A kirusami is a halberd-like polearm that are issued only to the imperial guardsman of Chai.[1]
In the gamebooks[]
In The Hunger of Sejanoz, the player may obtain a Kirusami, which should be recorded as a "Chai Spear". It grants +1 to the player's Combat Skill.[2]
During The Storms of Chai, the player's guide, Anseng, is killed and turned into an undead.[3] After defeating Anseng, the player may take his Kirusami (a Special Item and Weapon). It adds 1 to the player's Combat Skill, doubles all damage against undead, but costs 3 Endurance points in the first round of combat when wielded. It may be situationally better than the player's Kai Weapon. It is not the same as the Chai Spear in The Hunger of Sejanoz: Anseng's Kirusami has been charged with necromantic power. However, this suggests that for Grand Weaponmastery purposes, Anseng's Kirusami should be treated as a Spear.
The Kirusami may be lost as the player tries to swim to safety in the Tkukoma Estuary.[4] The Kirusami will be lost at a later point in the adventure anyway, so losing it at this point might be fine. An fight against an undead Xaol later in the book (Combat Skill 50, Endurance 50) is a notable candidate where the Kirusami may be useful. An alternative is to lose a different weapon, like a Bow (possibly a Pensei Bow).
Later in the book, the player fights Klüz, who wields an imitation kirusami called Zukgudrak. If the player still possesses Anseng's Kirusami, after defeating Klüz, the two kirusami's powers are combined, making it even more powerful: It now triples all damage against undead, but costs 4 Endurance points in the first round of combat instead. If the player is not wielding Anseng's Kirusami, no bonus effect is obtained.
The player later encounters Xaol, reraised as an undead. After the battle, the Kirusami is destroyed.[5]