by The Kingpin » Wed Apr 28, 2010 1:23 am 
			
			speaking of Katanas. my friend's older brother is going to visit Japan this summer, and has planned to have a genuine, traditionally made Katana done for him, by hand, by a professional swordsmith. apparently, among the things done with traditional katanas is the owner's name is ingraved into the blade's base within the hilt. story goes that if a warrior dies with his sword in hand, and his face is mangled beyond identification, they'd open up the sword's hilt and find out who he was, then inform the family, give the body a burial and put the sword on display at home as a tribute to the hero.
another thing goes that, with this particular swordsmith, once the sword is complete, they call you to witness a kind of christening for the sword. a demonstration to you to prove quality. they drop a single sheet of silk over the blade. if the sword's done to standard, the sheet will slice in half on impact with the blade. if not, they make an entirely new blade for you, free of charge...
			"Ah yes, organised chaos. the sign of a clever but ever-busy mind. To the perpetrator, a carefully woven web of belongings and intrigue, but to the bystander? Madness!"
    –William Beckett, Lore of Leyuna RPG