Duom??

[Ace32]

I have a player who is interested in purchasing a duom, and as DM I am curious, where does the duom come from? What real-world culture does it belong to, so I know where to apply it in my game world? (for those wondering, the duom is described in Sword & Fist)

 

[Soldarin]

It looks oriental to me, though I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't exist outside of D&D. A fine weapon, about as good as a spiked chain, but it doesn't make you look as ridiculous IMHO.

 

[Crothian]

I did some seraches on the net and on some weapon sites when the book first came out and I never foound a real world version of this. It very well might be made up.

 

[LamentoftheLost]

Duom?

I think it's actually italian. I'm looking for background as well.

 

[was]

It's oriental, at least its in the oriental adventures book. It's also in Sword and Fist from 3.0. and the Arms and Equipment book. Either way, it's an exotic weapon. I believe that it's a longspear with two blades curved back from the spear point so that they point backward along the shaft.
I believe the italian reference is Duomo, also known as the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It's not a weapon.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Glancing at most of the other stupid made-up weapons in sword and fist (tumbling bolt anyone? gyrspike?) I wouldn't be surprised if the duom was equally based upon something real.

 

[Xombie Master]

Glancing at most of the other stupid made-up weapons in sword and fist (tumbling bolt anyone? gyrspike?) I wouldn't be surprised if the duom was equally based upon something real.

The duom would make a great fantasy seafaring campaign weapon, not only can it spear underwater, but it can be used to drag nets, bodies and other refuse up from the ocean. I'm going to be running something similar soon and have been considering some of the exotic weapons for inclusion.

As for the absurd weapons in the Sword & Fist, the Mercurial Swords get my vote for worst idea, "See we got this sword right, and it's hollow right...er what!?!?"
The bladed gauntlet gets my vote for biggest weapon chart mistake in an RPG ever!
Most of the others are just too bad to name.

 

[sniffles]

As for the absurd weapons in the Sword & Fist, the Mercurial Swords get my vote for worst idea, "See we got this sword right, and it's hollow right...er what!?!?"

You obviously have not read Gene Wolfe's "Urth of the New Sun" books, which feature just such a sword.

My assumption was that based on the name, a duom comes from some Asian culture other than China or Japan, such as Thailand or Cambodia. Oriental Adventures used a number of Cambodian and Vietnamese monsters. But I don't have any facts to back up my assumption.

 

[Xombie Master]

You obviously have not read Gene Wolfe's "Urth of the New Sun" books, which feature just such a sword.

Hey, if anyone out there can make such a sword seem even remotely unabsurd, I guess I'll have to check them out. Still absurd though!

 

[sniffles]

Well, it doesn't seem absurd to me, but it does seem difficult to manufacture. But in a fantasy setting, who cares?

Googling "duom" netted me a couple of references to Vietnam, so I'm inclined to think that it's a Vietnamese weapon, although I couldn't get any more information.