Realistic or Modern 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫 (Characters)

[RIPSaidCone]

Appearance:
(Real claims only please)

Name:
(Family name first, birth name second)

Age:
(Can be anywhere from 18-30)

Clan:


Title:


Fief:
(Do they oversee a castle, village, or any land on behalf of their father? Remove this if they don't.)

Birthdate:
(See lore for Nihanai's calendar)

Birthplace:


Height:


Family:
(Insert immediate family, wife and young children are an option. Specify where the wife/intended is from however. You can fill in siblings if other confirmed characters have the same clan and its worked out)


History:


Miscellaneous:
(Do they have a particular interest, achievement, activity, or talent that is known?)​

 

[Hyzenthlay]

Appearance:


Clothing:


Name:
Yoshida Kana

Age:
26

Clan:
Yoshida

Title:
Lady Yoshida Kana, daughter of Great Lord Yoshida Sakuma

Fief:
Overseer and Chief Monk of the Great Temple of Amaterasu

Birthdate:
Born on the 13th day of the Month of Prayer

Birthplace:
Yoshida Castle

Height:
5'6"

Family:
Great Lord Yoshida Sakuma, father
Great Lady Yoshida Misaki, mother
Lord Yoshida Haru, brother
Lord Yoshida Jun, brother


History:
The youngest child and only daughter of the Great Lord Yoshida, Kana was given a great deal of freedom and care when she was born, considered to be a blessing for her family. Her mother and father allowed her to explore her interests as a child, and at a young age she developed an interest in and, eventually, a friendship with the monks who led their clan in their most holy religious practices. Instilled in her at a young age were the faith of her people, as well as the belief in forgiveness, loyalty, and importance of peace and compassion. While her brothers became significant political leaders in their clan, Kana established herself as a spiritual leader, and a protector of the innocent. Like the other monks of Kiritsu faith, Kana cut her hair and maintains a closely shaven head to exemplify her dedication to the spiritual world and her disconnection from personal worldly concerns like appearance.

Miscellaneous:
Since her childhood, Kana has held a close relationship with the monks of the temple of Amaterasu, who passed onto her their wisdom and knowledge of the world. Included in that was the ability to defend herself and her people from those who would wish them harm, as well as a strong moral compass to guide her through the world. Upon her 20th birthday, she was gifted with a Bō staff, a weapon that she would use to defend her subjects should the threat arise. The staff was selected because while it could inflict terrible damage, it also provided the opportunity for forgiveness and peace. The slash of the sword and the impact of the arrow cannot always be taken back, and have the potential to kill instantly, but to kill one with the staff requires that the wielder be absolutely certain that there is no other option for their opponent to be forgiven or allowed to surrender.

Another gift she received on her 20th birthday was the traditional facial tattoos that the monks of the Kiritsu faith are known for: A simple red lotus flower in the center of the forehead, just above the eyebrows, and four red lines descending from the bottom lip down the front of the throat.​

 

[Dante Verren]

Appearance:

Spoiler: Face claim and usual appearance.

Spoiler: Battle Armor

View attachment 740933

Name:
Nakara Narishige

Age:
27

Clan:
Nakara

Title:
Lord Nakara Narishige of Taketomi, Eldest son of Great Lord Nakara, and Heir to the Nakara Clan

Fief:
Lord of Taketomi

Birthdate:
Born on the 7th day of the Month of Giving.

Birthplace:
Nakara

Height:
5'8"

Family:
Father: Great Lord Nakara Natsuke
Mother: Great Lady Nakara Miyabi
Sister: Lady Nakara Akiko
Sister: Lady Nakara Ena
Sister: Lady Nakara Naoko
Wife: Lady Nakara Nishi (Orginally Roku Nishi from the Roku Clan)
Son: Lord Nakara Naofumi


History:
The oldest of four siblings and the only son of the Great Lord Nakara, Narishige has been raised to be a leader from a very young age. His education in edict began the moment he learned to speak, his education horsemanship the moment he could stand, swordsmanship the moment he could correctly walk, and ruler-ship the moment he could form even the slightest bit of complex thought. In short his childhood was a very serious one with little time for fun or games. However it was due to this that his teachers discovered the young Narishige's talent for management. The merchants class ended up taking very quickly to the boy and Narishige would begin to learn the secrets to being a great trader and negotiator.

At the age of twelve Narishige finally left the Nakara lands for the first time when his family consisting of his parents and four years old sister Akiko went on a tour of all the vassal lands. It was on this journey that Narishige discovered several things about himself. The first discovery was made when they arrived in the city of Hosokana. It was here that Narishige was fully introduced to the Yaban. The splendors and oddities of the Yaban completely captivated the boy, and so he pleaded with his father to let him study in their ways. With his fathers approval a Yaban preacher was brought back with them to become Narishige's personal teacher. It was then that Narishige officially adopted the Yaban religion as well. The second discovery was made when the Nakara family stayed with the Roku's. Narishige and Akiko ended up spending quite a bit of time with the Daughter of Lord Roku named Nishi. It was over that short time that Narishige found himself head over heels for the girl and after discussing it with both his father and lord Roku the betrothal was arranged.

Eventually Narishige and Nishi would come to marry once both came of age. The wedding and celebrations were held in Yaban tradition showing further devotion that Narishige had for the Yaban faith. Although it would be several years later Narishige would be granted the city of Taketomi as a late wedding gift, a coming to age gift, and as a test to ensure that he would be ready to rule all of the Nakara when the time came. Over the next few years Narishige would go about ruling the city with a just and fair hand,doing his best to bring in merchants from all across to try and improve the economy of the city. He would also invite many Yaban priest and missionaries to make their home in the city to try and get more Yaban influence in the area. However the next big chapter in his life wouldn't happen until he was 23 with the birth of his son Naofumi. Since that day Narishige has continued with his goals of bringing Yaban and Nihanai culture together to create harmony between the two.

Miscellaneous:
Narishige's love of the Yaban religion and culture is well known throughout the Nakara and there vassal lands. He is said to have a very sharp mind and is an expert when it comes to riding horses. Although he is no master he is known to be quite proficient with wielding a sword and the Yaban rifles. Although he is from the most wealthy clan in Nihanai he usually wears rather plain attire and rarely shows off his wealth outside of his own home. The flashiest thing he owns is a unique set of armor that resembles a mix of Yaban and Nihanai armor, for Narishige it serves as proof that his dream of harmony between the two people is possible.​

 

[RIPSaidCone]

Kawada

Beware what you do not expect.

Name: Iyo Kawada

Age: 26

Clan: Iyo

Title: Lady Iyo Kawada of Hozen, Eldest of Great Lord Iyo, Lady of Seiyo

Fief: Seiyo

Birthdate: 27th Day of the Month of Warmth

Birthplace: Iyo Castle, Hozen

Family:

• Great Lord Iyo Toshisaba [Father]
• Great Lady Iyo Uruna [Mother]
• Lord Iyo Tanjiro [Younger Brother]
• Lord Yamanobe Shigeru [Disowned Younger Brother]
• Lady Iyo Matsuko

Height: 6'6"

History: Born the first child of Great Lord Iyo Toshisaba, Kawada was the immediate recipient of the family's attention. Being showered in gifts and praise from before she could even walk, her childhood had been one of abundance to say the least. Although this was more to do with her mother than her father, the latter of which was often away on marches against rebels or bands of outlaws in the countryside. And as Kawada grew older, she would begin to learn just why her father did what he did, and why it was so important to him. The Bushido code, something that she had long seen in practice, but that she had never been taught about. Her teachers having always been more focused on improving her handwriting, and instructing her on how to dress appropriately than the ways of the sword and horse. Still groomed for clan leadership, unlike her siblings, but not the kind she wanted.

So, at the age of twelve, she went directly to her father, and asked-or demanded that she be taught in the ways that he was taught. A lifetime of a vacant father figure having put a great need in the young girl for some involvement seemingly. Much to her surprise, though she would never admit it, he agreed to teach her. Perhaps having been impatient at waiting for her younger brother to grow older, and perhaps also concerned about his own age, and the future of his clan. As a result, he would take the young Kawada to the courtyard of Iyo Castle for several hours each day to teach her the art of the katana, the Iyo-and samurai's favored weapon of choice. At the age of sixteen she would be taken out on her first patrol with the local samurai. At age seventeen she would kill her first man, a bandit who had been part of a group that had been terrorizing the roads between Hozen and Uwaji for several weeks. She would present his head to her father when she returned.

By her coming of age day, several dozen more outlaws and other lowlifes had been added to that count. And Kawada commanding her first troops during the Kushiro Uprising, when a number of Hoka tribes had joined forces to rebel against the Shikabe Clan, their provincial masters. Whilst her brother had further shamed his name in his own victory, Kawada had cemented her place as her father's heir with the crushing of a large rebel force that had rushed its way towards Ozu, the province capital. Leading a small army of several thousand men, a mixture of Iyo and Shikabe infantry, she outflanked the enemy that had been expecting an easy siege, and took the rebel general's head as a trophy. Being granted the city of Seiyo as a reward for her service, and a promotion to the general of the Iyo Clan's campaign forces on the spot, after the battle had been won, her father choosing to take a step back from the battlefield, with newfound faith in his eldest, and focus on governance and his youngest daughter, Matsuko more.

Today, one could say that Kawada has gotten everything she'd ever wanted. Her father's approval, a fief of her own, authority and most importantly, respect. However what's to say that a warrior doesn't have greater ideas, greater plans?

Miscellaneous: Kawada aspires to be a true follower of the Bushido code, as such she is often to be seen training in her spare time. Though it has been said that she enjoys spending time with her samurai, and is particularly fond of sake. Something that the Lady is more private about however is her interest in poetry, and her writings in general, and she regularly spends time writing about her thoughts on the world, and other philosophical ramblings.

Kawada's Armor

 

[Darth]

Iyo Tanjiro

Age
22

Clan
Iyo

Title
Lord Iyo Tanjiro of Uwaji, Youngest Son of Great Lord Iyo Toshisaba

Fief
Lord of Uwaji

Birthdate
9th Day of the Month of Change

Birthplace
Iyo Castle, Hozen

Height
5’ 9”

Family
Great Lord Iyo Toshisaba, Father
Great Lady Iyo Urena, Mother
Lady Iyo Kawada, Older Sister
Lord Consort Iyo Shigeru, Older Brother (Disowned)
Lady Iyo Matsuko, Younger Sister

History
As the youngest child of the Iyo Toshisaba, Tanjiro was never destined to inherit the clan. Unlike his eldest sister Kawada, who was groomed since her early childhood, Tanjiro was merely expected to uphold his family's traditions and serve his clan honorably. Most prominently, as a son of the Iyo clan, Tanjiro was expected to uphold the virtues of the bushido code. Throughout his early childhood, the code was ingrained into his young mind. However, as time went on, the code never took root, and Tanjiro would often disappoint his mentors with compulsive lying and disrespect. When reprimanded for his mistakes, he only held his sentiments more fervently. He started to lie for the sake of mischief and the chaos that might have ensued. Even while Tanjiro had become widely a disappointment to his mentors, one aspect of the bushido code may have found its way into being. Although twisted by Tanjiro’s mischievous heart, the virtue of courage can be seldom seen in his eyes. Reckless as he may seem, Tanjiro is no coward.

Now, what was once a roguish boy, a sly and cunning young man has taken his place. Although his skills with a sword are rather unremarkable, he compensates with a quick wit and a sharp, silver tongue. However, Tanjiro’s true claim to fame comes from his actions during the Kushiro Uprising against a host Hoka rebels in Shikabe province. His father and eldest sister Iyo Kawada led the bulk of the clan's army to make battle near the province capital Ozu. Tanjiro was not to join battle with his family, rather, he was tasked with leading a smaller force in removing a rebel cell wreaking havoc on supply lines and local trade routes.

It is said that the rebels had entrenched themselves atop a wooded hill and refused to meet Tanjiro’s force in open battle. Frustrated and too impatient to wait out a siege. Tanjiro devised a scheme and sent a message to the rebel leader. Tanjiro proposed a parley in the dead of night, suggesting he was preparing to betray his father and move against his family’s army at Ozu. The rebel leader reluctantly agreed and the meeting was set.

As promised, Tanjiro appeared to parley. As talks began to proceed, the rebel party was suddenly beset from the rear; arrows loosed from the darkened wood. Tanjiro himself was said to have personally lodged his kaiken into the rebel leader’s neck. However, Tanjiro did not stop there, he wanted total victory. He sent his retainers to commit further acts of treachery. Within the next hour, the rebel camp was set alight, turning the trees into torches and set the night sky ablaze. It was at this point that Tanjiro let loose his cavalry, turning the panic into chaos.

The morning revealed the scorched camp littered with bodies. Some charred and burnt, others were laid low by Tanjiro’s merciless retainers. All who were in the camp that night were slain, Tanjiro took no prisoners.

Tanjiro soon moved to join his father and sister in Ozu, only to find that Kawada had already won the day. Iyo Toshisaba had received word of Tanjiro’s actions, and the Great Lord was unsurprised to find his son at the root of the chaos. Dishonorable as it was, Tanjiro had achieved victory and confessed that he only acted for the sake of the clan. The Great Lord was unsure of how to respond. Praise his son for winning a victory or disgrace him for acting with such dishonor.

In the end, his father reluctantly rewarded him with a title; the Lord of Uwaji. Perhaps the Great Lord felt pride in his son, feeling that he had a son whose loyalty to the clan was so unwavering that he would dishonor himself to protect it. Or, perhaps, the Lord simply sought to appease him, to prevent a backlash or avoid him altogether. Nevertheless, Tanjiro’s treachery was rewarded with power; power Tanjiro would undoubtedly exploit.

Iyo Toshisaba would likely ponder the true nature of his son. Does he truly serve the Iyo clan? Or does Tanjiro serve himself, acting only when the outcome benefits his own hidden interests?

Miscellaneous:
While it is known that Tanjiro enjoys the more hedonistic aspects of life, he is also a patron of the arts. One may find Tanjiro secluded in his chambers with his windows open to the dawning sun. Himself seated in front and a wide array of paints laid out atop a white canvas. Tanjiro most enjoyed painting landscapes and spirits, often inviting the more sinister of the latter into his wild, colorful artworks.

Spoiler: Armor Appearance

​

 

[triples]

Hideaki

The most beautiful things in the wild, friend, tend to be the most venomous.​

Name: Tojiko Hideaki

Age: 23

Clan: Tojiko

Title: Lord Tojiko Hideaki of Minomato, Youngest Son of the Great Lord Tojiko

Fief: Minomato

Birthdate: 14th Day of The Month of Frost

Birthplace: Tojiko Castle

Family:

• Great Lord Tojiko Hisahide [Father]
• Great Lady Tojiko Kizuha [Mother — Originally Kizuha of the Oeda Islands]
• Lord Tojiko Nobutada [Older Half-Brother]
• Lady Tojiko Jurina [Older Half-Sister]

Height: 5'11"

Appearance: Kizuha of the Oeda Islands was a famous beauty among her own people and equally so when she arrived in Tojiko Castle. Following in her footsteps, Hideaki was a prettier youth than any girl — something that unfortunately brought him many more negative, snide comments than praise. His appearance radiates more of the quiet grace commonly associated with femininity than the heroism or toughness preferred in men; with sharp yet wide eyes, willow brows and a tall nose, his features do undeniably carry a trace of delicacy in them. Luckily for him, however, as he grew up, his build became tall and broad-shouldered, removing the unspoken assumption of weakness associated with his image.

History: Tojiko Hideaki is only child of the marriage between the current Great Lord & Lady of Tojiko, a union between the Tojiko Clan and the people of Oeda to strengthen their ongoing cooperation. He isn't, however, the only child of the family. Before Tojiko Kizuha, there was another Great Lady. Before Hideaki, therefore, there was his older brother, born from his father's first, late wife.

Though not the heir — that title naturally went to his brother — Hideaki still was given the privilege of being able to learn from many of the land's greatest scholars and warriors from young. The boy quickly proved himself to be an exemplary student. Though he was never a prodigy in any particular field, Hideaki excelled in most things he put his mind to. His talent was parallel to his temperament; he was not explosively powerful but rather controlled and precise. Whether it was with pen or sword, he displayed his own brand of might: subtle, elegant yet impactful.

And, yet, it was not enough. From childhood and all throughout his adolescence, Hideaki never received the recognition he deserved from many of the lords and samurai of his father's court. They discriminated against his mother for her origin and, by association, disliked him as well. There were, of course, the few who supported him, who appreciated his brightness instead of trying to dim it. But, ultimately, they were the minority. Even his own father, who doted on him as much as any adoring parent, rarely ever acknowledged him in the presence of the court in order to give face to the real heir.

While this undoubtedly planted the seed of jealousy and dissatisfaction in young Hideaki, he was held back from rebelling against what he felt was injustice by his mother. Stay unseen, she pleaded with him. Don't give his opinions in the court. Don't show off his skills. Don't try to compete with his brother. She was a gentle woman, and she feared for him. If there was one person in the world that Hideaki could never go against, it was his mother.

So, he complied, moving his attention away from the court to the common people. The philosophers, the merchants, the lawyers, the artists, the warriors. Over the years, Hideaki made many friends from these groups of people. Though he did so out of genuine interest in other classes, he consequently ended up building a rather large network and a proportional reputation among the people. On the political front, he tried to stay as quiet as possible. However, talks behind closed doors with scholar friends slowly spread to others, establishing quite publicly he was a supporter of a continued connection to the Taishonate, something his brother was known to be against.

It was as if fate was against the idea of harmony between Hideaki and his brother, creating tension instead despite his contrary intention. With his father getting older and his brother getting more aggressive & ruthless in pursuing his ideals, Hideaki has been put in a tough spot. If he really sits still and rejects the vassals who want to support him, he would be left powerless and helpless to whatever his brother might do once the elder takes over. If he makes his own moves on the chess board, however, he would lose the peacefulness of being a mere pawn. It is a tough decision, but Hideaki has slowly been edging toward the latter option, realizing that he needs to at least put up a shield, even if not a fight.

Miscellaneous:

• Hideaki has an odd fondness for reptiles, particularly snakes, and keeps a few in the privacy of his own home — venom removed, of course. He admires how tranquil and relaxed they are, especially considering their true lethality.

• While he resented his mother's seemingly defeatist sentiments as a hot-blooded youth, the current Hideaki agrees with it. He has never been one to lust after power and, with age, has also learnt to rid himself of the desire for recognition and praise.

• Hideaki's fief has a number of ports, most of which specialize in housing trade ships, particularly from the Namsan Dynasty. As a result, he has quite a few contacts from across the Orange Sea.

• While a fan of many arts, Hideaki has a special interest in music and has been known to be an excellent Koto player. He has a treasured Koto made from cherry wood, a present from a precious friend.

 

[Mqueserasera]

Yamanobe Shigeru​

Age: 24

Clan: Yamanobe

Title: Lord Consort of Lady Yamanobe Yuki, Son-in-law of Lord Yamanobe Noburu

Fief: None

Birthdate: Month of Frost

Birthplace: Iyo castle, Hozen

Heights: 6’1

Armor:

Spoiler: Minus the mask and belts

Sashimono:

Spoiler: Yamanobe

History:

A harsh winter, when frost had covered the earth for so long the white blanket seemed permanent, imprinted in the eyes of hunger and poverty from a failed harvest prior. Roots and branches were decent meals then, and no longer on the snow marked footprints of games, a myth they were, all fled to the south leaving the land barren, no plant, no beast. Cattles so thin they seemed vanished from existence. And what fishes were left, only be found and speared through layers of ice. Hozen had it good, being at the southern end of the Iyo’s land. But even there the wolves were driven senseless by famine so one day the pack emerged from the mountain. Into the night they walked empty streets, crossed cold dead fields and deserted taverns. Most killed by street patrols but one so scrawny with bone bared under thick fur and fangs white as ice sheets sneaked into the castle where reside Great Lord Toshisaba and his family. The Lord struck it down himself, so great was his might, but that night his beloved wife gave birth at last to his second children, Shigeru’s the newborn’s name.

A bad omen, said whispers in dirty corners of the land, wild beasts roamed the castle the day our lord’s son is born. He is no blessing to this land.

Yet the worst came to pass, as it always does. Shigeru grew strong and healthy, despite being branded with words of doom. And loomed no longer the shadow of wariness, a bright young man took shape. Energetic and cheerful, he mirrored the restoration of the land. He took the sword early, and in a few years time had rendered his instructor jobless. By then he had made a habit of sneaking into town unescorted, where he spent days wrestle with boys of brutish nature and labour hardened bodies, at nights playing the vulgar game of bothering the opposite sex. Mingling with bad influences, the bushido way wavered in his heart, yet he served his duty as a son of his father, the Great Lord Iyo Toshisaba, whose he served with the utmost respect. But to whatever extent this respect might be, he kept well only in his heart and used every opportunity available to defile the Great Lord’s attempts to suppress his freedom. He lived like a bird seeking sports elsewhere under the great skydome. His home the home of brothers he'd made in all corners of Iyo’s territory and beyond.

He was well liked by many, not for his humbleness, for he has none; neither for his agreeableness, but rather for the quality of his undiscriminating company. No matter who it is, nobles, peasants, monks, thieves, men, women, as long as they are willing, even an enemy could share his table, his wine and a chance to suffer his lousy haikus.

The majority of his youth, when his siblings immersed themselves in education, Shigeru was out living a life of debauchery, and more often than not, challenging his friends and ill-fortuned to sword duels. This hobby gave him as many enemies for life as it gave him friends. Being ganged up by an eager band of hired swords was within the expectation for an average night. Facing him, however, had caused many a hired sword to regret his profession choice. Shigeru is said to have the strength of a tiger in its prime, and the widespread fame of his swordsmanship had saved him much of the hassle of having to seek out challengers himself. Famous masters of the land who he deemed more skilled have all had their doors banged days and nights until they are willing to pass down their arts to him. Not all received him, but those who did had found in him a dedicated and disciplined student, a quick learner and also a terrible poet.

Such was his youth, making friends, partying and practising martial arts. Rarely was he at home. But one of the rare times he did sprouted him some roots, and no longer he was a wayward son. This sudden docile mood, the newfound interest in grooming his appearance and dignifying his demeanour, was for none but the simplest reason among reasons: a girl.

Yamanobe Yuki, the second daughter of Lord Yamanobe Noburu, came on behalf of her father to get acquainted with the Iyo. It was a divisive time in Shisuta. The welcoming attitude of the Nagara towards foreign folks and their culture had stirred dissent among Nagara retainers. One particularly conservative family was the Yamanobe, one of the few regions hadn’t converted to the new religion that plagued Shisuta. To maintain their power against neighbours with different values, Lord Yamanobe had reached out for an alliance with the Iyo. This alliance was a likely one, because, in the dispute for Shin Harufai, Yamanobe could offer an advantage with their port in Kiruno and the pincer formation with the Yamanobe's and Iyo’s territory on both sides of the Yuza and Shin Harufai. Toshisaba knew this, and so was Noburu. Shigeru did not, neither did he care. He had only his eyes and all mind on the young lady Yamanobe. A mere glimpse of her had transformed him anew. The loud-mouthed brute had gone.

In fresh and perfumed clothes, Shigeru sat waiting as if on fire for the first official meeting with Yuki. And when she came, all radiant like the sun, soft-spoken as the first snowflake, and her eyes so bright and mesmerizing. What’s there, a goddess! No, a cruel existence! The man now young boy could do nought but sat dumbly. His mouth agape, as if before him was the most terrifying ghost, not the woman he would dive to hell thousands of times over for the chance to express his this devotion in most beautiful words, words he could not say for he was mute.

The second time, he made her a haiku, it was so bad and amateurish she giggled out loud, casting off all pretension between highborn lords and ladies, ignored even the order from her father to behave amiably before Lord Iyo’s son. And in tears from laughing she apologized over and over, unceasing until the sulking young man had recovered his wit.

Then on the following date, he invited her to a boar hunt where no one, not him in the least could have expected how much joy she expressed and how quickly she accepted the invitation. Being a sickly child, she said, I had little chance to experience the outdoors. If only I can breathe this air every day until the day I die. Shigeru too would willingly cut off his right arm to see her smile that day every second until his last breath.

Shortly after the marriage, Yamanobe Yuki fell ill. Then one year later, after giving birth to their first daughter, Yuki drew her last breath.

Shigeru left his family, his newborn daughter and fled to the middle of nowhere in the mountain range. There he looked upon the vast sky, deep lakes and roaring rivers. And he took in deep breaths, breaths of all the fresh air his wife will never again have the chance to taste.

He wandered. No one knew for sure when and how and in which circumstance did he find the mountain bandits, only that a bandit boss named Shigeru Iyo was preying on merchants passing through the path from Tachikawa to Atsuma after one year since his disappearance. No women or children were harmed, and men who had surrendered were allowed to run free. But to those bearing arms and skills too proud to give in the bandit boss cut them down without mercy.

Lord Iyo himself led an army into the mountain range. Soon he found his son riding along with his outlaws down the mountain to meet them head-on. Toshisaba ordered Shigeru to offer his head to atone the sin he had committed. Shigeru laughed and laughing still he got down from his horse, throwing to the side his katana and wakizashi. “My father has come for my head," he said, "who am I to decline? Get down, friends. Beg for mercy, I shall not do it for you,” he said.

Instead of his head, Shigeru received two hundred whips and was disowned from his family, never again bearing the name Iyo. The man then took his daughter with him to Kiruno and lived under the protection of Lord Yamanobe Noburu.

Family:

Great Lord Iyo Toshisaba, Father
Great Lady Iyo Urena, Mother
Lord Yamanobe Noburu, Father-in-law
Lady Yamanobe Kotone, Mother in law
Lady Iyo Kawada, Older Sister
Lord Iyo Tanjiro, Younger Brother
Lady Iyo Matsuko, Younger Sister
Lady Yamanobe Yuki, Spouse (deceased)
Lady Yamanobe Fuyuko, Daughter
Lady Yamanobe Tsubaki, Older Sister in Law

Miscellaneous:

As Lady Yamanobe Tsubaki, Shigeru’s older sister in law, is the heir to the Yamanobe's clan, Shigeru had sworn an oath to serve and protect her and her father. He has also taken his late wife’s family name as his own.

While not as brilliant an army leader as his older sister or as cunning as his younger brother, Shigeru has another gift beside his muscles, that is his ability to rally and instil bravery into the heart of soldiers with his words. He can move the heart of people or discourage the opposite army with his display of valour.

Oh wait, he also has something that isn’t quite related to his sword: his haiku! Which is to say he enjoys making them, not to say that they are good, which doesn’t actually matter, as he will make you listen to them anyway.

Oh moonlight

In my cup and tears

A wee moon

 

[bloodymorrow]

Name:
Ennis Monaghan

Age:
30

Title:
Colonel in Her Majesty's Army, Military Advisor

Birthdate:
By the reckoning of the Nihanese, Colonel Monaghan was born on the 21st Day of the Month of Leaves.

Birthplace:
"You wouldn't have heard of it."

Height:
5'6"

Family:
Ennis has a pair of older siblings, with Rourke working as a civil engineer and Davies heading up his own command in the army. His wife, Edith, lives back in the homeland with their ten year old son Nicholas.

History: Born at the ancestral Monaghan estate, Ennis was treated to a childhood surrounded by artifacts of his family's decay. Marble statues collected dust in the parlour while crops outside grew withered and sick from industrial pollution. His mother died when he was young, having tied stones to her ankles and walked into the local river. Father wasted little time in remarrying but failed to beget another child before he too passed away from gout. Ennis was raised mainly by his brothers; when they sought careers in the military, he was sent to a boarding school for the remainder of his adolesence.

Between religious education and athletic competitions, Ennis fantasized about the exciting lives his brothers were surely leading. As soon as he reached his majority, ,he made his way to the capital and began training as an officer. It was readily apparent that while Ennis made a decent soldier, his true talent lay in navigating the army's bureaucracy. While he was busy earning his stripes, Ennis was invited to a ball hosted by one of his superiors. There he met Edith, a passionate debutante with a fiery disposition. Within the year they were married. Shortly before their son was born, Ennis received the opportunity he had always dreamt of: to serve his country abroad in the colonies. He kissed his wife on the cheek and departed for war.

When he returned four years later, Ennis was a changed man. The things he had seen and done in that Forsaken Country had scarred his faith in a just world. Edith too was altered by years of raising a child on her lonesome. What was once languid and fascinating conversation turned tense. What was once tender turned sour. Ennis took refuge in his prayers while Edith found comfort in the bottle. The final tragedy broke them apart forever was the death of their newborn daughter, after a gruelling battle with disease. Home no longer felt like home to the Colonel, and he began seeking more work abroad.

Luck would have it that the War Office was searching for military advisors that might travel to distant Nihanai. The thought of bringing the will of the Lord to a foreign land appealed to Ennis, but in truth, it was escape that he craved. His wife shed no tears at his departure this time. Ennis spent the next year in transit to Nihanai, studying what he could of the language and the culture from gathered research. Upon landfall, he made his way to the city of Sakaia and presented his staff to the Taisho.

Miscellaneous: Ennis is untrained in the arts of Nihanese warriors, but is a competent marksman and cavalier. His fluency with the local tongue is passable but his accent is still considered atrocious, as is his attempts at writing Nihanese-style poetry. He is an obsessive keeper of notes and has a stack of unsent letters to Edith kept tucked away in his breast pocket at all times.​

 

[RayPurchase]

Name:
Tojiko Nobutada

Age:
28

Clan:
Tojiko


Title:
Lord Tojiko Nobutada of Furano, Eldest Son of Great Lord Tajiko
Commander of the Furano Fleet


Fief:
Town of Edomi

Birthdate:
13th Day of the Month of Work

Birthplace:
Tojiko Castle

Height:
5"11

Family:
Great Lord Tojiko Hisahide [Father]
Great Lady Tojiko Sakura [Mother — Originally Maeda]
Lord Tojiko Hideaki Younger Half-Brother]
Lady Tojiko Jurina [Younger Sister]

History:
Nobunaga, first born son of Great Lord Hishade, on the night of his birth the wind howled ferociously, rocking the boats moored in the bay by Tojiko castle, and cranes were seen flying in unnatural formations. The soothsayers agreed that this was a sign of great change coming to these lands, the rise and fall of the status quo and fortunes of once great clans. What they could not agree on however, was whose misfortune Nobunaga would bring. What was certain was that he would not be ordinary.

Being the sole male heir until the arrival of his half brother some 5 years later, he was kept almost constantly within Tojiko castle for his own safety with little besides his tutors, father and sister, with his mother passing in childbirth a year after his own birth. With the coming of his half brother however, he was granted new freedom and a rival for his father's attention. Excelling in the art of warfare and with an aptitude (but little enjoyment) for the scholarly arts, he was often to be found in and about the castle and the capital in the company of the fellow sons of his father's retainers, more often than not a law unto themselves in their pursuits of entertainment and activities to fill the time between studies.

It was in his teens that he and his companions began to question the power and legitimacy of the distant Taishonate, for many years nothing but a distant seemingly foreign entity, nothing more than a banner that flew on crafts bearing messengers for his father. Given their separated nature, and the prowess of the Tojiko Navy, they defended themselves from Pirates and Bandits, and seemingly got little in return. And yet fealty was sworn. Obviously there was little chance for him to act upon these thoughts, such things were quickly shut down by his father and his tutors, for a peasant to say such a thing would have warranted death, but from a Daiymo's heir? Such a thing was unheard of. It was often a flaring point between him and his father as he reached adulthood, and one that he often tried to have with Hideaki though he often found less pushback and conflict from him.

By the time he came of age Nobutada had built up a reputation as a skilled, albeit bloody warrior, with a cocksure and confident attitude, marked with a petty streak, especially when it came to his younger brother. Always happy to get one up on his erstwhile half brother and his father's current wife.
​

Miscellaneous:

• Nobutada has spent the last 8 years commanding a flotilla out of his fief of Edomi. Though not grand in scale, he is experienced in naval combat, conducting patrols against Pirates and Nabam smugglers who often make forays into Tajiko waters.​
• Nobutada has a propensity for hunting, in particular falconry. He has in possession a wide variety of birds, his prized one being an adolescent Golden Eagle, a gift from his father on his most recent birthday.​
• Whilst his relationship with his father's older vassals remains somewhat cold (given their view of him as a brash youth), he does still enjoy a close relationship with many of their heirs, from their more youthful years spent together.​

 

[Necromemecer]

Spoiler: Armor

Name: Kaneshiro Ayako

Age:
26
Clan: Suda Clan

Title:
Hikiri Sedo (Shiido) [Sō-jitō] of the Musashi Magiri, Musashi Uēkata [Yukatchu; Shō-nipon]

Fief:
Musashi Castle as the Garrison Commander, otherwise known as an Hikiri.

Birthdate:
7th Day of the Month of Leaves

Birthplace:
Musashi, Mayeda

Height:
5'8"

Family:
Father; Higaonna Miyagi, Ueekata Musashi [Yukatchu; Shō-ippon]
Mother; Higaonna Yukie, Lady, and wife to Higaonna Miyagi Yuta, and Priestess of the Kiritsu in Musashi
Husband; Kaneshiro Daigo [Perished in an Offshore shipping Incident]
Son; Kaneshiro Tatsuo

History:

The Higaonna family have been loyal members of the small and unaffiliated Suda clan of warriors within the Mayeda island, though their rank was that of lower nobility and low ranking Samurai. During the Mizu rebellion, the low ranking family who had only been known for their study and practitioners of Suidii found their current high ranking through the spilling of enemy blood. The mighty samurai of other clans and families practiced years with the blade, their ashigaru raised quickly and trained to use Yari. These mighty samurai and their loyal men would fall in embarrassing manners to the family and their trainee's farming implements turned to deadly weapons. Upon the closing of the Mizu rebellion, the Higaonna family was swiftly promoted for their due diligence on the battlefield, entering a higher class of nobility and standing. In a rather unprecedented move, the Musashi castle and township were given as fief rulings to the family name. In the current day, that said charge of leadership goes to the father, as civil governance and acting advisor to the military aspect of Musashi; his daughter.

Ayako was born on an inauspicious day that no man could tell from another in the month of Leaves. Delivered on the outskirts of town she came out crying, fists clenched, and held to the sky. That day, the world gained an unexpected gift of martial prowess and intrigue. In her young age, Ayako was taught of the Kiritsu religion, expecting to be the heir to her mother and become the next Priestess and shaman for the town of Musashi. unfortunately for her kind-hearted mother, the lessons of religion fell upon deaf ears as the young girl gazed out at her father practicing his martial arts. Eventually, her mother gave up the lessons and exchanged the books for weapons and the desk for a Gi. Most of her life from there on in was in concerns of martial prowess and study of the sky with her father.

On top of her study of sailing and related astronomy with her father came the study of Gaijin who had accessed her island. Although they are not in mass quantity, nor did they stay as long as they would upon the mainland, she did pick up fragments of their language and even the ability to string together broken sentences in their language. She doesn't care for Gaijin, finding them unhygienic and savage in nature, especially their prolific use of the foul smell producing firearms. She herself has forsaken any use of firearms in her Magiri and is pressuring those in higher positions to forbid their use on the island entirely.

During her childhood, one of her best friends would-be lover and husband introduced her to horsemanship. Unfortunately for the young Ayako, she never picked up on the grace of horsemanship or the finesse required to control such strong beasts of burden. This would ultimately end up in her refusal to use horses outside of farming or riding them faster than a trot. Her distrust of the beasts means she will also never use them in battle, even if it is requested or required of her.

While the sailors of Mayeda are not acclaimed as those that are under the Tojiko, they are still proficient fishermen and traders and are some of the most well versed on astronomy especially when you consider a fisherman's class to that of a scholar's. This is a major part of Ayako's upbringing, as to temper her idealism in warfare, she is an astute farmer and fisherman. She finds it therapeutic and her hobby also happens to be a profession outside of war, and as unladylike as it is, she produces some of the best fish in her fiefdom.


Miscellaneous:
Black Belt in Suidii Karate and Kobudo, most proficient areas within Suidii are unarmed combat, Kama Hand sickles, the Boh staves, and the Tonfla. As stated above, she is also a proficient fisher, farmer, and purveyor of the stars.​

​

​

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Name:
Yoshida Haru

Age:
29

Clan:
Yoshida

Title:
Lord Yoshida Haru, Eldest Son of Great Lord Yoshida Sakuma

Fief:
Haru has slowly begun to take over his father's holdings, currently holding Yonaguni.

Birthdate:
20th Day of the Month of Warmth, on the Day of Joy

Birthplace:
Yoshida Castle

Height:
5'11

Family:
Great Lord Yoshida Sakuma (Father)
Great Lady Yoshida Misaki (Mother)
Lord Yoshida Jun (Brother)
Lady Yoshida Kana (Sister)
Lady Yoshida Ai (Wife, formerly Otakori)
Unborn Child of Unknown Sex


History:
Haru was born the eldest of the Yoshida clan. He was the perfect son, the golden son. He was given the best training, the best education. He was a model child. But over time, this took it's toll. Haru began doubting himself, doubting if he could possibly lead the Yoshida once his father passed. As such, he became more and more withdrawn and sullen, focusing all of his energy into his family, and the upkeep of their lands. To him, his people were everything, and there wasn't a thing he wouldn't do to protect them. He began realizing how...cold he could be. The shortcuts he'd take to protect his lands. It...scared him. He was raised to be good, to be pious, to love his fellow man. But Nihanai was a broken, scarred land. It's people constantly warring for power and territory. The strong destroyed the weak. So what good was being good? One had to make sacrifices to survive. But what good was winning if you lost everything you are to achieve it? Haru is at war for his own soul, something he hides from everyone, even his wife, Ai, his childhood friend, and member of his family's most trusted retainer clan, the Otakori's.

Miscellaneous:
As expected, Haru is quite the archer, having been trained in Kyūdō since he was a boy. He has his very own yumi, an absolutely gorgeous bow perfectly made for him, a gift given to him when he became a man. He hopes to one day have the honor of using the family yumi, passed down for generations from father to son. He's also a lover of literature, and can often be found reading in his spare time.​