12th century is a rough guide, when do you suggest it takes place.? I observed the setting and decided it was the appropiate time for the game. Things such as architecture are entirely up to the artist, but if we add it up 12th century sounds pretty realistic. So do you decide the game takes place at a certain time in history, or do you decide the actually D&D game takes place in a certain time?
They didn't have plate armour back then, but using that in this game was only a way of evolving armour in terms of defensive properties. Since all the big shields are kite shields, that also signals 11th - 12th.
Since there's a motte and bailey castle, we have to assume it was before or just after 1066. After this time they started building stone donjons, so because there are stone donjons in BG then we have to assume BG is 11th century, 12th may even be too late. The first Crusade wasn't until 1096 even.
Keep also in mind that Baldur's Gate has also several mechanical, steam engines that don't make an appearance in real life till when... 16th century? 17th?
Truth is - I don't think it's just 12th century. It's a bit of every era, depending on the place you visit. Even future (if you consider the planar sphere, a space-time continuum traveling sphere of technology).
It's as simple as that - you cannot, and I repeat, CANNOT locate a fantasy setting in a real-life setting. Fantasy will usually include various inventions found in real life in different eras. So you can't say it's impossible to have katanas when it clearly is - because it's FANTASY
12th century is a rough guide, when do you suggest it takes place.?
I don't need to "suggest" anything - "Baldur's Gate" takes place in the year 1370 DR on the continent of Faerun.
Your whole argument is invalid because it's based on a false assumption: namely, that if a work of fantasy draws inspiration from a particular culture/chronological period, it must then represent that period with historical/geographic accuracy. This is categorically untrue.
@Shawne I did not say it has to represent it accurately. I'm defending that other guy who got attacked for noticing the inconsistency between a supposedly 12th century Medieval British place like the Sword Coast and katanas which could never exist in such a place. It does not draw on inspiration, it IS medieval Europe (in Baldur's Gate anyway), that is the only way to categorize it. You can't just call it 'a place that happens to have swords and keeps'.
It makes more sense there being exotic weapons as the norm in Amn, because it's based off an exotic Middle Eastern place. But for exotic weapons to be the norm in Baldur's Gate is not appropiate, despite the 'it's a fantasy gaem bro' argument.
In order to be convincing you have to be accurate. And that's what a game like this is meant to be right? You're trying to create a world which is convincing and the only way to do that is to be accurate.
If this game had swords with glowing auras on them or chainmail bikinis then I would lose respect for it because it would not be convincing.
I agree with @Cheesebelly about the steam machines, that was kind of weird. It wasn't convincing either. See the problem? If you aren't convincing you lose the integrity, atleast for me anyway. I would have enjoyed it a lot more without modern technology due to Irenicus' dungeon looking as if it was from a sci fi kind of TV show.
@Ward Like I said, the original inspiration for the setting came from Robert E. Howard and other pulp writers, not from Tolkien (who Greenwood has said flat out that he doesn't enjoy). Ed Greenwood didn't want a world that was basically England in the 12th century. He didn't want to follow the "rules" of the real world. That's why he set the Forgotten Realms in a "time that never was".
As for a simple technological comparison, that simply isn't appropriate. Take the nation of Lantan, they have developed things like airships, printing presses and gunpowder already. And to the far east you have the Shou empire which may be even more technologically advanced than Lantan.
@Shawne I did not say it has to represent it accurately. I'm defending that other guy who got attacked for noticing the inconsistency between a supposedly 12th century Medieval British place like the Sword Coast and katanas which could never exist in such a place.
And you were wrong to do so, because:
1. He was "attacked" because his posts contain less-than-subtle hints of racism in referring to Asian influences as "pollution".
2. The Sword Coast is neither British nor Medieval because it is not set on our world and is therefore not required to fit any specific historical period or place in our world.
It does not draw on inspiration, it IS medieval Europe, that is the only way to categorize it. You can't just call it 'a place that happens to have swords and keeps'.
Things Baldur's Gate has that medieval Europe did not have: orcs, gods, magic, drow, golems, et cetera. So no, Baldur's Gate is not medieval Europe.
In order to be convincing you have to be accurate. And that's what a game like this is meant to be right? You're trying to create a world which is convincing and the only way to do that is to be accurate.
So much wrong with this sentence. Let's start with the fact that Baldur's Gate doesn't create a world - Faerun existed long before the game came out, with all its lore and history and peoples intact. The game is set in that world, and must therefore be accurate to that world, not to ours. If the Forgotten Realms canon states katanas are sold in Baldur's Gate, then katanas are sold in Baldur's Gate. And if you see that as a flaw, I have to wonder how you're able to consume any kind of fantasy fiction at all given the number of works that are explicitly set in worlds that are not our own.
@Shawne I think it's disturbing if you people read hints of racism into that. If there was any hints of racism, then it is we chosing to be offended. People think they have a right to be offended, but we don't, you have the right to defend yourself when you are attacked.
@Ward: One does not choose to be offended by racism - racism is offensive. You can overlook it, but given the copious amounts of errors and fallacies both you and the OP have committed on this thread, I think it's safe to say that you may be backing the wrong horse here. Which is wholly within your right, just be realistic in understanding that you can get called out for that.
Man, and here I thought we would all be friends and laugh about this over tea.
Ward, it's influenced by culture of Europe, Asia, Africa and the America's.
For example, on the docks in Baldurs Gate you can talk to a messenger about the newly discovered lands out west i.e Maztica. If you're using your example then, all of a sudden history of this era would get pushed to around 1492-1522 to deal with these new lands.
Trying to pinpoint when a fantasy world most parallels our own is generally going to be pointless, as most fantasy writers are not professional historians. Further, they usually take place on entirely different planets with their own rules.
Either way, there's no need to be a white knight. The guy who got all the backlash was asserting something ridiculous, that Asian "stuff" doesn't belong in BG, and he was called on it. It's a bit too late to not have Japanese swords in a game where one of the main villains is the Realms-equivalent of a Japanese person.
Besides, it's more of a gameplay concern with the engine at this point. The katana proficiency is an option, so you need to have katana present in the game, otherwise you will frustrate people who invest pips into katana proficiency.
Now they just need to re-record Winthrop's catchphrase to say "My 'otel's as clean as an elven arse...plus I sell them fancy curved swords now, too!"
But fantasy was introduced by Mr. J. R. R. Tolkien. Originally it's based on the European ethnic background and tradition, Celtic one for instance.
Fortunately "katanas" and other "kara-tur-yoshimo-tamoko-bullshit_barehand_fighting_monks" stuff is inappropriate and was brought only with aim of fantasy popularization all around the world.
BG1 was free of all this "stuff" and it was pleasure to have it unpolluted.
Katanas - yes, but IMHO in the town of Baldur's Gate only or loot/gift. I wouldn't like it to be everywhere like in BG2. Katanas were supposed to be special, rare piece of art weaponry, not something you'll get at the nearby village market. They should not be susceptible to iron corruption, but also there should be very few in the game, so that when we get one, it should feel unique.
Also lack of katanas won't mean underbalance because each class that can use them can also use other weapons. Apart from that shaolin monks did not fight with katanas.
This has more to do with making weapons of choice accessible to players which in a tabletop game was DM discretion. In the case of BG I think it would be fair to make them available in some way since there is no living DM present to make that choice. Katanas were not the only weapon hard to get when starting out -- scimitars are another. Yes you can get one early but if you had it break somewhere then you were pretty much scimitar-less for some time.
Katanas - yes, but IMHO in the town of Baldur's Gate only or loot/gift. I wouldn't like it to be everywhere like in BG2. Katanas were supposed to be special, rare piece of art weaponry, not something you'll get at the nearby village market. They should not be susceptible to iron corruption, but also there should be very few in the game, so that when we get one, it should feel unique.
Also lack of katanas won't mean underbalance because each class that can use them can also use other weapons. Apart from that shaolin monks did not fight with katanas.
I didn't say no katanas. Yes, in order to maintain consistency you have to include them. What kind of bastard would want to have to create a new character just to get his points in katana? With no katana in BG you waste points.
I'm just putting it in context. If Baldur's Gate and along the Sword Coast is wannabe Medieval Europe and Amn is wannabe Asia, then katanas should historically only be in wannabe Asia. That makes sense right?
I genuinely support katanas in Amn, but not in BG. For the sake of not having to fuck your build up, I don't mind them.
@Shawne Yes, one does choose to be offended by racism. Mostly because in this PC world where you have the RIGHT to get offended even when no racism is being made.
Racism is not "You're black, I hate you. You're Asian, I hate you. (Or even) You're white, I hate you". That kind of racism is a modern invention and is out of date and uneducated. It is what is left over from a time long past by people who weren't there and lap it up. The only reason this kind of simplistic racism exists is because of people's ignorance and keenness to talk about it.
And what fuels it? People getting offended. If being PC gives you the right to take offense to things which aren't even racist, you fuel it. You burn wood by saying "I am offended". Let simplistic racism die, because real racism does not exist. Real racism was "I lost my slave labour, now I will make your life hell". Modern racism is "Lol ur black/white/asian/blah".
First, Amm isn't wannabe Asia. Second, just because one item comes from one area doesn't mean it won't every travel or be traded hence the reason why they are so rare. Gunpowder, tea and the compass were from asia hence the reason why it took so long for them to travel over to Europe. Get it?
I didn't say no katanas. Yes, in order to maintain consistency you have to include them. What kind of bastard would want to have to create a new character just to get his points in katana? With no katana in BG you waste points.
I'm just putting it in context. If Baldur's Gate and along the Sword Coast is wannabe Medieval Europe and Amn is wannabe Asia, then katanas should historically only be in wannabe Asia. That makes sense right?
I genuinely support katanas in Amn, but not in BG. For the sake of not having to fuck your build up, I don't mind them.
Baldur's Gate isn't really wannabe medieval Europe, though, it's a city-state ruled by a council of four people that are elected to the position by some means I have forgotten. City-states and multiple meritocratic leadership positions are not hallmarks of medieval society. It just happens to have similar weapons, armor and clothing to Medieval Europe.
Further, Amn is not meant to be Asia. Kara-Tur is the Realms equivalent of Asia. Amn and Baldur's Gate trade with Kara-Tur. Weapons collectors and mercenaries would be interested in acquiring incredibly sharp masterwork weaponry. Hence, katana and wakizashi are in the game's universe.
Yep, Amn and Baldur's Gate are both major trade centers and as a result will be very worldly cities with merchants and mercenaries from all over the place.
I didn't say no katanas. Yes, in order to maintain consistency you have to include them. What kind of bastard would want to have to create a new character just to get his points in katana? With no katana in BG you waste points.
I'm just putting it in context. If Baldur's Gate and along the Sword Coast is wannabe Medieval Europe and Amn is wannabe Asia, then katanas should historically only be in wannabe Asia. That makes sense right?
I genuinely support katanas in Amn, but not in BG. For the sake of not having to fuck your build up, I don't mind them.
Baldur's Gate isn't really wannabe medieval Europe, though, it's a city-state ruled by a council of four people that are elected to the position by some means I have forgotten. City-states and multiple meritocratic leadership positions are not hallmarks of medieval society. It just happens to have similar weapons, armor and clothing to Medieval Europe.
Further, Amn is not meant to be Asia. Kara-Tur is the Realms equivalent of Asia. Amn and Baldur's Gate trade with Kara-Tur. Weapons collectors and mercenaries would be interested in acquiring incredibly sharp masterwork weaponry. Hence, katana and wakizashi are in the game's universe.
Katanas should be suceptible to iron corruption, they aren't magic. They are just well made.
Assuming they were made with the tainted iron in the Baldur's Gate region that is. If they were made in Kara-Tur (which I think they should be, because you wouldn't expect to find someone with the knowledge to make one in the area) they should be immune to breaking, since they are not made with brittle iron.
Sceptenar has a point. Katana are so sharp because they're made with special techniques for folding and treating steel. Even in a world with as much open commerce as the Forgotten Realms, such techniques would be closely guarded trade secrets.
Sceptenar and Schneidend are correct in my opinion. I feel the Katana's would be more of a trade item rather than forged locally, with this in mind I think the Katana's should be more expensive than the other local non magical weapons and should not be suceptible to the iron corruption.
I think this discussion is maybe taking the game a bit too seriously, and forgetting about suspension of disbelief. They put anything and everything into the game from all cultures and all historical periods that they thought would be "cool". They didn't care about historical consistency or accuracy.
The main reason I'm posting is to point out another kind of glaring anachronism that always breaks my own suspension of disbelief for a moment, until I laugh it off.
In the nice inn on Waukeen's Promenade (I can't remember if it's the Seven Veils or the other one next door), there is a huge grand piano! The earliest forerunner to the modern piano was invented by Cristofori around the year 1700, and it was a small clavier, not a grand. We're talking 18th century Enlightenment now, which is far in the future to any historically accurate picture of the middle ages.
And as far as culture, especially regarding the role of women in society, Forgotten Realms games already have a basically 20th century mindset. Almost nobody would have fun with a roleplaying game that used accurate medieval technology and culture. What most people think of as "medieval" is really the Renaissance, anyway.
So, suspenson of disbelief is critical for having any fun with high fantasy. You have to just go along with it. Now, I think I'll fire up my BG character and go kill a monster with my katana.
The whole "The Swordcoast is western europe in the middle age!!11" argument is pointless.
When Ed Greenwood made the forgotten realms setting he got his inspiration from alot of different sources. He then took all this inspiration and made the world that alot of us enjoy spending time in.
Some of the areas in Forgotten Realms have traits from cultures and historic periods in the real world. Like fx Kara-Tur have traits from middle age china, Icewinddale have traits from scandinavia and the sword coast have traits from central europe.
The fact that these areas share some of the traits with these real life cultures is ofc to give us something to relate to, but it does in no way place the areas under the same restrictions that we know from real world history.
The "fact" (as far as you can use fact about a fantasy setting) is that there are Katanas, throwing stars and other weapons like them on the Sword coast and Amn. They might have been brought there by merchants or mercenaries, they might have taken years to travel from Kara-Tur along the Golden Way to the west.. But they are there because it have always been part of the forgotten realms fantasy setting.
So these asian inspired items are in no way "polluting" the setting, at least not any more than the european inspired longswords and polearms.
And when it comes to them fitting more in either Baldurs Gate or Amn. Both of these great cities are large tradehubs in their respective areas. So ofc if any item is available in any quantity in one city, then the trade network will ofc make sure that the same item can also show up in the other area.
At the point in time where BG is taking place. There have been contact with the far east for long enough to establish a trade route trough the Horde Lands, the Golden Way. The means for trade is clearly there, so the asian inspired weapons will ofc be available in both cities, although much more expensive and rarer than the locally produced weaponry.
I don't mean to fuel this too much, but I'd like to note some interesting, albeit nit-picky points: -The longsword (the two-handed sword, in game terms) came into use only in the 14th century and beyond. -Halberds came into use in the 13th century. -Carpeting and rugs only came to Europe (influenced by Persians and Afghans) in the 16th and 17th centuries. -Bound books were in no way inexpensive in the middle ages, only becoming remotely less valuable with the advent of the printing press, c. 1450. Thus, the only realistic treatment of books in terms of availability and value is Candlekeep. -The very earliest telescopes came into existance around 1600 -As noted, pianos (seen in Amn and in the Duchal Palace) didn't come around until the early 18th century! -Full plate armor came into the most use in the 16th and 17th centuries. So, it's rather foolish to think that this fantasy setting is anything but a composite of nationalities and, indeed, periods of time. Fun stuff!
Katanas should be suceptible to iron corruption, they aren't magic. They are just well made.
From my perspective Katanas are solely imported (also their ingame descriptions hint that) so they should not be affected by troubles on the Sword Coast
Perhaps the best argument I've ever seen in terms of weapons and fighting type classes came from the Dark Elf trilogy when Drizzt was first finding out what weapons he'd use.
Zaknafein pulled a curtain off the wall and introduced Drizzt to every weapon type that the family owned. Then he forced Drizzt to I think spent (either 2 days or 2 weeks I don't remember) using every weapon until he found the weapon he was most comfortable with. Although Candlekeep was a form of a monastery for Priests of Oghma, they were also a City. It is reasonable to expect that a character class with a fighting bent would have been instructed to train with various weapons and figure out which ones best fit their personal fighting style. The wouldn't necessarily go into their training going "will this have enough magical items for me later" but rather "does this feel like an extension of who I am".
In multicultural areas such as Baldur's Gate and Athkathala (Two of the most prominent trading posts on the Sword Coast), a small number of katanas slowly trickling in over the years wouldn't be that unsurprising. The fact that candlekeep might even hold a few, especially considering its a place of knowledge and art (and fighting and weaponsmithing can be an artform), they would likely have a few just for study.
Going along the same lines of thinking as Dragonspear, Gorion is formerly a Harper and adventurer. It's not unreasonable to think he might have some anecdote-worthy bric-a-brac in his room, like a katana from a misadventure in Kara-Tur. Granted, you still have to buy one, but it'd be fun roleplay for a warrior or rogue PC to have been given the weapon as a gift.
Suspension of disbelief was not broken for me in any way by BG2.
Irenicus' lab, for instance, with all its horrifying machinations and specimens, did not break the illusion of being in a fantasy setting. Instead it created a whole new illusion - that I was the unwilling and powerless test subject of a man I did not know, for reasons I did not understand.
If it's done properly, offering an exotic element to a story makes it better, not worse.
The 'standard fantasy mentality' caused this most amusing inversion: where the fantastic seems out of place and unbelievable. Samurai would be out of place in medieval Europe, but samurai-like weapons and fighting styles aren't out of place in of Faêrun.
If i remember correctly from the rules, katanas cannot be made as normal weapons. Only magical or masterwork (the last in 3E), and in that sense, you could not complete the forging of a katana with brittle iron (in the chance that a blacksmith from kara-tur came into the sword coast).
Well, other than that, let's not take into account that if you tried to slash a full plate armor with a katana... you know what would break, and it wouldn't be the armor! :P
So yeah, let's forget about reality
It's called a katana, but the only resemblance to its real counterpart is the name and shape. This sword was not made to hack steel in our world, maces were the bane of armor.
It's called a katana, but the only resemblance to its real counterpart is the name and shape. This sword was not made to hack steel, maces were the bane of armor.
That's why katana are strong enough to stab with as well as sharp enough to slash with...
Comments
12th century is a rough guide, when do you suggest it takes place.? I observed the setting and decided it was the appropiate time for the game. Things such as architecture are entirely up to the artist, but if we add it up 12th century sounds pretty realistic. So do you decide the game takes place at a certain time in history, or do you decide the actually D&D game takes place in a certain time?
They didn't have plate armour back then, but using that in this game was only a way of evolving armour in terms of defensive properties. Since all the big shields are kite shields, that also signals 11th - 12th.
Since there's a motte and bailey castle, we have to assume it was before or just after 1066. After this time they started building stone donjons, so because there are stone donjons in BG then we have to assume BG is 11th century, 12th may even be too late. The first Crusade wasn't until 1096 even.
Truth is - I don't think it's just 12th century. It's a bit of every era, depending on the place you visit. Even future (if you consider the planar sphere, a space-time continuum traveling sphere of technology).
It's as simple as that - you cannot, and I repeat, CANNOT locate a fantasy setting in a real-life setting. Fantasy will usually include various inventions found in real life in different eras. So you can't say it's impossible to have katanas when it clearly is - because it's FANTASY
Your whole argument is invalid because it's based on a false assumption: namely, that if a work of fantasy draws inspiration from a particular culture/chronological period, it must then represent that period with historical/geographic accuracy. This is categorically untrue.
It makes more sense there being exotic weapons as the norm in Amn, because it's based off an exotic Middle Eastern place. But for exotic weapons to be the norm in Baldur's Gate is not appropiate, despite the 'it's a fantasy gaem bro' argument.
In order to be convincing you have to be accurate. And that's what a game like this is meant to be right? You're trying to create a world which is convincing and the only way to do that is to be accurate.
If this game had swords with glowing auras on them or chainmail bikinis then I would lose respect for it because it would not be convincing.
I agree with @Cheesebelly about the steam machines, that was kind of weird. It wasn't convincing either. See the problem? If you aren't convincing you lose the integrity, atleast for me anyway. I would have enjoyed it a lot more without modern technology due to Irenicus' dungeon looking as if it was from a sci fi kind of TV show.
Like I said, the original inspiration for the setting came from Robert E. Howard and other pulp writers, not from Tolkien (who Greenwood has said flat out that he doesn't enjoy).
Ed Greenwood didn't want a world that was basically England in the 12th century. He didn't want to follow the "rules" of the real world. That's why he set the Forgotten Realms in a "time that never was".
As for a simple technological comparison, that simply isn't appropriate. Take the nation of Lantan, they have developed things like airships, printing presses and gunpowder already. And to the far east you have the Shou empire which may be even more technologically advanced than Lantan.
1. He was "attacked" because his posts contain less-than-subtle hints of racism in referring to Asian influences as "pollution".
2. The Sword Coast is neither British nor Medieval because it is not set on our world and is therefore not required to fit any specific historical period or place in our world. Things Baldur's Gate has that medieval Europe did not have: orcs, gods, magic, drow, golems, et cetera. So no, Baldur's Gate is not medieval Europe. So much wrong with this sentence. Let's start with the fact that Baldur's Gate doesn't create a world - Faerun existed long before the game came out, with all its lore and history and peoples intact. The game is set in that world, and must therefore be accurate to that world, not to ours. If the Forgotten Realms canon states katanas are sold in Baldur's Gate, then katanas are sold in Baldur's Gate. And if you see that as a flaw, I have to wonder how you're able to consume any kind of fantasy fiction at all given the number of works that are explicitly set in worlds that are not our own.
Ward, it's influenced by culture of Europe, Asia, Africa and the America's.
For example, on the docks in Baldurs Gate you can talk to a messenger about the newly discovered lands out west i.e Maztica. If you're using your example then, all of a sudden history of this era would get pushed to around 1492-1522 to deal with these new lands.
Trying to pinpoint when a fantasy world most parallels our own is generally going to be pointless, as most fantasy writers are not professional historians. Further, they usually take place on entirely different planets with their own rules.
Either way, there's no need to be a white knight. The guy who got all the backlash was asserting something ridiculous, that Asian "stuff" doesn't belong in BG, and he was called on it. It's a bit too late to not have Japanese swords in a game where one of the main villains is the Realms-equivalent of a Japanese person.
Besides, it's more of a gameplay concern with the engine at this point. The katana proficiency is an option, so you need to have katana present in the game, otherwise you will frustrate people who invest pips into katana proficiency.
Now they just need to re-record Winthrop's catchphrase to say "My 'otel's as clean as an elven arse...plus I sell them fancy curved swords now, too!"
I'm just putting it in context. If Baldur's Gate and along the Sword Coast is wannabe Medieval Europe and Amn is wannabe Asia, then katanas should historically only be in wannabe Asia. That makes sense right?
I genuinely support katanas in Amn, but not in BG. For the sake of not having to fuck your build up, I don't mind them.
@Shawne Yes, one does choose to be offended by racism. Mostly because in this PC world where you have the RIGHT to get offended even when no racism is being made.
Racism is not "You're black, I hate you. You're Asian, I hate you. (Or even) You're white, I hate you". That kind of racism is a modern invention and is out of date and uneducated. It is what is left over from a time long past by people who weren't there and lap it up. The only reason this kind of simplistic racism exists is because of people's ignorance and keenness to talk about it.
And what fuels it? People getting offended. If being PC gives you the right to take offense to things which aren't even racist, you fuel it. You burn wood by saying "I am offended". Let simplistic racism die, because real racism does not exist. Real racism was "I lost my slave labour, now I will make your life hell". Modern racism is "Lol ur black/white/asian/blah".
Second, just because one item comes from one area doesn't mean it won't every travel or be traded hence the reason why they are so rare.
Gunpowder, tea and the compass were from asia hence the reason why it took so long for them to travel over to Europe.
Get it?
Further, Amn is not meant to be Asia. Kara-Tur is the Realms equivalent of Asia. Amn and Baldur's Gate trade with Kara-Tur. Weapons collectors and mercenaries would be interested in acquiring incredibly sharp masterwork weaponry. Hence, katana and wakizashi are in the game's universe.
The main reason I'm posting is to point out another kind of glaring anachronism that always breaks my own suspension of disbelief for a moment, until I laugh it off.
In the nice inn on Waukeen's Promenade (I can't remember if it's the Seven Veils or the other one next door), there is a huge grand piano! The earliest forerunner to the modern piano was invented by Cristofori around the year 1700, and it was a small clavier, not a grand. We're talking 18th century Enlightenment now, which is far in the future to any historically accurate picture of the middle ages.
And as far as culture, especially regarding the role of women in society, Forgotten Realms games already have a basically 20th century mindset. Almost nobody would have fun with a roleplaying game that used accurate medieval technology and culture. What most people think of as "medieval" is really the Renaissance, anyway.
So, suspenson of disbelief is critical for having any fun with high fantasy. You have to just go along with it. Now, I think I'll fire up my BG character and go kill a monster with my katana.
When Ed Greenwood made the forgotten realms setting he got his inspiration from alot of different sources. He then took all this inspiration and made the world that alot of us enjoy spending time in.
Some of the areas in Forgotten Realms have traits from cultures and historic periods in the real world. Like fx Kara-Tur have traits from middle age china, Icewinddale have traits from scandinavia and the sword coast have traits from central europe.
The fact that these areas share some of the traits with these real life cultures is ofc to give us something to relate to, but it does in no way place the areas under the same restrictions that we know from real world history.
The "fact" (as far as you can use fact about a fantasy setting) is that there are Katanas, throwing stars and other weapons like them on the Sword coast and Amn. They might have been brought there by merchants or mercenaries, they might have taken years to travel from Kara-Tur along the Golden Way to the west.. But they are there because it have always been part of the forgotten realms fantasy setting.
So these asian inspired items are in no way "polluting" the setting, at least not any more than the european inspired longswords and polearms.
And when it comes to them fitting more in either Baldurs Gate or Amn. Both of these great cities are large tradehubs in their respective areas. So ofc if any item is available in any quantity in one city, then the trade network will ofc make sure that the same item can also show up in the other area.
At the point in time where BG is taking place. There have been contact with the far east for long enough to establish a trade route trough the Horde Lands, the Golden Way. The means for trade is clearly there, so the asian inspired weapons will ofc be available in both cities, although much more expensive and rarer than the locally produced weaponry.
-The longsword (the two-handed sword, in game terms) came into use only in the 14th century and beyond.
-Halberds came into use in the 13th century.
-Carpeting and rugs only came to Europe (influenced by Persians and Afghans) in the 16th and 17th centuries.
-Bound books were in no way inexpensive in the middle ages, only becoming remotely less valuable with the advent of the printing press, c. 1450. Thus, the only realistic treatment of books in terms of availability and value is Candlekeep.
-The very earliest telescopes came into existance around 1600
-As noted, pianos (seen in Amn and in the Duchal Palace) didn't come around until the early 18th century!
-Full plate armor came into the most use in the 16th and 17th centuries.
So, it's rather foolish to think that this fantasy setting is anything but a composite of nationalities and, indeed, periods of time. Fun stuff!
Zaknafein pulled a curtain off the wall and introduced Drizzt to every weapon type that the family owned. Then he forced Drizzt to I think spent (either 2 days or 2 weeks I don't remember) using every weapon until he found the weapon he was most comfortable with. Although Candlekeep was a form of a monastery for Priests of Oghma, they were also a City. It is reasonable to expect that a character class with a fighting bent would have been instructed to train with various weapons and figure out which ones best fit their personal fighting style. The wouldn't necessarily go into their training going "will this have enough magical items for me later" but rather "does this feel like an extension of who I am".
In multicultural areas such as Baldur's Gate and Athkathala (Two of the most prominent trading posts on the Sword Coast), a small number of katanas slowly trickling in over the years wouldn't be that unsurprising. The fact that candlekeep might even hold a few, especially considering its a place of knowledge and art (and fighting and weaponsmithing can be an artform), they would likely have a few just for study.
Irenicus' lab, for instance, with all its horrifying machinations and specimens, did not break the illusion of being in a fantasy setting. Instead it created a whole new illusion - that I was the unwilling and powerless test subject of a man I did not know, for reasons I did not understand.
If it's done properly, offering an exotic element to a story makes it better, not worse.
Well, other than that, let's not take into account that if you tried to slash a full plate armor with a katana... you know what would break, and it wouldn't be the armor! :P
So yeah, let's forget about reality
It's called a katana, but the only resemblance to its real counterpart is the name and shape. This sword was not made to hack steel in our world, maces were the bane of armor.