Iweko Setai

Akodo Setai was a deathseeker of the Lion Clan. After years of distinguished service in the Imperial Courts and notable service during the War of Dark Fire, Setai became the Imperial Consort to Empress Iweko I. He took the name Iweko Satai.

Personality
Setai was a quiet but intense man, never speaking unless spoken too, and few would choose speak to him. In every major Lion conflict he made his way to the forefront of the battle seeking death, but had yet to find it. When he became a courtier looked as a massive warrior with the calm, calculating eyes of a scholar.

Dishonor
Setai was once said to have been the personal student of Akodo Hirotsu, the sensei of the Castle of the Swift Sword Dojo. In 1148 He committed a dishonorable act of such magnitude that he was given the choice of seppuku or becoming a deathseeker. Setai chose to become a deathseeker, and had given the students at the dojo some food for thought.

Deathseeker
Setai as deathseeker tried to clean his honor and seek the first line in every battle he was. His fate was to not die in twelve years of military duty and began to be known as the "the Deathseeker who cannot die". In 1160 a Miya Herald traveling to Shiro Matsu was attacked by bandits, who killed his Akodo Wardens. The messenger save his life when Setai killed most of the bandits. The Lion Clan Champion Matsu Nimuro offered a reward to Setai, but he had to refuse Setai's desire, to commit seppuku.

Rebuilding the Imperial Court
The Herald gave a message to Nimuro, an invitation to the Lion for the Imperial Court. Nimuro decided to send Setai, as he had saved the entire clan from shame, and edicted the shame of the deathseeker was wiped away.

Courtier
Setai in turn aided the Lion by being a strong voice in the courts. Despite his deathseeker past, he was a consistent voice for peace among the clans. As a sign of his devotion to pacifism, he and one of the Crane's most prominent courtiers, Doji Seishiro, became good friends and rivals in the game of go. When Seishiro considered the possibility to leave the Court in 1165, Setai showed him the importance of the courtier work in the Court, encouraging him to endurance.

Investigation of Fires of Toshi Ranbo
After one year it was no conclusion who had provoked the Fires of Toshi Ranbo. Akodo Shusaku blamed the Crane at the Imperial Court, and asked to cede their administrative rights throughout the city to Seppun Kiharu, the new Seppun Daimyo. Setai was extremely cross with his fellow for placing the clan in a position that could begin a new war, and lobbied against Shusaku. The Imperial Chancellor, Bayushi Kaukatsu, appointed Setai to evaluate what progress had been made by both Lion and Crane in discovering the truth. In this way they might determine which clan had truly failed. Setai chose Matsu Atasuke to aid in his quest for his knowledge on Crane matters.

Conclusions
The conclusion was that both Clans had failed. The Lion offered to pass its investigation results to the Crane. Setai also exposed a plot engineered by Ikoma Tsai to harm several members of the Court. Doji Masaru, former Crane ambassador to Toshi Ranbo, current advisor to Matsu Nimuro in Kaeru Toshi offered the Crane to patrol alone the city, at the same time they were conducting the investigations.

Aftermath
The Lion Guards would be released and could be used in the War of the Rich Frog. Shusaku, nemesis of Masaru, was appointed to Kaeru Toshi, to face the Khol, the Army of the Center led by Moto Chagatai himself, which was a death sentence. Kurohito and Nimuro had avoided to fire again the conflict for the city control.

Seeeds of Revolution
In 1166 the small Crane city of Hitsu Taekeru had been seized by Akodo Tekkan. The city had suffered the Rain of Blood and the villagers killed all the Crane samurai, that had been tainted by the Rain. Without their presence they were rampant in banditry, and began to attack the Lion patrols. Tekkan took it to secure the border, but it would start again the fire between both Clans. There were no words of Kitsu Juniko, daughter of Kitsu Daimyo Kitsu Juri, who had been sent to the village to release it from Lion control. Setai sent Juniko's betrothed Ikoma Kusari and his charge Akodo Ieshige, expecting Tekkan might listen to reason the hero of Fires of Toshi Ranbo. When Setai knew Tekkan and Juniko had been murdered but no clue of whom was, he arranged with Doji Seishiro the marriage of Kusari, at that time Ikoma Daimyo's son, with the Crane Clan Champion's daughter, Doji Domotai. The Lion saved his face not releasing the city occupation, which was put under Kusari's control until his wedding, and as a marriage's gift the city would be passed to the Lion. In that way Setai had solved a serious incident.

Yajinden's Plan
Setai most feared thought was that the village could be the beginning of a peasant revolt, which could contagiate the rest of the Empire into flames. He did not know that behind the murdering was Yajinden, who used the heimin of that village to start a revolution that would aid in his master efforts to control Rokugan.

Topaz Championship - 1167
In 1167 Setai witnessed the Topaz Championship. He saw the death of the Master of Water, Doji Akiko, at the hands of her husband, doji Kurohito after the revelations made by Ikoma Masote exposed her as a Gozoku traitor. Kurohito committed seppuku shortly afterwards. The new Crane Clan Champion, Doji Domotai, asked traveled papers to Setai. The daughter of Akiko and Kurohito would travel to Lion territory to see her husband's father and Ikoma Daimyo Ikoma Korin. She wished to take revenge upon Masote.

Oracle of Thunder
This year the newly known Oracle of Thunder, Mitsu, was presented to the Court by the Jade Champion, Asahina Sekawa. The Dragon courtiers were offended that Mitsu chose a Crane to make this announcement rather than a Dragon. It not improved the issue that a Temple to Thunder will be built in Crane lands.

The Lost Ambassador
An emissary of the Lost, Daigotsu Soetsu, was brought to the Imperial Court by Kisada to approach Toturi III. Soetsu put forth Daigotsu's demand to form a Great Clan from his followers in the City of the Lost to fulfill ultimate destiny of Fu Leng: to be just as his brothers and sisters and have a clan of his own. He also 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.

Kisada was banished from the Imperial City, and might not return on pain of death. The Lost was made a guest of the Scorpion Clan, Doji Tanitsu should conduct all interviews with him, and the Emperor retired to his private chambers, to meditate upon the mysteries of Enlightenment and cast a final judgment over Soetsu's petition. Empress Toturi Kurako oversaw the court in his absence.

Chagatai's Ambition
Setai was attending Winter Court at Kyuden Otomo in 1168 when the news of the Khan's Defiance arrived. Setai assured the recently appointed Protector of the Imperial City Bayushi Norachai that the Lion stood against the Khan Moto Chagatai and they would bolster the city's defenses.

Fighting in the Streets
When in 1169 the Unicorn swarmed the capital in the Battle of Toshi Ranbo Setai and Seishiro fought in the city streets. Setai was again a survivor, but his friend died.

Phoenix Stewardship of Toshi Ranbo
The Phoenix stewardship of the Imperial City probed difficult. The Lion and the Mantis both petitioned her for control of the city. Setai claimed the release of it toward the Lion, while requesting their support on Toturi Shigekawa as new Emperor, and Yoritomo Yashinko desired her magistrates to aid the Phoenix to keep order in the city. Their debate grew heated, and the Master of Fire Isawa Ochiai dismissed them and denied their petitions.

Expelled from the Capital
Setai was present in the capital Toshi Ranbo in the Month of the Rooster in 1169 when a fight broke out between a handful of Akodo and Mantis samurai. The fight escalated, but was eventually ended by the Shiba troops stationed in the city. Both the Lion and Mantis were banished from the city by the Phoenix. Setai requested Kakita Senko to be the liaison between him and her Lord Doji Nagori. After the Lion returned to the capital this year Senko delivered Nagori's congratulations.

Race for the Throne
During the Race for the Throne the Lion endorsed Toturi Shigekawa as their candidate for Emperor. The Lion Champion Matsu Yoshino proclaimed him in a meeting with all the Lion leaders. Setai demurred if the words said by the prophet Kitsune Narako at the Jade Championship had been taken in consideration.

Winter Court - 1169
Setai attended the Winter court at Kyuden Otomo in winter 1169-1170. He entertained Crane Clan Champion Doji Domotai, attempting to learn how the Crane were faring against the Crab. Domotai herself wished to learn how the Lion were faring against the Unicorn.

Celestial Tournament
While the Celestial Tournament was taking place in 1170, a group of renegade maho-tsukai and followers of the shokansuru conducted a ritual in the Ruined City to summon an army of lesser oni, including some wanyudo. A group of Lion bushi led by Akodo Shigetoshi arrived at the scene as the ritual was being performed, and managed to stop the group's plan. Setai's personal honor guard were part of the striking force.

Initial Attacks
When the High House of Light was destroyed in the opening phase of the War of Dark Fire Setai gifted the Toturi's Fan to the Empress Iweko I at winter court at Kyuden Bayushi. It was an iron fan that was once presented to Akodo Toturi by Togashi Yokuni. Iweko might have something to remind her of the Togashi's home.

Battles
Setai returned to duty during the War of Dark Fire, and the Kitsu Daimyo Kitsu Kiyoko replaced him as the head delegate from the Lion Clan. A Lion army under Setai's command was preparing to defend Kyuden Asako when Isawa Fosuta appeared and killed many of the Yobanjin. Fosuta then asked Setai to join him, and killed many of Setai's troops when the Lion refused.

Setai helped to end the war when he, Hida Benjiro, and Shosuro Naname defeated the Son of Fire.

Imperial Consort
At the Winter Court of 1171 in Kyuden Gotei, Setai and Empress Iweko I were married in the Temple of the Jade Sun. He took the name Iweko Setai.