Yasuki Taka

Yasuki Taka was the Yasuki Daimyo, a small yet vital family of the Crab Clan.

Appearance
Taka was a tiny, wizened old man in simple clothes with a wide-brimmed hat, his face creased with wrinkles of a smile that revealed his love for life. You could not tell from looking at him but he was one of the richest men in the Empire.

The Wily Trader
From a young age, Taka preferred simple trade and salesmanship to diplomacy and high stakes economic maneuvering. After becoming the Yasuki family daimyo he enjoyed travelling the country as a common peddler despite his high status, and most people of Rokugan would recognize him. He would always seem to have what people would want. No one seemed to care that he always came out on top, no matter how much he would gouge his customer they would always feel as if they came off with the better end of the bargain.

During these travels, he established a Yasuki owned business in nearly every village he visited. He would spend his travels checking up on the businesses, delivering messages and instructions. His "micromanaging" led the Yasuki into an era of fortune and prosperity. Taka enjoyed earning wealth, but most when he used his own skills and abilities to obtain it. His favourite targets for trading were the Crane who had officially banned him from their lands, but somehow he still managed to get through their borders.

Merchant Coins
It is believed that Taka was in possession of two of the Merchant Coins created by Asahina as a gift to the Crane Clan after his marriage and joining them. Observant traders noticed he would conduct most of his trading just after lunch and sunset, in the hours of the goat and the dog, indicating he might be in possession of those two coins.

Tantoko
During the Clan War, Taka was pressed into service by a Scorpion Clan ninja, known only to him as Tantoko. Taka and Tantoko went to the Tomb of Yu Weh in search of a jade goblet. Tantoko was injured and to save her life Taka ventured into the tomb alone, in an unusual display of courage. Taka found the goblet and escaped from the Kumo and was able to save Tantoko. Taka's heart was broken as he secretly watched Tantoko unsuccessfully try to assassinate Hantei XXXIX using the goblet.

Double Agent
Few knew that Taka also had waged his own personal war against the Kolat, solely relying on his guile to hide his true intention of fighting them from within. He was one of their most fierce agents, but unknown even to the Ten Masters, he was also one of their worst enemies.

Shadowspawn
It was due to a Kolat operation during the War Against Shadow that he was consumed by the Lying Darkness, but his Kolat brethren were able to save him from becoming a mindless Shadow-spawn by enclosing him into a crystal chamber beneath the Hidden Temple, which preserved Taka's soul, if not all of his memories.

Kolat Master
Because of his intimate knowledge of the ways of Nothing, Taka became an incredible asset for the Jade Sect. He has become Master Jade, though he is now merely a free-willed shadowspawn, and Yasuki Taka is gone.

Major References

 * Way of the Ninja Page 46.