Daigotsu Usharo
Otomo Usharo was a courtier who joined the Daigotsu's followers and became Daigotsu Usharo as a courtier of the Spider Clan.
Origins and Youth[]
He was born into the Otomo Family and realised at a young age that most samurai weren't willing to chastise a member of an Imperial Family. He "managed to engage in a number of illicit and decadent activities that most proper samurai would have shunned". [1]
Usharo's interests turned darker and by the time he underwent his gempukku ceremony, he had already murdered a dozen women. His victims were from the heimin and eta caste, so the murders were easily washed away with a fake apology and a handful of koku. [1]
Joining the Lost[]
During the Fall of Otosan Uchi in 1159, Usharo hid from Daigotsu's invading forces in a ruined temple and only emerged when the battle was ending. He was struck in the leg by a stray arrow with an Obsidian arrowhead. He noticed a discolouration seeping out of the wound and assumed the worst: infection of the wound or the Shadowlands Taint. His world was not only shattered by this assumption, but also by realising the amount of destruction that Daigotsu's army had inflicted on the capitol.
Ever the pessimist he believed his future as a courtier at an end, weighed his options and joined the Lost when they retreated. He served them, somewhat unique, as a courtier. [1] Usharo trained those who were gifted for the courtly was, such as Chuda Mako, a blind young girl recruited by Kishida. [2]
Daigotsu Usharo, the false Otomo[]
When the Spider Clan was created, Usharo was still known to the clans as Otomo Usharo, member of the Imperial Family. But his true name was already Daigotsu Usharo, and he aided his Dark Lord Daigotsu in infiltrating the Empire and gathering political clout. He was responsible for organising or forging travel papers for Spider samurai, so they could travel troughout the Empire, mostly disguised as ronin. [3]
Winter Court at Kyuden Kumiko (1169/70)[]
Usharo attended the Winter Court at Kyuden Kumiko in winter 1169-1170 under his birthname Otomo Usharo, keeping his true allegiance secret. He planted seeds to hopefully help the Spider Clan's bid for Great Clan status in the future, and passed information to Kakita Komachi regarding Mantis plans for Crane ports. [4] The Mantis hosts were aware that Otomo Usharo was a deception, but they did not know the extent of it, as they knew him simply as Usharo. [5]
Infiltrating the Mantis[]
Usharo worked alongside Goju Zeshin, who also resided near the palace. Zenshin was an intermediary for mercenaries in the area, and passed to Usharo the information he gathered. They also spread propaganda about a group of ronin who had taken to fighting banditry throughout the Empire. Usharo sometimes acted as patron of poets and playwrights, whose works subtly promoted the idea that there were heroes from outside the Great Clans. [5]
The Celestial Tournament[]
In 1170 Usharo was present during the Celestial Tournament, where he revealed the true nature of the Spider to the Voice of the Sun and the Voice of the Moon; who then allowed the Spider to compete in the Tournament, [6] but the winner was Kitsuki Iweko, who became the divine Iweko I. [7]
The Purge of the Spider[]
Usharo was part of the group that notified Daigotsu of the Empress's decision to purge the Spider. [8]
War of Dark Fire[]
Usharo was attending winter court at Kyuden Bayushi when arrived news of a massive yobanjin army wielding some unknown form of fire magic. Before Shogun's forces had time to be redeployed the Northern Towers of Flame had been overrun and the Dragon territory assaulted. Daigotsu Susumu believed, and he had come to agree, that the Spider ally Chosai, the Dark Oracle of Fire, had betrayed Daigotsu for some agenda of his own. It was the beginning of the War of Dark Fire. [1]
Ony Champion[]
In 1172 such travel papers helped the former Scorpion Takasho, a young talented shuegnja to reach the Fingers of Bone, where with the secret help of Katsu he defeated the Onyx Champion Isawa Fosuta and claimed the title for himself. [3]
Destroyer War[]
Closed Pincer City[]
During the Destroyer War against the forces of Kali-Ma Usharo joined the Spider forces at the front lines. After joining the Lost he learned the combat skills of Daigotsu's Legion, [1] so he knew how to fight and his muscular physique help in this regard, too. In 1173 during the battles at Closed Pincer City he fought with Ieyoshi and his wave men against the Destroyers. They were victorious when the Crab gunso Hiruma Seiko appeared with reinforcements. The city was lost some days later. Usharo did not use the Otomo family name, neither his true Daigotsu one while fighting the Destroyers at Closed Pincer City. He called himself simply Usharo. [9]
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, Usharo was present during the audience. He took a scroll from the delegation and presented it his lord, who read it and thereupon ordered his Onyx Champion Takasho to fetch the original Tao of Fu Leng. The delegation was to take it to the Empress in lieu of a literal answer to whatever she asked or offered in her letter. The Tao would prove essential to the defeat of Kali-Ma. [10]
External Links[]
- Daigotsu Usharo (Honor's Veil)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Letters II (and RPG Sheet), by Shawn Carman
- ↑ Masters of Court, p. 148
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Challenges, by Nancy Sauer
- ↑ Honor’s Veil, Part II, by Nancy Sauer
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Masters of Court, p. 133
- ↑ The Celestial Tournament, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ The Conclusion, Part 6, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ A New Empire, Part III, by Rusty Priske, Nancy Sauer, and Lucas Twyman
- ↑ The Destroyer War, Part 3, by Shawn Carman
- ↑ The Hinge of Destiny, by Nancy Sauer
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