Tainted Bushido
04-16-08, 03:13 AM
Taka
Male
21 Seasons
5’4” 140 pounds
White Hair
Grey Eyes
Cursed Samurai
Appearance: Taka wears armor that is a deep black, polished to shine as if obsidian. The armor covers his chest, forearms shoulders and his shins, but otherwise leaves his body open for attacks. Under this he wears a brown Kimono, befitting his place as a Ronin Samurai. The quality of the armor is always pristine, while his kimono shows the truth of his station, being frazzled and dirty.
Personality: Taka is often described as insane, as he often mutters things to himself. His eyes have a deep look to them as his sleep is hardly restful, only managing to recover his vitality to face another day. He is irritable and those that don’t listen to him, or ask him to repeat himself often find themselves on the end of a rant. His obsession with killing has led him to a darker more morbid personality, which has tainted his sense of Honor.
History:
Taka once belonged to a family of Samurai, well established in the tradition of these noble warriors. He however, was met with disaster as after completing his rite of passage, he was charged with guarding an important woman, who needed to reach one of the main cities of Akishima. They had traveled for weeks, and upon reaching the halfway point, came to rest in a large forest, hoping to get through quickly. Stories of Bog Hags and Oni persisted and it was only when they were caught unawares in the forest did they realize the truth of the stories.
A twisted man had given his name to an Oni, and was employing this Oni with a rather gruesome task. Finding the most honorable people it could, it would take them back to this madman, with their retainer, if any. The unlucky ones to travel unguarded were slain instantly, in an odd ritual that preserved the man’s horrid contract. The Oni in return would continue to find suitable victims, in an effort to help the man with his bargain, and in turn end the contract.
That soul was none other than Taka’s charge.
Ambushed by the vicious demon, Taka charged forward cleaving into the monstrosity with his katana, only to find that the monster merely shrugged off the damage. In one savage blow Taka was sent against a tree, where he slumped and passed out, unused to the rigors of combat, and having only reached adulthood.
When he awoke, she was screaming for mercy. Taka groaned rushing to his feet, only to find himself chained to the ground like a dog. He watched on in horror as his charge was placed upon an anvil, and sacrificed in a bloody ritual. The result of which was a Katana that would obviously be evil. The man hammered away at the steel, folding and refolding it, until such time that the katana was complete. He would occasionally dip the blade into the growing pool of blood upon the anvil as he continued to forge it. When he finished it, he placed it in its ornate saya, and dropped it at the feet of Taka speaking, “Now, she is your burden. Go ahead pick it up…”
Taka struggled against his bonds only to realize that he could not reach the man. Glaring him down the man turned to the Oni and spoke, “Unfortunately your old katana was broken by my friend here. You will find it hard to escape without a replacement, as you samurai put such stock in your Katana. Your soul is gone my friend, and your honor is obviously tainted, what have you to lose in accepting my gift to you?”
Taka looked down upon the sword, and could hear her screams echoing in his mind as he saw her bloodied and dead body laying upon the anvil. He felt a shudder race down his spine, as he reached forward and gently touched the blade, before drawing his hand back as if burned. When he detected nothing amiss in himself he gripped it, and pulled the blade from its sheath.
“Its name is Rengoku, and you will learn to fear its power, as all my other customers have feared their swords,” He said cackling as Taka looked over the blade. He could hear her screams die in his mind as he tucked the Saya in the place his old katana’s saya had been. He then flicked the blade carefully testing its balance. In return the chains around his wrists and neck sprung free.
Dropping into a stance Taka sneered as he spoke, “My honor may be stained, but I shall cleanse that stain in your blood…”
Everything went black after that.
When Taka came out of his delirium he found the Oni slain, and the man’s head cut from his shoulders. Blood covered his kimono, and he was more than certain he had been injured across his chest. Looking down however he saw no wounds, no cuts, or no mark that he had ever been injured, yet he was drenched in blood. The sword in his hands felt incredibly light, easy to swing, though no perceptible change had occurred since he had last drawn the blade.
Looking down upon his, he flicked the blood from his blade and wandered through the forest reaching a guard post only a day later. Taka was then taken in for questioning, and was let go as no one could prove he had done the deed that he was accused of. However, the stain upon his family honor could only be cleansed by one of two things, seppuku, or by disavowing him. His parents begged for the latter, and with the mercy of his Daimyo, or perhaps by punishing him further, he has been cursed to wander as a Ronin.
Skills:
Iaijutsu – Weapon – Basic – Taka has been trained in the basics of Iaijutsu or quick fighting. Iaijutsu focuses on the art of pulling a blade from its sheath quickly, of which he has mastered. It further trains its students in the art of dealing a crippling blow with the opening draw, of which he still has much to learn. He can duel, and he can fight with this skill, but he is still a novice.
Kenjutsu – Weapon – Basic – Once the Blade has been drawn from its Saya, Kenjutsu becomes the weapon art he must use. It practices in slashes that do not allow for the opponent to defend effectively. The art focuses mainly on perceived weak spots in armor, such as between plates, or even by learning to focus his power behind the edge of the blade to cut through weaker armors. However, at current he is only capable of the basic slashes. He must be extra careful, as a Katana is little more than a six foot long razorblade, and any interception by weaponry to block his blows will result in nicks forming on the edge of his blade.
Cut Under the Mountain – Kata – By entering a ritualistic set of maneuvers Taka learns to move swiftly, capitalizing on the clumsiness of his opponent’s armor and weaponry. Against targets that are heavily armored, (Golems, people in Full Platemail) or who are encumbered, he becomes lithe and agile. Against foes armed with a weapon that takes two hands (except those that are also wielding a Katana), he moves similarly fast, taking advantage of openings. For a period of two posts Taka becomes half again as fast, and very hard to hit. Only one Kata may be prepared each day, and only one can be active at any given time.
Lore of Bushido – Lore – Taka is versed in the knowledge of Bushido. As a Samurai he is expected to know all the tenants of Bushido, as a Ronin however, he is not pressed to follow the tenants. However, work being hard to get means that he often does, if only to satisfy his employers. The tenants of Bushido are:
• Gi (Honesty and Justice) - Set lies aside. A samurai does not make honesty or justice a matter for debate; he knows that there is only truth and falsehood, justice and injustice.
• Rei (Polite Courtesy) - A samurai is neither a bully nor a brute killer. He must treat his enemies with courtesy.
• Yu (Courage) - Only fear of death can destroy life; the samurai replaces it with an understanding of danger.
• Meyo (Honor) - Praises and curses are not what defines honor; the samurai reserves his judgement for himself.
• Jin (Compassion) - Just as the farmer does not grow crops merely to fill his own belly, the warrior does not fight for himself alone. A samurai must be constantly aware of the duty to protect others.
• Makoto (Complete Sincerity) - A samurai's words and his actions are one and the same. To 'promise' would be redundant.
• Chugo (Duty and Loyalty) - Actions and their consequences define those who take them. The samurai's loyalty to those that he guards for is unshakable
It also impresses upon Samurai the meanings of their Daisho. A Samurai’s Katana is his Soul, it represents who he is, and how he fights. A katana that cannot kill its opponent is obviously in the hands of an equally weak soul, while one that can cut through legions is in the hands of a strong soul.
The wakizashi is ones honor, and must be up kept. The polishing and cleaning of a wakizashi is reminiscent of the constant vigilance a Samurai must keep in maintaining their honor.
Equipment:
Rengoku – A six foot long steel Katana. It houses the soul of his charge who he failed to protect, and all he knows is that if he ever acts dishonorably, the blade makes him pay for it. Any attempt to rid himself of the blade has found him awoken with it beside him. He cannot draw any other blade while he carries Rengoku, lest he be punished for his dishonorable conduct.
Wakizashi – His honor blade it measures roughly four feet in length and is also made of steel. It is only used as a symbol of his station, rarely if ever for combat. He will never sell this blade for any price, such is its symbolism.
A backpack - In the pack is some stale rice balls, a daisho stand, a tatami mat, a small bowl for Sake, a tanto (small steel knife) for grooming purposes, a small book that is filled with various tales of Samurai, a finger of Jade(to ward off Oni and Gaki-do), a Straw Hat(when not wearing it), and a straw cloak (again when not worn).
Set of Steel armor - Includes breastplate shoulder guards, fore arm bracers and shin guards.
Male
21 Seasons
5’4” 140 pounds
White Hair
Grey Eyes
Cursed Samurai
Appearance: Taka wears armor that is a deep black, polished to shine as if obsidian. The armor covers his chest, forearms shoulders and his shins, but otherwise leaves his body open for attacks. Under this he wears a brown Kimono, befitting his place as a Ronin Samurai. The quality of the armor is always pristine, while his kimono shows the truth of his station, being frazzled and dirty.
Personality: Taka is often described as insane, as he often mutters things to himself. His eyes have a deep look to them as his sleep is hardly restful, only managing to recover his vitality to face another day. He is irritable and those that don’t listen to him, or ask him to repeat himself often find themselves on the end of a rant. His obsession with killing has led him to a darker more morbid personality, which has tainted his sense of Honor.
History:
Taka once belonged to a family of Samurai, well established in the tradition of these noble warriors. He however, was met with disaster as after completing his rite of passage, he was charged with guarding an important woman, who needed to reach one of the main cities of Akishima. They had traveled for weeks, and upon reaching the halfway point, came to rest in a large forest, hoping to get through quickly. Stories of Bog Hags and Oni persisted and it was only when they were caught unawares in the forest did they realize the truth of the stories.
A twisted man had given his name to an Oni, and was employing this Oni with a rather gruesome task. Finding the most honorable people it could, it would take them back to this madman, with their retainer, if any. The unlucky ones to travel unguarded were slain instantly, in an odd ritual that preserved the man’s horrid contract. The Oni in return would continue to find suitable victims, in an effort to help the man with his bargain, and in turn end the contract.
That soul was none other than Taka’s charge.
Ambushed by the vicious demon, Taka charged forward cleaving into the monstrosity with his katana, only to find that the monster merely shrugged off the damage. In one savage blow Taka was sent against a tree, where he slumped and passed out, unused to the rigors of combat, and having only reached adulthood.
When he awoke, she was screaming for mercy. Taka groaned rushing to his feet, only to find himself chained to the ground like a dog. He watched on in horror as his charge was placed upon an anvil, and sacrificed in a bloody ritual. The result of which was a Katana that would obviously be evil. The man hammered away at the steel, folding and refolding it, until such time that the katana was complete. He would occasionally dip the blade into the growing pool of blood upon the anvil as he continued to forge it. When he finished it, he placed it in its ornate saya, and dropped it at the feet of Taka speaking, “Now, she is your burden. Go ahead pick it up…”
Taka struggled against his bonds only to realize that he could not reach the man. Glaring him down the man turned to the Oni and spoke, “Unfortunately your old katana was broken by my friend here. You will find it hard to escape without a replacement, as you samurai put such stock in your Katana. Your soul is gone my friend, and your honor is obviously tainted, what have you to lose in accepting my gift to you?”
Taka looked down upon the sword, and could hear her screams echoing in his mind as he saw her bloodied and dead body laying upon the anvil. He felt a shudder race down his spine, as he reached forward and gently touched the blade, before drawing his hand back as if burned. When he detected nothing amiss in himself he gripped it, and pulled the blade from its sheath.
“Its name is Rengoku, and you will learn to fear its power, as all my other customers have feared their swords,” He said cackling as Taka looked over the blade. He could hear her screams die in his mind as he tucked the Saya in the place his old katana’s saya had been. He then flicked the blade carefully testing its balance. In return the chains around his wrists and neck sprung free.
Dropping into a stance Taka sneered as he spoke, “My honor may be stained, but I shall cleanse that stain in your blood…”
Everything went black after that.
When Taka came out of his delirium he found the Oni slain, and the man’s head cut from his shoulders. Blood covered his kimono, and he was more than certain he had been injured across his chest. Looking down however he saw no wounds, no cuts, or no mark that he had ever been injured, yet he was drenched in blood. The sword in his hands felt incredibly light, easy to swing, though no perceptible change had occurred since he had last drawn the blade.
Looking down upon his, he flicked the blood from his blade and wandered through the forest reaching a guard post only a day later. Taka was then taken in for questioning, and was let go as no one could prove he had done the deed that he was accused of. However, the stain upon his family honor could only be cleansed by one of two things, seppuku, or by disavowing him. His parents begged for the latter, and with the mercy of his Daimyo, or perhaps by punishing him further, he has been cursed to wander as a Ronin.
Skills:
Iaijutsu – Weapon – Basic – Taka has been trained in the basics of Iaijutsu or quick fighting. Iaijutsu focuses on the art of pulling a blade from its sheath quickly, of which he has mastered. It further trains its students in the art of dealing a crippling blow with the opening draw, of which he still has much to learn. He can duel, and he can fight with this skill, but he is still a novice.
Kenjutsu – Weapon – Basic – Once the Blade has been drawn from its Saya, Kenjutsu becomes the weapon art he must use. It practices in slashes that do not allow for the opponent to defend effectively. The art focuses mainly on perceived weak spots in armor, such as between plates, or even by learning to focus his power behind the edge of the blade to cut through weaker armors. However, at current he is only capable of the basic slashes. He must be extra careful, as a Katana is little more than a six foot long razorblade, and any interception by weaponry to block his blows will result in nicks forming on the edge of his blade.
Cut Under the Mountain – Kata – By entering a ritualistic set of maneuvers Taka learns to move swiftly, capitalizing on the clumsiness of his opponent’s armor and weaponry. Against targets that are heavily armored, (Golems, people in Full Platemail) or who are encumbered, he becomes lithe and agile. Against foes armed with a weapon that takes two hands (except those that are also wielding a Katana), he moves similarly fast, taking advantage of openings. For a period of two posts Taka becomes half again as fast, and very hard to hit. Only one Kata may be prepared each day, and only one can be active at any given time.
Lore of Bushido – Lore – Taka is versed in the knowledge of Bushido. As a Samurai he is expected to know all the tenants of Bushido, as a Ronin however, he is not pressed to follow the tenants. However, work being hard to get means that he often does, if only to satisfy his employers. The tenants of Bushido are:
• Gi (Honesty and Justice) - Set lies aside. A samurai does not make honesty or justice a matter for debate; he knows that there is only truth and falsehood, justice and injustice.
• Rei (Polite Courtesy) - A samurai is neither a bully nor a brute killer. He must treat his enemies with courtesy.
• Yu (Courage) - Only fear of death can destroy life; the samurai replaces it with an understanding of danger.
• Meyo (Honor) - Praises and curses are not what defines honor; the samurai reserves his judgement for himself.
• Jin (Compassion) - Just as the farmer does not grow crops merely to fill his own belly, the warrior does not fight for himself alone. A samurai must be constantly aware of the duty to protect others.
• Makoto (Complete Sincerity) - A samurai's words and his actions are one and the same. To 'promise' would be redundant.
• Chugo (Duty and Loyalty) - Actions and their consequences define those who take them. The samurai's loyalty to those that he guards for is unshakable
It also impresses upon Samurai the meanings of their Daisho. A Samurai’s Katana is his Soul, it represents who he is, and how he fights. A katana that cannot kill its opponent is obviously in the hands of an equally weak soul, while one that can cut through legions is in the hands of a strong soul.
The wakizashi is ones honor, and must be up kept. The polishing and cleaning of a wakizashi is reminiscent of the constant vigilance a Samurai must keep in maintaining their honor.
Equipment:
Rengoku – A six foot long steel Katana. It houses the soul of his charge who he failed to protect, and all he knows is that if he ever acts dishonorably, the blade makes him pay for it. Any attempt to rid himself of the blade has found him awoken with it beside him. He cannot draw any other blade while he carries Rengoku, lest he be punished for his dishonorable conduct.
Wakizashi – His honor blade it measures roughly four feet in length and is also made of steel. It is only used as a symbol of his station, rarely if ever for combat. He will never sell this blade for any price, such is its symbolism.
A backpack - In the pack is some stale rice balls, a daisho stand, a tatami mat, a small bowl for Sake, a tanto (small steel knife) for grooming purposes, a small book that is filled with various tales of Samurai, a finger of Jade(to ward off Oni and Gaki-do), a Straw Hat(when not wearing it), and a straw cloak (again when not worn).
Set of Steel armor - Includes breastplate shoulder guards, fore arm bracers and shin guards.