I'm not sure I follow you on the bashing weapons being at odds with blade controls. A gentleman's sword is his honor, the wearing of which is a right granted by his title. He would never stoop to using something as crude and crass as a big hunk of metal on the end of a stick. To do so would be to disdain bing a gentleman.
Likewise, maces, morningstars and other such items are obviously weapons, designed for war. Why would you allow a peasant to carry such a thing? Unlike an axe or a hammer it has no legitimate non-combat use. Unlike a club it is not a weapon of the moment. Unlike a long knife there are no legal venues for training. So who would allow them to be made, trained with or carried? One supposes one could take skill with such a thing as a Exotic Weapon as it requires non-standard training to use, but why?
As for bows, crossbows are legal for hunting (peasants would require a writ to carry one) and for wartime, and qualify as simple weapons. Gunpowder weapons are likewise legal in war or in defense of the Emperor (i.e., as a member of the republican guard or the paladins) but carrying one otherwise is illegal. Still, many gentlemen are trained in their use, and they qualify as martial weapons.
Long and short bows are not technically illegal outside of the city, but they are rare. With the discovery of crossbows and then gunpowder several centuries ago they have fallen into extreme disuse and are seen as overly large, clumsy and lacking stopping power (plus, the guard hates dealing with their higher rate of fire). They are not weapons of the gentlefolk. Among peasants, sling is a preferred weapon due to ease of use, low cost and light weight (anything a sling can't bring down a crossbow is seen as better suited for). Since training with bows is hard to come by they are exotic weapons (with good cause - a skilled longbowman can fire three arrows into a target in the time it takes to load and fire a crossbow - who would allow those wandering around the city?).
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-10-07 08:31 pm (UTC)Likewise, maces, morningstars and other such items are obviously weapons, designed for war. Why would you allow a peasant to carry such a thing? Unlike an axe or a hammer it has no legitimate non-combat use. Unlike a club it is not a weapon of the moment. Unlike a long knife there are no legal venues for training. So who would allow them to be made, trained with or carried? One supposes one could take skill with such a thing as a Exotic Weapon as it requires non-standard training to use, but why?
As for bows, crossbows are legal for hunting (peasants would require a writ to carry one) and for wartime, and qualify as simple weapons. Gunpowder weapons are likewise legal in war or in defense of the Emperor (i.e., as a member of the republican guard or the paladins) but carrying one otherwise is illegal. Still, many gentlemen are trained in their use, and they qualify as martial weapons.
Long and short bows are not technically illegal outside of the city, but they are rare. With the discovery of crossbows and then gunpowder several centuries ago they have fallen into extreme disuse and are seen as overly large, clumsy and lacking stopping power (plus, the guard hates dealing with their higher rate of fire). They are not weapons of the gentlefolk. Among peasants, sling is a preferred weapon due to ease of use, low cost and light weight (anything a sling can't bring down a crossbow is seen as better suited for). Since training with bows is hard to come by they are exotic weapons (with good cause - a skilled longbowman can fire three arrows into a target in the time it takes to load and fire a crossbow - who would allow those wandering around the city?).