Name: Sutomu Yagiri
Faction: Sutomu Family
Position/Profession: Lord Sutomu's Brother
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Items:
Sutomu Katana: One of a set of matching blades forged by master bladesmiths, Yagiri inherited this blade rather than the whole set, as his elder brother, and now Lord of the family, warranted the entire set, but being a direct blood relation warranted something. The blade itself is designed clearly for Iajitsu in mind, with subtle angles forged into the blade's normal design to promote blindingly fast drawing and sheathing of the blade. This blade he carries on his person at all times.
Hotoke dou: Not shown, nor worn normally, Yagiri maintains a full set of Hotoke dou armor for if the drums of war are sounded and a full battle is met, and more protection than his usual attire is required. Lacking decorative work and being solely a work of war, the armor might not look befitting of the brother of a Lord, but it can more than hold up to the abuse of war, should the call be made of it.
Abilities:
-Iaijutsu: By far his most notable ability, Yagiri has dedicated his training and practice with his katana to the art of striking his foes down in one drawing motion, often as a counterstroke to their failed attack, striking a glaringly open weakness. He emphasizes patience and calm, often times not drawing his blade in the face of clear hostility, maintaining the illusion of one who perhaps only carried a blade for show, right up until a blow lashed out at a critical moment, dropping his assailant and calmly returning the blade to its sheath afterwords.
-Tactics: Fitting to his personality, Yagiri has studied the tactics and methods of warfare, publicly those that were accepted and respected, and in private, tactics that would be deemed dishonorable and shameful, but in a dire situation, would prove more than viable and skilled to claim victory from the gaping maw of defeat.
Yagiri has conditioned himself, physically, to very precise, controlled motions rather than the flowing, and sometimes wild and raw, power of other warriors. He values calculated power behind a stroke, training himself for very high burst movements and actions, with pauses between rather than constant, and often times lesser, amounts of strength and speed. While he isn't necessarily as fast as someone who dedicates themselves to that aspect, nor is he as strong as one who also dedicates themselves as such, he has the speed and strength to stand off against them and succeed. Beyond that, little would indicate he is of a known family, his other talents and skills being average, for his upbringing.
Personality: Yagiri values thought and deliberation over rash actions and storming about like a wild beast, obvious to the world and easily corralled into an enclosure for the slaughter. So, while others in, and out, of the family run about, sometimes in a panic, Yagiri is a calm point in the storm, taking in his surroundings and information before acting with one, precise, and specifically tailored action for the situation at hand, and return to his quiet thinking and meditation. He does believe that every man and woman will have some Code they live by, even if it is not the way of the Samurai, and so long as they remain true to themselves and their code, nothing more can be expected. But he does not tolerate traitors, those who break their oaths and own personal codes for the sake of petty gains and advantages, such men and women being the few things that can anger him quickly.
Biography: Born barely a year after his older brother, the now Lord of the Sutomu family, Yagiri Sutomu was raised far differently, his mother having much more influence while his father focused more on raising his first born, and immediate heir, to the family holdings. Learning of the power of knowledge and books from his mother, and family retainers teaching him the art of the blade, Yagiri learned to view things far differently and, in many ways, more tactfully and diplomatically than his colder, harsher brother would in many circumstances. Indeed, even as he acted as the voice of reason that got ignored, he continued to do so, acting from the background even before his brother took over as Lord of the Sutomu family, making sure things worked in his brother's favor.
After their father died and his brother took over as the Lord Sutomu. Yagiri would find himself being the diplomatic option, when his brother begrudgingly agreed to at least humor his brother's wishes and plans. And more often than not they worked, and it became common knowledge that, whenever Yagiri Sutomu arrived anywhere to talk, he was trying to save all parties involved grief and suffering from his brothers much harsher, crueler methods of resolving problems and disagreements. Ironically, such things made him an often welcome sight, since that meant there was time to peacefully and, at least somewhat, painlessly resolve a situation, and could find himself welcome in many places others of his family wouldn't dare tread, or even be welcome in anyhow. So he would spend many days wandering the province on business and quiet soul seeking, easing his mind in regards to his brothers life choices, and what they could mean if things got out of hand, and most importantly, where he would end up standing when those dark days came.
Relationship:
-Lord Sutomu: Yagiri's own flesh and blood brother, the two do not often see eye to eye anymore, even if Yagiri has remained loyal to his family and brother. Often times, the extremes that his brother wishes to go to are far beyond what are necessary to accomplish the task at hand, and he often advises moderation and caution, even as his brother overruled the, by all technicalities, younger brother's warnings and advice, sending him to accomplish tasks and goals in his own manner. But, despite the tense and often curt interactions between the two, Yagiri still cares for and is concerned for his brother and his choices, sometimes keeping Lord Sutomu on his own personal code from the background, trying to ensure his brother succeeds in his life goals, despite their disagreement on such things and differing paths in life.
Name: Hideaki Shouta
Faction: Kabuki-Mono
Position/Profession: Ronin
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Appearance:
Items:
-Yumi: Hideaki's weapon of choice is his Yumi, patterned after the well known Hama Yumi, the Evil Destroying Bow, of legend. Whether the weapon could actually accomplish the same as the real thing or not, is unknown, but the ronin's talent with the bow is nothing to be disputed. Accurate, well made, and well kept, the Yumi has served Hideaki well throughout the years, regardless of appearances and rumors of the weapon that the bow mimics.
-Katana: Nothing fancy or unique about this blade, it is a weapon of good quality, nothing exceptionally good or bad about its design, it is a reliable fallback weapon for Hideaki should a foe get too close for him to utilize his Yumi effectively.
Abilities:
-Kyujutsu: The Art of Archery, Hideaki is a dedicated archer, capable of utilizing his Yumi from both horseback and on foot, having spent quite a few years picking off foes within the heat of battle, from crowded city sieges to open fields of war, a well placed arrow from a talented archer can make all the difference in the outcome of a battle.
Hideaki has trained himself for endurance, for both the ability to march and walk long distances without pause or rest, fire many arrows during a single battle without rest, or engage in battle with a closing foe when his Yumi is no longer a safe or viable option in the field of battle. While he is not as strong, fast, or durable as others, he can often outlast them in many physical engagements of training and true military situations. Beyond his skill with a Yumi, though, nothing really stands out for this warrior to be really noted for.
Personality: Hideaki is proud of his skill with a bow, often times taking up bets and wagers on what he can and cannot hit, proving himself where others would fail. He is not a fool, however, and knows when to not take a wager, especially ones that seem dishonest. Indeed, while he is not necessarily the smartest man in the province, he has a intuition that has gotten him through tight battles and narrowly avoiding sometimes lethal engagements that less fortunate, or intuitive, warriors walked into without thinking about it. It was this that drove him into the occupation he is in now, a wandering ronin that sells his talents to the highest bidder.
Biography: Born without a notable name or family lineage to rely on for status or training, many would assume Hideaki would just be another servant of the higher classes, but it was not to be. He managed to find one who would teach him and provide him a way into the Samurai class, the warriors and those that stood proud in the streets, untouchable by almost all others. Hideaki trained hard and worked harder, showing a natural talent with the Yumi, and focused his early studies on that weapon, though he can use other weapons, he prefers the Yumi over all others, and that was the weapon he used to go forge his name under the servitude of minor lords.
The events that transpired those months led to the fall of the keep, leaving only a handful of survivors. Hideaki was one of them, and refused to simply take his life to restore his honor, choosing the path of a Ronin instead, walking away from the stricter sense of honor and the requirements to maintain such a status within the society of Feudal Japan. Wandering the nation, he did whatever work required an archer for, from defending a position from bandits, to hunting down said bandits and preventing any of them from escaping, he joined up with a band of Ronin after awhile, a group that intended to take a province for themselves, which Hideaki was more than comfortable with the situation, and stood by it as well as any could expect.
Relationship: