Katana
The katana is the samurai's sword. It's a medium-length, slightly curved blade with no quillions (only a small, circular guard) and a hilt suitable for one-handed and two-handed use. The blade is sharpened only along one edge and at the tip, but it is sharpened to a razor's edge. It is forged with a special technique known only in the east, where layers of steel and iron are sandwiched, heated, folded, stretched, re-folded, stretched, re-folded, on and on until the blade consists of microscopically thin layers of alternating metals, providing strength, resilience, and the ability to hold a remarkable edge. This is why the katana has the excellent speed and damage listed for the weapon.
The katana requires its own weapon proficiency, which is related to the bastard sword/long blades group. Weapon Specialization confers the usual benefits.
Katanas are very personal; a samurai is dishonored if he loses his, and so very few are lost. This means that it is very hard to get one in the west, other than by taking it from its owner—a difficult task. In the east, a character might be willing to commission one from a Weaponsmith, for the listed price . . . if he gets a good reaction roll from the NPC. (An ordinary weaponsmith could not make one. The blade-making technique requires study in the east and the learning of a specialized individual weaponsmithing nonweapon proficiency.)
Also, a hero who does a favor or performs a mission for an eastern lord might be awarded a matched set of katana and Wakizashi, if he's very lucky; this would be a high honor.
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