Bayushi Shoju

Bayushi Shoju was born horribly disfigured and lame in his right arm. Despite this, he was a powerful daimyo of the Scorpion Clan, although he was never seen without his mask. Shoju married Shosuro Kachiko in 1113. He was an exceptionally skilled duelist, and also a good political strategist. Despite his assassination of an Emperor, Shoju was viewed as one of the greatest Scorpion Clan Champion by his fellow Scorpion.

Scorpion Coup
Due to his readings of the Prophecies of Uikku, Shoju determined that the last Hantei Emperor would bring the downfall of Rokugan, so he instigated a plot to assassinate Emperor Hantei XXXVIII. Shoju would use Bayushi Togai, a Scorpion whose ancestry from the Dragon Clan made him immune to poison, to poison the Emperor before killing him with his blade.

Planning
Shoju had feared Lion Clan Champion Akodo Toturi's leadership and tactical brilliance, and enlisted his wife Bayushi Kachiko in a plot to elminiate the Lion. Kachiko used the geisha Hatsuko to lower Toturi's guard, and shortly before the Scorpion Coup ordered Hatsuko to poison Toturi. With the removal of the Toturi Shoju expected the Lion, led by Matsu Tsuko, would be too concerned by the Crane Clan to notice the attack on the capital. The Crab Clan would not risk leaving the Kaiu Kabe undermanned and bring only a small force. The Unicorn Clan would arrive too late to dislodge the Scorpion from the capital. The Dragon Clan would be prevented from learning of the coup thanks to assassins preventing messengers reaching Shiro Mirumoto. Lastly the pacifistic Phoenix would be no threat to the Scorpion.

Start of the Coup
""I have found an ancient prophecy. It says the greatest among us will cause the Empire to fall and release an ancient evil into the world. I need your blessing to take every action necessary to avoid this fate.""

- Shoju



Shoju met with Emperor Hantei XXXVIII in 1123 on the night of the Scorpion Coup, and told him of the prophecy. Shoju asked for permission to take action to prevent the dire events the prophecy predicted, and the Emperor agreed. Shoju revealed that it was the Hantei who would bring about the return of Fu Leng, and killed the Emperor. He immediately named himself Emperor Shoju I. Unknown to him, however, the Emperor's son had escaped the purge and this would eventually lead to the events that Shoju had sought to prevent.

Initial Success
Despite the arrival of the Enemy forces, most notably the Unicorn Clan, being quicker than Shoju had anticipated, the Scorpion Clan maintained a strong hold on the capital initially. The first Unicorn attack of Otaku Battle Maidens was turned aside by Soshi Bantaro, who used the magic in the wall of Otosan Uchi itself.

Toturi
The geisha Hatsuko had fallen in love with Toturi, and used a paralyzing poison rather than the one she had been given by Kachiko. Toturi survived and recovered, and made his way to the capital where he led the united clans against Shoju.

Kisada
Shoju's final hope remained with the Crab Clan and their champion Hida Kisada. With the support of the Crab the Scorpion could win the day, but as the Crab army arrived it flew the colors of the Emperor, and Shoju knew he could no longer win.

Fall
As the clans began uniting against Shoju, and bringing their combined forces to bear upon the Scorpion defenses, crack began to appear. Finally the united clans breached the defenses, and Shoju made his way to the Throne room where he knew the final confrontation would take place. On the fifth day of the coup, Shoju was confronted by Akodo Toturi in the throne room where Shoju, realizing the error in his ways, cleaved the bloodwords into the Imperial Throne. Toturi, capitalizing on Shoju's actions, killed the usurper.

Return of the Fallen Lord
The ninth Black Scroll, the Return of the Fallen Lord, was discovered by a Lion scout, and passed on to Soshi Bantaro. Bayushi Kachiko forbade Bantaro from using it, but he read the scroll and summoned Shoju back to Ningen-Do. Shoju returned, but was now undead.

Restless Spirit
Ironically, Shoju did not join the realm of the Honored Ancestors upon his death. Though he attacked Otosan Uchi with noble intentions, his defiance of the Celestial Order caused his soul to be cast into Gaki-do, the Realm of the Hungry Dead. There, he was forced to wander until he was absolved. Shoju's hunger turned him into something rarely seen among the Gaki of that Spirit Realm. He hungers for courage, which he had an abundance of while alive. He was a true Scorpion, fully aware that his path would lead to personal dishonor and ruin, but persevered to do what he thought was his duty: stop the return of Fu Leng by killing the Emperor, a good friend who he had served loyally his whole life. For many years he wandered through Gaki-do and Rokugan, looking for suitable souls, which he inspired to great deeds of bravery-- deeds which fed his hungry soul. Proud of the good he can do, Bayushi Shoju realizes his punishment could have been far worse; the Fortunes showed great mercy towards him. Some Scorpion know what happened to Shoju, but none admit it. To them he would always be a Shiryo, sent to the blessed fields of Yomi. Saying otherwise risked swift retaliation from the Scorpion.

Peace at Last
The end of Shioju's penance came about when he found Bayushi Kwanchai, who was then the master of the Dark Sword of Bitter Lies. Though Kwanchai did not recognize Shoju for who the ghost had been in life, he allowed Shoju to stand by and watch as he prepared to condemn himself to an eternity of torture in order to seal a gate to Gaki-Do in the Imperial City (and, not so coincidentally, torture the gaki in return, who had taken the life of the Imperial Chancellor, Kwanchai's charge). The selfless valor of this act was the last thing that Shoju needed to complete his penance, allowing him to escape his fate and pass on to whatever fate awaited him.