Player character profiles

[Matsu Ishioka]

Name: Matsu Ishioka
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Nikutai of embassy security, Kyuden Hida detail
Age: 19
Height: 6'1"
Build: Muscled but not bulky
Hair: Sandy blond, like the fur of a for-legged lion
Eyes: Brown
Immediately noticeable quality: The impassive "Stone Matsu" face

Visual impression
Matsu Ishioka almost couldn't look more like a stereotypical Lion samurai, especially when he's wearing armor and looks like any other Matsu soldier. Except he carries a genno into battle, which is its own interesting story. But anytime Ishioka is seen with his head uncovered, his stony, unreactive face is the striking feature. Especially given the stereotypes of Matsu bushi, Ishioka has a heck of a poker face and seems thoroughly unflappable.

Commonly known/easily learned background

• Ishioka is a nikutai in the Lion Clans embassy security detail at Kyuden Hida. Matsu Takemiko, chui, commanding. Ishioka is nikutai in the squad of Akodo Sanzo-gunso. He's been in Kyuden Hida almost continuously since his gempukku.

• Ishioka doesn't just look like a stereotypical Matsu: he's an honorable, glory-seeking samurai with limited interest in the arts. Then again, he likes meeting new people and usually avoids antagonizing anyone unless it's a job requirement. Perhaps fair to call him a "worldly Matsu" based on his exposure to other Clans in the Kyuden Hida diplomatic "scene.'

• Ishioka gets along particularly well with Crab samurai. Due to plenty of experience?

Non-secret but less known background

• Ishioka's little sister, Matsu Hachiko, was slain in a questionable duel with Mirumoto Kinamoko, just before Ishioka could arrive. The word around Kyuden Hida is that keeping himself from caving in the Dragon's skull on the spot was a hell of an accomplishment, and elevated the Stone Matsu reputation even farther.

• Ishioka was happy for his appointment to the Kyuden Hida detail at such a young age because in his youth he was close to his Crab grandfather, Kaiu Odoma, so it's really no surprise he has a great rapport with the defenders of the Wall.

• Though generally a man of few words, Ishioka is helpful and friendly at his core, and he especially enjoys the opportunity to surprise others with small gifts

.

• Ishioka is a terrible liar and can also be hard to impress with academics or things that are shiny and new. That which is known and proven - what has great staying power - is his comfort zone.

• The Stone Matsu seems distrustful of most Dragon and their intellectualism and spiritual flexibility, seeing these as obviously dishonorable traits in keeping with the underhanded tactics of Mirumoto Kinamoko, who killed his little sister in a duel.

• Ishioka's family comes from a Matsu line that is akin to "new money," having really only become consequential thanks to the military exploits of a great grandfather, glorious conqueror Matsu Ishikawa, who claimed Breath of Beauty village from the Dragon not so long ago..

[Asahina Soyokaze]

Name: Asahina Soyokaze
Clan: Crane
Age: 16
Occupation: Weaponsmith, Artisan
Marital Status: Single
Gender: Male
Height: 5'6" (1.70m)
Build: Like a reed
Hair: White [dyed]
Eyes: Light Brown
Complexion: Fair


Soyokaze is the second son of a Asahina lord of moderate station. Soyokaze would look taller and maybe handsome if he just carried himself with a bit of confidence but is only ever in his element when inside a forge, once there he shows a spark of the inner fire that seems to have been squeezed out of him at all other times.

Hooks:
Unique or Exquisite weapons.
The art of Kintsugi
Friendly discussion on the nature and temperament of kami.
Soba noodles and Eel

[Suzume Senseki]

Name: Suzume Senseki
Clan: Sparrow
Age: 20
Occupation: Woodsman, Guard
Marital Status: Single
Gender: Male
Height: 5'6" (1.71m)
Build: Sturdy but agile
Hair: Dark brown, rather disheveled
Eyes: Dark brown
Complexion: Marked by the sun and hard work

Senseki seems like the typical Sparrow, a kind but hardy man, honest and simple, hands calloused by hard work, a weathered wicker hat covering his sunburned face, clothes seemingly always covered by a thin layer of dirt, dry leaves or blades of grass, as if he had always just been working in the fields or returned from a walk through the wilderness. He is kind and calm, and although quiet, those who know him well know he's usually attentive to all that happens around him. The Sparrow's reputation for poverty follows him closely, but so does a fame for remarkable knowledge of plants and their uses. He seems particularly happy when doing the simplest things, and some say his stark honesty is only surpassed by his respect for life of all kinds. Those knowledgeable about rock gardens may recognise him as one of the descendants of a relatively well-known master of the art from around 60 years ago, Suzume Zuki.

Hooks:

• Do you like stories of animal spirits?
• Let's go fishing or hiking in the wildlands?
• Are rock gardens better without plants, or should they only be gardens?
• Why would one like to complicate a simple life?
• Yam, wild berries and roots? Sounds delicious!

[Kasumi]

Name: Kasumi, of the Rolling Thunder
Gender: Female
Marital Status: We're at a miai...duh!
Occupation: Junior Navigator of the Rolling Thunder
Age: 20
Physicality: Suntanned, lithe

Description:
Kasumi's apperance is normal, if well cared for. Except for the obvious sun tan she has. Oh, and all the rich, gold and pearl baubles she likes to wear everywhere. The girl be loud, is what she's saying.

Oh, and she also has a parrot

Hooks:
- She likes the finer things in life. DO YOU?!
- She has a parrot. DO YOU?!
- She likes to make friends. That includes YOU! Probably.

[Kaikoga Fujiko]

Name: Kaikoga Fujiko

Gender: Female

Marital status: single

Occupation: artist/shugenja

Age: 18

Height: 5’3’’ (164cm)

Complexion: Pale

Build: Slight

Hair: Black, with a white strand

Eyes: Turquoise.


Known family:

Father: Kaikoga Aki. 56 years old. A lord well known for his soft hearted administration. His lands are poor, but his subjects live well and love him for it.

Mother: Kaikoga Hijiri. 46 years old (deceased). She married from the Crane into the Moth clan. She died of a mysterious illness (some say curse) shortly after giving birth to Fujiko.

Brother: Kaikoga Masaru. (deceased). A bushi. Died honorably in battle at age 24.

Sister: Kitsuki Misato. Married into the Dragon. Died during childbirth at age 19.

Sister: Kaikoga Chihiro. A dreamweaver. Her spirit was lost in Yume-do at age 20.

Brother: Kaikoga Aragoto. (deceased). Died in a horse riding accident at age 17.

Brother: Kaikoga Ranmaru. (deceased). Died of illness at age 3.

Sister: Kaikoga Furuta (deceased). Died of illness at age 2.


Backstory:

Fujiko is the last remaining child of lord Kaikoga Aki. A sickly beauty, she is rarely seen in public, but she is rumored to be a painter with few equals, although only few of her artworks have been seen outside of the walls of his castle, where she is employed as court artist. As her father is blind and her talents lie in the visual arts, this is a rather obvious ploy to keep her safe.


She suffers from an unknown disease, which sees her stuck in bed most of the time. It is a good thing her clan’s shugenja need to dream and paint, as she probably wouldn’t have passed the trial of her Gempukku otherwise.


It is unknown why her father has sent her to Omiai after keeping her inside for most of her life.


She missed the first day, as her illness acted up just before she was about to leave.





Hooks:

- So, want a portrait?

- Are you a wallflower? Me too! We’ve got so much in common, we should stand apart and look to the side awkwardly!

- If you looked it up, she’s distantly related to the imperial family and from a minor clan. An easy way to improve the peerage of your future children.

[Susaki Tadasu]

Name: Susaki Tadasu
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Bushi
Age: 20
Height: 5' 7"
Hair: Deep black, long.
Eyes: Hazel
Build: Wiry

----

A multitalented bushi of the Otter who does his best despite the fact that he is missing his right arm from the shoulder on, Tadasu is unusually gregarious for someone so afflicted. He typically has a friendly smile and kind word for those that he meets, even those who might otherwise be seen as less acceptable by normal Rokugani. This demeanor quite regularly follows up with an invitation to a meal, which he often prepares himself (scandalous!). He does have something of a chillier reception with most shugenja, but nothing impolite...simply less aggressively friendly.

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Hooks:

• Do you like food? Let's discuss flavors!
• Know anything about medicine?
• Been around many courts? Tell me about your travels and maybe I know some of the same people!

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[Otomo Akimoro]

Name: Otomo Akimoro
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Bushi
Age: 19
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Hair: Black, impeccably- and meticulously-styled in the most up-to-date courtly fashion
Eyes: Dark brown
Build: Surprisingly solid for a "soft" Imperial

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Akimoro is a swiftly-rising star in the courts of Rokugan - and he's visited several of the more important ones. The scion of a line that is distantly related to the Imperial line itself, this member of the kuge was born to be a major player, and he's not shy of reminding people of that fact. He's arrogant - a quality common among his kind - but generally well-meaning. He'll do his best to help someone who's not used to the refined ways of the "true nobility", but at the same time can't quite help but sound more than a little patronizing...

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Hooks

- Why does this Otomo wear a full daisho? Does he know how to make proper use of it?
- Want to attach yourself to someone who's going places? Now's your chance!