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Mirumoto Mareshi 
Mirumoto Mareshi 
Born: 1145 
Died:
Parents: Mirumoto Daini,
Mara 
Spouse: Mirumoto Kei 
Children: Mirumoto Shikei 
Titles: Mirumoto Daimyo,
Shireikan,
Dragon Clan Champion
People

The Mareshi, was the half-Naga son bore by the Daini and the Mara. He joined the Dragon Clan as Mirumoto Mareshi, eventually becoming the Dragon Clan Champion, until his retirement as a member of the Order of Togashi, Togashi Maro.

Family[]

Mareshi was the son of The Daini and the Mara, making him Half-Naga. [1] The Mara was with child in 1134, when the Naga race was preparing to enter in the next Great Sleep. The Naga made a strong ritual in the Shinomen Mori that would protect them during their sleep. The Mara and the Daini remained at Otosan Uchi, for only at that distance could the Mara not be overwhelmed by the magic being worked upon the soul of her people. The court's best shugenja shielded their infant son. [2] Mareshi was born in 1145, the same year that the Golden Pearl opened, at Mara's estate in Otosan Uchi. The boy was named Mareshi, an ancient naga title meaning “ambassador.” [3]

Childhood[]

His mother trained the swordmastery with a Naga Blade which was the preferred weapon of Mareshi. [4] His father's humanity meant he sometimes had difficulty in controlling his emotions, especially at his relatively young age. Through the Akasha, every Naga could sense the emotions of other Naga, especially those in close proximity. While Mareshi could not fully access the Akasha, it was enough to make him mildly uncomfortable around large numbers of his mother's people, and vice versa. [5]

Demeanor[]

His strength of character was as great as his reputation with a blade. [4]

Seeing the Kami spirits[]

Mareshi always had a special ability, to sense and see the kami spirits. [6]

Joining the Dragon Clan[]

Mareshi came to swear fealty to the Dragon Clan, being admitted by Mirumoto Uso [7] with the acknowledgement of the Dragon Clan Champion Togashi Hoshi. [8] He elected to join his father's former family, the Mirumoto, in an attempt to heal the rift caused by his father's departure during the War Against the Darkness. [3]

Nemuranai Hunter[]

Mareshi was being trained at Shiro Mirumoto when Mirumoto Kenzo put an eye on him. Mareshi was allowed by Mirumoto Rosanjin to be conscripted in the Nemuranai Hunters unit created by Mirumoto Temoru and led by Kenzo. [7]

A shard of Ambition[]

Mareshi had followed a powerful nemuranai, the bloodsword Ambition. He went to Phoenix lands and was intercepted by Phoenix magistrates near the Shiba border, and went to the Shogun's camp. Mareshi waited there for a week before Kaneka summoned him. The Shogun gave him travel papers to reach the Village in the Valley. There a townsfolk told him that in 1132 a mad ronin gifted him with a scrap of steel. The man buried it, wrapped in cloth, because he was afraid of the voices he heard every time he touched the blade. Mareshi dug and found one of the remaining shards of Ambition, being the mad ronin Sanzo indeed. [4]

Rain of Blood[]

Mirumoto Mareshi 2

Mirumoto Mareshi

After the Rain of Blood covered the Empire in 1165 Mareshi halted his hunting of nemuranai and began to hunt bloodspeakers. He and Kenzo joined the General Toku in the Phoenix lands, where cultists had been seen. [9]

Hidden City[]

The enemies they found were animated dead. Doji Midoru, who was part of the army, took an amulet who was in a small shrine. It was the Emma-O's Amulet, and the Crane told it belonged to Akodo Tadenori, tainted in the Rain. [10] The army received a dove with a message from the Master of Air, Isawa Nakamuro. He requested their aid to protect the secretive city of Gisei Toshi, unknown for the Empire until that moment. A Bloodspeaker army was marching to assault the City, led by Yajinden and Iuchiban. [11] The battle had fared badly for the Phoenix during three days until the arrival of Dragon and Monkey forces. The defenders were able to open the gates time enough to permit their entrance. Toku's son, Toturi Kyoji, had sent a messenger to Toshi Ranbo informing that the Bloodspeakers marched on the Phoenix lands, but he asked for no reinforcements. They were all trapped there, outnumbered, with little hope of aid, in a city that did not exist. [12] Five days later Nakamuro vanished and shortly after the north wall shone red, and tore itself apart from within. Kenzo rallied the defenders to fill the breach. [13] The undead and bloodspeakers coming into the city and began to loot the temples. Kenzo ordered the defenders to do the same, denying part of the powerful artifacts to the enemy. Kenzo and Maershi went into the temple of Benten, and they were attacked by a creature of six legs, boar face with four long upturned tusks. The fight ended when the City was magically transported to another place, and the remnants of the samurai and Bloodspeaker armies retreating into the Mountains of the Phoenix. [14]

Nezumi Alliance[]

In 1166 Mareshi was sent by the Kitsuki Iweko to the Northern Towers of Flame in the northern Dragon border. He met the commander of the Fifth Tower, Mirumoto Hirohisa, and the shugenja assigned in the Fires of Purity, Tamori Shinko. She told about the fire advised that Chosai's minions were incoming, but no attack or yobanjin presence was ever seen. Mareshi scouted the area and found a warren of the Broken Shinbone Tribe, who killed any barbarian sent by the Dark Oracle of Fire that passed nearby. Mareshi and Set'tch'chet, Chieftain of the tribe, agreed to make an alliance Dragon-Broken Shinbone, in return for food. [15]

Blood Hunt[]

After his tenure with the nemuranai hunters had come to an end, Mareshi had been selected to serve a brief duty on the Kaiu Wall, stationed at Razor of the Dawn Castle. Just as he walked through the town beyond the Castle on his journey back to Dragon lands, that Mareshi sensed something unusual in the village. A naga patrol of the Shinomen Forest contacted him through the Akasha. Moto Chen had sent them to hunt bloodspeakers. Mareshi and the Naga came to village to destroy the Maho-tsukais. [5]

War of Silk and Steel[]

Gaijin Pepper[]

In 1167 a group of Dragon Nemuranai Hunters, operating in Crane provinces without authorization, inadvertently discovered a secret cache of weapons and gaijin pepper hidden by Daidoji Harriers in case of conflict with the Lion. A group of harriers who were in the area attacked the Dragon to conceal their secret. During the fighting, the gaijin pepper detonated, leaving only a single combatant on each side alive but seriously wounded. Rosanjin sent Mareshi and the Emerald Magistrate Mirumoto Narumi with a party of magistrates to investigate the possession of gaijin pepper at Kosaten Shiro. The bold Dragon movement was an attempt to threaten to expose the Crane in order to force them to withdraw their support of the Lion attack in the War of Silk and Steel. They were unlawfully detained by the acting lord of the castle, Asahina Keitaro. He did it to keep the secrecy that the Crane had captive the former Daidoji Daimyo and currently Lost, Daigotsu Rekai, who had been held captive in the dungeons. Mareshi and Narumi used a vial of Liquid Smoke to escape from the Crane guardians, while a small force of Dragon samurai began to assault the castle. [16]

Kosaten Shiro is destroyed[]

Kosaten Shiro was sacked [17] [18] by the Dragon, who struck and fled. Rekai exploited the Dragon attack to escape and set fire to a significant quantity of gaijin pepper that the Daidoji Harriers had concealed within the castle for storage. The resulting explosions inflicted a severe damage in the castle structure. It led in the total involvement of the Crane Clan in the war. [19] Mareshi claimed that the burning of the city was inevitable considering the task upon which he was sent. Mareshi explained all of this to General Mirumoto Kei on a road outside Kosaten Shiro, unaware that his words were being overheard by the farmer Ichizo. Because of this breach of security, Ichizo was able to warn the nearby villages while Kei was returning to Dragon lands for reinforcements. [17] Mareshi then pulled his forces back to the southern Dragon Heart Plain to await further orders. [20]

Lion joins the Crane[]

Word of the siege at Kosaten Shiro reached the lion lands. [21] Angered at the attack on their allies, the Akodo Daimyo Akodo Shigetoshi took personal command of the northern border, with Ikoma Otemi's blessing, and began moving his forces north, [22] cutting Mareshi and his forces off from the Dragon lands. Shigetoshi halted re-supply attempts, but the Dragon allies in Nanashi Mura kept the Dragon supplied for the time being. [20]

Unicorn distracts the Lion[]

Another Unicorn incursion into the Northern Lion lands, prompting the Akodo forces to be relocated. It eliminated a blockade that separated Nanashi Mura from the Dragon homeland. The Dragon forces there moved to Kitsuki provinces. [23] The Dragon armies pushed the Crane back across Dragonfly River, but could not maintain the lands south of Shiro Kitsuki [24] when Akodo Shigetoshi arrived to reinforce the Crane. The Dragon were unable to withstand the two-pronged attack and fell back to Shiro Kitsuki. [25] [26]

Ascension to Mirumoto Family Daimyo[]

After the death of Mirumoto family daimyo Mirumoto Rosanjin and the end of his line, Togashi Satsu declared Mareshi the next lord of the Mirumoto family. Mareshi immediately requested the right to marry Mirumoto Kei, and Satsu granted his request. Since their marriage Mareshi ceded most of his duties as daimyo to his wife, believing her to be more suited to the position. [27] When both Mareshi and Kei were away from the castle the administration of the castle fell to either Mirumoto Hojatsu or Mirumoto Bokkai. In addition to his station as Daimyo, Mareshi was the Chief Shireikan in the Dragon Clan Army second only to his wife Kei. [28] Mareshi decided his wife would be assuming the responsibilities of daimyo once the War of Silk and Steel concluded. [29]

Naga Visit[]

The same day of his wedding the naga Constrictor Qolsa accompanied by Zamalash arrived to Shiro Mirumoto guided by Mirumoto Taikishi. The Naga requested to Mareshi to guard the Shinomen Mori with his Dragon warriors, but Mareshi was obliged to refuse. He had new duties to fulfil as Daimyo and the war against the Lion and Crane. The Unicorn had refused to increase their numbers to keep safe the Naga sleep, and it was seen by Kei as an omen of a new conflict with the Khan. [29]

Monk Schools Imbalance[]

Mareshi received an insane letter from Hitomi Kagetora, the Hitomi Daimyo, asking him to stop to interfere in his Order or the monk would pull off his arms and beat him to death with them. It was in response of Mareshi requesting explanation of Hitomi suicidal charges against the Crane enemy during the siege of Shiro Kitsuki. Nobody knew what was causing the madness, but the Daidoji easily killed the single combatants. He informed the other Daimyos at Shiro Mirumoto, and Satsu told he had detected an imbalance within both the Hoshi family and the Hitomi. [30] The orders' connection to their patrons, both Lady Moon and the Celestial Wanderer, was the source of their ailment. A direct connection to the Heavens such as that created by pure divine blood was too much for the mortal soul to bear without being adversely affected. [31]

Khan's Defiance[]

In 1169 News of the unicorn attack on the lion city of Shiranai Toshi and the Fall of Kyuden Ikoma had reached them. The Dragon were receiving rice from the Unicorn and they would face starvation if opposed the Khan's Defiance. [30]

Joining the Three Orders[]

After the Battle of Toshi Ranbo and the end of the War of Silk and Steel Satsu announced the unification the three families in the Togashi family, and began tattooing the members of the Hoshi and Hitomi with his own blood in an attempt to restore the balance. Kagetora did not join the Togashi, serving his days in the Shrine of the Moon. Mareshi's wife, Mirumoto Kei, was gifted by Satsu with Yogen, the Lotus Sword of the Dragon. [31]

Dark Oracles[]

When the Elemental Council decided to march an army out to engage the Dark Oracles, Mareshi was one of three Dragon Clan leaders who met with Togashi Satsu to decide whether to provide assistance to the Phoenix Clan or not. They reasoned that, as the Oracles had distanced themselves from Ningen-do, a Dark Oracle who was slain should not be replaced. Mareshi argued against attacking the Dark Oracles and Satsu ended up agreeing with that position. Satsu was less and less decisive in the Dragon actions, when his power of foresight had became a burden. He hesitated to take an action without knowing with absolute confidence of the consequences. [32]

Dragon ambassador at Medinaat al-Salaam[]

Mareshi brought a scroll with the Scorpion Clan Champion Bayushi Paneki opinions about the best suited Dragon ambassador at Medinaat al-Salaam, a position requested by its Caliph. Satsu again decided to be apart and passed the decision over his Daimyos. [32]

Yobanjin attacks[]

The Northern Towers of Flame suffered three assaults in one month from Yobanjin minions of the Dark Oracle of Fire, Chosai. The Dark Oracle set his men on fire without killing them, and used them for suicide attacks. Mirumoto Toraizo sent words to Mareshi. [33]

Togashi ascends[]

Mareshi was beside Satsu when the Kami Togashi passed his judgement from the Seven Fortunes and ascended to Tengoku. After being separated from his grandfather, Satsu found that he had lost his visions and his dragon form, but realized he was now free to take action without fear of warping the future. [34]

The New Dragon Champion[]

Since Kei's ascension to Dragon Clan Champion in 1170, the duties as Mirumoto Daimyo rested fully with Mareshi once more. [citation needed]

Shinomen Burns[]

The Shinomen Mori, where the Naga race was in his Great Sleep, was set to fire by the Spider Clan, to hide their retreat from the Shogun's attack. His mother Mara noticed it and screamed. Through the connection with the Akasha, Mareshi was awaken and knew it. [35]

War of Dark Fire[]

Mareshi fought in the War of Dark Fire. A heavy burn on one side of his face was the worst of his injuries. After it was over in 1171 the Daimyos of the clan and Togashi Maya, the leader of the Togashi order, were assembled. Kei announced she would send the Order of the Togashi out into the Empire, to teach. [8]

Imperial Wedding[]

Mareshi was present in the Imperial wedding between the Empress Iweko I and Akodo Setai at the Temple of Jade Sun. [36]

Destroyer War[]

In 1172 Mareshi attended the Empress' audience representing his wife, where the Great Clans were given new Imperial Charters. The Dragon should lead the defence of the north, bolstered by the forces of the Minor Clans situated there, and the military might of the Shiba family. [37]

Hiroshi's Legion[]

Akodo Hiroshi and his men, the Hiroshi's Legion, requested pass to fight the Army of Fire nearby. They did it in an disrespectful way that surprised Mareshi, who knew the deeds of the honourable and brave Hiroshi. Guessing something wrong, Mareshi allowed them to pass, and sent a scout to report. The Dragon returned and told the Lion managed to kill many of the yobanjin officers, before all them died. When the barbarians stripped the dead, the signs of the plague which had been concealed under the Lion armour appeared. They denied the Dragon hospitality, virtually all contact with then, because the illness. The yobanjin were in disarray and the Dragon pressed the advantage to rout the barbarians. Mareshi ordered to spread the record of this day to honour the brave unit. [38]

Son[]

In winter of 1171 Kei was with child, [39] and in 1172 she sequestered her at Jousai Tengai to have him during the Plague War, [40] and his son was born in a vault deep inside the fortress. [41] The Army of Fire harassed the area, and Mirumoto Kenzo bought her enough time to recover and for reinforcements to arrive. [42]

Southern Front[]

In 1173 the Dragon forces focused their efforts in the southern front. During the battle of Shaiga, the Lion commander Akodo Tetsuru fell in battle, and Mirumoto Katsutoshi took command at the front. The kami which Mareshi used to see from his Naga ancestry, whispered him that Katsutoshi was great, but terrible, dark and twisted inside. He told to Mirumoto Yozo he could not trust on him. [43]

End of the Destroyer War[]

Daigotsu, Shahai, Susumu, Fu Leng, and Kali-Ma died, with the drawback that Daigotsu had returned in a phantom form, as the Master of Jigoku. The Empress had proclaimed the end of the Destroyer War with the victory of the Empire. The Spider Clan had been conferred the status of Great Clan. Those free of taint could remain in the Empire, and the tainted were put under guard of the Dragon Clan, to extend the Empire in the Ivory Kingdoms as the Iweko's Conquerors. As a part of the agreement with Daigotsu, the taint would be withhold over the humans and the Rokugani would be spared the taint forever. [44]

Teaching the Spider[]

Kei gave the primary responsibility of watching over the newest Great Clan to the Togashi family. They would not just be to ensure the Spider work in the best interest of Rokugan, but also to teach them. The Dragon would not only ensure that they changed their ways, but they would make them want to do so. Togashi Maya, Togashi Ieshige and the Jade Mirror would be instrumental in this task. [45]

Shikei betrothal[]

Moto Naleesh, only months past gempukku moved to Dragon lands alongside with her father the Unicorn Clan Champion Moto Chen. The Khan made an arrangement with them and proposed a marriage to honour it. Naleesh was wandering out of the castle where she met Kei's son, and future Dragon Champion, [46] Mirumoto Shikei. [47] Shikei did not know that he had been betrothed to her. [2]

Dragon Clan Champion[]

Mareshi somehow became the Dragon Clan Champion. [2]

Order of Togashi[]

Mareshi stepped down to his son Mirumoto Shikei and retired becoming a monk of the Order of Togashi, Togashi Maro. He spent several years studying with the Togashi. In 1197 he moved to the High House of Light. [2]

Kidnapped[]

In 1198 Maro disappeared without notice and the Dragon sought him. His mother the Mara was supposedly murdered in a explosion in the Naga Embassy. He had been kidnapped by the Dark Naga, and moved to a Pearl Bed deep beneath the seas. There he could breathe with the help of Pearl Magic and was joined in his captivity by his mother, and by the reincarnated Jerish, Hida Fubatsu. There he witnessed the Dark Naga murdered his mother. [2]

External Links[]


Preceded by:
Mirumoto Rosanjin
Mirumoto Daimyo
1168 - ?
Succeeded by:
Mirumoto Shikei
Preceded by:
Mirumoto Kei
Dragon Clan Champion
? - ?
Succeeded by:
Mirumoto Shikei


Sources Conflict
The sources relating to this article are in conflict with each other.
Creatures of Rokugan Third Edition claims Mareshi was born in 1145

References

  1. Legacy of the Naga, Part 1, by Edward Bolme
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Rulebook story (Forgotten Legacy), by Shawn Carman and Rusty Priske
  3. 3.0 3.1 Creatures of Rokugan: Third Edition, p. 21
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Broken Ambition, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf
  5. 5.0 5.1 Blood Hunt (Region 33 - Nurenberg, Germany)
  6. The destroyer War, Part 7, by Shawn Carman
  7. 7.0 7.1 Clan Letter to the Dragon (Imperial Herald v2 #9)
  8. 8.0 8.1 The Burden of Becoming, by Nancy Sauer
  9. Penance, Part Three, by Rich Wulf
  10. Dawn of Battle (Hidden City Rulebook Story), by Rich Wulf
  11. Battle at Gisei Toshi (Hidden City Booster Story)
  12. Fires of the Hidden City, Part Two, by Rich Wulf
  13. Fires of the Hidden City, Part Four, by Rich Wulf
  14. Fires of the Hidden City, Part Five, by Rich Wulf
  15. The Broken Shinbone, by Shawn Carman
  16. Rulebook Story (Training Grounds II)
  17. 17.0 17.1 Tourney fiction (European Championships)
  18. Vacant Throne, p. 17
  19. Masters of War Web Supplement, p. 3
  20. 20.0 20.1 Timeline (Lotus)
  21. Vacant Throne, p. 27
  22. The Father's Legacy, by Brian Yoon
  23. Vacant Throne, p. 42
  24. River Crossing (Rise of the Shogun flavor)
  25. Vacant Throne, p. 44
  26. Landscapes, by Nancy Sauer
  27. The Balance of Power, by Shawn Carman
  28. Masters of War Web Supplement, pp. 7-8
  29. 29.0 29.1 Lost Protectors, by Rusty Priske
  30. 30.0 30.1 Imbalances, by Nancy Sauer
  31. 31.0 31.1 A Gathering of Dragons, by Rusty Priske
  32. 32.0 32.1 The Haze of Time, by Brian Yoon
  33. Light of the Mountain (The Race for the Throne Book), by Shawn Carman
  34. Heaven’s Net, by Nancy Sauer
  35. Glory of the Empire, Part II, by Rusty Priske and Nancy Sauer
  36. The Imperial Wedding, by Rusty Priske
  37. Duty of the Clans, by Shawn Carman
  38. Heroes of the Empire, by Shawn Carman
  39. Children of Rokugan, by Lucas Twyman
  40. Patrolling the Roads (The Plague War flavor)
  41. Mirumoto Tobushi (Empire at War flavor)
  42. Knowledge of the Land (Empire at War flavor)
  43. The Destroyer War, Part 7, by Shawn Carman
  44. Goddesses, Part 4, by Shawn Carman
  45. Aftermath, Part 3, by Rusty Priske
  46. Scenes from the Empire 19, by Robert Denton, Yoon Ha Lee, with Special Guest Author Robert Hobart
  47. Rulebook story (Second City)



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