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Post by Kitsuki Haru on Jan 5, 2014 15:31:50 GMT
Character Name: Kitsuki Haru Clan: Dragon School: Kitsuiki Courtier Profession: Minor Magistrate and Courtier Rings:
Earth: 1 Water: 5 Air: 3 Fire: 4 Void: 3
Glory: 0 Distinctions: Kitsuki Courtier, Hero of the People, Paragon of Sincerity, Bland
Appearance: The best way to describe Haru is bland. There is little to distinguish him from the general population of Rokugan and even among the Samurai he tends to fade into the background Age: 22 Height: 5'6" Weight: Slim Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: Haru has a large tattoo across his back and shoulders depicting a Dragon coiling around a mountain top. Aside from the Tattoo Haru caries a worn Shaku with numerous notes written on small papers on the back of it.
Family: Kituske Father: Kitsuki Ryuji Mother: Utaku Tamoko
Spouse: Unmarried
Attitude/Personality: Haru is decidedly friendly though he often comes across as absent minded and slightly obtuse. He is fond of quoting the Tao of Shinsei in his conversations but the relevance seems to only be apparent to him. Despite his difficultly he is an astute courtier and magistrate and often comes to startlingly accurate conclusions about the motivations of others. Haru is very fond of the common people and often spends his time visiting local villages getting to know the people who describes as "the Pillars of the Empire" Haru is also a skilled horsemen having been trained by his mother and from his time spent with his Unicorn cousins.
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Post by kasigiomi on Jan 6, 2014 10:26:54 GMT
Character Name: Usagi Kocho Clan: Hare School: Hare Bushi 3/ Minor Clan Defender Advanced School Profession: Minor Magistrate, duelist and advisor Distinctions: Emerald Magistrate, Friend of the People, Imperial Legion Chu-I, Married, Renowned Duelist
Rings: Earth: 2 Water: 5 Air: 3 Fire: 3 Void: 4
Appearance: Kocho bears an open, honest face that is marred only by a slight scar on his left cheekbone. He is the stereotypical Hare physically, average height with a long lean runner's physique. Age: 24 Height: 5'3" [1.6m] Weight: 130 lbs. [59kg] Eyes: Brown Hair: Black, in a 'tea whisk' topknot Distinctive Marks and Items: He is not a wealthy man, nor is he from a wealthy Clan. He must often exchange favors for some items, however Ozaki-sama does provide a more-than-adequate salary for his work, just very few luxuries [especially by Imperial Court standards. His great possessions are his weapons. His daisho have been handed down in his family for 300 years and, at war, he owns a nodachi forged by order of Usagi Ozaki-sama in recognition of Kocho's grandfather's work. It is named 'Rice Bearer'. A student of the bushido and the ways of war and the law, Kocho works hard to collect, read, and understand the major works of his craft. He owns Leadership, The Sword, The Way of Shintao, and so forth and would give an awful lot to own a complete copy of The Book of Sun Tao. Family: His parents and grandparents are famed in Usagi and Minor Clan circles in that they organized a group of Hare Clan ronin to defend two villages during the disbandment of the Clan during the Clan War. When Usagi Ozaki finally took up his leadership of Hare, these two villages had hoarded enough rice and millet to pay their current and back taxes to their Champion. Kocho's good fortunes are directly related to their sacrifices. Spouse: Fuzake Akiko, a pretty, talented, and smart woman has been Kocho's faithful wife for three years now. They have a daughter who is the apple of her father's eye. Kocho would be more of a family man if his duty to his Clan and ancestors didn't require his efforts in these rare circles.
Attitude/Personality: Usagi Kocho knows very well the lot of the Minor Clans; that they must be twice as brave and utterly flawless to be considered half as talented as the least Great Clan samurai. It is often remarked that an Utaku horse-breeder earns more honor and dignity shoveling horse dung than an Usagi does by hunting Bloodspeakers at the peril of his soul. Still, this is his lot on this turn of the Kharmic Wheel and Kocho works very hard serving his role in this life. Ozaki-sama and his own personal family sacrificed much to give him these opportunities and he will not squander them.
History: In development
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Post by Ide Kinto on Jan 6, 2014 15:43:53 GMT
Character Name: Ide Kinto Clan: Unicorn School: Ide Emissary Profession: Courier and peacemaker
Rings: Earth: 1 Water: 4 Air: 5 Fire: 3 Void: 3
Glory: 0 Distinctions: Ide Emissary, Paragon of Compassion, Minor Diplomat, Married, Drunkard, Cavalier
Appearance: Kinto is a mature man, with a short and stocky body. He has a little belly (his so-called sake belt), but is not without muscle. His oval face is surrounded by long black hair tied up in a ponytail and a well trimmed goatee. He is always wearing the purple color of his clan, but on really different clothing depending on the circumstance. Kinto can be seen with a fine kimono made of luxuriate silk and an haori if he intend to go in face of a daimyo, or with a light armor made partially of leather if he need to travel on unsafe roads. When he want to relax he only wore a simple kimono made of light silk in summer or of cotton in winter.
Age: 32 Height: 5`05" Weight: 1 63 Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
Distinctive Marks and Items: Kinto is never seen without an iron ring at his ring finger. He only carry his wakizashi in court. His preferred blend of sake is the Maneki Neko Sake, and he usually carry a small gourd of it.
Family: the Brood (6 children, the eldest daughter is 8 already and the younger son is only 4 months old). Turbulent is the best term to qualify the children of Kinto and Kayo. It's not that they show no respect to there parents, senseis or ancestors, but it's just really hard to keep them in one place for long. Their names are Ichiko the eldest daughter (8), Ichiro the first born son (6), Yasuko and Chikako the twin daughters (5), Fukuko the laughing daughter (2) and Jiro the last one (0) .
Spouse: Ide (born Hida) Kayo. The first time Kinto saw his betrothed, he swore that his nakodo was a failure. Kayo is a strong and bulky woman, not the kind of exotic beauty that Kinto seeked out. But with time, he began to admire the woman. She had the terrible temper of the Crab, but tempered with a love for life and joke that confined to the absurd. She quickly became the stone he needed to anchor his life. For now, Kayo is an happy yet busy mother. She is quite patient, a boon since the Brood is as stubborn as a Crab and as restless as a Unicorn. She keeps her tetsubo at the family shrine, and she planned to joined the infantry of the Unicorn once her last child reach his gempukku.
Attitude/Personality: Kinto is a cheerful man, with an easy laugh. He likes to drink sake, to hear stories and jokes and to pass times without stress with his friends and loved ones, and since he is a good company he makes friends really easily. Dedicated to peace like all the Ide, but not to the point of being a pathological pacifist, he understands that sometimes a little hurt is necessary for the greater good. He despises killing unnecessary but can defend himself with his yumi. He is a fervent supporter of Jin, and makes a point of never treating the ones who are beneath him with rudeness.
History: Being a cousin of the Ide Daimyo isn't an easy thing. Just by association, you got a political weight that is not always welcome, especially for someone who hasn't learned yet that hubris is a bad thing. The only child born from the union of Ide Sozen and Yasuki Ruri, Kinto was a spoiled child. Koku rained on the household and it was not long before that the young Kinto believed that everything could be bought.
Once in the Ide Emissary schoolyard, if the young Kinto had a skill that it was proud, it's the capacity to makes friends easily. What a waste then that they were most commonly viewed drinking sake and womanizing than practicing the wakuban. His senseis were worried. Wishing that a little training with the Shinjo Scout could help to calm down the boy, the time passed with the bushis only educated him on the way of the arrows, a skill that he practices still today. But returning to the courtier school after that wasn't really nice. His fellow students had advanced in training, and his old friends despised him. He sought that all he have ever worked was lost when finally, to his dismay, he married Hida Kayo, now Ide Kayo, a bulky samurai-ko of the Crab with an absurd penchant for jokes.
Then, the war began. All the valid peoples where requisitioned and their skills were used to the better. Kinto, being a courtier with scouts skills, became naturally a courier. Lost were the wonderful courts and the fan, he relearned the hard way of the saddle and archery on the road. It's from this time that he became close friend with some members of the Miya family, since they traveled a lot on the same roads. It's also during this war that he lost both of his parents. Hardly surprisingly, Kayo was of a great help for him. If she was not been there, it could at been completely lost to alcohol and failing it's duty.
There were dangerous times for the little Ide. The frequent skirmish he fought put his life in danger. More than once, he was forced to end the life of someone, and more than once, he sought that if only the other party could have listened to his words, maybe the conclusion could have been different. Don’t misunderstand, the killing were necessary for him to accomplish his duty, but each life he took was a reminder that sometimes, ears were deaf. In that the case, finishing the conflict the more quickly was the easiest way to spar lives.
Now, Kinto has grown up. His marriage, his parenthood, the loss of his parents and, recently, the war against the Lost have matured him into a better man. He is always a little too easy going (especially with sake or with his children), but he is now humble and can see the worth of all the virtue of Bushido. His new-found dedication have earned him some reconnaissance from the Unicorn clan and the leaders of the Ide family. His ability to makes friends easily are now used for the benefice of the clan, and he began to return to the different courts, not only as a courier but also as a peacemaker.
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Moshi Yoru
Mantis Clan
Posts: 42| Likes: 18
Some smiles show mirth. Others just show teeth.
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Post by Moshi Yoru on Jan 7, 2014 6:29:11 GMT
Character name: Moshi Yuro
Clan: Mantis School: Moshi Shugenja Profession: Trader/ Shipping magnate (or so it seems)
Rings:
Earth: 1 Water: 3 Air: 4 Fire: 5 Void: 3
Glory: 0 Distinctions: Moshi Shugenja, Fire, 50 Favors, Ruthless, Shireikan
Appearance: Yoru keeps his hair long and meticulously maintained as an act of rebellion against his mother from days he spent learning fire magic and not being allowed to have hair on his head, lest he burn it off and stink up the house for days. He carries himself with a reserved dignity and rarely shows much emotion - he would be quite handsome if not for his cold demeanor. His eyes are a shade of brown that turns to orange in the setting sun or when he calls upon the fire kami. He prefers his family colors to those of his clan, but it's not unheard of for him to be seen in either, or even a stylish mix of the two. His face is always clean shaven, and he is somewhat tall compared to other Rokugani. He prefers the trappings of luxury when possible, but practicality comes first in Yoru's mind.
Age: 26 Height: 5'11 Weight: 175 Eyes: brown-orange Hair: black Distinctive marks and items: Yoru is rarely seen with a daisho. Instead, he carries a pair of tiger hook swords, a calculated choice he made in his youth to mislead both kama users as well as katana users. His right hand bears burn scars from a botched lesson in his youth. He can sometimes be found with an opium pipe between his lips.
Family: mother - Moshi Eisho father - Keitaro (formerly Kaiu Keitaro) half sister - Kaiu Satomi Spouse: none Attitude/Personality: The sorts of endeavors that Yoru finds himself in demand a high level of personal control and discipline. He doesn't show much emotion, and it is rare for him to show anger - the victims of his displeasure are usually unaware of it until they are fighting for their last breaths. Calculating, cold, and ruthless, he is equally polite and witty, genial and frosty, alluring and off-putting. While he certainly regards his abilities as a shugenja to be useful, his mind is firmly rooted in the present world, and even as an adult he takes little enjoyment from the art he was forced to learn as a child, unless using it furthers his current goals in some way. In spite of his chilly persona, his money guarantees that he is rarely seen outside of the company of a woman, unless he is on business.
History: Yoru took after his father entirely too much, something that was heightened by the fact that he rarely got to see Keitaro. His mother, used to the matriarchal heirarchy of the Moshi family, was strict with him and forced him to study the ways of Moshi family shugenja, something he had little love for during his childhood. His happiest times were when his father came to visit - not only did his mother's temperment soften, but Keitaro did his best to make up for lost time with his son, and they cherished their time together. He knew from a young age that his family was far from traditional, and he dealt with the social fallout of being a bastard by learning the ways of the city's underbelly. By 16, he was not only an accomplished shugenja but had also established himself in the local underworld scene as the person to talk to if you had cargo to hide until you could sell it. Soon the smugglers learned of his magical abilities, and against his mother's wishes he began to ship out with different pirate groups, lending his magic to their arsenal for a hefty price. By the age of 20, he had established his shipbuilding and transportation business, a front for a well organized smuggling operation. When the local yakuza boss decided to try to extort him for protection money, he turned up dead in an alley the next night seemingly from an opium overdose - it seemed that the shinobi Keitaro had taught his son things that a shugenja had no business knowing.
At 21, the Moshi daimyo took note of the fact that Yoru had managed to build his own fleet, and after inviting the young man to stay with him for a few weeks, he named Yoru Shireikan and charged him with protection of the sea lanes surrounding their home. This gave Yoru even more cover to expand his operations, and soon he was smuggling goods over land locally as well as over sea. His taisa were all members of his organization, as were most of their underlings, and it wasn't long until Yoru replaced the yakuza boss he had assassinated, expanding his enterprises into gambling and prostitution as well as financing several legitimate businesses for local townsfolk.
As our story opens, Yoru has received a cryptic message from his father, whom he has not seen in years. It seems that he has run afoul of certain groups within his birth clan - a fact that dovetails nicely with Yoru's aspirations to wrest at least partial control of the opium market from the Scorpion. He makes arrangements to travel to Winter Court, among other reasons to meet his sister Satomi, whom he has heard much about from their father but has never met. Over the years, he has established quite the network of favors and debts owed to him, and he intends to use that leverage to the fullest.
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Post by Bayushi Katsuro on Jan 7, 2014 6:44:33 GMT
Character Name: Bayushi Katsuro
Clan: Scorpion School: Shosuro Infiltrator Profession: Diplomat, Go player
Rings: Earth: 3 Water: 5 Air: 3 Fire: 4 Void: 1
Glory: ?
Distinctions: Minor Diplomat, Master of Games, Dishonorable, Shosuro Infiltrator, Forbidden Knowledge
Appearance: A man of medium build with flashing dark eyes and hair tied in a traditional topknot. By day he is commonly seen in a kimono of fine red silk embroidered with abstract geometrical patterns, and a small red mask of a style fashionable among the Scorpion.
Age: 35 Height: 5'7" Weight: 155# Eyes: Dark Brown Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: Scorpion mask; go board and polished stones.
Family: Bayushi Kazuo (father), governor of Ryoko Owari Bayushi Katashi (elder brother), a Scorpion clan magistrate Unmarried
Attitude/Personality: Polite on the surface, with occasional moments of sardonic wit. He is quick to make friends but few of his friendships are deep. Somewhat scholarly by nature, he can be condescending to those he regards as slow-witted or ignorant.
History: The bookish younger son of Ryoko Owari's ruling family, Katsuro showed great aptitude at an early age and was given the best tutors to teach him swordsmanship, calligraphy, Imperial history, philosophy and the arts. By night, another set of teachers from the Shosuro school trained Katsuro in stealth and the Way of Deception.
After reaching adulthood, Katsuro was appointed a diplomatic aide, and in this position he accompanied Scorpion delegations to various courts around Rokugan. The young diplomat distinguished himself as a skilled Go player and his reputation grew such that he was invited to several Go tournaments and eventually even exhibition matches. He was invited to visit the Ikoma Hall of Records to study the recorded games of past Go masters of the Lion Clan, and later spent time in the Isawa libraries studying past games of Phoenix masters -- though the latter visit was cut short after the mysterious death of an Isawa scholar, which everyone (officially) agrees was completely unrelated to why certain Scorpion Clan members were invited to leave Kyuden Isawa early that season.
It is thought that as part of his duties as a diplomatic aide, Katsuro performed occasional errands for senior Scorpion courtiers that were beneath their station, but these additional duties must have been rather insignificant as they appear to have been too unimportant to mention in official correspondence.
Nevertheless, it is clear to all that many diplomats such as Katsuro will be needed for the upcoming Imperial Court, in order to show the Scorpion Clan in the best possible light.
OOC: if I need to spend points to be related to important officials, to be a scholar, to have Phoenix sworn enemies, or whatever, let me know; I have some Glory to spare.
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Post by Mirumoto Horimono on Jan 7, 2014 15:34:35 GMT
Character Name: Mirumoto Horimono Clan: Dragon School: Mirumoto Bushi Profession: Sensei, Tattoo Artisan
Rings: Earth: 3 Water: 1 Air: 3 Fire: 5 Void: 4
Glory: 25 Distinctions: Kensei, Married, Mirumoto Bushi, Renowned Duelist, Sensei
Appearance: Mirumoto Horimono is an older Dragon samurai in his mid-thirties with a thin, wiry frame. He possesses a traditional Rokugani appearance with dark hair and eyes, a sun-kissed complexion, and tattooed from head to heel. The ink on his body can be seen around his throat, wrists and ankles but he otherwise dresses conservatively outside of Dragon lands. He commonly wears Dragon green and yellow attire with his heraldry sewn onto his garments, allowing him to be easily identified as a Sensei of the Iron Mountain Dojo. He is a rather unassuming man, weathered by experience with eyes holding the hint of a deep intellect. Age: 36 Height: 5'8" Weight: 145 lbs Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: Tattoos; Full-Body Family: Ichiko, Jiroko, Sabuko (Daughters) Spouse: Mirumoto no Kakita Irezumi Attitude/Personality: Calm, Insightful History: Born in the fall of 1124, Mirumoto Horimono was raised during the tumultuous clan war era. As the son of a Mirumoto who served in the 2nd Mirumoto Legion, he was sent to train when he came of age at the Iron Mountain Dojo in 1129. There he learned the ways of Niten and the Tao until his gempukku in 1138. It was then that he was immediately plunged into the War of Spirits, fighting against the spirit armies under the banner of Togashi Hoshi. During a brief reprieve in 1142 Horimono promoted to the rank of Nikutai and was arranged to marry Kakita Irezumi, an artisan of the Crane. In 1143, 1144, and 1145 his wife gave him three daughters: Ichiko, Jiroko and Sabuko.
In 1146 Horimono was promoted to the rank of Gunso and assigned to the Mirumoto House Guard for his valorous performance during the War of Spirits. During his tenor with the elite unit, Horimono served as a part of the personal guard attached to Togashi Hoshi until 1150 with the end of the war. It was also at this time all three of his daughters were enrolled in the Iron Mountain Dojo. He continued to serve the House Guard until 1154 where he was invited to train under the masters of the Soul of the Dragon Dojo, studying the secrets of Mirumoto Hojatsu. In 1156 he was then asked to serve as a sensei at the Iron Mountain Dojo and in 1157, 1158 and 1159 he was able to take part in the gempukku of his three daughters.
It was during his later years while serving as a sensei at the Iron Mountain Dojo that Horimono was finally able to rest from a young life spent at war. While he was not as experienced as the venerable sensei above him, he possessed the experience to instruct the junior students of the dojo. He began to develop his tattooing, a skill he had developed during the War of Spirits. He prepared young bushi for the War of Fire and Snow against the Phoenix in 1158. In 1160 he received an invitation to the Imperial Winter Court of Empress Toturi II which presented a unique opportunity for the samurai to serve the Dragon in a greater, if not temporary, capacity.
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Moto Arandaru
Unicorn Clan
Posts: 199| Likes: 103
In Kyuden Seppun, eager to find a way to save the Empire!
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Post by Moto Arandaru on Jan 7, 2014 23:10:57 GMT
Character Name: Moto Arandaru
Clan: Unicorn
School: Moto Death Priest
Profession: Clan shugenja, Advisor
Rings: Earth: 3 Water: 5 Air: 3 Fire: 1 Void: 4
Glory: 0 Distinctions: Moto Death Priest - Water (Element) - Feared - Hatamoto
Appearance: Arandaru wears his jet black hair in a topknot, revealing a balding spot on top of his head. Most of the time, he is seen into his purple black kimono with the big black collar as if almost forming a dark wall around him. He wears his black moustache thin and long, granting him an air of wisdom.
Age: 30 Height: 1m 82cm Weight: 80kg Eyes: Brown Hair: Black
Distinctive Marks and Items: He has a signature shugenja purple black garb with a big black collar. The pale skin around his eyes is often adorned by black paint giving the impression that he is either ill or tired. Last but not least, he always carries with him a broken meishodo amulet, devoid of any power, a reminder of his childhood.
Family: Iuchi Ireyu (father, deceased), Iuchi Yue (mother).
Spouse: Arandaru doesn't yet have a spouse. Given his position as advisor to the Unicorn Clan Champion he has been preoccupied, his constant duties and lack of time forbidding him so.
Attitude/Personality: Arandaru always retains his serious demeanor. When he doesn't speak, he listens and watches, making assumptions and double thinking his next move. Therefore he's often seen as introvert and grim. When he speaks, he has a deep voice with a soft screech and most of the time the rest of his body remains immobile. There isn't any jovial aspect in his personality but on the contrary he emanates wisdom.
History: Arandaru had always been a troubled child. His parents, Iuchi Ireyu and Iuchi Yue, both priests of the Kami, were dedicated into the protection and cultivation of the shugenja practices of the Iuchi. Much to their dismay, Arandaru's father had been forsaken by the Kami by a series of unfortunate events. Such was the disfavor, that the crops of the Iuchi didn't yield harvest and many of the family's brave stallions were exposed to sickness. The culmination of the disfavor however, came when their firstborn son, was a stillborn.
Iuchi Yue, was inconsolable and she begged the Kami for forgiveness. Performing a ceremony, she managed to sacrifice her mother's meishodo heirloom to appease the divine. And thus, her son's little body began to twitch with life.
Since that moment, Arandaru's life had been filled with peculiar events. He never managed to meet his family as he was schooled solely by the Iuchi shugenjas. His sensei however noticed that Arandaru possessed a different kind of connection with the Kamis and as soon as he could, he fostered the child to the Moto Death Priests.
From that moment on, Arandaru became a brother to the Priests of Death and a prodigy to their dojo. His connection to the Shin-Tien-Yen-Wang grew stronger and stronger, as he was summoned to action during the war versus the Lost. His connection with death and his schooling helped him advance into the Unicorn Champion's advisor position. From there, Arandaru is more than willing to assist the Clan in any matter divine, bearing in mind, that he needs to learn the truth behind his parents' past.
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Post by Daidoji Batsu on Jan 8, 2014 22:57:52 GMT
Character Name: Daidoji Batsu/Kurenokage
Clan: Crane
School: Shosuro Butei/Shosuro Shinobi/Order of Heroes Monk
Profession: Student at the Broken Wing Dojo and Advisor to Doji Hatosenshi
Rings:
Earth: 1
Water: 3
Air: 4
Fire: 5
Void: 3
Glory: 15
Distinctions: None for now (a lot of glory was spent)
Appearance:
In public, Batsu appears as any good crane courtier should, handsome with his long white hair reaching halfway down his blue and white kimono. This is all part of the act however as whenever he is needed as Kurenokage(The Shadow Crane) he removes his carefully constructed wig to reveal his short, jet black hair and changes his kimono for a shinobi shozoku.
Age: 28
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 160
Eyes: Brown
Hair: White/Black
Distinctive Marks and Items: Batsu is always seen wearing a crimson ribbon to tie his “hair” with.
Family: Father: Bayushi Sanosuke Mother: Bayushi (Doji) Nanami
Attitude/Personality: Batsu is quite friendly to those he meets. He is always willing to discuss anything from politics with a governor, The Tao with one of The Brotherhood, or the harvest with a local farmer. His time as a monk among those of the lower classes can sometimes cause to be overly familiar in conversation which sometimes annoys or even offends some of the samurai caste.
History: Some might say that the celestial wheel was drunk the day that Bayushi Batsu was born. His father, a master of The Dark Sword of Bitter Lies, was disappointed early on to discover that his son was left handed and thereby could never be a proper swordsman. Batsu did however show great interest in his mother’s chosen profession as a performer and was granted admittance to the Shosuro Butei School. He had always been closer to his mother who, though a Scorpion for some time now, still held fast to her ideals of honor she had been raised with and had passed those same ideals to her son. Batsu was often bullied by his classmates as a Junshin, once again bringing disappointment to his father.
He quickly understood the importance of moving about unnoticed to avoid the bullying and ridicule and began to suppress his honorable nature and focus on his studies. He excelled at the Butei School and was soon recruited by the Shinobi School as well. He graduated from both schools and was well respected by his masters. Batsu began to lose himself in his dedication to his art. He happily gave everything to his clan and happily served it from the shadows.
All this changed one night when Batsu arrived in the estate of his latest target, a member of the Mantis Clan that had supposedly stolen from a notable Scorpion samurai. Upon further investigation, Batsu found that this particular Scorpion had merely been insulted in court by the Mantis and so his death had been ordered based solely on favors called in and the flexing of political muscle. Batsu returned unsuccessful and made up a story of having been discovered and bested in combat by the Mantis samurai. In disgrace and shame, Batsu was removed from his position as one of his clan’s elite assassins. It was only by his father’s word, ironically using similar politics to that which had chafed Batsu in the first place, that he was allowed to live. Though Sanosuke spared his son’s life, he could bare the disappointment no more and stripped Batsu of his status and family and cast the former shinobi out into the world as ronin.
Batsu felt both sadness and relief to be away from his past life. He knew he had done terrible things in the name of duty, but at what cost to his honor and soul; and how many of his missions were ordered out of spite or anger instead of in the name of justice? He began to wonder why fate had brought him on this journey and sought to somehow redeem himself in his own eyes, if not in the eyes of his family.
Desperate to prove that a person can change the hand fate had dealt them; he joined the Order of Heroes monks and began helping even the simplest of peasants understand their potential for greatness. Batsu strove for enlightenment by studying The Tao and communing with nature as well as with his fellow man. While he loved his time with the monks, and indeed felt that he was regaining an inner peace he had long believed unattainable, he felt that there was so much more he could do if given the chance.
Finally his chance came when he met a samurai known as Doji Hatosenshi, called “The Hero Seeker” by the monks. Hatosenshi was known as a great poet and storyteller who always searched for new heroic tales to tell. As such, he was well liked among the Order of Heroes whose efforts often gave him the stars of his stories. One calm spring morning, Hatosenshi, Batsu, and 2 other monks happened upon a group of ruffians who were getting a bit too friendly with the servants at a local tea house. Hatosenshi intervened and Batsu, refusing to sit by this time and let others achieve their destiny while his awaited, joined the fight. It felt good to Batsu to feel like a warrior again, but for justice. He knew that this was the opportunity he had long been searching for and decided to part ways with the monks. Hatosenshi was impressed with Batsu’s skill and used this as well as other deeds performed by him as a monk that proved his courtesy and honor to lobby for his being inducted into the Crane clan under the conditions of joining the Broken Wing Dojo and working in the service of Doji Hatosenshi.
Now, Batsu understands his place in the world. He may be Crane now, but he still works from the shadows and serves The Empire above all else…as any Bayushi should.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2014 19:40:08 GMT
Character Name: Shosuro Mai Clan: Scorpion School: Shosuro Actor / Soshi Shugenja (not publically known as member of either school) Profession: Courtier and Artisan (acting and writing) Distinctions: Artisan of Repute, Beautiful, Ishiken
Rings: Earth: 1 Water: 3 Air: 5 Fire: 4 Void: 3
Appearance: Shosuro Mai is a woman of obvious beauty. She is of average height, with long black hair and deep brown eyes. Her clothes when off the stage are tightly clinging, and sometimes showing a little too much flesh.
When on the stage though, she transforms into the character she plays, and can appear to be whatever people wish to see.
Age: 20 Height: 5’3 Weight: 100lbs Eyes: a deep brown Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: Her mask, always decorated in the finest silks, only covering from her eyebrows to halfway down her nose. Family: Shosuro Kimei and Ryozo, both still alive although haven’t seen their daughter in nearly a year. No brothers or sisters… Spouse: Single! Attitude/Personality: Whatever the situation needs it to be. When herself though, she is quiet…and tempting. History: Before a year ago, very few people had heard of Mai. She had performed in a few plays, and while she had put on superb displays, she never seemed to make the big time.
Growing up, it was obviously that young Mai would have a future in the arts. She took to every art with ease, learning what others would take years on in weeks. Her parents and clan were quick to notice this, and she was enrolled in the Shosuro actor’s school.
However a predicament came up during schooling when it was noticed the girl seemed to talk to herself a lot. Her sensei noticed it first, and soon it became obvious why. She had the ability to commune with the kami.
With no choices, the girl continued her studies while a sensei was arranged to help her learn the ways of a priest. While she struggled a lot, only the Air seemed to accept her completely…and yet, she did things nobody else could understand with magic. Not even her sensei had an understanding that she could commune with the Void, and to this day only her champion, her daimyo and a select few know this fact.
That was until the winter court. Starring in the play from the unknown playwright Sakura, Mai shone brightly and received a standing ovation. The play seemed to come to life around her, literally. Many claimed she had been blessed by Sadahako, while others simply claimed she was abusing the power of the kami, despite no sign of spells being cast and Mai never being seen with a scroll satchel. Whatever the reason, she has been in high demand since.
Taking advantage of this, Mai has begun to release a number of interesting (and at times scandalous) novels about secret romantic affairs. Being of scorpion origin, many question if these are secrets being told without naming the person but so far none have come forward to claim this as true (unsurprisingly). One such book, titled “in the flowerbeds”, has even been banned from the temples of the Brotherhood so scandalous the material of the book. Many young courtiers secretly have copies of the novels that Mai writes. After all, court can sometimes be a lonely time….
The Scorpion artisan was unsurprised to receive another invitation to winter court. She travelled down, and only the Fates would know if the legendary playwright would be there to create another play to star in.
Or would they….
Character Name: Sakura Clan: Ronin Profession: Playwright of renown
Appearance: Very basic clothes and often rather unkempt hair, the Ronin playwright is still extremely beautiful. Her skin shows little signs of the traditional life of a wavewoman, well looked after if sometimes a little dirty. Age: 20 Height: 5’3 Weight: 100lbs Eyes: brown Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: Her writing materials, a gift from the Scorpion for allowing them to perform her creation at Winter Court. It is of the highest quality. Family: unknown Spouse: unknown Attitude/Personality: Quiet, often looking at the floor when dealing with others (as fitting for a Ronin). With those she trusts, she can be friendly, and sometimes very seductive. History: Nothing is known about the Ronin Sakura. To this day, nobody can even remember her entering or leaving Winter Court and there is no record of her being invited. Some say she is a spirit, or perhaps Sadahako herself. However she got in though, her rendition of the play “ the kami ascend” earned a standing ovation and at least four fealty offers. Not one was accepted.
As much as most samurai hate admitting that a Ronin has impressed them, there are not many who would avoid a Sakura play. Whatever the reason, she appears in different places with a new play, ready to have it performed. Many across the empire have tried to contact her to commission a play to no avail.
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Post by Agasha Shodai on Jan 10, 2014 1:11:20 GMT
Character Name: Agasha Shodai
Clan: Phoenix School: Isawa Shugenja School 2 / Isawa Tensai (Void) Affinity/Deficiencies: Void (double affinity), Fire (Deficient), Air (Deficient,) Earth (Deficient,) Water (Deficient)
Profession: Ishiken Tensai and "Perpetual Student"
Rings:
Earth: 3 Water: 3 Air: 1 Fire: 4 Void: 5
Glory: 0
Distinctions: Scholar of the Tao, Paragon of Compassion
Appearance: Age: 20 Height: 5'10" Weight: 150 lbs, muscular Hair: Shoulder-length White with a lock of Black over his left eye (permanently changed after a brush with Meido, cannot be changed cosmetically or by magic)
Eyes: Emerald (right) and Gray (left)
Outfit: Agasha Shodai typically wears black or dark red shugenja robes which mostly cover his Agasha Family tattoos and wears a full daisho as he has trained in the style of the Yamabushi. He carries his paternal grandfather's wakizashi at all times, but he will carry a different katana depending on which part of the Empire his journey takes him to. He has been known to wear light armor that he forged using a blend of techniques learned from the Kaiu, the Tsi, and his own Agasha family.
Family: Agasha Keitaro (father, 42) and Agasha (formerly Isawa) Sakura (mother, 38)
History/Personality: Agasha Shodai is a much-traveled man. As a youth, he was one of the top students in the Isawa Shugenja school - thanks to a memory that some call "precise" and others call "perfect" - and was one of the few with the Agasha name to show aptitude for Ishiken-do - Void magic - thanks to the venerable Isawa bloodline his mother has passed to him - indeed, his maternal grandfather was the Master of the Void long before his mother was born.
Shodai's paternal grandfather was a battle-hardened Gunso, who taught his grandson the ways of combat as Bushi understand it and the boy was as entranced by physical combat as he was magical learning. Even in his youth, Shodai was a bit of an odd duck in that while he knew his place in the social order of Rokugan, he was always filled with compassion for his fellow man, regardless of status.
Upon completing his Gempukku, Shodai chose to honor both his grandfathers by securing for himself the privilege of studying for a summer with the Tamori Yamabushi and learning how to blend his self-taught blade skills with his Isawa Shugenja School training. This would turn out to be only the start of Shodai's travels. Thanks to his skill at Ishiken-do, Shodai was able to master the art of Teleportation and he can travel the length and breadth of the Empire at will.
Agasha Shodai is haunted by his maternal Grandfather who was once Void Master (prior to Ningen) and wants his grandson to follow in those footsteps. He would rather be haunted by his paternal Grandfather, the man that taught him that just because Shodai was blessed to be able to speak with the kami he should also know how the rest of the world lives. Because of this, Shodai considers himself a "perpetual student" and is always studying skills that he feels would make him "well-rounded" - whether it's crafting new spells with his elite Isawa classmates or working in a weaponsmith's forge with a lowborn Master.
Advantages (Beginning): Ishiken-do, Void Versatility, Precise Memory, Paragon of Compassion, Touch of the Spirit Realms (Yume-do), Clear Thinker, Balanced, Irreproachible
Disadvantages (Beginning): Bad Fortune (Evil Eye), Cursed By The Realm (Meido), Haunted (Ojiisan Isawa, his maternal Grandfather), Lost Love (Ojiisan Agasha, his paternal grandfather,) Compulsion (Tea Ceremony,) Idealistic
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Post by Togashi Moeru on Jan 11, 2014 20:19:55 GMT
Posting char sheet here to make sure that no one has a problem with what I have laid out before I do anything else.
Character Name: Togashi Moeru Clan: Dragon School: Shugenja School Profession:
Fire; Ise-Zumi; Yojimbo; Gentle Heart
---------------Rings------------ Earth: 1 Water: 3 Air: 3 Fire: 5 Void: 4
------------Appearance----------- Age: 25 Height: 5' 4" Weight: 125 lbs Eyes: None Hair: Shaved Distinctive Marks and Items: Green / Gold fabric wrapped as a blindfold around his eyes.
His clothing is standard Ise Zumi.
Tattoos: Dragon Tattoo down left arm. Hand ends on the back of his hand, wrapping up his arm, curling up and around his shoulder, across the back of his shoulders, and the tail ends at the right elbow.
Centipede Tattoo covering the majority of his Right Leg.
He is often seen carrying a Bo, strapped across his back, in a non agreesive sheathing position.
Family: Sister is an affluent merchant in the Dragonfly lands, who is suspected to have connections to the seedy underbelly of Rokugan.
Spouse: Never Married. Lost the love of his life in the Shadowlands, he was her Yojimbo.
Attitude/Personality: A quiet, reserved Monk, who often seems to find a way to break the tension of the situation. The war in the Shadowlands has left him blinded, losing both eyes in an attempt to save the life of the woman he loved.
He sees little point in further conflict, though when pressed to conflict, he is still a fierce combatant, reaching through the void see his foes to cut them down in waves of fire.
----------History:-------------
Moeru Was born to a merchant family, and was taken to the Togashi Monastary by Hoshi himself. He was chosen by he was the youngest of 2 children. Moeru has never been considered physically imposing, even dwarfed in size by his older sister.
Moeru has always been naturally gifted with Fire, and sensitive to the void. His connection to the void, now gives him limited abilities to perceive the physical world, now that he has no sight.
Moeru has mastered several Kihos that he is able to cast on demand. Due to his injuries, he has prefers to remain nuetral, unless directly assaulted.
Since the events in the Shadowlands, Moeru has stayed rather solitary, making pilgrimages to shrines around rokugan.
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amaki
Crane Clan
Posts: 7| Likes: 3
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Post by amaki on Jan 15, 2014 19:51:39 GMT
Character Name: Doji Amaki Clan: Crane School: Bayushi Courtier Profession: Emissary, Magistrate
10 Favours, Paragon of Courtesy, Minor Diplomat, Artisan of Repute, Crane Clan Magistrate
Glory: 185
---------------Rings------------ Earth: 1 Water: 3 Air: 5 Fire: 2 Void: 4
------------Appearance----------- Age: 31 Height: 5' 6" Weight: 118 lbs Eyes: Blue Hair: Long, white Distinctive Marks and Items: A fan emblazoned with a quotation from Bayushi Tangen's "Lies"
Family:
Spouse: Unmarried
Attitude/Personality: Amaki is usually somewhat reserved and prefers not to draw attention to himself, but tries to ensure his point of view is put across. He is not particularly modest, but is savvy enough to know that most people will be more likely to agree with somebody who is not self-promoting. He tends to shrug off compliments and insults equally.
----------History:-------------
Doji Amaki was born into a family of Crane diplomats of minor distinction. An only child, his father died at a young age from an ill-timed sickness. His mother remarried to a wealthy and important but elderly Kakita artisan who had little interest in his young bride, allowing her to raise her son alone.
Amaki was a well-read child, handsome but not especially charismatic. His mother expected him to train as an artisan - he had a talent for calligraphy - but his life changed when a Bayushi visitor to his stepfather's home left behind, by way of a gift, a copy of Bayushi Tangen's "Lies"'.
The young Amaki absorbed the book thoroughly, and was so impressed with it he began to pester his mother to be allowed to study with the Scorpion Clan. At first, she discouraged him in this aspiration, telling him stories about the misdeeds of the Bayushi, but this only fascinated him further. Eventually, favours were called in, arrangements were made, and a young Amaki set off into the Scorpion lands.
His time at the Bayushi Dojo was not happy at first. Many of the other students felt that the Crane in their midst was easy pickings, and the teachers, in keeping with the dojo philosophy, offered him no assistance. But he soon learned to use the correct combination of repartee, observation and diversion to deflect the crueler taunts and accusations. The label "Crane spy", first attached as an insult, remained but gained an air of grudging respect. He graduated with as much acclaim as any other student.
Since then Amaki has served the Crane Clan as a courtier, a magistrate, and an emissary. He is often chosen for missions to deal with the Scorpion due to his time at the Bayushi dojo, but despite some mistrust, he has never shown anything other than staunch loyalty to the Crane - although he is considered an advocate of Crane and Scorpion collaboration, he always does so on the basis of self-interest. At the same time, his Bayushi training gives him a skillset that is different yet complimentary to the Dojo trained courtiers he usually works with. He has also maintained his interest in calligraphy, and his characters are considered to show some promise for an amateur. Despite his advancing age, he is unmarried and unlanded. He is rumoured to have some kind of grudge or bias against the Crab Clan, but it is unclear where this stems from.
He usually travels with a small retinue, including a valet, two assistant scribes and some heimin porters. His two chief aides are his yojimbo, a young samurai-ko named Doji Sasako, and his chief scribe, a middle-aged calligrapher named Doji Nimi.
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Post by Sakura Hirotomo on Jan 15, 2014 21:31:17 GMT
Character Name: Sakura Hirotomo
Clan: Dragon School: Kitsuki Investigator Profession: Vassal Family Daimyo
Rings: Earth: 1 Water: 5 Air: 4 Fire: 3 Void: 3
Glory: 0
Distinctions: Vassal Family Daimyo, Hero of the People, Married (Sakura Rin)
Appearance: He still looks boyish, and his sturdy frame suggests peasant stock, not surprising as his mother was a Toku. He is usually happy, or at least appears to be. A long scar on his face and left hand suggest a somewhat more excited youth than is normal for a courtier.
Age: 25 Height: 5'9 Weight: 180 Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: Scars as stated above. His Katana was first worn by a ronin that swore fealty to Toku. He wears it around his house, but trusts others to duel for him when he is in court. It is well kept, but not very fancy. His wakazashi is far more ornate. He keeps a pendant from his mother around his neck, and keeps charms around his wrist. This habit gave him the nickname Magpie,
Family: Father: Sakura Kenpachi (Retired) Mother: Sakura Himena (Formerly Toku, Deceased) Younger Brother: Sakura Toshi (Deceased) Wife: Sakura Rin (Formerly Kitsuki) Son: Sakura Toshi (Age 2)
Attitude/Personality: Hirotomo is a happy man. It shows in all he does. His father would diffuse tense situations with simple laughter, and try to please everyone, and Hirotomo follows suit. He is well known in the lower castes, and is lauded as a hero for his work in educating and advancing the people he rules. It is a mark of great status and envy among the peasants to work directly for Hirotomo, even if the duty is something as simple as fetching tea or washing his sandals.
History: Hirotomo did not have much time to enjoy his mother's life. When he was at the academy, and his father was away working with Jade Magistrates, his mother and younger brother were murdered in cold blood. The attempt was meant for his father, but his mother found out first. His gempukuu was quick and not filled with the usual amount of celebration. His first duty was to assist the justicar that was sent to investigate. Hirotomo found love in the young samurai-ko that came to his family's aid. His father was a hollow man after his wife died. He went through the motions until Hirotomo was 23, then he turned over the family's responsibilities to Hirtomo. Hirotomo finds sometimes his duties conflict with his training. He was trained to find the truth, not hide it. Still, he does his job well, and obviously does not take part in day to day missions. He relies on his wife to block the useless day to day business of running the family, so he can focus on his family's duty. He worries for his wife and son, even though his father found and killed the man responsible for his mother and brother's death. He worries about his own enemies and what they might do, so he turned his family home into a miniature fortress, and staffed it with soldiers that he trusts.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2014 17:03:08 GMT
New character (as agreed with the GMs):
Character Name: Ikoma Tono Clan: Lion School: Ikoma Bard Profession: Courtier and Artisan Distinctions: Ikoma Bard, Artisan of Repute, Beautiful, Talented Orator, Court Karo, Womanizer, Drunkard
Rings: Earth: 3 Water: 3 Air: 5 Fire: 4 Void: 1
Appearance: Always with a smile on his face (and often a drink in his hand) Tono dresses in the finest silks, and keeps his long black hair straight. His Daisho is of the highest quality, and worn to show that it is on display. Age: 17 Height: 5’5 Weight: 150lbs Eyes: Blue Hair: Black Distinctive Marks and Items: The weapons at Tono’s side, the saya of the Katana and Wakizashi are gifted from the daimyo of the Ikoma, showing him as the voice of the Lion in the courts. Family: Nephew of Ikoma Sume, cousin of Ikoma Otemi Spouse: None Backstory: Growing up surrounded by the highest authorities within the Lion, Tono has never been found wanting. Whatever he needed, he got. This didn’t take away from his training though, and through hard work and focus he finished his schooling with the Ikoma far ahead of the rest of the students, and was sent to the Topaz Championships for his gempukku. While he did not win, he placed extremely highly and displayed the talents of the Lion in a very dramatic way.
From that moment, Tono’s stock only went up. He was soon promoted to being a court Karo, and his uncles representative in the courts, before becoming voice of the Lion. Some believe it is only a matter of time before he takes over the position of daimyo.
Outside of court, Tono has three favourite things; fine stories, fine sake, and fine women. Often however, his storytelling abilities lead to the other two falling his way. If not that, then a few choice words would get him what he wants, or so he believes. His confidence knows no bounds. He knows the way to the best sake houses in any city, and the worst ‘entertainment’ establishments, visiting both frequently.
Like many of the Ikoma bards, Tono is loud and proud, boasting about the greatness of the Lion in stories of the past. He quotes Akodos’ Leadership without skipping a beat. Recently his studies have widened, learning more about the art of Iaijutsu after an argument with a Crane. He believes he can do anything, so is sure it won’t take long before he can even outduel the Kakita.
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Post by Shosuro Himitsu on Feb 1, 2014 0:09:42 GMT
Character Name: Shosuro Himitsu Clan: Scorpion School: Shosuro Infiltrator Profession: Governor of Shiro no Shosuro Distinctions: (not all IC knowledge of course) Shosuro Infiltrator, 'Womanizer', Ruthless, Bloodspeaker, Ninja, City Governor, Forbidden Knowledge (poisons), Ancestor Bayushi
Rings: Earth: 1 Water: 3 Air: 4 Fire: 5 Void: 3
Appearance: A red cloth mask that hugs loosely around her face and drapes down, hiding the intimate details of her lips and chin. She has a variety of attire from simple and drab for when she does train her martial talents and participate in spars, to her typical luxurious gorgeous kimonos meant to draw the gaze and lusts of samurai from all over. She carries the weight of her position with layers of cloth. Age: 25 Height: 5'6 Weight: 150lbs Eyes: Deep brown with flecks of green Hair: Black as night Distinctive Marks and Items: Jitte (a remnant of her old station), an official chop, and one very old wound in her left shoulder from the front (scarring, typically hidden) Family: Shosuro Kanbe - mother, Shosuro Ryota - father (both retired comfortably now) Spouse: None, oddly enough
Attitude/Personality: Her nature is a perplexing one, while just as capable as any Doji courtier to charm one's geta off their feet, her every word is almost always a lie coated in sugar and circumstance. Everything that she does is analyzed and to those who are aware of the vast time she spends recording her thoughts and experiences down the weight of any meetings with this diligent samurai can be overpowering.
That being said she does try to let her guard down with those she eventually deems trustworthy, as stress and secrets of her caliber are more than enough to kill. However these affairs can very easily turn fatal at a moment's notice. Her affection for men is all but renowned, but no one dares question her loyalty to her clan and duty to her station.
History: Her story truly began at the age of 18, an aspiring magistrate for the clan in the streets of Ryoko Owari Toshi. However her life took an interesting turn on one road trip between the capital and her resident Scorpion city as she happened upon a small traveling party and a ronin in their midst. Eventually it would be discovered that this was the son of the Emperor at the time in disguise and her superiors did ask that she escort him through the city, eventually trying to seduce him. She did in fact fail, even if she gained the attention of the soon to be Emperor if only just for a moment.
This season of her life came to an end quickly, the dream over, the Emperor returned to his coronation and the magistrate hopeful returned to her own humble aspirations. Her life nearly ending with the sound of a gunshot, but alas she lived with a scar to always tell the tale.
After this stage, her intricate and well kept records of all the denizens of Ryoko Owari gradually and continually paid off as her family superiors and those of the ruling family of the clan took note of her continued success. (Though needless to say years in the underbelly of the city of lies allows one to bear witness to a great many sins...) Meanwhile the heir-less governor of Shiro no Shosuro eventually saw wisdom in naming another to inherit the station and from that fateful day onward her name changed from Shosuro Ritsuko to Shosuro Himitsu as she was to be groomed for her position. One couldn't say whether it was her attention to duty even in her humble beginnings or her political chance with the Emperor that swayed the decision, but naturally she is taking her new position in stride.
For the time being, a greater question still remains of who would be worthy to be the married partner of such an illustrious individual, though most believe that vacancy will not remain for much longer.
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