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Shaki
Pronunciation: “Shack-eye”
Plural: "Shakis"

Widely used amidst all cultures and traditions, the shaki is the most frequently used and oldest of weaponry, being the preferred weapon for many combatants everywhere, be they soldiers, thugs, survivalists or fencers. Ranging vastly in their size, length and designs, the shaki’s structure is both light and powerful, although slightly more suited to offensive then defensive techniques. A blade fashioned from iron or stone, usually double-edged, protrudes from a leather or animal-hide bound hand-guard, the hilt comprised of a slender “A”-like structure. Users place their grip between the handle’s parallel shafts, grasping the horizontal bar (called a “crossbeam”). As the most diverse and broadly-used of military weapons, shakis range enormously from stout, slender blades designed to be concealed beneath clothing, powerfully-built military shakis, to thin and slender weapons built for sparring or parrying motions. The largest and most impressive variant of this versatile weapon is the massive Royal shaki, such as those wielded by the military elite, or selynah warriors… the tremendous blades measuring the full height of a grown man, and requiring both hands and the full strength of a humanoid-sized warrior to heft in combat.

Composition
A primary reason why shakis are popular weapons is because of their versatile designs. While all shakis are universally comprised of their defining “A-shaped” handle and are chiefly wielded parallel to a holder’s arms, the exact shape or nature of the blade varies enormously. Many talented weaponsmiths have fashioned blades that complement their user’s fighting preference, such as one-edged blades with the shaki’s weight balanced to a specific side to allow for the best use of brutal, hacking strikes if warriors are focused on offensive techniques. Others are subtle, thin and light, belying a skilled user’s hidden talent in striking vulnerable spots where opponents are careless.

Variations
Uleri
Longer then a tarakite, yet too short to classify as a traditional shaki design, the uleri has claimed increasing popularity amidst thugs, scouts, martial artists, and warriors trained in wielding lightweight weaponry. Uleri derive their name from a bastardisation of the words “under shaki”, referring to the blade being light enough to conceal underneath clothing. Uleri are light enough to be dual-wielded efficiently, even by those untrained in fighting with two weapons. Like its slightly smaller cousin, the tarakite, uleri are sometimes used as everyday tools rather then armaments. Uleri are often sturdy enough to be used in cutting wood or building materials, although such tasks are more suited to the cradlefork.

Akmore
Built for brutal, chopping techniques, the akmore’s blade is arched in a sweeping, crescent-like shape that allows a wielder to make better use of brute strength when striking. The akmore’s heavy, unbalanced weight makes it highly unsuited for defensive techniques, and the weighted curve places additional strain on a user’s arms when twisting the blade to parry aside an incoming attack. However, the akmore’s heavy blade ensures that even the weakest wielders will strike with added penetration, making the weapon very effective against slow-moving or heavily-armoured targets. The weapon has also seen occasional use in laborious professions such as mining, woodcutting and construction, where the arched blade helps as a secondary tool when a phegn or tera-keya isn’t at hand.

Military Shaki
Military shakis are larger, heavier variants of the shaki, built for mass combat and specially weighted to land devastating blows upon anything caught in it’s path. While the military shaki’s hefty weight deepens the blade’s penetration against armour and flesh, the size of the weapon strains a user’s arm considerably… and only special training allows users to wield the military shaki one-handed without causing strain on the rest of their body. This added weight also makes performing defensive techniques with the blade more difficult, and only exceptionally athletic or specially trained warriors can comfortably use a military shaki in one-hand.

Royal Shaki
The largest and heaviest of the shaki variants derives its name from ancient times, where the biggest weapons were reserved for warriors of noble bloodline. Royal shakis span the height of a full-grown man, and are extremely difficult to carry and wield. The blade’s tremendous size requires both hands of a strong warrior, and the handle is sometimes supported by another crossbeam to accommodate each hand of its owner. Royal shakis are difficult to wield, even for the strongest warrior, but the sheer force accompanying each blow make the blade’s enormous size well worth the effort of wielding.