Tamori Nakamuro

Isawa Nakamuro is the brother of Isawa Ochiai, and Master of Air. He was a student of Isawa Noriko, from whom he learned a lot about the Oracles. He took his wife's family name upon marrying Tamori Shaitung, becoming Tamori Nakamuro.

A Student of the Oracles
Nakamuro had a fascination with Oracles from an early age, and while studying under the sensei Isawa Noriko in 1147 he would annoy her with questions about them. She became so annoyed in fact, that she suggested he transfer his studies to Isawa Ariken instead.

Death of Yaruko
In 1150 when Nakamuro was fourteen years old, and less than a year after his gempukku, he and his friend Shiba Aikune he fought Hantei XVI’s guards when the Steel Chrysanthemum attempted to force the Phoenix's co-operation by kidnapping their children. The girl both he and Aikune loved, Isawa Yaruko, was killed by Hida Tsuneo. Aikune’s screams of anguish echoed his own tears of pain and grief. After this episode, Aikune despised him. Nakamuro’s eyes burned thinking about it, but he had no more tears. The only thing that could distract him from his pain was study. Then he begun working on a document which compiled all the information the Phoenix knew about the Oracles. He had once hoped that such a document would give him more insight into these strange beings, but he rarely felt hope any more.

Acolyte of Air
He became an acolyte of air and continued studying the Oracles for years.

Becoming the Master of Air
In 1157 he delivered some documents to Kuni Misashi as a request of the Elemental Council, and he had to receive an artifact for studying in exchange for the scrolls, but instead of it, Misashi attacked him using maho. In a defensive act, Nakamuro killed Misashi, but before dying, he cast a spell that destroyed much of his home. Nakamuro was not able to find the documents, and reported it to the Council. While he was explaining what happened and saying that he could have found another way, Agasha Gennai decided to retire, giving Nakamuro his place as Master of Air.

Shaitung duelled the Masters
In 1159 Shaitung duelled the Elemental Masters defeating them in an all-or-nothing attack. The six shugenja were swallowed up by the earth where, under the crust of the earth, they encountered Shaitung's father, Tamori, the Dark Oracle of Fire.

Escape from the Dark Oracle
Tamori revealed that he had caused the volcanic eruptions that started the Dragon-Phoenix War. The ensuing battle killed Isawa Riake, and only Shaitung and Isawa Nakamuro escaped the tunnels intact. The remaining three masters were sealed in a stone prison by the Oracle.

After fleeing, they found themselves in a cavern created by Zokujin of the Zesh Tribe, the Cavern of Gold. Both swore to aid the creatures in their quest to destroy the Dark Oracle. Aided by the Zokujin, the two shugenja escaped from the mountain into Dragon lands, where Nakamuro was kept as a hostage.

Dragon Hostage
Nakamuro remained as hostage with a guardian, Mirumoto Tsuge, while Shaitung and Nakamuro talked with Agasha Tamori's brother, Tamori Chosai. Chosai believed his brother could be redeemed, an opinion the other two shugenja did not share. When the Master of Air realized his Clan would not negotiate his liberty for peace, he told Shaitung his place should be with the rest of the council, and returned to Kyuden Isawa via a magic portal and returned with reinforcements.

Falling in Love
During the time spent with Shaitung, Nakamuro realized he had come to love her, but he could not tell her because of his duties as a Elemental Master in the middle of the Dragon-Phoenix War.

Investigation
The last time Nakamori faced Tamori, the Dark Oracle of Fire, he admitted that one among the Phoenix had invited him to begin the Dragon-Phoenix War, one of high ranking indeed, but Nakamuro could not guess who was. The Dark Oracles must fulfill one demand to the bearer of the Dark Covenant, to demand this favor was also to abandon the Covenant's protection. If Nakamura could find the Dark Covenant of Fire he would force Tamori to force Tamori to leave the lands of the Phoenix and Dragon forever.

Nakamuro travelled to the lands of the Tamori family where he explained to Tamori Shaitung and Tamori Chosai his theories about someone who summoned the Dark Oracle to attack the Dragon Clan. Hitomi Maya and Asako Bairei investigated with him these facts, and discovered that a member of the Dragon Clan and a member of the Phoenix Clan had used together the Dark Covenant to summon Tamori in order to create chaos between their clans.

Confrontation
Nakamuro was aided by Asako Bairei and Hitomi Maya in researching the Dark Covenant of Fire in order to stop the Dark Oracle of Fire Tamori. Maya met the Phoenix while they were being attacked by three Jimen no Oni in a plateau near the Castle of the Faithful Bride and aided them to destroy the onis. During their investigation they discovered that it had been an Phoenix and a Dragon co-operating who had taken the Dark Covenant.

Nakamuro, Bairei and Maya returned to Shiro Tamori and revealed to Shaitung that the Dark Covenant was located somewhere within the castle. Using a ritual uncovered the location of the Covenant. Maya found the Covenant and Chosai struck down Bairei and her, taking the Covenant. Chosai admitted he had been responsible of the awakening of the Oracle and the Dragon-Phoenix War, and claimed he had done it so Shaitung could defeat Tamori and cleanse the Tamori name. Shaitung convinced her uncle to stop his madness and he released the Covenant to the Tamori Daimyo.

When searching for Tamori to confront him they encountered Isawa Taeruko. Nakamuro uncovered the illusion, revealing that the Phoenix traitor had been Isawa Hochiu. Both Bairei and Nakamuro confronted Hochiu, but the fight was interrupted by the arrival of Tamori. Chosai used the Dark Covenant to demand Tamori face Hochiu in a duel. Tamori survived the duel, and incinerated Hochiu. Tamori was distracted long enough by Shaitung to allow Tsuge to kill him. Chosai became the next Dark Oracle of Fire, but Nakamuro used the Covenant to banish him from Rokugan and never return. Nakamuro was severely wounded during these confrontations, and Bairei used his extensive knowledge of healing to save his life.

After the fight Nakamuro openly expressed his romantic feelings toward Shaitung, but the Tamori Daimyo believed her duties were more important than her heart.

Kaede's Return
In 1160 the Empress and Oracle of Void, Toturi Kaede had returned to the Mortal Realm at Kyuden Seppun. She comanded to gather the Four Winds at the city to defeat Daigotsu and to destroy the City of the Lost with its Temple of the Ninth Kami, channel of the Shadowlands worship to Fu Leng. Nakamuro was present as one of the most prominent and powerful samurai in the Empire when the Winds were gathered and prepared the Four Winds March.

Marriage with Tamori Shaitung
In 1167, he represented the Elemental Council to negotiate with Yoritomo Naizen after the war between the Mantis Clan and the Phoenix Clan have caused many victims in both clans. He sacrificed some lands and rights to end the war, an action that was not very popular. After the War of Fire and Thunder ended, he asked Shaitung to be his wife. Shaitung answered she didn't want to be his wife but wanted him to be her husband. Nakamuro thus took the Tamori name, and became Tamori Nakamuro.

Leaving the Leadership
Additionally, his decision to surrender to the Mantis, proved very unpopular within his Clan. Because of this, he decided to cede leadership of the Elemental Council to Master of Fire Isawa Ochiai, although he remains Master of Air.

Pale Oak Castle
Nakamuro was the governor of Pale Oak Castle, a position which traditionally fell to the Master of Air. Due to his frequent duties with the Council of Five, the actual overseeing of the administration of the city typically fell to the Captain of the Guard, Shiba Majushi.

Death of Shaitung and Nakamuro
In 1170 Tamori Shaitung was targeted by assassins sent by Daigotsu. Surprised in her room at Shiro Tamori, she fought them off with a tetsubo. Realizing she was under attack, Nakamuro came to aid Shaitung, but the assassins were prepared for this and managed to wound them both with poisoned shuriken. Rather than save herself at the cost of Nakamuro's life, Shaitung stood by her husband and together they killed themselves and their assassins in a conflaguration of magic that destroyed the entire level of the castle and could be seen for miles.

Succession
In 1159 Nakamuro selected Isawa Ihara as his replacement if died while investigating the Dark Oracle of Fire. Nakamuro was finally succeeded by his student Isawa Mitsuko. She was chosen to the position of Master of Air by Isawa Ochiai. Shaitung and Nakamuro's adopted son, Tamori Shimura, succeeded Shaitung as Tamori Daimyo.