The W'tsai was a one-handed bladed weapon utilized by the Kzin as their melee weapon of choice. Although Kzin Heroes preferred to kill with their own teeth and claws when possible, each still carried a w'tsai, usually in a hide-bound sheath, for emergencies and situations where claws would not suffice.
Description[]
Roughly resembling the Roman Gladius in shape, the average w'tsai was three to four feet in length. While this may seem long for a knife, when compared with the larger frame of the average Hero, the w'tsai was actually more of a counterpart to the human Bowie knife.[1] A Hero's w'tsai seem to have typically scaled to the size of the Hero himself, with larger Kzin carrying the largest knives. Heroes took great pride in their weapons, and every w'tsai was kept ready for use at a moment's notice. The edge of a w'tsai is nearly monomolecular, granting the blade the ability to slice easily through most materials.[2]
Similar Weapons[]
While the w'tsai was the most common bladed weapon used by the Kzin Heroes, there were recorded instances of Heroes utilizing other types of blades in certain circumstances. One example of this was the pirate Kzinti who participated in the search for the Treasure Planet. In lieu of or sometimes in combination with w'tsai these Kzinti were known to use Kzin-sized cutlasses as a sidearm.[3]
References:[]
- ↑ Singer-of-Truth - Martin L Shoemaker (Man-Kzin Wars XV)
- ↑ Three At Table - Hal Colebatch (Man-Kzin Wars XI)
- ↑ Treasure Planet - Hal Colebatch & Jessica Q Fox