Here we go. I also have plans for a third character (more magicy), but at this stage will wait for things to get rolling before I do so. [hider= Kiyowara Toshiie] Appearance: [URL=http://s74.photobucket.com/user/Bloodlut/media/Daimyo.jpg.html][IMG]http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i246/Bloodlut/Daimyo.jpg[/IMG][/URL] Name: Kiyowara Toshiie Age: 24 Gender: Male Position: Daimyo House/Clan: Kiyowara Army/Party Size: Clan Kiyowara is a moderate sized (but wealthy) clan, with a great many retainers under their employ. Their total armies when their entire prefecture is mobilized number around 15,000 men, however this is rarely done and the majority remain in defensive garrisoned positions. The dedicated forces that are always ready to march and fight consist of: 5,000 ashigaru, 1,500 samurai and 1000 mounted samurai. Their forces are primarily melee based, however ranged units are also used (as to neglect them would be tactically insane, something even the honour-bound Kiyowara cannot ignore). They however have absolutely no arquebusiers or other gunpowder based weaponry. Weapons: Toshiie himself carries a single uchigatana (a single long blade), which was forged by the clan’s master smith under the supervision of Toshiie’s father before his death. It carries great sentimental value to the young Daimyo. Personality: Kiyowara Toshiie is an idealist young man, who has found the stresses and burdens of being Daimyo quite daunting and stressful though he is committed to maintaining his family’s name and the wellbeing of his people above all else. He is intelligent and reserved, keeping what he thinks close to his chest he favours a very ‘diplomatic’ approach when dealing with people and issues. That being said he is not afraid to fight or to use the martial might of his clan’s army and retainers when it is called for. Personally he has never been a skilled swordsman or duellist despite much instruction and training from a young age, and aware of his failings he generally avoids such situations lest he be outclassed by a more skilled opponent. What he lacks in natural skill he more than makes up for in determination and focus, though with a great deal of demands as Daimyo he finds it difficult to keep to a strict training regime and as such his hard earned skills are slowly slipping meaning he is far from the deadliest warrior in Japan. Not that Toshiie gets much personal time to spend, he does enjoy literature and music, finding great delight in such things. He is also keenly interested in the ‘scientific’ arts and the mysteries surrounding Majikku (both things that the stoic Yoshikage has urged him to stay away from). He has come to be admired and loved by most within his clan, though of course there are always exceptions. Biography: Born the only son of his family’s Daimyo has meant that Kiyowara Toshiie has lead a somewhat sheltered life filled with much learning and training. He was taught discipline and dedication from a very young age, as well as sharing in the martial upbringing that his father has prioritised despite the young boys dislike of battle. Such an upbringing has lead him to become a very well rounded adult, if not somewhat naive and inexperienced at times to the ‘true way’ of the world. That being said upon his father’s death two years ago he has been thrust into a role which left very little in the way of naivety or forgiveness for such errors and so has grown in this respect enormously. As his experience grows so does his confidence and his desire to improve the conditions of those who fall within his family’s dominion. [/hider] [hider=Asakura Yoshikage] Appearance: [IMG]http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i246/Bloodlut/Samurai.jpg[/IMG] Yoshikage is a man who has lived through the prime of his life and survived, his once jet black hair now grey with numerous white streaks, his skin beginning to wrinkle at the corners of his eyes and mouth. His face is generally covered by a slight scowl, his dark eyes boring into whatever or whoever he looks at. He is a serious man with a serious appearance, easily able to intimidate and strike fear into his enemies with little more than a sinister and unwavering gaze. He wears his lamellar armour at most times, always prepared and ready to protect his lord at short notice. Name: Asakura Yoshikage Age: 48 Gender: Male Position: Retainer/General House/Clan: Kiyowara Army/Party Size: N/A – see Kiyowara Toshiie Weapons: Yoshikcage wears a dark set of lamellar armour, passed to him by his father upon his coming of age. His weapons are daishō, one large tachi, his main blade (again passed to him by his father) and a ko-wakizashi (smaller sword), gifted to him by his lord’s father Kiyowara Ranmaru. upon his promotion to the Daimyo’s honour guard. Personality: Yoshikcage is an extremely skilled swordsman, having trained in their use for the majority of his life. He is an experienced veteran of many battles and has thus far been undefeated in direct honourable combat. He has some skill with a yari or naginata (pole weapons), however he dislikes these weapons and will only use one if facing against an enemy cavalry charge, and even then he will look for the first opportunity to discard such weapons in favour of his blades. He has no skills with the yumi (longbow), feeling that to deal death from a distance is most dishonourable. He spits on those who use Tanegashima (matchlock rifles), feeling that those who do so are even more dishonourable and lack any personal skills, though with recent developments he wouldn’t be opposed to those who use these to fight the evil sweeping the lands. Yoshikcage values his honour more than he values his life, something that is evident in his every decision and action. He serves his master and family to the letter, though seeks to guide Kiyowara Toshiie to make decisions he knows that both himself and his departed father would approve of. Biography: Yoshikcage was born to a samurai retainer of the Kiyowara family, his father a skilled and renowned samurai in his own rights. His youth consisted of constant and harsh training, his father drilling the discipline and honour needed for bushido into him at every opportunity. It was not until Yoshikcage grew to be a young man that he began to appreciate this constant training, somewhat resenting his father before this and wishing he could be left to his own devices more. Upon coming of age Yoshikcage became one of the many samurai that were a part of the young Kiyowara Ranmaru’s forces, quickly distinguishing himself as a loyal and most proficient warrior. As the years passed and he grew closer to Ranmaru, the two formed a strong lord-retainer bond and Yoshikcage eventually became a member of Ranmaru‘s personal guard after saving his life in battle. Yoshikcage quickly grew to despise the enemies of his daimyo, due to the vast rise of what he considered dishonourable behaviour and combat techniques seeing honourable one on one combat as the only way for true samurai to fight on behalf of their lords. This behaviour whilst admirable lead to a few issues where he would object to participate in battles where these were in employ, however he would always do his duty and follow the orders of his lord. Upon the death of Kiyowara Ranmaru he pledged his allegiance to his only son Toshiie, also following the request of Ranmaru that he do everything within his power to ensure the young man would remain honourable and true to the Kiyowara name in the dark times ahead. [/hider]