The billhook was an important symbol in the Ochebana Empire. It was often used by the lower classes, primarily independent rural villages, as a symbol for freedom with a violent connotation.

History

Origins

During the early years of the Ochebana Empire, the Swordswingers trained and utilized a large semi-professional army. It was drawn from the state's peasant population, and because of a general shortage of metals, many of the soldiers who also worked as farmers just strapped their billhook tools onto long poles and used these as weapons. Thus, the large peasant brigades of the imperial army used billhooks when fighting. The tool also became important in troop heraldry, featuring on many regimental banners.

Early Symbolism

Over time, as the army grew more centralized and fully professionalized, peasant soldiers fell out of use. Many were decommissioned and forbidden to wield weapons. They were allowed to keep their billhooks, however, because of their use as a farming tool. Thus, the weapon quickly became a symbol for peasant power and fighting ability as a legacy of the past. Whenever farmers needed to defend their village, or when they were drawn into the army out of necessity, they proudly wielded their billhooks as their weapon of choice.

Revolutionary Symbolism, 400 b. OW

The situation for the peasants declined in the empire, as their living conditions grew worse and their status also degraded. Many faced violent treatment from the army. Additionally, the frontier villages grew more endangered by bandits, prowling monsters or beasts, and savage races. Full village militias were formed and they used billhooks, often even to defend themselves against loitering soldiers. The weapon became a symbol not only of strength, but also of freedom.

Freemen Movement, 352 - 295 b. OW

The Freemen Movement was an insurgent alliance of peasants in the Ochebana Empire. Its main rallying symbol was Freeman, an ideal free farmer who wielded a billhook and led the revolution to victory. The common representation of the billhook as his weapon, as well as the use of the weapon to symbolize him and the concepts he stood for, ingrained the meaning of freedom into the symbol, especially for the rural noble slaves.