Daidoji Uji

Daidoji Uji was an only child born to the Daidoji Daimyo. He was trained in the Daidoji School, and was one of its most exemplary students. A grim and solitary man, his thankless duties became his entire life. Uji embodied all the Daidoji ideals, resourceful, ruthless, talented and unswerving loyalty to his lord, Doji Hoturi. He was even vigilant in peace times, keeping a keen eye on all threats to his clan.

Father
Uji witnessed the death of his father at the hands of a Scorpion.

Other Family
Uji had a brother, Daidoji Tekigun, who died. Uji had a nephew, Tekigun's son Daidoji Chutei, who was crippled trying to recover the Ancestral yari of the Daidoji family Kotoku and forced into retirement. Uji also had a cousin, Daidoji Kisu, although little is known of their exact relation.

Uji was also believed to be a direct descendad of the legendary Daidoji Yurei.

Daidoji Daimyo


When Uji became the Daidoji Daimyo he swore the same three oaths that all the daimyo before him had sworn since the Night of Falling Stars and fall of Shiro no Yojin. The first was that he would defend the honor and lands of the Crane with his life. The second that he would remember the history of his clan and keep it alive for the future generations. The third and final oath was that he would never betray the secrets of the Daidoji House. He had no interest in politics, and in times of peace traveled from one Crane stronghold to the next inspecting and assessing their military preparedness. He took his responsibilities as the protector of the Crane seriously, and did not even show the slightest interest towards women; the single thing that brought Uji the most pleasure was outwitting an opponent on the battlefield.

Gaijin Tactics
Uji was a master of sabotage and guerrilla warfare. As the Daidoji lacked the numbers to wage all out war in many cases, they had to make do with less than honorable tactics. Uji was very interested in most things gaijin. His most prized read was a book on gaijin strategy and swordplay located in the library under Niwa Shita no Kage Toshi. He even practiced some of the strange kata and had one of the two edged swords mounted on his wall. This knowledge of foreign things was badly looked upon by the other daimyo of the Crane, but Uji merely said that "Without knowledge we will not be prepared for defense." Uji was familiar himself with gaijin pepper, as well as Gaijin guns. Though all were forbidden by Imperial decree, their use under Uji's rule as Daimyo gave the Crane the edge they needed to survive the many wars endured during his lifetime.

Appearance
Uji was a slightly caustic man with dark complexion, black hair and brown eyes. He never let his hair grow out of the short topknot, and never dyed it white like so many other Crane. He rarely wore his armor, although this did not diminish his deadliness on the battlefield. He spoke rarely, and when he did it was in a whisper. His eyes never twinkled and he rarely, if ever, smiled. He wore a mask in a similar fashion to that of the Scorpion when fighting, to remind his opponent that he was not to be trusted.

Crab Clan
Uji would frequently travel to the Crab Clan, for whom he had a great deal of respect. He spent a year on the Kaiu Kabe, and would spend time with both Hida Kisada and Hida Yakamo. He greatly admired Kisada's daughter, Hida O-Ushi, although it could not be said that he loved her. He had no time for courtly romances, and spent his time sparring with her.

Yasuki family
Uji's close relationship with the Hida family in no way diminished his hatred for the Yasuki family. He was constantly looking for reasons to destroy anything that had been built by a Yasuki, although he never let his hatred for them come in the way of his duty. He would however take his opportunities to weaken the Yasuki financially when they arose. He bid his time waiting for the day he was sure would come, when the Yasuki betrayed the Crab in the same way they betrayed the Crane, and on that day he would have his vengeance.

Clan War
Uji was a great hero for the Crane during the Clan War.

Fall of Kakita Castle
In 1127 Uji was in Kakita Castle leading a combined army of Phoenix and Crane. The defenders were severely depleted after the attack of the False Hoturi, when Hida Sukune sacked the castle.

Fall of Doji Castle
When he heard of the Lion invasion, Uji and his army retreated from Beiden Pass and caught Matsu Tsuko and her armies from behind. Again Uji saw how another holding of his Clan sacked. He fought against Lion army side to side with Phoenix and Dragon forces led by Shiba Tsukune. After the arrival of Crane Champion the defenders opened the gates only to realize it was an army of Shadowlands Madmen who took and destroyed the Castle.

The False Hoturi
He stood beside Doji Kuwanan against the armies of the False Hoturi and ensured the Cranes survived against imminent destruction. His unflinching loyalty helped the true Doji Hoturi regain his clan, despite the suspicion of other Cranes. His resourcefulness led the Crane into hiring Mantis mercenaries with the last of the Crane wealth to help purge the Shadowlands scourge from their lands. Some would claim, quite justly, that without Uji there would no longer have been a Crane Clan. In the Asahina Temples Uji made his last stand against the False Hoturi, with his returned Clan Champion, Doji Hoturi. Hoturi reached the False One, and in duel removed his head from his body with one single stroke in the Battle of Bloodied Honor.

Second Day of Thunder
In 1128 Uji fought in the assault on Otosan Uchi on the Second Day of Thunder. After the death of Hoturi Uji went on to serve Hoturi's brother Kuwanan.

O-Ushi
One of the few close friendships he had was with the daughter of the Great Bear, Hida O-Ushi. Calling their relationship love might have been an exaggeration, because both were too dedicated to their clan to dabble in romance, but Uji is known to have spent a great deal of time with her in Crab lands. In 1129 Uji was the nakodo and also competed in the no holds barred fight to win O-Ushi's hand. In the end when only O-Ushi, Uji and Shinjo Yasamura stood, Uji and O-Ushi knocked each other unconscious, making Yasamura the victor. She was married to Yasamura while still unconscious. After this event, Uji himself never married.

Crane Civil War
While Crane Clan Champion Doji Kuwanan was confronting Yoritomo in the former lands of the Scorpion Clan he sent a message to Uji asking for his aid, to hold ground on Kyuden Bayushi. The minions of the Lying Darkness killed the Crane messenger and replaced him by another, and forged the message asking Uji's current status. Uji informed his Lord that Yoritomo had convinced about his intentions of limited power, and trusted the Mantis. Uji also was warned about the Lion armies marching to Crab lands, and the rising corruption of the Jade Champion Kitsu Okura. Uji informed his lord that he would retake Shiro no Yojin, influenced by the dreams he had with revenge against Lion provoked by his ancestor Daidoji Yurei. When the report was delivered unaltered to Kuwanan he believed Uji had defied his orders. Kuwanan ordered to cease the attack against the Lion and send Crane forces to stop Uji. It caused a civil war when Crane fought Crane. The Lord of the Hainen Provinces, Doji Kuyamu, died against Uji's forces. Kuwanan ordered to kill Uji and any attempt to pacify them was halted by minions of the Lying Darkness. It became a full-scale civil war. Shiro no Yojin was taken by Uji.

Seeking Toturi
While Uji was still fighting Kuwanan, Kakita Toshimoko sent him a message in 1132, requesting his presence in the Morikage Forest.

Manipulated by Bloodspeakers
Uji knew that Doji Adoka had killed Kakita Ariteko, but because of Shahai's manipulations, he mistakenly thought the Phoenix were the instigators of the assassination. The bloodspeakers had placed a box filled with Phoenix koku and Ariteko's nephew, Daidoji Sembi, and Uji believed the Phoenix had paid Adoka for his treachery. It halted any support from the Crane to his allies the Phoenix Clan in the Mantis Invasion of the Phoenix lands.

The Crane Civil War Ends
The soul of Yurei suddenly was torn from Uji, and Kakita Kaiten told him that the Darkness was destroying the very souls of the dead, the ancestors had been slaughtered by the hundreds. Kaiten asked to Uji and Kuwanan to be again an united Clan. Uji returned to Kuwanan, offering his seppuku for his treason. Meeting in person at Shiro no Yojin they finally realized that they had been duped by the Lying Darkness shapeshifters and the Crane were unified again.

Race to Volturnum
The Crane Clan followed the Kaiten's information and marched toward the troll city of Volturnum to stop the Lying Darkness. An oni army blocked their way and Crane and Lion forces fought together to step forward. Uji defeated in personal combat a large oni, a monstrous beast of stone and iron. Daidoji Rekai was in danger to lost her life when she was outnumbered by shadowspawn, but Uji timely arrival allowed her to flee, while Uji made his stand. When Kuwanan and Rekai came to see what had happened to the Daidoji Daimyo they only saw a complete bloodshed of shadowspawn, and Uji was believed death. From behind the Goju corpses appeared Uji, grievously wounded. He never truly healed.

Uji's Death
In 1150, immediately after he received news that the battle plan he helped create had defeated the armies of Hantei XVI and bought an end to the War of Spirits, Uji was attacked by six Daidoji loyal to the Steel Chrysanthemum. Uji, with the help of Rekai, killed the assassins, but not before they fatally wounded the aging daimyo. Uji died in his bed, in the presence of Rekai, his trusted assistant and chosen successor.

After Death
Daidoji Hayaku, the Daidoji family founder, welcomed Uji in the fields of Yomi. Uji gave guidance to his clan as a Shiryo.

Legion of the Dead
In 1166 Uji joined the Legion of the Dead. He had stepped forward to answer Matsu Goemon's call.

Uji's Shadow Twin
The same year, a shadow of Daidoji Uji traveled to Ningen-do from Yume-do. This was not, however, Daidoji Uji. This version of the Crane hero claimed to be from a nightmare world where Fu Leng had defeated the Seven Thunders at the Second Day of Thunder and reigned over a twisted version of Rokugan.

This Uji took the name Daidoji Fumisato to avoid difficulties.