Scholars generally agree in dividing the items of Battlefield into three main categories - lesser, greater, and artifactual (though Boldly Bright refers to these categories as items of the left hand, items of the right hand, and items of the heart for reasons which remain obscure to me). Lesser Battlefield items are by far the most common, and are powerful but somewhat limited in their scope. Greater Battlefield items are considerably more influential, though thankfully rare. Those of an artifactual nature are truly a threat not to individuals but indeed to entire armies of men, and thusfar are purely hypothetical (though three of the scholars consulted concluded for various reasons that such objects do indeed exist). But all types of weapons and armor of Battlefield manufacture share certain characteristics - they increase the user's skill at arms (in the case of weapons) or resistance to injury (in the case of armor) and cripple the user's ability to deal with difficulties in any way other than violence.
We are fortunate to have documented the transcripts of no less than seven individuals who fell prey to the effects of items of Battlefield. Of these, three (that of Clouds-and-Sky Crow, that of Sunset Whiteoar, and that of Nightfall Snakering) date from the period of the Whiteoar Uprising when Battlefield weapons were first seen in Everway (and subsequently banned). Since that time four others have been apprehended while under the influence of Battlefield weapons without being killed in the process - the Outsider Azavar, Victory Goodmask, Longstrider Stranger, and Lullaby Stranger. Of the seven, two (Sunset Whiteoar and Victory Goodmask) were armed with items of a greater nature. Four carried weapons, three armor. From these transcripts, as well as second hand observations of others afflicted with Battlefield items, we can piece together certain facts about them. It appears that these items are somehow able to rearrange the balance of elements in the individual utilizing them. In effect, the items draw from the element of Air of the individual using them, and transform that element into either Fire or Earth. In the case of lesser items the modification is finite - the individual may perhaps increase his skill at arms to twice what it once was, while becoming half as intelligent. In the case of armor the effect is the same, save that it is the individual's Earth which is affected. Greater items operate in much the same manner, save that there appears to be no limit to the amount of Air redirected, so that increases in one's skill at arms to four, or even eight times that of previously are unknown. Sunset Whiteoar, a well known scholar of over eighty years of age, killed twenty-three members of the Plume family, and was on the verge of overwhelming the eight on duty guarding the person of the King before he was finally brought down by the magics of the court magician!
It should be noted that although it is certain that the item draws from the Air of the user it only reduces certain aspects of that element - specifically, it appears to sap the users ability to solve problems, save in a violent manner. Thus the individual affected can still speak normally, and may still perform any difficult or intellectual skills she or he possesses. It is only when difficulties arise that the effect of the loss is felt, and only with regard to nonviolent solutions. Thus in the case of Nightfall Snakering, she was unable to present a reasoned argument to her husband as to why he should reduce his intake of wine, but was able to plot an elaborate - and nearly successful - murder and coverup.
The effects of the weapons are slow and insidious in their effects - Azavar Outsider stated that although the armor he wore fit perfectly and seemed made for him he became involved in a knife fight the same evening that he first put it on and was severely injured. Three months later when he encountered the same individual, however, the armor protected him from injuries and he was able to kill his opponent. Boldly Bright calculated, through thaumaturgical means, that the effects of items of the left hand may take between one month and a year to manifest, while those of items of the right hand around 1/2 that period.
Longstrider and Lullaby Stranger both reported that Battlefield items allowed them to affect creatures ordinarily unaffected by normal blades, and offered a measure of protection from magical attack as well. The pair reportedly successfully slew a cockatrice, Longstrider gaining a measure of protection from the creature's attack from his Battlefield armor, while Lullaby crept up and slew the creature with one blow from a Battlefield dagger. In addition, greater weapons of Battlefield have the property of causing wounds which will kill the recipient even if they are fairly minor, and cannot be healed save by magical means; while greater armor of Battlefield manufacture grants the wearer the ability to heal rapidly - at perhaps seven times normal rate. By way of example only 13 of the Plumes encountered by Sunset Whiteoar were immediate casualties, and of the eight members of the Kings bodyguard four were no more than scratched by his blade. Yet every one of them died within a day of the battle, wasting away as though their souls had been drawn from their bodies. Victory Goodmask was able to carry out several of her more notorious robberies by simply setting the abode in question afire, slaying the inhabitants as they exited, then wading through the flames to get what she desired. She reported that within a few days after each robbery her hair had grown back, and what few burns were severe enough to bypass even the fortitude imbued by her armor were healed completely.
These weapons are made even more dangerous by the fact that (again for reasons not entirely clear to this old soldier's mind, but explained in detail by both Moonlight Snakering and Boldly Bright) it is difficult to locate these weapons thaumaturgically. Boldly Bright estimates that perhaps one person in a million might have the magical talent to locate items from Battlefield, and Moonlight Snakering believes that such an individual would be rarer still. Even then, it is my understanding from reading their dissertations on the matter that such an individual would have to know what she or he was looking for, and take pains to seek such an item out. Thus far the most effective method for deducing the location of these items has been to leave all in the hands of the Ripple family, who seem to have some strange connection with items of Battlefield manufacture.
I have said little regarding Battlefield items of an artifactual nature, as little is known. The scholars I consulted were universal in describing them as terrible things, filled with malign sentience, and hungry for the souls of their victims. Their descriptions often waxed morbidly poetic regarding the base evil of such items, and warnings against them fill an entire chapter of Greenleaf Scratch's work. On the whole, however, there is little for one such as myself to say on such matters, as their very existance is purely hypothetical. Given the evil which has been wrought by items of lesser power over the years, if such items exist the appearance of one in Everway would be a disaster of epic proportions.
It is reported that Battlefield items are easily distinguished, as there is a disquieting aura surrounding them. This aura is not overpowering, but is quite noticable, particularly when one first handles the item. Such items are also of very fine manufacture, and appear brand new. Finally, despite the disquieting nature (which, it is reported, dies away after about a day) the item in question seems custom built for the individual wielding it - handles of weapons mold themselves to the grip of the wielder, and armor fits perfectly when it is first put on. It is this last characteristic which has induced many to accept these items.
If, in the
course of your duties, you encounter an item from Battlefield, by no means
touch it. The spell of desire that these items appear to weave requires
physical contact to initiate. Even thin cloth is sufficient for protection.
Do not attempt to conceal the item, or claim it for your own, but rather
report its presence immediately to members of the Plume family, who will
arrange for its pickup and disposal by the Ripples. Do not trust
anyone who is encountered handling such an item - its effects may continue
intermittantly for months even after the user is separated from it - Clouds-and-Sky
Crow nearly escaped justice by throwing himself from the scaffold onto
the spears of the guards at his execution, utilizing the point of a spear
passed through his body to cut through the ropes binding his hands, and
making a run for freedom! Only the quick thinking of a Keeper at
the portcullis gate prevented his escaping. Remember that the penalty
for handling an item of Battlefield is death by hanging, and that the law
is rigidly enforced. It is best to leave such items to the Ripple
family, for only they seem able to deal with the magics contained in these
terrible items.