would be so much fun?

***

It wasn't glamourous work, to be sure, but it was paying work; besides, no Thundergust had ever quailed at the thought of a little hard work.   As his father used to say, 'Dwarves nae be born, anymore'n an axe be born in th' groun'.   They start ou' there, aye, but then they be shaped by work in th' mine, an' 'ardened by th' fires o' th' forge.  Tha' be 'ow ye make an axe, an' tha' be 'ow ye make a dwarf.'

So Halrath stood by the Trade Hall, words in chalk on the ground advertising labour for hire, and soon enough, an elven lady came by who wanted some hickory cut.  It rankled a bit, being hired by an elf, but he brought to mind the words of his uncle, a dwarf who'd spent some time out of the mountains during his youth, as part of the supply chain for the war effort. "Lad", he'd said upon hearing of Halrath's desire to leave the mountains, "Ye're likely t' encounter 'umans, an' 'alflings, an' e'en elves as ye travel, bu' they can all be good folk. Nae, dinnae give me tha' face; it isnae their fault they werenae born dwarves, an' for startin' off poorly, a fair number o' 'em make 'emselves good, decen' people.  So dinnae be 'oldin' their birth again' 'em - do ye nae think they've suffered enough o' tha' cause?"

His uncle's admonition aside, money was money, and this was good, honest labour... and to tell the truth, Halrath could use some coin.  He had spent what coin he had gathered since arriving at Port Hempstead at the establishment of one Timulty Keel.  The man was a human, true, but (though Halrath's dwarven pride would never let him say it aloud) his smithwork was every bit as good as a dwarf's. Not the great smiths, of course - Silvershield, Battlehelm, Ironblade, Stronginthearm, and all the other greats were legends, talent honed into skill that emerges once a generation, if that.  But easily the equal of any smith whose weapons Halrath had ever borne.  He gave the heavy axe a swing as he trotted deeper into the kobold camp, and nodded with satisfaction.  Well balanced, sturdy, and kept its edge wonderfully. Yes, some of the coin from this job was definitely going to end up in Master Keel's coffers. A new shield, say, might be nice...