Asahina Sekawa

Asahina Sekawa is the Jade Champion, as well as the daimyo of the Asahina family.

Jade Champion
Trained in the Asahina temples since his youth to become a holy man, he has undoubtedly succeeded admirably at this task, albeit at great personal cost: During the finale of the Test of the Jade Champion held at Kyuden Nio, the Onisu Hakai attacked the event and could barely be stopped. Sekawa with the aid of Naka Tokei drove the demon away. Among the casualties were Sekawas closest family: His sister Kimita and his venerable uncle Asahina Tamako, officially the family's daimyo, who had lived in isolation due to taint infection. A scar across his cheek is a constant reminder of that day. (Samurai p. 96)

Personality
The deaths of his sister and uncle have changed Sekawa. He now has reputation of being a morose and bitter man. Despite his talent, he is obsessed with his past failures and his present inadequacies. As a result, he feels easily slighted, especially when responsibilities of his office are assigned to the Wolf, the Emperor's brother. His non-nonsense behaviour also frequently put him at odds with the Imperial Chancellor, Bayushi Kaukatsu.

Keeper of the Five Rings
Sekawa met with Daidoji Rekai, the old Daidoji Daimyo, who now is a member of the Lost. Sekawa wanted to find Shukumei, the assassin of Rosoku. Despite Rekai offered to willingly give information, Sekawa tortured her, but it is not known if he released or imprisoned her after this. Sekawa not only found and killed Shukumei: he also found the Book of the Five Rings after completing his mission. He gained the right to bear the title of Keeper of the Five Rings. Rokugan sees him as the heir to Shinsei's wisdom. Enlightenment, however, did not seem to change his brusque attitude in court.

The Shadowlands
Asahina Sekawa was one of the men present at the Emperor's winter court when the Lost ambassador, Daigotsu Soetsu, was presented to Toturi III. The ambassador told the Emperor of Daigotsu's plan to form a Great Clan from his followers in the City of the Lost and the ultimate destiny of Fu Leng to be just as his brothers and sisters. He claimed that Fu Leng's centuries of aggression towards Rokugan was the result of brainwashing by the forces of Jigoku, and that the honor of Daigotsu was beginning to overcome that and would allow the Empire and the Lost to co-exist as peacefully as any of the other clans. The Emperor was ready to refuse the petition, but Sekawa demanded him to speak in private. Sekawa, the Emperor and another Crane gathered. Sekawa explained the Emperor that this Crane was Daidoji Uji, but not the one who died, but one from an alternate reality. This Uji was not a spirit, but a true man. Sekawa explained that in this alternate reality, Rokugan was dominated by Fu Leng. Sekawa feared the Shadowlands would prevail too in Ningen-do. To avoid this fate, he wanted the Emperor to agree to the Lost ambassador petition. When they returned to the court, Naseru ordered that Soetsu would become a guest of the Scorpion Clan and that the Emperor would retire to his private chambers to meditate about Soetsu's petition and Enlightenment. Sekawa was pleased.

The Ninube
Sekawa sensed a great imbalance in Otosan Uchi. With Doji Reju and an army of Jade Legionnaires, he travelled to the city's ruins. In a great battle, with the aid of the Yotsu ronin family, a group of Unicorn and Reju's daughter, Mirumoto Ryosaki, he confronted the Ninube. Reju saved Sekawa's life at the cost of his own. Sekawa, as Keeper of the Five Rings, cast a spell of crystal and jade light, as crystal and jade are composed of the five elements in harmony. The spell harmed all the Ninube. Sekawa prepared to confront Ninube Chochu, the enemy leader, but Mirumoto Ryosaki killed Chochu, ending the battle and avenging her father.

Major References

 * The Jade Champion, by Rich Wulf and Shawn Carman
 * The Final Keeper, by Rich Wulf
 * The Four Winds, p. 48