Contributors: Please feel free to add items to this page or edit if needed. It has been created mainly for Japanese/Chinese language reference, as Silverstari is being based on these. Anything that looks useful or interesting is fair game, even if it's never used! It might be cool just to give people ideas in the future. :) That said, everything in here is treated as OOC (for now), so no need to try and make it mesh with the gameworld; references to Japan or Edo periods are fine. However, if a particular item/term is used ingame and has an IC history, this should be included or noted in the description (think both an IC description and a separate OOC one).
If you are taking information from other sources, please include the reference in your page.
See Daisho for an example.
Finally, please try to keep things in appropriate sections and alphabetical order :)
Armour
Jingasa - A military hat that even townsmen, craftsman and farmers were permitted to wear.
Kabuto - The traditional helmet worn by a samurai.
Menpo - Armoured half-mask, often depicting the face of an animal or daemon for intimidation purposes.
Nodowa - A separate throat protection, an iron neck ring in U-form.
Odoshi - The lacing and cords on armour.
Sashimono - A small banner affixed to the back of a warrior's armour on an inverted L frame.
Yoroi - Armour.
Arms and Accoutrements
Bokuto - A wooden variant of weapon for training purposes.
Daisho - The traditional weapons of a samurai: katana and wakizashi.
Dao - A class of single edged bladed weapons.
Guan Dao - A curved blade mounted atop a pole.
Fukiya - Blowgun.
Kama - Traditional farming implements similar to a sickle used for reaping crops and also employed as a weapon.
Katana - Companion sword to the shorter wakizashi. See also daisho.
Kunai - A tool used for gardening or masonry, but which can also be employed as a weapon.
Kusarigama - Chain sickle.
Nagamaki - A long sword with a 2–4 foot blade and a 2–3 foot Tsuka.
Naginata - A pole weapon, comprising a wood shaft with a curved blade on the end.
Nodachi - A large two-handed sword.
Ono - Axe or hatchet.
Sageo - The cord that attaches scabbard (saya) to belt (obi).
Sai - A pointed rod-shaped baton, with two long, unsharpened projections (called yoku) attached to the handle.
Saya - Scabbard for a sword or knife, usually made of lightweight lacquered wood.
Shobo - A wooden hand weapon for striking pressure points, used by ninja.
Shuanggou - Hook sword, usually paired.
Shuriken - A concealed weapon that was generally for stabbing or slashing, sometimes for throwing.
Tantō - Generic term for a short blade.
Tessen - A war fan, which could be used for protection or as a weapon. Samurai could take a tessen where overt weapons were not allowed.
Tetsubo - A heavy oak staff with a studded, metal-shod end. Also called a Kanabō.
Tsuba - The guard found on some bladed weapons. Comparable to a crosshilt.
Tsuka - The wrapped handle of certain bladed weapons (like a katana).
Uchiwa - A large iron fan carried by high-ranking officers, used for protection and signalling purposes.
Wakizashi - Companion sword to the longer katana. See also daisho.
Ya - Arrow (for a yumi (bow)).
Yari - Typically a straight-headed spear, though other forms are given an additional prefix (eg. magari yari - curved spear almost resembling a trident).
Yumi - A bow of asymmetric shape.
Clothing
Geta - Elevated and thonged sandals.
Hachimaki - A headband or helmet scarf.
Hakama - Pants that tie at the waist and are worn over the kimono.
Kanzashi - Hair ornaments.
Kimono - A T-shaped, straight-lined robes that falls to the ankles, with collars and wide full-length sleeves.
Obi - Belt or sash.
Samue - Work attire for monks.
Tabi - Footwear.
Waraji - Sandals made from straw rope.
Zori - Flat and thonged sandals.
Concepts, Codes, Arts and Skills
Bushido - The "Way of the Warrior", a code of conduct to which the samurai adhere.
Dō - The "Way'.
Giri - Duty and obligation.
Iaijutsu - The skill of mental presence and immediate reaction, also known as the art of drawing the sword or iaidō.
Kadō - The "Way of Flowers".
Kenjutsu - The skill of the katana.
Kiri sute gomen - "Authorisation to cut". The right of a samurai to strike at anyone of a lower class who compromises their honour.
Kōdō - The "Way of Fragrance".
Kyujutsu - The skill of the bow.
Mushin No Shin - Mind of no mind.
Ninjō - Human emotion.
Nitōjutsu - The skill of dual sword fighting.
Shinōkōshō - The four divisions of society: gentry, farmers, artisans and merchants.
Shodō - The "way of writing". Calligraphy.
Taihenjutsu - The skill of "body change" or momentum.
Tameshigiri - The art of test cutting to determine the quality of a sword.
Tantōjutsu - The "skill of the knife", which can relate to several forms of dagger fighting.
Creatures (animals, monsters, spirits)
Fugu - Pufferfish. Deadly poison or delicious dish?
Kami - A spirit, but also often seen as a god or deity.
Oni - The Silverstari term for daemon, of which there are a multitude of varieties, but usually referring to those that originate from the Shadowlands.
Food and Drink
Fugu - Pufferfish. Deadly poison or delicious dish?
Ocha - Tea, of which there are several varieties.
Okayu - Rice porridge.
Sake - An alcoholic beverage made from rice.
Umeshu - Plum wine.
Zōni - A soup containing mochi rice cakes.
Jobs, Rank and Titles
Ashigaru - Foot soldiers. Usually trained conscripts.
Bushi - Warrior. The military samurai caste.
Daimyo - A powerful territorial lord.
Emperor - The supreme ruler of the Empire of the Silver Stars. The Emperor is also considered a god.
Eta - Peasants whose daily tasks make them 'unclean'. Untouchables.
Gaijin - Outsider or foreigner (not necessarily non-Silverstari).
Geisha - A professional female entertainer.
Ninja - A warrior specially trained in a variety of unorthodox arts of war. These include assassination, espionage, and other martial arts.
Samurai - A Silverstari noble.
Sensei - A title of respect for teachers or professionals of various arts.
Shugenja - A caster who draws upon spirits and the elements for their power.
Ronin - A samurai with no lord or master.
Myths and Symbols
Yin & Yang - Also referred to as "tai chi". Yin and yang are the negative and positive principles of the universal life.
Other
Biwa - A short-necked fretted lute.
Dōjō - A "place of the way".
Gunsen - A lightweight but strong folding fan used by average warriors to cool themselves off.
Fue - Woodwind instrument similar to a flute.
Hashi - Chopsticks.
Jigoku - Hell.
Joss Stick - A type of incense, traditionally burned for religious purposes.
Karesansui - Rock gardens.
Koku - Silverstari currency.
Koto - A stringed instrument that lies across the floor.
Kowtow - A display of the highest display of reverence.
Mon - Mon may refer to any symbol, while kamon and mondokoro refer specifically to family symbols.
Qiuxing - Cricket fighting.
Saihai - A tasseled signalling fan used by a commander to signal troop movements.
Taiko - A drum.
Tatami - A traditional type of flooring among the wealthy.
Tengoku - Heaven.
Tōrō - A lamp or lantern, of which there are several varieties.
Ukiyo - Woodcuts.
Rituals and Traditions
Chanoyu - Tea ceremony.
Gempukku - A rite of passage, from child to adult.
Kanshi - Similar to seppuku, but done in protest for the actions or decisions of one's lord.
Seppuku - Ritual suicide by disembowelment, usually for the restoration of honour but also as capital punishment for disgraced samurai.
