A Comprehensive Request Thread for new Aetolian Items (starting with the best one!)

Tetchta

Greetings, fellow mortals! I am here to make a case for why Aetolia needs katanas. BIG OL FAT NOTE, HOWEVER: I am actually wholly in-favor of having an in-universe name for them. I actually think the argument for avoiding the word itself is pretty solid given the game's setting in general. This is solidly about why we need an entirely separate item type.

My argument for Katanas-In-Aetolia (KIA if you will) is simple: we don't have a good way to describe this type of weapon. Yes, we have curved swords already (scimitars and sabres), and we already have longswords, but these conditions are limited. Specifically, the appearance, the most-seen, and arguably the most important line for any crafted item, has a 50 character limit, and devoting this to lines that really sell the aesthetic of the crafted item is going to reduce crafting creativity. Examples:

• a single-edged, curved longsword (64% of the appearance character allocation)
  
• a thinly-forged scimitar (48% of the appearance character allocation)
  
• a sabre that's kinda not a sabre but is straightish but still curved (136% of the appearance character allocation!)
  

vs:

• a kituna (a mere 16% of the appearance allocation!)
  

I'm actually total butt at naming things (please do not name it a kituna) but that's the crux of my argument. A katana is a distinct weapon from a sabre, and while it is arguably comparable to a longsword, it really could serve as either its own item type, or as a reference for longswords, simply because it gives people a lot more freedom for customization and crafting.

That's my main argument, and honestly I think that alone is pretty compelling, but I'm sure others have better ones, or good ways to tell me why I'm wrong and stupid and a weeb, even though I've only watched, like, three animes.

EDIT: Made this thread more broad to be about items you'd like to see in Aetolia that are currently a huge pain in the rear to design. I think I made the solid case on why having specific names is good, so now it's time: come up with your own weapons and other items that have no Aetolian counterpart! Also please come up with a better name that kituna.

Bulrok

There isn't a 'why tf' reaction so I'm posting instead. 

Aloli

I dunno, kituna kinda sounds cool.

Maybe we can still pretend it's pronounced kitana if you've got a southern drawl?

Brax

Without necessarily touching "kitunas" yet (I keep reading it and putting way too much emphasis on the tuna part), this is a good place to highlight what Becue mentioned on approvers last night:

If you guys want to start a thread (or repurpose this one/maybe change the title? Your call) to come up with Aetolia-specific versions of things that make sense in-game but their names wouldn't, and there's a general sort of consensus that this Aetolia'd version of it is acceptable, she'll happily take them into consideration for creation.

EDIT: a kituna

Tetchta

"Kituna" is cursed, 100%, you are not wrong, and I will not apologize for it.

Edit: also yeah repurposing this thread for a general Weapons Request Thread is 100% my jam, edited the title to reflect that. Everyone give weapon types you'd like to see, and give name suggestions. Hopefully better than "kituna"

Lin

Loath as i am to admit it, the existence of Sterion does away with the "we have no Japanese analogue" argument

Straid

I keep saying "kituna" out loud and snickering. 
My thanks for that. 

Okay, this is admittedly a niche request based on story flavor, but I keep thinking that some form of wearable claws would be so cool. Maybe like gauntlets with claws protruding from the knuckles that become viable when a fist is made. Or actual claw-tipped fingers with reinforcement. 

As much as I love elegant weapons like the fabled kituna, I would totally show up for some weapons that are more primal in nature. 

Maybe it would be a bit redundant as an actual weapon, but even wearable gear for the sake of RP flavor would be cool as hell. 

Stine

Tetchta

Make it a Djeiri blade with a cool Djeiri name, boom done. The lore doesn't need to pre-exist! Just do it!

Phoenecia

Making a katana analogue wouldn't work with Djeir since Djeir (at least going by the names of NPCs) seems more Italian. Linking it to old Ashtan is probably the better way to go since an old Valentine's Day (the romantic dinner table) has sushi, which are called Ashtani rice rolls.

Sibatti

OK call it an ashtana. YOU'RE WELCOME, TETCHTA.

Benedicto

Why do we even have to give it a fancy name to disguise it from what it is? None of the current weapons available have been renamed to disguise their real world origins. That being said, if there's not the cultural lore for them to be suddenly introduced, I'm happy to wait until there is.

Tetchta

Honestly it's because that's the current praxis with introducing new items into Aetolia. Would "katana" bother me? Nope. But we seem to get pushback on some crafting names if they're vaguely not-European or are perceived as too-real-wordly for reasons that still confused me. (JUST CALL IT COFFEE DJDHWHHA). And a new name is likely the only way it'll actually happen.

Phoenecia said:

Making a katana analogue wouldn't work with Djeir since Djeir (at least going by the names of NPCs) seems more Italian. Linking it to old Ashtan is probably the better way to go since an old Valentine's Day (the romantic dinner table) has sushi, which are called Ashtani rice rolls.

I mean, I get this but there's no reason we have to lump all things into little real-world-adjacent compartments, especially since things being Too OOC is already an issue. Plus Djeiri are sexy and recently joined the playable races, giving a nice segue for lore introductions.

Archelaus

Yeah, I'd be fine with stuff like katanas just being added in without coming up with some new made-up word for it. I just find it confusing when things have an 'Aetolian' version. (Like kawhe instead of coffee, or Hyalincuru instead of origami). Just seems to make things needlessly complicated.

Also, how is scimitar or flyssa fine but katana isn't?

Xavin

Honestly, having racial associations with weapons would be pretty cool, especially if those races got a proficiency with the weapon for free or some sort of discount on learning them.

Safiya

Tacking on one of my own desires: 

Can we please introduce opalite as a crafting material to Aetolia? 

Opalite is a special man-made glass that is primarily blue but reflects colors of yellow, orange, pink, and occasionally green. Transparency ranges from cloudy (giving it more of a pale, milky color) to nearly transparent. 

It can be used to make cups, as focal points in jewelry, and even be chiseled like volcanic glass into small blades. 

My request is that it has a unique Aetolian name. I'd love to hear suggestions! 

Teani

Safiya said:

Tacking on one of my own desires: 

Can we please introduce opalite as a crafting material to Aetolia? 

Opalite is a special man-made glass that is primarily blue but reflects colors of yellow, orange, pink, and occasionally green. Transparency ranges from cloudy (giving it more of a pale, milky color) to nearly transparent. 

It can be used to make cups, as focal points in jewelry, and even be chiseled like volcanic glass into small blades. 

My request is that it has a unique Aetolian name. I'd love to hear suggestions! 

Mrenadh has always been connected to glass and crystals. Maybe they could come up with a new technique and name this after their home? Mrenite, maybe?

Safiya

@Teani: Yes! You're brilliant, I love it. Thank you.

Tetchta

Here's some other stuff. Since fullplate isn't a thing anymore for balance reasons, it's left some gaps that can't be filled if someone wants the aesthetic of a full suit of armor. Primarily, we're missing:

• Cuisses (go over the legs)
  
• Greaves (for ur shins)
  
• sabbatons (this one could probably be combined with greaves but watch the HEMA nerds get FROTHY at me suggesting it. They go over ur feet.)
  

Whether they belong in Tailoring like Gauntlets and Vambraces (as references for pants/boots) or in forging like Pauldrons is up to Someone Powerful, but I feel really silly having to write out things like "armored pants" or "metal-reinforced pants" or even "plate pants." Feels silly, and with the reference/identity having to be in the description, there's no way to really make it better.

Qelres

I would like to request chatelaines! They feel very Djeirani to me. Maybe call them something like nirialaines, after the niniria flower. They could be thought to look similar.