Name: Nakashima Minoru

Time Period: 1582

Age: 48

Height: 5'6"

Weight: 147lbs

Favourite Weapon: Katana

Bio/Personality:
Born into the Samurai caste late into 1534, Nakashima Minoru was the first and only son of his lineage and, of course, would be raised and trained in the ways of Bushido, the intricacies of which were lost on many Western foreigners. Trained in the art of War as well as learning to read, write, engage in high level mathematics, he would find himself well prepared for whatever the future threw into his path. He showed an unnatural grace with the katana, a weapon that typified the Samurai and often was the first and last thing noticed by the outsider. Barely considered an adult, after spending his entire childhood training, his family was disgraced in scandal by rivals and his father, after his wife and daughter vanished, committed ritual suicide rather than suffer further disgrace and dishonor. This left the task of beheading his father to Nakashima, who carried out the task with grim necessity. Left without family or clan, Nakashima was forced into the role of the Ronin, something that would suit him very well as the years went on.

Nakashima would sell his services to the Takeda Clan as well as the Oda Clan, the former usually during the various battles of Kawanakajima, the fourth of which left him with the battle scars he now bears under his armor and giving him the focus and calm that carried his survival and success through other battles, and to the Oda clan when not in the employ of the Takeda. This free wheeling fortune would often carry him from battle to battle, leaving the employ of Takeda to join the Oda Clan in their battles, only to turn back to Takeda Clan to join in their battle. Nakashima's loyalty seemed to be to whomever between the two could pay him, in the blood of enemies as readily as in coin, throwing himself into the fray of the thickest parts of a battle with the rage and strength of the legendary Oni, something that would earn him a grim reputation amongst allies and enemies alike, and something that would lead to his downfall.

Nakashima was in the employ of Oda Clan in the year 1582, at Honnō-ji temple to aid in the guard of Oda Nobunaga alongside the garrison within Kyoto itself. Of course, history does not allow such idle legends, so the betrayal by Akechi Mitsuhide, Samurai general of Nobunaga, would strike as Nakashima found himself standing alongside the garrison of Kyoto. Seeing an impossible situation, with no escape, Nakashima chose to throw himself into the fray as always, with only his lightweight armor and masterfully forged Katana, bearing Kanji worn beyond the ability to read, slaughtering as many of the traitors as he could reach. The burning temple of Honnō-ji signalled the death of Oda Nobunaga, his employer, but with his back to a literal wall, there was little place to go. As the house he was holding out in was put to the torch, he threw himself out the window of the structure, tumbling from the wall of Kyoto, awaking instead in a strange land with stranger people. But, Nakashima noted, he was indeed alive and armed still, and that meant a chance to continue making his path through the world, his own way.

As a warrior, Nakashima Minoru is a very well spoken, intelligent man who's grasp of higher learning and reading is often a surprising thing to others. His tone, outside of a fight, is often quiet and respectful, but carries its own weight that would, to many a jest, outweigh the man himself. His loyalty to coin, and a good fight, creates a rather free spirited approach to life, living day by day, concerned not with the long term or where he is going in life. He lives for the journey, life on the edge of a blade, dancing its razor edge in contest with other warriors who cross his path. The chance to fight a new foe, to spill new blood, is something he lives for, coming truly alive when blades are drawn and the drums of war are sounded. Needless to say, for those who are not as intently focused on war as Nakashima, it can be a bit off putting. For those who fight as fiercely, for the sake of fighting, well, they'll find a fast friend in the Ronin.