Fantasy axes are a popular weapon in the genre. While many weapons have their own set of benefits, axes are among the most versatile tools. They can cut down trees, extract gems from ores, and serve as powerful weapons on the battlefield.
There are many different types of axes ranging from the pickax to the wood-cutter ax. Each one was designed with a specific use in mind. Pickaxes are for mining gems and metals and the wood-cutting to cut down trees for wood materials that will go into building a house or another kind of structure. If you stop to think about it, this tool contributes a great deal in building a city and the weapons used in war, far more than any other tool. Now you see why the ax is so versatile.
Fantasy Axes are usually associated with dwarves or any race that specializes in mining. Dwarves, especially in Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, became experts in mining, and this became their major contribution to the world. Rubies, emeralds, and every jewel people had on all came from the depths of the earth, where they were extracted from the ores in their mines. And the dwarves couldn’t have done it without the use of the pickax.
This is the third in a series of articles covering the types of weapons commonly seen in fantasy. If you’re interested in the first two, here they are:
Looking into The 3 Unique Types of Fantasy Swords
Learning All About The Popular Fantasy Bow and Arrows
Without further ado, let’s delve into the earth to learn about the first of several fantasy axes that pops up in many worlds: the pickax.
Miners will spend many long hours in the mines. This means they need a tool they can use without having to worry about it breaking. That’s where the pickax comes in. A simple, basic ax, the pickax is solely used in mines to crack open veins that are filled with ores.
This tool is broken into two parts: the handle and the ax. The great majority of handles used are wood, due to the widespread availability of this resource and its ease of use. However, wood can break after many uses, which means the handle will either have to be replaced or it’ll be time to get a new pickax. To prevent this problem from happening, especially in a large-scale mining operation, use pickaxes with metal handles. While it’s a bit heavier, the metal handles ensures it’ll last longer which means less time lost in repairing the pickax for the mining operation.
The ax part of the pickax is always metal. This ensures it’s easy to pierce the tough rock and the user won’t have to worry about it breaking. The metal used is either iron or steel. Steel is preferred due to it being stronger than iron, though it’s not as widespread as iron is. Iron is the go-to metal in forging this tool due to its availability and malleability.
Many armor shops stock pickaxes since they’re easy to create with the forge and workshops they have. Many mining companies will either purchase their pickaxes from these shops or if they can afford it, do it in-house.
While mining is its dominant use, the pickax can be used for a far more sinister purpose. Due to its two sharp metal points, this tool can easily end someone’s life. Sadly, sometimes accidents happen in mines where someone who’s not paying attention might accidentally hit someone else in in the head, instantly killing him. That’s why helmets are required when working in mines. This tool needs to be used with great caution and with awareness of the user’s surroundings.
Up next is the image that comes to mind whenever one thinks of an ax: a long handle with a razor-sharp blade anchored on the top. Being made solely of metal, its weight alone makes it a bit heavy to carry. It being metal and its weight gives it great power, more than many other tools. While the pickax is one of the standard axes, there are two others: the wood-cutter and the battle-ax. Both have their own set of uses and are sold in many armor shops.
Wood-cutter fantasy axes come in many sizes from the small, handheld one used to cut tree branches to large, powerful ones that require both hands to make incisions into trees. The majority of these axes have a wooden handle to reduce the weight and they’re used for simple jobs. For heavy-duty jobs such as cutting down whole trees at one time, axes with metal handles and stronger blades are used. While they’re heavier to carry and use, the power they have offsets their weight, reducing the times they hit the trees. These axes are lumberjacks’ choice of tool.
As for the other type of standard ax, the battle-axe was designed to be used in battle. Tall in size, its reach is just a bit greater than that of a sword, which means the user has a bit of space between him and his opponent. While it’s heavier than a sword, the battle-axe makes up for it in sheer power.
It’s harder to defend against due to the smaller blade but the blade is exceptionally sharp. Moreover, it can effortlessly dispatch foes, allowing the user to thin down the number of enemies on the battlefield. This ax is used by people with high upper-body strength like dwarves. While this ax can be found in armor shops, many armies have their own forge to create their own version of this weapon.
Regardless of which one’s used, over time blades dull. To restore their sharpness, these blades will have to be taken to a grindstone. This process can repeat until the blade can no longer be sharpened.
One last group of fantasy axes are those brimming with magic. While magic axes look identical to their normal counterparts, due to their being infused with magic, their power far outstrips their standard brethren.
The powers they wield vary by element. For instance, if one has the power of fire, the blade can hit the target with a devastating burn. If it’s poisonous, it’ll give the target poison that slowly leeches the life out of him upon contact.
Due to the power they have, magic axes are hard to come by. They’re found usually with wizards or other magical beings or held by high-ranking officials who recognize their power and understand how easily they can fall into the wrong hands. Wizards and sorcerers bless them by performing a spell.
In the hands of the enemy, they’re a formidable weapon. The servants of darkness carry axes with the ability to make the target instantly disintegrate upon contact. Their axes also have the power of lightning to wreak havoc upon their enemies.
Among the tools and weapons found in many worlds across the genre, fantasy axes are the most versatile. When creating an ax to use in your story, first consider its purpose and then design accordingly. For example, if you want to make a unique wood-cutting ax, make a simple design that looks like it’s easy to use and looks like it’s meant for cutting down trees.
Don’t make a fancy, complicated drawing that only confuses your audience. You want your audience to recognize what it does without having to explain it. As in writing, adopt the ‘show, don’t tell’ approach. This approach is true when constructing a fantasy world from scratch. You want your ax to tell a story.
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