Indie Ttrpgs - Tumblr Posts
TTRPGs for Trans Rights in Florida
y'all there is an absolutely bonkers deal going on at itch.io right now
You can get over 500 rpgs for only *five dollars* right now. That's right, over $2000 worth of games for only five fucking dollars. It's insane. It's unreal. It's totally worth more than any dollar amount you're going to throw at it. And it's all going towards charities that work with trans folx on the ground: specifically Zebra Youth and Transinclusive Group. If you donate more than $10 you get a special bonus - the creators of Action Fiction will send you a PDF copy of the 5E supplement "Monsters of Murka: Chromatic Gamut." Go check it out now!!! Offer lasts until April 6!
THEME: Space and Stars
This week's themes are all loosely categorized under space, from space-westerns, to space-fantasy, to some games entirely within their own genre.
Boar Beasts on A Barbarous Planet, by Z.W. Garth.
Boar Beasts on a Barbarous Planet is a 2-page Push Powered roleplaying game of boarfolk warriors surviving on a planet of swords-and-lasers, covered in hostile biomes and littered with the sci-fi tech of planetary invaders who couldn't cut it in this harsh world.
Players take on the role of warriors dedicated to protecting their sounder from the many threats that plague them, in this harsh, psychedelic world.
Push games use an interesting 'push-your-luck' mechanic, in which your can choose to re-roll and add to your roll in order to make a "weak" success stronger - but roll too high, and you meet disaster. In my opinion, it's an SRD that feels a little over-looked in the indie scene.
This game is meant to be brutal and violent, on a world that is difficult to survive. Your characters enter the story battle-scarred, and will leave the story worse, possibly even dead. This looks to be a game that’s full of prompts and roll-tables, so if you like random generation, I recommend checking this one out.
From Out of the Boundless Deep, by Scyllaycs.
From Out the Boundless Deep is a two-player game about a mech pilot and an engineer working on the starship the Boundless. The game follows the pilot’s dangerous missions off the ship, the engineer’s meaningful repairs onboard the ship, and the brief moments the two meet between missions.
This game has two players, and no set GM. If you want to be a character who’s interacting with a dynamic set of stats and risky endeavours, you can pick up the Pilot. If you like building and modding things to set up the two of you for future challenges, then the Engineer might be more your style. The Game itself is split into two phases: Ship Phase and Mission Phase, with each phase giving the player a chance to shine. A Tarot Deck will be used to provide benefits and drawbacks throughout the course of play.
This is a game where you can really explore the conflict and community between two characters, in a situation where they can’t always communicate in a way they’d like. It doesn't demand an epic storyline but definitely has the space for it. This is also a great game for two people who have different and complimentary styles of play.
Dead Belt, by A Couple of Drakes.
Dead Belt is played by building a Belter and taking them out into the Belt to scavenge randomly-generated starships, using things you already have laying around: a six-sided die, a deck of common playing cards, and a few tokens of whatever sort happen to be close at hand.
With a dozen unique ship deck plans, over 100 flavorful prompts, and plenty of character stats to help you avert certain death, no two ships will ever feel the same. You’ll board these derelict starships, navigate barriers, dodge threats, monitor your air-supply, and salvage as you go.
You’ll deal with all the dangers lurking onboard these starships, push your luck, and finally return to spend your hard-won booty to secure better equipment, improve your skills, pay down your crippling debt, and hopefully, maybe, eventually set yourself up to live out your dreams far from the Belt.
There are three ways to play this game: Solo, Co-Op and Rivalry. This means that in a two-player game, you can choose to either work together or attempt to sabotage each-other in a race for pay. This game is an homage to Cowboy Bebop and similar Space Westerns, with a lot of tantalizing options designed for duet play.
Vaults of Vaarn, by graculusdroog.
Vaults of Vaarn is a 48-page, black and white tabletop RPG zine, which presents setting information, a full game system, and character creation procedure for adventures in Vaarn, a vast blue desert that lies at the very end of time. The game is built on the chassis of Knaveby Ben Milton, with lightweight rules, speedy character generation, and gameplay that emphasizes creativity and problem-solving on the part of players and referee.
This game setting feels like a space opera smashed together with acid fantasy, with bright colourful descriptions of strange monsters, NPC’s and locations. It is a dangerous setting that is designed to work with OSR games, primarily Knave but I have a feeling it would be pretty easy to steal ideas from this for other OSR systems as well. If you’re a fan of big space epics like Dune or weird futures like Numenera or Gamma World, this game is probably worth checking out.
If you want to see what the community has created for this setting, I recommend checking out the submissions to the Vaarn Summer Jam of 2022!
Nibiru, by Araukana Media.
Nibiru is a science fiction tabletop roleplaying game, set in a massive space station in a neighbouring solar system. Players take on the role of Vagabonds; people who woke up in the space station with no memories of their past.
Nibiru tackles themes of memory, nature and artificiality through simple mechanics, evocative art and immersive worldbuilding.
This is a game in which you create your character’s backstory as you play, filling in pieces of memory as you explore a space station filled with strange inhabitants and abandoned or deteriorating locations. The way you write about yourself will also fuel your character progression, with rewards for creativity and turning some of your memories into tools that you can use as you play. The setting is unique, evocative, and has a lot of potential to tell a compelling and heart-wrenching story.
If you want to see a bit of the game in action before buying it, there is a Quickstart Guide available on DriveThruRPG!
Other Space Recommendation Posts
Star Trek (and its sequel)
Space Adventures
Space Westerns
Space Fantasy
I guess I don't have any specific project, but i've been trying to come up with my own more narrative system for a while! The idea I had was your character had 4 stats, and 3 abilities the players could choose, and wounds were similar to in city of mist where its a status condition, but Im still working on it. The 3 abilities I thought would add more flexibility, but my groups have had trouble coming up with things. I want something setting agnostic, that can fit a more narrative style, but isnt unable to run fantasy or sci-fi at the extremes. I mean, Im basically stealing F.I.S.T. by claymore games and making it more open, but Idk, I feel like I should just modify an existing game, I just am not a huge fan of DND anymore.
What are you working on?
It is what it says on the tin! If you're working on an indie ttrpg project, idea, art, podcast, stream, whatever, drop links, wips, and talk about it in the comments!
I just finished the first draft of a playbook that's part of the Apocalypse Keys stretch goals, and am going to be working on some secret space pirate stuff very shortly 👀
I've also got a few other projects in some very early stages that I've talked about HERE and HERE.
It's been great seeing so many new and returning ttrpg people pop up on tumblr, and the best way to continue that momentum is to keep talking, posting, and reblogging all the cool stuff everyone is working on!
So, what're you working on??
So I just got the Rune RPG thanks to @dragonkid11's new video, and holy crap is it good. I didnt think I'd be a fan of the dice-ai enemies, but make their movements smart, and every fight feels like a puzzle where you just have to dance around the enemies and charge in at just the right moment. I'm only still on the first island, but already my adventure has had me barely scrape through a fight on 1 hp, taking down two big bads at once, finding a key that unlocked a new spell for me in a secret path, and now I think my character is ready.
A free one-page RPG for playing out the final days of a spaceship hotel.
My game Vampire Cowboys, with layout by Max Briar, is part of the My First TTRPG Bundle! Great if you want a silly genre one-pager AND to support new game designers!
There's some choice stuff in here, folks. Including a Lancer supplement that happened to be perfect for where my campaign looks to be going. I mean, Wanderhome alone is worth it. But it's always the unexpected gems that make a big bundle a truly joyous buy.
That, and all the Justice.
there are still five days left to get OVER 600+ GAMES for a donation of $10 or more to the TTRPGs for Palestine bundle! we are at $153k of the overall goal of $200k and i know we can make it! proceeds from the bundle will be going to Medical Aid for Palestinians, and you can read more at the bundle page. thank you for checking it out, sending it to friends who would be interested, and boosting this!!
Supernatural TTRPGs Bundle
For the next 22 days (until September 21, 2024) I and a bunch of other indie TTRPG publishers are hosting a supernatural themed bundle.
Titles include:
Strays: My 250~ page pbta about runaway changelings.
Hell Holes: Golf your way out of the nine circles of hell.
Run!: Solo slasher survival horror.
Tyst Borg: An osr game about music.
Cult Of The Sky Titans: A stone age cavecrawl.
Carry On: You know what this one is about.
Cryptid Creeks: A big, full art, feature length Gravity Falls inspired small town spooky.
I Crave The Loop: A roguelike where a ghost cat is trying to eat your snack and you must protect it.
How about a solo RPG that's also a craft project, and leaves you with your own personalised oracle/divination deck long after you're finished playing?
I feel like there's decent overlap between audio fiction and ttrpg scenes, so if anyone here has any recs for solo, (preferably indie) ttrpg games (or like, lowkey solo LARP), I am currently looking for recommendations.
I'm especially into anything with a worldbuilding element (eg. Exclusion Zone Botanist, Exquisite Biome, A Traveller in the City, Little Celestial Fieldwork Guide), and/or speculative/weird fiction influences, but am willing to try new things (especially as I am pretty new to this medium).
The First Blade: Balaraw - Winged Dagger
I realize I haven't been explicit about it on here yet (mostly because I'm not the best at keeping all my social media profiles up to date), but I am involved in the development of a Tabletop Roleplaying Game It's called Gubat Banwa- a TTRPG based around tactical grid combat, contemplative war drama, and high-flying martial arts, all of which taking place in an unapologetically Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy setting, developed by @makapatag with art direction by @villain-returns. Initially I developed the script that is used in the gamebook and diegetically in the setting- called Kasuratan- but I'll talk about that elsewhere.
With the Kickstarter launch imminent, I thought I'd do a bunch of Twitter X threads on a bunch of weapons I've drawn for the game counting down the final week before the launch. Then I thought: "Why aren't I posting these on tumblr also, at least I wouldn't lose my mind over character counts over here"- so here we are. These were supposed to be posted as Swordtember drawings, but then the KS launch got moved to October. Most of these blades are of Philippine make, since that is where my knowledge-base is and what I'm comfortable enough to share knowledge about. I thought it'd be nice to share a bit of blade knowledge from some of the cultures that inspired the setting. Without further ado, let us begin with the BALARAW.
Also known as a "winged dagger", it is characterized by its unique shape, consisting of a short leaf-shaped blade driven with the tang out into a hilt with two distinct protrusions, creating three prongs on the back with the tang included.
(Photos from an exhibit at The Met)
They may be held at the hilt like a regular knife, or they may be held in a manner not too dissimilar from how our neighbors in Southeast Asia hold keris. One may imagine it like a "push dagger" for lack of other reference points. It might be likened to the katar as well, in some sense.
(Sketches by the Gubat Banwa Art Director himself) Nowadays, the blade is frequently attributed to the People of the Upstream- the Mandaya group of peoples- though they would have seen much wider use in their day, likely also spanning across what is now the Visayas region of the Philippines.
(Modern rendition by Panday Keiven Tolentino of Itak Mindoro, Photo by Ramon H. Bathan) Something I've noticed from looking at Philippine blades all the time is that symmetrical, double-edged blades like these are rare, here. Blades that lend themselves more to stabbing than anything else aren't very prevalent either, and blades that do not- at first glance- appear to be made with tool use/foliage clearing/farmwork in mind don't make up the majority of specimens. The balaraw is unique in several different respects, and any self-respecting warrior Kadungganan of Gubat Banwa's Sword Isles would do well to mind its bite. The weapon makes an appearance in Gubat Banwa in the hands of the Beast Hunter- one of the many Disciplines ("character classes") whose techniques your character can learn in-game.
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 7 days! Check it out here:
We'd appreciate any and all help in getting the word out. Support an independent TTRPG made by a team from the global south, looking to make waves through a fantasy setting where the Southeast Asian inspirations takes center stage!
The Second Blade: Diplata - Extinct Bolo
Continuing the countdown to the launch of the Gubat Banwa Kickstarter coming up on the 10th of October- 6 days to go! Gubat Banwa is a tactical war-drama TTRPG set in the Sword Isles, a fantasy setting inspired by Southeast Asian cultures and folklore.
To promote its launch, I'll be posting some of the weapons I've been drawing for the game every day until the campaign kicks off in earnest. These were meant to be Swordtember entries, pardon the lateness I suppose. 2/7 blades so far, let me introduce you to the DIPLATA.
The diplata is a short-to-mid-length blade with a distinct handle, with most specimens sporting a horn-like protrusion facing the same side as the edge.
The blade shape itself I feel is something common across most toolblades in the Philippines, not much longer than one's forearm with a more-or-less rounded out tip- though the diplata seems a bit wider than most. I would say the most unique features definitely lie in the shape of the hilt, and the circular guard. Most Philippine blades don't have anything in the form of hand protection, so a wide guard like this stands out.
This one was a little difficult to find photo references for, as apparently they're quite rare. Some blade scholars call it an "extinct" blade, meaning those who traditionally forge authentic ones supposedly aren't around anymore.
(Photo from Victor Balaguer's museum near Barcelona; Diplata on the blades hanging on the wall, the two next to the rightmost blade) "Traditional" blades refer to those made by the same people to whose culture a blade belongs. To illustrate in the simplest terms, a katana made by a traditional Japanese swordsmith would count as a traditional blade. A messer made by a traditional German blacksmith would count as a traditional blade. I'm sure there's more internal nuance there, but that's the quickest reference point I could come up with. Take note however that the Philippines is composed of many, many different cultures who all happen to exist in the same archipelago with varying levels of overlap- there is no singular, unifying blade culture, so categorizations like "Traditional" and "Modern" (often referring to modern reproductions) aren't always as exact as convenience may demand. In particular, material exchange between cultures makes a mess of this categorization, not just because the blades themselves could get traded (or stolen or lost) and physically make their way to other places beyond the imaginary borders of their "homelands", but because the smiths themselves (or their knowledge and techniques) may travel around. Smiths in different places may also see blades from different cultures that they might feel like imitating or emulating in some way- that's how certain Philippine blades obtained D-guards- but that's a story for another time. The diplata is oft-attributed to the Aeta peoples, specifically those who come from Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales. Not much confusion as to whose culture these blades belong.
It is a little disheartening that most of the refs I could find were photos from foreign museums and loose images in books and blade forums. I will not speculate here as to how these blades ended up in these places, but it isn't hard to guess.
(Image from a Spanish museum)
(Image from Philippines, Early Collections, Museum of Ethnologie Vienna)
(Image from The Philippine Journal of Science Volume 81) I'm not a hardcore blade scholar, but even I recognize how inseparable blades are from the myriad cultures of the Philippines. I'm forever thankful to the random communities of blade enthusiasts who dedicate a not-insignificant portion of their time (and wallets) to supporting local artisan blacksmiths to grow their collections, and keeping track and tracing which blades came from which places and peoples. Our blade cultures are alive and still developing, but they could still use a little help sometimes, just so we don't lose them.
(Photo from the collection of Zel Umali) In any case- while it's not exactly a scholarly work in the academic sense- part of Gubat Banwa's violence is pushing a fantasy setting of our own making, as seen by our own eyes, as told on our own terms. This is no foreign museum; This time, SEAsian cultures take center stage.
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 6 days! Check it out here:
It would be a huge help to this very small team from the global south if you could help us get the word out! We straight up can't afford to advertise on the same scale as bigger players in the field, so we're relying heavily on word of mouth. You can find out more about the game on its itch page.
The Third Blade: Hinalung - Handheld Speartip
Five days left to go before the launch of the Gubat Banwa Kickstarter campaign! Gubat Banwa is a TTRPG that allows you to play as warrior Kadungganan in the Sword Isles, a fantasy setting as colorful and intricate as the Southeast Asian cultures from which it draws inspiration.
I've been posting the weapons I've been drawing for the game as kind of a countdown, leading up to the launch on October 10. I was planning to do this for Swordtember, but sometimes you gotta shift the goalpost a little bit. 3/7 blades down, behold the HINALUNG
This multi-purpose blade comes in a few different shapes and sizes, but in general they are symmetrical and double-edged. They don't get much longer than one's forearm, and more often than not have handles wrapped in rattan lashings.
(Blades by Tatang HImanggo and one of his students- a certain Arnold; As shared by Biboy's Sharp Edges) If I'm not mistaken, the term "hinalung" is Ifugao- referring to a certain group of indigenous peoples in the Philippine Cordilleras- though the usage of the blade itself was widespread across the mountains of north Luzon. Nowadays, it isn't just Ifugao smiths making them, and a number of contemporary smiths from across the region seem to lay claim to the blade. In any case, the blade is of the Cordilleras, unconquered by Spain.
(Blades by Ifugao Traditional Blades) One more thing of note is the open scabbard, which seems to be common among blades in that region- not just the hinalung. Some of them boast enough space for more than one blade to be sheathed, and are often sold as novelties. The first example below has a large hinalung in the middle, joined by a pair of pinahig. It can very quickly get out of hand. These X-in-1 sets are usually sold as novelties.
(Blades by Orinn Mongalini/Panday Anitu Mumbaki)
(Photo from Orinn Mongalini)
(Photo from Ifugao Artistic Blade)
Now for the fun part! You may be wondering why the handle is shaped the way it is, with that triangular opening near the base of the blade? Or perhaps you read the title of this post and you already know where this is going?
They double as spearheads! The handle itself is steel folded in to create a hollow socket, allowing the hinalung to be mounted on a wooden shaft, turning it into a spear. Supposedly, this spear-form was used for hunting. You can see the hollow socket more clearly here:
(Blade by HanYan Blades)
(Screencap from a video by AJ Blade Reviews testing the blade as a spear; Blade by Lakay Paul Dulnuan Sr.) As mentioned previously, the Philippine Cordilleras were never conquered by Spain, and as such were able to carry their traditions with a little more ease into the present day. It is very much apparent in the blade culture. Present-day smiths in the Cordilleras still forge hinalung, some of them stating they do it in the traditional way, others admitting to hewing to more modern methods.
(Antique from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology)
(Modern build by Lakay Pabian, photo by Ramon Bathan) Like I said before: Blade culture is alive and still developing. One of the Five Major Mahamandalas of Gubat Banwa pays homage to and gleans inspiration from living cultures like those I mentioned here. If you want to know what the first half of that sentence means, check out the game and its Kickstarter!
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 5 days! Check it out here:
I've watched this game be started, written, and developed by like- one guy, who just managed to drum up enough interest and meet enough people willing to help shape the dream, and make it what it is today. It could not have gotten this far without all of them. Still, it remains a very small team of creators from the global south, with very limited resources. We would dearly appreciate any and all help in getting the word out about the game!
The Fourth Blade: Panabas - "For Chopping"
Four days to the launch of the white-hot lightning that is the Gubat Banwa Kickstarter! Gubat Banwa is a TTRPG supported by the twin pillars of tactical martial arts and contemplative war drama. Meditate upon love and violence as warriors of a burning world. Will you stem the tide of blades? Or is it rising by your will?
I'll be posting the weapons I've drawn for the game as a countdown until the launch on October 10. This was supposed to be a Swordtember series, but we needed a little more time to gain momentum. 4/7 blades, past the halfway point, let us proceed with the PANABAS
Towering amongst what blade collectors categorize as "Moro weaponry", the panabas is quite possibly the largest blade I've ever drawn. Like- I'm not lying, I drew all the blades in this series to scale relative to each other, and the panabas has by and large been the one determining how big my canvas needs to be. The edge is on the longer curve, the spine of the blade is thicker near the handle, and the handle is about as long as the blade (if not longer).
(Photo from Kristian Josef Acedo)
The form belies the function; it isn't difficult to guess how this blade is used just by looking at it. The name- if I'm not mistaken- is an even bigger giveaway. Panabas supposedly comes from "pang-tabas" which literally means "for chopping". It also goes by the name of nawi.
(Photos from Raymundo Lucero) As large as its reputation might be, the choppers aren't always massive. Their utility ranges from agricultural to combative to ceremonial, and the size and shape usually matched the nature of the work.
(Tools from Datu Paglas, Maguindanao)
(Photo from Dondon Dimpas)
(Exhibit at Museum of the Filipino People- biggest one) The panabas is most often attributed to the peoples of Maguindanao, though the range of its use and the variants of its make span across large portions of the Mindanao area.
(Antiques from the collection of Richard Hudson, size comparison with a kalis) A popular tale (especially amongst Filipino Martial Artists) states that the US Marines wore leather collars to protect their necks during the American Occupation in Mindanao, due to blades like these that gave the troops pause, and feel that the extra protection was necessary. Supposedly, this is where the term "leatherneck" came from. Although the veracity of this latter claim is a bit on par with the claim that the Colt .45 was invented specifically to stop the same Moro warriors, the story has already stuck.
(Antique from Lake Lanao)
(Photo from The Metropolitan Museum of Art) We touched upon "Traditional" blades last time, referring to blades made by the same people to whose cultures those blades belong. This time we look at the other side of the coin. "Modern" is the term collectors here often use to refer to reinterpretations, usually by modern smiths who are separate from where a blade traditionally belongs. The point of reference I used for "Traditional" blades before is a katana forged by a traditional Japanese swordsmith. If- instead- a white blacksmith in America were to forge a katana using their own smithing methods, that would be considered as a "Modern" blade under this categorization. I'll leave it to you to spot the differences in these next few photos:
Traditional panabas with a rattan ferrule (Photo from Lorenz Lasco)
Modern blades by Jun Deuna (Espanola) and RE Pandayan (Quezon) (Photo from Dennis Andrew Golez)
Traditional blades (Marawi and Maguindanao) (Photo from Dennis Andrew Golez)
Modern full-tang build by Traditional Filipino Weapons (I know who forged this but I won't doxx their location) (Photo from the TFW website)
Modern full-tang build by Batangas Armory (Batangas) (Photo from Job Abat)
Pair of panabas and a binuaya (leftmost) by Traditional Moro Blade, Maguindanaon (Maguindanao)
Say it with me this time! Blade culture is alive and still developing. Mindanao was never conquered by Spain- the fierce resistance of the Moros made sure of that- and again it shows in the blade cultures. Though the panabas is now popular enough to have modern reinterpretations made by smiths across the Philippines, the traditional panabas and the people who make them are still around.
(Photo from Iniingatang Talim at Kaluban, taken by Ramon H. Bathan)
One of the Five Major Mahamandalas of Gubat Banwa pays homage to and gleans inspiration from living cultures like those I mentioned here. Yes- I repeated the text from the previous installment, because it's equally true, here. Additionally, the panabas shows up as the iconic weapon of the Martyr- one of the 25 Disciplines (read: "character classes") whose moon-bright martial techniques you could pick up in-game. Anyway, go check out the Kickstarter!
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 4 days! Check it out here:
Not long now- this is a very small team of creators from the global south knocking on your doors asking for help to get the word out. I truly cannot understate how small this team is, and how amazing it is that they've come this far- we just need a little bit of a boost! With your help, this grand ambition can be realized. We would greatly appreciate any help rendered towards getting more eyes on this game!
The Fifth Blade: Kampilan - Warrior Made
Down to the last three days before Gubat Banwa launches on Kickstarter! Moon-eating titans, sword-souls and bullet devils, giant flying crocodile mounts, sparks arcing off clashing blades like lightning- Gubat Banwa is an action-packed martial arts TTRPG where you play as warrior Kadungganan in a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy world afire with wonder and violence in a thousand colors.
Counting down the days to the KS launch on October 10 comes with anxiety and anticipation in equal measure, and I thought maybe posting the weapons I've drawn for the game would help cut through it all. These were meant to be posted for Swordtember, but the game needed a bit more time to pick up speed. 5/7 blades done, let's start off the final three with the KAMPILAN
Yet another large weapon from south of Luzon, the kampilan is a long-bladed sword with a unique "trapezoidal" shape, sometimes sporting a small spike at the tip, often with a figural hilt. "Figural hilt" just means the hilt depicts a certain abstracted figure of something, usually a creature or a beast of some kind. The sharpened edge is on the long side of the blade. I repeat: The sharpened edge is on the long side of the blade. You would not believe how frequently people get that wrong. This useful diagram is one of the first things you see when you do a Google-search for "kampilan", so there is truly no excuse for anyone to be depicting it with the sharp side pointing the wrong way.
(Diagram by Lorenz Lasco) The most common examples of kampilan figural hilts depict the Bakunawa- a giant moon-eating serpent of legend- and are decorated with hair or with roots. The angled protrusion on the hilt usually points away from the sharpened edge, and may have been used for added leverage when maneuvering the blade.
(Photos from the collection of Ron Zambarrano) Other creatures commonly depicted in the hilts are crocodiles, cockatoos (what collectors call "kakatua" handles), or- in the case of this somewhat rare example- a horse.
(Photo from the collection of Richard Hudson) The kampilan is surrounded by a rather popular story: That it was the blade used by Lapu-Lapu himself to slay Fernando Magallanes on the shores of Mactan. One of Pigafetta's writings recounts how Magellan was wounded on the leg by a large blade, akin to a scimitar. Whether or not this was describing a kampilan is anyone's guess, and whether it was in the hands of the hero of Mactan is foggier still. While it is difficult to verify the authenticity of this claim, the legend of Lapu-Lapu quickly grew, taking the story with it- and it kind of just stuck.
(Photo from Lapu-Lapu City LGU) Most Philippine blades generally vary in size make depending on where they're from, but the distinctions are even more apparent for kampilan. The two-handed ones shown so far are often referred to as Moro kampilan. The Lumad peoples have kampilan of their own.
(Photo from Iniingatang Talim At Kaluban.; Taken by Ramon H. Bathan) I'm not an expert on identifying these blades, and this is by no means an exhaustive list (as the kampilan was used widely across Visayas and Mindanao), but I will try to show and identify a few select variants. Starting with this "NICE SHOT"
(Various Moro kampilan; Photo by Richard Hudson) Following up with some antique Bagobo kampilan. Notice the difference in size relative to the Moro variant. This seems to be built for one-handed use. You will also notice that the shape of the blade is different, without the spike, and with the sharp edge on the other side.
(Photos from Raymundo Lucero) A more useful comparison; These next three blades come from the same collector.
Bagobo kampilan
T'boli kampilan or kefilan
Moro kampilan (Photos from Dennis Andrew Golez) Sometimes these blades stray far from home. This next one is a T'boli kampilan inherited by a collector.
(Photos from Hege-Eileen Ottem Lund) Rather than hair or roots, the Lumad seem to prefer adorning their hilts with brass bells. When you see examples of these blades in museums for up for auction, the bells tend to be absent. I purposefully included examples with bells to show them off in their full ornate glory. "Lumad" is a collective term for indigenous peoples in the south of the Philippines. Another T'boli kampilan, with a closeup on the hilt to show the brasswork.
(Photos from JC Nolas) This one's a headscratcher for me- supposedly this unique find from the 1800s has a hilt made of whalebone. The blade looks to be of the Moro variant, but I could very easily be mistaken. It looks to have been adorned with bells as well.
(Photos from Ron Zambarrano) One more thing to note is that the kampilan is not a tool-turned-weapon, nor a multipurpose blade. They are made to be used as weapons. I won't fault anyone for subscribing to the belief that Philippine native blades were mostly farming implements, which just happened to be repurposed for combat sometimes. It is true for many blades which functioned essentially as multi-tools, and the languages sometimes don't help when they use the same word for any kind of blade- be it a tool or a sword. Dispel your myths. Our ancestors were not ALL farmers-turned-fighters. They faced our colonizers as warriors.
(Photo by Ramon H. Bathan) The veritable force of nature that is Sam'baha (the smug-looking badass in the art at the top of this post) stands as the face of Gubat Banwa, wielding a kampilan in one hand and a karambit in the other. Challenge her legacy! Be a part of all the tide-churning, sky-burning, world-rending action by supporting the game on Kickstarter!
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 3 days! Check it out here:
Just three more days for this incredibly small team from the global south to get as many eyes on this project before it launches. We straight up cannot afford Proper Advertising on the scale this game deserves, so we're relying on folks like yourself to help us get the word out. Any help will do! Share it with your friends! Send it to people you think might be interested! Send it to people you know aren't interested! Dump it in that one channel in your friendgroup Discord server that no one has sent any messages to for weeks now! Reblog this even if you didn't read the post at all, we won't tell!
The Sixth Blade - ... - Fear Itself
Last two days! Gubat Banwa launches on Kickstarter on October 10, and we need your help to get the word out! Silence your fear- stifle it if you must. Harness it if you can. Fear begets hesitation, Kadungganan, and when rivers bleed, and skies burn, and blades dance to the rhythm of cannonfire- Hesitation is death. Let the Sword Isles of Gubat Banwa paint your stories in its thousand colors, inspired by the intricate cultures of Southeast Asia. Carve your legacy into the world by blade and smoke as warrior Kadungganan in this tactical martial arts TTRPG.
Not long now until the long-anticipated KS launch, and I've been posting the weapons I've drawn for the game as a sort of countdown. These were supposed to be Swordtember drawings, but the launch got bumped back a little bit. 6/7 blades! The penultimate entry goes to the CORDILLERAN AXE
Some time in June 2020, a certain weapon was intercepted in Australia entering the country from the United States. An ancient terror-weapon, which brought low the conquistadors of old, and drenched the soil of the pine mountains such that the ground remains the color of rust. In November the following year, the ax was returned to the Philippines. Strap in- it's about to get really convoluted.
(Photo from the Philippine Embassy in Australia) You may be wondering why I referred to this blade as a "Cordilleran Ax" rather than using a native term like in the rest of this series. That is mostly because the ax comes in many forms, and bears many, many names. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how many names there are for these things.
(Photo from the collection of Nonoy Tan) They are commonly called "head axes" (we'll get to why in a minute- but you can probably guess), referring to a collective of different blades of a more-or-less similar shape, used by the peoples of the Cordilleras. "Igorot" is a general term used to refer to these peoples of the mountains of north Luzon.
(Diagram by Lorenz Lasco)
You will recall from the thread on the hinalung that Spain never took the Cordilleras, allowing the peoples there to more easily preserve their traditions and cultures. These axes belong to some of those same cultures. These- too- were preserved from way back.
(Figure from The Tingguian: Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe by Fay-Cooper Cole) It's easy to forget that these objects- all of the blades I've been posting about- are very deeply embedded in cultures that still exist today. These peoples have their own names and stories and knowledge of these blades that I simply do not have access to the way they do. It's all I can do to try and deliver accurate info without misrepresenting anything.
(Photo from the National Museum) And try I have. This is a diagram I tried to make as a reference, way, way back.
I know a bit more now, I'm not sure if I still stand by this, I am sure that it will need some updating. Due diligence is the bare minimum we can do, to respect the knowledge of people who are still around. Allow me to try again! The one I drew in the image at the start of this thread is called the SINAWIT. This is the Kalinga variant of the axe. From what I can tell, those with the curved/concave cutting edges tend to belong in this category.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) Supposedly, the protrusion on the handle is also indicative of a Kalinga origin.
(Photo from Ursulo of Filipino Traditional Blades)
(Photos from Global Inventory of Filipiniana Artifacts) Here's some close-ups of another example, featuring ornamentation in the form of copper/copper-alloy "staples" along the handle, which may have also aided in providing grip.
(Photos from Lorenz Lasco) Variations in size are common across all the axes we'll be looking at, some are short and fit well in one-hand, others are large enough to accommodate two. The biggest ones I've seen are sinawit.
(Photo from Christian Vasquez of Filipino Traditional Blades)
(Photo from Ron Zambarrano) Next up is the GAMEN or GAMAN. This is the Bontoc variant of the axe. Here's a gamen (top) compared to a sinawit (bottom) of similar size. Notice the difference in the shapes of the blades.
(Photo from the collection of Zel Umali as shared by Filipino Traditional Blades) Another term that gets thrown around is "pinagas", though I believe this is a general term referring to all "head axes" rather than one specific variant. I could very well be wrong on this, as the word pinagas has to come from one of the many languages in the Cordlieeras- I'm just not certain which. This one was labelled "Bontoc pinagas".
(Photo from Zel Umali) The thickness of the blade tends to vary as durability requires. In particular, the spike on the back tends to be thicker overall. Portions of the blade closer to the handle appear to be thicker as well.
(Photos from Lorenz Lasco) Examples of the gaman as I have seen them tend to have more straight or sometimes convex blades. I am uncertain if the convex shape is a unique feature, or a product of happenstance, or just how whoever used this blade liked to sharpen it.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) They also tend to be "taller" than sinawit I've seen, with blades that are almost like squares with spikes on the back, as opposed to sinawit that are more rectangular. Still following so far? Good- it's going to get more complicated soon.
I am not- by any means- formally educated on Philippine blades, so always take my words with a grain of salt. This ax inherited by a blacksmith in Baguio is something that might be gaman, but I can't categorize it with certainty without knowing more. The profile is not exactly the same, the spike is considerably longer and more curved.
(Photo from HanYan Blades) But that's the least of our worries! The ALIWA, BINARAWAD, BADAN, BADON, BINAROY are only some of the terms used to refer to the Isneg variants. Remember when I said it would get convoluted?
(Photo from Nonoy Tan; Identified as binarawad-badan-badon in that order) The binarawad in the previous photo looks- to my very untrained eye- to be similar to the gaman in many respects. Whenever I think I've identified a distinction, a different specimen shows up.
(??? from Rob Miller)
(Gaman(?) from Hearst Museum) Remember when I said the protrusion on the handle was uniquely Kalinga? But I also said taller/squarer blades were common in gaman? But the swept shape on the back looks emblematic of the Isneg variants we just saw? Identify that topmost blade for me, real quick.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) Material exchange of culture makes a mess of categorization. The peoples of the Cordilleras regularly interacted- by trade, union, or warfare- and the influences clearly went all ways. Perhaps that blade above was made by a smith who took influences from a variety of sources. Perhaps the blade itself has worn out its old handle, and the new owner replaced it with this one There are a lot of ways this could have come about, it's difficult to say. Blades tend to make their way around. This sinawit- a Kalinga blade- has been passed down through generations, and was found in Sagada.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) It certainly doesn't help when blades are found far from home and are labelled with confusing specific terms or useless general terms or just different terms entirely.
[Author's Note: Apparently there's a 30 image limit per post? I'll continue this in a reblog, I think.]
Forging onwards! It certainly doesn't help when blades are found far from home and are labelled with confusing specific terms or useless general terms or just different terms entirely.
("Sickle" from Father Jose Burgos Museum)
(Photo labelled "Sinawit" by some random person on the internet)
But we said we'll try! So take a deep breath and bear with me as I try to parse this. As far as I can tell, aliwa seems to be an almost general term for Isneg axes. I could be wrong. The long-bladed, long-handled ones might be the binaroy variant of the aliwa.
And then we get thrown for a loop again. A collector was informed of ancient Ibanag "vunang" (so- buneng?), only to be shown Isneg blades- an aliwa and a binawit- the latter turning out to be called a bokog. Is this aliwa a binaroy? What's a bokog?
(Photo from Jake Coballes) And then something like this shows up and the earliest source you can find is a comment on a random Facebook post and you have to wonder if this is: a) A variant of something you know; b) Something else entirely; c) Some modern smith mixing influences; OR d) A secret 4th thing
Moving on- I'm entirely unsure if badon/badan refers to those with the short handles or those with this kind of blade. It may well be either or both, but I'm leaning towards it being the blade shape. The curve is a bit more pronounced, and it's not as long as the binaroy.
(Photo from the Penn Museum) (Photo from Nonoy Tan) Another point of confusion: This dagguerreotype from the Real Military Museum bears a label referring to the axe as an aligua/aliwa, but it looks to me more like what we've just decided a gaman looks like.
(Photo from the archive of Narciso Clavería y Zaldúa) And sometimes you see something interesting: small axes worn as hair ornaments. The word liwa/ligua gets thrown around referring to the axe, with iko/ko for the type worn in hair. I sometimes wish I were a proper history scholar.
(Photo from the Meerkamp van Embden collection) Modern renditions don't necessarily help very much when you're trying to pin down the identity of a traditional blade. Still, the fact that they're around means the blade culture is alive and- you get the deal by now.
(Blade by WOW Banaue Souvenirs; Photo from Job Abat) In fact, modern renditions like these are sometimes integral to the preservation of traditional forms. The BUNENG is the Ibanag variant of the axe, which has apparently gone extinct in most communities. There's an interesting story behind these photos shared by Jake Coballes:
The top blade was made by a modern smith in Tuguegarao (Itak Direct Selling), which the collector posits may have been a sign of Ibanag influence reaching Cagayan.
The bottom blade is a modern aliwa (Isagaddan Crafts)
The Isneg and Ibanag have neighboring territories; The middle is an attempt by a modern smith to recreate the Ibanag bunang using a related blade- the Isneg aliwa- as a reference. I couldn't find many old reference photos of the buneng/bunang, but recreations abound, and it is not yet fully extinct amongst all Ibanag communities.
(Recreation by Jake Coballes as shared by PBH) (Modern rendition by an Ibanag panday, photo from Villanueva Clive) Much to my chagrin, I could not find much on the Kankana-ey variant, despite being Kankana-ey myself. And we're still around, traditions well-preserved, though the times have changed. Imagine the frustration of those from whom colonization took much, much more.
(Photo from an Italian blog of all places) The Kankanaey were one of the peoples alongside all the others mentioned here- and a few not mentioned- who engaged in the practice of headtaking. Heads were taken for various reasons- ritual mourning, revenge, rites of passage. Tattoos were earned by those who succeed. The Cordilleran peoples count among the cultures in the Philippines who have tattooing traditions.
(Bontoc man with "chaklag" fern tattoos) Stories abound about the north Luzon headtakers, and the "headaxes" earned their name alongside the warriors that wield them. Everyone knew to be wary: Neighbouring peoples, lowlanders near the mountains, Spanish conquistadors- There are many reasons cited for why Spain never took the Cordilleran mountain range: horses being unable to maneuver slopes, firearms not working in the higher altitudes, pacified settlements being empty when the Spanish government returned due to the Cordillerans being semi-nomadic. Some say it was fear that kept Spain from conquering these peoples, the fear that their heads would stain the ground as red as the mountain soil, if they made the climb.
I hesitate to call them headaxes- though many surmise the spike was for picking up heads, the blade itself functioned as a multi-tool. They were used for construction, for chopping wood, and in some cases even circumcision. These blades were used to live- to preserve a way of life- as are all the native blades of the Philippines.
(Photo from Lorenz Lasco) I wouldn't use the word "headhunter" either, as it was used as a derogatory term. Give this a read, if you can stomach it, if you want to know more.
But this thread is long enough, and there will always be more to learn. Especially when the people to learn from are still around and talking. I have a lot to study on myself; I can't pretend the knowledge I share is perfect, I can only ever hope it's adequate. The Cordilleran Ax shows up in the hands of the aptly named Headtaker of the Sword Isles, one of the many disciplines whose techniques your characters can learn in the game.
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 2 days! Check it out here:
Two more days! This very small team of creators from the global south needs your help to get eyes on this project. You can read about the people behind Gubat Banwa on this Twitter X thread.
The Sixth Blade - ... - Fear Itself
Last two days! Gubat Banwa launches on Kickstarter on October 10, and we need your help to get the word out! Silence your fear- stifle it if you must. Harness it if you can. Fear begets hesitation, Kadungganan, and when rivers bleed, and skies burn, and blades dance to the rhythm of cannonfire- Hesitation is death. Let the Sword Isles of Gubat Banwa paint your stories in its thousand colors, inspired by the intricate cultures of Southeast Asia. Carve your legacy into the world by blade and smoke as warrior Kadungganan in this tactical martial arts TTRPG.
Not long now until the long-anticipated KS launch, and I've been posting the weapons I've drawn for the game as a sort of countdown. These were supposed to be Swordtember drawings, but the launch got bumped back a little bit. 6/7 blades! The penultimate entry goes to the CORDILLERAN AXE
Some time in June 2020, a certain weapon was intercepted in Australia entering the country from the United States. An ancient terror-weapon, which brought low the conquistadors of old, and drenched the soil of the pine mountains such that the ground remains the color of rust. In November the following year, the ax was returned to the Philippines. Strap in- it's about to get really convoluted.
(Photo from the Philippine Embassy in Australia) You may be wondering why I referred to this blade as a "Cordilleran Ax" rather than using a native term like in the rest of this series. That is mostly because the ax comes in many forms, and bears many, many names. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how many names there are for these things.
(Photo from the collection of Nonoy Tan) They are commonly called "head axes" (we'll get to why in a minute- but you can probably guess), referring to a collective of different blades of a more-or-less similar shape, used by the peoples of the Cordilleras. "Igorot" is a general term used to refer to these peoples of the mountains of north Luzon.
(Diagram by Lorenz Lasco)
You will recall from the thread on the hinalung that Spain never took the Cordilleras, allowing the peoples there to more easily preserve their traditions and cultures. These axes belong to some of those same cultures. These- too- were preserved from way back.
(Figure from The Tingguian: Social, Religious, and Economic Life of a Philippine Tribe by Fay-Cooper Cole) It's easy to forget that these objects- all of the blades I've been posting about- are very deeply embedded in cultures that still exist today. These peoples have their own names and stories and knowledge of these blades that I simply do not have access to the way they do. It's all I can do to try and deliver accurate info without misrepresenting anything.
(Photo from the National Museum) And try I have. This is a diagram I tried to make as a reference, way, way back.
I know a bit more now, I'm not sure if I still stand by this, I am sure that it will need some updating. Due diligence is the bare minimum we can do, to respect the knowledge of people who are still around. Allow me to try again! The one I drew in the image at the start of this thread is called the SINAWIT. This is the Kalinga variant of the axe. From what I can tell, those with the curved/concave cutting edges tend to belong in this category.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) Supposedly, the protrusion on the handle is also indicative of a Kalinga origin.
(Photo from Ursulo of Filipino Traditional Blades)
(Photos from Global Inventory of Filipiniana Artifacts) Here's some close-ups of another example, featuring ornamentation in the form of copper/copper-alloy "staples" along the handle, which may have also aided in providing grip.
(Photos from Lorenz Lasco) Variations in size are common across all the axes we'll be looking at, some are short and fit well in one-hand, others are large enough to accommodate two. The biggest ones I've seen are sinawit.
(Photo from Christian Vasquez of Filipino Traditional Blades)
(Photo from Ron Zambarrano) Next up is the GAMEN or GAMAN. This is the Bontoc variant of the axe. Here's a gamen (top) compared to a sinawit (bottom) of similar size. Notice the difference in the shapes of the blades.
(Photo from the collection of Zel Umali as shared by Filipino Traditional Blades) Another term that gets thrown around is "pinagas", though I believe this is a general term referring to all "head axes" rather than one specific variant. I could very well be wrong on this, as the word pinagas has to come from one of the many languages in the Cordlieeras- I'm just not certain which. This one was labelled "Bontoc pinagas".
(Photo from Zel Umali) The thickness of the blade tends to vary as durability requires. In particular, the spike on the back tends to be thicker overall. Portions of the blade closer to the handle appear to be thicker as well.
(Photos from Lorenz Lasco) Examples of the gaman as I have seen them tend to have more straight or sometimes convex blades. I am uncertain if the convex shape is a unique feature, or a product of happenstance, or just how whoever used this blade liked to sharpen it.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) They also tend to be "taller" than sinawit I've seen, with blades that are almost like squares with spikes on the back, as opposed to sinawit that are more rectangular. Still following so far? Good- it's going to get more complicated soon.
I am not- by any means- formally educated on Philippine blades, so always take my words with a grain of salt. This ax inherited by a blacksmith in Baguio is something that might be gaman, but I can't categorize it with certainty without knowing more. The profile is not exactly the same, the spike is considerably longer and more curved.
(Photo from HanYan Blades) But that's the least of our worries! The ALIWA, BINARAWAD, BADAN, BADON, BINAROY are only some of the terms used to refer to the Isneg variants. Remember when I said it would get convoluted?
(Photo from Nonoy Tan; Identified as binarawad-badan-badon in that order) The binarawad in the previous photo looks- to my very untrained eye- to be similar to the gaman in many respects. Whenever I think I've identified a distinction, a different specimen shows up.
(??? from Rob Miller)
(Gaman(?) from Hearst Museum) Remember when I said the protrusion on the handle was uniquely Kalinga? But I also said taller/squarer blades were common in gaman? But the swept shape on the back looks emblematic of the Isneg variants we just saw? Identify that topmost blade for me, real quick.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) Material exchange of culture makes a mess of categorization. The peoples of the Cordilleras regularly interacted- by trade, union, or warfare- and the influences clearly went all ways. Perhaps that blade above was made by a smith who took influences from a variety of sources. Perhaps the blade itself has worn out its old handle, and the new owner replaced it with this one There are a lot of ways this could have come about, it's difficult to say. Blades tend to make their way around. This sinawit- a Kalinga blade- has been passed down through generations, and was found in Sagada.
(Photo from Pinoy Blade Hunter) It certainly doesn't help when blades are found far from home and are labelled with confusing specific terms or useless general terms or just different terms entirely.
[Author's Note: Apparently there's a 30 image limit per post? I'll continue this in a reblog, I think.]
The Seventh Blade: Kalis - Bleeding Edge
And so- in the end- the wheel must turn, and a new day must usurp the old. Perhaps then, these long-fallen flowers will feed the soil, and nourish a new bloom. Perhaps the fire will find home in the bleeding rivers and cauterize the land, and the steam will rise into skies of the clearest blue. Perhaps our songs will be of triumphant yesterdays, hard-won and now bearing fruit. But we are Kadungganan- we do not sit idly to await the dawn. We claw at heaven to bring forth our own tomorrow! One more day until the launch of the Gubat Banwa Kickstarter! Fight for another day in the turbulent fires of the Sword Isles, carving out your own story by blade and sheer will in this tactical martial arts TTRPG, inspired by the thousand, thousand colors of Southeast Asia.
I've been posting weapons I've drawn for the game to count down the final week before the launch. This was supposed to be for Swordtember, but the deadline had to be pushed back. 7/7 blades, ending with the KALIS
This blade adorns the logo of Gubat Banwa, at once uniting and splitting in twain. Kalis refers to a number of uniquely Philippine variants of the more widely known collective of kris blades, which appears in several forms across Southeast Asia.
(Diagram by Lorenz Lasco) What separates Philippine kalis from kris seems to be an answer with multiple facets. Some say it's a linguistic matter, others say kalis refers specifically to certain blades from the Sulu archipelago.
(Photos from Raymundo Lucero)
(For comparison, an Indonesian kris) Admittedly, the kalis is a bit of a blindspot in my knowledge. I've done what research I can, and asked those who know better, but I exist a considerable distance away from where these blades belong- physically and culturally. This is, perhaps, where I will be most prone to making mistakes of fact with the information I present. If I make any mistakes, please do not hesitate correct me!
(Photo from Zambasulta Pakukus) On the heels of that disclaimer, let's take a look at the blade. This is definitely one of the most beautiful weapons I've ever had to draw. Philippine kris/kalis tend to be longer and more "sword-like" than those of our neighbors.
(Photos from Johnwick Cabrera) The hilts tend to differ depending on who makes them. Some sport what might be cockatoo/"kakatua" bird-head hilts, some have very ornate junggayan hilts, some feature okir carvings, some are more rudimentary.
(Photos from Dennis Andrew Golez) The blade is used by several peoples in the south Philippines, including the Maranao, the Tausug, and the peoples of Maguindanao. I am most definitely missing a few groups, this is not an exhaustive list. There are differences between the way they build hilts and assemble blades that I don't feel qualified to speak about. And yes, the blades are like that because they are an assembly near the handle.
(Photo from Sulu Utak Shop) Apart from hilt shape and assembly, variations occur in blade thickness, ornamentaion, presence and type of okir carvings, number of curves or seko (odd numbers), length (kalis sundang = "swords", kalis gunong = "daggers") Actually- you know what?
(Photo from Richard Hudson) Since this is the last one in the countdown, I'm going to do something different. I invite you to find the answers yourself. That is part of what Gubat Banwa is meant to be: an invitation to engage in a fantasy setting centered on our cultures, so you can tell stories built on our terms. The cultures in the Sword Isles are NOT the cultures in the real world from which they draw inspiration. It is very much still a fantasy setting. But part of engaging with the setting in good faith is doing your own learning, on things for which you are not owed an explanation. Curiosity rewards the adventurous. The kalis is well-researched. If you're curious about something, you'll find the answers. You don't need me to hold your hand.
Instead, I'm just going to show you some of the coolest kalis I've seen.
(Silver and ivory-hilted kalis from the NCAA) A (relatively) simple but gorgeous build by a modern smith.
(Blade by Zambasulta Pakukus) A pair of kalis from a smith in Zamboanga.
(Blade by Panday Onsboy Maktar) Silver-hilted kalis from Sulu.
(Photos from Arma Filipinas; Polished by the "Blade Barber") Kalis with some gorgeous carvings on it.
(Photos from Sulu Utak Shop) Kris inlaid with a brass naga.
(Photos from Ron Zambaranno) Kalis rehilted by a Lumad group- uncertain which group. Supposedly, the Lumad would take kris they captured from enemies, disassemble them, and rehilt the blade.
This one appears to have a blade that looks like most of the kalis we've seen, but with a hilt similar to Indonesian or Malaysian variants.
(Photos from Raymundo Lucero) Antique Moro kris sundang with a hilt made of fossilized mammoth tooth, ornamented with a silver coin from the 1700s. A personal favorite, as I used the hilt as a reference for one of my favorite designs.
(Photo from Richard Hudson)
(Art by yours truly) As with the panabas, the people who make and use the kalis are still around. There are bladesmiths, scholars, practitioners of Moro Fighting Arts, historians, and just people who live alongside these blades who can tell their own stories better than I ever could.
(Photo from Richard Hudson)
I hope this and all the other threads I made inculcated an interest in some of you- even those who just look at the pictures (I see you)- to look into these blades yourself. Do your due diligence, treat people with respect, and approach what you are unfamiliar with in good faith- and you should be well on your way to learning more than you thought there ever was to know.
The Gubat Banwa Kickstarter launches in 1 day! Check it out here:
A very special thanks to GB team-member onefloor who helped expand my knowledge on this blade. This legend scores the music for Gubat Banwa, check them out here! This will be the last blade post I do for the promotion. I'm going back into the hole I dug in the ground to work on the rest of the weapons I'm drawing for this game. If there's interest, I might do another series of 7 before the Kickstarter campaign ends. Anyway, help us get the word out, small team of creators from the global south, too broke to advertise, etc. etc. you know the drill by now if you've read the other posts. Until next time! Until glory!