You ask the Armorer why you have to declare a proficiency, or train
in a single weapon type.
     The Armorer, an ex-weaponsmaster looks askance at you.
     "You really don't know?" he asks. The look on his face indicates
that he thinks there's a definite possibility that you're pulling his leg,
and his expression says plainly that you will come to no good if you are
merely wasting his time.
     When you shake your head, he raises an eyebrow in wonderment, as if
amazed at the lack of education apparent in today's youth (little does he
know you can't even find the United States on a map of the world, either, but
that's neither here nor there). But his attitude changes when he sees that
you indeed do not know why one should declare a weapon proficiency, or take
the time to find a master to train you in your chosen type of weapon. That
you seem to want to learn from him almost brings a little cheer into his hard
gray eyes.

     "Once, long ago," he begins, "even before my time, weapons were much
simpler than they are now. In fact, there was probably a day when someone
thought he'd achieved the pinnacle of modernization when he stuck a spike
in the end of his club, so he could make holes in the other guy instead of
merely pounding him to a pulp.
       "But those days are long gone, and the art and science of combat has
been refined beyond anything ever imagined by our ancestral warriors.
Nowadays, weapons have specialized to the point where only a fool would
think he could just pick one up and fight with any degree of skill with it.
Swords meant to be wielded with one hand are used differently that those
that require two hands. And axes are wielded differently than swords and
maces. And flails require different strategies than any of the other
weapons. Likewise, any fool can pick up a polearm and start swinging it
around, or thrusting with it, but that person will not long survive if he
hasn't properly learned how to wield his weapon, or what the capabilities
and limitations are!
    "There are other advantages to developing skill with a particular
weapon," he continues. "Aside from the fact that knowing your weapon like
a lover will help you to hit the other guy better, and maybe even keep his
weapon from hitting you, if you get good enough. You may also learn to do
things with your weapon that will someday save your life -- or facilitate
taking another's. I've known people who were so skilled with a weapon, for
instance, that they could disarm an opponent with a flick of their wrist.
And I've known weaponsmasters who could tell you exactly where they were
going to place their attack--and then do it just like they said, sometimes
even lopping off their enemy's arm, or leg... or head.
    Knowing how to use a specific weapon is crucial in the special combat
environments, too. Many weapons are less effective in some environments than
they are in others. However, the Warrior who has truly mastered his weapon
will find that he can make a weapon "work" in environments that would see a
lesser trained Warrior reduced to ineffectiveness.
     The Armorer takes a deep breath and suddenly becomes aware of the
time.
     "Now get out of here," he says, "I've got work to do. Come back when
you know what you're about."