Sobou was born to a vassal family of the Crab in 1172. Being raised away from the traditional home of the Crab in Scorpion lands for the early part of his life, he worked hard to maintain his identity as a Crab. Refusing to give in to the guile and subtlety of the Scorpion has caused him to go in the other direction, becoming an almost stereotypical Crab warrior.
On his gempukku Sobou was sent to help reclaim a lost section of the wall. Working as a team with the other young samurai-to-be he was able to bring down a small ogre. Though some have said the beast was sickly to begin with Sobou considers it a mark of pride that he did not have to settle for a goblin.
Large for a Rokugani but average for a Crab, Sobou takes great delight in wielding his tetsubo in combat, and his sword skills have suffered for it. Many times against smaller foes he has found himself with minor cuts, though he has always been able to shake off the wounds and power his way to victory.
After a few years of undistinguished service to the Crab, Sobou was sent to the Emerald Magistrates as part of a deal for additional food for the Crab in exchange for a group of samurai to serve the Empire. Though he does his duty, he is not happy to be so far form his friends on The Wall, and longs for the day he can return to it. The mission to the Badger lands is the first opportunity for honor he has found in the North of Rokugan, and he is happy to be assisting the Crab descendents.
