Doji Hoturi

Doji Hoturi was the eldest son of Doji Satsume and Doji Teinko. Hoturi was the Crane Clan Thunder. He died on the Second Day of Thunder in 1128, and was succeeded as Crane Clan Champion by his brother, Doji Kuwanan.

Death of Doji Teinko
His mother, Teinko, killed herself by throwing herself off the cliffs of Kyuden Doji, something he blamed his father for ever since.

Doji Satsume
Hoturi bore little resemblance to his father Doji Satsume. The only thing they had in common were Satsume's black eyes. Satsume rarely had time for Hoturi, and the little time he did find he much preferred to spend with Hoturi's more militant brother Doji Kuwanan. After his mother died when Hoturi was only twelve he told his father that he wished to become a Kakita Artisan like his mother. Satsume merely laughed at Hoturi, and enrolled him in the Kakita Dueling Academy. Hoturi's self-esteem was repeatedly crushed by Satsume's harsh criticisms, and he strived to make his father proud. This lead him to try to be cheerful and at the same time try to emulate Satsume's somber attitude.

Love Life
Hoturi was well known for being a ladies' man, and would woo samurai-ko and geisha alike. His handsome face and victories in tournaments made him famous among the ladies, and rumors of which women he had been romantic with ranged from Isawa Kaede to Horiuchi Shoan to Ikoma Tsanuri. If he ever had any lasting interest in any of his conquests he never revealed that fact however.

Bayushi Kachiko
As a young man, Doji Hoturi fought for Bayushi Kachiko's father in a duel to determine her husband, and won. The duel left him with a scar stretching from his shoulder to his elbow. When asked about it he would politely say "The Crab was too slow." Kachiko and Hoturi later became lovers, and Kachiko would become pregnant with and give birth to Hoturi's child, Bayushi Dairu. Hoturi unknowingly killed his son during the Scorpion Coup, and would remain unaware until his dying moments on the Second Day of Thunder.

Doji Ameiko
His marriage to Doji Ameiko was against his wishes, but arranged by his father. It was rumored that Satsume was trying to "chain down" his wild son. Ameiko however loved him deeply, and he grew to love her eventually. Her affinity for forests and ways with animals caused him to nickname her his "pet fox". The marriage to Ameiko changed him slightly. He would still enjoy good music and drink at a geisha house, but he would never be disloyal to her.

Kakita Toshimoko
Whe Hoturi was enrolled in the Dueling Academy he studied under his mothers brother Kakita Toshimoko. He quickly became Toshimoko's star pupil, and the pair grew close. The Grey Crane would never speak out against Satsume, but aided father and son in better understanding each other. Toshimoko and Hoturi also shared a similar love of women, and would often go on sprees together. They would also travel to the monasteries of the Shintao monks together, which is where Hoturi met and befriended Akodo Toturi.

Early Studies
Much of Toshimoko's love of women rubbed off on Hoturi, who was very proud of his sensei. When Hoturi was only 13, Toshimoko was walking with him along the Tachibana Road commenting on watching girls, when a Matsu by the name of Shigatori brutishly challenged Toshimoko to a duel. Toshimoko easily provoked Shigatori into attacking him, and quickly dispatched him without even drawing his blade, in an attempt at teaching the young Hoturi more about dueling.

Akodo Toturi
Toturi became Hoturi's closest friend during his childhood. Hoturi was four years his junior, but both were outcasts from their family and separated from their fathers. Hoturi learned patience from the Akodo, and Toturi learned how to live life from the Doji.

The Egg of P'an Ku
During the Clan War, Hoturi was kidnapped by Bayushi Kachiko as vengeance for killing their son. Kachiko used the Egg of P'an Ku on Hoturi to create the False Hoturi. The False Hoturi ran rampant throughout Crane lands, almost leading to their destruction, but was struck down by Hoturi in a battle outside Shinden Asahina.

Second Day of Thunder
On the Second Day of Thunder, Kachiko guided Hoturi and the other Thunders through secret passages in the Imperial Palace. Hoturi and Toturi, then the Lion Clan Thunder, fought and killed Emperor Hantei XXXIX, who had been corrupted by Fu Leng. Hoturi, however, was mortally wounded, and the lovers shared a tearful farewell before his death.