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Katana

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The katana (pronounced: /kɑːtɑːnɑː/ kah-tah-nah[10]) was a type of sword used in some lands of Kara-Tur. Thanks to its normally exceptional design and craftsmanship, the katana was renowned as one of the best-quality non-magical swords around,[1][3][4][6][7][11] combining grace, design, efficiency, and sharpness.[12][13]

Description[]

Corth-with-background

The guard, hilt, and pommel of the Corthala Family Blade.

A medium-length sword, the blade of the katana was slightly curved, with a single-edge on the outside of the curve and tipped with a sharp chisel point. With quality metal and forging, the blade could be ground until it was sharp as a razor. Properly crafted, the blade had both flexibility and strength while being light and well balanced. Its total length was around 3 feet (0.91 meters)[1][3][4] and it weighed 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms).[2][6][7] The hilt was long enough for either a one-handed or two-handed grip and had a small, circular guard, with no quillons or other protections.[3]

Moreover, patterns, prayers, or lineages of one's family might be etched on the blade, with additional adornment added to the guard, hilt and scabbard alike, making the whole weapon quite beautiful.[1][4]

Tactics[]

Being a rather large weapon, a katana had to be wielded two-handed by humans and others of their size. Special training (or giant size) was required to wielded it one-handed.[3][6][7]

Some samurai even wielded their katana and wakizashi together in a two-weapon fighting style, with one in each hand.[14][15]

In a technique called iaijutsu, samurai could learn to draw a katana or wakizashi and slash at an enemy all in a single smooth action.[15]

Manufacture & Cost[]

Celestial Fury

The katana known as Celestial Fury being presented.

The skills required to craft a katana were rare and prized,[1][3][4] more an art than a science, and the necessary steps were a secret known only to their makers.[11] The technique involved sandwiching layers of iron and steel, heating them, and folding and stretching them again and again. Thus, the finished blade was composed of countless microscopic layers of alternating metals giving it both strength and resilience.[3] A weaponsmith spent many hours in the work and took special care in forging the blade and ensuring it had the proper temper, and in assembling the complete weapon.[1][4] The whole process could take a month. If it was a weapon of quality, it took an extra two months in finishing, after which it was taken to a temple for the priests there to give it a name.[16] Some notable swordsmiths who made katanas were the mystic Chigatta,[17][18] Hiroyasu Ohta of Wa,[19] and Master Hu Li.[12][13]

A katana's value varied widely, according to the craftsmanship, artistry, and the history and significance of the individual sword.[1][4] The cost could be as low as 50 gp for an average sword including scabbard[1] to 100 gp[2][3][4] to as much as 300 or 400 gp for a masterwork example.[7][19]

Variants[]

The boku-toh or bokken was a wooden imitation katana used for training purposes, simulating weight and shape. It had a safer blunt edge, but was a decent bludgeoning weapon if swung hard enough, but was wielded as a sword in all respects.[1][20] It cost 6 yuan.[1]

Reputation[]

The katana was a significant part of many cultures in Kara-Tur.[11] A samurai warrior was obliged to be skilled in the katana.[6][15][21][22] To a samurai, their personal katana was no simple sword, but aspect of the honor of both themselves and their family. It could be used no-one else; to unsheathe it or even just touch the scabbard without permission might be seen an insult.[1][4][6][11] Nearly as valued was a samurai's wakizashi; the two were typically carried as a pair called a daisho (pronounced: /daɪʃaʊ/ digh-show[23]), meaning "long and short". Together, these marked a samurai's status, and it could be a crime for non-samurai to carry a daisho.[6][14][24][25]

Individual katanas typically had their own distinct names, based on any illustrious battles they had been wielded in.[1][4][6]

A particular katana could be a cherished family heirloom, passed down through the generations. If it was lost, family members might quest to recover it and castigate the culprits to alleviate their own shame. A number of samurai even died to retrieve the katana of their family.[1][3][4]

The katana was known as the finest sword ever made to the peoples of the Western Heartlands.[26]

History[]

The design of the katana evolved steadily over time from more ordinary swords, particularly the longsword.[1][27]

Lands[]

The custom of samurai wielding the daisho of katana and wakizashi was unique to the lands of Wa and Kozakura in Kara-Tur.[28] The swords—wielded separately—were common in the hands of other warriors, monsters, and supernatural beings in these lands[29][30][31][32][33] and also used in Shou Lung.[34][35] However, it was very rare for foreigners to possess them; they were believed to be honored gifts from important friends, or to have been taken by theft or looting.[3][11]

However, the swords had spread as far as Faerûn in the mid–14th century DR, such as in the hands of Shou expatriates and other Kara-Turans traveling the Golden Way through Thesk,[36][37] wielded by the Bushido mercenaries in Chessenta,[38] or by various misadventures (with several katanas known as Master Li's Way coming from a ship that ran aground on the Sword Coast[12][13] and Darkened Glory from a caravan attacked by yuan-ti[39]) or unknown means. Local versions were even produced (such as the katana of the North[12]). Thus mundane and unique katanas could be found up and down the Sword Coast and in the North by the 1360s and 70s DR.[11][12][13][39] The Corthala family of Amn had their own family heirloom katana.[11] Even Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Lytherraias, a drow cleric of Eilistraee, wielded a katana while on Evermeet.[40]

The art of making katanas was also known on Abeir, as they were one of the traditional weapons of the dragonborn.[41][note 3]

Magic[]

Magic katana

An enchanted acid-etched silk-handled katana.

Believed to be an almost-perfect weapon already, it was very difficult to enchant a katana as a magical weapon. To do so often needed a great sacrifice; for example, a samurai who lay dying could plead with a wu jen to infuse their warrior spirit with that of their sword.[11] Seeing death as the ultimate challenge to overcome, such great warriors chose to sacrifice their bodies and live on in their ancestral swords. The greater their prowess and their nobility, the more potent the sword would be. One supreme example was known as the Sword Saint Legacy.[12] One who would wield such a katana must then honor the customs of the samurai, or else their fortunes would turn against them.[11]

A katana (or longsword) of a certain value must be shattered on a stone as a material component for the spell sword of darkness to be cast.[42][43][44][45]

Notable Katanas[]

See also Category:Katanas
  • Celestial Fury, crafted by the mystic Chigatta and bearing the soul of a dragon
  • Celestial Fury, a sword of Shou Lung bearing the soul of a celestial
  • The Lost Sword, the last work of master Wanese swordsmith Hiroyasu Ohta
  • Shichi's katana, sword of the monk Shichi No Ken[46]
  • Harmony Sword, heirloom of the Tanomitsu family[47]
  • Crimson Katana, the prized weapon of General Ito Tadashiro[48]
  • Lightning-Stroke Blade, the lost sword of Hidegari Iegusa of Wa [49]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ In 3rd edition, the katana is treated as a more expensive masterword bastard sword, but is given its own identical statistics, which are shown here.
  2. ↑ In 5th edition, the katana is treated as a longsword. The statistics of a longsword are shown here for completeness, but should not be considered comparable to those of previous editions.
  3. ↑ Katanas are mentioned as one of the traditional weapons of dragonborn culture in Wizards Presents: Races and Classes, which means they must have existed in dragonborn culture since before the Spellplague transported them to Toril.

External Links[]

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon.

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), pp. 39, 41, 42, 46. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Douglas Niles (1995). Player's Option: Skills & Powers. (TSR, Inc), p. 130. ISBN 0-7869-0149-7.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Aaron Allston (1989). The Complete Fighter's Handbook. (TSR), pp. 95, 101, 119. ISBN 978-0880387798.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), pp. 65, 67. ISBN 0786901594.
  5. ↑ Grant Boucher, Troy Christensen, Jon Pickens, John Terra and Scott Davis (1991). Arms and Equipment Guide. (TSR, Inc.), p. 13. ISBN 1-56076-109-1.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 71, 72, 74. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 144, 145. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
  8. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 978-0786965622.
  9. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  10. ↑ James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 250. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 BioWare (June 2002). Designed by Brent Knowles, James Ohlen. Neverwinter Nights. Atari.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Obsidian Entertainment (October 2006). Designed by Ferret Baudoin, J.E. Sawyer. Neverwinter Nights 2. Atari.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Aaron Allston (1989). The Complete Fighter's Handbook. (TSR), p. 102. ISBN 978-0880387798.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Andy Collins, David Noonan, Ed Stark (November 2003). Complete Warrior. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 8–10. ISBN ISBN 0-7869-2880-8.
  16. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  17. ↑ Chris Hind (May 1992). “Bazaar of the Bizarre: Two items of power from the land of Kara-Tur”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #181 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 30, 32.
  18. ↑ slade et al (November 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume IV. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1349–1350. ISBN 0-7869-0289-2.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Nigel Findley (1990). Ninja Wars. (TSR, Inc), p. 56. ISBN 0-8803-8895-1.
  20. ↑ Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 66. ISBN 0786901594.
  21. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), pp. 21, 22. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  22. ↑ Aaron Allston (1989). The Complete Fighter's Handbook. (TSR), p. 31. ISBN 978-0880387798.
  23. ↑ James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 249. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
  24. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 48. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  25. ↑ Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 74. ISBN 0786901594.
  26. ↑ Erik Scott de Bie (May 2005). “The Hunting Game”. In Philip Athans ed. Realms of the Dragons II (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 978-0-7869-3808-7.
  27. ↑ Aaron Allston (1995). The Complete Ninja's Handbook. Edited by Barbara G. Young. (TSR, Inc), p. 69. ISBN 0786901594.
  28. ↑ Eytan Bernstein (2007-05-09). Eastern Classes. Class Chronicles. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved on 2016-05-21.
  29. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1986). Swords of the Daimyo. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-273-2.
  30. ↑ Jon Pickens, et al. (December 1986). Night of the Seven Swords. Edited by Karen S. Martin. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-327-5.
  31. ↑ David "Zeb" Cook (1987). Blood of the Yakuza. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-401-8.
  32. ↑ Rick Swan (1990). Test of the Samurai. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-775-0.
  33. ↑ Nigel Findley (1990). Ninja Wars. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-8803-8895-1.
  34. ↑ Jeff Grubb (1987). Ochimo: The Spirit Warrior. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-393-3.
  35. ↑ Curtis Smith, Rick Swan (May 1990). Ronin Challenge. Edited by Jon Pickens, Steve Winter. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 0-88038-749-1.
  36. ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  37. ↑ Richard Baker, Matt Forbeck, Sean K. Reynolds (May 2003). Unapproachable East. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 41. ISBN 0-7869-2881-6.
  38. ↑ Tim Beach (1992). Gold & Glory. (TSR, Inc), p. 24. ISBN 1-56076-334-5.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 Beamdog (October 2014). Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition. Beamdog.
  40. ↑ Anne Gray McCready et al. (March 1994). Elves of Evermeet. (TSR, Inc), p. 96. ISBN 1-5607-6829-0.
  41. ↑ Michele Carter ed. (December 18, 2007). Wizards Presents: Races and Classes. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 26. ISBN 978-0-7869-4801-7.
  42. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 92. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  43. ↑ Mark Middleton et al (September 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Four. (TSR, Inc), p. 911. ISBN 978-0786912094.
  44. ↑ James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 116. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
  45. ↑ Richard Baker (November 2004). Complete Arcane. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 126. ISBN 0-7869-3435-2.
  46. ↑ slade et al (November 1995). Encyclopedia Magica Volume IV. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 1393–1394. ISBN 0-7869-0289-2.
  47. ↑ Deborah Christian (December 1988). “Oriental Spectres”. In Scott Martin Bowles ed. Lords of Darkness (TSR, Inc.), p. 65. ISBN 0-88038-622-3.
  48. ↑ Jon Pickens, et al. (December 1986). Night of the Seven Swords. Edited by Karen S. Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 14. ISBN 0-88038-327-5.
  49. ↑ Mike Pondsmith, Jay Batista, Rick Swan, John Nephew, Deborah Christian (1988). Kara-Tur: The Eastern Realms (Volume II). (TSR, Inc), p. 134. ISBN 0-88038-608-8.
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