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Isha

Isha

The Isha was a Naga Hunter [1] of the Greensnake Bloodline, [2] the title granted to the leader of the Naga Scouts, to defend the Shinomen Forest, to gather information of the Foul, [3] and to protect the Dashmar from any harm. [4]

Great Sleep[]

Eight stars fell to the North and one star fell deep into the south. The Qatol dismissed the Cobras and the Isha, entering in the Land of the Dead. The Naga leader entered in the Gate of the Dead and he was never seen again. [5]

Weapon[]

The Isha's bow was a yumi which was believed to have been once wielded by the great naga hero the Qatol. [6]

Slumber and Death[]

The Isha came to slumber in the naga city of Nirukti, home of the Greensnakes. The son of the Isha, lead scout of the Greensnakes, had been visiting distant Siksa when the sleep came to their people. [2] Troops of the Emperor Hantei XI destroyed the city [2] [7] and the slept Isha was killed. [2]

The New Isha[]

Isha 2

The Isha

The son of the Isha was one of the few members of his bloodline to survive, [2] and was one of the first naga to wake from the Great Sleep and enter Rokugan during the Clan War. [8] He found Nirukti destroyed, took up his father's bow and title, becoming the new Isha. [2] He was a bright, cheerful Naga, The Constrictors belived he was too young for the post. [3] The Isha proved his work, and once even single-handedly destroyed an ambush of skeletal warriors to protect the Dashmar. [4]

Appearance and Demeanor[]

The Isha was a good-looking and smiling Naga who was known to be favored by most of the Naga female. The Isha seemed almost capricious, filled with humor and wry amusement of a world occupied by the human race. The Isha was large for a Greensnake, his hair affixed in the way of the Rokugani people. [9]

Skirmish with the Scorpion[]

Unknown for most of the Empire the Naga had begun to awaken in the Shinomen Forest. A Naga force passing along the northernmost border of the Scorpion lands was attacked by Scorpion troops. The Naga defended themselves and crushed the Scorpion aggressors, and in a rage, the Great Clan mounted an attack against them. Bayushi Togai led his Black Cabal unit, entering the Shinomen alongside with Bayushi Yokuan and his bowmen and Bayushi Tasu leading a unit of Scorpion's Strike. They engaged with a Naga force led by the Isha, forcing the Rokugani to retreat. The battle never became public knowledge. [10]

The Daini[]

He was one of the first to come into contact with humans, most notably Mirumoto Daini. The two became companions in arms during the Clan War, fighting many battles together. [11]

Daini and the naga army eventually joined the ronin army of Toturi the Black. Isha was then sent by Toturi to the East to aid Crane with half of the naga army. [12] [13]

Second Day of Thunder[]

Qamar (I)

Isha, the Qamar

Isha fought alongside Daini on the Second Day of Thunder in 1128, and was witness to the Qamar's death at the hands of a necromancer. Isha immediately picked up the Qamar's spear and continued his leadership, revealing to Daini afterwards that he was now the new Qamar. [11]

For further information on this section, please see Qamar#New Qamar

Hidden Emperor[]

In 1132 Isha, Ralish, Malekish and Balash were near Morikage Castle following Hoshi, to protect him until his fate could come. They felt the Lying Darkness inside Morikage Mori. [14] They fought the minions of the Nothing, and when Malekish sensed Otaku Kamoko, Isha commanded Balash to bring her. Isha believed she could rescue the kidnapped Emperor Toturi I, and could help the Naga to tell him about the Foul. Malekish also sensed Kamoko to be tainted, but it was strange almost separate from her own soul, as if another mind hid within her own. The Akasha sensed Kyoso no Oni's soul within the body of Kamoko. [15]

Morikage Castle[]

Shiro Mori Kage

Morikage

The naga carried Kamoko, with her mind still hovered in a half-lucid dream. A Mantis archer, Tsuruchi, stepped in and stop, saying confused words regarding his haunting party. When Kamoko awake the minions of the Shadow began their attack. The Naga gifted Tsuruchi Crystal Arrows and the Mantis fired the faceless. After a sudden explosion not too much far, the naga realized Hoshi had made his way out of the forest, and the group retreated to the Morikage Castle. [16]

Rescue of Toturi[]

Inside the castle Tsuruchi saw a shadow and fired it, to realize he had wounded the bloodspeaker Jama Suru, who had Otaku Xieng Chi as a hostage. A Goju appeared and tore some shoji screens to ruin, revealing a chained man stood in the center of the room, Toturi I. The minions of the Shadows attacked the naga group, and the sorcerer. Suru released Xieng Chi and began to chant, while the Otaku released the Emperor from his chains, and the rest fought the Goju. Suru created a hole in the floor of the castle and many Goju fell through it. Xieng Chi was saved to fell to death by Balash. While the Goju were rallying, Suru, Xieng Chi and Toturi magically departed with a maho spell empowered with Kamoko's blood. Tsuruchi was the last to escape from the castle, and the group survived after they were found by a Mantis patrol led by Yoritomo himself, who had entered the forest with their Ikoma allies to find what had occurred to Tsuruchi and his men. [16]

Yakamo[]

Qamar knew Hida Yakamo had perished after his people abandonment of Shiro Hiruma. He commanded the Shashakar to locate the Jade Hand with his magical divination powers. The Hand laid near the Black Finger River, and Oseuth was dispatched to recover it. He returned with an unexpected prize, the corpse of Yakamo. [17] After Amaterasu died the Celestial Order was imbalanced, and Shashakar decided to solve it sacrificing himself to return Yakamo to life, and at the same time reddeming the Naga's betrayal of the Crab. What returned was not merely Yakamo but also the reincarnation of the Qatol, leader of the Naga. [18]

Stepping Down[]

Seeking to make amends for his failures, the Qamar passed his title to another and became the Isha once more. [2]

Death[]

While other Naga returned to their slumber, he remained awake, fighting beside the Crab Clan during the War of Spirits. He perished in battle, fighting beside Yakamo's nephews, repaying his debt to those he had wronged. [2]

Legion of the Dead[]

His only regret was that his lost son, Kazaq, would never know the Akasha's embrace again. Upon learning that his son's restless spirit had come to join the Legion of the Dead, following a vision that might lead to his reunion with the Akasha, the Isha's spirit has ventured forth from the Akasha as well, answering Matsu Goemon's call. [2]

Kazaq joins the Akasha[]

Tsukune, the Fortune of Rebirth, was able to restore Kazaq to the Akasha when his choices during his vision in the Realm of Thwarted Destiny added stability to the newly created realm. [19]

Vision has to Come[]

Kazaq shared with his father the vision he had decades ago, which was now clear in his mind. Isha told him that Hitomi did not become the monster he foresaw. Kazaq retorted, Hitomi never was the beast forged of the stuff of heavens and the heart of the Foul she merely aided in its creation. Kazaq's vision had come to pass. [19]

See also[]

External Links[]

References

  1. Isha (Shadowlands Boxtext)
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 The Legion of the Dead: Greensnake Hero
  3. 3.0 3.1 Way of the Naga, p. 88
  4. 4.0 4.1 Clan War: Naga Army Expansion, p. 37
  5. Way of the Naga, pp. 46-47
  6. Isha's Yumi (Pearl flavor)
  7. Belonging, by Nancy Sauer
  8. Isha (Shadowlands flavor)
  9. Way of the Naga, pp. 88-89
  10. Clan War: Desperate Journey, pp. 32-35
  11. 11.0 11.1 Hidden Temples of the Naga (Time of the Void Storyback)
  12. Clan Letter to the Naga #3 (Imperial Herald v1 #3)
  13. Clan Letter to the Toturi's Army #3 (Imperial Herald v1 #3)
  14. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 1, by Ree Soesbee
  15. The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 2, by Ree Soesbee
  16. 16.0 16.1 The Storming of Morikage Castle, Part 3, by Ree Soesbee
  17. Hidden Emperor, p. 52
  18. Hidden Emperor, p. 55
  19. 19.0 19.1 Legions, Part VIII



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