Morning Star - Mace or Flail?

Historically speaking there seems to be someaspergillum used by the church to sprinkle parishioners
confusion as to whether a morning star is a mace,with holy water, and "goedendag" or "good day".
defined as "a strong, heavy wooden, metal-reinforced,In modern times the term morning star is mostly used
or metal shaft, with a head made of stone, copper,in fantasy role playing games, which is where one
bronze, iron or steel" or a flail, defined as "a medievalwould most likely encounter the weapon outside of a
weapon made of one (or more) weights attached to amuseum or weapon shop. In the games, a morning
handle with a hinge or chain." Now, usually we considerstar is a flail, or at the least a combination of a mace
a morning star to be combination of a mace and a flail.and flail. Also, this weapon is used by the priests and
The weapon is constructed of at least one ball whichclerics more than by any warrior class in a role playing
is attached to a haft by a metal chain. However, theregame. Odd isn't it that a weapon removed from
may be more than one ball and chain utilized. Thustournaments due to its lethal damage is somewhat
causing the problem in the nomenclature.restricted to the priests who can only do "bludgeoning"
Some examples of a morning star show them beingdamage.
pole arms - over 6 feet long. Others have them asIt would seem that there is no strict definition of which
side arms, to be wielded by one hand while the otherweapon the morning star actually is and that it would
hand employed the use of a shield. Again, the problemfall to the owner of the weapon as to which he
with the name. Oddly enough morning stars have otherprefers. Is it a mace? Yes. Is it a flail? Yes. What is it
names as well, being called "holy water sprinklers" duebest known as? Maybe the holy water sprinkler, or
to the fact that they somewhat resemble themaybe just the morning star.