Category:Katana

KATANA (long blade)
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Weight: ~3 kg
Rank(s): 1st row

        This single-edged, slightly curved sword ends in a chisel point.
It is perhaps one of the finest types of sword made, noted for its 
superior construction and design. Great care is taken in making the
katana, and the forging and construction of it is considered a rare
and valuable art. The weaponsmith must labor long hours to achieve
the correct temper of the blade. When correctly made, the blade is
light, well-balanced, strong, flexible and resilient. The quality
of the metal and forging allows the blade to be ground to a razor-
sharp edge. In addition, such blades are often beautifully decorated
with etched designs, prayers, or family lineages. Equal attention
is given to the hilt, guard, and scabbard of the weapon. Katanas
may have individual names, reflecting deeds of glory in which they 
have been used.
        For the samurai, the katana is more than just a sword.
It is part of his honor and the honor of his family. It is his
personal weapon, not to be used by others. To touch the scabbard
of the sheathed katana is to insult the samurai. To draw the blade
without permission is a graver insult. A single katana may have been
in the same family for generations, becoming a treasured heirloom.
To lose such a weapon is a shameful disgrace that can be swept clean
only by the recovery of the weapon and the punishment of those 
who have taken it. Many samurai have given their lives to recover
a family weapon.

Some skill(s) usable with the weapon:
  Decapitate, long blades and slash.

See also:
  2h sword, bastard sword, claymore, falchion, longsword,
  no-dachi and shovel.