Schiavona

A basket-hilted sword preferred by Windship Crews.

Utility

The Schiavona blade was developed and popularized by the Condottieri, the mercenary companies serving the merchant cities of the Golden Sea.
The design became incredibly popular among Windship crews and merchant caravans and spread outwards along the trade routes. Wealthy merchants and nobles with ties to trade began to adopt the heavy rapier for their personal use, gilding the hilts and inlaying precious gems in the pommel.
The Schiavona is largely used by the elite and their bodyguards, used equally as a status symbol of a cutting edge armory as well as a defensive weapon. With its double-edged blade and heavier construction, it is typically preferred as a military weapon, contrasting the thinner rapiers of more civically-focused nobility. Variations on the Schiavona have even been adopted by some Fae users.

Access & Availability

The Schiavona is largely confined to small units and the elite, with Windships, Merchant guards and trade-minded nobles making up the primary users of the weapon. It has seen only limited use among the larger population, generally restricted to the Golden Sea or the Cloth Cities.

Complexity

The design of the Schiavona is simple, a long, straight, double-edged blade with a basket-style hilt. The extra weight of the blade, thicker than a standard rapier, allows the sword to be used for both cutting and thrusting with ease. While the exact dimensions of the blades vary, they are typically about 90 cm in length. Various alloys can be used for the weapon, with ironsteel being the most common, although bronzesteel variants are also common.
The distinctive basket-like hilt wraps around the user's hand, protecting it from slashes and thrusts while maintaining the same mobility and versatility of a cross-guard sword.