Kyuden Shika

Name: Kakita Sakura
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Duellist
Age: 18
Height: 5'2"
Complexion: Fair
Build: Slender
Hair: White (Natural: Brown)
Eyes: Olive, cloudy.
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The eldest daughter of a Kakita poet and his Scorpion wife, Sakura is a skilled duellist, quiet but confident conversationalist and by all accounts has the best of her mother's alluring Scorpion features while still retaining the graceful beauty of the Crane. She has worked hard to get to the position she is in right now- especially given that she is also blind. The amount of effort she has put into her skills and duties has left her unable to attend to the issues of marriage, however, and so her lord has sent her from Shiro Sano Kakita to Kyuden Shika this year... partially to find a partner, and partially as a form of enforced time off from her duties.

She is a single Crane female, ideally seeking a fellow woman to marry into the Crane. While she isn't so choosy as to reject a potential partner... she will admit to a certain particular attraction towards those built more solidly than she is. That being said... one of the largest potential qualifications from her point of view is someone who will not treat her like some sort of fragile doll.

Name: Kitsu Murato
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Bureaucrat
Age: 19
Height: 5'10"
Build: Defined
Hair: Black
Eyes: Kitsu Orange

Murato is a generally amiable man. He keeps his hair cut short and trimmed, and shaves his face clean as often as necessary. His eyes are the rare striking orange that is a known sign of pure Kitsu blood, but he carries a veritable armory rather than a scroll case. But even his assortment of weapons is misleading as he carries a shamisen instead of armor. He has helix piercings in both of his ears, with large orange colored clamp shaped rings. They are highly reflective, and when illuminated at night or in shadows, it can appear as though there are 4 orange colored eyes staring out from the darkness.

As a child of a marriage between a pure blood Kitsu and an Otomo bureaucrat, he can trace both his maternal and paternal lines all the way back to the beginning of the empire. Living and working in Shiro sano Ken Hayai means that he has spent his life working near the remains of a legendary Kitsu ancestor that the castle was built on. His ability to sense and see spirits means he has spoken with quite a few ancestors that have spent time on Ningen-do. There are not quite so many young samurai that have been as inundated with the past as he has.

He takes honor and religions seriously, and is one of very few Lion that have true appreciation for the Tao of Shinsei. That isn't to say he doesn't show as much reverence for the fortunes or ancestors as other Lion, but he does not disdain the Tao as many in his clan do. He doesn't question the wisdom of Akodo in commanding the Lion's copy of the Tao remain unopened, but he does consider it a responsibility as a child of an Imperial to respect all aspects of Rokugani theology. Wherever he is, he loves to visit libraries to read and learn about the temples across the empire, dreaming of visiting as many of them as he can.

Hooks

* Are you being haunted or followed by an unpleasant spirit? I can try to talk to them for you.
* I need to practice my swordsmanship more. My invisible friend demands I be able to wield his sword properly. Would you like to spar/train with me?
* Please, tell me about the temples you've been to. It's not as good as being there, but it's better than reading about it!

Name: Aimi
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Ronin Shugenja
Physical description: A young, hunger-thin woman with dark eyes and weather-beaten skin, Aimi could scarcely be more obviously a ronin if she tried. Only the presence of a beautifully inscribed omomori at her waist gives a hint as to her true profession, and why she drew enough attention from the Deer to be invited to this event.

Frequently smiling and seemingly possessed of something approaching true humility, Aimi is remarkably easy to talk to, and displays a surprisingly wide understanding of courtly etiquette and the artistic pursuits for a ronin. When asked, she simply says that she learned such things from her father before he passed, and most assume the man to have been a former Crane.

Aimi is in something of a strange position as a marriage candidate. As a shugenja and a reasonably cultured person she would be a fine addition to any Clan, but as a ronin with an entirely unknown ancestry she's the sort of catch any samurai of proper breeding would prefer someone else make instead. Ironically, her lowly status means she has almost nothing to lose from this event - if she walks away at the end of it unwed, it will be personally disappointing, but no great shame or disappointment for a family or feudal superior. Of course, that's not to say she's not interested - a handsome man willing to take her away to a life of comfort and affection would be just about ideal.

Name: Kaito Oubaihime
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Healer Monk
Age: 17
Height: 5'6"
Build: Skinny
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown

Kaito Oubaihime has live most of her life in the Water Dragon Temple of the Phoenix lands. Travelers come and go as she patched them to be fit to travel. Oubaihime made most of them her friends. The poor girl though tends to not be favored to make things quickly for she is prone to falling. The head of the Water Dragon temple has now sent this soul to Kyuden Shika in hopes that she finds someone to ground her and show her what the true world is about.

Hooks:
Are you sad? Let little Oubaihime make you smile
Are you into medicine? I know a remedy that you may not know
Want a partner in fitness? I know how to run, seriously
Want a sparing partner? Sure, why not...I don't know much about weapons but you can teach me.

Name: Moto (本) Mitsuki (光月)
Clan: Unicorn
Gender: Female
Occupation: Soldier
Age: 20
Height: 5'3" / 1m60
Build: Athletic
Appearance: Goth

Avatar: https://www.deviantart.com/meetmeatthel ... -336443140

Bushi. Cavalry. Commander.

This character's base glory is increased by 2 during Military conflicts. This character may be targeted by card effects as if it had the Gaijin and/or the Curse traits.

Reaction: After this character enters play – search your conflict deck for an eligible Gaijin attachment and attach it to that character, paying all costs.

“Conquering the world on horseback is easy; it is dismounting to find a spouse that is hard.”

Mitsuki was born and raised in the most western outposts of the Unicorn, past Khanbulak and into the Burning Sands proper, in places where purple-clad Moto, their unsworn Ujik cousins, and even more exotic people mingle freely. She's from a prestigious line of desert warriors there, and is herself an accomplished raid leader.

Of course, what is good in the sands might resound differently on the other side of the mountains. And Mitsuki does little to prove she's not a dangerous barbarian. Her usual casual attire makes it feels like she's going to a burial, clothes and make-up overflowing with the white of death. Or maybe it's some kind of ceremonial robe, as her approach to spirituality is mixed with more than a few peculiarities brought back from the sands.

As for her wartime attire, were it not for her wakizashi it would be no different from any desert bandit, with sand-protecting and face-hiding neutral clothes, shield, and curved sword.

Her participation in this miai might or might not be a scheme from her parents to find her a spouse that would give her some semblance of legitimacy in the Emerald Empire. Or any spouse with a solid footing in Rokugan really.

Hooks:
Are you interested in the world beyond? Mitsuki likely went to places no one you know ever heard about.
What's your opinion on witches? Because superstitious people often treat Mitsuki as if she was one.
Rumor has it that she's a strong warrior... But then she's only ever defeated barbarian rabble, has she?

Name: Seppun Unsei 運勢 (Meaning fortune/luck)
Group: Imperial Families
Age: 23
Gender: They dropped it. It's gotta be somewhere around here...
Occupation: Future protector of the Emperor!
Height: 5'4
Body Type: Thin. Definitely does not hit the gym.
Hair: Dark brownish-black and is always in a ponytail that reaches down to their ankles. Scissors scare them.
Eyes: Golden-brown, like honey
Odd feature: Birthmark in the center of the forehead in the shape of a star or diamond depending on how you view it.

Oh, you wish to know about me? Well, well, well, then! You've come to the right place because I am me and I know all about me. Now, you might be thinking to yourself, 'Do I call them a she? Do I call them a he? Do I call them an it? What in Jigoku is this thing standing before me? What is in their robes?' The answers to those are as follows. You can call me whatever you like. What's standing before you is an Imperial! And what's in my robe is divination and a love for the stars.

Now, you also might be wondering why I'm here. That's a difficult question. You see, I'd rather be married off by an Otomo, like any proper samurai, but my cousins kept saying something about how I was a headache, my birth chart wasn't lining up to be compatible with anyone, and that I was a lost cause. But! I need to have kids so they sent me here because they just didn't want to deal with me anymore. They also said something about how Benten-no-kami must just really, really hate me to make me so unwantable. I'll be honest, it hurts a little! But what can you do, ya know?

So now I'm here.

With the Deer.

In eternal pain.

But! If you want someone to read your fortune, come to me! I'm the best at it!

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ . . ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Hooks:
Cursed by Benten? So is Unsei! Always could talk about it and laugh-cry.
Looking to get your fortune read? Unsei is a well-trained Seppun Astrologer set to eventually work protecting the Emperor from threats, so they definitely mostly know what they're doing!
Want to go hunting for supernatural creatures? Unsei is like a detector for those things and can innately feel anything supernatural around.
Unsei can't fight, but they can at least hold a sword and get hit -at most- once before dying. So, sparring partner maybe?
Want to play pranks by using invisible walls to lock people out of certain areas? Unsei has a fun little ritual and is very good at attuning it for humans.
(Art owned by me, drawn by Ollecka. Please don't steal <3)

Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Matchmaker-in-training
Age: 19
Height: average
Build: very thin
Hair: Black
Eyes: brown

Description:
With a smile that lights up every room she enters and a personality that immediately sets others at ease, Usogawa Narumi is nothing but happy to please. Always ready to offer a kind word, an ear to listen, or a gentle nudge in the right direction. Her expression is often one of quiet confidence, appealing but not off-putting.

A friend to everyone, but keeping few (if any) close friends, herself, Narumi seems happiest knowing as many as she can on a superficial level, and she remembers all sorts of little things about people that tend to surprise them, but it's just her nature. She aims to please.

Romance itself never did call however, she was more interested in matching others, learning the intricacies of political alignments, stringing together family lines who would benefit mutually from intertwining. But moreover, she was more than happy to follow after her uncle, Jin Soo. A little too closely, if one were to ask her aunt, and the young Otter was beginning to take on some of their clan's less-than-seemly characteristics: those that might serve well a smuggler or fence, rather than a matchmaker.

After all, those who can't do, teach! And while Narumi has shown to have a natural talent for matchmaking, she hasn't exactly had a line-up of suitors calling after herself, nor made eyes at any samurai either; her aunt has decided enough is enough, this niece of hers has had long enough to choose for herself, and now a perfectly acceptable miai invitation has come into her hands. A brilliant reason to send Narumi away, and all the better to remove the temptation of her uncle's "side business" all together.

Hooks:
• Travelling bro's: Single girl, seeks the wild yonder. Narumi has travelled along the rivers of Rokugan her whole life, and loves to hear stories about the goings-on inland! Even better if she finds a like-minded candidate who wants to travel. Even better still if said-candidate is up to some underhanded shady dealings for profit as a "roaming merchant," as well...
• Orphan Extraordinaire!: After a tragic childhood accident stole her parents from her, Narumi was taken in and raised by her aunt and uncle. Care to commiserate about less-than-stellar family life?
• Taking in the scenery: Not really one for much in the way of physical exertion, Narumi prefers to spend her time staying cool in the shade and people-watching. Care to sit for a time and make up elaborate stories about strangers together?
• Lineages: Like looking through bloodlines and pedigrees of all manner of samurai? Narumi does, too! She gets an odd thrill digging into the storied lives of others' ancestors.

Name: Agasha Inoshishi
Clan: Dragon
Family: Agasha
Age: 18
Occupation: Itinerant storyteller and story gatherer
Height: Short, but not too short.
Build: Thin to emaciated
Hair: In a bun, under her hat

Inoshishi (or Ino, if you're nasty, or just pay attention to what people ask to be called) is a rather carefree soul. So carefree, in fact, that her slight frame hovers around emaciated, a sign of her inability to manage her money. She's missed more than a few meals, but doesn't seem to mind. She wears voluminous robes that hang oddly near her hands, which are always moving when she talks. She's as likely to relate a story from long ago as she is to say something directly relevant in conversation, leading to many silences as samurai try to regain the thread of the conversation. She smells rather strangely (and somewhat strongly) of very sweet mochi, which she also doesn't notice.

Aside from her quirky habits, she's a rather kind samurai, sincerely trying her best to exemplify the virtues of the samurai. Her singular pursuit of stories has lead to a stunted social life, however, which is why she's here. Her parents are strong believers in a proper marriage, so she will humor them. And if her partner knows stories to share with her, so much the better!

Hooks:

Have you been to Otosan Uchi? Inoshishi trained under the notorious Kitsuki Shomon, whose dojo is open to all.

Rather accidentally, Inoshishi has managed to get herself marked as an operative, either of the Pure Lands sect or the Dragon as a whole. Her tendency to meet with peasants and eccentrics makes her appear suspicious. She's not certain why she's attracted all this attention. Maybe you could let her know? Or just creep from the shadows, like the others.

Do you like fireworks? Inoshishi LOVES fireworks.

Do you have tips for growing mushrooms? Inoshishi constantly snacks on Candy Caps, a mushroom that most people don't eat. She cultivates it everywhere and would love to hear your tips on growing them better.

Name: Bayushi Luixian
Clan: Scorpion
Age: 23
Occupation: Bushi
Height: 6'4
Build: Muscled
Hair: Red
Eyes: Golden

Luixian is a mutt. Her story started truly to come together two generations ago when her paternal grandfather, a Kitsu, married into the Scorpion. At the same time, a low-status Imperial, her maternal grandfather, married into the Crab. From there came two children. A Scorpion and a Crab. Through some political maneuvering, the Crab married into the Scorpion and like any good Rokugani couple had a child. What they didn't expect was for the child to be born looking like she was the child of a pure-blooded Kitsu. It was a surprise and shock to the family, leading some to believe that her mother had cheated on her father. It was a mess, but as the girl grew older and leaned more into her Crab heritage, the doubts fell to the side.

Already quite outspoken on her dislike of the Scorpion's usual way of operations, Luixian was sent to the Crab and taught the ways of the Defender. She nearly became a Yasuki Yojimbo, but rare was the time she was silent in court. Her blunt manner left her unsuited for anything remotely resembling court or formal interactions so she was left to be little more than a Wall. Now it's lead to a difficult issue.

Who is she going to marry?

The Lion want her into their clan, claiming that as a Kitsu heir, they deserve her to continue the bloodline. The Crab want her in their clan because she knows their techniques and would doubtless have strong children. The Scorpion have no care in the world who marries her as long as she's out of their hair and like most stubborn women, Luixian has no want to be sold off to someone she doesn't care about. So in a moment of brilliance, the Scorpion sent her to the Shika. A so called bastion of neutrality that would make the decision for all.

Coming along for the ride is Quail. Quail is her pet quail that rarely leaves her side. One does not want to see what would happen if Quail was hurt.

-------

Luixian is never dressed to impress. Her only outfit appears to be a black hakama, a sarashi, and a black kosode that is never properly on. With the kosode leaving an arm bare it allows her dragon tattoo to be proudly shown to anyone that cares to look in her direction. Her hair is a bold red and her eyes are a piercing golden, though they're impossible to see behind her oni mask that she rarely takes off. Though she might not believe in the Scorpion's methods, she doesn't spit in the face of their traditions.

Name: Hida Daichi
Clan: Crab
Gender: Female
Age: 20
Occupation: Gunso
Height: 5’9”
Build: Muscular
Hair: Black, tied back in a loose topknot
Eyes: Deep brown

Second child of governor Hida Chosuke, Daichi is definitely the most cerebral of her siblings. While her older brother took to the typical Hida teachings well, Daichi would rather read and normally this would have been looked down on amongst her Clan, but her father saw the benefit of having a child to send to train in tactics. Having taken well to her training, for the year after her gempukku Daichi got to study at the Akodo War College as a favor arranged by Chosuke.

Daichi is decently tall by non-Crab standards, but passably average amongst her Clan. Despite her more quiet and thoughtful nature, she is quite strong and has the build to back it up.

————————————————————

Hooks:

•Do you like go or shogi? Daichi is always happy to play.
•Study at the Akodo War College? Daichi was given the opportunity to study there for a year.
•Fan of military history? Daichi sure is.
•Like reading? Daichi does a lot of that.