A LETTER FROM MAN-AT-ARMS

I bear the title Master Of Weapons proudly, for it was King Randor himself who bestowed it upon me. However, after many years of practising my art and fighting against countless enemies, I now see the irony held within those words. For the true master of weapons is he who never raises a sword in anger, or looses an arrow with the intent to do harm. The warrior on the battlefield is not the true enemy - the enemy is war itself. To avoid conflict by means of reason and negotiation is a greater skill than swinging a sword or club. Alas, such is the landscape of Eternia that these skills are lost to us, or perhaps our enemies are beyond reason. It is for such events that all warriors must prepare themselves, remembering the words of the Sorceress, "we all fight to protect or to profit." We all possess a desire for survival, and to defend ourselves and those we cherish is why we sometimes draw blood.

The abilities and tactics of our foes are obstacles to the harmonious life of which we dream. And thus we must face the nightmare, and be prepared against all manner of plots and weaponry. The purpose of this letter is not to discuss how the enemies might be defeated - only practice and hard work on the training ground will achieve that aim - rather it is to reveal the weaponry that may be used against us.

Various bladed weapons are used on Eternia. These may be finely crafted axes and swords, or simply farming tools or workshop implements. With the exception of those which may be thrown, these weapons require close contact. Never forget that an enemy who is prepared to engage in close-quarters combat is either foolish or confident that victory is his. You must be prepared to watch death steal the souls of those who fall to your blade.

There are many great exponents of swordcraft on Eternia, and though there are few whose skills match those of He-Man, some warriors such as Tri-Klops have a talent that is fearsome to behold. Each design of sword requires adaptations of technique, both from the perspective of he who wields the weapon and he who defends against it.

Not all weaponry needs to be used at close-quarters. The Evil Horde has taken to using crossbows, which are perhaps the ultimate weapons of ambush. It is difficult to defend against this weapon, and extreme vigilance is required. And so we learn of another skill essential to the Eternian soldier - that of intuition. One must learn how to recognise the trap before it is too late.

As deadly as crossbows are the laser blasters that a handful of warriors possess. This is a powerful technology that is both expensive and rare. The weapons emit a blast of stored energy like a focused lightning strike. The disadvantage of blasters is that they need time to recharge, which makes it foolish to rely solely on these weapons.

Even rarer than blasters are perhaps the most deadly and terrifying weapons of all. They may be varied in design and purpose, but it is the weapons that harness magic that are without doubt the hardest to defend against. Fortunately there are few who own such implements - Skeletor's Havoc Staff is perhaps the most destructive. Yet to use such a weapon drains the energy of its wielder, for the weapons cannot create energy from nothing.

The matter of weaponry is complicated, and one must continually adapt to new threats and study new techniques. As more inventions are created, one must be prepared to expand one's abilities. Yet ultimately, when all the weapons have fallen and the two adversaries engage in hand to hand combat, the true prowess of the warrior is revealed.