About Hikonaga20 Questions:
1: Does not belong to a clan, born a Crab.
2: Does not belong to a family, born Hiruma. 3: He is a bushi. 4: Hikonaga is a fairly typical 15ish year-old bushi. His expression seems more stern than most, and his clothing is beginning to show signs of wear from time on the roads of Rokugan. His black hair is just long enough to tie into a top knot. His eyes are constantly in motion, staying focused even on important events only in short bursts of time. 5: 'Naga is focused on finding a way back into the Hiruma. 6: He most trusts Senno, the cousin banished with him. 7: Hikonaga's greatest strength is his youth. The enthusiasm and energy of the young, and the time he has to learn and grow into the person he wants to be. 7: 'Naga's greatest weakness is his dedication to returning to the Hiruma. 8: Bushido defines a Samurai's duties. All other aspects of a Samurai's life fits through the filter of Bushido. That filter allows a Samurai to fulfill his duties to unit, family, clan, and Emperor. 9: Hikonaga desperately pines for the Crab. His emotional take of his forced separation makes everything he sees pale in comparison to the way he remembers home. 10: He is not married. He was betrothed, but that was cancelled when he failed his gempukku and was banished. 11: 'Naga caries very typical Crab prejudices. He believes most of the rest of the clans are too soft, that the Dragon monks are insane, the Scorpion can only be trusted to hurt, and that the Lion don't understand the value and importance of their peasants. 12: 'Naga is enthusiastically loyal to the Hiruma and Crab, and to a lesser extent, Senno. 13: Hikonaga misses the horrifically bad plays put on by Crab Samurai to entertain each other. 13: 'Naga hates waiting. Sometimes duty demands it, but that doesn't mean it must be enjoyed or accepted, simply tolerated. 14: He seems to constantly have something in motion. He may be tapping a foot, wiggling a hand or fingers, rubbing his thumb across the knuckle of his pointer finger, or something. His school training at least got him to stop always making a noise, tapping on something or humming, but they had to focus the energy down into small movements so that he could demonstrate the stealth expected of Hiruma. 15: As a young man still growing into his role (and through puberty), Hikonaga has some control issues, and his background gives him cause to be more angry than most. He has enough Etiquette training to lock himself down, but not to avoid some displays of which his teachers would greatly disapprove. 16: A subordinate's misbehavior is a personal insult. Before, it would be dealt with physically, though not lethally. Now, he's learning to step gingerly, because that subordinate belongs to someone else, and disciplining the offender could prove lethal to 'Naga. He's learning to restrain himself, but it builds his frustration and anger when he must avoid giving them what they deserve. 17: Now? A disgrace. Before? He is extremely gifted, but he has the self-righteous, cocky attitude typical of such a young man. With the right guidance and some field experience, he could temper into a properly patient, amazing man. 18: He feels that he was supposed to rise to command of a major Hiruma holding. He still holds out hope that he can gain that position. 19: Hikonaga secretly doubts that the Great Kami were really anything but amazing men, but he's not foolish enough to voice this opinion. He still respects their accomplishments, but wonders how much the stories have grown through the years. The Kunis' displays make it impossible to disbelieve in the power of the kami, however. So he acknowledges the celestial order, but struggles with how his present could ever be right. 20: Hikonaga is most likely to be cut down out-of-hand by a clan samurai for over-stepping his place while he chases his birthright. Background:
The young Hikonaga was provided every opportunity, as a nephew of the reigning Family Daimyo (Teruatsu, maybe? No name found online for 660.) might expect. His life was one of relative leasure, though his instructors demanded more of him than his fellows, because they could not risk allowing him to fail.
The problem with this, of course, is that some people never stop scheming, or looking for a way to gain advantage. An unknown Scorpion lord decided that he needed to weaken the Hiruma family, and as part of that goal, he targeted both Hikonaga and his cousin, Senno, niece to the Family Daimyo, who had done well during their gempukku and were returning with the heads of some minor oni. They were intercepted by a Soshi of great skill. The ritual Cloud the Mind and some sacks of heads provided by Scorpion Samurai, and the cousins returned from their gempukku confident in the skill displayed by the heads in their sacks, and unaware of the driving urge to leave them sealed no matter what. When thier sacks were opened, each contained the heads of five nezumi. Both young samurai were summarily banished for demonstrating they do not know friend from foe, as is required by Crab tradition. The Hiruma family was disgraced by the failure of two such highly placed students, weakened by the loss of not only two young samurai, but also the teaching experience of five of their best sensei, which undoubtedly hurt far worse and for longer. Hikonaga and Senno, of course, completely deny everything except what was in the sacks. They remember their actual kills. They know what trophies they had taken. They are completely incapable of explaining what happened, however, and the testimony of those who saw the revealed Nezumi heads is uncontested. Hikonaga and Senno wer eimmediatly ronin, with no hope of being allowed back into their clan and family, short fo being allowed to participate in a twenty goblin winter. With nothing better to do, the cousins worked their way round Rokugan, trying to survive, seeking knowledge of what happened to them, and looking for a way to restore their names and status. As part of their search, they have been seeking various shrines and the help of the holy men and women to find a glimpse of the truth that they think they need. As the story opens, they are approaching Kokoro Nezubn Seido.
Rings & Advancement:
2 Earth Stamina 2 Willpower 3 2 Air Reflexes 3 Awareness 2 2 Water Strength 2 Perception 2 2 Fire Agility 3 Intelligence 2 2 Void Honor 4.5
Insight 116
Skills:
4K2 Athletics 1 (school) Strength 3K2 Etiquette 1 Awareness 5K2 Hunting 2 (school) Perception 3K2 Investigation 1 Perception 7K3 Kenjutsu 3 (school) Agility Emphasis: Katana Mastery: +1K0 Sword damage rolls 6K3 Kyujustsu 2 (school) Reflexes 4K2 Lore: Shadowlands 1 (school) Intelligence 5K2 Medicine 2 (school) Intelligence 3K2 Sincerity 1 Awareness 6K3 Stealth 2 (school) Agility Techniques:
Torch's Flame Flickers: The Hiruma learns to focus his strikes even while protecting himself, perfecting the penetrating quality of his blow without sacrificing his defense. While you assume the Attack Stance, you gain a bonus of +1k0 to the total of all attack rolls. You are skilled at survival and can make all food, water, and jade rations last twice as long for a number of people equal to your Hunting Skill Rank. Combat:
Initiative 4K3 7K3 Katana for 6K2
+1K0 to all attack rolls while in attack stance Arrows:
Ashigaru Armor
Health/Wounds: 0
Advantages/Disadvantages:
Advantages
5 Allies - Hiruma Senno - 1 Power 4 Devotion 12 Prodigy - +1K0 to all school skills 2 Strength of the Earth - Reduce wound penalties by 3 Disadvantages
Gear:
Ashigaru Armor Sturdy Clothing Daisho Bow with 20 arrows (specified in combat) Travelling Pack
3 Koku |
