The Story of The Kraken’s Bell:

For generations Berserkers sailed their longships across the shifting sea, from the Eastern edge of the known world, to raid the wealthy coastal villages of Illantul.  Although they are legendary seaman, many of their ships have been lost near the forgotten isles where some say they have broken apart on the Mermen’s shoals. Yet the seafarers of Illantul record no water shallow enough to ground a longship anywhere near where the Mermen are known to dwell.   There are a few retched men, found in the dark alleys of Tark, that claim firsthand knowledge of what really befalls ships that pass over the Mermen’s Shoals.  A great beast, two and ten times the size of the largest longship, rises from the depths and encircles the ship with enormous tentacles, dragging the vessel and all aboard to a watery grave.  These witnesses claim that these events are in no way the random attacks of a mindless beast; the monster is called to its specific prey by a magical beacon.  They say the king of the Mermen possesses an axe, (The Kraken’s Bell), that when stove into the wooden hull of any ship, marks it for certain doom.  The Mermen drive the blade from beneath the ship where they leave it to call to its namesake.   The doomed crew have no knowledge of Bell or the fate that will soon befall them. After the Kraken lays low the ship, the Mermen simply retrieve the Kraken’s Bell from the wreck on the ocean floor in preparation for their next attack. 

Actual Design and Construction:

The axe head is a reclaimed single bit high carbon steel head that I ground back to clean steel and cut into its current form.  One side is hand etched with the image of a longship being attacked by a Kraken while crossing the shifting sea.  The opposite side of the blade is etched to depict the sunken longship on the sea floor, being guarded by a giant shark. I also etched the image of a ship’s bell into the back of the axehead.   The handle is made of charred hickory, and the head is hung with a walnut wedge.   A steel belly plate adorns the upper portion of the handle and is attached with brass nails.  The plate is etched with the image of a ship’s bell. 

Specifications:

Axe Head Length: 6 inches

Axe Head Width at widest point: 4.25 inches

Handle Length: 21.75 inches

Overall Axe length: 24.25 inches

Overall Axe Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz