Tamrielic Armory volume 1 - The Spear

Introduction The Tamrielic Armory series has appeared a number of times during the history of civilization. This revised edition was initially introduced during the brief reign of Thules the Gibbering, the witch-warrior who ruled in Cyrodiil before being deposed by Titus Mede I early in the Fourth Era. The information contained in these brief but informative tracts was intended for the layman and especially the young reader, not the soldier or weapons expert. Warfare has not changed much in the last few centuries, so the information contained within is still considered relevant.

About the author: Sir. Adalrik of the Knights of the Flame hailed from Alcaire, on the Iliac Bay. In his downtime from his duties patrolling High Rock and keeping it safe from threats both internal and external, he was a prolific and popular author in the early years of this Era. Besides the Tamrielic Armory series he was also famous for a series of children's books lauded for their honest and digestible moral messages as well as a number of educational texts on the proper care of horses.

Greetings, fair readers. It's your old friend, Sir Adalrik. Together, we've explored the moral implications of Daedric cults, learned what to do when a beloved family pet dies, dealt with divorce, and explored the best diet for a Bay Horse. All these things and more are important, dear readers, as they reflect a just and peaceful society. Such a society ideally requires no violence to sustain itself, but you and I both know we don't inhabit an ideal world. They call Tamriel the Arena for a reason. Our fair lands have always been the stage for some bothersome conflict or another, be it of Divine or mortal origin. As a Knight, I value peace, piety, chivalry and the arts above all things, but I know how to fight to protect my beautiful homeland, and I realize the utility and deadly simplicity of the Spear in that capacity.

Definition of a Spear

Quite simply, a spear is any weapon that consists of a shaft (usually wooden, usually a few feet in length) with a sharp, pointy end. Some wooden spears were, in fact, once quarter staves which had one or both ends whittled down to create a punching or puncturing weapon. The most common variety of spear used in the Empire consists of said wooden shaft as the handle and a metal piece attached to one end, snugly attached with nails or spikes. This daggerlike piece of metal (usually high-quality Breton steel, I'm proud to say) can be utilized as either a stabbing or slashing weapon. Some spears have tips on both ends, but it's far more common to encounter a basic one-sided spear, or a spear with a counter-weight or heavy metal ball on the other end of the shaft.

Spear vs. Halberd

There are other common long-hafted weapons utilized in Tamrielic warfare and personal combat. These will be explored in later chapters of this series, gentle reader. Suffice to say, a Spear and a Halberd are two different weapons, not to be confused with one another, or with Glaives, Poleaxes, Naginatas or any other pole weapons. There are definitely some grey-areas when classifying weapons, but for the purposes of this series, we'll be keeping things simple. A Spear is a Spear and a Halberd is a Halberd.

The Spear in combat

Less glamorized in song and story than the sword or mace, but far more common and practical, the Spear has been the backbone of the fighting man's arsenal for as long as anybody remembers. A weapon of deceptively simple but effective design, Spears adorn the halls and ramparts of castles from Morrowind to Hammerfell and everywhere in between. Even the Akaviri hordes of the First and Second ages wielded their own versions of the Spear, alongside their more famous Katanas.

As previously stated, the Spear is a deceptively simple weapon in design. One would assume - perhaps rightfully so, in many cases - that there's really only one way to use a Spear. It's true that in the formalized training of a Knight or Legionnaire, Spearplay is often thought of as less exciting or varied than Swordplay, and the first thing most people think of is a shield wall with long pikes or spears protruding in front as ironclad soldiers march in formation, painfully slowly.

There are, in fact, a wonderful variety of ways in which a fighting man or woman can use the prolific Spear inside and outside of combat. The less lightly armored of the previously aforementioned Akaviri warriors used a highly stylized and athletic form of combat, utilizing rapid, unpredictable body motions and making use of both the shaft and the stabbing utensil in their attacks. While slightly less flamboyant than this, the nimble Khajiit often attack in unpredictable ways with their own hafted weapons. In fact, owing to the prolific nature of the weapon, each and every known race (Including, surprisingly, the Sload!) have developed spear technology over the aeons. Following is a brief history of the weapon and its common uses by race and province.

History of the Spear

The Spear, like the Sword, did not originate in any one place or within any one culture. There is strong archeological evidence that both the Atmorans and Aldmer brought Spears and Spearlike weapons with them when first setting foot on this continent. Interestingly, using the same archeological methodology, we can see that the indigenous beast folk already inhabiting Tamriel also used crude spears of sorts, mostly leaning toward the wooden variety, with stone or clamshell tips. Many of these early civilizations are lost to time, and the races that comprise their living descendants are either illiterate or only recently began reading and writing. Thus, their own opinions on Spears and their uses are limited to oral traditions naming the weapons.

The Elves and Nords both value history, however, and the extensive and meticulous records of early Altmeri and Nordic kings mention several mighty heroes wielding spears in combat against foes ranging from Dragons to Gheatus, from Grahl to Wamasu. By the time the Empire came around, the Spear was the most commonly forged weapon for its Legions. Bretonic and Nordic histories of Hestra's famous campaigns both describe the impressive sight of thousands upon thousands of spearheads glistening in the sunlight as the fighting men and women of Nibenay forged a name for their Empress in the book of Tamrielic lore.

Spears in High Rock

The modern Imperial Legion owes much to the fighting styles of my beautiful homeland of High Rock. Bretons have been members of all three major Tamrielic Empires, and we honed our unique fighting styles from a mixture of Direnni and Nordic influences over the years. While the Breton Knight may wear a variety of armor styles or heraldry depending upon his or her individual loyalties or tastes, the weaponry of my people is surprisingly uniform and utilitarian. Your typical Breton spear utilizes a sturdy Ash haft of roughly three feet in length with a heavy brass ball on the back end, and a finely crafted spearhead of the purest available steel.

This basic spear can be wielded effectively both on horseback or on the ground, owing to its versatility and simplicity of design. While many famous Knights and Battlemages of the Iliac Bay are often depicted wielding their favorite sword, it's more likely that they fought the majority of their battles wielding a spear.

Spears in Hammerfell

Our neighbors to the South are famous for their near-religious veneration of the Sword, and of their legendary Swordsmen. Your average Redguard militiaman or adventurer, on the other hand, is less choosy about his weapon in practice than in theory. As in my home land, Spear usage is quite common and even expected from warriors and town guardsmen of the various climes and kingdoms within Hammerfell. Wood, as you'd expect, is less common in central areas of Hammerfell, but its fertile coasts and more temperate forested areas nearer to Colovia's Gold Coast are teeming with forests, and wood is easy enough to come by in the Alik'r through trade with these regions or my native High Rock. The Redguards temper their metals with an alloy they call Star Metal, integral to the Redguard belief system.

Their steel tends to be of the highest quality available in the Empire. Whether this is a result of this magical alloy or of superior smithing techniques is a matter of some debate, but what's for certain is that their brutally effective hafted weapons are as likely to kill you as any sword. The Redguard variety is of comparable length and build to Breton spears, although less likely to include a counterweight, and these spears are often adorned with colored tufts about the attacking end visually representing individual Houses of the Redguards, or signifying their loyalty to either the Crowns or Forebears.

Spears of the Orcs

Since time immemorial, the savage Orc has pestered the lands of my forefathers. In a rare moral blind spot, the various Tamrielic Empires have refused to condemn these savage subhumans, and have even awarded them citizenship status. In the end, this will prove to be a terrible mistake, but there's no denying the ruggedness of this race. If I had to pick one quality about them I admire, it would be their tendency to survive even the most thorough extermination and to rebound with ferocity and vigor. If I had to pick two, it would be the obvious skill they employ in the crafting of their weapons and armor. Orcs are not typically depicted wielding Spears, but both logic and experience would dictate the use of this weapon is quite common in their lands.

The Orc of the Dragontail or Wrothgarian mountains generally lives at high elevations, and I've been told many of them survive by herding and consuming a most unpleasant creature that some of them call "Bug Bears". This creature has a foul-smelling hide and can easily scale the crags and crevices of the mountains, and so the wary Orc shepherd must be nimble on his feet and able to support his footing. The Spear is most often wielded by these Orcish shepherds as a sort of improvised walking staff. Indeed, many Orc spears are crude in design, lacking the sophistication and care of their more famous swords and battle-axes, and the shafts are often simply untreated, bent tree limbs. The business end of these walking spears, on the other hand, is often well-crafted and well-maintained. The most commonly encountered Orc spearheads are Steel or Orichalc, or some alloy of the two. Sometimes, smelted and repurposed Dwarven metals are seen in certain regions, and the poorer "Bug Bear" herders use chipped stone, or even just sharpen one end of their walking staves. In the hands of an Orc, however, these weapons are no joke.

Spears in Skyrim

When the first Atmorans arrived in Tamriel in the Merethic Era, they brought with them a variety of killing weapons. This martial race was ruled over by a powerful warrior-priesthood which venerated the strength and power of Totemic animal gods, and it is said that many Atmoran boys and girls learned to wield a weapon of their choosing before they learned their given civic trade, be it blacksmith, woodcutter or fisherman. In fact, the Spear of the Nordic variety is often associated with the old god Tsun, and is said to be an evolution of a whaling harpoon. The heads of Nordic spears of the Fourth Era still slightly resemble the curved tip of a whalekiller, so it's not terribly far-fetched to assume this mythology has a kernel of truth to it.

After the infamous Night of Tears, the 500 Mighty Companions (or thereabout) of Ysgramor the Returned stormed the beaches of Northern Skyrim, putting thousands of Snow Elves to the sword, and yes, to the spear. These weapons took less discipline and training than the sword, and were much more affordable and widely available. In fact, many of the spears used in this era may have literally just been repurposed whaling harpoons. It is said that the heads of the Elven leaders adorned these pikes and were left along the rapidly expanding Nordic borders as a grim warning to the surviving Elven nations that their days were numbered. It is also believed that the infamous Dragon Priests left these heads as offerings to their fearsome reptilian gods. When the Nords joined the Empire, they brought their brutally designed spears with them, and the race considered the strong arm of the Legion still wields them with unmatched skill.

Spears in Morrowind

A variety of Spears are utilized by the ancient and sometimes alien culture of the Dark Elves (or "Dunmer" by their own preference) of Morrowind. When Veloth the Prophet led his people across Tamriel to the East, many of the warriors accompanying him wielded traditional Aldmeri spears, and as they settled into their exotic new home these weapons continued to evolve into their modern forms, vaguely reminiscent of the High Elven designs of old but altered through necessity.

Visitors to Morrowind are more likely to encounter the settled "House Dunmer" than the tribal Ashlanders, and so the spears they're likely to see are often wielded by House guards who patrol the towns of this ash-laden Province. Dunmeri spears of the House variety are generally quite long - four feet or more in length, typically - and the shafts tend to be comprised of native Morrowind woods. Trees are not common in Vvardenfell except along the coasts, but the dried stems from the Emperor Parasol mushrooms have a similar quality of flexibility and durability, and are actually much lighter than wood. Alternately, Corkbulb or Trama Root is used in many instances. The Dunmer do use metals - specifically Ebony and Glass, along with the more common and less expensive Steel and Iron - in their weapons, but the deadly knifelike Spearheads of the House people are more likely to be comprised of sharpened and laminated Shalk or Dreugh shell.

As far as Ashlanders go, they do often trade with the House Dunmer, especially after the Nerevarine's successful campaign to rid Morrowind of the Blight, but many of them prefer more savage and simplistic weapons. Their Spears tend to be significantly shorter, and often comprised of segmented and glued-together Chitin, or sharpened Corkbulb wood. These short spears are wielded in conjunction with small Chitin or Netch Leather shields, and are often thrown like javelins during hunts or war games. Such weapons are easily broken, but easily replaced, and the nomadic Ashlanders don't seem to place much value or significance on individual weapons, but more so on the bravery and fighting skills of the individuals who wield them.

Spears in Black Marsh

Considered by many to be the prolific racial weapon of the Argonian lizard folks of Black Marsh, the Spear does indeed have many utilities there. Argonians tend to inhabit the deep inner swamps of their land, and these places teem with hidden danger and nigh-in-traversable landscapes. From gigantic but surprisingly well-hidden snakes to the ubiquitous crocodiles or legendary wamasu, there are a variety of less sentient reptilian races who would turn our scaled neighbors into a snack. Short of a ranged weapon like a bow or sling, the spear is the best weapon for keeping such monsters at arm's length (or preferably several arms away!).

Like all Argonian weapons, their version of the Spear is much more primitive looking than comparable weapons from neighboring races. Assuming these Spears are anything short of perfectly suited to their environment is, of course, a mistake. Shafts crafted from native woods and treated with alchemy and special resins ensure that rot does not take hold, and tips made from bone or stone mean a spear that never rusts or needs oiling. Whether it's being used by an Argonian scout to keep his balance and check for quicksand as he stealthily traverses the outskirts of an enemy camp, or by a nimble fisherman to nab his prey, the Argonian spear is tailor made for Black Marsh's often unforgivable environment. There's a reason the innermost reaches of this deadly land have never been fully conquered.

Spears in Cyrodiil

Can there be anything more quintessentially Imperial than the sight of the marching Legions, stepping in unison, wearing their iconic armor and wielding their iconic Spears? This image is burned into the minds of every Imperial citizen who hears the words "Imperial Legion", and yet the origin of this highly organized fighting force is much more humble and obscure. Enslaved for generations by the wicked Ayleids, the Nedic ancestors of modern-day Colovians and Nibenese toiled away in the fields of grand Elven plantations. Thus, when Alessia began her campaign to win the freedom of these people, the weapons closest at hand for the rebels were the handles of the farming instruments they'd been forced to wield every day of their lives. These they repurposed into deadly quarter staves and sharpened into Spears - the predecessors of the Legion spears you see today. Most Historians focus on the heroic exploits of the demigods Morihaus and Pelinal in the liberation of the Nedes, but nearly every single Elf who died during the uprising did so at the hands of the slaves themselves, often at the end of a modest wooden spear.

What the Nedes lacked in coordination and training thay made up for in ferocity and determination. After winning their liberation, they made pacts with the Nords and surviving Elves and carved out a great Empire, a continuation of which still stands to this very day. The Spear remained the iconic weapon of the Imperial armies throughout the Alessian Crusades, on through to Hestra's campaigns, and the unification of Cyrodiil under Reman. Gradually, wooden spears were replaced by bronzed spears as the Cyro-Nedics refined their techniques. The inclusion of the Bretons into the Empire made the biggest difference of all. The mastery of steel forging my people learned from the Direnni influenced Imperial weapons from that day forward, and the modern Imperial spear is almost exactly identical to the Breton spear, as are other Imperial weapons with the exception of the iconic Gladius, the quintessential Imperial sidearm.

Spears in Valenwood

The Wood Elves (They prefer to be called "Bosmer" or "Boiche" sometimes) usually tend to forgo the cultivation and exploitation of any plant matter from their native Valenwood, a picturesque land of a hundred million trees. Odd, then, that the Spear is their second most favorite instrument of war, falling behind the iconic Bow. Elves are nothing if not inventive and clever, and the Wood Elves are no exception. Always finding loopholes in their Green Pact, Bosmer spearmen are all-too-happy to trade native goods for foreign-crafted spears, generally from Elsweyr or Colovia. They've also mastered the art of crafting simple weapons from bone and animal hide, although in the case of the Spear this takes some talent and dedication to hold together and properly build. The most popular single-bone spears seem to be whittled from the bones of either extinct creatures or large sea-drakes and whales. Ironically, Bosmeri harpoons made of whalebone are often used to take down more whales to fashion more harpoons and spears. Such is the comically cyclical nature of Wood Elven life.

Wood Elves of the more settled, larger towns tend to ally themselves with the Camoran Dynasty, and are much more likely to wield traditional Aldmeri spears. These spears are often well-preserved heirlooms handed down from the ancient Aldmer or Ayleids. Many are preserved through enchantments or alchemy. To these Wood Elves, the Spear is more a symbol of breeding and status than a practical instrument of war. These nobles and battlemages wield a spear the way a Nordic or Nibenese battlemage may wield a staff. These instruments are used in important ceremonies, such as Knightings or during the Handfast between the Silvenar and Green Lady, two important figures to the Wood Elves of Valenwood.

Spears in Elsweyr

The nomadic tribes of cat people who inhabit the arid terrains of Elsweyr wield a wide array of weapons, from the concealed dagger to the heavy mace. There are at least two weapon types for each one type of Khajiit, and that's saying a lot since the varieties of these strange beast people seem to follow no logic or limitation discernible to more mundane folk like myself. The iconic Khajiit warrior is often depicted as wielding a curved scimitar or utilizing his bare paws in well-disciplined forms of unarmed combat important in their strange moon worship, but as with all other Tamrielic races the Spear plays an important role among the Desert Walkers.

Originally a scattered race comprised of dozens of warring kingdoms, the Khajiit made do with whatever was available to them. The running thread of the prevalence of Spear usage in this tract can be summed up by "They're cheap, easy to make, and require less skill to use than other weapons." While this is a general guideline and not always literally true, it seems to be the case here. Eventually, ravaged by generations of war and plagues, the Khajiit were united under a single government, with peace being brokered by the Mane, a powerful spiritual leader. His personal honor guard are seen flanking him at all times, and they carry the long, supple spears associated with their race. This thinner, more springy Spear was influenced heavily by warrior customs from Akavir. Traveling troupes of Khajiit acrobats often utilize spears in their flashy shows, and many of the moves these entertainers use originated with the Akaviri, whose remnants integrated well into the more cosmopolitan Khajiiti cities like Rimmen.

Spears in the Summerset Isles

The Altmer (apparently this means "Proper Folks" or "Superior Folks") consider themselves to be a Master Race, whose forefathers' civilization influenced and bettered all of the "lesser" races of Tamriel. While this is truly a debatable claim, especially considering their status as Provincial subjects of the Empire that Tiber Septim built, it can't be denied that they were the first to use the highly developed metallurgies commonly employed in the construction of Tamrielic weapons to this day. The Direnni offshoot of the early Altmer culture shaped the Breton race not only with their bloodlines but with the culture they shared with us. Breton and Direnni spearmen fought off the Alessian crusades in Glenumbra Moors, and Breton spearmen later accompanied Empress Hestra on her campaigns in the Reach. This martial tradition can be traced back to the earliest settlers of the Summerset Isles.

According to long-held mythic tradition, the Elves originated in the lost land of Aldmeris. When their ancestors reached the Summerset Isles, they faced an uphill battle against mythical titanic creatures like the Gheatus and Welwa. Ancient tapestries in the Crystal Tower depict the Elves killing or driving away these monstrosities not only with spell and bow but with row upon row of courageous spearmen. After a long and bloody campaign, the Summerset Isles were free of mythical gigantic beasts, the the Elves could begin rebuilding some semblance of their former Aldmeri glory. Eventually, their armies conquered all of Tamriel, only to be beaten back by the upstart Human races until their kingdoms only inhabited portions of their former holdings. From the Altmer of Summerset to the strange Dwemer of ancient Morrowind and Skyrim, every Elven race has wielded the Spear to great effect. These techniques along with replicas or preserved specimens of the original weapons themselves survive to this day as a reminder of just where Tamrielic civilization began.

In Conclusion

It is the hope of this humble Breton Knight that the reader of this tract grows to possess a greater understanding and appreciation of the Spear. This iconic weapon has been instrumental in the foundation of Empires and in the protection of many lands and traditions. Many youngsters today prefer the image or glory of the Sword or Bow, but we mustn't ever forget the vital importance of the original King of Weapons. In the Fourth Era, many textbooks and fighting schools no longer even consider the Spear worthy of mention, or that style worthy of teaching to new disciples. Such a loss would be a tragic thing indeed. With the exception of my Crossbow, I can't think of a single weapon that's saved my life on more occasions, or in which I take more personal pride as a wielder. If you're reading this and are moved by it, why not support and encourage your local spearfighter or spear-specializing blacksmith today with a donation or simply kind words? Be sure to share this tract with all your friends and neighbors, as well as your local Fighters Guild. Perhaps this noble weapon will regain the status it once held, and youngsters of subsequent generations will enjoy a peaceful life knowing such a tool made it possible for them.

As always, I am your humble servant, Sir Adalrik of Alcaire