Adçin
The adçin (pl. adçinid) is a traditional Çer weapon.
Çerid are capable of standing on their hind legs to free up their forepaws for manipulating objects, but cannot move very fast; conversely, they can run very fast on all fours, but have difficulty handling objects in their forepaws while doing so. When in battle, therefore, opposing forces that are closing on each other at speed often require a certain amount of time to stand up and draw their weapons, and a warrior that fails to time this properly may lose their life as a result.
The Çerid are equipped with sharp claws and, because they could be brought immediately to bear, for a long time often preferred them in close combat, but suffered the disadvantage of a limited reach. The adçin was developed as an attempt to create a weapon that was designed to be carried while running, and which could be used with the same slashing motion that claws would require.
Adçinid are bladed weapons with a resemblance to sickles. Like a sickle, the blade (like most Çer weapons generally made of bronze) usually has a short radius of curvature; however, unlike the sickle, it is generally the outer edge and point that are sharpened, rather than the inner edge, which is thicker and serves as the backbone of the blade. The handle is usually carved from wood and is made with a oval cross-section, thickly padded on the long sides with coarse cloth; the axis of the blade is parallel to that of the oval.
When running, a Çer will hold the handle such that the point of the blade curves forward and the padded sides of the handle are aligned upward and downward. The shape and padding of the handle are intended to fit into the paw's grip such that the pressure of the Çer's weight, when placed on that paw, does not cause lasting damage to either the heel of the paw or the knuckles of the fingers. The adçin can be carried with the blade either facing inward, toward the other paw, or outward, away from the body; the latter is safer, especially if (as is often the case) a Çer is equipped with one in each forepaw, but the former is closer to how the weapon is usually gripped in combat and holding it in this fashion minimizes the amount of time needed to wield it in that fashion.
When closing for combat, the Çer will stand up on his or her hind legs. The grip on the handle must be rotated ninety degrees so that the padding faces the palm and fingertips, so that the tip of the blade faces forward while the fist is extended. The difference occurs because, while running, the fighting grip would point the blade tips into the ground and risk breaking them; likewise, while fighting, the running grip would cause the blade tips to point out to either side in a manner less natural for a fighting Çer to use. The shift of grip is an important part of training with the weapon.
The shape of the blade allows it to be used for slashing and ripping, but also, due to the sharpened point, for stabbing; the latter technique, however, is best used on an unprotected hide, as the tip of the blade is not effective at penetrating armor. Combined with its usefulness for fast-moving units, this makes it more popular with scouts and skirmishers, who have no intention of facing heavily armed opponents in equal combat, but who excel when allowed to catch enemies off their guard or to engage them with hit-and-run tactics.
