Daigotsu Setsuko

Please note: This article is about the tainted bushi. For other uses of the term, please see Setsuko (disambiguation).

Daigotsu Setsuko
Born:	Unknown
Died:	Unknown
Spouse:	Daigotsu Gahseng
Children:	Daigotsu Aya
People

Daigotsu Setsuko was a tainted bushi and paragon of the Spider Clan. When her clan was still infiltrating the Empire and outlawed by Empress Iweko she was known as the ronin Setsuko.

Among the Spider she was known as a paragon of Shourido, the Dark Perfection.

Blessed by Hotei

Setsuko was usually smiling, laughing and being mirthful. When warned by Daigotsu Gahseng to be cautious with her mirth, she smiled and replied: "Forgive me, commander, but I cannot help it. Hotei has blessed me, truly." It was unknown if Setsuko was indeed blessed by Hotei, the Fortune of Contentment. ^{[citation needed]}

Setsuko's Swordbearer

Daigotsu Setsuko

Setsuko had a sword-bearer. But little to nothing was known about him or her, not even a name was revealed.

Hunting the Ebon Daughter

While the Destroyer War was raging she served with Goju Asagi under Daigotsu Gahseng. The trio was sent to Ryoko Owari Toshi to find the Ebon Daughter and they did.

Otomo Taneji

With the help of Asagi, Setsuko learned that an important Imperial, Otomo Taneji, the daimyo of the Otomo family was in the city and that his assassination was planned. The three Spider kept an eye on Taneji. When he and his yojimbo Seppun Goharu were attacked, the trio intervened, saved the two Imperials' life, escorted them safely to their quarters and saw to it that the corpses of the attackers were disposed in order to not cause any disquiet in the city. This earned them, but their commander Gahseng first and foremost, the gratitude of Otomo Taneji, whose patronage later helped Gahseng to join the Empress' Guard.

Discovery of the Ghul Lord

Setsuko and the others found the hideout of the Ebon Daughter in the Leatherworker's Quarter in Ryoko Owari Toshi. They discovered that the Ghul Lord, once an ally of Daigotsu, now sided with the Ebon Daughter and Kali-Ma. He was responsible for the supernatural plague that ravaged the land and it was he who controlled the plague zombies.

Recruitment of Help

Gahseng confided in Setsuko, that he had dreamt of a group of young samurai and that they also appeared to him in a vision while praying. He considered these visions sent by Fu Leng.

In their usual disguise as ronin the Spider went to meet with the multi-clan group. Their members were Mirumoto Ichizo, Yoritomo Saburo, Akodo Shunori, the ill shugenja Isawa Kyoko, Bayushi Kurumi, Kakita Hideo, Utaku Kohana, Hiruma Akio and the monk Furumaro. The monk didn't meet Setsuko and the other Spider, because went into a temple as soon as the his group arrived in the city.

Death of the Ghul Lord

A strike team was assembled with Setsuko as one of its members and the they confronted the Ghul Lord in his lair within the Leatherworker's Quarter. When the fight seemed desperate, Gahseng ordered everyone to leave. He would stay behind and buy them enough time to burn the building down to ensure the Ghul Lord'S death. In truth, Gahseng needed solidarity to use the powers his Taint had granted him to better fight his foe. Daigotsu had also given weapons that would be able to kill the Ghul Lord. Gahseng would succeed, but the Scorpion Clan would burn down Ryoko Owari Toshi.

Kissing Gahseng

Before everyone but Gahseng left the Ghul Lord's lair, Setsuko "grabbed Gahseng’s chin with her hand and yanked him into an upright position. She kissed him with ferocity, grinding her lips into his. [...] Finally, she broke away, an uncertain smile on her face, and ran to the stairs."

It was unclear whether or not Setsuko had romantic feelings for Gahseng and if these were reciprocated.

Destroyer War

During the Destroyer War Daigotsu Setsuko, known simply as the ronin Setsuko, fought at the front lines.

Encounter with Isawa Mizuhiko

In 1173 at the Battle of the River of Gold, Setsuko met Isawa Mizuhiko, who was there with the Bloodsword Judgement. When Setsuko saw Judgement, she admired its beauty. Apparently, the sword had sung to her, and she just had to see it. Mizuhiko offered the blade to her, but Setsuko declined. "'I am not worthy,' she said with a sigh. 'I seek perfection, but have not attained it. Perhaps one day…'". What irked the Phoenix and hunter of the Dark Oracles was that Judgement remained uncharacteristically silent around Setsuko, while it had judged everyone else as unworthy and had been urging to kill them. The samurai-ko of the Spider Clan advised Mizuhiko to use the blade against the Destroyers. She even used metaphors and words that the Phoenix was only accustomed to hear from the Bloodsword itself. He sent Setsuko away. Once she was gone, Mizuhiko held the unsheathed Judgement in his hand without remembering to have drawn the sword. The Rokugani armies could halt the Destroyers, if only for a few days.

The Bloodsword had caused the shugenja Mizuhiko's sanity to slip away. It was not known how much of the encounter with Setsuko, especially of the dialogue, really happened and how much the priest merely imagined. ^{[citation needed]}

Great Clan

After Iweko granted the status of Great Clan to the Spider Setsuko and Gahseng celebrated it in the House of the Golden Squirrel. Shortly after all tainted clansmen were exiled to the Colonies in the ruined Ivory Kingdoms. Gahseng was relieved from his duties as Empress' Guard and sent along with his tainted brethren. He was replaced by Daigotsu Sahara.

Children

Setsuko and Gahseng had a daughter, Daigotsu Aya.

External Links

• Daigotsu Setsuko (Celestial)
• Daigotsu Setsuko Exp (The Plague War)
• Empire's Glory Mega-Game August Honour Contest's Results (L5R.com)

References

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