Duh, I never said someone gave katanas undeserved praise, I only warned against doing so, thinking it ought to happen sooner or later.

Jesuel, if that comment was tongue-in-cheek, clarify it was. Because it sure as hell didn't look like one.

I am convinced that the katana came from the magical backpack of Trader Bob!!! What magical backpack you ask? (probe bob) Well he has it I tells yas!!! Azman IC, would like to snoop around and find this magical backpack but Trader Bob would probably give the meek elfen a sound whooping. Epp.

*chuckle* But seriously if I remember correctly in 'Bushido - The soul of Japan' by Inazo Nitobe, it mentions I remember, where the bodies of executed criminals were used as the test for japanese swordsmiths and their work. To be able to cut cleanly flesh, blood and bone in a single stroke does demand an expected level of quality to the katana. But as always, a weapon's worth is measured by the wielder. A weapon by whatever name, by whatever shape or form, physical or intangible, as long as it is effective in its application and is effectively applied, then it is a good weapon.

*chuckle* What was that saying in chinese philosophy (taoist?) on swordplay... I think it was - "The swordsman is he who carries no sword". (too lao tzu for me. *chuckle*)

Anyway, I strongly encourage anyone curious about rping a character along bushido lines, to take a read see in 'Bushido - The soul of Japan' by Inazo Nitobe. Published in 1905, it was an effort to allow the West to understand the culture of the then newly opened country. I enjoyed myself and learnt alot reading the book again and again some years back. I love how Inazo Nitobe ended the book by using the words of another. The lines were I think... it was in rhyme...

"The traveler owns the grateful sense,
Of sweetness near, he knows not whence,
And pausing, takes with forehead bare,
The benediction of the air."

*chuckle* I knew I wrote it down somewhere. *rummages his old notebooks*

But of course, whenever I hear the word, 'katana', these words ever recites back;

Summer grass,
All that remains,
Of a warrior's dreams

*sighs smiling* It is always nice day dreaming of Old Japan. Anyway, Weeeee!

that sticks you as a rogue

Katanas were put in place by Estarra to give us a crossover audience with Japan fanboys, just like furrikin exist to give us a crossover audience with furries, and Glomdoring exists to give us a crossover audience with emo kids.

Hehe. Actually, katanas are usually refered to as 'uber sharp and true and stuff' because the Japanese learned how to make high-quality steel much earlier, they learned to curve the blade for more sharpness earlier, and they had more professional and skilled craftsmen, in general. Thus, a 14th-century katana is roughly equivalent to a 16th-century English cavalry sabre. Moor, and consequently Spanish/Portuguese steel was almost as high-quality as katana steel, but the Europeans, unlike the moors, prefered double-edged straight blades, which take less skill and are easier to make, but not quite as obscenely sharp as curved, single-edged scimitars and katanas used by the Moorish and Japanese.

EDIT: Is Jesuel a 12-year-old?

Regardless of their qualities, I find it extremely curious that we have katanas, and yet I had a "kimono dress" rejected on the grounds that an Oriental reference was unsuitable for Lusternia's theme.

I think it's simply that katanas fill a particular niche in swordmaking, and there isn't a Western word to talk about them.

Just don't call it a kimono then, but make it look like a kimono.

Did on the edit.

It just gets very frustrating that we have this supposedly inviolable theme that isn't.

I'd like to at least have a master list somewhere of things that have been approved and things that have been overruled.

They could have just made up a name for them like they did for the klangaxe. Name it the shanthsword or something equally unique (Yes I know shanthsword sounds stupid but I'm too lazy to make a cool name for it).

The dracnablade

Did the dracarni have a vernal?

Tza was either Dracnari or Lucidian.

We could call it the Tzazuki blade.

Xyl was Lucidian. So we should make the Xylbot5000 fully armed wieldable robot with rocket launchers.

No he wasn't, he fragmented into Lucidians. There is a difference, he was an Elder God not a Vernal God.

Woops, still I would like a robot weapon, I really do need to read up on the gods history, where can I find that stuff?

Go to the main site and look under the Library section. Everything from Cosmogenesis and below is history.

EDIT: The History of the Elder Wars hasn't been fully released yet so it isn't there. I wish they would update the site with what has been released though.

You can take it out in the libraries.

Isn't it written in Divine though?

Theres a translated version, isnt there? I remember there being one.

Well I know two people had translated versions but I don't think they were actually up to date.