About Shinjo NagasawaNAME: Shinjo Nagasawa
Description: Corded build overshadowed by a lanky, lithe frame. When not covered by an ostentatious steel and crimson gaijin helm, his shoulder-length hair is worn loose and free. His fashions usually skew towards disgusting for non-Unicorns; heavy leather riding boots and a mantle of decorative animal pelts over utilitarian and rugged clothing is his norm. On formal occasions, he believes that liberal applications of perfume is sufficient to mask the inevitable, permeating smell of leather and horse in his courtly attire. Rings:
FIRE 2 (Agility 4) AIR 3 (Reflexes 4) EARTH 3 WATER 3 VOID 4 Combat stats:
INITIATIVE 7k4 TN TO BE HIT: 25 (29 in armor) Armor Reduction: 2 Katana, to hit: 7k4 (8k4 mounted, 9k4 mounted vs infantry) Damage: 7k2
Health/Wounds x2
School Techniques:
Way of the Ki-Rin: When spending a Void Point for 1k1 on a School Skill, you may add your rank in Horsemanship to the total. This cannot be used in the Center stance. The Swift Soul: You may use your Stealth skill while on horseback. You are considered to have the Way of the Land advantage no matter where you are. Finally, you gain +1k0 to all attack rolls while mounted. The Four Winds Strike: You make attacks as a Simple Action when wielding weapons that possess the Samurai keyword. If you are fighting while mounted, you may also attack as a Simple Action when wielding a bow. Advantages & Disadvantages:
ADVANTAGES Ally (Hiruma Ryoichi), Gaijin Gear (Yodotai Centurion’s Helmet), Quick, Wealth 2 DISADVANTAGES
Skills:
*Athletics 2 Animal Handling 2 Battle 2 *Defense 3 Mastery: May keep Reflexes/Defense roll for subsequent rounds while staying in Full Defense Etiquette 1 *Horsemanship 5 Mastery: May utilize Full Attack Stance while mounted; Mounting is a Simple Action and Dismounting is a Free Action Hunting 3 Investigation 2 *Kenjutsu 3 Mastery: +1k0 to damage rolls made with a sword *Kyujutsu (Dai-Kyu) 5 Mastery: Stringing a bow is a Simple Action; Increase the Range of Bows by 50% Lore: Crab Clan 2 Lore: Gaijin Cultures 1 Perform: Dance 1 *Stealth 3 Mastery: Move Simple Actions while in Stealth allow for Water x5 speed *=School Skills Equipment:
Ashigaru Armor, Daisho, Sturdy Clothing, Dai-Kyu (Quiver with 10 armor piercers, 10 willow leafs), survival knife, Unicorn Riding Horse, Travelling Pack: (Daisho Stand, Flint and Tinder, Perfume, Small Hand Mirror, Spare Kimono and Sandals, Makeup Kit, Exotic Spices, Pillow Book (Memoirs of an Opium Eater), Small Tent, Coin Purse). Fine Kimono of last Winter Court’s Fashion (complete with Peaked Cap, Hakama, and Haori) 14 koku (less the cost of the fancy digs) History:
Air We are the people of the wind!
Nagasawa is the third son in a cadet branch of the House of Shinjo that has not produced a notable hero since the end of the exodus and the epic Battle of White Shore Plain. Being a minor scion of a minor bloodline had no effect on the grandeur of his childhood aspirations. He devoured the tales of the accomplishments of his ancestors, always imagining himself as being the hero who will restore such glories to his line.
Water That General is skillful in attack whos opponent does not know where to defend.
As it happened, the Clan enjoyed peace and he would not be elevated by default to heir to the bloodline, such as it was. Childishly selfish notions of glory were banished by the senseis of the Shinjo Dojo. His early mastery of horse and bow steered him away from the chargers and heavy cavalry he idolized since childhood. Instead the Shinjo senseis would train him for a very different, and far less glorious form of combat. He was trained to become a practitioner of a uniquely Unicorn hit-and-run style of combat born from experiences fighting gaijin “guerrillas” and “kommandos” that was blended with more recently observed tactics from the Daidoji and Hiruma, as well as harder lessons learned from Scorpion Saboteurs. He took well to the training, particularly since he would be more likely to see combat than those bushi staffing the prestigious heavy cavalry legions with little opportunities for glory outside of open war. The only aspect of his training in which he did not excel was skulking and ambushing. It required a certain mindset to reconcile the demands of duty that compromise honor, and he felt that attacking enemies before either side had a chance to brag about lineages and accomplishments would not give him honorable victories from which he could gain glory. Still, he managed to complete his Gempukku satisfactorily but without distinction. That did not keep him from choosing, as the first bushi in many generations, to borrow his bloodline’s most celebrated name, Nagasawa. His eldest brother elected not to pass down their grandfather’s katana in light of this, and instead allowed the Clan to provide him a new blade. “It is fitting, younger brother” he said, “that since you wish so badly to rewrite our family tale of decline that you have a fresh blade untarnished by our failure to do so.” Earth After climbing a great hill, one finds there are many more hills to climb.
Shinjo Nagasawa’s initial duties were to patrol outside the Unicorn frontier, and cut his teeth on gaijin troublemakers roaming too close to the Empire. There he met with success against scattered bandits and raiders, and these few victories led to his promotion to lead a squadron of light cavalry. This recognition reignited delusions of grandeur and he began to chafe for reassignment back inside the Empire for action against more worthy foes. After having once again become cocky and overconfident, his squadron identified a long-range reconnaissance patrol of Yodotai soldiery deep in the Burning Sands. Rather than falling back to report such an ominous portent, he led an immediate attack in hopes of claiming a coup for his career. Although he survived the encounter, and even slew the commanding Centurion and claimed his helmet as a trophy, his outnumbered and lighter force was repulsed with heavy casualties. After this “glorious defeat” he was reassigned under Shinjo O-Shimo’s command to crosstrain with the Hiruma corps of Scouts. There, it was hoped, the Crab would find a way where the Shinjo Senseis had failed to get through to Nagasawa that fulfilling one’s Duty is at least as important as preserving one’s Honor. Shinjo O-Shimo’s first assessment of the hotspur was that if he could not be properly re-educated (and she had her doubts he could), perhaps the best way he could serve the Clan would be in a retired role. Early on she asked Bayushi Masayari, the nakodo to which she had immediate access, to find an eligible Shiotome lacking in confidence that would be well paired with a career-climber of an ambitious husband to impel her to fulfil her potential. Contrary to her expectations however, Shinjo Nagasawa’s eyes were opened through his friendship with Hiruma Ryoichi as fellow trainees under harsh Crab sensei. In that uncomplaining bushi, Nagasawa saw what he came to view as a paragon of humility. Nagasawa was finally ready to learn to be a servant of his Clan rather than a proponent of his own glory, even if he couldn’t completely surrender to duty as did the example of his Crab brethren. Fire Doubt thou the stars are fire,
Nagasawa had finally had the epiphany of accepting that that he will never be a glorious tai-sa of the famed Shinjo Chargers, yet through his abilities and training he may instead serve his family and Clan in other ways. However, Bayushi Masayari finally came through on Shinjo O-Shimo’s request: he had found a suitable Battle Maiden to match with Nagasawa. The families had already agreed, and there was nothing for Nagasawa to do in the matter but take leave to attend his miai in the Utaku Provinces to formally meet his intended: Utaku Nari. There, capricious fate intervened to complicate Nagasawa’s finally straight and true path. For outside the castle, he was accosted by a Battle Maiden who inspected his travelling papers. Utaku Saki was not only Nari’s twin sister, but contained all the mischief of the pair combined. She impersonated her sister and seduced Nagasawa, telling him that the Shiotome are “expected to retire, marry, and have children… but not necessarily in that order.” Completely smitten and believing Saki to be Nari, Nagasawa willingly went along with her secret plan “spend the night” in a nearby ryokan together and to not tell anyone they had already met before their miai. Of course, Saki remained out of sight at the solemn ceremony while Nagasawa smiled intimately at an utterly confused Nari. His betrothed became equal parts horrified and outraged when Saki finally made her appearance, having realized what her sister and Nagasawa had done. Barely able to keep her composure, she endured the betrothal ceremony without shaming Nagasawa for his indiscretion. Not for his sake, but for her unwed and (allegedly) chaste sister’s. Despite keeping his secret and agreeing to the match, Nagasawa’s fiancée has an unadulterated loathing for his stupidity, indiscretion, and/or both. After his return to the Hiruma Dojo as an ineligible bachelor to resume training, he was astonished to begin to receive correspondence from Utaku Saki. She professes that she loves him, and while he’s not sure if she continues to play with him, he’s come to realize he does indeed love her. Void Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.
Not long after beginning to progress to the point that he could instruct Hiruma in tactics as well as be instructed, it was announced that Shinjo O-Shimo would be travelling to Kyuden Hida for Winter Court. Nagasawa, buoyed by his recent successes, was ready to accept the news as an opportunity rather than the ominous portent perceived by so many other bushi at the Dojo. He made a point to introduce himself to Ide Toshimitsu via correspondence to cultivate a mentor for courtly activities. Having heard of Nagasawa’s recent impoved reputation from Shinjo O-Shimo, Toshimitsu was willing to provide tips and advice to the inquisitive and enthusiastic young bushi. Despite Ide Toshimitsu’s advice, Nagasawa is not really sure what to expect from Winter Court. He optimistically looks forward to bringing credit upon Shinjo O-Shimo, the Shinjo Family, and the Unicorn Clan at the impending Winter Court. Weapons:
Anbishon (“Ambition”) is his Katana. At least, informally, to his brothers and cousins who remember Nagasawa’s arrogant desire to single-handedly “correct” his bloodline’s place in House Shinjo. Nagasawa has not yet come to feel that he’s deserved to provide a permanent name for the blade. Although the blade recently forged and does not yet have a notable history, the master swordsmiths at Kyuden Shinjo created a sword worthy of a legacy. The seven-layered blade’s hamon is artfully formed into the waves of the Water Dragon, to honor Nagasawa’s cadet branch of the family’s lands being on the shores of Mizu-umi Ryo. The tsuba, a gift from Hiruma Ryoichi, is a Crab and Ki Rin depicted back to back to face their foes together, and is constructed of solid Kaiu Steel and is said to be unbreakable. Kenkyo (“Humility”) is the matched wakizashi. Constructed at the same time by the same Shinjo swordsmiths. Nagasawa has decided that unlike his katana, his wakizashi could not go without a name. Although he initially named this sword Unmei (“Destiny”) he decided that name was no longer appropriate. Both swords have matching tortoiseshell veneer saya, lacquered to enhance the natural beauty of the material and otherwise unadorned. Tsubasa no Shi (“Winged Death”) is Nagasawa’s Dai-Kyu. Also ostentatiously named in the early days of his career, this great bow has a core of wood from secret Unicorn groves of the gaijin “Yu” trees. This material is unknown in the rest of Rokugan, but serves gaijin and Unicorn archers exceptionally well regardless. The bow is lacquered black but elaborately corded with bright red and orange dyed horsehair. Baraq: Not a weapon, but no description of a Unicorn is complete without mention of his steed. Baraq is a palomino colt, fast but smallish by Unicorn standards. Yet "small" still masses almost a third more than typical Rokugani ponies. Baraq is well suited to delicate footwork necessary for stealth. He named in honor of a legendary flying steed from gaijin myth. The saddle is noteworthy for having its clasps and buckles wrapped in oiled cloth, and the tack lacks ornamentation customary to Unicorn bushi. Nagasawa has found that silenced and subdued riding gear suits his training and duties as a scout, and from the Hiruma he has learned to apply warpaint for camouflage (to himself and Baraq) rather than to inspire fear in the enemy. |
