Otomo Kohaku

Concept:

The youngest of the family and followed by suspicions of her parentage, Otomo Kohaku has much to prove in the eyes of family, sensei, and all those who watch the predators of the courts with sharpened knives and poisoned words. With so much riding on her and so many that cannot truly be trusted, Kohaku has become somewhat paranoid and easily pushed towards either offensive or defense based upon the demeanor of those she deals with. A trait that will no doubt prove invaluable in the darker aspects of the Otomo family's duties to the jade throne.

Those nerves and anxieties have only become more pronounced with her inclusion in the Topaz championship as the representative of her family. While there is little doubt to her talent one must wonder if somewhere in her is the will to truly drive her words and deeds home and bring glory to the rich legacy inherent in her blood.


Writing Sample:

"What!?" the small girl shouted in surprise as she felt the news of her selection slam into her chest. It set her notoriously high tension nerves jangling as she wondered which one of her siblings, or maybe her uncles, or that one aunt, had set this all up to see her fall even further from the graces of her parents and colleagues. "M-my apologies, sensei-sama, but I'm not sure why I was chosen over Daichi-san or maybe Aini-san...?" she said with a small note of uncertainty in her voice as she bowed her head to accentuate the apologies and her own humble opinions of herself. She wasn't ready, she knew that and the tournament was always dominated by the bushi. It was a historical precedent only broken on rare occasions by some exceptional shugenja. As far as she knew no courtier had ever won the championship and that only made her fear the consequences all the more.

Such internal recollections and deliberations only made it all the more embarrassing when she felt the light prod of a sheathed weapon against her shoulder.

"Despite your inadequacies, Otomo-san, you are one of the most talented students to walk into this dojo in a very long time. You should remember, however, that by envisioning defeat before you have even begun you only sabotage your future efforts. Fortunately, such decisions have been taken from your hands and you are to attend the championship as an active participant to represent this dojo and your family." Her sensei said with a finality in his tone that only had her heart and paranoid fancies moving faster and faster within her.

"Yes, Sensei-sama... how much time is there?" she asked tentatively and felt the stone in her stomach gain weight as he answered.

"Four weeks, I suggest you pay more attention next time we meet with Seppun-san about your education in personal defense... You may go now." He said with a shallow bow to his charge. One which was returned far more deeply by Kohaku as she scrambled out to get her rest. Her mind still spinning out elaborate thoughts on who might be trying to so publicly ruin her before her career could have even begun.

Flexibility:

In general, I'm happy to change details, twist around mechanics, and even provide whole new characters to better facilitate flow of play and a reasonably harmonious player group. The latter, though, is a bit of an extreme case.

Description:
Dark haired and soft of feature and figure, Otomo Kohaku manages to stay comfortably within the confines of the feminine ideal while still managing to seem strange and unsettling to those around her. Her dark brown eyes, almost black, seem to constantly dart and evaluate those around her with a strange mix of clinical calm and evident anxiety. In counter point, her expression always seems carefully blank and composed to give an air of almost serene calm even as one paranoid thought after another spin into ever more elaborate conspiracies against her and those she might allow herself to trust. All of this seems to conjure an image of danger and stress around her even when she is at ease, as if there is no rest from her duties and responsibilities to the Imperial throne and her own family's mission.

In garb and dress, she favors the traditional trappings of the Imperial families in the dark and vibrant greens of the Otomo family with the mon of her school and family prominent upon her kimono on either side of her chest. Those same mons spinning outward to form the basic serpentine pattern of the rest of her kimono. The exquisite nature of her kimono is her only boastful showing of wealth with the rest of her form surprisingly devoid of jewelry and ornamentation.

Background:
Officially the youngest daughter of Otomo Ayumu and his wife, Otomo Rio, Kohaku was born in the later days of winter in the imperial capital. The truth of the matter, however, is an entirely different story with knowledge of her mother's infidelity a widely known truth within the immediate range of her blood relatives. As such it is widely believed that Ayumu is not her true father and such has coloured her relationships for the worst with all of her family except her mother. It is this stigma that perhaps weighs the heaviest on her shoulders and has made her eager to prove herself indispensable to her family. Sadly, her brothers and sisters without stain upon their pedigree have made such a difficult task and thus Kohaku has had to fight tooth and nail for every boon and opportunity in her life.

Such a life among nothing but courtiers and the many influential figures of the imperial courts has lent her well to the natural inclinations of the Otomo family and their courtiers. It was these demonstrated talents and her own insistence and use of what small favors she had with her family that allowed her to secure her place in the Otomo Dojo in Kyuden Otomo. There she was free of the rumors of her dishonorable birth and allowed to pursue her studies in a relative peace. Of course, years of such poisoned environs and whispers in her wake had left their mark upon her mind as she was never quite able to trust any ever again without a deliberate effort of will. Such was a trait her sensei saw as invaluable and tried to mold into something positive but to his consternation he found that it was so ingrained in her to not trust any that this skepticism, this paranoia, could not be controlled or simply shut off. Still, the young Kohaku excelled and surpassed many of her fellow students in the teachings of the school.

It was this that earned her the recognition and opportunity to participate in the Topaz championship as a representative of her esteemed family. It was a shock that she did not take well as she wondered if some individual had sought to unmake her by sending her away before she was read and ruin what little chance at a future she might have. It was determination then that set upon her as she was lectured by her sensei in preparation and trained in several extracurricular topics that were key to success in the less martial aspects of the tournament.

Soon enough the time to depart for the championship came. It would be an understatement to say that the young Otomo samurai-ko was nearly mad with nerves.


Name: Otomo Kohaku
Age: 22.7
Height: 5'2"
Weight: 110lbs
Eye: Dark brown
Hair: Black

School: Otomo courtier
Family: Otomo
Rank: 2

Honor: 5.8
Glory: 3.1
Status: 3.1
Insight rating: 151

Init: 3k2
ATN: 15

Fire: 2
Agility: 2
Intelligence: 3

Air: 2
Awareness: 3
Reflexes: 2

Water: 2
Strength: 2
Perception: 2

Earth: 2
Stamina: 2
Willpower: 2

Void: 3

Techniques, spells, kiho/kata:

Rank one: The Voice of Heaven

No honor loss for using the Intimidation (control) skill. Any time you are in a conversation with members of the great or minor clans, you may make a contested courtier (manipulation)/awareness against their etiquette/awareness to provoke a disagreement or argument between them and someone from another clan or faction of your choice.

Rank two: Destiny has no secrets

Spend a void point and roll Courtier/Awareness against TN 25 to learn one piece of critically useful information chosen by the GM.


Skills:
*Courtier (Manipulation) 4
*Defense 1
*Etiquette 3
*Intimidation (Control) 3
*Investigation (Notice) 3
*Sincerity (Deceit) 3
*Tea Ceremony 2
Lore: History 2
Lore: Law 2
Lore: Heraldry 2
Lore: Theater 1
Lore: Underworld 2
Calligraphy (Ciphers) 3
Horsemanship 2
Games: Go 1
Games: Game of Letters 2



Advantages:
Social position (6)
Wary (3)
Language (High Rokugani) (1)
World of the Daimyo(5)
World of the Daimyo 2(8)

Disadvantages:
Bad fortune - Unknown Enemy (3)
Compulsion - Distrust(Paranoia) (2)

0/35 CP
Social position - 1 + 5 free points of advantages.
Courtier 2 - 2 xp
Etiquette 2 - 2 xp
Intimidation 2 - 2 xp
Investigation 2 - 2 xp
Sincerity 2 - 2 xp
Tea ceremony 2 - 2 xp
Lore: Law 2 - 2 xp
Lore: Heraldry 2 - 2 xp
Wary - 3 xp
Calligraphy 1 - 1 xp
Language - High Rokugani - 1 xp
Horsemanship 1 - 1 xp
Courtier 3 - 3 xp
Intimidation 3 - 3 xp
Etiquette 3 - 3 xp
Games: Go 1 - 1 xp
Horsemanship 2 - 2 xp



0/61 XP
Void 3 - 18 xp
Compulsion buy off - 2 xp (Approved)
Games: Game of letters 2 - 3 xp
World of the Daimyo (5) - 5 xp
Lore: Theater 1 - 1 xp
Courtier 4 - 4 xp
World of the Daimyo 2 (8) - 8 xp
Sincerity 3 - 3 xp
Deceit Emphasis - 3 xp
Lore: Underworld 2 - 3 xp
Calligraphy 3 - 5 xp
Ciphers Emphasis - 3 xp
Investigation 3 - 3 xp
Notice Emphasis - 2 xp

Equipment:
Traditional clothing
Wakizashi
Knife
Calligraphy set
10 koku

World of the Daimyo:

Ambassador Features:
Ally: Informant (2) (+1k0 to Stage three of Court battle if present, 2 koku a year to keep happy)
Service: Writs of Passage (1) (+1 point of status, ability to issue writs of passage)
Service: Couriers (2) (+3 bonus to resolution roll of a topic of choice)
Ability: Matchmaking (2) (+2 Glory and +2 to resolution roll if topic of court battle is marriage)
Service: Theatrical Connections (3) (+3 Glory as Patron of the arts, may additionally trade such tickets for favors, money, or other bonuses with other courtiers.)

Done other than purchases with Koku which are irrelevant.

Child name: Kimiko

+41 xp from down time

Void 3 - 18 xp
Compulsion buy off - 2 xp (Subject to GM Approval)
Games: Game of letters 2 - 3 xp
World of the Daimyo (5) - 5 xp
Lore: Theater 1 - 1 xp
Courtier 4 - 4 xp
World of the Daimyo 2 (8) - 8 xp


0 banked.

Championship honor/glory gains added in addition to World of the Daimyo bonuses.

+20 xp.

Burned ALL the bridges!

Purchases:
Sincerity 3 - 3 xp
Deceit Emphasis - 2 xp
Lore: Underworld 2 - 3 xp
Calligraphy 3 - 5 xp
Ciphers Emphasis - 2 xp
Investigation 3 - 3 xp
Notice Emphasis - 2 xp

0 xp banked