Takasho

Takasho was a tainted shugenja and ninja of the Spider Clan. He served Daigotsu as Onyx Champion.

Disguised as a Ronin
Like many members of the then still outlawed Spider Clan, Takasho, a former Scorpion disguised himself as a ronin to travel the land. He used travel papers, provided by Daigotsu Usharo, who still used his Otomo name. Moreover, Usharo helped with Takasho's disguise by having told him a story about the Celestial Tournament. This story with some small changes added authenticity to Takasho's lies and helped to explain why a ronin would carry a Scorpion mask and why a Scorpion would become a ronin.

In truth he was on a mission to bring news about the Spider's southern stronghold, the secretly infiltrated and taken over Kyuden Suzume, beyond the borders of Rokugan, to the Fingers of Bone, where Daigotsu's court was located.

There he encountered Isawa Fosuta and Katsu, and his desire arose to become Onyx Champion himself.

Becoming Onyx Champion
Among the Lost and the Spider Clan it was customary for the Obsidian Champion and the Onyx Champion to defend their titles against potential successors at least once a year with an often lethal duel. When the Onyx Championship was relatively new and the first ever Onyx Champion, Isawa Fosuta, still in office, he intimidated his fellow shugenja and maho-tsukai, so that none would dare challenge him. Katsu worried this and after confering with his lord Daigotsu, he set a plan in motion that would lead to Fosuta's downfall. He kept an eye on the Onyx Champion and thus the rumour spread, he wanted the office for himself. This kept Fosuta preoccupied and allowed Takasho to prepare.

Takasho challenged Fosuta and they entered a duel of maho. When the former Scorpion was ready to kill Fosuta and had started an incantation to summon dark magic, the current Onyx Champion cheated by setting his baboon on his enemy. Katsu warned Takasho telepathically of the attack. He could react, but instead of Fosuta, the spell killed only the animal. Isawa Fosuta had used the opportunity and fled the stronghold. Daigotsu thereupon declared Takasho his new Onyx Champion.

Battle of Ashio
During the Destroyer War, Takasho had found a way to defeat the Destroyers of Kali-Ma by means of maho. He was very enthusiastic about his discovery and made us of it during the Battle of Ashio, where he encountered Doji Yasuyo. The Crane woman was disgusted by Takasho's demonstration, because his foul magic, while defeated the Destroyers, tainted the earth of the land. The two parted as enemies.

Fingers of Bone
When Empress Iweko sent a delegation of young samurai and the monk Furumaro beyond the northern borders of Rokugan, to the Dark Lord Daigotsu, who resided in his stronghold within the Fingers of Bone, Takasho was present during the audience. After his lord read a scroll from the Empress, the Onyx Champion was ordered to fetch the original Tao of Fu Leng and hand it over to the delegation. It was meant as an answer to the letter and would play an essential role in the defeat of Kali-Ma.