Obsidian Hand

Obsidian Hand
Created by:	Onnotangu
First used by:	Shosuro
Currently in the possession of:	Unknown
Nemuranai

The Obsidian Hand was originally the hand of Onnotangu, husband of Amaterasu and father of the Kami. Hantei cut off his father's hand during their duel, and the hand fell to Ningen-do with the Kami. As it was first found and used by Shosuro, it was also sometimes called Shosuro's Hand.

Appearance and Abilities

This artifact resembled the right hand of a human, but it was made of sharp-edged obsidian. The hand enhanced the duelist abilities of its wielder. It must be attached using a painful ritual kept in the secret libraries of the Soshi family, and the hand was kept with the Shosuro. In order to use the hand, a samurai must first cut off his own right hand; when the ritual was over, the obsidian hand took the place of the original. Those who have worn the obsidian hand had heard voices and suffered from terrible nightmares, and were often driven to desperate acts. At least three of those who wore Shosuro's Hand were driven utterly mad and killed themselves. Another bearer used the Ancestral Sword of the Scorpion to slice off the artifact from his own arm. Anyone damaged by the hand's wielder became stunned.

History

Day of Thunder

In the first century, following the battle between Fu Leng and the Seven Thunders in the Day of Thunder, Nothing rejoiced. It knew, however, that Fu Leng was not truly dead, so it hurried to his ruined keep to find a weapon that might be used against the Dark Kami when he returned, the severed obsidian hand of Onnotangu. Nothing watched as Shosuro and Shinsei fled. They were being pursued by many demons, including the First Oni itself. Nothing whispered to Shosuro, offering to aid them if she would be its ally. Shosuro doubted its intentions, but with the arrival of the horde following them she accepted. Nothing drew the attention of Shiba, who had been scouring the Shadowlands for days. Shiba arrived just in time to defeat the First Oni and allow Shosuro and Shinsei to escape, but at the cost of the Kami's life. The Obsidian Hand held not only the flesh of a God, but a piece of the soul of the Shadow.

Shosuro's Return

Shosuro returned to the Empire with the twelve Black Scrolls held tight in the grip of "a hand made from a strange black glass that shimmered as if a rainbow had been trapped within". Although this was, in fact, the Obsidian Hand, the samurai in the Emperor's Court assumed that Shosuro had been twisted by the Taint and her own flesh sacrificed. The Hand was kept with the Scrolls for the longest time, until a Scorpion would feel it necessary to use it.

Corrupting the Scorpion

Through Shosuro, it was able to corrupt the Scorpion Clan, using them as its eyes and ears. Shosuro arranged for a small number of shinobi students to be “recruited” out of the clan each year. These students were taken to secret dojo, and each was touched with the Obsidian Hand, exposing them to the power of Shadow. Most of them eventually became Shadowspawn, absorbed into the Lying Darkness forever.

Scorpion Daimyo

Every few generations, a Scorpion would graft the hand to his or her arm, only to be driven mad by its power. Although no record was made of their names, at least four Scorpion Daimyo attempted to utilize the Obsidian Hand. Three of the four committed suicide, while the fourth used Itsuwari to remove the hand from his arm.

Mirumoto Hitomi

Obsidian Hand

In 1127, following the Battle of Beiden Pass, Bayushi Kachiko had her minions rescue the wounded Mirumoto Hitomi. Hitomi had met her nemesis Hida Yakamo on the battlefield, and had lost her hand when he used the Oni's Claw to shatter the Ancestral Sword of the Dragon. Kachiko gave the Hand to Hitomi, asking only that she enter the Test of the Emerald Champion and win. Although Hitomi was defeated by Kakita Toshimoko, Kachiko still deemed the operation a success, knowing that she had made a powerful ally, and that eventually the corruption of the Hand would overtake Hitomi and the Hand could be reclaimed.

Awakened

In 1128, the Hand proved instrumental during the final battle of the Second Day of Thunder, allowing Hitomi to reach into Togashi's chest and remove the final Black Scroll. The Hand (or perhaps the will of Togashi) caused Hitomi to absorb his soul, and while the rush of power rendered her unable to function in the final battle, she learned all of the secrets of the enigmatic Dragon Kami. A fragment of the Lying Darkness, which for centuries had lain dormant within the hand, was awakened by the power she inherited from Togashi.

Usurping Lord Moon

The corruption continued uninterrupted throughout Hitomi, as the Hand slowly began to turn her body to solid obsidian. As the days continued, she began to hear Onnotangu speaking to her through the Hand. She gathered the other two artifacts of Lord Moon, his blood which hade made the Obsidian Mirror and a katana crafted from Lord Moon's Bones. In 1132, using the power of these three nemuranai, she defeated Lord Moon and ascended to the heavens as Lady Moon.

It was unknown what became of the Obsidian Hand following the fall of Hitomi in 1170.

New Obsidian Hand

Following the fall of Hitomi and ascension of the Obsidian Dragon as the Obsidian Moon in 1170, the Oracle of Obsidian Shosuro Maru became the Voice of the Obsidian Moon. She began travelling to the Imperial Capital, but on her way encountered Kakita Kensho-in, and rewarded the duelist with the Hand of the Obsidian Dragon. It was a distinct hand as that once carried by Hitomi.

Known Wielders of the original Hand

• Shosuro
• Four unnamed Scorpion Clan Champions
• Mirumoto Hitomi

See also

• The Obsidian Hand/Diskwars

External Links

• Onnotangu's Hand (Dawn of the Empire)
• The Obsidian Hand (Shadowlands)
• The Obsidian Hand (Siege: Clan War)

References

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