Shinjo Tensei (Ookami) - An Empire Divided L5R

Sing the songs of our fallen heroes (or villians) here.
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Vardaen
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Shinjo Tensei (Ookami) - An Empire Divided L5R

Post by Vardaen » Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:42 pm

Ookami (Unicorn Clan Ronin)

First Post: Wed Dec 29, 2010 4:04 pm

Last Post: Mon Aug 20, 2012 7:49 pm
This is the first time I've ever had a character do this! It was sweet.
In protest he committed seppukku:

Tensei flinches at the Empress' words and tones. "I am Unicorn Empress-dono, my Khan is you enemy, he is rebel as are all Unicorn. A man must be loyal to his daimyo and not question his word or wishes. He must also be loyal to the Emperor and the Empire a lesson we learned during the Clan Wars and the 2nd Day of Thunder." He stands up and walks to the back of the room and collects his daisho which he only recently reclaimed. "I can not be a loyal heir of Moto Chen and a loyal Chrysthemum Magistrate at the same time. I can not bare to be ronin once again." He takes to his knees and unties his obi and lays his blade, still sheathed before him. "The conflict in my soul is deeper than I can handle." He opens his kimono and bares his chest and stomach. "Joutaro stand behind me my yorikki."

"A test of honor,
a life of duty,
a man can not have two souls."

He draws his blade and turns it toward himself and then plunges it as hard and as fast as he can into his stomach. He makes the three cuts and can only pray he does not cry out or that Joutaro is fast enough.


The last few days have been full of peaks and valleys. Ookami the Wolf, the drunken sod, the ronin, is no more. Kneeling near the exit is now Tensei, brave and just; the samurai is unwilling to share the shame of Moto Chen and the rest of the Unicorn. Perhaps, in time, he would have been able to save his clan, but the dishonor of what the Khan had done before him is just too great. The Empress watches in shock and amazement as Tensei kneels and pulls his kimono open with wakizashi in hand.

The blade tears into the man's stomach, making the three cuts, his eyes appear to be close to popping out of his face. His eyes are glassy instantly, and his teeth grind against one another in terrible agony. The Empress calls out, "No!" But any protest is too late. Joutaro brings his katana down upon the neck of Tensei in one clean stroke. The head separates from the body and the pain disappears.

Tensei eyes open and peer at the golden sun ahead. His favorite Utaku steed beneath him, pounding its hooves through the tall grass. Tensei is happy. The wind blows back his hair, the smells of grass and trees are everywhere and a sense of calm comes over the Unicorn like Tensei has never felt before. There is no pain, there is no doubt, there is no heartache. There is only the steed beneath him and an endless field before him ...
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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