From the publisher: Welcome to the latest installment of our 'Adventurer Essentials' line of products! As always we take one classic, workhorse, item common among adventurers everywhere and expands and explores the item. Not everyone carries the rugged hand and a half sword but you can be darned sure the warriors in the party have laid hands on one during their careers if they haven't got one currently strapped on. The Bastard Sword Also known as the hand and a half sword, the bastard sword is the generic name for a large number of straight bladed European swords used with either one hand or two. They were used in virtually all Western European countries after 1000 AD, up until well into the 1500s. The bastard sword is the 'bastard' version of a long sword and two-handed sword, using properties of both.