>>5265318>>5265487>Warily look around for danger>try to scavenge a thing Francisca (Throwing Axe)
Short Range, Swift, Shield-breaker, Weakness: Melee
Also known as a hurlebatte. Characterised by the inward curvature of the s-shaped axe head, designed to break or embed its weight into shields, thereby forcing the opponent to discard them. Even in skilled hands, this weapon would fare poorly in hand-to-hand combat.
You do not see bodies amongst the scattered weapons - many of which appear strange to you. The ground is fletched with the barbs of broken arrow shafts and shattered shields.
(Highborn)
You recognise these shields - the fyrd guards of the hill-fort at Esker Leath carry them. Why have they wandered so far from their patrol?
You know of three roads to the hill-fort: the Old Salt Road, patrolled by the fyrd; the Drover's Road, which encircles the hill-fort itself; and the Roguesmarch, a wild path through the old rynes and drowned fields lost to the marshes. It is not uncommon for brigands to attack those that travel over land - most merchants and wayfarers know that it is safer to bring goods over water and riverways. Yet even cut-throats avoid the old forest - the beasts that dwell there offer them no sanctuary.
Most of the weapons are too heavy to lift for your childlike arms. There is one small axe, with a shortened haft, embedded in the wood splinters.
You are creeping closer towards it, through the trees when you hear voices:
