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As with pitchforks, these farming implements have seen increasing use as weapons over the centuries, functioning as both utensils and weaponry. It is unclear from historical records whether the cradlefork was originally a lumberjack’s tool to begin with, or a military weapon that woodcutters had adopted for felling trees. Whatever the cradlefork’s exact origin, it’s grown a popular weapon for those preferring to decapitate opponents with single, powerful strikes.
Cradleforks share a similar structure to the rustic pitchfork, with a weighted, crescent blade lashed upon a wooden shaft, supported by a leather-bound handle. A smaller, thinner blade is knotted upon the cradlefork’s striking end, facing the opposite direction to allow a more reliable striking edge. The blade is primarily suited for brutal hacking manoeuvres, but the crescent’s inner curve is capable of disarming and tripping techniques as well.
Use and techniques
The cradlefork is best suited for chopping and hacking movements, although the long wooden shaft allows skilled users to trip enemies using the blunt end. Many combatants are adept at tripping enemies with a blow aimed towards the knees. A common strategy is following through with a finishing strike upon the prone opponent’s belly when the fork’s bladed end is swung around in quick succession. Regardless of whatever impressive techniques a warrior might develop, the cradlefork’s strength lays in its simplicity- splicing apart flesh, armour and firewood with slow, albeit devastating, strikes. Larger creatures such as selynah are known to dual-wield enormous cradleforks in all four hands, creating a whirlwind of flashing blades and spattered blood as they plough through ranks of retreating enemies.
Composition
Much as any polearm-type weapon, the cradlefork’s handle is generally built of sturdy wood, with a handle wrapped with straps of leather, canvas or animal’s hide. The crescent blades are usually forged from iron, but granite can provide a cheaper substitute. Both arched blades are lashed firmly upon the shaft with nylon cords, although cradleforks designed for military use typically have either metallic blade welded to an iron cylinder lodged upon the shaft. While knotted cords are far from unstable in combat, capping the cradlefork’s shaft with an iron cylinder fusing the blades together eliminates the risk of the weapon falling apart on the battlefield.