Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 warlordkreig Oct 07, 2010 14:15:35	Hello there, My DM is currently running a Dark Sun game with a house rule that if you can come up with a way that it could be made in Dark Sun, or similar to the weapon at least, then you can use that weapon. I'm quite terrible at understanding the implications of weapons and so trying to come up with a decent suggestion is baffling me. The best I have is a length of giant's hair embedded with chips of obsidian. Could anyone help me with something plausable?
#2 ian.thomson Oct 07, 2010 14:20:42	Perhaps teeth and claws instead of obsidian?  Perhaps sharpened vertebrae woven into it? I forgot about giant hair, I was gonna suggest plant-fibre rope (there are scrubs) or leather, but giant hair probably works best.
#3 Pennarin Oct 07, 2010 15:15:06	Vertebrae are an excellent idea, Ian! With a whip-like cord woven within and around each vertebrae.
#4 baronspam Oct 07, 2010 15:59:38	You are clearly on the right track here.  It wouldn't be a metal chain, but maybe a thick, knotted rope (a potential weapon in itself) with raptor claws, obsidian spikes, 7" cactus thorns, or some  other pokey bits worked into the knots.  The rope could be treated with resins or tars to make it harder and heavier, less likely to be cut or damaged in combat.  And that is before you invoke any fantasy handwaving like giant hair or fibers scraped from the inner bark of a deep desert admantium shrub.  If your dm doesn't think a metal spike chain is a rediculous weapon, then he shouldn't be that freaked out by a non-metal one. Edit, had one other idea, a multi-section staff, like a three section staff, but many smaller sections make of wood, covered with sharp stone spikes, bound at the ends with bone and fiber flexable connextions.  You either hold it by the two end sections or wear big gauntlets to handle it (the latter would look cool I think.)
#5 vellitrax Oct 07, 2010 18:00:47	One of my players is currently using a spiked chain, his has a handle made of stone wropped in leather, with 2 large snake vertabrea, interlinked with obsidian shards, and capped on the ends with spiked stones, hope this helps
#6 Cyber-Dave Oct 08, 2010 1:03:00	Giant hair rope woven through the vertebrae of a giant. Sharpen the protrusions, and you have a Dark Sun spiked chain.
#7 Silverblade_The_Enchanter Oct 08, 2010 6:00:35	Aye,g iant hair rope, with other bits as you suggest, obsidian would make great spikes on the end, would make perfect sense! In my view of Athas, I use "psionic crafters", since psionics is common, many people exist who can manipulate materials, making stone and metal flow like clay (see the old Stone Shape spell from 2nd ed), and toughen the fragile obsidian etc (see Glassteel spell, 2nd ed) so, you can get chains etc made in Athas, far as I am concerned, just made of ceramics, stone, bone etc, that's  shaped and toughened by psionics and/or magic. Most Athasians lack the ability to learn from written sources. This does NOT mean they are stupid! if they were, they'd have died out, Civilized creatures prime survival ability is intelligence. Ergo, they must use that, and so, come up with new ways to make EFFECTIVE tools etc. If all Athasians had were Stone Age weapons, they'd have been wiped out by the horrors of the world they live in!
#8 Kye_Tyrad Oct 08, 2010 9:33:39	Vertebrae woven into a rope would be a great idea for a Dark Sun style spiked chain. The only other one I am thinking about is if you have knots in the rope spaced every 3 inches or so would allow you to have a location to place sharpened claws, stone, bone, or wood in the knots.  This would also allow the spiked chain to be repaired rather easily, barring any actual break in the rope. Of course the rope itself could be of any Dark Sun style material, giant hair or other.