Cudgel

Short heavy-headed bludgeon for close-quarters; sell-sword's preference.

A short, thick-headed bludgeon, often weighted with lead or iron bands driven into its wooden core, the cudgel is favored for close-quarters fighting. Shorter and heavier than a club, it trades reach for concentrated force, and fits easily in a clenched fist or at the belt. Common in the hands of sell-swords, tavern-brawlers, and men who prefer no pretense of civility.