A khopesh was a one-handed slashing weapon wielded like a sword or an axe.[5]
Description[]
The khopesh typically had a handle like a knife rather than a hilt like a sword. The handle was about 6 inches (0.15 meters) long with optional quillons. The blade extended straight for 0 feet and 8 inches to 2 feet and 0 inches (0.2 to 0.61 meters) and then curved like a sickle with a sharp convex edge. The end of the blade was shaped to form a hook.[5]
Weaponology[]
The khopesh was a specialized weapon used in a slashing fashion like a sword or an axe. The 4 feet (1.2 meters) blade was long and heavy, making this weapon slow to recover especially after a missed swing.[5]
Like battleaxes, which were slightly smaller, khopeshes could be wielded with either one or two hands by creatures of roughly human size, dealing more damage when wielded with two, though at the cost of defense. Khopeshes were more brutal than most weapons dealing at least minor wounds whenever it hit.[6] Because of the unique shape of their curved blade, khopeshes could be used to hook a shield, snag an opponent's leg in an attempt to trip them, or even tangle an opposing weapon.[3][6][7]
History[]
Bronze and iron khopesh swords first appeared in Netheril in the year −3105 DR, serving as a primary military weapon for over a thousand years; both metals existed side-by-side in military and ceremonial functions, undergoing refinements until −2526 DR when steel-making technology advanced to the point where steel khopeshes were developed to deal with the newly introduced steel chain mail armour. The steel khopesh continued to evolve until −2059 DR when it ceased to be produced, leaving the field to the scimitars and longswords widely available at that time.[8]
Usage[]
Khopeshes were commonly found and used in Mulhorand[3], Calimshan[9] and Zakhara[10].
Notable Owners[]
- Ramas Fezim-Ret, the right-hand man of the pharaoh Horustep III, wielded a +1 khopesh.[7]
Appendix[]
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Video Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
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References[]
- ↑ Gary Gygax (August, 1985). Unearthed Arcana (1st edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 26. ISBN 0880380845.
- ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 69. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 97. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Logan Bonner, Eytan Bernstein, & Chris Sims (September 2008). Adventurer's Vault: Arms and Equipment for All Character Classes. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 9. ISBN 978-07869-4978-6.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 75. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Grant Boucher, Troy Christensen, Jon Pickens, John Terra and Scott Davis (1991). Arms and Equipment Guide. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-56076-109-1.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Sean K. Reynolds (2001-10-24). Ramas Fezim-Ret. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2023-04-12.
- ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 31. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
- ↑ R.A. Salvatore (October 2006). Road of the Patriarch (Hardcover). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 291. ISBN 978-0786940752.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Andria Hayday (April 1992). Arabian Adventures. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 978-1560763581.