Asako Bairei

Asako Bairei had the position of the master of Reihaido Hitomi in Phoenix Clan lands, and was with Isawa Nakamuro and Tamori Shaitung when they defeated the Dark Oracle of Fire.

His favorite tea blend came from Haimaato province.

Scholar
Bairei was a scholar interested in hidden lore and forgotten knowledge. He was usually underestimated because he placed his priorities differently than others. Sometimes it allowed Bairei to accomplish things he never would dream possible. Those who saw through his illusion were those he knew could trust to treat hin as an equal.

Old records
During his research he found a secret bargain made in 1124 between the Crane magistrate Doji Oruku, uncle of Doji Jotaro, and Isawa Muchito, uncle of Isawa Hochiu and a very high-ranking member of the Isawa family at that time. Oruku had been exposed as a Moon cultist and was faced by Oruku, who was cursed in the fight. In return for healing him, the Phoenix demanded his silence. Muchito's name did not appear in the records and instead it was used his cultist knickname, Isawa Orimono, remaining safe the honor of the Isawa.

Fascination with the Moon
After Hitomi's ascension to Tengoku as the new Moon, Bairei theorized that she might succumb to the influence of the Lying Darkness, just as Onnotangu, the previous Moon, did. In an attempt to stop this fate, Bairei performed extensive research regarding Moon Cults. He learned that by praying for Hitomi, the influence of the Lying Darkness would be lessened. The Council of Five gave to Bairei the resources needed to build a shrine in the Asako provinces, close to Dragon lands.

Shrine of the Moon
Bairei built a shrine to the Moon, the Shrine of the Moon, using rediscovered techniques once used by the Asahina family, which Bairei improved significantly.

Dark Oracle of Fire
Bairei, alongside Hitomi Maya, aided Master of Air Isawa Nakamuro 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 a Phoenix and a Dragon co-operating who had taken the Dark Covenant.

Travelling to Shiro Tamori with Nakamuro and Maya, Bairei participated in a ritual that uncovered the location of the Covenant. Maya found the Covenant and Tamori 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.

Asako Kinuye
Bairei had been a student of Asako Kinuye's father, and both shared many conversations at that time. He sent a letter to her talking about sightings of Ki-Rin in Phoenix lands, who he believed an omen of some sort, and Kinuye shared what she knew with him. Bairei was not aware that Kinuye was the leader of a bloodspeaker cell.

Nemuranais
In 1165 Yoritomo Kalilea went to the Shrine of the Moon with a tainted gaijin nemuranai the Mantis Clan had found at Otosan Uchi. He gave the longsword to Bairei to study and cleanse it, because Yoritomo Komori considered the Phoenix an expert in nemuranais. This arrangement might foster a greater friendship and alliance between both clans. They did not know at that time the blade was owned by Garen Hawthorne, a undead Thrane pirate.

Rain of Blood
In 1165 Bairei and the rest of the council were warned of the Rain of Blood and decided to only advise the Emperor and the Crane Clan. The Phoenix Shugenja coordinated a ritual that protected the Phoenix lands of the Rain and the master also aided.

The Doomseeker
In 1166 the doomseeker, Iuchi Katamari reached Bairei. The Unicorn sought Bairei's expertise in matters of obscure arcane lore, as the Khadi.

Scroll Deciphered
This year Bairei was visited by Mirumoto Narumi and Kuni Yaruko. He deciphered a scroll that contained information about a bloodspeaker cell in Phoenix lands.

War of Fire and Thunder
As a scholar and head priest of the shrine to Lady Moon Bairei was not involved in the War of Fire and Thunder. It changed in 1167, when the Master of Air, Isawa Nakamuro, sent him to give counsel to the Phoenix Clan Champion, Shiba Mirabu. Bairei had studied the records regarding the Mantis Invasion of the Phoenix lands made by Yoritomo, to get insight in the Mantis tactics. He reached the Agasha coastline and told Mirabu the place he guessed would be chosen by Yoritomo Kumiko to make her winner-take-all assault. The information led in the end of the conflict in the Battle of Broken Waves in the Isawa coastline.

Master of Water
In 1167 Bairei became the Master of Water, replacing the disgraced and excuted Doji Akiko. Although he was arguably not the most powerful water shugenja within the Phoenix he was well known to possess more knowledge than most, and rumours would have it even more than a lot of Scorpion. As new Master of Earth was appointed Isawa Emori, and Nakamuro had ceded leadership of the group to his sister the Master of Fire Isawa Ochiai due to his impending marriage to Shaitung.

Isawa Sezaru
The Council was worried with the behaviour of Isawa Sezaru because he had grown more and more troubled of late. The Council and Mirabu did not wish to involve him in any matter if it could be avoided.

Cleansing the corruption
The Council now recognized a cancerous evil within the Phoenix, one that brought war, suffering and loss of self. In 1168 Mirabu informed the Cult of the Dead Moon devoted to Onnotangu had been destroyed. After decoding the ciphered scrolls retrieved in the cultist lair a Shiba magistrate patrol had been set to investigate another possible cell in the City of Tears. They had not returned and were lost without any possible tracking. The Council guessed that darkness had grown inside their territory. Bairei volunteered to talk with his old friend Asako Kinuye.

Kinuye is exposed
After some investigation, Bairei discovered the cell and confronted it's leader Kinuye at the Kinuye's Garden. She poisoned Bairei, who endured the poison because he had been taking a number of curatives herbs for days during his travels there. In the ensuing battle with Kinuye he barely survived, and returned to the Council to tell the other Masters. He was tended by Ningen, who took care no other side-effects came from the fight with a bloodspeaker. Emori and Shiba Tsukimi led a legion of Shiba to the City of Tears and destroyed the cult. Asako Kinuye barely escaped, and was taken in by Kokujin.

Phoenix Champion Vacant
During the Winter Court at Kyuden Otomo Isawa Angai announced that the Phoenix Champion Shiba Mirabu had died the previous month. Ochiai declared that all representatives of the clan at the Winter Court were in mourning. The Soul of Shiba had not been chosen who was the next Champion andd the position left vacant. Mirabu's brother, Shiba Naoya, became the acting Shiba Daimyo.

Battle of Toshi Ranbo
Ochiai used the Egg of the Void to summon the Dragon of Fire above the Imperial City Toshi Ranbo in 1169 during the Battle of Toshi Ranbo. The Phoenix moved in and stopped the fighting between the Unicorn forces and the defenders of the city, and maintained the peace in the city for months afterwards with the Dragon watching over them.

Khan defeated and shamed
The Khan Moto Chagatai and his ally Mantis Clan Champion Yoritomo Naizen were brought before the present heads of the Great Clans, though perhaps suprisingly was spared execution on his grounds that he was simply trying to ensure the Empire had a strong leader thanks to Naizen's words. It was decided that the knowledge that Chagatai had been defeated and would now be forced to go home in shame, along with the reputation of being an ambitious failure of a barbarian was punishment enough. The Akodo Daimyo Akodo Shigetoshi was ready to force another resolution but was restrained by the appearance of the Lion Clan Champion Matsu Yoshino. He swore before the court that the Khan would die, however - in a year's time, in honorable combat, when the Lion claimed Shiro Moto for themselves.

Jade Championship
After the Council decided the Fire Dragon had to return to Tengoku, they set up the Phoenix representatives for the Jade Championship. Emori suggested Isawa Eitoku, Ningen appointed Isawa Kimi, and Ochiai selected Agasha Tomioko.

Phoenix Clan Champion revealed
Inside the Imperial Palace Naoya was being submitted to the autorithy of the Council for his actions that eventually allowed the Lion to return to the capital. The commander Shiba Tsukimi stepped in, and she called a stop to the proceedings. Tsukimi revealed herself as the new bearer of the Soul of Shiba. Ningen verified her statement and the Council acknowledged Tsukimi as the new Phoenix Clan Champion.

Hunting the Dark Oracles
The Elemental Council decided to engage the Dark Oracles. They reasoned that, as the Oracles had distanced themselves from Ningen-do, a Dark Oracle who was slain should not be replaced. A group was sent to seek and destroy them.

Toshi Ranbo surrender
The Council decided to surrender control of Toshi Ranbo, being their agenda completed. Ochiai began preparations to withdraw from the city at the conclusion of the winter, and it might take as long as the early summer.

Agasha Kyoso
The Seppun Magistrate Seppun Tashime travelled to Toshi Ranbo to speak with Bairei about a theory involving Kyoso no Oni and descendants of the infamous Agasha Kyoso. Tashime believed that a direct blood link to Agasha Kyoso could allow Kyoso no Oni to influence or even control those of the oni sumonner's line. Bairei said the Phoenix would try to formulate a plan for dealing with Kyoso no Oni, and suggested that Tashime consult a Kitsu sodan-senzo in the mean time, and addressed Kitsu Ineko as the proper one.

Aided by Meishodo magic
During a ritual in a waterfall performed by Horiuchi Yoko near the Morikage Forest a group of wicked spirits appeared and threatened her life. They did not disappeared when she used the kami nor with the Meishodo trinket she wore. Bairei saw the scene and banished the foul spirits. In return Yoko would help Bairei using his meishodo knowledge. The nature of the mission was unknown.

Theorizing on Bloodswords' thirst
In 1170, ten days before the Celestial Tournament, Bairei met the Head Inquisitor, Asako Juro, in the Asako Libraries. Bairei theorized the Bloodswords' thirst could be quenched, and the targets would be the Dark Oracles. In this way the recemtly recovered Judgement would become passive, without harming any innocent in the process. It was necessary a wielder for the blade, someone incorruptible, a man whose heart was endlessly fair and just. Juro believed Isawa Mizuhiko, currently wielder of Judgement, matched it.

Iweko I
Bairei was a contender of the Celestial Tournament, which was won by Kitsuki Iweko who became the Empress Iweko I.

War of Dark Fire
The Army of Fire, minions of the Dark Oracle of Fire Chosai, stormed the Castle of the Faithful Bride in a rapid attack and moved ahead toward Kyuden Isawa. The army splitted into multiple forces, the largest of which headed to the palace; a smaller force set out through the Isawa Mori, bound for the Dragon Heart Plain, to unleash something dark and terrible from the emptiness there. A third group rampaged across the northernmost regions and put to the torch three farming villages. The Masters aided the palace garrison to fight off the Yobanjin invaders, and Bairei was entrusted to guard the palace library, or destroy it if the library was in danger to be seized by the barbarians. Ningen departed north to protect as many villages as he could.

Kyuden Isawa stormed
In 1171 the yobanjin stormed the palace, the defenders could not stop the invaders. Bairei was not able to decide which of the unvaluable scrolls he had to save, and which to leave behind for sure destruction in the fight. A defender group met him, Utaku Tairu, Shiba Ikokawa, Yasuki Kowaru, and Shosuro Chieko. He tasked them to take as many satchels and chests they could, and fled to safety. Emori and Mitsuko had been wounded during the fight. Ochiai ordered Bairei to leave toward the Northern lands to aid Ningen, who had survived but needed to be tended to avoid his death. Emori was forced to collapse Kyuden Isawa upon the invaders as it had eventually sucumbed to the overwhelming numbers of the Army of Fire, in the Fall of Kyuden Isawa.