Doji Hotaru

Please note: This article is about the Crane Clan Champion. For other uses of the term, please see Hotaru (disambiguation).

Doji Hotaru
Born:	Unknown
Died:	-
Parents:	Doji Satsume Kakita Teinko
Siblings:	Doji Shizue (adopted) Doji Kuwanan
Spouse:	Doji Kuzunobu
Titles:	Crane Clan Champion Doji Daimyō‏‎
People

Doji Hotaru was the trusted Left Hand of the Emperor, Beautiful Mistress of the Arts, Skillful Daimyō‏‎ of the Doji, and Indomitable Champion of the Crane Clan.

Family

Hotaru was the eldest child of Doji Satsume and Doji Teinko. She had an adoptive sister Doji Shizue, and a brother Doji Kuwanan. Her mother had thrown herself on the Sea of the Sun Goddess from the cliffs near Kyuden Doji. To Hotaru, Doji Satsume had been a tyrant and a terrible father. She had never forgiven him for his part in his wife's suicide.

Early Years

Kuwanan was the son Satsume had always wanted, and he lavished all of his love on him. Hotaru had grown up in the shadow of her father, with her uncle Kakita Toshimoko being her personal sensei, learning the kata One-Strike Blade.

Yōjimbō

Hotaru was appointed as yōjimbō to Bayushi Kachiko, a rising star of the Scorpion Clan. Eventually Kachiko was captured by Inazuma no Gendo, who kept her captive atop the highest floor of his keep. Hotaru saved Kachiko when the Crane warriors had begun the assault on the keep, which would be known as the Battle of Ice and Snow. Kachiko had got to know Hotaru very well while they were enjoying Mantis hospitality together. Their first kiss was atop the keep in the snowstorm.

Crane Clan Champion

In 1122 Satsume, who had stubbornly kept the clan championship for years even as he held the office of Emerald Champion, reluctantly passed her the Crane Clan championship at the urging of his brothers-in-law, Kakita Toshimoko and Kakita Yoshi. Hotaru inherited many problems, including an open, ongoing feud with the Lion Clan regarding the ownership of Toshi Ranbo. Her uncle Toshimoko became her closest advisor and married Kuzunobu as part of an alliance with the Fox Clan.

Winter Court at Kyūden Doji

This year, Kyūden Doji hosted the Imperial Winter Court, in part to celebrate the recent ascension of Doji Hotaru to the role of Crane Clan Champion. She was accompanied by Doji Chiyoe, her second cousin and Kakita Ryoku,'s apprentice, who had been proposed as spouse to the Crown Prince Hantei Sotorii.

Satsume's Murder

In 1123 Satsume was murdered. Hotaru did not attempt to avenge him, and instead allowed the Emerald Magistrates to conduct their own investigation, and then the Crane should stand by their verdict.

Famine

Hotaru was a young champion when the effects of a devastating tsunami, which had striken their coastal farmland three years before, had left her Clan balanced on the precipice of famine and war. After Satsume died in strange circumstances Hotaru traveled to the Imperial City Otosan Uchi, escorting a caravan in disguise, to gain some time to learn what she could about her father's death. Her husband was on his way to Shizuka Toshi to learn what he could about a recent attack by pirates and their leader Yoritomo. The caravan was assaulted and she wielded her naginata with deadly precision against a ronin, granting him an honorable death because he was trying to protect starving peasants.

Secret Lover

Kachiko and Hotaru

Hotaru met Bayushi Kachiko, one of the most infamous manipulators of the Scorpion Clan, on the 27th Day of the Month of Togashi, 1118, in a private garden of the Esteemed Palaces of the Crane. She tried to discern the nature of the Scorpion's scheme from Kachiko, but eventually Hotaru and Kachiko fell in love during this meeting. Hotaru held a secret affair with the most beautiful woman in the Empire, the dangerous Bayushi Kachiko. The Imperial Advisor met her shortly after Hotaru's arrival to Otosan Uchi. Her main and private concern was preventing the Scorpion Clan as a whole from being blamed because of her love for Bayushi Kachiko.

Conflict with the Lion

The Lion Clan pressed with their forces the Osari Plains, so Hotaru had seized the northernmost Lion city, Toshi Ranbo, forcing a Lion army away from the contested grain-laden plains in the south. The Lion Clan Champion Akodo Arasou campaigned at the foot of the city for several weeks, waiting the arrival of his older brother Akodo Toturi, who was a personal longtime friend of Hotaru. As soon the reinforcements arrived Arasou personally led a frontal assault on the city's gate, only to fall under the arrows thrown by Hotaru. Toturi became the new Lion Champion. Shortly after Hotaru was reported that a band of rōnin had captured the village of Shirei Mura, and all the Crane defenders slaughtered. Her brother Kuwanan, who had been captured during the fight, was eventually sent to Hotaru by Matsu Tsuko, the Matsu Daimyō, where he could confront his sister for her failure of Bushidō. Hotaru moved to the Castle of the Emerald Champion to ensure that her father's possessions were safely sent to her uncle Toshimoko in Tsuma, and a group of samurai questioned Hotaru about Satsume's death. She was later present in the Test of the Emerald Champion in which Toturi became the new Emerald Champion. Her brother Kuwanan returned alive, and pressed Hotaru about the investigation regarding their father's death. Hotaru avoided such action an, instead, she tasked the clan with finding allies against the Lion and Scorpion in an attempt to restore the Crane to their former position.

Elemental Imbalance

Doji Hotaru

For some time, Crane shipping had been plagued with losses from pirates linked to the Mantis Clan. Eventually some of the Asahina sensed an elemental imbalance connected with the storms that had also been plaguing the Crane ships. Hotaru recalled her husband Doji Kuzunobu from Shizuka Toshi and sent him to represent the Crane among his former kin, to seek out solutions to appease the offended kami off the Crane coasts.

Shinobi

Eventually her uncle Toshimoko foiled a shinobi attack against Hotaru.

Rulership Challenged by Kuwanan

Eventually her brother Kuwanan found a letter intercepted by Satsume before his death, a letter from Hotaru, addressed to Kachiko. Hotaru wrote of her hatred for her father, and that she wished to leave the Crane lands behind and be with Kachiko. It seemed Doji Hotaru was working with Kachiko, whose goal had long been to undermine Crane influence. Kuwanan swore to challenge his sister's right to be Crane Champion, and the Imperial Chancellor Kakita Yoshi offered his allegiance to him.

Toshi Ranbo

After the loss of Kyūden Kakita Hotaru would press on against the Lion and the Castle of the Swift Sword, where the Crane could lay siege to them with their Unicorn allies. But first she decided to secure the northern flank and find a refuge for the northern armies. Hotaru moved to Kyotei Castle, where she promised to Tsume Itsuyo to send word to Kakita Ryoku to begin making a suitable match, got the support of the Phoenix Clan after a a messenger was sent to the governor of Nikesake, and moved north, surrounding Toshi Ranbo with the Daidoji from the south and southwest, the Tsume from the east, and the Shiba from the north. Hotaru wished to reassert her Clan's claim over the city, but she would attempt diplomacy with the Imperial governor of Toshi Ranbo, Bayushi Yojiro. Kachiko, who secretely had been sent by her husband Bayushi Shoju to Toshi Ranbo, was instrumental to arrange that Yojiro would permit the Crane Clan forces to reinforce those of the Imperial Legion's and winter there, while Hotaru would accept the Chief Magistrate's authority there as the Emperor's chief enforcer. Privately, Kachiko reported to Hotaru that Hantei Sotorii had slain his father, the Emperor, and she confessed her involvement in the the cover-up, Aramoro's assignment against the Emerald Champion Akodo Toturi, and her husband as the Imperial Regent had exiled Kachiko for treason. In the 8th day of the Month of Hida news arrived regarding Shoju had regained the regency with the support of the Lion and the Imperial Legions, and also his declaration as an ally of the Shadowlands, which stripped him of his status as Scorpion Champion. His son Bayushi Dairu was not yet of age, so Kachiko became the new Champion and in turn she passed the mantle to Toshi Ranbo's governor, Bayushi Yojiro, who accepted it. Shortly after Hotaru was challenged by her brother Kuwanan, exposing her as Kachiko's former lover, based on a letter alleguedly written by Hotaru to her father Satsume. Kachiko guessed the letter was a forgery planted by her brother Hametsu, and eventually Kuwanan conceded defeat in a duel in which he had wounded Hotaru. Three days later a Lion army appeared at the gates of Toshi Ranbo, commanded by the Lion Clan Champion Matsu Tsuko. When Tsuko was informed that Shoju had violently seized control of the Forbidden City with an army of Imperial Legionnaires led by Ambassador Ikoma Ujiaki and loyal Scorpions she put aside her blood feud with the Crane to fight the usurper.

Fighting the Usurpers

Doji Hotaru

In the 18th day of the Month of Hida an assembled army of Crane, Lion, Phoenix, Scorpion, and Unicorn samurai assaulted Otosan Uchi. Kuwanan was part of her army, and he sacrificed himself to protect the Champion of the Lion Clan, Matsu Tsuko. The traitor Shoju was killed and the Shadowlands horde that had breached the Kaiu Wall was defeated in the Battle of Cherry Blossom Snow Lake, where Akuma no Oni was killed.

Aftermath

Kachiko and her son Dairu moved to the Esteemed Palaces of the Crane. Keeping her at a distance of the capital would allow Yojiro the time and space needed to repair the clan's reputation.

External Links

• Doji Hotaru (Core Set)
• Doji Hotaru (Justice for Satsume)
• Doji Hotaru (Print and Play)

Preceded by: Doji Satsume	Crane Clan Champion 1122 - Present	Succeeded by: -
Preceded by: Doji Satsume	Doji Daimyō‏‎ 1122 - Present	Succeeded by: -

References

This Crane Clan related article is a stub. That means that it has been started, but is incomplete. You can help by adding to the information here.