The Warring States of NPF - Kyuden Hida discussion

Who's who time

People Every one in the empire knows of

Hida Kisada: (glory rank 9.0)
The Great Bear. Daimyo of the Hida Family. Daimyo and Champion of the Crab. He started killing when he was five years old, and hasn't stopped yet. No one, man or oni, has injured him and lived. When angered, he's more like a tsunami than a man. Besides his combat capability, he knows practically everything about the shadowlands. He is known as one of the most intimidating men in the empire. Very people have ever seen his face, most have only seen his eyes; the rest of him is concealed in a mountain of metal called the Armor of the Shadow Warrior. His children are not here this year.
Kisada is brash and cannot afford any disobedience. this castle is the anchor for the entire Kaiu wall. If it falls, there will be no reinforcements, no second chance; the shadowlands will roll down the Wall and no one in Rokugan will be safe again. Samurai who talk back to Kisada may be turned over his knee and publically spanked. Such utter humiliation will hurt and cost you an entire glory rank. Serious offenses result in a swift death.
In Kisada's mind, someone is always responsible for any wrongdoing. If a noblewoman gets mutilated, her yojimbo is at fault for not protecting her; if it was a maho-tsukai, the Kuni and phoenix Inquisitors were at fault for not finding it earlier. Kisada knows well the number one cause of death at the Wall: relaxation of vigilance.

Hiruma Kage (glory 8.5)
Hiruma Family Daimyo. A dead-eyes beserker and Crab general who had to be physically dragged out of Hiruma Castle a few years ago when he failed to retake it. You may see him around socializing, in good spirits; he's in love and all is right in the world. Hour rank 5 Hida guards accompany him at all times, carrying swords and spears.

People to be seen with (glory 7.9 - 6.5)
Asako Wataru (glory 7.2): A phoenix Emerald Magistrate here to sanction all interclan marriages Kisada approves this winter. He also has the blessing of Shiba Ujimitsu amd the Council of Five to marry off any other Phoenix here if there is a suitable match made. Wataru is above using his station to block other's marriage. He was trained by the Doji. His wife died a year ago.

Asako Kuhime (glory 6.9): Wataru's daughter, Mutsuye's friend. She is sixteen and this is her second Winter court. She has attended no formal school, but has brought herself honor with ink paintings, dance, tea ceremonies, and embroidery. Her dedication to her arts shows great resolve; She might have been capable of anything if properly educated.

Bayushi Tatsukoro (glory 6.6): The leader of the Scorpion contingent, he was glorious enough to get to court, but not enough to go anywhere good. Tatsukoro is an irritable Bayushi bushi trying to impress the Crab through strength. He has taken up the practice of wearing armor (and a metal-barred mempo) around the court, and is itching for a duel, since winning one would be the fastest way to convince Kisada that he is a genuine, serious bushi. His wife, Bayushi Kazeko, rarely leaves her room, preferring scrolls to company.

Isawa Akiko (glory 6.5): A thirteen-year-old, wide eyed girl who's never been near a real bushi before, let alone three thousand at Winter Court. She has two modes when talking to heroic samurai: Murmuring and letting out a few vowels, or blurting out every feeling and bizarre detail about her life.

Isawa Hikaru (glory 7.5) A landed, wealthy noble and first cousin to Shiba Ujimitsu, Hikaru can arrange a number of phoenix shugenja to aid the Crab's overtaxed Kuni, give forth a dowry of thousands of koku worth of lumber, fish, pearls, and enamels, and he's an Isawa Shugenja mostly out of tradition. His wife Otsu is here as well and they seem close by rokugani standards; they sometimes touch in public.

Isawa Mutsuye (glory 7.0): Kage's intended, she is a noblewoman of seventeen. She has not attended a formal school, for her father, Isawa Hikaru, feared it might inevitably entangle her in politics. her older sisters Yoko and Reihime attended the Doji courtier school, and her father still owes the Crane favors. She os a devout scholar of shintao and rokugani history, and is a little shallow.

Matsu Bushime (glory 7.1): Glorious commander of a brief Matsu-Daidoji war and a Matsu Bushi, Bushime is rather cheerful that the crane aren't here this year. Her husband Kenichi displays these emotions for her. Bushime wants to arrange a number of political marriages, including for her body gaurds Matsu Hitomi, Matsu Hiroko, and Matsu Chizu

Kaiu Takana (glory 7.5): Karo of the Castle, he is responsible for keeping court secure. He controls access to Kisada, and when the Shadowlands attacks, he controls who gets rice and jade and who does not. When no one else is meeting with Kisada, Takakana is. He is all too aware that courtiers do not panic well. He is unmarried.

Shinjo O-Shito (glory 7.0): Liaison between the Hiruma Scout School and the Shinjo School. O-shito is organized, methodical, and knows a great deal about the law. She is a Shinjo bushi nearing forty, and has a husband and six children (fifteen through three) running about the castle in many different directions at any time.

Yasuki Kurako (Glory 6.3): Daughter of the Yasuki who arranged Kisada's marriage, Kurako usually hosts court at the Razor of the Dawn castle for Unicorn and Lion visitors, where her husband is now. She's been brought here to put a pleasant face on the castle. Kurako is easily flustered, and desperate not to mess up in front of Kisada, because she's heard about "The Penalty for Failure."

The Common Herd

You guys

Bayushi Masayari (glory 4.5): Kage's Nakodo. Hida Kisada stuck this courtier with a few hard-drinking Yasuki and told them to let him out in spring. His wife, Bayushi Shihito, is busy with her ide lover, of whom he is aware. There are perhaps fifteen scorpion gaurds, all who have been assigned beefy crab shadows.

Hiruma Ryoichi (glory 1): Once a well reknowned scout, he has since fallen into shame since his Katana was broken and has since taken up the wielding of a set of sais. He works as a messenge between Hiruma Kage and his aging father.

Ide Toshimitsu (glory 4.5) A diplomat, Toshimitsu is past his heyday and content to have a little fun rather than gouge the crab in leather deals the way he once did. his wife Bassaiko, though a little aged, still catches the ear with her cultivated Ide accent.

Ide Keiyomi (glory 3.5): Toshimitsu's daughter is sixteen and thinks she is far wilder than she actually is. While versed in political manipulation, she has never experienced it.

Kuni Taira (glory 3.4) A tainted, creepy shugenja who likes to discuss troll anatomy and selective uses of obsidian with his friend Yogo Shigeru.

Shiba Noboru (glory 4.0): Mutsuye's bodygaurd, a self effacing bushi who credits his sensei rather than himself for any accomplishments. He gaurded mutsuye's two older sisters until they were married, and seeks a recommendation from her father to find a cushier job in phoenix lands. He has never been in a duel.

Shosuro Shiko (glory 2.6): A courtier who was disgraced by Yogo Shigeru and ended up in Kyuden Hida. She loves to be the center of attention, and cares little for her reputation, drinking sake and sharing venomous put-downs with anyone who can stand chatting with her. (i.e. catty bitch)

Yogo Shigeru (glory 2.4): A yogo shugenja who has the combined misfortune of his family curse, the taint, and being personally repellent. However, the fault is not solely fate's. There's a reason Rokugani noblewomen are not alone with men, and it's people like Shigeru. He watches wmen from the corner of the room, waiting until they approach to smile and ask for favors in a grating, deadpan voice. He tests defences with "accidental" touching, and sees how far he can go before they scream. Fortunately, he is anemic, easily fought off, and his sincerity needs work.

and the Retinues
About three thousand crab bushi (glory 0-4), Whose typical dress is unwashed kimono under full heavy armor, two swords, and an iron-studded club. The worst of these is Hida sachiko, a foul mouthed, gleeful wall crab so thick that if someone told her there were riceballs on the other side of the wall, she'd go looking for them. While capable of reason, she has the troublesome combination of dangerous beauty, and a big hammer.

About fifty crab on good behavior (glory 3-5.5) Shaved down, unarmored, and taught to speak.

About fifty Matsu (glory 4-5.5), in Bushime's retinue, a glut of samurai-ko and samurai in bright gold, who look totally unafraid of any Crab. Among them are Matsu Ryuha, Matsu Shunji, Matsu Sohei, and Matsu Suneo: eligible, single Lions who are courteous, obediant, and praying not to get married to Hida Sachiko.

About fifty Phoenix (glory 1-6), primarily the families of the Isawa and Asako, their servants, and Shiba bushi retainers. There are no more shugenja; they had more prestigious courts to attend.

About fifty Unicorn (glory 1-5.5): The Shinjo are primarily here to help kisada fo4rget the border disputes being argued at the Razor of the Dawn. O-shito knows this is critical to go from a cease-fire to genuine peace; if she can get Hiruma kage to take charge of overseeing it, half the negotiating is already done.