The Story of the Stag’s Gift:

The Huntsman of Illantul was known throughout the land to have no equal when it came to the chase.  His impressive list of trophies was only dwarfed by his own intolerable ego. Yet when a great black stag appeared in the land, it seemed the Huntsman had finally met his equal. (It is said that the smallest piece of an antler from a black stag endows its owner with the incredible stamina the stag possessed in life) The Huntsman traveled throughout Illantul pursuing this quarry for two and ten years to no avail, until one day he followed the stag into the Kingswood.   The Kingswood was home to all manner of animal and beast and everything that ran, crawled, or flew within its vast boundaries belonged to King Venimar.  Any man found poaching in the Kingswood was quickly sentenced to death.  But fear of beheading was not deterrent enough to keep the Huntsman from a prize of which it was said no mortal could catch.  Deep within the woods, the Huntsman finally bested the magnificent stag.  Using his favorite dagger the Huntsman took the head as his trophy. Knowing any true display of the stag would bring too much attention and the King’s wrath down upon him, the Huntsman had only the antler tips formed into quillons on his prized dagger.  As long as the Huntsman possessed the Stag’s Gift he could outrun and outlast the fastest of beasts. As the years passed, stories of the black stag and where it met its demise passed from the Huntsman’s drink loosened lips into the ears of the King’s advisor.  One night in the Lazy Griffon the drunken Huntsman was stripped of his dagger and brought before the king, where Venimar passed a sentence of death.  In a final twist of fate it is said that the King’s executioner used this very blade to behead the Huntsman.

 Actual Design and Construction:

The blade was forged by Windlass Steelcrafts using 1085, High Carbon Steel. Both sides of the blade are hand-etched with the image of a raised ram’s head dagger entangled in a vine of thorns, set in a recessed and blued outline extending most of the length of the blade. The guard is constructed of a quarter inch brass cap with deer antler quillons screwed into a copper sleeve which is set into the base of the wood handle.  The unique forked handle design is constructed of Central American katalox wood with the fork serving the purpose of a traditional pommel, keeping the wielder grip from sliding backwards along the handle.   The matching pommels on each branch of the fork are inset antler prongs surrounded by decorative brass rings. 

 Specifications:

Blade length- 12 inches

Overall length-21.25 inches

Grip length- 3.25 inches

Blade width at widest point- 1.75 inches

Guard width- 8.5 inches

Weight- 21.5 oz

Balance Point- where the blade meets the guard

Sheath Construction:

The Sheath is a dual sided dagger sheath that is hand stitched fully around the edges following the welt. Constructed of 4-5 oz. premium veg tan leather, the main body is stained mahogany. The decorative leather throat extends almost to the leather chape and both are stained black