Shinjo Maku

Shinjo Maku was the master sensei of the Shinjo Dojo, and the nephew of the Unicorn Clan Champion Shinjo Yokatsu.

Appearance
Maku was a tall, lean and handsome man whose youthful appearance betrayed his actual age. Maku would awaken before sunrise every morning to practice extensive kata and take a two hour ride on his favored steed Mikoto. Maku would also eat a strict diet of nutritious foods he harevest from the wilderness and prepared himself. He was an extraordinarily strong, tough and self reliant person who was not accustomed to weakness and would accept none in his students.

Youth
Maku was a part of Shinjo Yokatsu's elite guard when the Unicorn Clan Champion, his uncle, was exposed as a Kolat Master.

Sensei
During instrucion Maku would rarely show emotion, and if a student failed he would not chastise him, but simply expose the student to harsher duties. This would be kept up until the student either triumphed or collapsed. Maku was not however completely without compassion, and would never work a student or their steed to injury or death. He simply wanted the next generation of Unicorn to become stronger than the last. Being Yokatsu's nephew he felt the sting of the family dishonor very strongly, and strives to redeem their family name.

Nightmares
At night Maku's dreams were filled with nightmares of a dark future that could consume the Shinjo. The nightmares drove him to push his students harder, so that if his dreams came true his students would be strong enough to fight it.

Family
Maku was neither married nor had any children and the closest thing he had to a friend was his cousin Shinjo Shono. The two would often meet to share stories or simply relax. Even though he saw SHono as too foolhardy and irresponsible he would constantly encourage Shono to take up a position of instructor at the dojo.

Major References

 * Way of the Samurai Page 69.