From: Lineage 472 of Anuran
A broad, bifacial axe carved from black basalt with its edge reinforced by an alchemical alloy of iron and trace Anuran secretion, hardened to glassy sharpness. The haft is wrapped in quarry-leather straps for extra grip against wet, amphibian hands. This axe is patterned after the ancient tools of the First Crafters but infused with modern steam-circuit etchings.
- Effect: +2 damage against stone-skinned or armored creatures; doubles as a functional tool for quarrying and shaping stone.
- Drawback: Heavy and balance-shifted—requires both hands for precision strikes, reducing attack speed if dual-wielding.
Lore of the Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
In the sagas of Abbeville, it is told that the First Crafters carved not swords nor spears as their first weapon, but the humble hand-axe, a tool of survival that became a symbol of willpower. The Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711 is a direct descendant of this tradition. Forged of volcanic basalt quarried from the deepest fissures of Abbeville and strengthened by an alloy tempered with rare Anuran secretion, the weapon carries within it the memory of both craft and combat. Its blade, though simple in form, hums faintly with the resonance of steam-carved channels etched across its face—circuitry that binds geomantic energy into its strikes. To quarry-workers, it is a tool; to warriors, it is a lifeline; to the faithful of Gravok, it is a sacred echo of the first strike that shaped civilization from stone.
Assigned Values (Tier One)
• Slot: Weapon (Hand-held, two-handed for precision)
• Stat Modifiers:
– Strength +1 when used for quarrying or breaking stone
– Dexterity –1 when attempting to dual-wield due to weight and balance
• Base Damage: 1d8 (slashing), +2 damage against stone-skinned or armored foes
• Skills Gained:
– Stonecrafting (advantage/bonus when shaping or cutting stone)
– Combat Quarrying (can be used to dismantle stone barriers with greater efficiency)
• Passives (Magical):
– Edge of the First Crafters: Weapon never dulls when striking stone or mineral-based armor.
– Ley Resonance: When within 30 feet of an active ley line, the axe vibrates faintly, granting +1 bonus to Perception checks to detect fissures or weak structures.
– Tool of Dual Purpose: Functions equally as a weapon or a stone-shaping tool, saving inventory slot usage.
• Activatable Magics:
– Chasm Bite (1/Short Rest): Channel stored geomantic energy into a single strike; deals double damage to stone constructs, walls, or armored enemies. Causes a shower of sparks and a deep resonant hum.
– Breaker’s Cry (2/Day): Release a concussive vibration through the axe head to destabilize stone terrain in a 10-foot radius; targets must make a Strength or Balance check or fall prone.
• Drawback: Heavy and balance-shifted, requiring two hands for precise strikes. If dual-wielded, attack speed is halved, and accuracy suffers (–1 to attack rolls).
Tags: Chasm-Biter, Quarry-Tool, Hand-Axe, Basalt-Forged, Steam-Circuit, Dual-Purpose, Stone-Slayer, Heavy-Weapon, Anuran-Crafted, First-Crafter Relic, Geomancy-Linked, Alchemical-Alloy, Battle-Tool, Quarry-Edge, Resonant-Blade, Two-Handed, Steam-Etched, Ley-Aware, Craft-Weapon
The Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711 is considered both a sacred tool and a weapon of industry, and its place in Saṃsāra’s markets reflects this duality. Where and how it is sold depends heavily on the cultural and industrial setting:
1. Forge of Gravok Temples (Religious Markets)
• Nature of Sale: Here, the axe is sanctified as a relic-tool, patterned after the First Crafter’s hand-axe. Priests known as Stoneweavers bless each piece with etchings of geomantic spirals. Buyers are expected to leave offerings of stone tokens or volunteer labor for temple works before purchasing.
• Price: 60 Gold (sanctified price) — higher than standard, but buyers gain both the axe and Gravok’s blessing.
• Notes: Owners of such temple-bought axes carry an extra layer of prestige, their weapon recognized in religious ceremonies as a sign of devotion.
2. Industrial Quarry Guildhalls
• Nature of Sale: These guildhalls produce the axe as a heavy-duty tool for quarry laborers. The focus here is practical utility—stone shaping, breaking slabs, and industrial quarry work—though every laborer knows its combat potential.
• Price: 40 Gold — priced for working crafters, sometimes discounted for guild members.
• Notes: The etching of steam circuits is less decorative and more functional here, but still imbued with minor resonance.
3. Mercenary Outfitter Shops
• Nature of Sale: Found in cities near borders or contested quarries, outfitters market the Chasm-Biter as a hybrid “combat tool.” Such versions are reinforced, slightly sharper, and weighted for frontline use. Mercenaries buy these for smashing armored foes and breaking through defenses.
• Price: 45 Gold + 5 Silver for military-grade sharpening.
• Notes: Some black-market versions also exist—lighter in weight, stripped of temple blessings, meant to serve assassins or raiders who covet its stone-slaying edge.
4. Traveling Smith-Caravans
• Nature of Sale: Itinerant Anuran smiths carry batches of these axes between smaller villages, trading them for raw materials, food, or gemstones. The Chasm-Biter here is bartered more often than bought with coin.
• Price Equivalent: Roughly 35–40 Gold in barter value (a wagonload of copper ore, several days’ labor, or livestock).
• Notes: These axes may lack the refined etching of temple or guild versions but are valued for their accessibility in remote communities.
5. Collector’s Market (Urban Capitals)
• Nature of Sale: Wealthy avatars and Isekai nobles see the axe as a cultural artifact. Versions of the Chasm-Biter that come directly from the oldest quarries or bear temple carvings are auctioned among collectors.
• Price: 120–150 Gold depending on provenance and craftsmanship.
• Notes: These axes are rarely used in combat, instead displayed as symbols of Abbevillian strength and tradition.
The Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711 is both relic-tool and weapon, and its roleplay shifts greatly depending on the environment. It is more than a blade—it is an extension of Saṃsāra’s stone-shaping culture, and its wielder’s choices alter how it functions as defense or offense.
Quarries & Industrial Environments
Offense:
• The wielder channels the axe’s geomantic edge to bite into stone-skinned beasts lurking in quarries, each strike sparking as basalt meets enchanted ore.
• The Chasm Bite activation can collapse a wall section, forcing a creature out of hiding or crushing weaker foes beneath rubble.
Defense:
• By striking into a rock face, the wielder can bring down stone debris to create cover from ranged attacks.
• The vibration feedback warns of unstable walls; a skilled player might brace allies or redirect them before collapse, effectively preventing environmental damage.
Caves & Subterranean Labyrinths
Offense:
• In tight spaces, the axe doubles as a wedge to split stalagmites into jagged barricades or break through stone-shell creatures that thrive underground.
• Breaker’s Cry sends a shock through the cavern floor, destabilizing footing for enemies clustered in tunnels.
Defense:
• Used as a prop against cave-ins, the axe can wedge a falling stone beam long enough to let allies escape.
• Its edge carves emergency exits through weaker stone, turning potential entrapment into a defensive maneuver.
Urban & Industrial Cities
Offense:
• Against golems or armored constructs patrolling Abbevillian metropolises, the axe’s alloyed edge is a countermeasure, cleaving past hardened defenses.
• Steam-circuit resonance can amplify an attack against magically reinforced walls, shattering doors or barriers during sieges.
Defense:
• In crowded streets, the wielder can slam the axe flat to the ground, releasing a shockwave that forces back encroaching foes without drawing blood.
• As a symbol of Gravok’s legacy, simply brandishing the axe in urban disputes may de-escalate conflicts, its reputation serving as deterrence.
Battlefields & Open Plains
Offense:
• Wide arcs deliver sweeping blows, capable of cracking enemy shields or breaking cavalry mounts’ armor-like hides.
• The axe can be used as both weapon and rallying standard—its hum across ley-touched soil inspires allies in formation.
Defense:
• The wielder may drive the axe deep into the ground to anchor themselves against charges or to stabilize footing on unstable terrain.
• When activated, the weapon’s vibrations can soften the ground, slowing down approaching lines of enemies or cavalry.
Waterlogged or Coastal Terrain
Offense:
• The basalt edge cuts through coral-armored sea-beasts or crustacean-like foes, making it ideal in coastal skirmishes.
• Its steam-etchings glow brighter when near saltwater ley lines, empowering a Chasm Bite strike to pierce armored shells.
Defense:
• Functions as a climbing tool on wet cliffs, granting stability and reducing the risk of slips during combat retreats.
• Can be embedded in the stone seabed to tether ropes or nets, creating defensive perimeters against aquatic foes.
Players wielding the Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711 in roleplay embody both pragmatism and reverence. They are artisans and warriors alike, shaping the battlefield as they shape stone. Defensively, the axe stabilizes, anchors, and protects through environmental manipulation. Offensively, it strikes as both a blade and a tool of terrain-breaking dominance, forcing enemies to contend with fractured ground, collapsing barriers, and unyielding cuts.
Perception of Activation:
User’s Perspective:
The moment the axe awakens, a deep thrumming pulse rises through the hands and arms, like holding onto the heartbeat of the earth itself. Each etched rune glows with a molten amber light, and the basalt edge hums with the sound of stone under pressure. The wielder feels micro-vibrations along the haft, guiding their swing toward weaknesses in armor or walls. The air grows heavy with the scent of scorched mineral dust, while faint afterimages of glowing fault lines overlay the terrain, visible only through the wielder’s sharpened senses.
Observer’s Perspective:
To onlookers, the axe resonates with a low-frequency hum that rattles loose stones and quivers through the ground. Steam vents briefly from the glowing runes, and the glassy alloy edge flares with a cutting brilliance, reflecting fractured light like a blade of volcanic glass. Dust at the wielder’s feet stirs as if unsettled by unseen tremors, and each swing leaves a faint ripple of force that lingers in the air before dissipating.
Positives:
- Sharpened perception of structural flaws and armored weak points.
- Empowered strikes resonate through stone and metal, cleaving with geomantic precision.
- Creates psychological intimidation through its audible hum and visible energy.
Negatives:
- The constant vibration numbs the arms with prolonged use, risking fatigue.
- The glow and hum make stealth impossible in quiet environments.
- Faint tremors may destabilize allies standing close, requiring careful positioning.
Crafting Recipe: Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
Materials Needed:
- 1 slab of black basalt (quarried from leyline-rich cliffs)
- 1 ingot of iron alloy infused with trace Anuran secretion (treated to harden into glass-like sharpness)
- 2 lengths of quarry-leather straps (for haft wrapping and grip)
- 1 hardwood haft core (seasoned and treated against humidity)
- 3 etched rune-plates of steam-circuit copper (thin sheets engraved with geomantic spirals)
- A vial of mineral dust from a sacred quarry (used in the blessing stage)
Tools Required:
- Steam-fed forge and hammer
- Geomantic chisel (capable of etching ley circuits)
- Basalt saw and grinding wheel
- Leather-punch and stitching awl
- Rune-etching stylus tipped with quartz
- Water-basin with steam infusion for tempering
Skill Requirements:
- Stonecrafting (Intermediate): Knowledge of cutting, shaping, and polishing basalt without fracturing its core.
- Metalworking (Advanced): Ability to fuse iron alloy with volatile Anuran secretion and forge it safely.
- Rune-Etching (Intermediate): Precision in carving geomantic channels into metal and stone to conduct leyline resonance.
- Leatherworking (Basic): Wrapping, stitching, and sealing quarry-leather for long-term grip.
- Ritual Craft (Optional but Recommended): Blessing the weapon during final forging to enhance resonance.
Crafting Steps:
- Basalt Preparation: Quarry and cut a block of black basalt into a bifacial axe shape. Grind the edge smooth while leaving enough thickness to fuse the alloy blade.
- Alloy Forging: Heat the iron ingot in a steam-forge, mixing in refined Anuran secretion under controlled conditions until the metal hardens to a glassy sheen. Flatten into an edge overlay.
- Blade Fusing: Set the alloy strip along the basalt edge, heating and hammering until the two materials bond. The seam is sealed with powdered basalt and mineral resin.
- Runic Channeling: Using the quartz stylus, etch spiral rune circuits across the basalt face. Lay copper rune-plates into these grooves and solder them with geomantic chisel to bind them to the axe.
- Haft Construction: Shape the hardwood core, bore socket holes, and fix the basalt-and-alloy head with locking resin. Wrap the haft tightly with quarry-leather straps, stitching them for grip.
- Steam Tempering: Submerge the completed weapon in the steam-infused water-basin, cooling it slowly while channeling leyline energy through the runes. This locks in resonance.
- Ritual Blessing: Dust the blade with sacred quarry dust, chanting the lines of the First Crafters (optional but ensures lasting geomantic stability).
- Final Test: Strike the weapon against a prepared slab of stone. If properly made, the runes glow, and the stone fractures along clean lines with a single blow.
Song of Axe That Bit Chasm
Hearken now, O wanderer, to the tale of the Stone-Biter, the axe of blackened basalt and iron tears. It is told in broken tongue, words shifting as mist, for the scribes of elder ages wrote with hands trembling and parchments already worn by centuries. What comes to us is fragment and shadow, yet the shadow is long and its voice is strong.
In the elder days, when the First Crafters yet knew little of the world’s bones, there was a gorge wide as the sky itself, called the Maw of Gravok. It split the land in twain, and no bridge nor chain could cross it, for the stone was slippery as glass and the winds screamed as wild spirits. The people, trapped on one side, starved, for their quarries were empty, and the other side held rich veins of stone and ore.
Among them was a crafter whose Litho-pattern bore streaks like lightning across basalt skin. Her name is lost, but she is called by scribes The Leaper-Who-Cut. She wandered the steam-filled cliffs alone, asking the stones for wisdom. The rock spoke back in murmurs of vibration, but she could not yet hear their full tongue. In hunger and in despair, she struck the cliff with her crude stone axe—and it shattered, the blade dull, her heart heavy.
Then came a dream in the night. The god Gravok, Shaper of Stone and Soul, placed into her hands an axe not of crude chisel but of black basalt heart. Its edge shone with glass-sharp brilliance, quenched by strange secretion of her own skin mixed with iron. The haft was wrapped in leather that dripped with the sweat of endless labor. The god spoke thus: “Stone may be cut by stone, but the stone must first know patience. Forge not only with hand but with breath, and your work will bite deeper than hunger.”
She awoke, hands burning, and before her lay the black rock that the dream had promised. With hammer, with forge, with patience, she shaped it. Runes were carved, not with pride but with humility, spirals that bound her breath to the stone. When she lifted it, it was heavy, unbalanced, a burden more than a tool. Yet when she swung it upon the cliff, the rock opened as if it were soft bread, leaving steps descending into the chasm.
So she cut stair upon stair, her people behind her. The gorge howled with winds, but each strike of the axe bit into the wall, making grip for hand and foot. They crossed, not on bridge of sky, but by the teeth of the axe that bit the chasm. On the far side, they found the veins of ore, and their forges sang once more.
But as with all gifts, there was a lesson. In her later years, Leaper-Who-Cut sought to wield the axe in battle. Against flesh it was slow; against enemies it was clumsy. She nearly perished when she trusted it too much, for its balance was not for war but for stone. At her last breath, she laid it upon an altar and whispered: “This is not a weapon of pride, but a tool of survival. Remember its bite.”
The axe was lost, buried in quarries, uncovered and reforged many times, each time reborn with new circuits, yet its essence unchanged: basalt, iron, secretion, and will. Its tale is sung at the Forges when young crafters take up their first chisels, so they remember that power is not for vanity but for necessity.
The Moral of the Story: A tool made in hunger and humility shall endure beyond lifetimes; but a weapon raised in pride shall betray its wielder. True strength is in the patient shaping, not in the reckless striking.
Suggested conversions to other systems:
Call of Cthulhu (7th Edition)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Type: Melee Weapon (Axe) / Tool
- Damage: 1D8 + 1 (vs normal), 1D8 + 3 (vs stone/armored creatures)
- Skill: Fighting (Axe) or Craft (Stoneworking)
- Uses: May double as a quarrying tool, providing a +10% bonus to Craft (Stoneworking) rolls.
- Special Rule: When used to strike stone walls, barriers, or golem-like entities, reduces hardness/effective armor by 2.
- Drawback: Due to weight and balance, attack rolls suffer a –10% penalty if attempting two-weapon fighting or rapid successive strikes.
Blades in the Dark
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Item Type: Fine Heavy Weapon / Tool
- Effect: Provides increased potency when overcoming stone, masonry, or armored foes. Against natural stone or constructs, effect is considered great instead of standard.
- Use as Tool: Grants an automatic +1d to Rig or Wreck rolls involving stone or quarry work.
- Load: 2 (heavier than normal fine weapon).
- Drawback: Not quick; when used in combat for skirmishing, requires a position of setup, leaving the wielder open to counterattack if overextended.
Dungeons & Dragons (5e)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Weapon (martial, axe), rare
- Damage: 1d8 slashing (two-handed), Versatile (treated as both martial weapon and tool)
- Special Traits:
- Stone-Biter: Deals an additional +2 damage against constructs, creatures with natural armor, or targets made of stone.
- Quarry Tool: Functions as a mason’s or miner’s pick, granting proficiency bonus doubled on Strength (Athletics) or Strength (Mason’s Tools) checks for breaking stone.
- Geomantic Edge: When striking stone walls, reduce the AC/HP of the object by half for the purpose of breaking through.
- Drawback: If dual-wielded, attack rolls are made at disadvantage due to weight and balance.
Knave (2e)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Type: Heavy Axe (Tool/Weapon)
- Damage: d8
- Traits:
- Stone-Cutter: Against stone creatures, constructs, or armored foes, damage is increased to d10.
- Craft-Utility: Acts as both weapon and quarry tool, providing advantage on tests to shape or break stone.
- Encumbrance: 2 slots (heavier than standard axe).
- Drawback: Slow. Cannot make more than one attack in a round, even if other conditions would normally allow.
Fate Core
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Aspect: Bifacial Stone-Slayer Infused with Geomantic Circuits
- Invokes: Gain +2 when overcoming obstacles made of stone, armored barriers, or constructs.
- Compel: Its heavy, off-balanced weight makes quick strikes or dual-wielding ineffective, leaving the wielder exposed.
- Stunt: Stone-Cleaver’s Edge – Once per scene, when using Forceful or Powerful approaches against armored or stone enemies, treat your effect as one step higher (from success to success with style).
- Refresh Cost: 1 (if taken as permanent gear stunt).
Numenera & Cypher System
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Level: 5 Artifact
- Form: A basalt hand-axe reinforced with alchemical alloy and glowing steam circuits.
- Effect:
- Inflicts 5 points of damage.
- Against stone, armored targets, or constructs, inflicts +2 additional damage and ignores 2 points of Armor.
- Functions as both weapon and tool, granting an asset on tasks involving quarrying, stone shaping, or breaking barriers.
- Depletion: 1 in 1d20 (after heavy or prolonged use, circuits burn out).
- Drawback: Extended use fatigues the user, applying a –1 step penalty to Speed defense rolls until rested.
Pathfinder (2e)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Weapon (martial, rare, artifact)
- Type: Two-Handed Axe
- Damage: 1d10 slashing
- Traits: Artifact, Heavy, Sweep, Versatile (B)
- Special Abilities:
- Stone-Cleaver: Against constructs or stone-based creatures, the axe deals an additional 2 damage and ignores Hardness up to 5 when striking objects.
- Tool Function: Can substitute for Mason’s Tools, granting a +2 item bonus to Crafting checks involving stone.
- Geomantic Surge (Activate—1 Action, Concentrate): Once per 10 minutes, the wielder may channel ley-line energy into the axe, gaining advantage (roll twice, take better) on their next Strike against an armored or stone foe.
- Drawback: Bulky; when wielded in one hand (with feats or abilities), attacks are made at a –2 penalty.
Savage Worlds (Adventure Edition)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Category: Heavy Melee Weapon (Artifact)
- Damage: Str+d8
- Special:
- Stone-Biter: Deals +2 damage against constructs, creatures with natural armor, or stone. Ignores 2 points of Armor in those cases.
- Quarry Tool: Provides a +2 bonus to Repair or Athletics rolls when breaking stone or shaping masonry.
- Geomantic Strike: Once per encounter, the wielder may make a Strike that causes a shockwave. On a Raise, all enemies in a Small Burst Template adjacent to the impact must make a Strength check or be Shaken.
- Weight: 12 lbs (counts as Heavy weapon).
- Drawback: Unwieldy—imposes –1 to Parry if used without two hands.
Shadowrun (6E)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Category: Melee Weapon (Heavy Axe, Artifact)
- Damage Value (DV): 6P
- Armor Penetration (AP): –3 (against stone, armored, or construct targets: –5 AP)
- Reach: 1
- Special Abilities:
- Stone-Cleaver: Against barriers, hardened armor, or drones, adds +2 DV and reduces Structure rating by 2 when used for destruction.
- Tool Function: Counts as Masonry Tools, granting +2 dice to Engineering or relevant Building/Repair checks involving stone.
- Geomantic Resonance: Once per combat, spend a Minor Action to channel ley-energy—next melee attack rolls Edge automatically if target is armored or made of stone.
- Drawback: Heavy; off-hand use imposes –2 dice penalty to attacks.
Starfinder (2E)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Level: 5
- Item Type: Advanced Melee Weapon
- Bulk: 2
- Damage: 1d12 S
- Critical: Bleed 1d6
- Special: Analog, Powered (Steam Circuit, capacity 20, usage 1/attack)
- Effect:
- Against constructs, armored foes, or stone-based enemies: +2 damage and bypasses 5 Hardness.
- Can also be used as an Engineering tool, granting a +2 circumstance bonus on Engineering checks involving stone shaping or barrier demolition.
- Drawback: If power is depleted, the weapon becomes unwieldy—treat as improvised weapon (–2 penalty to attacks).
Traveller (Mongoose 2E)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Category: Close Combat Weapon (Two-Handed Axe)
- Damage: 3D6
- Traits: Armor Piercing (3), Bulky (must use STR 8+ to wield effectively)
- Special:
- Stone-Cleaver: Ignores +2 points of armor or structure when used against vehicles, constructs, or fortifications.
- Tool Function: Functions as an Engineering tool, granting DM+2 on Mechanic or Engineering checks involving stone or reinforced barriers.
- Geomantic Surge: Once per combat, wielder may make an attack that creates a shockwave; all targets within 3 meters must make a Dexterity check (8+) or be knocked prone.
- Drawback: Weighty; reduces wielder’s Initiative by –1 while equipped.
Warhammer (Fantasy Roleplay 4E or 40k RPG style adaptation)
Chasm-Biter Hand-Axe 711
- Type: Melee (Two-Handed Axe, Relic Weapon)
- Weapon Profile:
- Damage: Strength Bonus +6
- Qualities: Damaging, Hack, Impact, Two-Handed
- Encumbrance: 3
- Special Rules:
- Stone-Slayer: Against creatures with the Armored, Construct, or Stone-Born traits, this weapon inflicts +2 Damage and ignores 2 AP.
- Quarry Tool: When used outside of combat, grants +20 to Trade (Mason/Engineer) Tests involving cutting or shaping stone.
- Geomantic Force: Once per Encounter, the wielder may channel the weapon’s inner circuits. If they succeed at a Cool Test, their next attack causes a shockwave: enemies within 2 yards must pass an Agility Test or be knocked Prone.
- Drawback: Relic Weight—treats Initiative as –5 while wielded due to its size and balance.