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
Hoturi's mother, Teinko, killed herself by throwing herself off the cliffs of Kyuden Doji, something Hoturi 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 led him to try to be cheerful and at the same time try to emulate Satsume's somber attitude.

In a letter from his father written in 1123 during the Scorpion Coup, Satsume explained that he had always been so hard on Hoturi to prepare him for the time when he would lead the clan.

Appearance and Demeanor
Hoturi was a master diplomat and one of the most skilled duelist in the Empire. Hoturi had his hair dyed pure white, with long, thin, and pale skinned face, contrasted by his black eyes. He was tall and slender, quick and agile, moving with graceful ease and poise. He was quick to laugh and showed emotion in private, but in public he was cool, calm and controlled.

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 would never be disloyal to her.

Kakita Toshimoko
When Hoturi was enrolled in the Dueling Academy he studied under his mother's 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 also traveled to the monasteries of the Shintao monks together, 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.

Murder at Tsuma
In 1118 the Badger Clan Champion Ichiro Akitomo was found murdered at Tsuma, while the Topaz Championship was held. Hoturi was present beside his father when one of the witnesses, Bayushi Sugai, claimed it was a ninja assassination, while another, Otaku Shiko accused Sugai as murderer. Sugai challenged her for the slight and cut Shiko down.

Protector of the Emperor
In 1127 when the Test of the Emerald Champion was preparing Hoturi arrived with Kakita Toshimoko in the Capital to meet with the Emperor, but only his bride, Lady Kachiko, was allowed to see him. Hoturi commanded Kakita Toshimoko to return to Doji Palace and prepare an army to protect the Crane Provinces while he stayed behind to protect the Emperor and his new bride.

Kidnapping


Hoturi was later kidnapped by Bayushi Kachiko as vengeance for killing their son, Bayushi Dairu, on the same day the Emerald Champion tournament was held. Kachiko used the Egg of P'an Ku on Hoturi to create the False Hoturi.

The Crane were without a leader, and when Hida Sukune attacked Kakita Castle the Crane's messengers to the Imperial Palace returned with no word from Hoturi or the Emperor. Shortly after the Lion also attacked the Crane lands.

Freedom
Hoturi was freed by Akiyoshi, a ronin acting under Togashi Yokuni's orders. The False Hoturi was unmasked for what it was. Akiyoshi delivered Hoturi to Toturi near Beiden Pass, and the Unicorn forces guarding the crossroads gave Hoturi safe passage back to Crane lands.

Returned Champion
As the assault on the Crane continued, their main forces retreated all the way back to the Asahina temples. There the Crane and Phoenix armies were met by an army of Naga led by Mirumoto Daini and Hoturi, now fully recovered from his wounds thanks to Naga magic.

Doji Kuwanan
When Kuwanan saw his brother he believed Hoturi was the same Hoturi that wounded him at Kyuden Doji. Hoturi told about the Scorpion machinations and the magical duplicate that shared his memories, a doppleganger called the False Hoturi. His brother did not doubt that this was some twisted attempt to torment him further before burning the Asahina Temples to the ground. Kuwanan took Shukujo and wounded Hoturi. The Ancestral blade did not sing while Kuwanan was striking, but at the contact with Hoturi's flesh it sung. Kuwanan stopped, realizing the Crane blade still recognized Hoturi as the truly Crane Clan Champion. Daidoji Uji appeared and convinced Kuwanan to believe his brother. Kuwanan was immediately place in command directly under Uji.

False Hoturi's Death
The False Hoturi ran rampant throughout Crane lands, almost leading to their destruction, but was struck down in 1128 by Hoturi in the Battle of Bloodied Honor in the Fields of the Morning Sun outside Shinden Asahina. Hoturi removed the False Hoturi's head from his body with a single stroke.



Besieging Otosan Uchi
Hoturi joined the combined army massed near Otosan Uchi, joining his forces to those of Kitsu Motso, Hida Yakamo, Shinjo Yokatsu, and Toturi the Black.

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 in the chest. Kachiko and Hoturi shared a tearful farewell before his death. He was burned on a pyre afterwards.

War against the Shadow
Hoturi returned to Rokugan briefly during the Battle of Oblivion's Gate, fighting alongside Toturi and Isawa Tadaka against the forces of the Lying Darkness. He disappeared from battle and reached the Sleeping Lake beneath Kyuden Bayushi, where Shosuro had attacked Kachiko, only to be drawn within the lake and drowned by the spirit of Bayushi. Hoturi was able to kiss his lover one last time as Kachiko died. What happened with him afterwards was unknown.

Invasion of the Celestial Heavens
In 1160 the Invasion of the Celestial Heavens was halted when the words of Hantei Naseru tricked Fu Leng into distrusting Daigotsu, whose faith was the source of Fu Leng's power. Taking advantage of this moment of weakness, Bishamon deprived Fu Leng of the Emma-O's Spear, and Hoshi pushed him back to the gates of Tengoku. Fu Leng was once again confronted by the Seven Thunders and decided to retreat.