Butcher's Bill
Description
These pole-arms are comparatively cheap to craft, and this helps to make them popular among both the Marcher households and the League Free companies. They can be bought in moderate numbers, and used to add additional strength to a unit of skilled soldiers, or allow a recruit to fight nearly as well as their more experienced colleagues.
Their extensive use on the battle-field as part of tight formations has given them a brutal reputation that is not entirely deserved. They take their name from the butcher's bill, the list of casulaties after a battle. Several generals have referred to the use of these weapons as "balancing the butcher's bill" by ensuring there are more casualties on the enemy side than on the Imperial side.
Rules
- Form: Pole-arm. Despite the name any pole-arm may be a Butcher's Bill.
- Effect: Once per day you may call either STRIKEDOWN or CLEAVE with this weapon.
- Materials: Crafting a yeoman's harvest requires eight ingots of orichalcum and two ingots of iridescent gloaming. It takes one month to make one of these items.
The sutler looked up from her ledger at the servant in front of her, and replied: "Do me the honour of informing the Merchant Prince that his business may provide him with a solid income, but he will need to extend his reach if he wishes to arm one in five of his company's recruits with weapons that will put them on the same footing as an orc who has survived ten winters."
"But the reputation of the soldiery of Tassato!"
"...will survive this minor setback with adequate training. I can profit better in Overton, and my concern is the Prosperity of my Guild."