Hitomi

Mirumoto Hitomi was the former Daimyo of the Mirumoto family, the second Dragon Clan Thunder, Dragon Clan Champion, and as just Hitomi was the first Hitomi family founder and its first Daimyo. Her whirlwind ascension to political status came to a head when she defeated Onnotangu and ascended to take his place in the Celestial Heavens of Tengoku as the Lady Moon.

Youth


Hitomi would often watch her brother, Mirumoto Satsu, train in the dojo. Sometimes he would even tell her stories from the Dawn of the Empire, such as when Shinsei first came to Hantei when Hantei was at a loss of what to do about his brother Fu Leng. And how Togashi had listened to Shinsei's words, gone into the forest and sat, saying "I will not move until I understand." For ten days Togashi sat like this, and eventually Shinsei came and sat with Togashi, leading Togashi to finally understand. Hitomi took these stories to heart, and she loved her brother even more for telling her them.

Togashi Gaijutsu was believed to have been Hitomi's grandfather, although it might simply have been an affectionate term a young child used for an elder. Gaijitusu tattooed Hitomi whe she was around seven years of age.

Death of Satsu
In 1113, when Hitomi was only a young girl of eight, her life changed drastically the day her brother faced Hida Yakamo in a duel. It had been believed that Yakamo had slighted the virtue of Satsu's fiance, and Satsu challenged Yakamo to a duel. Yakamo accepted and promptly smashed Satsu in the head with his tetsubo, killing Satsu. The assembled court were shocked, and Hitomi's father cried foul, but no one would challenge Yakamo again. The eight years old Hitomi stepped forward, and picked up her brother's sword. Yakamo smacked the blade aside and placed his tetsubo on top of her head saying; "I won't kill you now, little one, but you will remember that I could have." She accused Yakamo of cheating.

Father
Hitomi's father was Mirumoto Shosan, the Mirumoto daimyo. After the death of Satsu, Shosan had become a shadow of himself, and when he reached his retirement age the family was led by his brother Mirumoto Sukune until Hitomi would be on age. The event had brought ill health to both her mother and her father. When her mother died, her father committed seppuku.

Gempukku
At the time of her gempukku she chose the name Hitomi, believed to be after the Lion heroine Matsu Hitomi.

""Truth's path is a sword

The blade cuts my palms and heels

Still I will not fall""

- Hitomi's gempukku poem

She shaved her head to demonstrate her dedication to bushido, the way of the warrior. The Dragon Clan Champion, Togashi Yokuni, gave Hitomi the command of an army as a gift, and bestowed upon her the Ancestral Sword of the Dragon Clan.

Tattoo
Following the death of her brother, mother and father, the Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Yokuni had begun taking more notice of the young Mirumoto Daimyo. In addition to allowing her to retain the position of daimyo he granted her the gift of a magical tattoo. She received it the night of her gempukku ceremony. The tattoo was on her back, and no-one knew of its existance and as such the image depicted was unknown.

Contested daimyoship
Hitomi's cousin Mirumoto Yukihira contested the daimyoship. Hitomi challenged Yukihira for the position and won, becoming the next Mirumoto Daimyo.

Mirumoto Daimyo
During her time as Mirumoto Daimyo, it was well known that she had little care for the position. Her brother, Mirumoto Daini, was more suited to the position and would frequently handle things in her stead. Hitomi made so few appearances in court at this time that she was referred to as Togashi Hitomi by some courtiers.

Demeanor and Appearance
Hitomi was not the archetype of Dragon, cryptic and ultimately inscrutable. She was plain and simple revenge. Her teachers remarked on her drive, her pas­sion, and her com­plete lack of fear. They also showed concern for the lack of any emotion other than pure rage. Hitomi was slender, yet muscular, with a finesse balance between speed and strength. Hitomi did not wear "feminine" clothes, she dressed in white when she was not in her armor.

Winter Court - 1115
In 1115 Shiro Mirumoto held the Imperial winter court. During the event Shosuro Nimuri stumbled upon Togashi Hoshi in his true dragon form, and to cover his secret Hitomi behedaded the courtier in an improptu duel. Her younger cousin Mirumoto Miyoki had been an unexpected witness and Hitomi ordered her to assume responsibility of the murder. Kitsuki Yasu quickly edicted Miyoki was the culprit and the sentence was to be killed as a common murderer. Just before Yasu executed Miyoki, Hitomi appeared and modified the sentence to another worse one, to live with her shame as ronin. Bayushi Rishu, the Scorpion representative, initially objected her decision, but Hitomi easily outmanouvered him with steeled words. Before the night Miyoki had been moved by ise zumi to Kyuden Togashi, where she became Togashi Miyoki, a Tattooed Monk.

Hida Yakamo
Since the day of her brother's death, Hitomi had a burning hatred for Hida Yakamo, blaming the Crab not only for the death of her brother but her mother's failing illness and death and her father's seppuku shortly thererafter. The only thing Hitomi wished from that day on was the death of Yakamo by her blade. Hitomi would repeatedly seek out Yakamo and attempt to fulfill this desire.

Scorpion Coup
When news arrived of the Scorpion Coup, Hitomi moved with the Mirumoto Elite force that joined the combined forces of the Great Clans at Otosan Uchi in the fourth day of the Coup.

Taking Yakamo's Hand
In the 18th day of the Month of the Rooster Hitomi exacted vengeance upon Yakamo in the Imperial City. Disobeying orders she challenged Hida Kisada's son, and during the duel Hitomi removed his hand. She had to be dragged away by fellow Dragon to prevent her from bringing shame upon her clan. Kisada was furious and demanded her life but the Mirumoto refused.

Toturi's Army
Just before the Battle of Beiden Pass Yokuni ordered her to transfer the command of her army to Toturi, giving her the Dragon Fan of Command.

Hitomi's Hand Severed


During the Battle of Beiden Pass, Hitomi again sought out Yakamo, who at this point had his hand replaced by Yakamo's Claw. Hitomi sought to finish off Yakamo, but Yakamo proved victorious, crushing her hand and the Ancestral Sword of the Dragon Clan. In the confusion of the battle Hitomi barely escaped with her life, and when he believed dead her brother Mirumoto Daini took the position of Mirumoto Daimyo.

Aftermath
Following her believed death at the Battle of Beiden Pass Daini assumed official leadership of the Mirumoto. Hitomi's cousin Yukihira usurped Daini from the position of Mirumoto Daimyo shortly after, and Yukihira would hold this position until the Second Day of Thunder when he was challenged by Hitomi for the leadership of the clan. Yukihira's own father, Mirumoto Sukune aided Hitomi by lending her his katana, and Hitomi won the duel, killing Yukihira.

Hitomi assumed the Mirumoto Daimyo position once more.

Obsidian Hand
Empress Bayushi Kachiko had saved Hitomi's life at the battle, having one of her minions whisk Hitomi away to safety. Kachiko gave Hitomi the Obsidian Hand to replace her lost hand, planning for Hitomi to win the Test of the Emerald Champion so Kachiko could have some control over the Emerald Champion. Hitomi became darker and more brooding, and her sense of honor diminished.

Test of the Emerald Champion
In the `Test of the Emerald Champion held in 1127 Hitomi was defeated by the Grey Crane, Kakita Toshimoko. Even with the ancient power of the Obsidian Hand, Hitomi was unable to defeat the Iaijutsu Master, and only the magic of the Hand was able to save her life.

Dialog with Yokuni
Hitomi reached Yokuni and engaged in a secret dialog with him. When finished, she returned to the Mirumoto Lands to raise and equip a new army. Yokuni vanished from the Dragon Clan lands to the south.

Second Day of Thunder
On the Second Day of Thunder Hitomi sought out Yakamo again, but this time she saved his life from Yakamo no Oni, saying to him as he had to her when she was eight. "I wont kill you now Yakamo, but you'll always remember that I could have."

- Mirumoto Hitomi

Hitomi and Yakamo joined the other Seven Thunders and entered the main palace to fight Fu Leng. There the Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Yokuni revealed himself to be the Kami Togashi, and fought Fu Leng. Togashi was beaten back, and as he lay dying he told Hitomi to retrieve the 12th Black Scroll from his chest and open it, but not to read it. Hitomi did so, killing Togashi but making Fu Leng mortal, and the Thunders succeeded in killing Fu Leng. .

Dragon Clan Champion
Mirumoto Hitomi became the Dragon Clan Champion following the death of Togashi Yokuni.

""I demand ultimate loyalty. Those who served before were once loyal to another Champion, and for that, they must pay in blood.""

- Hitomi

Banishment of the Togashi
After the Second Day of Thunder Hitomi fought hard to keep the Lying Darkness from overpowering her through the Obsidian Hand. It was also during this time, in 1129, when Hitomi began her own bloodline, the Hitomi family. She forced all of the Togashi family to renounce their loyalty to their family line under pain of death. Some did, while others fled the Dragon lands and joined the Brotherhood of Shinsei until they were reunited by Togashi Hoshi in 1132.

Tattooing
She wanted to ensure that anyone who remained was loyal to her alone and bore no lingering loyalty to the late Togashi Yokuni. Hitomi reformed the Dragon Clan in her own image and began to create her own tattooed people, each one tattooed with her own obsidian-corrupted blood. Among those who receive her tattoos were samurai from the Crane and Unicorn Clans, Doji Reju and Shinjo Tashima, both of whom went mad and swore fealty to her.

One of the needles used by Hitomi was collected by Jama Suru and with the remains of Hitomi's blood Iuchiban cast the Rain of Blood more than thirty years later.

Kokujin
Shortly prior to the expulsion of the Togashi family, Hitomi had sought the aid of the mad monk Kokujin. She thought that his ability to balance the taint and his tattoos would mean he could teach her to balance the corruption from the Obsidian Hand. Hitomi ignored the protests of some, including Hitomi Kobai, and offered Kokujin her terms for him joining her. Kokujin agreed to her terms, and became Hitomi Kokujin. ""A madman he may be, but only Kokujin. understands the burden I bear. Light and darkness war within his soul, and yet he retains control. His madness is irrelevant.""

- Hitomi

Naga Ambassador
In 1130, a Naga diplomatic mission led by Kazaq visited Kyuden Hitomi to meet with Hitomi. Kazaq claimed he had forseen a dark time ahead for Hitomi, and requested she step down from the Dragon Clan and come with the Naga to seek the aid of the Akasha. Hitomi refused and politely send the Naga on their way. Outside the gates of Kyuden Hitomi the Naga were slaughtered by Kokujin, who believed that their insults to Hitomi could not go unpunished. Kokujin also tattooed Kazaq, the only suriving Naga.

Naga attack Hitomi
In 1131 the Naga laid siege to the Dragon Provinces, calling her as the Darkness on the Mountain and were aware that her Obsidian hand grew stronger.

Requesting Aid to the Court
From the Dragon Mountains ambassadors came to the Imperial Court, telling tales of genocide by the Naga, and speaking claims of peace. Hitomi sent a message of goodwill and unity, and an offer of brotherhood to all who wished to join her in her quest for enlightenment.

Divination Powers
Hitomi believed the Obsidian Hand granted her divination powers, and she intended to change the future she foresaw, even if it cost the lives of the entire Dragon Clan. Shosuro, the Scorpion Thunder who survived the Day of Thunder after having made a bargain with the Lying Darkness, had been imprisoned by Togashi in the Chamber of Crystal beneath Kyuden Hitomi in the year 82. Hitomi believed that Shosuro had the knowledge to avoid the future she saw and how to defeat Onnotangu, and threatened Shosuro with death. Kitsuki Kaagi, who had studied the Lying Darkness over years and knew it was already infected by the Shadows, tried to convince his Lady to halt any attempt to control Shosuro or gain knowledge from her, but Hitomi was overconfident.

Destiny was Decided
The arrogance of Kokujin was growing and even incited Hitomi's wrath, reminding the kikage zumi who really wielded Togashi's Daisho. Hitomi Kobai had returned from the Imperial Court and confirmed the Imperial Legions would fight against the naga. Hitomi knew her battle was no longer in the Mortal Realm, but she would not leave her fellows in their final hour.

Last Step Castle Besieged
The Naga armies had swarmed across the Kitsuki provinces, ravaged three minor strongholds of the Dragon, Kyuden Kitsuki, Kyuden Agasha, and another one. Last Step Castle had been besieged, and its foundations were covered in Dragon blood. Hitomi used the power of the Obsidian Hand to inadvertently free Shosuro from her prison. For hundred years Shosuro had been trapped in the light, hidden away from the Darkness. Now her Master's will won her freedom from the crystal cage, a tiny crack, but it was all the Shapeshifter would need. As Kokujin stole Togashi's Daisho laughing triumphantly and Shosuro vanished, Hitomi stood alone in her failure. The Lying Darkness began to expand.

Naga Storm Mirumoto Mountain
The Naga cut all the paths to Kyuden Hitomi but their final attack was halted by the Imperial Legions. The Naga quickly retreated using their Magic Pearls.

Hitomi's Defeat
While the Naga and the Legions were distracted, Hoshi and his followers stormed Kyuden Hitomi. Hitomi drew her swords and faced Togashi's son. They attacked each other, but suddenly Hitomi ceased the fight and walked away, because she had seen the truth, and left Hoshi to reclaim his father's throne.

Hitomi and Onnotangu
When Hitomi realized what had happened, it was too late. Her mind was now clear of dark influences and she could see how to undo the damage she had wrought. She could see the entire existence of the Lying Darkness laid out before her, how Onnotangu had hidden its existence from Amaterasu. How its subtle influences had caused all of the Kami's downfall (one way or another) and its slow growth of power over the course of the Empire's history. And she knew that only an enemy with equal power could defeat it. Hitomi challenged Lord Moon, collecting up powerful artifacts born of the power of the moon, making Onnotangu answer for his alliance with the Darkness. If she succeeded, she would gain the power to defeat the shadow itself. Kikage Zumi were sent on the search of the artifacts, and despite the efforts of the Lost monk Roshungi and his fellows of the Cult of the Dead Moon, they were able to collect.

Ascending to the Heavens
Hitomi and Mirumoto Uso walked to the Refuge of the Three Sisters in the Dragon's Teeth mountains where she disappeared ascending through the Dragon Road to the Celestial Heavens. Calling Onnotangu down from the heavens she challenged him to personal combat, and his eagerness to crush her and reclaim the Obsidian Hand caused him to accept. With the powerful artifacts and wisdom of Togashi on her side, Hitomi dueled Lord Moon. Onnotangu swung, and the black sword flew from Hitomi's hand. One stroke, two, and blood welled from her arms and face - torments placed to give her pain, and prolong her death. Though her battle had been mighty, she was forced to confront her greatest weakness: She was alone. Her Master's voice fled, and she heard only silence. Above her, the Moon's star-filled blade arched through the sky toward her throat. At the time of their duel the forces of the Empire were fighting the Champion of the Moon, an avatar Onnotangu had sent incarnated with his power, to protect the maddedned Emperor Toturi I. Takao, leader of the Brotherhood of Shinsei, defeated the Moon avatar. When the avatar fell Onnotangu was greatly weakened, providing Hitomi the opportunity she needed. The God arched in pain, as Hitomi raised her sword and cleaved his head from his shoulders.

Lady Moon
After she killed Onnotangu, the Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness took place, while Hitomi traveled across the empire giving her advice to all the clans. Then, with the help of her second, Shiba Odoshi, she committed seppuku and took her place as Lady Moon.

Hitomi's Last Gift
In her journey through Rokugan before she ascended, Hitomi had visited Yoshune, Hoshi's newborn son. She gifted him and the Dragon Clan with Hitomi's Last Gift. It was a warm stone that allowed the ise zumi to flare their bodies into brilliant light when they fell. It obliged the Shadows to retreat and it would be instrumental in the victory over the Lying Darkness.

Baby Ki-Rin
Hitomi released a Ki-rin colt at the Ki-Rin's Shrine, in the third of the Twenty-Seven Days of Darkness. The baby Ki-rin looked for more of its kin in the Celestial Heavens, to bring them home. One by one, each star in the Celestial Heavens awakened, following the light of the golden colt.

Fall of the Age of Man
Hitomi sent the child of the Ki-Rin to seek the Dragons and bring their power back to the Empire. As they returned, the Age of Man began to fall, restoring to the Age of Myth. In 1133 the seven dragons involved themselves in the War Against Shadow carrying the last of Rokugan's greatest heroes toward Volturnum's gates.

Naming the Shadow
Hitomi enlightened Takao as to how to defeat the Lying Darkness. She revealed that the Shadows must be named to give it form, and when defined it could finally be destroyed.

Shrine of the Moon
A Phoenix scholar, Asako Bairei, theorized that Hitomi might succumb to the influence of the Lying Darkness, just as Onnotangu, the previous Moon, did. By praying for Hitomi, the influence of the Lying Darkness would be lessened. Bairei built the Shrine of the Moon.

Invasion of the Celestial Heavens
In 1160 the Invasion of the Celestial Heavens was halted when the words of Hantei Naseru tricked Fu Leng into distrusting Daigotsu, whose faith was the source of Fu Leng's power. Taking advantage of this moment of weakness, Bishamon deprived Fu Leng of Emma-O's Spear, and Hoshi pushed him back to the gates of Tengoku. Fu Leng was once again confronted by the Seven Thunders and decided to retreat.

Legion of the Dead
In 1166 Hitomi joined the Legion of the Dead. She had stepped forward to answer Matsu Goemon's call to fight the Legion of Blood. As the two forces initially battled for control over the newly forming realm, Isawa Tsuke released a massive explosion intending to stop the First Oni, but it also disrupted the realm and knocked everyone in it into private memories of critical choices in their lives. The Realm of Thwarted Destiny was testing each of them, to see if they would embrace their destines or reject them. The realm could become a place where those who failed their destinies could repeat their failures for eternity or a place where those who failed could embrace their fates and find redemption.

Obsidian Hand's visions
Hitomi was again in front of Kachiko, when the Empress gave her the Obsidian Hand. The images disappeared and only the Shadow Dragon remained, and the Hand. The dragon who had been corrupted by Hitomi's chosen path came to complicate Hitomi's choice, seeking to return part of the pain it had suffered. The Shadow Dragon gave her memory back, expecting Hitomi could be tormented to choose the wrong path. Hitomi again decided to take the Hand and drew her blades, ready to face the dragon. The minion of the nothing quickly retreated into the darkness.

The Will of Heaven
In 1170, the Dragons, tired of Man's rule of the Heavens, exerted their will upon Tengoku. The Seven Fortunes allowed the Dragon of Jade and the Dragon of Obsidian to attempt to replace Yakamo as Lord Sun and Hitomi as Lord Moon respectively. The other Dragons, save the Dragon of Thunder, left mankind to cement their power.

Death
Hitomi was defeated by the Obsidian Dragon in 1170. Her fall in the Dragon Heart Plain was witnessed by Tsuruchi Etsui, who approached her while she was dying and asked her for her final word. She told him to warn the Dragon Clan that they were no-longer beholden to anyone and must stop their inaction. She also said that the Dragon must build a wall to the north, and then she was dead.

""Tell them to build a wall, a wall in the north.”"

- Hitomi's Last Words

The advice looked as a warning for the incoming War of Dark Fire.